[Au13]

Nice! Is this your first leap into using flat head earbuds? If it is, then you really jumped in and got some excellent sounding mid-priced buds. If you've been in the game for a while, well.. you still got some excellent sounding mid-priced buds. Congrats either way!

I've been using earbuds for years but I didn't climb down the hole until a few years back and I've managed to keep my collection under 10

 

[samandhi]

I've been using earbuds for years but I didn't climb down the hole until a few years back and I've managed to keep my collection under 10

Ummm... That is a good sized collection IMO...

 

[samandhi]

Another note about the S1. It doesn't look like it is done "cooking" yet (but it looks like they are producing them early???)... Here is a snippet directly from Smabat site:

Updated: February 2022, 2 Thank you very much for your support of our module Bluetooth headset.

We decided that the product had to be produced and no longer wait for the target crowdfunding number.

Thank you to the friends who have participated in this event, thank you very much!

(Note: This product is currently crowdfunding, the current charging case design is finalized, the color is uncertain (gray or yellow leather) The shape and size of the headset have been confirmed, and the color and details are still being optimized. The crowdfunding period is 3 months

Participants should add WeChat customer service (18682125572) to facilitate follow-up contact.

Is this potentially a dual driver device???? You be the judge (I can't read Chinese But I see 14.2mm and 10mm):

Spoiler: Smabat S1

 

[mt877]

Another note about the S1. It doesn't look like it is done "cooking" yet (but it looks like they are producing them early???)... Here is a snippet directly from Smabat site:



Is this potentially a dual driver device???? You be the judge (I can't read Chinese But I see 14.2mm and 10mm):

Spoiler: Smabat S1

A google translation:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
• Driver unit: 14.2mm / 10mm
• Frequency range: 18HZ-22000Hz
• Sensitivity: 110+1dB 112+1dB
• Impedance: 32 Ohm
• Diaphragm: 14.2mm composite film 10mm titanium film
• Acoustic structure: 3D technology labyrinth structure
•Earphone material: aluminum alloy

• Chip version: QCC3040 V5.2
• Audio decoding: Adaptive APT-X AAC SBC
• Earphone battery life: 10 hours
• Charging case battery life: 50 hours
• Distance: 10m
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Wow, if it is dual driver, it will certainly be unique.

 

[samandhi]

A google translation:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
• Driver unit: 14.2mm / 10mm
• Frequency range: 18HZ-22000Hz
• Sensitivity: 110+1dB 112+1dB
• Impedance: 32 Ohm
• Diaphragm: 14.2mm composite film 10mm titanium film
• Acoustic structure: 3D technology labyrinth structure
•Earphone material: aluminum alloy

• Chip version: QCC3040 V5.2
• Audio decoding: Adaptive APT-X AAC SBC
• Earphone battery life: 10 hours
• Charging case battery life: 50 hours
• Distance: 10m
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Wow, if it is dual driver, it will certainly be unique.

Thanks for that sir!

I wonder if it is indeed dual driver, or it is a choice like you made when ordering the Maria II?!

 

[mt877]

Thanks for that sir!

I wonder if it is indeed dual driver, or it is a choice like you made when ordering the Maria II?!

At least the Bluetooth and battery life specs looks good. The dual driver (pure speculation) arrangement sounds interesting. Maybe they will have a different sound signature than the usual smabat house tuning? It's wait and see.

 

[baskingshark]

The wooden box hiding the Yinman 600 ohm has come home to roost!

I managed to sneak it home by enlisting the help of my daughter. Told her to go to the mail box, and bring it in inside her school bag. LOL all to bypass the hawk-like eyes of the wife.

Mission successful! I will reward the kid with an ice-cream, some pocket money and maybe a Faaeal earbud hahahaha.

 

[Carpet]

The wooden box hiding the Yinman 600 ohm has come home to roost!

I managed to sneak it home by enlisting the help of my daughter. Told her to go to the mail box, and bring it in inside her school bag. LOL all to bypass the hawk-like eyes of the wife.

Mission successful! I will reward the kid with an ice-cream, some pocket money and maybe a Faaeal earbud hahahaha.

I see a series of problems in your future, related to dragging your daughter down the same rabbit hole!

1/ curiosity about the audio toys she receives will give her an appreciation of the scale of your transgressions.

2/ increase with age in general cognitive function will eventually lead to a recognition of the leverage that knowledge provides.

3/ she will develop a taste for increasingly better sounding bribes.

4/ say goodbye to half of your toys!

 

[wolfen68]

I see a series of problems in your future, related to dragging your daughter down the same rabbit hole!

1/ curiosity about the audio toys she receives will give her an appreciation of the scale of your transgressions.

2/ increase with age in general cognitive function will eventually lead to a recognition of the leverage that knowledge provides.

3/ she will develop a taste for increasingly better sounding bribes.

4/ say goodbye to half of your toys!

5/ She turns 14 and all hell breaks loose.

 

[samandhi]

The wooden box hiding the Yinman 600 ohm has come home to roost!

I managed to sneak it home by enlisting the help of my daughter. Told her to go to the mail box, and bring it in inside her school bag. LOL all to bypass the hawk-like eyes of the wife.

Mission successful! I will reward the kid with an ice-cream, some pocket money and maybe a Faaeal earbud hahahaha.

Great "underground" you got there...

Interesting to note that this is the 3rd different box and packaging I have seen for these thus far. This box looks "half" finished, and you didn't get the leatherette coated dragon embossed puck style case, but a pouch instead.

 

[baskingshark]

Great "underground" you got there...

Interesting to note that this is the 3rd different box and packaging I have seen for these thus far. This box looks "half" finished, and you didn't get the leatherette coated dragon embossed puck style case, but a pouch instead.

Yep seems a bit different from the other photos from the other forum members who bought it.

But I'm not too particular about accessories. The sound is very good. Warm neutral with shades of a Senn HD650 in earbud form. Painful to drive as expected (low sensitivity/high impedance), definitely needs amplification to scale optimally. It doesn't synergize well with full foams IMO, too warm. Pairs better with donut foams to give some openess.

Thanks for the recs you all, this will be a keeper!

 

[mt877]

The wooden box hiding the Yinman 600 ohm has come home to roost!

I managed to sneak it home by enlisting the help of my daughter. Told her to go to the mail box, and bring it in inside her school bag. LOL all to bypass the hawk-like eyes of the wife.

Mission successful! I will reward the kid with an ice-cream, some pocket money and maybe a Faaeal earbud hahahaha.

Nice! You got a (more regular) rectangular coffin box while everybody else gets 'punished' with a square coffin box. Hehe.

 

[Setsuya]

Hello.
I have been using the EarPods 3.5mm for a long time and want to get a proper upgrade (I really don't like inEar or headphones).
Can someone help me pick something for 110$ more or less on aliexpress (since I don't have to pay extra taxes when it arrives my country from there).
I can wait for a sale too if the earbuds are worth the wait.
Thank you.

 

[Sam L]

I'll be pretty much only listening to these two buds this week. Good job @FiiO! Excellent earbuds that are wonderfully complementary -- so the only real option between these models is to get them both.

 

[samandhi]

Hello.
I have been using the EarPods 3.5mm for a long time and want to get a proper upgrade (I really don't like inEar or headphones).
Can someone help me pick something for 110$ more or less on aliexpress (since I don't have to pay extra taxes when it arrives my country from there).
I can wait for a sale too if the earbuds are worth the wait.
Thank you.

There are many many options, and the only thing we have to go by as to your preferred sound signature is the earpods. Having said that, the FiiO FF3 are under that price, and might sound similar to your ears (though much much better IMO). I would call these the best of the best for the price point you are looking for (though others might add more that are to their liking)...

Edit: I would also like to throw on that list the Yincrow RW2000, as they have come down to about $120 (which is a bit above your budget, but these are also TOTL sound IMO).