Earbuds Round-Up
Jan 23, 2024 at 2:37 PM Post #73,711 of 75,861
I'm pretty sure Fengru is just the Chinese word for 'DIY'. It's not a brand or anything.
 
Jan 23, 2024 at 5:00 PM Post #73,712 of 75,861
The Blue Moon by FQL

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Jan 23, 2024 at 6:18 PM Post #73,713 of 75,861
Jan 23, 2024 at 8:11 PM Post #73,716 of 75,861
Anybody still listen to Yuin earbuds ? (They were in discussion here more than a decade ago... but I've been out of the audiophile circuit for a while..)
I have a pair of PK3's that I still use and enjoy and was wondering if earbud tech has changed since then (2007 ?)
lol, would anyone be able to recommend a similar sounding earbud priced around $30-50?
You'd need to get a reply from someone that has a set of the original PK3 to give you a rec for a similar sounding set of buds. I think the innovations the recent earbuds (within the last several years) have implemented is using metal shells, some with removable cables (MMCX & 2 pin), some with fixed cables and some with a hybrid cable which is fixed at the earbud shell, but removable / swappable at the cable splitter. Transducer tech has improved with newer diaphragm coatings / materials as well.

One easy recommendation I can make which fits your budget is the new Temperament X6 which is the latest incarnation of the K's Earphones LBS / LBBS. Do they sound like the PK3? I've never heard the PK3, so can't answer that.

Both the LBBS and X6 use K's / Temperament's famous aluminum Little Black Bell shell. While the older LBBS is a fixed cable earbud, the X6 is using a hybrid cable which is fixed at the shell, but replaceable / swappable at the cable splitter. The X6 comes standard with a 3.5mmSE plug, but can be purchased with an additional replacement cable terminated with a 4.4mmBal plug (option with slight increase in price). The sound signature is mid-centric and balanced. One thing I notice is that while the X6 and LBBS share the same tonality / technicalities, the X6 has better bass than the LBBS, which to me, make them more enjoyable to listen to.

Both X6 and LBBS come with full and donut foams and cable forming ear hooks which aid in wearing the earbuds over ear style.

X6 vs LBBS.jpg


X6 cable with 3.5mmSE plug. The cable is thicker and is very flexible, very little memory and is silent when rubbing your clothes. Close inspection shows the outer cable jacket is black transparent which shows off the foil wrapped cable sheathed underneath.
X6 cable and plug.jpg


LBBS cable with 3.5mmSE plug. The cable is thinner and is flexible, very little memory, but the fabric mesh outer cable jacket while mostly silent can have some rubbing noise transmitted up to the earbuds. If worn over ear style, then any cable noise is minimized.
LBBS cable and plug.jpg
 
Jan 23, 2024 at 10:48 PM Post #73,718 of 75,861
@mt877 nice recommendation. There Little Black Bell is very nice looking and will be my next pair of flats. Hopefully the price comes down a bit when I'm ready. AliExpress currently has them for $37.99 usd.
Even though I just got the X6, I'm gonna wait for the next major AE sale and get the Temperament X3 (Onmyoji version) which is supposed to be a step up in sound quality. Of course they also make more expensive Bell buds which are TOTL as well.

Did you know you can collect AE coins? You can select "My Coins" and login, then you can collect "coins" which are points that can be added up toward a purchase. Max coins is on 40 a day ( = $0.40 a day), which is really not a lot, but if you do it daily the points will accumulate and can lower the cost of a purchase.
 
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Jan 23, 2024 at 10:54 PM Post #73,719 of 75,861
Speaking of ksearphone buds...just received my gold dbx two days ago. In love so far. They do not disappoint in my exploration into totl buds. Warm, good bass, good treble, mid focused, more details than anything else I own, fit well, nice presentation and accessories. Will try to write a more detailed summary after some more time with them.
 
Jan 23, 2024 at 10:54 PM Post #73,720 of 75,861
Jan 24, 2024 at 12:54 PM Post #73,723 of 75,861
100 ohm bio-fiber
OK master jeejack, you got me. What are bio fiber and bio composite drivers and what do they sound like compared to other drivers? And what do these buds sound like? Educate us please!
 
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Jan 24, 2024 at 1:34 PM Post #73,724 of 75,861
OK master jeejack, you got me. What are bio fiber and bio composite drivers and what do they sound like compared to other drivers? And what do these buds sound like? Educate us please!
I don't want to educate anyone, I'm just showing you good drivers that are worth buying because we have many friends here who can't afford to buy a ready-made pair

BTW... You can find these 100 ohm drivers in Tgxear Ripples and Smabat Super One buds
 
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Jan 24, 2024 at 3:30 PM Post #73,725 of 75,861

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