[silverszi]

I think you answered your own question. If you think the driver itself is damaged that's definitely something worth sending the buds back over. It would be different if the hiss was just a grounding issue or something similar that could be fixed with 2 minutes and a soldering iron, but you can't fix damage to the driver.

I would probably send it back over either problem myself because I'm one of those crazy people who thinks products should be 100% functional out of the box. When I buy something that's more than a few bucks and it has obvious manufacturing flaws, I return or exchange it to get a properly made version. I know it sucks to go through the hassle, but that's the only way to hold manufacturers and retailers accountable for making/selling crappy products.

the problem is it's just the hiss and i dont have a soldering iron
they worked much better day one too so ill see if i can get a replacement.
or is there something better in that price range now that i think about it because without eq it was incredibly harsh
but then again literally everything i have listened to sounds harsh once it sits in my ear, speakers dont though, do my ears have a 3khz resonance somehow lol.

 

[samandhi]

the problem is it's just the hiss and i dont have a soldering iron
they worked much better day one too so ill see if i can get a replacement.
or is there something better in that price range now that i think about it because without eq it was incredibly harsh
but then again literally everything i have listened to sounds harsh once it sits in my ear, speakers dont though, do my ears have a 3khz resonance somehow lol.

I am also very sensitive to the region of 2-4kHz. The problem is that very many Chifi buds are tuned this way, but not all. If you want to find out where you are sensitive, and where you lack hearing combined with where the spikes and dips in your buds might be, you might want to check this out. I would just go through the whole spectrum, and this will give you an idea of the tuning of the buds as well as your own ears.

All of the buds I own have a boosted pina gain, though some are much worse than others for me. The only set I own (thus far), that do NOT have this is the Yinman 600. Now, that isn't to say that I can't live with the others, but they cna be fatiguing (even after getting used to it).

 

[silverszi]

I am also very sensitive to the region of 2-4kHz. The problem is that very many Chifi buds are tuned this way, but not all. If you want to find out where you are sensitive, and where you lack hearing combined with where the spikes and dips in your buds might be, you might want to check this out. I would just go through the whole spectrum, and this will give you an idea of the tuning of the buds as well as your own ears.

All of the buds I own have a boosted pina gain, though some are much worse than others for me. The only set I own (thus far), that do NOT have this is the Yinman 600. Now, that isn't to say that I can't live with the others, but they cna be fatiguing (even after getting used to it).

i do have actual sensory problems so picking something perfect/ good enough is basically impossible
playing music that peaks at 60dB measured on my mic is "too loud"
also tonegenerator link
already use it daily

 

[samandhi]

i do have actual sensory problems so picking something perfect/ good enough is basically impossible
playing music that peaks at 60dB measured on my mic is "too loud"
also tonegenerator link
already use it daily

Yeah, I rarely go above 80dB myself, though once in a great while (and for a very short period), I will crank up the volume for a good "toe tapper"... And the way that most of these buds are tuned, the Munsun curve really starts to ramp up as you give it more volume (for me).

Oh, good! That has been an invaluable tool for me. Glad you already are aware of it.

 

[silverszi]

Yeah, I rarely go above 80dB myself, though once in a great while (and for a very short period), I will crank up the volume for a good "toe tapper"... And the way that most of these buds are tuned, the Munsun curve really starts to ramp up as you give it more volume (for me).

Oh, good! That has been an invaluable tool for me. Glad you already are aware of it.

is there a known list of buds without pinna gain
i tried searching for "without pinna gain" in the thread but i got one result and i dont even think the words were together, I could just correct harder but im making 15dB cuts already and im scared that if i get another pair of lbbs theyll start imbalancing again

 

[samandhi]

is there a known list of buds without pinna gain
i tried searching for "without pinna gain" in the thread but i got one result and i dont even think the words were together, I could just correct harder but im making 15dB cuts already and im scared that if i get another pair of lbbs theyll start imbalancing again

As far as I know there is no such (written) list. Though @WoodyLuvr could tell you all the ones that aren't tuned that way because he has listened to pretty much all the buds there is to listen to since 1982 (IIRC), except maybe a few DIYs... hehe I also believe he is sensitive to this area, so he would be a big help to you, I think.

As for me, like I said earlier, the Yinmans are the only ones that aren't that I have ever heard. Having said that, they actually might be, but because they are so warm, one may not notice it as much, because they still exhibit the big staging that some of the others do (and that region not only gives the perception of clarity, but also helps with staging and separation in buds).

 

[WoodyLuvr]

is there a known list of buds without pinna gain
i tried searching for "without pinna gain" in the thread but i got one result and i dont even think the words were together, I could just correct harder but im making 15dB cuts already and im scared that if i get another pair of lbbs theyll start imbalancing again

Currently available the following flatheads immediately come to mind for being warm with little to no pinna gain:

• Faaeal Iris Ancestor; 32Ω
• K's 凯 K300 Samsara (Reincarnation) 轮回; 300Ω
• Longyao-Yinman 龙谣音曼 2.0 600 LE; 600Ω
• Shozy 大黑 Big Black (BK) Stardust; 16Ω
• Venture Electronics 微翼音频 (VE) Zen 2.0 Standard Edition; 320Ω
• Venture Electronics 微翼音频 (VE) Zen LL; 150Ω
• WillSound MK2; 32Ω

 

[samandhi]

is there a known list of buds without pinna gain
i tried searching for "without pinna gain" in the thread but i got one result and i dont even think the words were together, I could just correct harder but im making 15dB cuts already and im scared that if i get another pair of lbbs theyll start imbalancing again

Currently available the following flatheads immediately come to mind for being warm with little to no pinna gain:

• Faaeal Iris Ancestor; 32Ω
• K's 凯 K300 Samsara (Reincarnation) 轮回; 300Ω
• Longyao-Yinman 龙谣音曼 2.0 600 LE; 600Ω
• Shozy 大黑 Big Black (BK) Stardust; 16Ω
• Venture Electronics 微翼音频 (VE) Zen 2.0 Standard Edition; 320Ω
• Venture Electronics 微翼音频 (VE) Zen LL; 150Ω
• WillSound MK2; 32Ω

Told ya' he would know... LOL

 

[WoodyLuvr]

I would suggest trying buds in a PK She’ll if you have not. They seem like a safe bet.

Any specific suggestions you can think of? Preferably about the same price range. I'm not really familiar with the types and brands of shells and which earbuds use them.

I wish I knew of some… lol know the old PK1,2 and 3 were great, but the newer versions of them have gone down hill after a driver change. Where is @WoodyLuvr ? He is our resident expert and has a checklist to nudge you in the right direction.

Shozy 大黑 Big Black (BK) Stardust; 16Ω

'The Checklist' For Flathead Earbud Recommendation Requests

 

[silverszi]

Currently available the following flatheads immediately come to mind for being warm with little to no pinna gain:

• Faaeal Iris Ancestor; 32Ω
• K's 凯 K300 Samsara (Reincarnation) 轮回; 300Ω
• Longyao-Yinman 龙谣音曼 2.0 600 LE; 600Ω
• Shozy 大黑 Big Black (BK) Stardust; 16Ω
• Venture Electronics 微翼音频 (VE) Zen 2.0 Standard Edition; 320Ω
• Venture Electronics 微翼音频 (VE) Zen LL; 150Ω
• WillSound MK2; 32Ω

Can't find any listings for the willsound mk2 sadly, faeel iris screams "i will break this in seconds" and shozy big black is a little out of my current budget, especially considering I havent sold my increasing list of unlistenable equipment and I do not have the equipment to run high impedance
unless there's any highly eqable models that also do well
i assume lbbs is one of them but i dont want to risk them degrading again.

 

[JAnonymous5150]

Can't find any listings for the willsound mk2 sadly, faeel iris screams "i will break this in seconds" and shozy big black is a little out of my current budget, especially considering I havent sold my increasing list of unlistenable equipment and I do not have the equipment to run high impedance
unless there's any highly eqable models that also do well
i assume lbbs is one of them but i dont want to risk them degrading again.

I own 2 versions of the Iris (2.0 and Commemerative Edition) and they're pretty well built MX500 type buds. I fall asleep with them in, do work/chores with them in, etc and mine are doing just fine. There are better built earbuds out there, but the Iris models that I own aren't poorly made or fragile.

 

[silverszi]

I own 2 versions of the Iris (2.0 and Commemerative Edition) and they're pretty well built MX500 type buds. I fall asleep with them in, do work/chores with them in, etc and mine are doing just fine. There are better built earbuds out there, but the Iris models that I own aren't poorly made or fragile.

I mean
$5 is $5 i guess

 

[JAnonymous5150]

I mean
$5 is $5 i guess

Haha I couldn't have said it better myself! Honestly though, the FAAEAL buds that I own are pretty well made when compared to other buds I have or have tried in the same price range.

 

[silverszi]

I havent sold my increasing list of unlistenable equipment

I need to put up my grados for listing

 

[JAnonymous5150]

I need to put up my grados for listing

If you don't mind my asking, what "unlistenable equipment" are you looking to get rid of?