Hi everyone. I have a question. I want to buy some new earphones and have a $30 budget. I mostly use Tin Audio T2's and TRN v80's now. My music tastes range from The Carpenters (especially Karen Carpenters voice) to Iron Maiden.
I'm deciding between the following: Blon BL-03, CCA C12, **** **** and DTS Pro, LZ Z05A, KBEAR KB06 and KB04, and TRN V90 (or any suggestions). Please help me decide. Thanks.
What is your preferred sound signature? You like something neutral, V shaped, harmanish, midcentric, treblehead/treble adverse, basshead/basslight?
And would u require isolation and be using this set on the go?
Of those sets u mentioned above, I have the KB04, **** and BLON BL-03.
1)
**** - around $16 - 17 USD. Triple driver hybrid. Poor isolation but good soundstage. Rather balanced in tuning, good instrument separation, clarity, details. Timbre a bit artificial but it is only apparent for genres that use acoustic instruments. If it's mostly EDM, rock, pop genres, it is a very cheap and good set. It can be driven from a smartphone based on specs, but does better with amping, with the treble being brighter and more detailed/dynamic with amping (the piezo drivers used for the treble frequency do appreciate more juice).
2)
BLON BL-03 - around $25 USD. Single DD set. Great timbre/tonality, good for acoustic instrument predominant genres. Also a big hypetrain on CHIFI headfi thread now. It isn't that good in technicals, so not the best for complex instrumentation/multiple competing instruments or those wanting a more analytical sound. But the tuning is excellent, harmanish with midbass boost. Isolation is lacking and it has poor stock tips +/- cables, so will need some aftermarket tips for most westerners due to the too short nozzle. As such, it may not be the best recommendation for new IEM users who don't know how to tiproll. But if u can switch tips/cables, the sound can compete with some $100 USD IEMs IMHO.
There's a successor to it called the BLON BL-05 that just came out out recently, not many reviews on it yet, but the general consensus is the successor has less bass and is a bit more harsh on the treble/upper mids, so it does have more clarity than the BL-03.
3)
KB04 - 1 BA + 1 DD. It is a good entry level CHIFI. KB04 would be a good beginner set to recommend to newbies to the hobby, but I think if u already have the Tin T2, it might not be a big upgrade over it.
For the $30 pricetag, it boasts good price to performance ratio, is quite an all rounder, and has above average technicalities and comes in a good build. Mild V shape. There's occasional upper mids/lower treble harshness on this set and timbre isn't the best.
Good luck in your search!
