[WoodyLuvr]

K's Temperament 钛铃 "Titanium Ling" Bell-Ti (120Ω)
3.5TRRS / 3.5MM BALANCED (3.5MM HIFIMAN)

No. 831/1000

"LIMTTED EDTTION"
( which is decidedly better than "Limited Edition" in my book )​

This was K's 2018 flagship model and came in a titanium alloy bell-shaped shell and cabled with 5N pure silver wire. It was offered in two (2) impedance versions: low (32Ω) and high (120Ω). Only 1,000 titanium alloy shells were manufactured to be used for both impedance models.

SPECS
Parent Company: 凱聲科技 Kaisheng Technology
Brand Name: K's (Ksearphone)
Sub-Brand Line: Temperament
Impedance: 120Ω
Sensitivity: 106 ± 3dB/mW
Frequency Range: 5-45000Hz
THD: <0.2% @ 1KHz (sometimes noted as <1% @ 1KHz)
Channel Error: <1dB
Magnet: N55
Cable Length: 1.2M ± 5cm.
Drive: 15mm Dynamic Drive

TIMELINE
A real rollercoaster ride.

Ordered: 4 FEB 2021
Received: 10 FEB 2021
Right Channel/Driver Issue: 15 MAY 2021

After three (3) months and four (4) days of daily use the right channel, in a single day, started to decline in volume, began fading in and out, and then went completely silent due to what I suspected was 'shotty' soldering of the cable to the right driver unit. The right cable was very loose and easily shifting, back and forth, within the shell stem. Oh how so very disappointing this was! Dealing with Ksearphone has been a nightmare. Horrible customer service.​

Repaired by Wong @ Blur: 10 JUN 2021 (faulty driver voice coil and loose cable; see BUILD ("THE REPAIR") below.
Received: 21 JUN 2021
Left Driver Failure: 6 DEC 2021

I am sadly through with Ksearphones. Their QA/QC and customer service is horrendous. Case closed.​

Repaired by FranQL (left voice coil blown; unrepairable; drivers completely replaced): 10-14 MAR 2022
Received: 18 MAR 2022 (FranQL Temperament Woody Edition)
Sent to Cypherus Audio - Pending New Drivers: SEP 2022

​

​

BUILD ("THE REPAIR")
Arghhh... an utter, total train wreck.

K's most definitely had/is having some rather concerning QC issues in both build and finish quality as it is not very consistent nor at the high standard that one should/would expect at this price level. Oh well, I still love me' Bell-Ti's though!

Thankfully, Wong Kuan Wae @ Blur was able to repair them for me. Besides a loose cable the true issue was that the right driver had completely failed due to a faulty driver voice coil. The driver is directly mounted to the inside of the titanium shell cap/front cover under very tight tolerance. With the aid of a watchmaker's loupe and very steady hands Wong successfully repaired the driver by extending the voice coil wires by soldering two (2) very tiny lengths of Litz OFC wire directly connecting them to the driver solder pads/points and the pillars. He also tightened the loose cable as well.

After repairing and testing, Wong discovered that the drivers are not matched very well. There is a 1dB difference in loudness between the left and right drivers. I had completely missed this imbalance before but I guess I can blame it on my poor hearing . If I listen carefully I can just barely discern (identify) the difference now.

COMFORT
Heavenly.

With the nightmare (driver failure) over I can now move on to say that these are the most comfortable earbuds I have ever owned and/or worn period. The small titanium shells remain cool here in the tropics and immediately disappears (I have rather small ears so I find it difficult to wear MX style shells for any length of time so prefer smaller shell types like PK or Bell). The cable, though very thin, is very supple... gracefully so, and has very minor, if any, microphonics. Probably, the second best earbud cable I have ever heard for low microphonics... coming right behind my PureSounds 醇声 PS100-600S "Pop Edition" (600Ω) which had the upgraded ultra-soft and ultra-quiet 600-core copper cable.

SOUND
Warm and gooey. Smooth as silk. Strangely yummy.

I had asked @ClieOS for his recommendation of a god-tier earbud that exhibited low fatigue for ultra-extended listening sessions and he offered "Bell-Ti 120Ω". Indeed! The Bell-Ti 120Ω has been extremely polite, friendly, and relaxing to my ears and with the music genre that I typically listen to (ambient electronic). Coupled with the superbly comfortable fit I can listen to these earbuds all day long without issue or complaint

Originally, I had thought they were balanced or neutral but with a very soft signature. I was wrong. It is now my personal opinion that these earbuds are not for critical listening. Their sound signature and tuning is actually really goofy but not necessarily in a bad way if you seek a super-mellow earbud! I have come to realize that they are rather mid-focused and although they exhibit excellent midrange resolution (detail & clarity) they are way too forward in presentation. I believe this forwardness is due to the loudness of the mid-bass and mid-range (~125Hz to 500Hz) overpowering (greatly) the higher frequencies above 2KHz... which is nice for those of us who are sensitive to bright & sibilant treble especially during extended listening sessions. A resulting negative is that the overall timbre and treble (higher frequencies) are inaccurate. The timbre is soft and "far away" and the treble is recessed. One would say it has a very forward position which adversely affects the soundstage making it feel distant while also sounding very close to one's ears. The sound signature is heard more "inside your head" and in many ways kind of like coming from "behind your head" if I am making any sense at all.

To sum it all up: the tuning is a complete disaster! And thus why I think these earbuds can not, and do not, offer that "reference sound" required for critical listening. With that said, I totally love 'em... go figure!

Spoiler: K's Bell-Ti 120Ω

Spoiler: Ks Bell-Ti 120Ω - Sound Signature Plot

Their primary sound signature is neutral-warm however, their secondary and tertiary sound signatures pull them back towards neutral and over to sharp/detailed with a hint of an airy sparkle that is neither bright nor sibilant. They are very tame, treble friendly, and virtually fatigue-free.

Spoiler: Adapters & Cables

Here are some of the headphone adapters and audio extension cables that I use with my Bell-Ti earbuds.

Top: Ksearphone (K's) 3.5TRRS to 3.5SE Adapter Cable
Bottom: Venture Electronics (VE) 3.5TRRS to 2.5TRRS Adapter Cable

Top: XINHA HIFI Audio Headphone-Audio Extension Cable (2.5TRRS Female to 2.5TRRS Male; 75cm)
Bottom: Japanese No Name Brand Headphone-Audio Extension Cable (3.5SE Female to 3.5SE Male; 120cm)

Spoiler: Battleship Earbud Case

Ksearphone Bell-Ti 120Ω earbuds sitting on top of "Battleship Earbud" Case

This is a re-purposed watch travel case that I completely gutted and then re-applied cotton batting, thin foam padding, and black suede velvet. I also applied black suede velvet onto the outer bottom-side of the case. The top of the case was then decorated with vintage 1898 US Battleship Proprietary Revenue stamps (aka "Battleships") depicting the USS Maine sunk by an explosion in Havana Harbor, Havana, Cuba on 15 February 1898. These 120-year-old war tax stamps were affixed with three applications of decoupage glue followed by fifty thinly applied layers of acrylic polymer varnish which were lightly and finely sanded between coats, over a period of one month. I am still waiting for the varnish to completely cure before the final rub-out and polish.

Scott#RB23 5/8c Deep Ultramarine - US Proprietary "Battleship" Revenue Series of 1898
Engraved by Robert Ponickau. Frame engraved by Douglas S. Ronaldson.
These revenue stamps were issued to fund the Spanish–American War.

Painting of U.S.S. Maine by Frederick Nelson Atwood (1895); B&W Photograph circa 1897

Connected to a FiiO BTR5 via a 3.5mm Balanced to 3.5mm Unbalanced Adapter. You may spy a Meizu HiFi Pro DAC headAMP; FiiO L26 3.5mm Unbalanced to 2.5mm Balanced Adapter; FiiO BTR5; ddHiFi DD DJ35A 3.5mm Unbalanced to 2.5mm Balanced Adapter; and an awesome 3.5mm Unbalanced Audio Extension Cable that I bought many, many years ago in Japan.

Top Left: Crystalcore Audio Kryptonite 150Ω Balanced 2.5mm Top Right: •D•Q•S•M••A•u•d•i•o• Turandot 16Ω Balanced 2.5mm
Bottom Left: Blur 美魔女 Beautiful Witch "Dark" 300Ω by by Wong Kuan Wae Bottom Right: Smabat ST-10S Black-Gold 150Ω

Here is a pic of "Battleship Earbud" Case all ready for travel. So no, my earbuds do not travel loose within the case, but rather each in their own protective leather pouch

 

[furyossa]

Ksearphone Bell-Ti 120Ω Balanced 3.5mm (No. 831/1000)

--- More will be posted here later about how they sound after I have had more time to listen to them ---​

Spoiler: MORE PICS

Ksearphone Bell-Ti 120Ω earbuds sitting on top of "Battles" Earbuds Carry Case

This is a re-purposed watch travel case that I completely gutted and then re-applied cotton batting, thin foam padding, and black suede velvet. I also applied black suede velvet onto the outer bottom-side of the case. The top of the case was then decorated with vintage 1898 US Battleship Proprietary Revenue stamps (aka "Battles") depicting the USS Maine sunk by an explosion in Havana Harbor, Havana, Cuba on 15 February 1898. These 120-year-old war tax stamps were affixed with three applications of decoupage glue followed by fifty thinly applied layers of acrylic polymer varnish which were lightly and finely sanded between coats, over a period of one month. I am still waiting for the varnish to completely cure before the final rub-out and polish.


Connected to a FiiO BTR5 via a 3.5mm Balanced to 3.5mm Unbalanced Adapter. You may spy a Meizu HiFi Pro DAC headAMP; FiiO L26 3.5mm Unbalanced to 2.5mm Balanced Adapter; FiiO BTR5; ddHiFi DD DJ35A 3.5mm Unbalanced to 2.5mm Balanced Adapter; and an awesome 3.5mm Unbalanced Audio Extension Cable that I bought many, many years ago in Japan.


Top Left: Crystalcore Audio Kryptonite 150Ω Balanced 2.5mm Top Right: •D•Q•S•M••A•u•d•i•o• Turandot 16Ω Balanced 2.5mm
Bottom Left: Blur 美魔女 Beautiful Witch "Dark" 300Ω by by Wong Kuan Wae Bottom Right: Smabat ST-10S Black-Gold 150Ω


No. 831 / 1000


Scott#RB23 5/8c Deep Ultramarine - US Proprietary "Battleship" Revenue Series of 1898
Engraved by Robert Ponickau. Frame engraved by Douglas S. Ronaldson.
These revenue stamps were issued to fund the Spanish–American War.


Painting of U.S.S. Maine by Frederick Nelson Atwood (1895)


USS Maine circa 1897

This collection is "the best of the best" and with that travel case you have a package worth dying for

 

[jogawag]

If I have to choose between the two, I will take the RW-2000.

But if I can do it all over again, I might go straight for the Blue Bell.

I am looking forward to your review of the Blue Bell.

 

[40760]

well, each ear is a world ... For me it is not like that, in LBBs there is a frequency range between subass to bass that I lack and the voices and some instruments are metallic. In the case of the adjustment, PK suits me better and its tonality seems much more natural.

I think you do a better job of describing sound than me and I agree that it can sound a bit "splashy" at some parts. Your description matches when I switch back to the RW-2000 from the LBBS, and I think you will like the RW-2000's sound signature.

For my case, it is not so much the overall sound signature of the LBBS, but how it presented the potential of the bell shaped shells for improvement in tuning. I was never into the bell series because I always never pick the smaller shells, with the exception of the Shozy BK and SWD2+ for PK shells. That being said, I find they are good but also not the best when it comes to low ends.

I am looking forward to your review of the Blue Bell.

I have the TONEKING Dendroaspis and K's Samsara on delivery and should be done for quite some time. Maybe when there is another round of good platform discounts.

 

[baskingshark]

I think you do a better job of describing sound than me and I agree that it can sound a bit "splashy" at some parts. Your description matches when I switch back to the RW-2000 from the LBBS, and I think you will like the RW-2000's sound signature.

For my case, it is not so much the overall sound signature of the LBBS, but how it presented the potential of the bell shaped shells for improvement in tuning. I was never into the bell series because I always never pick the smaller shells, with the exception of the Shozy BK and SWD2+ for PK shells. That being said, I find they are good but also not the best when it comes to low ends.



I have the TONEKING Dendroaspis and K's Samsara on delivery and should be done for quite some time. Maybe when there is another round of good platform discounts.

There's an Aliexpress Anniversary sale end of March each year. It is considered one of their bigger sales, so let's hope for good deals then!

 

[WoodyLuvr]

Help! For the life of me I am unable to find plastic dust covers/caps for 2.5mm male plugs. Does anyone know of a good source?

 

[FranQL]

Help! For the life of me I am unable to find plastic dust covers/caps for 2.5mm male plugs. Does anyone know of a good source?

I have and do not use them, I can send you some.

 

[FranQL]

You can also do the following, I buy in this store, they are made of silicone, of great quality:

https://a.aliexpress.com/_v2Huut

You send a message to the seller and tell him what you need, he will give you a price.

 

[WoodyLuvr]

I have and do not use them, I can send you some.

Very kind of you but not worth the postage from Spain to Thailand.

You can also do the following, I buy in this store, they are made of silicone, of great quality:

https://a.aliexpress.com/_v2Huut

You send a message to the seller and tell him what you need, he will give you a price.

That link for some reason doesn't work for me... strange. Is that example dust cap 2.5mm or 3.5mm?

 

[wskl]

Is $320 a good price for Bell Blue? Can never tell with the AE "discounts"

PriceArchive says that $301 was the lowest price. If it is not urgent, I would suggest that you wait until the upcoming Anniversary Sale (final week of March), there may be a better deal with coupons, etc.

Can someone recommend the best earbuds I can get on a budget? Can't be more than 22€ the cable + 22€ the earbuds alone (it needs to be a separate purchase so I don't pay taxes in my Country).
Thank you.

So you want an earbud with detachable cable, yes? I think for your budget, the RY4S Plus MMCX

 

[FranQL]

Very kind of you but not worth the postage from Spain to Thailand.

That link for some reason doesn't work for me... strange. Is that example dust cap 2.5mm or 3.5mm?

Look

 

[sutosuto]

Your description matches when I switch back to the RW-2000

Do you have smabat ST10s gold?
If yes and if you don't mind, how is its bass, detail and clarity compared to rw-2000?

Thank you

 

[Mbabrete]

Hello everyone, I am a new bird here but I have long read this forum without logging in (pardon for my honest ).and I ended up creating an account here because I was struggling to find a replacement for recently break down my beloved "ann100" . Is there any suggestion with the same ann100 sound signature? Thank's before

 

[rkw]

You can also do the following, I buy in this store, they are made of silicone, of great quality:
https://a.aliexpress.com/_v2Huut
You send a message to the seller and tell him what you need, he will give you a price.

That link for some reason doesn't work for me... strange.

Here is the seller's store: https://www.aliexpress.com/store/all-wholesale-products/5003206.html

 

[WoodyLuvr]

Here is the seller's store: https://www.aliexpress.com/store/all-wholesale-products/5003206.html

Many thanks!

It is truly amazing; I spent nearly all day hunting for these 2.5mm dust covers to no avail. I can't find them anywhere. Crazy.