[vygas]

Also, I got my Monk Slim Metal this morning, they look pretty damn nice too.

Spoiler: Monk Slim Metal

First impressions : Large soundstage and very good imaging, fair amount of detail for something with a neutral sound signature, definitely isn't for bassheads either, fairly comfortable as well. The main issue I had with it were the expectations of it being a true "PK" shell, but it turned out to be a larger variant closer to the B40, despite that, if these come up for 20usd again, I will definitely grab a spare (or two)

Anyone else got their pair yet?

 

[vygas]

Which I still, for the life of me, have trouble wrapping my head around. Why, if you have independent signal and return for each channel, do you also need a common ground for the jacket? I understand the theoretical noise rejection angle, but does it translate practically or was this just another attempt to make another standard that wasn't 2.5mm?

As the engineering joke goes: we had 23 standards....someone decided that was too many and harmonization was required. We now have 24 standards.

I actually spoke with a friend and it's got nothing to do with Headphones, IEMs or Earbuds (in theory). It's aimed towards people who want to run Pentaconn to Dual XLR because it's the only balanced jack that has extra grounding for those applications. Though it might still have some effect on the sound of transducers since no interconnect is perfect. So that joke is pretty fitting for this situation

 

[samandhi]

Which I still, for the life of me, have trouble wrapping my head around. Why, if you have independent signal and return for each channel, do you also need a common ground for the jacket? I understand the theoretical noise rejection angle, but does it translate practically or was this just another attempt to make another standard that wasn't 2.5mm?

As the engineering joke goes: we had 23 standards....someone decided that was too many and harmonization was required. We now have 24 standards.

You know how the industry goes?! You do get a gain with having the extra ground, but is it very worthwhile? If you have discrete grounding that means that if you DO get noise on one, you may not get it on the other... ROFL

That is priceless!

Also, I got my Monk Slim Metal this morning, they look pretty damn nice too.

Spoiler: Monk Slim Metal

First impressions : Large soundstage and very good imaging, fair amount of detail for something with a neutral sound signature, definitely isn't for bassheads either, fairly comfortable as well. The main issue I had with it were the expectations of it being a true "PK" shell, but it turned out to be a larger variant closer to the B40, despite that though. If these come up for 20usd again, I will definitely grab a spare (or two)

Anyone else got their pair yet?

Those look really nice! Congrats!

 

[miserybeforethemusic]

I actually spoke with a friend and it's got nothing to do with Headphones, IEMs or Earbuds (in theory). It's aimed towards people who want to run Pentaconn to Dual XLR because it's the only balanced jack that has extra grounding for those applications. Though it might still have some effect on the sound of transducers since no interconnect is perfect. So that joke is pretty fitting for this situation

Thought something like that since the pinout is effectively just 4-pin XLR with a different-shaped plug. Just makes it really hard, much like cable material debates, to say it's the Pentaconn connector itself that's producing the sonic benefit.

Oh and @chinmie I saw the mention of Deadmau5. Got to see him test out the Cube V3 setup live before everything started shutting down. What an impressive piece of tech:


Additional shoutouts for Aus, Fehrplay, and OVERWERK if you're looking for similar artists. Really like OVERWERK's tendency to use arpeggios in his tracks; gives it a neo-classical feel:

 

[WoodyLuvr]

If I think about it, it's absolutely insane the number of connectors I have seen come and go since the 1970s !

 

[samandhi]

Oh and @chinmie I saw the mention of Deadmau5. Got to see him test out the Cube V3 setup live before everything started shutting down. What an impressive piece of tech:

That IS impressive, but what I find more impressive is the Space Invaders tattoo...

 

[miserybeforethemusic]

If I think about it, it's absolutely insane the number of connectors I have seen come and go since the 1970s !

Two words that shouldn't belong together: BNC earbuds

That IS impressive, but what I find more impressive is the Space Invaders tattoo...

How about his studio? I could live in there:

 

[vygas]

Those look really nice! Congrats!

I love 'em, I also really like the Monk Lite 120ohm I ordered with the Slim Metal, used it as an excuse to finally quench my curiosity. The 120ohm is pretty punchy and energetic set of buds with some intimacy, even though they weren't as refined or detailed as the Slim Metal, they definitely deserve the praise they get in my opinion

 

[vygas]

Two words that shouldn't belong together: BNC earbuds

How about his studio? I could live in there:

His studio is pretty nuts, I'd probably scared to even breathe near any of the synths he keeps there

 

[miserybeforethemusic]

His studio is pretty nuts, I'd probably scared to even breathe near any of the synths he keeps there

Modular is fun and relatively bulletproof; you'd have to really mess something up to blow a card. Based on that wall, seems he has at least 3 sets of each of what I'm assuming are Intellijel gear. Make Noise or Dreadbox are a more cost-effective option if you want to noodle, though

 

[samandhi]

Two words that shouldn't belong together: BNC earbuds

This!

How about his studio? I could live in there:

IKR? I don't know if I would even know what to do with all that stuff?!

His studio is pretty nuts, I'd probably scared to even breathe near any of the synths he keeps there

Wonder if he has rules about taking drinks into this room?

 

[WoodyLuvr]

What we need is a return to all-silicone earbud designs. The first person to implement one of those (properly, mind...don't need something that's going to slough pocket lint and dust constantly) is going to make bank. @WoodyLuvr might be a fun project if you can figure out how that molding process works.

Great idea; unfortunately my DIY days are well over now... the ole eagle eyes and steady hands are no-more.

Back in the 80s Sony R&D worked hard on implementing silicon shells but there were just too many obstacles to overcome to get it to work. I know that the hearing aid industry is trying hard to implement a silicon like material but is also battling many of the similar obstacles forty years later.

 

[miserybeforethemusic]

Wonder if he has rules about taking drinks into this room?

He likes to party (can't reveal how I know). Wouldn't surprise me if drinks were required.

Great idea; unfortunately my DIY days are well over now... the ole eagle eyes and steady hands are no-more.

Well then whomever is willing to take on a more...involved...DIY project like this might find it rewarding, especially since the earbud shell itself would, in effect, become the strain relief. Not to mention the comfort advantage...why hasn't this been done by one of the big guys recently? Smabat, if you're reading this...soft silicone earbuds...make it happen

 

[WoodyLuvr]

why hasn't this been done by one of the big guys recently? Smabat, if you're reading this...soft silicone earbuds...make it happen

see my edited post above

 

[RikudouGoku]

Yincrow RW-100 VS Apple Airpods 2019
(Borrowed the Airpods from my little sister)

Setup:
RW-100 (PC setup, Asgard 3 + Topping E10)
Airpods (mobile, LG G7, Bluetooth)

Sub-bass: Extends lower and rumbles a lot more on the RW-100, punch quantity is a lot higher on the RW-100 but similar speed, tightness and texture.
Mid-bass: The Airpods are a lot cleaner due to the faster/tighter bass along with more texture but more quantity on the RW-100.

Mids: Female vocals are better on the Airpods, due to the tonality being brighter and cleaner (no bass bleed on them unlike the RW-100) but also more natural with the timbre. Male vocals are also better on the Airpods due to the bass bleed bottlenecking (unclean) the RW-100 as well as more natural timbre on the Airpods. Similar quantity though.

Treble: similarly non-peaky but cleaner and airier sound on the Airpods, although tonality is somewhat similar, just that the Airpods sounds like they removed a blanket covering the drivers.

Tech: Wider soundstage on the Airpods but a bit deeper and more holographic on the RW-100. Detail, imaging, instrument separation and timbre are better on the Airpods.
Overall: The Airpods are more of an “audiophile” tuning than the RW-100 and made it look bad….

Comment on the Airpods: Well, I admit. They are actually better…a lot better than I expected (then again, I expected garbage from them since I don’t exactly like Apple lol).

Are they worth the price? For sound, no. There are better earbuds out there for sound, but if you want the convenience of wireless, then yes. I say they are worth it.

(FIY: They are more similar to earbuds than iems.)