Introducing Shanling M8T - New Flagship Portable Android Player with Tubes

May 22, 2025 at 1:05 AM Post #541 of 563
Just received my M8T. Sorry if this was covered earlier in this thread, but what is the burn-in time for the 4.4mm output? I thought I read somewhere 100-150 hours and not the standard 200? And what might I expect to have changed after burn-in? Thank you.
 
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May 23, 2025 at 8:04 PM Post #542 of 563
Dear @Shanling I bought the M8T with @JerryHead . He received it and I hope to receive it in 1 week.

I saw this warning in the M8T's user manual.

"Common Problems

1. It is recommended to use DC5V 2A adapter. Using the adapter withhigher voltage may damage M8T."

M8T is a dap that supports 18watt charging. 5V2A means 10 watt charging. Frankly, I'm confused. Could you please inform us about this? For example, would it be a problem if we charge it with 9V2A at 18 watts?
 
May 24, 2025 at 9:01 AM Post #543 of 563
Dear @Shanling I bought the M8T with @JerryHead . He received it and I hope to receive it in 1 week.

I saw this warning in the M8T's user manual.

"Common Problems

1. It is recommended to use DC5V 2A adapter. Using the adapter withhigher voltage may damage M8T."

M8T is a dap that supports 18watt charging. 5V2A means 10 watt charging. Frankly, I'm confused. Could you please inform us about this? For example, would it be a problem if we charge it with 9V2A at 18 watts?
Unless there is a difference in such specs (voltage/watts) between DC and USB chargers. That would explain it.
 
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May 26, 2025 at 2:16 AM Post #544 of 563
Dear @Shanling I bought the M8T with @JerryHead . He received it and I hope to receive it in 1 week.

I saw this warning in the M8T's user manual.

"Common Problems

1. It is recommended to use DC5V 2A adapter. Using the adapter withhigher voltage may damage M8T."

M8T is a dap that supports 18watt charging. 5V2A means 10 watt charging. Frankly, I'm confused. Could you please inform us about this? For example, would it be a problem if we charge it with 9V2A at 18 watts?

M8T support 18W chargers. Ignore this line in manual.
 
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May 30, 2025 at 5:33 PM Post #545 of 563
Just wanted to jump into the thread and chime in a bit. I’ve now owned the M8T for nearly 2 months (about 3 days shy), but wanted to say what a great DAP this is. I ordered the M8T on a whim from Musicteck, but this thing has exceeded my expectations on so many levels that I wanted to come in and share.

IMG_2125.jpeg


I’ve gotten an opportunity to run it with a myriad of IEMs and headphones so far and I am happy that It’s plenty powerful to have run most to my desired listening level. I’m not a low level listener, rather I like things louder, probably averaging 85-90dB (peak much higher, I’m sure). I’ve been pretty much able to run all, including demanding headphones to those levels. Just for reference, IEM-wise I’ve listened to off the M8T are — Flipears Legion & Aegis, FF x HBB Deuce, Hercules Moses, Quill Satin, KB Ears KB02, Forté Ears Mefisto, Ice Labs Spectrumica, Jomo Alpha Ti, Elysian Dio, Subtonic Storm, Lime Ears Maris, Fir Xe6. There are likely others, but that’s what I can recall.

Headphone-wise M8T I listened to Immanis, Caldera Closed, HFA Dahlia, Audio Technica ATX-ADH3000, DCA Stealth, DCA E3, and DCA Noire X. Most of those are not the easiest of headphones to drive and the M8T powered them sufficiently for my listening levels. I would say some of the more demanding headphones aren’t going to be wow-inducing on the M8T, but it was sufficient enough.

Having spent ample time listening to it I can say I really dig the sound and the flexibility of this DAP. Being able to run tube mode or solid state is fantastic. Some of the more energetic transducers I’ve listened to, rounding out the presentation with Tube mode, either UL or Triode mode, fit the bill nicely. Then for some of the harder to drive things, like headphones or low sensitivity IEMs, the transistor mode was still fantastic. The sonic presentation of the transistor mode is relatively neutral, but it’s not sterile or clinical. I think the DX340 is more that presentation. The M8T is colored in a way that is musical and engaging, even without engaging tube mode. When engaging tube mode, certainly gains even more of a euphoric, tubey presentation. It’s less dynamic, though there are differences in dynamism between Triode and Ultralinear mode. So you can further cater the sound accordingly. I found I throughly enjoyed each of the modes for very different reasons and it almost depended on what mood I was in, but having that flexibility was fantastic.

The M8T retains resolving capabilities throughout, though it’s not bleeding edge when it comes to resolution. It’s warmer-tilted nature I think perceptually masks that a bit, but it’s still quite detailed, not really smoothing details out. Holography and soundstage-wise, I think it’s a pretty good, quite good even, especially for the price as well, though once again not being squarely in endgame. I think that you will have to spend twice the price or more to really get even better. I have no qualms as my expectations still have been surpassed, even with getting the M8T understanding it to be catering squarely to the bang-for-the-buck market.

The interface has also been a joy to use. I’ve not had any troubles with my unit and not run into any glaring issues in my two months of ownership so far. The system and UI is snappy and never feels cumbersome or laggy. I was worried though, coming from such a beautiful screen like the DX340 to the standard LCD was going to bother me more, but it’s not been an issue. Sure, I notice the contrast and black levels are elevated, but it’s still a good looking display to work with and the screen real estate is great, too. If it were an oled, though, it would have been gravy and probably something I’d even pay extra for.

Physical size-wise though, I have a bit of mixed feelings. Maybe mixed feelings is not the right sentiment, but maybe rather it’s neither here nor there. I don’t necessarily need (or even want) a substantially heavy DAP, but for the size, it I thought it would more hefty. That can be a good thing in some instances, like physically carrying it in your pocket, it’s less cumbersome, but then compared to other daps, for its size, maybe feels a little less… premium? Again, this is more just an observance rather than a nitpick or gripe. Although, despite it feeling “less premium” than say my DX340, it feels more study. As in, I have less qualms tossing this into my bag without fear of damage to it or anything around it.

The one thing that has further surpassed my expectation, battery life. The battery lasts quite a long time on this DAP, compared to others. That applies while using the DAP and while not using it. Why does this matter? I don’t use my DAP all day every day. There maybe days I don’t always use it. Battery drain while idle is concerning. I can leave this thing on without full shutdown and come back even a full day+ later and only maybe 1-2% has dropped. That has not been the case with many other DAPs I use. This is a HUGE win and positive note for Shanling’s M8T.

As I was trying to think of gripes, like real gripes I had, with the DAP, I am finding myself coming up short. It’s not that it is without flaws, I’m just finding things, such as the ones mentioned, pretty forgivable because this is priced nicely, sounds great for the price, and has great usability.

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Jun 3, 2025 at 2:57 AM Post #546 of 563
How does the M8t sound in general? Just out if curiousity. I just hear everyone talk about it is warm sounding, it got a lot of dynamics (which to me means in a lot of cases, bass is prominent) and call a astell and kern sp3000 analytical?

While I actually always thought the sp3000 is smooth, nice and calm sounding, just like a mojo2+poly combination, certainly not analytical. The only one like that smooth sound to me was the shanling m9 plus, in my memory.

I try to get a grip how a M8t sound in general, could someone eleborate? I had it in my hands but the area it was, was just to busy to get a good feel about it.
 
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Jun 4, 2025 at 10:33 AM Post #547 of 563
How does the M8t sound in general? Just out if curiousity. I just hear everyone talk about it is warm sounding, it got a lot of dynamics (which to me means in a lot of cases, bass is prominent) and call a astell and kern sp3000 analytical?

While I actually always thought the sp3000 is smooth, nice and calm sounding, just like a mojo2+poly combination, certainly not analytical. The only one like that smooth sound to me was the shanling m9 plus, in my memory.

I try to get a grip how a M8t sound in general, could someone eleborate? I had it in my hands but the area it was, was just to busy to get a good feel about it.
There are a number of review online that you may want to check out. Here's one that compares the M8T to the SP3000T:
https://twister6.com/2025/04/05/shanling-m8t/
 
Jun 4, 2025 at 2:31 PM Post #548 of 563
How does the M8t sound in general? Just out if curiousity. I just hear everyone talk about it is warm sounding, it got a lot of dynamics (which to me means in a lot of cases, bass is prominent) and call a astell and kern sp3000 analytical?

While I actually always thought the sp3000 is smooth, nice and calm sounding, just like a mojo2+poly combination, certainly not analytical. The only one like that smooth sound to me was the shanling m9 plus, in my memory.

I try to get a grip how a M8t sound in general, could someone eleborate? I had it in my hands but the area it was, was just to busy to get a good feel about it.
I've had the M8T for a few days now, and it's still burn in in. I'm waiting for the burn-in to finish before sharing my personal impressions. That's because after 10 or 15 hours, the differences between the tube and transistor modes became apparent. The imaging improved after 20 hours. It's been with me for 5 days now, and I've used it for about 30-35 hours. I'll share my detailed thoughts here once it reaches 60-65 hours.


I previously used the M5 Ultra and was very satisfied with it. I switched to the M8T because it runs Android and has tubes, so I wanted to try a new experience. And honestly, I feel a connection with the Shanling brand. I was expecting a maximum improvement of 10-15%, but I feel an improvement of three times that amount, which is worth the price I paid. The details are so rich that on the first day I received it, I went for a drive in my car that evening and listened to music. The details were so overwhelming that the songs displayed a spirit before me and lifted me up to waltz with them. I felt this dizziness a few years ago when I suddenly accelerated my V8 car, an orgasm-like feeling. I want to write about my feelings calmly because if I convey them as they are, you will call me crazy.

The details are amazing, the ambient sounds are amazing. When the synthesizer plays among the instruments, it's like a breeze is blowing. It literally makes me experience natural phenomena while listening. I would say that this dap connects music with life itself. Yes, it conveys the experiences of the real world to you through the music via speakers, IEMs, or headphones. I can't say the soundstage is incredibly wide, but it's wider than the M5 Ultra. It's especially wide to the sides, and the ambient sounds create a sense of width upward as well. When I listened to it in my car, when the musician started playing the piano keys, it felt like the sound created a breeze in the car's speakers and rose upward. The timbre was digital for the first 20 hours, but now it has a more accurate timbre. Frankly, because it's transparent and has a very fast transient response, I can hear the driver's timbre of what you're listening to, especially in high-speed passages and at high volumes. This is important and not bothersome, but it's a good example of the M8T's transparency and transient response. My equipment is far below the M8T's level, yet I'm still amazed. With better equipment, things would be even more impressive.

My favorite aspect is the transient response. When describing the bass in the M5 Ultra, I don't need many words. I would say it's tight and controlled bass, contrasting bass, and that would be it. However, the bass in the M8T is very gradual, and it captivates me. The sub-bass and bass are both beautiful in their own right. I can hear bass details within the bass for the first time in a piece of equipment. The transient response is so fast that the sub-bass and bass are heard separately, and there are textures within the bass. It's hard to describe, but imagine feeling warm water, cold water, and leaves touching your skin in a flowing river, and occasionally feeling the air touch your skin as it rises from the water. The bass is so astonishing and displays unexpected beauty. I would describe the tone as being like the balmy zephyr wind I feel on my skin on a hot summer evening. With the Shanling player the tone becomes a bit warmer than with the Uapp, when the tube modes are turned on the notes become thicker and the tone becomes warm again. But despite all this, the M8T is transparent, not imparting its own tonal signature to the drivers like the M5 Ultra. If you listen carefully to the tone of your IEM, speaker or headphone in every mode, you will hear it. In other words, it has a transparent signature but still wraps you with its Shanling house sound. This wrapping is not done with a duvet like the M5 Ultra, but with a balmy zephyr.

I loved the M5 Ultra, and my descriptions of it are available in the M5 Ultra section. I used to call the M5 Ultra a luxurious and romantic DAP.

When I listen to music with the Shanling M8T, I could sit down and write a poem about the effects of that music on me. So, I don't know if I should describe the M8T as love, but I'll just say that there's no word in my vocabulary to describe the M8T and leave it at that 😂

I didn't buy the M8T with high expectations, but the things I encountered were things I had never experienced before. I think it has opened up new possibilities for my music hobby, triggering creativity in me and allowing me to surf through my emotions. In short, it leaves me alone with good thoughts and feelings about being human, confronts me with them, and provides a form of spiritual therapy. @JerryHead and I were very happy with the M5 Ultra, so we thought why not make it better, so We thought the best dap for us is still from Shanling. Frankly, when we ordered the M8T, we were worried that we would miss the M5 Ultra. However, the M8T impressed both of us. I'm very satisfied and would recommend it to everyone.

(English is not my native language, but I tried to choose the expressions I used carefully. Sometimes I looked at sentence examples to understand their meaning and how they were used in sentences. However, if there are any errors in my statements, please let me know. )
 
Jun 4, 2025 at 4:59 PM Post #549 of 563
How does the M8t sound in general? Just out if curiousity. I just hear everyone talk about it is warm sounding, it got a lot of dynamics (which to me means in a lot of cases, bass is prominent) and call a astell and kern sp3000 analytical?

While I actually always thought the sp3000 is smooth, nice and calm sounding, just like a mojo2+poly combination, certainly not analytical. The only one like that smooth sound to me was the shanling m9 plus, in my memory.

I try to get a grip how a M8t sound in general, could someone eleborate? I had it in my hands but the area it was, was just to busy to get a good feel about it.
I have to answer you... I've had it for 2 weeks now... I've had many DAPs and the last one I use the most and of the highest level is the Cayin N7 that I often use with C9 amp...
The thing I immediately noticed in transistor mode is the great cleanliness of the sound and notable details that highlight many nuances and microtextures, much greater than the N7, but it does not have the analog and thick timbre of the Cayin, with the passing of time the timbre becomes warmer or rather gives the impression of being natural, fortunately it does not have that "glow" that can be interpreted in other DAPs as digital, for example in the dongle dc elite and Ibasso 240... if this makes sense, making it seem more analog than the first hours of listening... another extremely impressive thing is the soundstage with excellent width and depth but with excellent height also the size of the note is very large giving in many songs the impression of a live performance, truly a majestic presentation never heard in other DAPs... on the other hand the N7 gives the impression of extending slightly better in depth but not much ..
Obviously all with the use of iems like Trifecta and Raven which have an important strong point in the stage..
I haven't gotten used to the tube modes yet. I immediately feel the differences, the sound becomes softer, the notes thicker but the details blend more with the rest of the spectrum and lose some of the dimensions of the presentation... maybe it's just a matter of habit but the technicalities of the transistor mode are for now too superior to be able to give it up...
Then combined with the C9 in tube mode the sound becomes gigantic ... even if it behaves very differently depending on the iems I use..
I can only recommend it, I would never have expected similar performances...
I hope I was helpful..
 
Jun 4, 2025 at 5:31 PM Post #550 of 563
I have to answer you... I've had it for 2 weeks now... I've had many DAPs and the last one I use the most and of the highest level is the Cayin N7 that I often use with C9 amp...
The thing I immediately noticed in transistor mode is the great cleanliness of the sound and notable details that highlight many nuances and microtextures, much greater than the N7, but it does not have the analog and thick timbre of the Cayin, with the passing of time the timbre becomes warmer or rather gives the impression of being natural, fortunately it does not have that "glow" that can be interpreted in other DAPs as digital, for example in the dongle dc elite and Ibasso 240... if this makes sense, making it seem more analog than the first hours of listening... another extremely impressive thing is the soundstage with excellent width and depth but with excellent height also the size of the note is very large giving in many songs the impression of a live performance, truly a majestic presentation never heard in other DAPs... on the other hand the N7 gives the impression of extending slightly better in depth but not much ..
Obviously all with the use of iems like Trifecta and Raven which have an important strong point in the stage..
I haven't gotten used to the tube modes yet. I immediately feel the differences, the sound becomes softer, the notes thicker but the details blend more with the rest of the spectrum and lose some of the dimensions of the presentation... maybe it's just a matter of habit but the technicalities of the transistor mode are for now too superior to be able to give it up...
Then combined with the C9 in tube mode the sound becomes gigantic ... even if it behaves very differently depending on the iems I use..
I can only recommend it, I would never have expected similar performances...
I hope I was helpful..
Yes, I can't say there's a significant difference between transistor and tube modes. Perhaps if I played them to someone for the first time, they wouldn't be able to tell the difference. It doesn't add much of an analog feel, but I'll write about what happens over time. However, when I close my eyes and make a choice, I can choose between triode and ultra-linear. When ultra-linear is selected, the notes are thicker. In both tube modes, the upper mids are particularly smooth. Aside from that, there are no issues like texture addition, distortion, or loss of resolution that I've read about with tube amplifiers. I will find out over time if texture is added and if the presentation becomes more analog. Frankly, there is not much difference in technical performance between tube and transistor. In transistor mode, the transient response is much better, and this is especially noticeable in the bass. In transistor mode, the bass is more contrasted and more aggressive. Yes, the presentation is very analog, but it is a technically successful analog. It gives the impression of a live performance and conveys the breeze-like sounds of an open-air concert with great technical skill. These aren't in the recording, but it literally breathes that spirit and ambient atmosphere into the sound.

I usually use it in transistor mode. The M8T made me fall in love with electronic music. Because it performs electronic music exceptionally well. It truly shines with well-recorded electronic music. There is a significant difference between high-resolution recordings like 24-bit 192kHz, 32-bit WAV, DSD512, DSD256, etc., and 16-bit recordings. This difference is particularly noticeable in transistor mode. Otherwise, I listen to poorly recorded old tracks in tube mode. Because in passages where the sound gets louder, tube mode is more forgiving. Tube mode is currently more of a lifesaver and a comfort for me rather than a major change. Listening in transistor mode is also very comfortable, but especially in ultra-linear mode, it's much more comfortable. In poor recordings and with IEMs like the KZPR3 that have sharp treble, listening in tube mode will significantly enhance the listening experience. I think the performance difference between tube and transistor modes will widen over time, as your comments suggest.

Thank you for your valuable insights...


If I were to describe the listening experience of the M8T, it would look like this. I wrote down the feelings I had in words to Gemini, and this image appeared. It is summer and sunset time. I wanted to share this with you.
 

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Jun 4, 2025 at 7:37 PM Post #551 of 563
Yes, I can't say there's a significant difference between transistor and tube modes. Perhaps if I played them to someone for the first time, they wouldn't be able to tell the difference. It doesn't add much of an analog feel, but I'll write about what happens over time. However, when I close my eyes and make a choice, I can choose between triode and ultra-linear. When ultra-linear is selected, the notes are thicker. In both tube modes, the upper mids are particularly smooth. Aside from that, there are no issues like texture addition, distortion, or loss of resolution that I've read about with tube amplifiers. I will find out over time if texture is added and if the presentation becomes more analog. Frankly, there is not much difference in technical performance between tube and transistor. In transistor mode, the transient response is much better, and this is especially noticeable in the bass. In transistor mode, the bass is more contrasted and more aggressive. Yes, the presentation is very analog, but it is a technically successful analog. It gives the impression of a live performance and conveys the breeze-like sounds of an open-air concert with great technical skill. These aren't in the recording, but it literally breathes that spirit and ambient atmosphere into the sound.

I usually use it in transistor mode. The M8T made me fall in love with electronic music. Because it performs electronic music exceptionally well. It truly shines with well-recorded electronic music. There is a significant difference between high-resolution recordings like 24-bit 192kHz, 32-bit WAV, DSD512, DSD256, etc., and 16-bit recordings. This difference is particularly noticeable in transistor mode. Otherwise, I listen to poorly recorded old tracks in tube mode. Because in passages where the sound gets louder, tube mode is more forgiving. Tube mode is currently more of a lifesaver and a comfort for me rather than a major change. Listening in transistor mode is also very comfortable, but especially in ultra-linear mode, it's much more comfortable. In poor recordings and with IEMs like the KZPR3 that have sharp treble, listening in tube mode will significantly enhance the listening experience. I think the performance difference between tube and transistor modes will widen over time, as your comments suggest.

Thank you for your valuable insights...


If I were to describe the listening experience of the M8T, it would look like this. I wrote down the feelings I had in words to Gemini, and this image appeared. It is summer and sunset time. I wanted to share this with you.
Congratulations for your descriptions, if I didn't have it I would want to buy it again!
I think that the differences between transistor and tube also depend a lot on the IEMs that are used, for now my mental burning has been concentrated entirely on the transistor so even though I don't hear many tonal differences I find many in the stage and in the details... I must admit that for me it's an obsession so the whole thing could be relatively more magnified and I hope that the tube modes in future listenings do not differ too much in technical skills so that I can enjoy all the possibilities that this excellent dap offers! The image you shared is also very beautiful, really right!
 
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Jun 4, 2025 at 8:09 PM Post #552 of 563
Congratulations for your descriptions, if I didn't have it I would want to buy it again!
I think that the differences between transistor and tube also depend a lot on the IEMs that are used, for now my mental burning has been concentrated entirely on the transistor so even though I don't hear many tonal differences I find many in the stage and in the details... I must admit that for me it's an obsession so the whole thing could be relatively more magnified and I hope that the tube modes in future listenings do not differ too much in technical skills so that I can enjoy all the possibilities that this excellent dap offers! The image you shared is also very beautiful, really right!
Thank you.

To be honest, I listened to it on my car speakers, kz prx, Pr3, ZS12 pro x, Dt990 pro, and Sundara; the effect of the tube modes and transistor mode was equally noticeable on all of them. In other words, the tube modes had the same effect on the sound in all of them. However, the M8T is far beyond my listening experience, and since it's still very new, I might eventually feel that it has a different effect on each IEM, just like you do. There might be a difference in the stage and details. @JerryHead received it before me and is experiencing the burn-in developments in the sound before me. I think the difference between the tube and the transistor will become more pronounced after about 60-65 hours or 160-200 hours. I think this difference will be both technical and in terms of timbre. Even if the tube doesn't perform as well as the transistor technically, I think it will handle old 16-bit 44.1 kHz recordings well. There, I could choose to listen to good recordings with the transistor and bad recordings with the tube.

Yes, the M8T is a device that is hard to get tired of and hard to give up, with its various modes that provide different timbres, EQ, and the freedom to use different applications, etc.

Thank you again.
 
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Jun 5, 2025 at 3:21 AM Post #553 of 563
Thanks for the feedback, just noticed quite a few were sold on qualified, kind of soon after release.

I had that in the past, everyone was over the moon about the fiio m15s, I was propably one of the few, that thought it was to dark sounding, like treble freq cut of little. Soundstage to small for my taste (certainly good, but not good in the way I wanted)

The M8T is not that long on the market, so made me wonder why or if there was something wrong with the sound signature.
 
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Jun 5, 2025 at 9:58 AM Post #554 of 563
Thanks for the feedback, just noticed quite a few were sold on qualified, kind of soon after release.

I had that in the past, everyone was over the moon about the fiio m15s, I was propably one of the few, that thought it was to dark sounding, like treble freq cut of little. Soundstage to small for my taste (certainly good, but not good in the way I wanted)

The M8T is not that long on the market, so made me wonder why or if there was something wrong with the sound signature.
You’ll get that with any new release. People get new toy syndrome and then realize it’s not to their preference or they have something similar in their collection. The plus side of that is you can get a deal on a fairly new product for a decent discount. The general consensus seems to be that the M8T is an excellent value, especially in contrast to the trend of multi-kilobuck releases.
 
Jun 5, 2025 at 10:17 AM Post #555 of 563
Thanks for the feedback, just noticed quite a few were sold on qualified, kind of soon after release.

I had that in the past, everyone was over the moon about the fiio m15s, I was propably one of the few, that thought it was to dark sounding, like treble freq cut of little. Soundstage to small for my taste (certainly good, but not good in the way I wanted)

The M8T is not that long on the market, so made me wonder why or if there was something wrong with the sound signature.
The hobby is like that. People buy and sell their new toy due to preference or people who got it at a discount for review purpose or something else. It happens with every gear, not specific to M8T.
But, from all of the users of M8T, there's one common consensus about it, is that it is the most VFM TOTL DAP out there. It has three different sound signatures, you can use the one with which your IEM better synargises with.
For me, it's same too. It has excellent synergy with my RN6 and Clear OG.
 

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