[fleasbaby]

I got the ones that come with the AT cable (the little silver-backed ones). I noticed the usual price is $10 for Buy It Now.

Indeed, the earbud market is a touch sparse, but its rather fun to come across something like the Dasetn stuff...a small-time, little eBay seller with low prices for what seems to be a decent product...

 

[kanonathena]

Hi  ClieOS
 
How SWD2 compare to TM7 in terms of details and soundstage?
 
Thanks.
 

 

[ClieOS]

Quote:

Hi  ClieOS
 
How SWD2 compare to TM7 in terms of details and soundstage?
 
Thanks.
 

 
While SWD2 is good, it isn't the top-of-the-top as TM7 on overall performance, including detail and soundstage, The only earbud that can be compared to TM7 is MX985.

 

[kanonathena]

I hope Blox can come up with a pair of earbuds for smaller ears soon like their discontinued TM5.

 

[philip697]

I went on eBay and bought some "dasetn ap8's" because they were so cheap and I've seen people in this thread talking about them. Have I done good? Can someone tell me what (if anything) I need to do to them? 

 
 
It just seems such a cheap price for earphones for them to be really good out of the box... 

 

[kjk1281]

Well, the modded PK2 and the regular don't sound that much alike. They share the overall character, but I find the modded more enjoyable than the regular version (except for the mids which I find to be better on the regular version).


Overall, the modded PK2 are not as musical as the regular ones and have a somewhat cold and clinical sound. But at the same time I find them to be more transparent, mainly because of the increased soundstage and improved instrument placement.


I've just put donut foams on them. At first I used regular foams that were a bit thick, and the donut foams might reduce the midrange resonance. About the resonance, I'm just taking a swing at where it might be since I have not seen a FQ curve of the modded PK2 (and don't really know how to produce one myself). The peak might be in the lower mids. Anyway, I find it most noticable when guitar chords or voices ring out.

I didn't mean to say that they sound exactly like the PK2. Sorry if I came across that way. I just couldn't help be see some of the similarities in his impressions and mine. kostalex's impressions of the PK2 also seem to be similar.

As I listen to them some more, even though they seem more transparent, they still exhibit that midbass and other midrange coloration that I really don't care for. The earphones have good detail, but it's hiding behind that coloration. I guess I'm allergic to the sound signature since I find my Pioneer SE-C521 and Sennheiser MX375 (as well as the Dasetn AP8) to be much more to my liking despite having a little bit less detail overall. They both excellent soundstage depth but with a sense of air and transparency that's just lacking in the modded PK2s. Maybe I just have brazen ears, or perhaps I'm just a closet Foster fanboy.

Hmmm... It's actually a bit sad. The state of the earbud market, that is. There are new IEM's introduced every week and with only a handful of earbud makers, here we are getting excited over a DIY guy's earbuds. I really wish that more companies would get into the earbud market. Well, at least Blox might release a new model late this year/early next winter...

The state of the earbud market is sad, but if it was booming, excellent DIYers like Dasetn wouldn't exist.

I went on eBay and bought some "dasetn ap8's" because they were so cheap and I've seen people in this thread talking about them. Have I done good? Can someone tell me what (if anything) I need to do to them? 

It just seems such a cheap price for earphones for them to be really good out of the box... 

Yes, you have done good! When you receive them, just plug them in, listen, and enjoy! Then later you can come back and post your impressions!

 

[Danneq]

Quote:

I went on eBay and bought some "dasetn ap8's" because they were so cheap and I've seen people in this thread talking about them. Have I done good? Can someone tell me what (if anything) I need to do to them? 

 
 
It just seems such a cheap price for earphones for them to be really good out of the box... 

 
I second kjk1281: jsut enjoy them out of the box. You might notice some change after a few hours of use. I have never done anything special with my earbuds or headphones to burn them in. I just use them. You could experiment with different foams to see what you prefer. I use donut shaped foams and that sounds good to me.
 
Quote:

I didn't mean to say that they sound exactly like the PK2. Sorry if I came across that way. I just couldn't help be see some of the similarities in his impressions and mine. kostalex's impressions of the PK2 also seem to be similar.

As I listen to them some more, even though they seem more transparent, they still exhibit that midbass and other midrange coloration that I really don't care for. The earphones have good detail, but it's hiding behind that coloration. I guess I'm allergic to the sound signature since I find my Pioneer SE-C521 and Sennheiser MX375 (as well as the Dasetn AP8) to be much more to my liking despite having a little bit less detail overall. They both excellent soundstage depth but with a sense of air and transparency that's just lacking in the modded PK2s. Maybe I just have brazen ears, or perhaps I'm just a closet Foster fanboy.

The state of the earbud market is sad, but if it was booming, excellent DIYers like Dasetn wouldn't exist.

 
What sort of foams do you use? I've put on donut foams and that seems to soften the sound a bit. I both like these and the AP8 a lot. Tehy are much better than some regular earbud maker's current models (I won't mention any names...)
I look forward to trying out the modded PK3 and the Dasetn MX1!

 

[fleasbaby]

I am waiting on my Dasetn ap8...I bought them on the 23rd of this month, so I am assuming still a way to go before they reach California...

 

[ejheflin]

How is the size of the Dasetns? Would they be good for smaller ears?

 

[chrislangley4253]

Quote:

How is the size of the Dasetns? Would they be good for smaller ears?

only the modded pk2/pk3 would be good for smaller ears

 

[Wokei]

I've been waiting for someone else to chime in! 


Agree completely on the AP8! Great and dirt cheap!

However, to me the modded PK2 have got much thinner/pushed back mids compared to the regular version. The regular version is a bit warmer and seems to be more forgiving of different styles of music. The modded PK2 seems to work best with acoustic and more laid back music. Despite the mids being pushed back compared to the regular PK2, there seems to be a sort of spike somwhere in the upper (?) mids. I notice it with some harder music and after comparing it to my regular PK2, I have noticed that it's there on them as well. Just not as apparent. You are perhaps sensitive to that spike in the mids?


The soundstage is huge, at least on my pair. It's pretty wide and tall on the regular PK2, but the modded has got great depth as well.

Perhaps the seller hasn't had such a good quality control and our pairs sound different? Have you compared the two pairs that you bought?

Or we are having different impressions of them?

The seller recommends burn in. While I am not 100% convinced of burn in changing the sound signature of headphones, the mids on the AP8 seem to have become a bit softer after a few hours of use.


I won a pair of modded PK3 ($8,50!) as well and next week I'll buy a pair of the MX1. Then I'll have a complete collection of his earbud models. All for around the same price as a new pair of regular Yuin PK2!

Just wanna say i owned three unit of DIY PK2 from Daestn and I got them in early April and from the pictures that you have posted and they are difference from those I owned ...they are no Y cable separator and 3.5mm jack look like high end knockoff with the brand name Yongsheng . I also received the PK2 that you have last week and totally agree with with your review of the model you have . The only difference with the one I have is that the soundstage is more middle instead of back and the details and separation is better .

 

[Wokei]

I also own three unit of AP8 ...initially bought one but was so impressed with its warm and depth of soundstage and totally agree with the harsh mid but with burn in ...gets better. For the price I think it represent value for money ...better than buying off the shelf earbud in the mall.

As for the Modded PK3 which I also owned ...it was a disappointment because having modded PK2 old version ( different 3.5mm jack) , new version of PK2 ( pic posted by Danneq) and AP8 and the expectations garnered from these two has set the bar quite high.

The PK3 just don't have the bass impact and separation n details were a bit poor compared to PK2 and AP8. Have been on burn in for about 50 hrs but still getting the same impression ...the sound is quite thin on all aspects and sound like you are at the back of the hall and everything sounds like the volume is on the low eventhough actual volume is at high. The higher the volume the sound feels even further back. I hope it makes sense ..that is how i feel the sound is ...

My only complaint with AP8 is fitting issue but I do like Dasetn old and new PK2.

 

[kjk1281]

What sort of foams do you use? I've put on donut foams and that seems to soften the sound a bit. I both like these and the AP8 a lot. Tehy are much better than some regular earbud maker's current models (I won't mention any names...)

I look forward to trying out the modded PK3 and the Dasetn MX1!

I've used all sorts of foams: thin foams, thicker foams, Sennheiser foams (can't recall the part number...), Sennheiser ear sleeves, and a combination of foams and ear sleeves. At your suggestion, I've tried some donut foams of the "home-made" variety and they seem to sound best with them. This seems to bring forward a bit more transparency but the mids are still a bit colored and the grainy midbass is still present. At this point they remind me a bit of the original PX100s: a very good headphone with nice amounts of detail but ultimately comes short of excellence due to some graininess and a bit too much midbass. Maybe my expectations were too high, and/or perhaps I just got a dud (or two)...

The AP8s are just excellent! I'll probably grab another pair or two one of these days.

Just wanna say i owned three unit of DIY PK2 from Daestn and I got them in early April and from the pictures that you have posted and they are difference from those I owned ...they are no Y cable separator and 3.5mm jack look like high end knockoff with the brand name Yongsheng . I also received the PK2 that you have last week and totally agree with with your review of the model you have . The only difference with the one I have is that the soundstage is more middle instead of back and the details and separation is better .

Thanks for the explanation on the differences between old and new. Interesting that there seems to be the possibility of some slight differences between individual units. My pairs have very little in the way of soundstage.

 

[Hghuy]

Edit: the only concerns I have is about how he can be consistent in the earbuds he makes. If it's all DIY, how can he guaranteee that all earbuds from the same series sound similar?

 

I do not think that all earbuds from the same series sound similar since my AP8's left channel is louder than the right!

 

[fleasbaby]

Quote:

I do not think that all earbuds from the same series sound similar since my AP8's left channel is louder than the right!

 
Oh dear...I hope my pair aren't like that...LOL