[Ted Presley]

I have not seen any evidence of the earpiece changing in the K5. Until we have a larger sample size to compare, I think it is best to avoid any speculation about driver or housing changes and assume it is just a replacement of a poor cable with a better design. That alone is certainly a welcome change. The fastest I have seen anybody make the changes to the internals was the F9 to F9 Pro update and that took 3 or 4 months to do and was considered by most to be amazing speed. If indeed they do update the internals, I hope they will badge the new model differently so they are easy to tell apart. It would do them a disservice to have a very high sensitivity model and a much lower model with the same branding. I can only imagine how bad the sound would be if you plugged a K5 into an amp thinking it was a 600 ohm /89 db model only to realize later it was the original version.

Have a quick chat with the seller from hilistening, she mentioned that they are going to have a 6BA earphone (K6 maybe). Something to looking forward to.

 

[Slater]

FYI, I got to the bottom of the 2.0 thing.

The revised (braided) cable that I received is what is called the “Magaosi K5 2.0 Upgrade Cable Version”.

You can see it here: https://penonaudio.com/magaosi-k5.html

 

[chaturanga]

FYI, I got to the bottom of the 2.0 thing.

The revised (braided) cable that I received is what is called the “Magaosi K5 2.0 Upgrade Cable Version”.

You can see it here: https://penonaudio.com/magaosi-k5.html

Thanks. So that means earphones are same but cable is changed.

 

[Slater]

Thanks. So that means earphones are same but cable is changed.

Yes, as far as I'm aware.

 

[heero01]

With the v2 wire is the hiss gone ?

 

[Slater]

With the v2 wire is the hiss gone ?

I don't have the original cable to compare, but mine came with the v2.0 cable and I don't have any hiss that I've been able to detect. I've tried it on an iPhone SE as well as an xduoo X3 with and without a FiiO E12A Mont Blanc amplifier.

I do have mild tinnitus, so it's a little hard for me to hear total silence (as I always hear the ringing of the tinnitus).

If anyone is willing to let me borrow the stock cable for a few days (just the cable), I can A/B it with the v1 vs v2 cable and determine the exact differences. PM me if interested (I'm in Cincinnati, Ohio).

 

[Wiljen]

I'll be happy to send you mine when it comes back from Ngoshawk. I lent them to him for review.

 

[Slater]

I'll be happy to send you mine when it comes back from Ngoshawk. I lent them to him for review.

That would be much appreciated by the community! Thanks bud

 

[audioIQ]

After much deliberation on the matter, I Decided to purchase an iFi EarBuddy ($20). it did the trick for me. All the hiss is gone, I had tried many different cables which didn't help at all. but this little $20 device is perfect, It's specifically made for this purpose and its cheaper than the iEMatch. I've tried it at high volumes as well, the background is quite black. so would recommend to anyone having hiss issues with the k5.

 

[Slater]

After much deliberation on the matter, I Decided to purchase an iFi EarBuddy ($20). it did the trick for me. All the hiss is gone, I had tried many different cables which didn't help at all. but this little $20 device is perfect, It's specifically made for this purpose and its cheaper than the iEMatch. I've tried it at high volumes as well, the background is quite black. so would recommend to anyone having hiss issues with the k5.

Link please? I can’t find it on Amazon. Or is it known as another name?

 

[Wiljen]

Link please? I can’t find it on Amazon. Or is it known as another name?

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1351687-REG/ifi_audio_earbuddy_cable.html

 

[audioIQ]

Link please? I can’t find it on Amazon. Or is it known as another name?

I searched amazon, It's apparently out of stock right now, but heres the link. Alternatively I think you can buy it from iFi Audios own website or from newegg.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B075PVVHF5/

 

[jared basshead]

after maybe thinking this through for 3 hours I bought k5 instead of it01 or fiio f9 pro and rose audio hybrid, I have had experiences with multi BAs before ck100pro and BA200, ck100pro was big no no while BA200 was ok and K5...well i'll get into it soon but first some credits are at due.
So I bought this from penonaudio, one word excellent service, I've had bought products from null audio, ibasso , BTG from their official site and penonaudio is by far has provided me best service , I mean , prompt hour replies to questions , overnight shipped to my country/state from HK and a discount of 10USD that I never asked for and they didn't even brag about it at all until I saw the discount during the checkout.
Penon was kind enough to mark the item 40USD but as karma would do it I was charged 30USD by india customs. Not sure what kind of math they did over there but yeah just take it I mean I'm taxed every month anyway


Coming to K5, good build quality , nice slick cable and the added BT cable is thank you. The shell is good too and beautiful albeit few tiny bubbles here and there not that It bothers me but just some fyis. This iem is the most comfortable IEMs I've ever had. Provided tips are cool but I don't use them at all, I have some tips from note 8 akg bundles that helps. Some comply tips would have been a big welcome but not complaining at this price point. Bundled carry zip is nice but feels and looks cheap so ordered clear pelican micro 1010, love them cases.

To the sound then
ok, I have always sulked at 'BA only' iems as with my past experiences, I mean my first purchase from headfi sale (my last paypal gift) was from the seller Zacharias who is famous for ZMF headphones and I bought a pair of BA200 and apparently I found the bass driver of right unit was dead, mr zmf called me a liar and I informed mods and rest is history. Obviously this happened 4 years ago when i was a new headfier so being the newbie as they saw me mods went with my counter part which is all fine and well honestly I felt bad about it and I still feel it.
so back to topic I expected this to sound all too thin and detailed with 0 sub bass and maybe tad little midbass but man this was a shocker K5 is warm , warmer then aaw a3h hybrid yet with bit more sparkle at top end and detailed, I could say I would have liked a little more subbass but little less midbass , yes compared to a3h it has more midbass and less sub bass , but I like this iem and its a keeper, I mean I like my bass and my IEM/can collections have been more towards bass and I like K5 idk why I like k5 , or maybe this is the soundsig I'm looking for. If magaosi makes another flagship keeping the same sig well count me in. ck100pro was way way sibilant that ssss..shsshsh I tried so hard to like it , listened to it for a month I mean the reviews and all man ... nah sold it
so no there's no hiss at all but this IEM is the most sensitive pair I have ever laid my hands on, I just cant get past 60% of volume slide on my exynos note 8, so I can vouch for my unit not being hissy . However I do I get slight ssshhshhsh on very few songs , maybe its the compressed mp3 idk but on some songs this thing is silk.

P.S. will send pics soon

P.S.s I'm no pro at English and not a good writer either so if things could have been more better then please let me know

 

[Slater]

after maybe thinking this through for 3 hours I bought k5 instead of it01 or fiio f9 pro and rose audio hybrid, I have had experiences with multi BAs before ck100pro and BA200, ck100pro was big no no while BA200 was ok and K5...well i'll get into it soon but first some credits are at due.
So I bought this from penonaudio, one word excellent service, I've had bought products from null audio, ibasso , BTG from their official site and penonaudio is by far has provided me best service , I mean , prompt hour replies to questions , overnight shipped to my country/state from HK and a discount of 10USD that I never asked for and they didn't even brag about it at all until I saw the discount during the checkout.
Penon was kind enough to mark the item 40USD but as karma would do it I was charged 30USD by india customs. Not sure what kind of math they did over there but yeah just take it I mean I'm taxed every month anyway


Coming to K5, good build quality , nice slick cable and the added BT cable is thank you. The shell is good too and beautiful albeit few tiny bubbles here and there not that It bothers me but just some fyis. This iem is the most comfortable IEMs I've ever had. Provided tips are cool but I don't use them at all, I have some tips from note 8 akg bundles that helps. Some comply tips would have been a big welcome but not complaining at this price point. Bundled carry zip is nice but feels and looks cheap so ordered clear pelican micro 1010, love them cases.

To the sound then
ok, I have always sulked at 'BA only' iems as with my past experiences, I mean my first purchase from headfi sale (my last paypal gift) was from the seller Zacharias who is famous for ZMF headphones and I bought a pair of BA200 and apparently I found the bass driver of right unit was dead, mr zmf called me a liar and I informed mods and rest is history. Obviously this happened 4 years ago when i was a new headfier so being the newbie as they saw me mods went with my counter part which is all fine and well honestly I felt bad about it and I still feel it.
so back to topic I expected this to sound all too thin and detailed with 0 sub bass and maybe tad little midbass but man this was a shocker K5 is warm , warmer then aaw a3h hybrid yet with bit more sparkle at top end and detailed, I could say I would have liked a little more subbass but little less midbass , yes compared to a3h it has more midbass and less sub bass , but I like this iem and its a keeper, I mean I like my bass and my IEM/can collections have been more towards bass and I like K5 idk why I like k5 , or maybe this is the soundsig I'm looking for. If magaosi makes another flagship keeping the same sig well count me in. ck100pro was way way sibilant that ssss..shsshsh I tried so hard to like it , listened to it for a month I mean the reviews and all man ... nah sold it
so no there's no hiss at all but this IEM is the most sensitive pair I have ever laid my hands on, I just cant get past 60% of volume slide on my exynos note 8, so I can vouch for my unit not being hissy . However I do I get slight ssshhshhsh on very few songs , maybe its the compressed mp3 idk but on some songs this thing is silk.

P.S. will send pics soon

P.S.s I'm no pro at English and not a good writer either so if things could have been more better then please let me know

You’re impressions are basically the same as mine (especially with no hissing). Glad you like them too.

Did you get the upgrade cable version (ie 2.0)? It’s the dual-color (silver and copper) beautiful braided cable.

 

[jared basshead]

It's the upgraded version, moreover the hiss which is very minute is on very few songs, I guess it has to do with the lossy mp3s.

I'll be sharing more impressions once I have my balanced cable.