[IcarusIX]

Hi guys, I've been ghosting this thread for years and recently got the thieaudio legacy 3s which have been amazing as I just stepped up from the £50 iem area and they do feel like a step up in overall quality but no matter how much I eq the bass around, I can't get that cosmic spacious bass in my previous set, which I miss. Also, the soundstage feels a bit constricted, even though it's supposed to be alright on the l3s.

I've now been thinking about selling the l3s and getting something else, are there any recs for this? I've been eyeing the fiio fd1s, the tfz no3s, and avoiding the urbanfuns because I think I'll hate the fit (also dislike the look) and after trying the universal ciem style of iem with the shaped inside part, I don't wanna go back to the fd1 and no3 style where it's just rounded on the inside of the iem but if the sq and bass makes up for it then it'll do.

My dream iem as of now is the ex800st or xba z5s but all the second hand options I see are really expensive (lmk if there's somewhere I can find them for a price a little higher than l3s, bc the ones I found are double). Also, my current portable dac amp is the shanling up2 which sounds like it isn't enough for that, and I'm wondering if the fiio btr5/shanling up4/earstudio es100 mk2 would be

 

[ehjie]

Hi guys, I've been ghosting this thread for years and recently got the thieaudio legacy 3s which have been amazing as I just stepped up from the £50 iem area and they do feel like a step up in overall quality but no matter how much I eq the bass around, I can't get that cosmic spacious bass in my previous set, which I miss. Also, the soundstage feels a bit constricted, even though it's supposed to be alright on the l3s.

I've now been thinking about selling the l3s and getting something else, are there any recs for this? I've been eyeing the fiio fd1s, the tfz no3s, and avoiding the urbanfuns because I think I'll hate the fit (also dislike the look) and after trying the universal ciem style of iem with the shaped inside part, I don't wanna go back to the fd1 and no3 style where it's just rounded on the inside of the iem but if the sq and bass makes up for it then it'll do.

My dream iem as of now is the ex800st or xba z5s but all the second hand options I see are really expensive (lmk if there's somewhere I can find them for a price a little higher than l3s, bc the ones I found are double). Also, my current portable dac amp is the shanling up2 which sounds like it isn't enough for that, and I'm wondering if the fiio btr5/shanling up4/earstudio es100 mk2 would be

i auditioned the z5, they're really not basshead level.
you should up your search to even a pre-loved ex1000 and be done w/ the basshead IEM in your collection...
Sony ex1000 pre-owned @usd. 297+ shipping

 

[IcarusIX]

i auditioned the z5, they're really not basshead level.
you should up your search to even a pre-loved ex1000 and be done w/ the basshead IEM in your collection...
Sony ex1000 pre-owned @usd. 297+ shipping

Thanks for showing me that link, I didn't think to look in japanese stores for these sets, the ex1000 sounds like a lot of people's dream iem, but I've heard that they less suitable to treble sensitive people and have less bass when compared to the cheaper ex800sts? I also quickly looked around these japanese stores for a set of the ex800sts and I found a set for as low as £130 for those (not sure if it's fake) so that sounds like a pretty good idea too, if they can ship overseas to the uk without any huge additional costs. I might just go for whichever one is the easiest to drive to their full potential as I've seen some fairly pricey (for me lol) dac amps that people use for the 16mm driver iems, and if I can use my shanling up2 (67mW @ 32Ω) for any of them or if the fiio btr 5 with the balanced output will work

 

[ehjie]

Thanks for showing me that link, I didn't think to look in japanese stores for these sets, the ex1000 sounds like a lot of people's dream iem, but I've heard that they less suitable to treble sensitive people and have less bass when compared to the cheaper ex800sts? I also quickly looked around these japanese stores for a set of the ex800sts and I found a set for as low as £130 for those (not sure if it's fake) so that sounds like a pretty good idea too, if they can ship overseas to the uk without any huge additional costs. I might just go for whichever one is the easiest to drive to their full potential as I've seen some fairly pricey (for me lol) dac amps that people use for the 16mm driver iems, and if I can use my shanling up2 (67mW @ 32Ω) for any of them or if the fiio btr 5 with the balanced output will work

Here's my full suggestion, ofc there's no need to get them all @ the same time. i had my sony hybrids just after the new year 2021. Very satisfied w/ the sub Bass quantity & quality
SonyEx800 @ £139 + shipping, they're legit that's for sure. E-earphone never sell fakes...
Upgrade cables 3.5 se - just in case the cables that came with are worn
Ep-Ex11 Ear Tips - makes the trebles analog sounding, kills the shrill, add Bass quantity, maintain the mids. based on my personal use. More Sub bass quantity compared to the aet08, but the bass texture better on the '08..

 

[redrol]

Z5 is definitely basshead level but not stock. You need eq and power.. and this IS the basshead thread, so folks know this is standard.. right?

edit (800st) beats the 1000 easily at being basshead. But still, the 1000 sounds better with some eq overall.

 

[IcarusIX]

Z5 is definitely basshead level but not stock. You need eq and power.. and this IS the basshead thread, so folks know this is standard.. right?

edit (800st) beats the 1000 easily at being basshead. But still, the 1000 sounds better with some eq overall.

I see, Ive got the £140 ex800st and the £220 ish ex1000 as options, so I'm now considering these two, by 'sounds better' is that in terms of treble extension and bass bleed? I'm still deciding so I'll look up some more reviews and maybe ask you guys some more questions, as it's pretty helpful to hear these things in a forum.

The iem that made me realise how much possible bass I was missing in the legacy 3, was the operafactory om1, a seriously wonky iem lol, in tone and treble, very dark but the bass was pretty incredible feeling with bass centered music. like, at the same volume and eq'd to the same bass level, the way the bass was presented was really different and matches how people describe the big sony iems, but with much lower quality, so I want a lot of that.

The soundstage sounds very very attractive also, because I prefer using iems in vr as well as music listening, so the soundstage increases immersion I feel, with people talking around you and things happening at various distances and places from your body

 

[RikudouGoku]

I see, Ive got the £140 ex800st and the £220 ish ex1000, so I'm now considering these two, by 'sounds better' is that in terms of treble extension and bass bleed? I'm still deciding so I'll look up some more reviews and maybe ask you guys some more questions, as it's pretty helpful to hear these things in a forum.

The iem that made me realise how much possible bass I was missing in the legacy 3, was the operafactory om1, a seriously wonky iem lol, in tone and treble, very dark but the bass was pretty incredible feeling with bass centered music. like, at the same volume and eq'd to the same bass level, the way the bass was presented was really different and matches how people describe the big sony iems, but with much lower quality, so I want a lot of that.

The soundstage sounds very very attractive also, because I prefer using iems in vr as well as music listening, so the soundstage increases immersion I feel, with people talking around you and things happening at various distances and places from your body

The EX1000 is a step up over the EX800ST in pretty much all factors to me. Yes, you will need to EQ both (or tape the EX800ST to get basshead levels of bass quantity, which btw does not work with the EX1000 so with the EX1000 you 100% need EQ) to get them to basshead certified or EQ them to fix the treble as they both have a very badly tuned treble.

But the EX800ST does give you a taste of what the EX1000 sounds like on a cheaper budget.

 

[IcarusIX]

The EX1000 is a step up over the EX800ST in pretty much all factors to me. Yes, you will need to EQ both (or tape the EX800ST to get basshead levels of bass quantity, which btw does not work with the EX1000 so with the EX1000 you 100% need EQ) to get them to basshead certified or EQ them to fix the treble as they both have a very badly tuned treble.

But the EX800ST does give you a taste of what the EX1000 sounds like on a cheaper budget.

I see, I usually knock the 5 to 8kz region down a few db in almost all the iems i've used so the ex800st's are seeming to be the one that I'll be looking more into, thanks. What happens when you boost treble on the ex800st's and compare it to the ex1000s? or the other way around, with a stock ex800st vs ex1000 with toned down treble?

 

[RikudouGoku]

I see, I usually knock the 5 to 8kz region down a few db in almost all the iems i've used so the ex800st's are seeming to be the one that I'll be looking more into, thanks. What happens when you boost treble on the ex800st's and compare it to the ex1000s? or the other way around, with a stock ex800st vs ex1000 with toned down treble?

My EX800ST is filterless and that should improve its sound, by adding more details and improving soundstage.

But even then, the stock EX1000 is on another level. With EQ on both, the EX1000 makes the EX800ST sound bloated in the bass and treble is less refined, along with an improvment in everything else.

For the price you found the EX1000, that is a steal IMO. (the EX800ST is also a good price, but having both is quite redundant.)

 

[IcarusIX]

My EX800ST is filterless and that should improve its sound, by adding more details and improving soundstage.

But even then, the stock EX1000 is on another level. With EQ on both, the EX1000 makes the EX800ST sound bloated in the bass and treble is less refined, along with an improvment in everything else.

For the price you found the EX1000, that is a steal IMO. (the EX800ST is also a good price, but having both is quite redundant.)

by filterless, do you mean yours has it's wax guard removed? Idk if I'd be willing to do that if I ever got a set haha, and Im the kind of user to take a dynamic driver out and try and tune it, like with the dt 770 driver diaphram next to my keyboard rn lol

I was sold on the ex1000s at that price, but when I went back to that link just now, it looks like somebody's swiped it up already how often do deals like that pop up? I imagine not so often but I'd be happy to wait a month or few to wait for another chance.

Also question to others, whilst looking around for info, I came across the dunu dd sets, they look like modern reincarnations of the sony sets, how are they? I've still my eyes on the sonys but I haven't heard about any of the dunu dd sets from the perspective of someone who listens to any bass centered music

 

[IEMusic]

I've now been thinking about selling the l3s and getting something else

Seriously consider the KZ ZAX. I like it more than the L3. The ZAX has a lot more bass.
The iBasso IT00 is another bass head IEM.

 

[redrol]

Look this is the Basshead thread. 800st with eq, power and the tape mod. NOTHING BEATS THIS. I mean NOTHING. This is it! End game. Make no mistake.

 

[c69k]

LOL so true !!!

 

[IcarusIX]

Seriously consider the KZ ZAX. I like it more than the L3. The ZAX has a lot more bass.
The iBasso IT00 is another bass head IEM.

Wow I just checked out that set, 16 drivers, jeez, and for that price... though I've tried the kz v sound and I do like it, after using the legacy 3 and other darker iems, I'd personally rather not get another particularly bright iem. the zs10 pro and such are not so bad but the legacy 3s are more relaxed to me and I love that a lot

I've eyed the ibasso too, but I got the impression that my current l3's are able to satisfy my bass cravings with eq (which they don't quite do, though they are definitely impressive) just as much if not more than the ibassos with eq

 

[IcarusIX]

Look this is the Basshead thread. 800st with eq, power and the tape mod. NOTHING BEATS THIS. I mean NOTHING. This is it! End game. Make no mistake.

Yeah, this, it seems to satisfy all my less orthodox criteria for an iem such that modern iems considered the 'best' or best value like the starfields, aren't quite for me. 16 whole darn millimeters, my brain wants to know that

tl;dr: I am a filthy basshead.