Earbuds Round-Up
Jul 1, 2021 at 3:45 PM Post #55,711 of 74,632
Jul 1, 2021 at 3:51 PM Post #55,712 of 74,632
Love my Asgard 3, that one will stay with me until it dies.
I understand what you are saying. :thumbsup:You will hardly find earbuds that would be a real challenge for the Asgard3.
Maybe if they ever throw out a planar model, but ... :thinking:
Asgard can only be destroyed by this guy (Surtur - Fire Demon) so you DAC is safe for now :wink:
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Jul 1, 2021 at 4:10 PM Post #55,713 of 74,632
I understand what you are saying. :thumbsup:You will hardly find earbuds that would be a real challenge for the Asgard3.
Maybe if they ever throw out a planar model, but ... :thinking:
The only transducer that forces me to use high gain with it, is the Tin Hifi P1 with EQ.
 
Jul 1, 2021 at 4:27 PM Post #55,715 of 74,632
The only transducer that forces me to use high gain with it, is the Tin Hifi P1 with EQ.
Yup.
@ClieOS already have the nice pair of planar buds. This will be the great bud for your DAC.
I'm really surprised that no one has dared to make at least one model so far.
It would be nice if this driver could connect with Smabat modular shell :thinking:
 
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Jul 1, 2021 at 4:30 PM Post #55,716 of 74,632
Yup.
@ClieOS already have the nice pair of planar buds. This will be the great bud for your DAC.
I'm really surprised that no one has dared to make at least one model so far.
It would be nice if this driver could connect with Smabat modular shell :thinking:
Planars might not be ready yet though, if how they perform in the iem world is any indication for their bud performance....
 
Jul 1, 2021 at 4:36 PM Post #55,717 of 74,632
Planars might not be ready yet though, if how they perform in the iem world is any indication for their bud performance....
The price of the driver itself is a problem. I think the price of earbuds should be over $300, but that doesn't matter anymore these days :joy:
 
Jul 1, 2021 at 4:41 PM Post #55,718 of 74,632
slight update but i am now leaning towards returning the FiiO EM5. with the prime day discount and tax they came out to around $275.. the rolled off/veiled treble/upper frequencies and stuffy/closed feeling is a bit too much to overcome despite the great bass response for my library. i tried using the silicone rings and while it did open up a bit without sacrificing much bass quantity, the characteristic extension and rumble towards the lowest end is lost and it's just not the same. It sounds like an average bud that way. The highs are a bit rough/sharp sounding and then it becomes mostly midbass focused which I think you can find with better technicalities in buds a fraction of the price.

With full foams on, which still sound best to me because they leverage the shell's bass flute design thing the best, there are just too many compromises that it isn't worth it. With earbuds the main draw over IEMs for me is 1. openness 2. comfort. But because the EM5s don't sound very open to begin with I can just get a much better listening experience for the same part of my library (warning: kpop) using an IEM like, IKKO OH10 with good bass and female vocal presentation (which is also very comfortable despite their heft). I don't think additional burn-in can help the EM5, but I will try my best to get some hours in before the return window end of July.

I will say though the cable on the FiiO EM5 is great. I would probably value that at $110 alone. I might just buy a silver FiiO cable and use it with the Smabat M2S Pro if it's as good as its made out to be.

edit: also slight annoyance about the EM5 is that the shell and cable terminations are not actually black or smoke black they're like a very deep grey/blue color. I'm not tryna collect blue earbuds

edit2: another good way to summarize the EM5 vs say, the Chaconne is with the EM5 you're listening to the band and there's a vocalist. With the Chaconne you're listening to the singer and they have a band supporting them. Instruments like drums, bass, and guitar outshine female vocals in the mix on the EM5. Chaconne definitely spotlight the singer. I want to say the EM5 do better with male vocals and everything sounds a bit more balanced. I don't feel like I need to turn up the volume to hear male vocals over instruments as much, but the effect of band-first/distant vocal presentation is still there. for example, EM5 beat Chaconne at some band-supported hip hop like The Roots. Sure, the Chaconne has more vocal clarity but I don't think that's the most compelling part of music from The Roots. The EM5 fills everything out better and highlights the music's strengths rather than hampering them like they might do for a female vocal ballad

edit3: HMMMM yea EM5 slay at male vocal songs like Giveon - Heartbreak Anniversary
You’re making me feel better about cancelling my order. I decided I needed a new audio interface instead and went with a really nice audient id14 mk2. Very happy with it!
I know I would most certainly miss the top end if I got the em5.
Please keep us posted if anything changes with burn in!
 
Jul 1, 2021 at 4:44 PM Post #55,720 of 74,632
The price of the driver itself is a problem. I think the price of earbuds should be over $300, but that doesn't matter anymore these days :joy:
I will give planars a few more years before I look more at them in the iem/bud world tbh...

They need to mature more in performance and in price.
 
Jul 1, 2021 at 4:52 PM Post #55,721 of 74,632
Why do you feel that way? Many portable devices only have 2.5 for balanced output. If you have earphone cables that only have 4.4 termination, there is no choice except to use an adapter.
I'm not the expert to give advice in case of such an adapter, but I think you will mostly get the answer to not use this adapter
 
Jul 1, 2021 at 4:59 PM Post #55,722 of 74,632
I'm not the expert to give advice in case of such an adapter, but I think you will mostly get the answer to not use this adapter
Its fine to use it. As long as it isnt an SE -> Balanced adapter it is fine.
 
Jul 1, 2021 at 5:01 PM Post #55,723 of 74,632
Hi, I'm looking to replace my **** KP120s as one is dodgy and the other one, whilst fully functioning, has become unstuck and is only being held together by the foam...

After hearing a lot about the Yincrow X6s, I was wondering if anyone with experience of both could give me an idea of how they measure up against one another? If the X6 is only Monk-tier, then it's a tier below what I'm looking for.
 
Jul 1, 2021 at 5:09 PM Post #55,724 of 74,632
Hi, I'm looking to replace my **** KP120s as one is dodgy and the other one, whilst fully functioning, has become unstuck and is only being held together by the foam...

After hearing a lot about the Yincrow X6s, I was wondering if anyone with experience of both could give me an idea of how they measure up against one another? If the X6 is only Monk-tier, then it's a tier below what I'm looking for.
Monk tier? lol

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Jul 1, 2021 at 5:11 PM Post #55,725 of 74,632
Hi, I'm looking to replace my **** KP120s as one is dodgy and the other one, whilst fully functioning, has become unstuck and is only being held together by the foam...

After hearing a lot about the Yincrow X6s, I was wondering if anyone with experience of both could give me an idea of how they measure up against one another? If the X6 is only Monk-tier, then it's a tier below what I'm looking for.
The situation is reversed. KP120 is a Monk-tier. It's time to move on to X6. KP120 is a big miss while the KP110 went unnoticed even though it had a DLC driver
KP220 an KP330 are just desperate attempts to continue the series but it didn't last
 

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