[WoodyLuvr]

Akros has posted a nice YouTube video about RikuBuds:



More over on the RikuBuds Hangout thread here

 

[WoodyLuvr]

Thanks for the info. I managed to find the part. It was a goddamn miracle. After trying to find it for days and giving up, it suddenly appeared on top of my office chair. And I live alone. And have checked that chair inside and out. Apparently I had also been sitting on top of it for hours. But no longer than that, because I could see it immediately, when I came back to my chair. It wasn't there before. I don't get it. But no more of that.

I can put it back, but it doesn't stay much at all. I don't know what was even keeping it there? Magnet? I don't see glue, at least the part is clean. The other ones also move so easily, I'm not ready to use these at all, before I find a solution to keep them together. Maybe I need super glue. Inside or outside? Hmm.

It's the earbud fairies.

I'm sorry, I don't have any advice about fixing them, but maybe leave them out overnight on the table with a nice fruit plate and some tea and the fairies might fix them for you too.

Concur, I would be more concerned about the gremlin/fairy infestation you may have!

 

[WoodyLuvr]

Busy with life, so I made an earbud shell for fun! Going to print it out soon and will update on the general shape/sound.

Valphonics is back!!! Great to see!

https://www.instagram.com/valphonics/

 

[BCool]

Back in February '23, @FranQL said I must build the buds he uploaded a picture of... and so I built them today.

@FranQL, thank you for the encouragement. I have tuned them to my utmost perfection and I can understand now why you said the buds you built had blown your mind, because the sound these buds produce is excellent, TOTL, no joke.

DP100 shell with 75Ω Nanofiber Bio Composite Diaphragm

I don't think I've ever come across these drivers! What do they sound like?

 

[Ace Bee]

Good News ！
Get this PAC Earbud for FREE when you order any selected products now.

Specification
Audiophiles earbud
Driver: 15.4mm PET Composite titanium diaphragm
Impedance: 40 ohm
Sensitivity :106dB
Frequency response: 20-20Khz
MMCX connector

https://penonaudio.com/pac-earbud.html

I genuinely do not know why people are not talking about this more! Let me tell you the positive aspects of these:

1. It is Free even if you purchase a cable as cheap as $38!
2. It sounds great! Wonderfully balanced!
3. Bass has a nice volume and slam - a nice and healthy body.
4. Midrange is not overshadowed by the bass - quite clean and reasonably transparent, well-bodied as well.
5. Lower treble is relatively less energetic but still has nice sparkles, upper treble is slightly rolled off but not muted by any means.
6. Notes have a natural presence - neither too thick nor too thin.
7. Wide stage but depth is slightly less - a rather intimate presentation, but feels quite clean and engaging! Height is good also.
8. Extremely comfortable and very small metal bell shell. Solid construction. MMCX connectors are very tight and sturdy.
9. Both sides have magnets attached to the back so that they can stick together! Which other earbud has that? To my knowledge, none yet!
10. I have not compared it with Fiio FF3, but frankly, when compared with other earbuds at around $50 price point, it goes toe to toe with them, if not better in some occasions.
11. IT IS FREE with a purchase of a cable as low as $38!

@WoodyLuvr I do not know if you have them, but if you do not, please get one. They are great given the fact they are practically free!

 

[samandhi]

Back in February '23, @FranQL said I must build the buds he uploaded a picture of... and so I built them today.

@FranQL, thank you for the encouragement. I have tuned them to my utmost perfection and I can understand now why you said the buds you built had blown your mind, because the sound these buds produce is excellent, TOTL, no joke.

DP100 shell with 75Ω Nanofiber Bio Composite Diaphragm

Are those the Aquila? If so, I can see why you like them so much. Of all of my buds (store bought or DIY) these are my favorites.

BTW! Very nice looking amp. I am glad to see that you were finally able to build one that "seems" right for you.... I used to want to build my own one of these because it was known to be one of the best you could get for the higher end Sennheiser phones. I just never took the time, and now I only desire to buy one rather than build one.... hahaha

This is the one I "desire" to buy now...

Thanks for the info. I managed to find the part. It was a goddamn miracle. After trying to find it for days and giving up, it suddenly appeared on top of my office chair. And I live alone. And have checked that chair inside and out. Apparently I had also been sitting on top of it for hours. But no longer than that, because I could see it immediately, when I came back to my chair. It wasn't there before. I don't get it. But no more of that.

I can put it back, but it doesn't stay much at all. I don't know what was even keeping it there? Magnet? I don't see glue, at least the part is clean. The other ones also move so easily, I'm not ready to use these at all, before I find a solution to keep them together. Maybe I need super glue. Inside or outside? Hmm.

Maybe that is why it fell off, they just didn't use ANY glue... If this is the case, I am really surprised that it "hung on" even that long...

 

[OmniscientNihilist]

fiio ff3 actually have more bass then the fiio em5

 

[mt877]

I don't think I've ever come across these drivers! What do they sound like?

In stock configuration (as received) they are bassy, muddy. You have to tune them correctly to get the sound you prefer.

 

[mt877]

Are those the Aquila? If so, I can see why you like them so much. Of all of my buds (store bought or DIY) these are my favorites.

BTW! Very nice looking amp. I am glad to see that you were finally able to build one that "seems" right for you.... I used to want to build my own one of these because it was known to be one of the best you could get for the higher end Sennheiser phones. I just never took the time, and now I only desire to buy one rather than build one.... hahaha

This is the one I "desire" to buy now...

They might be considered the Aquila in spirit only. Only 2/3 of Aquila? Yes, it has the same shell and transducer, but that is where it ends. I'm pretty certain the way I tuned it does not match @FranQL's tuning at all. Also it can't really be considered an Aquila unless it came from the hands of FranQL. Having said that, I can say that they are tuned so the soundstage and instrument separation is outstanding. The bass can be subtle, yet when called for the bass speaks volumes. The mid-range is sweet and the treble is airy with enough sparkle, but not ear piercing. They sound best when driven with a source that can deliver some power. That's why I showed them connected to the SSII amplifier.

I've used that SSII at my computer desk for quite a while now, so it's not a new toy. The other push-pull class A tube amp that I was working on is still a work in progress. I did receive a custom made toroidal power transformer and I got that amp running, but either the board layout or the custom toroidal transformer is causing hum at the headphone output which is not acceptable, so that amp is sidelined for now. And as you might recall the company ghosted me after a couple email exchanges when I told them the power transformer they sent me was dead.

I like me some iFi product as well, though their output power is actually both channels added together. For instance the iFi Retro Stereo 50 I have is only 25 watts per channel (speaker output) and the 1/4 inch SE headphone output is spec'd at 7000mW, but iFi does not say that per channel. So just like how they hyped the power of the amplifier by putting 50 in the product name, they are hyping the 1/4 inch SE headphone power to 7000mW (total power). Let's face it, 3500mW of power per channel is nothing to sneeze at and will drive many hard to drive headphones on the market. It's really overkill for all of my headgear, but the power headroom does make a difference even with easy to drive headgear.

That Pro iCan is a surely a beast, but I think the >14,000mW balanced output power is the total power, not per channel. Same goes for the SE >4800mW output power. Even with the power / 2, it is a very powerful headphone amp and would serve you well, could be end game.

 

[MelodyMood]

valphonics/

Looks Nice. Where they are available to buy? And how much?

 

[MelodyMood]

Ordered FiiO FF1 couple of days ago. Hope they are good. Could not find much info and only one review so far here.

 

[rkw]

Ordered FiiO FF1 couple of days ago. Hope they are good. Could not find much info and only one review so far here.

Lots of posts about the FF1 — do a forum search for FF1. Unfortunately, most people found it disappointing.
For example, this and the 20 posts that follow it:
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/earbuds-round-up.441400/post-17718171

 

[MelodyMood]

Lots of posts about the FF1 — do a forum search for FF1. Unfortunately, most people found it disappointing.
For example, this and the 20 posts that follow it:
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/earbuds-round-up.441400/post-17718171

Ohh. Thinking that it is from FiiO, and may be at least some upgrade to FiiO EM3, I ordered

Is it not even near EM3?

 

[gooberbm]

FF1 is actually fine if you use donut foams instead of full foams. A lot of people who didn’t like it only tried it with full foams, which I don’t. They sound very good with donut foams

 

[dpeterfy32]

What have you experienced about the effects of donut foams and full foams (e.g. Heigi) on the sound?