Earbuds Round-Up

[assassin10000]

I noticed some people were talking about TWS earbuds (including things like the Linkbuds and Buds Live), does anyone know if the 1MORE Fit S50 is any good? It’s the only other standalone TWS earbud I’ve seen with an actual flathead earpiece, apart from the Smabat S1/Lun Sheng YES1. Granted it’s certainly not exactly a traditional flathead earbud considering it’s flathead design flexes, has cut-outs, and bends, but it rests in the ear just the same as a normal flathead earbud.

I haven’t heard of the 1MORE brand up until today since I’ve never seen the brand in the audiophile community, but the reviews are praising it’s sound quality quite a lot; So I’m wondering how good it truly is when evaluated by actual audiophiles since the reviewers seem to mostly review mainstream products instead of hifi gear. I’m aware it’s labeled as an open ear style bud but I feel like it fits in the same category as the Linkbuds, given how it rests in the ear even if it’s strange.

1more has been around for a while. Quite a bit of tws from them iirc. I haven't heard them so I couldn't say. You could try the tws thread: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/going-fully-wireless-iems-too-soon-or-are-we-there-yet.861024/

These fall in a newish tws catagory of wireless 'open ear headphones' I've seen a rising trend of. Most of them don't rest in the concha like the s50 does.

Olodance, shokz and several other brands now have them. Rolling square's Hyphen aria may be coming out soon, I almost backed that kickstarter but changed my mind.

 

[anli]

of wireless 'open ear headphones'

On moving form IEMs to flathead this form-factor was as a short intermediate station for me. Have tried few of them (probably Cleer Arc II were the best), but acoustic closure at low frequencies problem is more noticeable in comparison with flathead.

 

[fooltoque]

On moving form IEMs to flathead this form-factor was as a short intermediate station for me. Have tried few of them (probably Cleer Arc II were the best), but acoustic closure at low frequencies problem is more noticeable in comparison with flathead.

I've had the same experience with them, although this s50 looks like they are trying something I hadn't seen before. The driver looks like it is sitting at the same distance from your ears as the others, but then there is that tube extending down to where a flathead would sit. It might mitigate some of those problems, although why not just make a flathead instead.

 

[fooltoque]

Topping G5 came in for the Yinman 600. I had a feeling that the Yinman would be best enjoyed around the house/porch rather than the desktop, and it was totally correct. It is just a pleasure around the house.

The G5 seems to drive it without difficulties that I can find, thanks all for the recommendations! All I can compare it to is my FiiO K11 (also bought for the purpose of the Yinman. How much money am I going to spend just to be able to drive $150 buds ).

 

[saldsald]

A little heat shrink tubing applied to the connector barrel works great.

That tube part is actually soldered to the shell by the factory (not the best desgin TBH) but at least the mmcx socket is not screw type which makes it very easy to fit a 2-pin socket there instead.

I already have those shells and ordered the 300Ω Pet and other drivers during the 11.11 sale. I'll drag and drop the same combo together and see how they sound. Maybe just a small tuning refinement is required to turn good sounding buds into a great sounding set of buds. Anyway, part of the fun (at least to me) is finding great symbiotic matches between drivers and shells.

Yup, I can see myself wanting to get more and more shells to try out now but sadly there aren't too many metal shells to begin with. I am going to add a low pass filter to some of these driver to test out the effect.

I also bought the 32ohm PET from another shop so the front cover is a bit different being bigger and cheaper made so there's the masking tape. The 32ohm version has perhaps about 30% more bass and also mids so it's even less necessary to tune it.

Edit: oops, I just measured their impedance and found out I ordered another 300ohm instead of 32ohm. I've read a comment somewhere made by the store owner about the some front covers increase bass and well it's an experiment done here.

 

[mt877]

That tube part is actually soldered to the shell by the factory (not the best desgin TBH) but at least the mmcx socket is not screw type which makes it very easy to fit a 2-pin socket there instead.

Yup, I can see myself wanting to get more and more shells to try out now but sadly there aren't too many metal shells to begin with. I am going to add a low pass filter to some of these driver to test out the effect.

I also bought the 32ohm PET from another shop so the front cover is a bit different being bigger and cheaper made so there's the masking tape. The 32ohm version has perhaps about 30% more bass and also mids so it's even less necessary to tune it.

You may have these stores already bookmarked, if not you can find more metal shells at these stores. There will be some overlap of shells between the stores, but each store will have a few shells that the other stores won't have. There's probably a few more AE stores, those just came to mind right now.

Edit: I just noticed I hit 1500 posts and joined the ranks of the Headphoneus Supremus mob. Woohoo!

NSC Audio DIY Store
Chitty's Store
DIY Earphone Tribe Store
XinYue Audio Store

 

[Kyonnie]

Edit: I just noticed I hit 1500 posts and joined the ranks of the Headphoneus Supremus mob. Woohoo!

Congrats!

 

[jwilliamhurst]

Puresounds 100-600 ohm ordered!!

Another oldie but supposedly goodie. Excited to find out

 

[mt877]

Topping G5 came in for the Yinman 600. I had a feeling that the Yinman would be best enjoyed around the house/porch rather than the desktop, and it was totally correct. It is just a pleasure around the house.

The G5 seems to drive it without difficulties that I can find, thanks all for the recommendations! All I can compare it to is my FiiO K11 (also bought for the purpose of the Yinman. How much money am I going to spend just to be able to drive $150 buds ).

Congrats on your new G5! Next is a high power tube headphone amp and you're complete... LOL! Eh, don't get a GAS attack and dig a hole in your pocket, this place is dangerous for your wallet.

 

[jwilliamhurst]

Edit: I just noticed I hit 1500 posts and joined the ranks of the Headphoneus Supremus mob. Woohoo!

Congrats

 

[saldsald]

That tube part is actually soldered to the shell by the factory (not the best desgin TBH) but at least the mmcx socket is not screw type which makes it very easy to fit a 2-pin socket there instead.

Yup, I can see myself wanting to get more and more shells to try out now but sadly there aren't too many metal shells to begin with. I am going to add a low pass filter to some of these driver to test out the effect.

I also bought the 32ohm PET from another shop so the front cover is a bit different being bigger and cheaper made so there's the masking tape. The 32ohm version has perhaps about 30% more bass and also mids so it's even less necessary to tune it.

Edit: oops, I just measured their impedance and found out I ordered another 300ohm instead of 32ohm. I've read a comment somewhere made by the store owner about the some front covers increase bass and well it's an experiment done here.

And then this:

More bass but not too open sounding. LPF @ 6000hz

 

[jwilliamhurst]

Listening to this amazing track with my Cayin N30LE and CAX Black Dragon and let me tell ya, this flathead is insanely layered, textured and musical. The imaging is pinpoint, stage is immersive in all directions but not unnaturally and the dynamics are snappy and life like. This earbud will put many iems to shame. I truly love this earbud!

Edit: this artist is amazing and everyone should check him out. He’s released a new album and it’s very good and sent me down the rabbit hole of his discography. This track is from his first album. Enjoy!

 

[saldsald]

And my cheap fake ear made to fit the coupler:


cost of fake ear $2 vs like $150 for a Chinese lab copy.

Works very well I guess.

 

[Kyonnie]

And then this:

More bass but not too open sounding. LPF @ 6000hz

Is that a resistor on the solder points of the driver?

And my cheap fake ear made to fit the coupler:


cost of fake ear $2 vs like $150 for a Chinese lab copy.


Works very well I guess.

Yeah that graph looks pretty good to me

 

[assassin10000]

And my cheap fake ear made to fit the coupler:


cost of fake ear $2 vs like $150 for a Chinese lab copy.


Works very well I guess.

If you're feeling really adventurous, make a mold of your own ear and then use it as a negative to make an adapter.

I did that then used the measurements to make my own earbud coupler that closely matches it.