[DecentLevi]

Hello all, I have a brief theory about what may be a universal problem with IEMs / earphones:
 
In all the IEMs I can ever remember taking with me on the go, it seems that with all of them, there is a phenomenon where the bass disappears while out in the open. I mean like on the street or in a train / bus, etc., it's as if all lower frequencies that were there when I tested the setup in a quiet room, become... evaporated. And I'm talking about the same exact rig with the same tips, ear-seal, music, etc.
 
I'm thinking maybe it has something to do with the way larger headphones project the low frequencies as a result of vibration between the can and the head / outer ears, versus the way IEMs project a bass from within the ear canal. But that doesn't explain why the bass an most IEMs I've tried generally seems 'afraid of the outdoors' so to speak.
 
Another thing I've noticed which seems to be universal is about silicone ear-tips: It seems that all silicone tips leak a lot of wind-noise in, especially while riding a bicycle I always hear a steady  stream of wind gusts. So what about the SpinFit type of eartips: do these generally seem to block out the wind better than the average silicone tip?
 
Also feel free to check out my recent review of the Dunu 200J's that I now own (it's both love and hate) 

 

 

[NimbleRabit]

Not sure which price range you're aiming for, but based on the CK10 comparison I am guessing mid- or top-tier. For example the Fidue A31s (the latest set added to this thread) has pretty much the exact CK10 form factor with a warm and very smooth sound signature and fits the rest of your requirements very well. However, it's a fairly inexpensive mid-tier IEM and has appropriate performance.


If you're looking at higher performance tiers, a bit of compromise will be needed. For example, the Yamaha EPH-100 sounds much better and is very compact, but the fit is fairly different from the CK10 (wide nozzle, which holds the driver and allows the housing to be compact) and the cable is just a normal cable. The Klipsch X10/X11, while not shaped specifically for over-the-ear fit, can also be viable option. Smooth, bassy, very comfortable, good isolation, and so forth.

Can't think of anything with the appropriate sound signature but on a higher performance level and with the CK10 form factor. For example a Sony XBA-H3 has the right sound, but the form factor couldn't be more wrong...

Funny you mention the XBA-H3, I was strongly considering that one despite it not fitting my preferences in form factor. Perhaps I'll get more than one, a small compact travel IEM and another nicer one.

Anyways,thanks for the recommendations! I'm going to give it some more thought, maybe pick up a few options to try out. The Yamaha may be perfect if I find it comfortable.

 

[ljokerl]

Added the Zipbuds PRO, a surprisingly great-sounding budget IEM with a gimmicky zipper...
 
The most up to date IEM ranking can be found here.
 

   
(3A94) Zipbuds PRO


Added August 2015

Brief: Tangle-resistant IEMs with a built-in “zipper” in place of a conventional cable cinch

MSRP: $39.99
Current Price: $35 from amazon.com
Specs: Driver: Dynamic | Imp: 16Ω | Sens: 99 dB | Freq: 20-20k Hz | Cable: 3.9′ I-plug w
Nozzle Size: 5.5mm | Preferred tips: Stock single-flanges
Wear Style: Straight down

Accessories (2/5) – Single-flange silicone tips (3 sizes) and built-in “zipper” cable cinch
Build Quality (4/5) – The housings of the Zipbuds PRO are plastic – well-made, but nothing out of the ordinary. The earphones have ample strain relief and a nylon sheath on the cable below the y-split. The mic is well-positioned, too. The distinguishing characteristic, of course, is the zipper, which starts at the y-split and goes right up to the microphone, replacing the cable cinch. The teeth of the zipper are plastic while the slider is metal. It works well and I never got myself or my clothes caught in it, though I am not convinced of its superiority to a good cable cinch. The cable is terminated with a metal-jacketed I-plug
Isolation (3/5) – Good for this type of earphone
Microphonics (2.5/5) – The cloth-covered cable and plastic zipper teeth don’t do the Zipbuds any favors when it comes to cable noise. The earphones are meant to be worn cable-down, and in this configuration cable noise can be bothersome. Adjusting the zipper while wearing them creates additional noise
Comfort (4/5) – The Zipbuds are rather well-designed when it comes to comfort, with an angled-nozzle housing that’s smooth and rounded at the front. The driver chamber is rather large, and on the whole the fit is similar to a “half in-ear” earphone – snug in the outer ear, but comfortable

Sound (7.9/10) – The sound signature of the Zipbuds PRO is pretty much perfect considering the relatively low price and consumer-oriented nature of the earphones, pushing the bass and treble slightly ahead of the midrange for a punchy, clear, and exciting sound – a “v-shaped” frequency response.

There’s plenty of bass with a mild mid-bass hump, but the Zipbuds are surprisingly free of bloat. The moderate bass enhancement never left me wanting for impact and extension is surprisingly good at both ends. At the same time, the tone is not very warm and avoids the clarity penalty overly warm earphones in this price range tend to have (see, for instance, the Fidue A31s or HiFiMan RE300h).

Clarity and detail are pretty impressive and midrange recession is minor for a v-shaped earphone. The upper mids and treble are accented, with both carrying plenty of energy. As expected, this gives the Zipbuds PRO a tendency towards harshness and sibilance, especially at high volumes, but it is very mild and the gain in clarity and overall energy is worth the tradeoff. Good treble extension also results in a decently wide presentation and a rather open, airy, and dynamic sound compared to other similarly-priced and similarly-tuned earphones.

Select Comparisons

Xiaomi Piston 2 ($25)

The Piston 2 from China-based Xiaomi took the audiophile world by storm with its warm, capable sound, becoming a popular budget choice very quickly. The Zipbuds PRO boasts comparable performance with a slightly more v-shaped sound signature.

While the Piston 2 is tonally warmer and has more of a deep bass focus, the Zipbuds have a touch more mid-bass instead. Bass control and overall clarity are generally similar between the two earphones, but the Zipbuds have a more v-shaped tuning with more presence in the upper midrange and treble. This makes for a brighter sound and also raises vocal intelligibility a bit compared to the Piston 2. On the whole, the Zipbuds are more sparkly and lively but have a greater tendency towards harshness and sibilance, especially at higher volumes. The Piston 2 sounds smoother and more refined in comparison, and also has a slightly more “open” presentation.

T-Peos Popular ($30)

The T-Peos Popular and Zipbuds PRO make for an interesting matchup, being two rather different takes on a v-shaped sound tuning – one bassier, and the other brighter. The brighter T-Peos model is more balanced and neutral, with a shallower “v-shape” to its sound. It has less mid-bass, which makes its low end tighter and allows for more deep bass emphasis. The Zipbuds, on the other hand, sound bassier and more boomy. Their tuning has a more pronounced v-shape with more midrange recession. Surprisingly, despite having a thinner and brighter sound, the Popular isn’t clearer than the bassier Zipbuds. It does, however, have a slightly wider soundstage. In the end, it’s very hard to say which is better – at times I preferred the more balanced Popular, and at times the bassier and more dynamic Zipbuds.

Brainwavz S0 ($45)

The entry-level model in Brainwavz’ popular S-series, the S0 is a relatively well-balanced earphone compared to the bassier, more mid-recessed Zipbuds. Despite their more powerful bass and slightly more recessed mids, however, the Zipbuds sound clearer. The upper midrange is more forward, resulting in more intelligible vocals, and the sound is more dynamic and lively on the whole. The S0, on the other hand, is a little less clear and makes vocals sound more distant. It also has weaker bass and lacks some dynamics in comparison to the Zipbuds.

Brainwavz S1 ($60)

The Brainwavz S1 makes for a better sound signature match for the Zipbuds than does the S0. While the S0 is flatter/more balanced than the Zipbuds, the tuning of the S1 is the opposite, increasing the bass and recessing the mids slightly for an even more “v-shaped” sound signature. This makes the v-shape more audible – and at times more bothersome – than the milder coloration of the Zipbuds.

The bass of the S1 is deeper and marginally tighter than that of the Zipbuds. However, the Zipbuds have less recessed mids and a more neutral tone compared to the darker S1. The brighter treble of the Zipbuds is a little more harsh, but it also makes them a touch clearer and more open-sounding – and preferable to the S1 for me.

Value (8.5/10) – Microphonics aside, the Zipbids PRO is my favorite kind of earphone – one with unexpectedly strong audio performance that took me entirely by surprise (the previous such set being the Flux In-Ear from PC accessories manufacturer SteelSeries).

While the zipper cable cinch is a bit of a gimmick, the Zipbuds cover the basics very well with excellent sound quality and a comfortable angled-nozzle design. With a v-shaped sound signature emphasizing bass and treble and satisfying clarity, dynamics, and even soundstaging, the Zipbuds PRO is a winner in sound – and easily recommendable overall.

Pros: Comfortable angled-nozzle design; does resist tangling; nice mic; very good sound quality
Cons: Cable noise (microphonics)

 

[B9Scrambler]

The ZIPBUDS come off as a bit of a surprise. Nice one Joker! 

 
PS. If you ever have the opportunity, be sure to check out the JVC HA-FXH30. I think they're Japan-only atm, but my gawd are they nice! 

 

[Harijs]

Ok, another cheap IEM review...
Who else is waiting for some newest flagship reviews?

 

[getclikinagas]

  Ok, another cheap IEM review...
Who else is waiting for some newest flagship reviews?

Fidue A83
UBSOUND Fighter
DUNU DN-2000
Sennheiser Momentum
Gorilla Ears GX-4b
NHT Superbuds
Brainwavz S0
FLC Tech FLC 8
Fidue A31s
Zipbuds PRO
 
4 out of the last 10 reviews are Flagship or near flagship level. Healthy mix I'd say.
Too many flagships are bad for your health.....probably not

 

[race2c]

 Hi ljokerl - In the past few weeks, I have been debating getting a new set of IEMs.
 
What do you recommend for the following details:
 

1. Budget: $120 USD (less is always nice though)
2. Location: USA
3. Isolation/Comfort are key due to airplane travel (35 flights anticipated this year) and work (split office with another person)
4. Mainly use Spotify (extreme for downloaded content and extreme/high on streaming) and some other HQ content saved on devices
5. Source(s): Samsung S5 (main); Nexus 7 (secondary); Sometimes use FiiO E18 Kunlun for Amp/DAC
6. Common Music: Hard Rock (Shinedown, Seether, etc); Texas/Red Dirt Country; Some Techno/House; Classic Rock; Some rap/hip-hop; a bit of everything.
7. Music Style: I like bass, nothing over the top/muddy, but I do like feeling it (similar to M6/M6P). Other than that, I am pretty flexible on sound signature.

 
Current line-up of headphones: ATH-iM50 (main IEM); Soundmagic PL50s (extra); Meelectronics M6/M6P (gym/extra); Meelectronics M9P (extra set at work)

 

[noobnorwegian]

Hi ljokerl, could you try to describe the difference between the ZipbudsPro and Soundmagic E10?
Have not seen any comparisons between these two IEMs.

 

[ljokerl]

  The ZIPBUDS come off as a bit of a surprise. Nice one Joker! 

 
PS. If you ever have the opportunity, be sure to check out the JVC HA-FXH30. I think they're Japan-only atm, but my gawd are they nice! 

 
Yeah, I was equally surprised. I was expecting to have to give them a pass as I have with most other "mainstream" IEMs in this price range. 
 
Nice JVCs - looks like the latest evolution of the micro-HD line, which I've always liked quite a lot. I'm also very much enjoying the new JVC XX Elation in-ears, especially compared to the previous-gen XX models. Huge IEMs, but the sound is rather tame for an XX model, which is fine by me. 
 
 

  Fidue A83
UBSOUND Fighter
DUNU DN-2000
Sennheiser Momentum
Gorilla Ears GX-4b
NHT Superbuds
Brainwavz S0
FLC Tech FLC 8
Fidue A31s
Zipbuds PRO
 
4 out of the last 10 reviews are Flagship or near flagship level. Healthy mix I'd say.
Too many flagships are bad for your health.....probably not

 
 

 
Also, the next one up is a $700 BA monitor.
 
 

   Hi ljokerl - In the past few weeks, I have been debating getting a new set of IEMs.
 
What do you recommend for the following details:
 

1. Budget: $120 USD (less is always nice though)
2. Location: USA
3. Isolation/Comfort are key due to airplane travel (35 flights anticipated this year) and work (split office with another person)
4. Mainly use Spotify (extreme for downloaded content and extreme/high on streaming) and some other HQ content saved on devices
5. Source(s): Samsung S5 (main); Nexus 7 (secondary); Sometimes use FiiO E18 Kunlun for Amp/DAC
6. Common Music: Hard Rock (Shinedown, Seether, etc); Texas/Red Dirt Country; Some Techno/House; Classic Rock; Some rap/hip-hop; a bit of everything.
7. Music Style: I like bass, nothing over the top/muddy, but I do like feeling it (similar to M6/M6P). Other than that, I am pretty flexible on sound signature.

 
Current line-up of headphones: ATH-iM50 (main IEM); Soundmagic PL50s (extra); Meelectronics M6/M6P (gym/extra); Meelectronics M9P (extra set at work)

 
With that budget the obvious choice is the Shure SE215 for killer isolation and nice bass without being excessive. Second best would be a HiSound Crystal, which is arguably more comfortable but not as versatile as the Shures and a little less of a match for M6 bass levels. 
 
Two higher-end options I would recommend if you can find a unit in your price range: Yamaha EPH-100 and Klipsch Image X10 or X11. The former is a great-sounding IEM with good isolation and would be a great addition to your collection IMO. The latter is a decent-sounding (better than SE215, not as good as EPH-100) but insanely small and comfortable earphone. The most comfortable of the bunch, but typically the most expensive as well, and you're better off buying this one new for the warranty. 
 

  Hi ljokerl, could you try to describe the difference between the ZipbudsPro and Soundmagic E10?
Have not seen any comparisons between these two IEMs.

 
The Zipbuds have a significantly more exaggerated "V-shaped" sound signature. The bass is more impactful compared to the more balanced E10 and the highs are more energetic. The E10 has an advantage in presentation and sounds more neutral, smooth, and relaxed while the Zipbuds are more punchy, crisp, clear, and exciting.

 

[race2c]

   
With that budget the obvious choice is the Shure SE215 for killer isolation and nice bass without being excessive. Second best would be a HiSound Crystal, which is arguably more comfortable but not as versatile as the Shures and a little less of a match for M6 bass levels. 
 
Two higher-end options I would recommend if you can find a unit in your price range: Yamaha EPH-100 and Klipsch Image X10 or X11. The former is a great-sounding IEM with good isolation and would be a great addition to your collection IMO. The latter is a decent-sounding (better than SE215, not as good as EPH-100) but insanely small and comfortable earphone. The most comfortable of the bunch, but typically the most expensive as well, and you're better off buying this one new for the warranty. 
 

Thanks for the response ljokerl.
 
I am thinking about the EPH-100 per your suggestion. Based upon your review on headphonelist, did you experience (or anticipate) any problems with nozzle size due to smaller ear canals?

 

[ljokerl]

  Thanks for the response ljokerl.
 
I am thinking about the EPH-100 per your suggestion. Based upon your review on headphonelist, did you experience (or anticipate) any problems with nozzle size due to smaller ear canals?

 
They do have larger-than-average nozzles but it seems they fit most people - it's quite rare for someone to come back and say they didn't fit. It'll come down to individual anatomy of course, but if you're generally using medium or larger tips with your other IEMs chances are you'll be okay. 

 

[B9Scrambler]

Nice JVCs - looks like the latest evolution of the micro-HD line, which I've always liked quite a lot. I'm also very much enjoying the new JVC XX Elation in-ears, especially compared to the previous then XX models. Huge IEMs, but the sound is rather tame for an XX model, which is fine by me.

I have the FRD60 and FXT90 and the FXH30 is a welcome improvement over both of those. Can't speak for the FRD80

The Elations sound like a great buy. I picked up the FR202 recently. Build quality is pretty blah compared to the older 201, but JVC did a great job of cleaning up their over abundant treble.

Actually, that seems to be something JVC has done a good job of with all the current gen products of theirs I've tried.

 

[slowpickr]

I have the FRD60 and FXT90 and the FXH30 is a welcome improvement over both of those. Can't speak for the FRD80

The Elations sound like a great buy. I picked up the FR202 recently. Build quality is pretty blah compared to the older 201, but JVC did a great job of cleaning up their over abundant treble.

Actually, that seems to be something JVC has done a good job of with all the current gen products of theirs I've tried.

 
Ok Scrambler.  I'm making a note in my record book... "B9Scrambler likes JVC."

 

[Sesameopen]

Guys I'm in the market for a new IEM, but for me there aren't really any good balanced armature earphones. I came from a DBA-02 and I can't seem to find any similar ones, because the dealbreaker for me is that I have to wear them straight down, and half of all earphones in the world must be worn over-ear. I don't know why I don't really like dynamic.
 
Any ideas? I was looking at the Fischer Audio TBA-04 and the Sony XBA 40's. The TBA-04's don't seem to be available in a lot of places.
 

GG.

 

[ozkan]

  Guys I'm in the market for a new IEM, but for me there aren't really any good balanced armature earphones. I came from a DBA-02 and I can't seem to find any similar ones, because the dealbreaker for me is that I have to wear them straight down, and half of all earphones in the world must be worn over-ear. I don't know why I don't really like dynamic.
 
Any ideas? I was looking at the Fischer Audio TBA-04 and the Sony XBA 40's. The TBA-04's don't seem to be available in a lot of places.
 

GG.

 
Etymotic ER4-PT