[Ted Presley]

@ryanjsoo: "When we start to analyse sound, we tether our music to reality and the hobby can very quickly become a chore. And that’s because music wasn’t invented to mimic reality, but to enhance it, and it’s in this regard that the K3 Pro excels."

100% agree with you, that's why I like K3 pro, IMO, it's worth for $100 price tag.

 

[kova4a]

Well, to chime in, I for one found the k3 pro a bit underwhelming for the price and didn't use it with a phone. It was a nice package with plenty of accessories but sound-wise given the competition IMO I wouldn't pay more than 60 bucks for it

 

[ryanjsoo]

Well, to chime in, I for one found the k3 pro a bit underwhelming for the price and didn't use it with a phone. It was a nice package with plenty of accessories but sound-wise given the competition IMO I wouldn't pay more than 60 bucks for it

Not defending the K3 Pro, but curious what your $100 benchmark would be? I'm personally a fan of the Rose Mini 2, but most people probably want more engagement.

 

[egzbuen]

Curious as well.

 

[kova4a]

Well, I am not really bashing on the k3 pro. I've shared my opinion before - for me its biggest downfall is its tonal accuracy. It is a bit too cool and the timbre and note thickness are off. Also, the male vocals are kinda pushed back for my liking. That accompanied by the somewhat loose and slow bass seals its faith.

I don't really have one as there are many iems with strong points that I like. To list few:

I really like the brainwavz R3 for its specific sound, very well extended and detailed but buttery smooth; Due to its smoother character it is a touch lacking in clarity and crispness, but overall it's a great buy if one wants a neutral and detailed sound without harshness (and can get accustomed to the slightly weird form factor).

I also really like the Dunu Titan 1/Fiio Ex1. It can be a bit peaky but the sony mh1 hybrids smooth it at the right places and the clarity and tone are extremely good. The lows are on point with good speed and control. The close to non-existent isolation is a big con though.

The brainwavz B2 is also great. I included it because it should be re-released any day now with better build and detachable cables for under 100 bucks and if they managed to retain the sq, it will be a winner. Great speed, great clarity, great crispness. It can be a touch splashy in the treble but this can be alleviated with the right tips. A con is that some people might want more weight and presence in the lows, but it has a slightly distortion and is not an iem for someone who thinks he can eq the bass and it will be fine.

The vsonic gr07 is another staple. Great performer overall, although as many know it has a bit peaky highs prone to pointing out sibilance. The bass region is great though. Attack and decay are spot. For me the gr07 would be a top pick if they managed to push the mids a bit forward and sweeten the treble.

There are many other great iems, I would rather go for like vsonic vsd3s, the ety hf5, the now long discontinued mee a161p, etc.

Overall, I hate slow and uncontrolled bass, I need a solid and tight hit on the impact. I like neutral and clear mids with good vocal presence, so pushed back vocals are not my preference. And I like well extended highs with good clarity and some sweetness to them. Ultimately, the treble is the harder thing to get right and most entry and mid-fi gear rarely get close to what I want, which is a certain sweetness and liquid smoothness while still being very clear and present.

 

[CoiL]

Thanks for Your inputs guys. For what it`s worth, I don`t listen with phone. I mostly use my HW&FW modded DX50 - would HD version be better or only slightly more neutral than Pro?

 

[ryanjsoo]

Well, I am not really bashing on the k3 pro. I've shared my opinion before - for me its biggest downfall is its tonal accuracy. It is a bit too cool and the timbre and note thickness are off. Also, the male vocals are kinda pushed back for my liking. That accompanied by the somewhat loose and slow bass seals its faith.

I don't really have one as there are many iems with strong points that I like. To list few:

I really like the brainwavz R3 for its specific sound, very well extended and detailed but buttery smooth; Due to its smoother character it is a touch lacking in clarity and crispness, but overall it's a great buy if one wants a neutral and detailed sound without harshness (and can get accustomed to the slightly weird form factor).

I also really like the Dunu Titan 1/Fiio Ex1. It can be a bit peaky but the sony mh1 hybrids smooth it at the right places and the clarity and tone are extremely good. The lows are on point with good speed and control. The close to non-existent isolation is a big con though.

The brainwavz B2 is also great. I included it because it should be re-released any day now with better build and detachable cables for under 100 bucks and if they managed to retain the sq, it will be a winner. Great speed, great clarity, great crispness. It can be a touch splashy in the treble but this can be alleviated with the right tips. A con is that some people might want more weight and presence in the lows, but it has a slightly distortion and is not an iem for someone who thinks he can eq the bass and it will be fine.

The vsonic gr07 is another staple. Great performer overall, although as many know it has a bit peaky highs prone to pointing out sibilance. The bass region is great though. Attack and decay are spot. For me the gr07 would be a top pick if they managed to push the mids a bit forward and sweeten the treble.

There are many other great iems, I would rather go for like vsonic vsd3s, the ety hf5, the now long discontinued mee a161p, etc.

Overall, I hate slow and uncontrolled bass, I need a solid and tight hit on the impact. I like neutral and clear mids with good vocal presence, so pushed back vocals are not my preference. And I like well extended highs with good clarity and some sweetness to them. Ultimately, the treble is the harder thing to get right and most entry and mid-fi gear rarely get close to what I want, which is a certain sweetness and liquid smoothness while still being very clear and present.

Big disclaimer here that these are subjective and personal opinions, definitely good to note. GR07 is indeed a staple and I'm certainly a fan of the EX1 2nd Gen. I think for your preferences, the K3 Pro is probably one of the worst choices you could have made around this price, hence your aversion. Treble sucks on the vast majority of these cheaper IEMs and bass is commonly mid-bass focussed and sloppy, these comments are universal, not just in regard to the Magaosi.

I've said it before, but you can look into the Rose armature earphones, they have a nicely balanced signature built atop a quick bass response and relatively linear, slightly forward midrange. Treble is sweet and smooth but not really liquid. Unfortunately, these aren't traits that many look for around this price so it's quite uncommon to come by, this is reflected by the reviews of the Mini 2 that call is drab and boring. Honestly, boring is good, these kinds of earphones lends themselves far better towards long term critical listening beyond the initial wow-factor of their V-shaped counterparts, and their linear nature makes them technically outstanding within their price class.

Ultimately, the market dictates what we'll see in the future so give a kudos to the kind reviewers like Cinder and B9Scrambler that dedicate so much time towards reviews of products that most people can actually afford. It is important to do your research and find an earphone that fits your tonal preferences. There will inevitably be a few models that seem to fit the bill and all will be compromised in one form or other, but even a constantly compromised IEM like the K3 Pro can find an audience, and it's a large one at that, so long as each flawed element works together.

 

[ryanjsoo]

Thanks for Your inputs guys. For what it`s worth, I don`t listen with phone. I mostly use my HW&FW modded DX50 - would HD version be better or only slightly more neutral than Pro?

Neither are neutral, the HD is more linear though, which means fewer peaks and troughs in the FR. It sounds more consistent, natural and is far more detailed, treble isn't nearly as uneven even if it isn't particularly smooth in the grand scheme of things. When the Pro was released, there was less competition, the HD really builds on its predecessor to remain a strong contender in the modern market, just make sure you enjoy a boosted bass response (somewhat muddy), warmer, recessed midrange and aggressive treble.

 

[CoiL]

Neither are neutral, the HD is more linear though, which means fewer peaks and troughs in the FR. It sounds more consistent, natural and is far more detailed, treble isn't nearly as uneven even if it isn't particularly smooth in the grand scheme of things. When the Pro was released, there was less competition, the HD really builds on its predecessor to remain a strong contender in the modern market, just make sure you enjoy a boosted bass response (somewhat muddy), warmer, recessed midrange and aggressive treble.

Instant turnoff.... will ditch buying plan for HD&Pro.

 

[kova4a]

Big disclaimer here that these are subjective and personal opinions, definitely good to note. GR07 is indeed a staple and I'm certainly a fan of the EX1 2nd Gen. I think for your preferences, the K3 Pro is probably one of the worst choices you could have made around this price, hence your aversion. Treble sucks on the vast majority of these cheaper IEMs and bass is commonly mid-bass focussed and sloppy, these comments are universal, not just in regard to the Magaosi.

I've said it before, but you can look into the Rose armature earphones, they have a nicely balanced signature built atop a quick bass response and relatively linear, slightly forward midrange. Treble is sweet and smooth but not really liquid. Unfortunately, these aren't traits that many look for around this price so it's quite uncommon to come by, this is reflected by the reviews of the Mini 2 that call is drab and boring. Honestly, boring is good, these kinds of earphones lends themselves far better towards long term critical listening beyond the initial wow-factor of their V-shaped counterparts, and their linear nature makes them technically outstanding within their price class.

Ultimately, the market dictates what we'll see in the future so give a kudos to the kind reviewers like Cinder and B9Scrambler that dedicate so much time towards reviews of products that most people can actually afford. It is important to do your research and find an earphone that fits your tonal preferences. There will inevitably be a few models that seem to fit the bill and all will be compromised in one form or other, but even a constantly compromised IEM like the K3 Pro can find an audience, and it's a large one at that, so long as each flawed element works together.

Of course, they are subjective. As far as bad choice, yeah, but that's because literally everyone was praising it and never mentioned any of these shortcomings. Again, sound is subjective, but often it feels that people starting the hype trains don't have good enough point of reference.
I don't really think manufacturers tune the treble like they do because people look for a specific type of sucky tuning. IMO they just can't do it and when it comes down to it, they\ll rather release \ new product as fast as possible rather than do extensive R&D. I personally don't really prefer the too safe approach to treble tuning but prefer it to splash city or strident boulevard. Anyway, I don't just start bashing on products I don't like, that's why in my reviews I always pointed out pros and cons and I know certain people like slow and soft bass, and I know that a lot of people like v-shaped sound, just like people like different genres of music and artists.

I don't know about the rise mini 2, I was kinda considering the new massdrop plus but don't really want to jump on hype trains in this price range anymore. SGS was praising the empire ears supra 2 (then earwerkz) 2-3 years ago and it turned out somewhat underwhelming

Right now I will jump on the new brainwavz b2 without hesitation and will probably grab some other stuff on 11.11 on a whim. It's just that the b2 is no risk for me, I know how it sounds, I have wanted an updated version with more ergonomic fit and detachable cables for a very long time. Honestly, the first real straight on upgrade of the b2 I heard was when I got the Noble 4, which is significantly costlier.

The reason people jump on stuff like magaosi, kz etc, IMO is just the novelty of the hybrid designs finally being affordable and bragging rights coz it's cool to say your earphones have not only dynamic but BA drivers and an n-number of them to boot. But there is a reason why stuff like ety er4, gr07 continue to be discussed and sought and will continue to be when the kz zs100 and magaosi k100 have been released

 

[ExpatinJapan]

My review of the K3 HD Pro is up



https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/magaosi-k3-hd-pro.22790/reviews

regards
expat

 

[snip3r77]

Ryan how do you find TFZ king vs k3 HD pro

 

[ryanjsoo]

Ryan how do you find TFZ king vs k3 HD pro

I'm overseas at the moment so I don't have them on hand to compare directly. The TFZ King is definitely more balanced and brighter with a forward upper mid-range where the K3 HD is more v-shaped. From memory, the King was more middle treble focused while the K3 HD has more lower treble emphasis. I feel that the King constructs a larger stage and has more resolution but I can't recall much more detail, sorry.

 

[manukmanohar]

Had anyone for their hands on magaosi x3? Please do share your impressions.

 

[Ted Presley]

Had anyone for their hands on magaosi x3? Please do share your impressions.

Just got it for several hours, need more listening time. Initial impression: similar sound signature as Magaosi K5 with a slightly smoother treble (very slightly), and some bass quantity more (again, very slightly). The X3 has lower sensitive than K5 (K5 is really a very very sensitive IEM). I also found the soundstage of K5 is wider.

But I need to play around with cables to have a better comparison (these conclusion made on stock cable of X3 and K5 have a quite good cable already.

Edit 1: With a silver cable, I would say X3 is a K5 with slightly more bass quantity and lower sensitive, almost the same sound signature IMHO.