[compoopers]

Would love to see your impressions of the new Xiaomi Piston 3 as compared to the 2!

 

[ljokerl]

Would love to see your impressions of the new Xiaomi Piston 3 as compared to the 2!

 
In two words, "less bassy"

.
 
Review coming soon. 

 

[ljokerl]

Speaking of bassy, NHT SuperBuds review has been added.
 
The most up-to-date IEM ranking can be found here.
 

 

(2B66) NHT SuperBuds



Brief: First in-ear earphones from loudspeaker manufacturer NHT

MSRP: $129.99
Current Price: $100 from Amazon.com
Specs: Driver: Dynamic | Imp: 32Ω | Sens: 96.5 dB | Freq: 20-20k Hz | Cable: 3.9′ 45-degree plug w/ mic & 1-button remote
Nozzle Size: 4.5mm | Preferred tips: Stock single-flanges; MEElec M6 single-flanges; Comply T200 (included)
Wear Style: Straight down or over-the-ear (preferred)

Accessories (4/5) – Single-flange silicone tips (5 sizes), Comply T200 memory foam tips (3 sizes), and zippered clamshell carrying case
Build Quality (4/5) – The SuperBuds’ earpieces are decidedly large and hefty, but also feel rock-solid. The cables are fabric-sheathed, and while the combination of heavy earpieces, fabric cords, and lack of external strain relief worries me a little, they’re holding up fine five months in. The cable features a mic with single-button remote on the left side and 45-degree termination. No cable cinch is present
Isolation (4/5) – Impressive, especially with the included Comply eartips
Microphonics (4/5) – Bothersome when worn cable-down; good otherwise. Very good considering the cloth cable
Comfort (3/5) – Heavy, wide housings will cause problems in smaller ears but the SuperBuds attempt to make up for it with a strong eartip selection – 5 sizes of good-quality silicone tips (including always-welcome XL and XS sizes) and 3 pairs of Comply memory foam tips. The SuperBuds can also be worn cable-up to mitigate the weight

Sound (7.7/10) – The NHT SuperBuds follow a surprisingly bass-heavy signature with a warm tone and smooth highs – perhaps a bit more Beats by Dre than I expected, but a bass fan’s delight to be sure. The bass is deep and powerful, with a slight mid-bass bias and relatively slow attack and decay resulting in a very full-bodied sound.

The SuperBuds’ bass quantity falls north of just about any IEM I’ve tried recently except maybe JVC’s Xtreme Xplosives line, and their slower bass presentation acts to further accentuate the low end. This sort of bass “bloom” also means the majority of less bassy earphones, even those with strong punch like Brainwavz’ similarly-priced S5, sound tighter and quicker at the low end but ultimately lack the sheer power and fullness of the NHTs.

The SuperBuds have a warm tonal character and sound thick and rich through the midrange. The mids of the SuperBuds are slightly veiled, but not recessed. As expected, they don’t reach the clarity or detail levels of less bass-heavy earphones like the Brainwavz S5, but the clarity is not bad at all for this type of sound. Sets with more v-shaped, mid-recessed signatures – again, like the S5 – tend to sound a little thin and “hollow” in comparison.

The top end of the SuperBuds is smooth and non-fatiguing at the expense of sounding a little darker and less crisp than the average $100 in-ear monitor. It does an excellent job of killing whatever harshness and sibilance may be present and maintains smoothness even at higher volumes, which makes it perfect for sensitive ears. The soundstage is also good for a bass-heavy earphone – spacious enough to digest all the bass and not overly prone to congestion.

Interestingly, the SuperBuds have lower than average sensitivity – they’re not quiet or anything, but listeners who equate volume with sound quality may prefer the more efficient Beats by Dre Tours or JVC Xtreme Xplosives. I found this aspect of the performance interesting – on one hand the SuperBuds have a sound signature that’s perfect for the mainstream, and on the other they act more along the lines of enthusiast earphones when it comes to the volume war.

Select Comparisons

JVC HA-FR301 ($40)

The intent of JVC’s Xtreme Xplosives headphone line is simple – to deliver as much bass as possible. The FR301 succeeds in matching the SuperBuds there, offering up a hair more mid-bass punch to boot, but lacks refinement. The overall response of the JVCs is much more v-shaped, with a ton more treble presence compared to the NHT set. The FR301 can sound a little clearer and more dynamic thanks to the extra treble energy and crispness, but the midrange is recessed and the top end is brighter and harsher, with occasional bouts of sibilance. The NHT set is muddier and more veiled, warmer in tone, and more dull in the treble, but its smoother sound is more natural and never unpleasant, which is more than can be said for the JVC unit.

UBSOUND Fighter ($75)

The Fighter from Italy-based UBSOUND can be thought of as a bargain Beats by Dre – a flat-cabled headset with flashy colors and enhanced-bass sound. Next to the SuperBuds, however, its bass response seems rather tame. The SuperBuds boast greater mid-bass presence for a more impactful and full-bodied sound, offering true basshead performance and a richer, warmer overall audio experience. The Fighter puts up less mid-bass and sounds more balanced, which should give it a clarity advantage over the SuperBuds, but doesn’t, most likely due to the Fighter’s upper midrange dip.

RHA MA750i ($130)

RHA’s pricier MA750i, like the NHT SuperBuds, is a metal-shelled earphone with a hefty construction and bass-heavy sound. Compared to the basshead-worthy SuperBuds, the low end of the MA750i is less impactful, but tighter and not as intrusive. It still has good punch but with quicker note attack and decay, which makes it sound leaner and short on slam next to the NHT set. The SuperBuds, with their more full-bodied note, are boomier and more veiled, but also more powerful.

The MA750i offers a brighter overall tone compared to the SuperBuds, with significantly more presence in the upper midrange. This also makes it sound a little “tizzy” and far less tolerant of harshness in comparison to the smoother NHTs. The MA750 is more spacious thanks to its brighter sound and better overall resolution.

Beats by Dre Tour 2.0 ($150)

The Tour 2.0 is a sizable improvement over the original Beats Tour, but still doesn’t offer very good value for money in sound alone. It is, however, very user-friendly and ergonomic. The plastic-shelled Beats are much lighter than the SuperBuds, for instance, and tend to be more comfortable and secure in the ear with their angled nozzles and optional ear fins.

Coming back around to sound, it almost seems like NHT set out to out-Beats the Tour 2.0 by tuning the SuperBuds to be slightly bassier, warmer, and richer-sounding. The SuperBuds’ bass is a little slower and its midrange – a little more veiled – but the smoothness can sound more natural and the presentation is a little less compressed. The Tour 2.0 is marginally clearer, a bit less full-bodied, and less forgiving at the top. It is also worth noting that the Beats are significantly more sensitive – potentially an issue for the SuperBuds with listeners who wrongly equate loudness with sound quality.

Value (7.5/10) – The NHT SuperBuds are substantial in both sound and design, with hefty metal housings to match the basshead-worthy performance. Indeed, these warm and smooth-sounding earphones are unashamedly bassy, reminding me of the pricier, now-defunct TFTA 1V. The 1V was another large, solidly-built, and very bassy earphone that I’m still itching to recommend when someone asks for the most explosive bass you can get in a decent-sounding in-ear package. Happily, I can now recommend the SuperBuds in its stead, and to anyone else in search of a basshead earphone without the extra spend – and stigma – of a Beats Tour 2.0.

Pros: Solidly built, good eartip selection, smooth sound with tons of bass
Cons: Large, hefty housings not ideal for small ears; tons of bass

 

[Click]

   
In two words, "less bassy"

.
 
Review coming soon. 

How about "much improved" 

 

[Sound Eq]

what a list amazing info

 

[goldtuba]

Once again, thank you for the great source of information.  This time I actually have a question.  I recently bought the Hifiman RE600 when the price dropped to $200.  I absolutely love the sound, but I hate the build quality.  I've also always preferred "over the ear" to "cable down" style.  Even with this preference, I still listen to the RE600 much more than my Westone 4.  Is there anything that sounds close, but is in the "over the ear" style?  Staying in the $400 price range is ideal, but if you have any suggestions that are significantly more I might be willing to spend "end game" money.  Thank you very much for your time.

 

[Trying2Learn]

Has anyone tried the CIEMs by Null Audio? Specifically the ones they teamed up with Advanced Acousticwerks? I'm kind of looking into CIEM's preferably under $200 or around 200 which is a pretty shallow pond(and wallet). Thanks!

 

[ozkan]

  Once again, thank you for the great source of information.  This time I actually have a question.  I recently bought the Hifiman RE600 when the price dropped to $200.  I absolutely love the sound, but I hate the build quality.  I've also always preferred "over the ear" to "cable down" style.  Even with this preference, I still listen to the RE600 much more than my Westone 4.  Is there anything that sounds close, but is in the "over the ear" style?  Staying in the $400 price range is ideal, but if you have any suggestions that are significantly more I might be willing to spend "end game" money.  Thank you very much for your time.

 
Why don't you wear RE600 cable up if you really like its sound? 

 You can use an ear guide.

 

[ljokerl]

  Once again, thank you for the great source of information.  This time I actually have a question.  I recently bought the Hifiman RE600 when the price dropped to $200.  I absolutely love the sound, but I hate the build quality.  I've also always preferred "over the ear" to "cable down" style.  Even with this preference, I still listen to the RE600 much more than my Westone 4.  Is there anything that sounds close, but is in the "over the ear" style?  Staying in the $400 price range is ideal, but if you have any suggestions that are significantly more I might be willing to spend "end game" money.  Thank you very much for your time.

 
Yeah, what ozkan said. You won't find anything closer to the RE-600 than the RE-600, especially at that price point, and they can be worn cable-up with a bit of effort.
 
If you want a native over-the-ear IEM, I guess you could try finding a TDK BA200. Beyond that, you start diverging into alternatives with slightly warmer/smoother signatures (e.g. Sony MDR-7550, StageDiver SD-2, maybe even Custom Art Music One), and those with slightly brighter signatures like your Ultimate Ears 900s, Custom Art Pro 330v2s, Noble 4 customs, and so on.

 

[goldtuba]

   
Why don't you wear RE600 cable up if you really like its sound? 

 You can use an ear guide.

I do wear it cable up, but the small size and weight make it difficult to keep it in my ear.  The only time that I use these are when I am out and about or walking my dog.  I don't think that I can keep any IEM in my ear when I'm walking her, but that's an entirely different problem.  Maybe I just need to invest in some ear guides.  I do plan on getting it recabled as the stock cable is already falling apart. Do you have any suggestions for cable guides or will any that I find work about the same?

 

[ljokerl]

 
I do wear it cable up, but the small size and weight make it difficult to keep it in my ear.  The only time that I use these are when I am out and about or walking my dog.  I don't think that I can keep any IEM in my ear when I'm walking her, but that's an entirely different problem.  Maybe I just need to invest in some ear guides.  I do plan on getting it recabled as the stock cable is already falling apart. Do you have any suggestions for cable guides or will any that I find work about the same?

 
I would try to find thicker cable guides... the thin ones with pressure points put extra strain on the cable. The pair that I got with my MEElec A161P works pretty well - I think these are them: http://www.meelec.com/MEElectronics_Over_the_Ear_Cable_Guides_p/ep-cableguide-bk.htm

 

[RochRx7]

Good workout IEMs? $100? 
 
Something warm, slighty subdued treble.. EDMbased music.
 
Shure SE215? 
MEE M6 sport?
Jaybirds Bluebuds X?
Soundmagic E30?
Xaomi Pistons 2.1?

 

[ozkan]

  Good workout IEMs? $100? 
 
Something warm, slighty subdued treble.. EDMbased music.
 
Shure SE215? 
MEE M6 sport?
Jaybirds Bluebuds X?
Soundmagic E30?
Xaomi Pistons 2.1?

 
Pistons has emphasized bass and treble. I would recommend looking into IM50 or Hifiman RE300 for gym/workout purposes. IM50 is brilliant for EDM based music.

 

[ZapX629]

   
Pistons has emphasized bass and treble. I would recommend looking into IM50 or Hifiman RE300 for gym/workout purposes. IM50 is brilliant for EDM based music.

Would second the IM50. My go to workout IEM. Warm, mid forward, smooth, but detailed treble. 

 

[Shawn71]

  Good workout IEMs? $100? 
 
Something warm, slighty subdued treble.. EDMbased music.
 
Shure SE215? 
MEE M6 sport?
Jaybirds Bluebuds X?
Soundmagic E30?
Xaomi Pistons 2.1?

MEelec M6/M6 sport - perfect budget WO IEM (even for side sleep) with kick arse bass, but bit more treble energy,equally.....The fit is not an issue at all with the supplied M stock tips (universal tips that fits snug most IEMs) along with bi & tri- flanges and built-in memory wire.....
 
edit=> take a look on M6 PRO as well....