[baskingshark]

I no longer have the ST-10s Black Gold, and I actually sold them before I got my RW-2000, so I never had the chance to A/B test the two.

Did a quick search and found @baskingshark 's brief comparisons between these two.
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/earbuds-round-up.441400/page-3604#post-16353329
Maybe he can chime in if these impressions are still true, having owned both of them for some time now.

Yep it still holds true, RW2000 is an upgrade over the smabat ST10S black gold in mids and treble and technicalities and soundstage.

Black gold wins in bass quantity and extension. Black gold is way harder to drive too and needs an amp, so one area to think about if you don't have a powerful source.

Basshead will like black gold, but black gold is also cheaper than RW2000, so cost is another area to factor in.

 

[Question2]

Hmm, i'm starting to think that my little black bell S has gotten lost in the mail. The tracking data shows it left China on the 12th, and theres no sign of it since then. The site that I bought it from (Shopee) claims that they do not have any more tracking data because it was handed to Singpost, a delivery partner. Singpost themselves states that the tracking number given by Shopee isnt a valid Singpost tracking number and that the package was probably sent as 'basic mail" which has no tracking, and they have no way of finding the package....

All I can do is hope I get it tommorrow I guess....if it does not arrive I will have to request a refund...

 

[Smasher]

@RikudouGoku what are your impressions on the super one? Is this the proper X6 upgrade you were looking for?

 

[RikudouGoku]

it's possible to have driver flex with earbuds, in fact in this thread alone you can find instances of them occuring. Usually it happens to someone who is not using foams on their earbuds. any amount of foams would cut the possibility of flex happening, but it definitely could happen. i personally have almost similar amount of hearing driver flexes between IEMs and earbuds



i think almost all of DIY and earbuds maker would definitely have modded a Vido, and most of them that i've heard sounded good... that is saying something about the driver potential
also for a bit of blast to the past: let's not forget the Kube, and also (especially) Edifier H180 which has a quite wide difference in sound signature between their mods.

i haven't heard that many versatility in mods with the IEM world.. like for instance the MH755, most of them are just cable changes and detachable mods, and even if the mod is sound related, i haven't heard one that has significant enough changes/improvements from the stock sound

Well, learned something new then I guess. Still hard to wrap my head around how buds can flex though...

As for iem mods, there are a few of them. Micropore taping the vents or the nozzle, replacing the stock mesh or my own DIY foam mod (putting small pieces of earbud foam inside the tips).

@RikudouGoku what are your impressions on the super one? Is this the proper X6 upgrade you were looking for?

Impressions will come later today probably.

 

[chinmie]

As for iem mods, there are a few of them. Micropore taping the vents or the nozzle, replacing the stock mesh or my own DIY foam mod (putting small pieces of earbud foam inside the tips)

yes, that's mostly surface level "mod" that IEM users would do, even instinctively in some cases.. my "non-audophile" musician friends who never been in forums like these even do that.
similar to that, we earbuds users do that too with foams (though it also doubles as fitting modification).

there's also internal modification in IEMs, of course, but it's more complicated to do than on earbuds (maybe that's why less people are doing it) , and also slight mod on earbuds seemingly produce bigger changes in sound than IEMs

 

[RikudouGoku]

yes, that's mostly surface level "mod" that IEM users would do, even instinctively in some cases.. my "non-audophile" musician friends who never been in forums like these even do that.
similar to that, we earbuds users do that too with foams (though it also doubles as fitting modification).

there's also internal modification in IEMs, of course, but it's more complicated to do than on earbuds (maybe that's why less people are doing it) , and also slight mod on earbuds seemingly produce bigger changes in sound than IEMs

I don't really count tip/foam rolling as mods though.

 

[furyossa]

I don't really count tip/foam rolling as mods though.

That's funny. If this were to be counted as a mod then what about changing the cable (mmcx or 2-pin)

 

[RikudouGoku]

That's funny. If this were to be counted as a mod then what about changing the cable (mmcx or 2-pin)

I dont count that either since it doesnt affect the sound and is purely cosmetic.

 

[furyossa]

I dont count that either since it doesnt affect the sound and is purely cosmetic.

The cable can affect the sound, slightly, but that is not a point. Physical change of the shell or adding driver filters, connectors also, is for me "real" mod

 

[RikudouGoku]

The cable can affect the sound, slightly, but that is not a point. Physical change of the shell or adding driver filters, connectors also, is for me "real" mod

Its due to that airflow change isnt it? Yeah for some buds like the Bells it does seem to have a effect, but they dont have replaceable connectors though.

 

[chinmie]

I don't really count tip/foam rolling as mods though.

you could say that, but semantics aside, the end results are kind of similar, isn't it (trying to do minor changes the sound)? for example, i know some people who thinks that micropore taping nozzles is not modding.

i personally see any attempts to change something, no matter how small, as modifying..even EQing and Fx (which brings much bigger changes to the sound than most physical modding).

so basically i can both agree and disagree with your post above

 

[furyossa]

Its due to that airflow change isnt it? Yeah for some buds like the Bells it does seem to have a effect, but they dont have replaceable connectors though.

I most cases yes, but not always

you could say that, but semantics aside, the end results are kind of similar, isn't it (trying to do minor changes the sound)? for example, i know some people who thinks that micropore taping nozzles is not modding.

i personally see any attempts to change something, no matter how small, as modifying..even EQing and Fx (which brings much bigger changes to the sound than most physical modding).

so basically i can both agree and disagree with your post above

Or we can just say there are "real" mods and tricks

 

[RikudouGoku]

Smabat Super One:

Bass: sub-bass focused and does have actual rumble and extension but also has a lot of mid-bass as well so it does affect the overall tonality and causes it to be somewhat bloated. It is still pretty fast and tight with pretty good texture though.

Mids: forward female vocals but slightly recessed male vocals so the contrast between them is pretty big. Mid-bass causes some bleed into the mids.

Treble: on the slightly warmer side but is balanced out due to it having a slight 3k (which is my weak spot) peak that is a bit harsh for me and the upper-treble isn’t that extended/airy.



Smabat M2S Pro:

Bass: a more neutral bud but has very impressive sub-bass extension and actual rumble for something as low quantity as it got. Very fast, tight and impressive texture (bass reminds me of the old LZ house tuning in the iem world).

Mids: forward female vocals and neutral male vocals. Very clean and no bleed from the bass.

Treble: on the brighter side due to the more neutral tuning and it does have a slight 3k peak here as well so it is also a bit harsh for me. Upper treble extension and air are very good.





Overall: At this point, I am honestly more impressed by the M2S Pro which does not look good for the Super One being priced as high as it is…well take it with a grain of salt as it is still early. I will most likely have the Super One review done in time for when the sale starts and depending on when I finish it I might be able to finish the M2S Pro review before the sale ends (no guarantees on that one though).

 

[Сomrade]

Smabat M2S Pro

How sound in comparison with YinCrow RW-2000?

 

[RikudouGoku]

How sound in comparison with YinCrow RW-2000?

I will have comparisons in my review. Although it is after I have finished my super one review.