Going fully Wireless IEMs. Too soon? Or are we there yet?

[FYLegend]

Hi all, can anyone recommend a small tws that can be used sleeping that has a solid transparency mode? Thanks.

If you're willing to look past some shortcomings, Galaxy Buds 2 does have a pretty good transparency mode, AND you can use it with just one individual earbud (Earfun Free Pro 1/2 and Liberty 3 Pro cannot!). It also keeps a constant volume, unlike the Galaxy Buds+ which gradually decreases the total volume to "adjust" to

There's a catch though - once you start tweaking the tone of transparency (clear vs soft) it starts to make this strange hissing sound intermittently when the slider is dragged towards clear.

By shortcomings I mean a) low SBC bitpool so forget about using these if you don't have AAC devices b) scalable codec distorts due to WiFi interference

 

[DigDub]

My current top tws buds (tied) are the Sony wf-1000xm4 (with original Sony hybrid tips) and Samsung buds pro (with grey spinfit cp100 tips). The Sony has a very smooth and organic sound. The Samsung buds pro has a brighter and engaging sound signature without going overboard. Technics AZ60 (with accoustune aet0u tips) comes close but I prefer it to have a little less bass slam.

 

[erockg]

Still figuring out the ANC , I think is OK but feel the B&O EQ is better

Hey @darveniza what is your verdict here? Should I check out the ATH-CKS50TW or do you think they'll disappoint if I have my B&O EQs? Thanks for any new update!

 

[dweaver]

One thing is for sure. LDAP drains the battery on the AZ60! I have been listening to music for a little over 2 hours and the battery is down to 41% on the right ear and 44% on the left and that listening at around 25% volume. Will let it run until one bud dies. Then see what the life is with AAC. This is with ANC enabled BTW.

Edit: right around 5hrs before the batteries died.

 

[kadinh]

Besides the Shure TW2 and FiiO UTWS5, are there any other BT adapters that feature an ambient mode? I'm considering getting one and the FiiO is ahead, mainly bc of the price.

 

[james444]

Thanks. Yeah I need the transparency for ambient sound.

How about buds like the Earin A3 that don't isolate?

https://earin.com/product/earin-a-3/

 

[kadinh]

How about buds like the Earin A3 that don't isolate?

https://earin.com/product/earin-a-3/

looking to use the IEMs i already have

 

[erockg]

How about buds like the Earin A3 that don't isolate?

https://earin.com/product/earin-a-3/

I've had those too. I truly love Earin, but those new A-3s are so hard to keep secure. It's a shame. No idea why they went this route and not an M-2 with upgraded specs.

 

[james444]

I've had those too. I truly love Earin, but those new A-3s are so hard to keep secure. It's a shame. No idea why they went this route and not an M-2 with upgraded specs.

They mostly stay put for me when sleeping, but sometimes indeed do fall out.

Actually, my favorite buds for sleeping are the tiny Anero s15. I wear them stem upward and they stay in even when I sleep on the side.

https://re-how.net/all/1137486/

 

[miserybeforethemusic]

Couldn't help myself. Instead of constantly wondering if the claims of the CX400BT and MTW2 being identical in SQ were founded in anything...


...I got a pair to find out for myself lol. Had a few minutes to get them in the ears for general fit before it needed a FW update (ver 4.13 to 4.14), which took long enough to require a season recap once it was complete. Seriously, guys, there's no reason for a 45-minute update these days.

But now it's time to give these some serious listening. I have a feeling that having the MTW2's High End Sound Tuning enabled will make them pretty different pairs from the CX400BT. Guess we'll see.

 

[erockg]

They mostly stay put for me when sleeping, but sometimes indeed do fall out.

Actually, my favorite buds for sleeping are the tiny Anero s15. I wear them stem upward and they stay in even when I sleep on the side.

https://re-how.net/all/1137486/

Check out the 1More Comfobuds Z too. I use them all week at night. They're like using nothing at all. No frills though. They don't even have a mic.

 

[Spamateur]

It's been awhile since I've been in this thread, but I recently lost the right bud of my Nuarl N6 Pros on a flight thanks to an errant mask strap. I really loved those headphones but I figured I'd use this as an opportunity dip my toes back into the market to see what has improved in the past couple years since I settled on the Nuarls as my only TWS set. So far I have ordered the Technics AZ60, Sony XM4 and Nuarl N6 Pro 2.

The Technics AZ60 just arrived today and so far I'm enjoying them quite a bit, but they're not perfect. They sounded markedly worse over AAC vs LDAC (it's really noticeable) but LDAC definitely hoovers up battery life when you have ANC active. This is out of my Pixel 6 Pro phone. I've been listening for prob 2.5 hours and they're comfortable to fit and isolate decently with ANC.

In terms of sound:

PROS: Really black background to the point where I couldn't detect a noisefloor. Mids and upper bass are rich and smooth with good separation and clarity. Customizable EQ (the app is pretty good!). ANC seems to do good work (although I haven't had too much experience with ANC on TWS). Overall, it's a very pleasing sound that walks the line between detail and richness well, but doesn't grate on poorer recordings.

CONS: Bass isn't the tightest (it's full but slightly bloomy and not as articulate as the best I've heard) and also the treble is uneven. There's a bit of a frequency spike somewhere in the mids that emphasizes sibilance and cymbals can be a bit lacking in harmonic ring and texture, resulting in a papery quality. This contributes to a "clicky" quality to snare drum hits despite my best attempt to dial it out EQ. The EQ is only 5 bands and mostly does an OK job, but it can't make the treble and mid transition more even.

Other notes: Like most earbuds in this space, everything is very "up-front" and intimate in terms of imaging. I wish there was more depth, but the imaging is still decent.


Here's where I ended up on the EQ:

 

[jant71]

They mostly stay put for me when sleeping, but sometimes indeed do fall out.

Actually, my favorite buds for sleeping are the tiny Anero s15. I wear them stem upward and they stay in even when I sleep on the side.

https://re-how.net/all/1137486/

Check out the 1More Comfobuds Z too. I use them all week at night. They're like using nothing at all. No frills though. They don't even have a mic.

The Urbanista as well... https://www.hsn.com/products/urbanista-lisbon-true-wireless-earbuds/20341615?sz=6&sf=EC0442&ac=&utm_source=google&utm_medium=shopping engine&utm_term=&utm_campaign=GShopping|M|Generic|Electronics&utm_content=57375634044_pla-1465133749149_20341617&pdp_exp=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIh-vGl5bQ9AIVIsmUCR2s0AslEAQYASABEgKmLfD_BwE

Again tuned by Axel Grell, no stems and the fins the Earin doesn't have...

 

[erockg]

The Urbanista as well... https://www.hsn.com/products/urbanista-lisbon-true-wireless-earbuds/20341615?sz=6&sf=EC0442&ac=&utm_source=google&utm_medium=shopping engine&utm_term=&utm_campaign=GShopping|M|Generic|Electronics&utm_content=57375634044_pla-1465133749149_20341617&pdp_exp=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIh-vGl5bQ9AIVIsmUCR2s0AslEAQYASABEgKmLfD_BwE

Again tuned by Axel Grell and no stems and the fins the Earin doesn't have...

Do you have the Lisbon? How do they fit? Sound?

 

[jant71]

Do you have the Lisbon? How do they fit? Sound?

Thought about it but didn't get them. Early on they only had two colors (pink and black) I didn't want and then forgot about them.