Going fully Wireless IEMs. Too soon? Or are we there yet?
Aug 22, 2021 at 12:25 PM Post #36,466 of 61,381
Trying out the Finals on the Gemini. They fit and are more open at driver than the stock.

I do find it interesting that both B&W and Devialet run something across the driver, foam or rubber grate, while the Finals are just open. Hope not bad for driver unit to be so exposed. It does seem as though Gemini have a metal grate at tip of nozzle
(Maybe inner monologue?)
I use JVC spiral dot (M) tips with my Geminis ..sounds really good.
 
Aug 22, 2021 at 1:04 PM Post #36,467 of 61,381
I want to try the Devialet, but I just can't deal with that chonk of a case. Unforgiveable.
Maybe a second gen with LDAC, BT 5.2 and much smaller, pocketable case could bring me over.

I think it's great that the Gemini is finally getting some due props. These days I think we're all inclined to dismiss things like EAM or IDC as mere "hackronymns" but Devialet's Ear Active Matching and Internal Delay Compensation might actually be some pretty amazing technology, not just "tuning" (as it's all-too-often put here). These innovations probably require some physical space to do their thing and then there's the proprietary 10mm driver, so the size of the buds is probably non-negotiable. The case might be able to be shrunk a slight amount, but with the battery and wireless charging I trust Devialet did the best they could.

As for LDAC, these get maybe 4 hours with apt-x and ANC. So maybe BT 5.2 will help (?) butI guess what we have is the current state of the art for now.
 
Aug 22, 2021 at 1:27 PM Post #36,468 of 61,381
I want to try the Devialet, but I just can't deal with that chonk of a case. Unforgiveable.
Maybe a second gen with LDAC, BT 5.2 and much smaller, pocketable case could bring me over.
I am the same way. I wanted to try it but realized how big the case was and that I would never use it since I could never fit it in my pockets with 2 phones, keys, hand sanitizer, Benchmade Mini grip, mask, ID wallet. PI7 case barely fits and sometimes I just take my Galaxy Buds Live for portability and calls instead. For me TWS is about convenience and if I need to go digging through a bag to use it, it probably isnt getting used. For home and office, I use wired (and sometimes a Qudelix 5K when I need to walk around).
 
Aug 22, 2021 at 2:21 PM Post #36,469 of 61,381
£69.99 + £20 off till end of today (Sunday).

Not ideal as no Skip Back Track but going to try them for sleeping, if ANC is like SoundPeats T2's I be happy but need better battery life (actual not claimed) than those.

GameSky did a review back in 2020 but these claim to be BT 5.2 so may be a newer revision or his specs were wrong as he claimed BT 5.0.





https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08LN1J229
 
Aug 22, 2021 at 2:35 PM Post #36,470 of 61,381
Hmmmm, I can get the Audiofly AFT2 for $99CAD right now, that's about $77US. Tempting, I have a feeling it would be similar to the CA Touch for sound minus the APP and ANC. I need it like a hole in the head but very tempting...
 
Aug 22, 2021 at 3:24 PM Post #36,471 of 61,381
Hmmmm, I can get the Audiofly AFT2 for $99CAD right now, that's about $77US. Tempting, I have a feeling it would be similar to the CA Touch for sound minus the APP and ANC. I need it like a hole in the head but very tempting...
The connection is sub par and they don't seem to have long term reliability.
 
Aug 22, 2021 at 5:14 PM Post #36,472 of 61,381
Hmmmm, I can get the Audiofly AFT2 for $99CAD right now, that's about $77US. Tempting, I have a feeling it would be similar to the CA Touch for sound minus the APP and ANC. I need it like a hole in the head but very tempting...

Saw them at Visions. Sadly Audiofly went belly up :frowning2:
So this means no post sale support or warranty unless Visions will back it up.
 
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Aug 22, 2021 at 5:17 PM Post #36,473 of 61,381
damn, wish you hadn't said that :frowning2: I bought a pair... LOL

So, I can't speak on the issues you mentioned and sure hope I don't run into them.

Sound wise these are a bit on the warm side but not to the point of being dark. It's a nice sound, I will be watching in case they go on sale in the next bit as I can force them to honor the sale price for the next 30 days which would make them more of a bargain to help offset any potential issues.

The included tips (all 2 pairs!) suck. So I slipped on the ever trusty Sony Hybrid tips and perfect fit. The shell design is super super comfy but does stick out of the ear so won't be usable for side sleeping. I will take them for a run and see how they fair in that fashion.

The case is big but kinda neat with the pull out tray. I have read they are not super loud which means nothing to me since I rarely listen at loud volumes. (Currently listening at just below 50%)

They are certainly not worth their full retail but at $77US or lower they might be a good option for anyone wanting something more geared to sound than features.

As I have been typing up this post I have been listening to several songs and they have a slightly elevated bass that go deep in the sub-bass region but it's done very nicely without out having to much mid-bass.

The midrange allows strings to have a nice sound to them, violins in particular sound very nice. Brass instruments also sound good.

The treble is a bit soft but not Sony level soft so has some sparkle to it. Listening to Patricia Barber I hear decent cymbals, decay is slightly rolled off but not to the point where I feel like I am missing to much detail.

I have also gone for a run mid post and while these have no ANC the passive noise cancelling is very good, to the point it was eerily quiet while running. Footfalls are as good as the Samsung which is better than most IEMs in this regard.

These are easily the most comfortable TWS I have tried. Much better than other other Audiofly products I have tried in the past and better than Samsung, Sony, Sennheiser, Technics, Status Between Pro, Anker, etc. The fit might not work for everyone though but I love the fit.
 
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Aug 22, 2021 at 5:27 PM Post #36,474 of 61,381
Saw them at Visions. Sadly Audiofly went belly up :frowning2:
So this means no post sale support or warranty unless Visions will back it up.
Damn again, I liked Audiofly, but doesn't surprise me. That's where I bought them BTW. OK. Now I really hope they go on sale though so I can get them at even a lower price. But they really do sound good and they are comfy as all get out.
 
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Aug 22, 2021 at 6:39 PM Post #36,475 of 61,381
Aug 22, 2021 at 6:59 PM Post #36,476 of 61,381
Picked up a pair of Shanling MTW200 for $89 in black, I received them and had them charging but had not used. Had to go out to run some errands and just decided to take them as the case is very very slim. I would consider this case and the Vivo TWS 2 small case the most pocket friendly.

In any case , they fit like a glove with effortless deep insertion. Started to hear music and was surprised as they sound pretty pretty pretty good . Bass is plentiful with a great sub bass , mids are awesome in my opinion and the treble is sweet. Was playing a generic Spotify playlist, so a lot of new music but these little things just were doing their magic.

No app, just take out of case and play.

That was 4 hours ago, still listening to a series of test songs and they outperform some of the other high-end brands. The comfort is amazing, I cannot wear the Sony XM4 for more than 90 minutes.

For the price, I would recommend that if you are looking for pocket friendly TWS with great great sound give these a try.
 
Aug 22, 2021 at 7:00 PM Post #36,477 of 61,381
Kinda like the design on these. Tips remind me of bose.

encok-w11.jpg
 
Aug 22, 2021 at 7:32 PM Post #36,478 of 61,381
Whelp, this is the second time my t5 anc have been found completely dead after a charge. Probably used them 4 days ago but they were fully charged and so was the case. Both are dead today. First time I thought it may have been user error. Guess they need to go back.
 
Aug 22, 2021 at 8:32 PM Post #36,480 of 61,381
Whelp, this is the second time my t5 anc have been found completely dead after a charge. Probably used them 4 days ago but they were fully charged and so was the case. Both are dead today. First time I thought it may have been user error. Guess they need to go back.
Very strange. I haven't used mine in two days... everything is at 100%. It's got to be an anomaly.
 

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