[MelodyMood]

Any new budget earbuds with really good sound quality? I did not see any reply on my query on JCAlly EP08 ND EP05 or another one which I shared through link.

 

[gooberbm]

Any new budget earbuds with really good sound quality? I did not see any reply on my query on JCAlly EP08 ND EP05 or another one which I shared through link.

NiceHCK EB2S pro (the blue one)

 

[jogawag]

Smabat M5 Pro crowdfunding
https://www.smabat.com/

 

[MelodyMood]

NiceHCK EB2S pro (the blue one)

The new one? It that not harsh? Someone posted that High are too high. If not then I can go for. Also, any idea abt JC Ally EP05 or EP08? Also, T-Music V3? Is that good too?

 

[gooberbm]

The new one? It that not harsh? Someone posted that High are too high. If not then I can go for. Also, any idea abt JC Ally EP05 or EP08? Also, T-Music V3? Is that good too?

I did not have any problems with harshness, in my experience

 

[fooltoque]

@samandhi I appreciate your detailed responses so far. I will admit though that the FF5 is at the top of my list, simply because there is a domestic distributor here, and one of my favorite headphone haunts has a demo unit on display and stock. While I am the most partial to the Etymotic sound, I generally like, or at least don’t dislike how everything else in my collection sounds as well. So based on what I’ve read so far about the FF5, I don’t expect to be offended by the sound.

In fact, it’s more of a question of physical fit at this point. I’m also curious to see how those will fit onto the UTWS5 TWS converter.

But unfortunately I got hit by Covid so I will need to wait on that jaunt for at least a week or two.

They fit my UTWS5 just great. The longer stem of the FF5 allows allows the buds to nestle down right where they are supposed to. I don't need any kind of mmcx extender like I do for my shorter stemmed RW-3000s.

 

[mt877]

Smabat M5 Pro crowdfunding
https://www.smabat.com/

Link to the Smabat M5 English language product page: https://www.smabat.cn/smabat/products/53896983.html

I jumped in on the M4 crowdfunding, but not this time. While a few of the drivers and M4 body sounds nice, IMO it's not anything to brag about. Will the M5 Pro (Golden) be the one to knock people's socks off? Will they tame the 2~3KHz hump or will it be the same ole' Smabat tuning in a new package? They do offer the stand alone M5 body in black for people that want to upgrade from M4 to M5. Maybe I'll go that route since I purchased several of the drivers for the M4. There's plenty of time to think about it before the crowdfunding closes.

 

[mt877]

How does it sound?

Where did you get it from? Taobao?

@marmagas does not have the buds. They mention they are available only.

 

[baskingshark]

Smabat M5 Pro crowdfunding
https://www.smabat.com/

Link to the Smabat M5 English language product page: https://www.smabat.cn/smabat/products/53896983.html

I jumped in on the M4 crowdfunding, but not this time. While a few of the drivers and M4 body sounds nice, IMO it's not anything to brag about. Will the M5 Pro (Golden) be the one to knock people's socks off? Will they tame the 2~3KHz hump or will it be the same ole' Smabat tuning in a new package? They do offer the stand alone M5 body in black for people that want to upgrade from M4 to M5. Maybe I'll go that route since I purchased several of the drivers for the M4. There's plenty of time to think about it before the crowdfunding closes.

I crowdfunded Smabat more than a few times in the past, but its gonna be a hard pass until they release some products without the massive 3 kHz icepick.

 

[WoodyLuvr]

Yeah, adverts ran amok even back then, just in different ways. I remember seeing Marlboro posters plastered ALL over the place (for example).

Subject change: So, I decided to dust off my ole' DUNU Alpha 1, so I can give them a good A/B when the 3's come in. I do love them, but I just don't listen to the type of music the benefits from diffuse tuning that often. @WoodyLuvr did you ever get the chance to listen to the Alpha 1's? You may have told me before, but for the life of me, I don't remember. I know there is a few of us (still) in here that have done so.

Yes, I was one of those that pre-ordered them in ~ OCT/NOV 2014 after they announced the launch which didn't happen until 2015. Unfortunately, I did not like them. Fit was an issue; rolled off and boring bass; really forward midrange (shouty and in your face); and slightly bright upper mids and treble... so totally not my thing, LOL! I think it was partly due to being new dual hybrid driver technology though; not quite perfected and they rushed R&D and the launch, the result was a wonky sounding overall signature and timbre was off to me... I suspect they had known it too thus explaining the delayed launch of review models and actual products from when they announced the new unit. Sad, I really wanted it to be a successful model for Dunu (back in those days I was still into cursed' IEMs!).

 

[Ace Bee]

Guess what I have in my ears as EDC

 

[harrihart]

After using FiiO FF5 more (with included balanced foams) the only thing I don't like about it is mid bass? Or somewhere between mids and bass there is some kind of very strong roundness in the sound, that I'm not used to. That area doesn't sound detailed and is just cheap sounding imo. Other than that it's excellent and even better than I expected.

 

[WoodyLuvr]

Please review the Svara-Smabat Timeline and let me know if anything is missing... I think I have captured all the known driver modules for the M4 but I may have missed one or two as there were a good number of them that came and went in 2022. Thank you.

Svara-Smabat

 

[yaps66]

Incredible session with Mimo!

 

[Touchowl]

2 more DIY jobs, a titanium and an LCP driver. The titanium one has promise but really I think I had it right the first time with the beryllium composite driver, feels like a far more neutral and "complete" sound