[RikudouGoku]

I think there are several factors in play here: user age, tuning preference, individual sound perception.
I finally decided that the LZ A6 isn't for me and I put it up for sale, but I wouldn't part with Blessing 2.

With the a6 and the b2, they both have unnatural timbre so it will definitely be more up to personal tastes and library.

 

[listen4joy]

nice to see FH3 rules the midrange game.

 

[RikudouGoku]

nice to see FH3 rules the midrange game.

Yeah, that bass is competing in the 300 usd range and the rest of the sound is still very good for the price it is at.

 

[Techfixation]

Yeah, that bass is competing in the 300 usd range and the rest of the sound is still very good for the price it is at.

Just upgraded from the FH3 to the Zen and it really doesn't feel like the FH3 is as far behind as you might think considering the price!

I would say the mids are about equal, the bass is pretty close but the Zen just edges it by being a touch tighter, the imaging on the FH3 is pretty impressive but the Zen is on a whole other level with better separation, a slightly wider stage as well as being taller and deeper which would be my only complaint against the FH3.

I should mention that I've had to EQ the Zen slightly as the tuning wasn't quite to my preference out of the box. The FH3 definitely wins here as the tuning is spot on!

 

[RikudouGoku]

Just upgraded from the FH3 to the Zen and it really doesn't feel like the FH3 is as far behind as you might think considering the price!

I would say the mids are about equal, the bass is pretty close but the Zen just edges it by being a touch tighter, the imaging on the FH3 is pretty impressive but the Zen is on a whole other level with better separation, a slightly wider stage as well as being taller and deeper which would be my only complaint against the FH3.

I should mention that I've had to EQ the Zen slightly as the tuning wasn't quite to my preference out of the box. The FH3 definitely wins here as the tuning is spot on!

I would say that the mids on the zen are much better due to it having a better tonality and also better timbre without the BA timbre that is present on the FH3.

But yeah, the overall value in the 100-300 usd range is much better than the Zen.

 

[Techfixation]

I would say that the mids on the zen are much better due to it having a better tonality and also better timbre without the BA timbre that is present on the FH3.

But yeah, the overall value in the 100-300 usd range is much better than the Zen.

I agree about the BA timbre but there's just something I love about the FH3's mids, it's hard to put my finger on, I just love the forwardness, and the richness to vocals I got with them!

I'm still getting to know the Zen, but the more I listen the more I can appreciate their abilities. I was listening to Jorja Smith on them yesterday and her vocals sounded absolutely outstanding, it was the imaging that really stood out though, I've never experienced anything like it with IEM's before!

 

[RikudouGoku]

I agree about the BA timbre but there's just something I love about the FH3's mids, it's hard to put my finger on, I just love the forwardness, and the richness to vocals I got with them!

I'm still getting to know the Zen, but the more I listen the more I can appreciate their abilities. I was listening to Jorja Smith on them yesterday and her vocals sounded absolutely outstanding, it was the imaging that really stood out though, I've never experienced anything like it with IEM's before!

Yup, imaging and separation are definitely next level for me. Compensating the otherwise smaller soundstage it has.

 

[IEMusic]

the soundstage on the Zen is actually the second smallest out of the 9 iems I compared it with (it beats the Blon bl-03 at least lol).

Actually, I think the BL03 has quite a wide soundstage, so that’s good.

The FH3 definitely wins here as the tuning is spot on!

I guess you like a more L-shaped tuning, w/o boosted upper mids and treble.

I love about the FH3's mids, it's hard to put my finger on, I just love the forwardness, and the richness to vocals I got with them!

I think that’s it, the mids, and especially vocals, are very forward and intimate sounding on the FH3, while not having the mids boosted in FR.

 

[RikudouGoku]

Actually, I think the BL03 has quite a wide soundstage, so that’s good.

Well, the 03 is like 27 something usd, I definitely do not have the same expectations and requirements from an iem at that price lol.

I definitely aint complaing about the 03´s soundstage (mesh mod specifically) but at 700 usd with the Zen, I do expect better.

 

[RikudouGoku]

2021-02-22: NiceHCK EBX21 review is up: https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/nicehck-ebx21.24985/reviews#review-25359

Rank: S

Great sounding bud but stock cable is overpriced with more downsides than benefits and overall value on the bud isnt that good because of that.

Wonder when/if we will get a Yincrow X6 upgrade....



Next up the Audiosense DT100, a very impressive BA iem that actually has a very very good bass (almost like a DD) and the timbre is also close to a well tuned DD iem.

If Audiosense makes another BA iem with that DT100 driver (side-firing BA) and more drivers overall to help with the technicalities. It could be the champion of chi-fi BA iems.

Going to come back to the Zen after the DT100.

 

[Poganin]

Rank S but 4/5 stars?

 

[RikudouGoku]

Rank S but 4/5 stars?

Performs at the same level as the Toneking Viridis (which is also S) but at double the price. The price is a big factor in my reviews.

 

[RikudouGoku]

2021-02-26: Audiosense DT100 review: https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/audiosense-dt100.24912/reviews#review-25379

Rank: A

My favorite BA iem right now. If it had better technicalities it would have been S ranked.

Graph for the T180 Pro

I will probably review this one as well but that be after the Zen. Audiosense really knows how to tune their BA iems, all of them are very well tuned. Well....except for the T800, that one got a lot of bloated/slow bass, unnatural timbre across the range (maybe except the bass timbre) and very sibilant treble.


I also ordered a few new cables:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005001742192708.html

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005001786868630.html

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005001843312645.html

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002042493770.html

Seems to be the OEM for a lot of bigger brands and they are cheaper here.

 

[RikudouGoku]

2021-03-03: Finally done with my Dunu Zen review, here is the "demo version": https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/zen-by-dunu.24863/reviews#review-25425

And here is the "full review": https://docs.google.com/document/d/1PXDaFyaDMUF8q9O4QCv1vaW1ZQtqzBAlurCyMCOEso8/edit?usp=sharing
(33% of my review and I almost reached the head-fi limit lol.)

Rank: S

Got 2 more iems I want to review, but not sure in which order, so I ask you guys. Which one do you want me to review first? The Audiosense T180 Pro or the Sony MDR-EX1000?


Will also try the tips I ordered a few weeks ago soon(got them some time ago but havent opened them due to all other reviews taking my time/focus).

 

[RikudouGoku]

2021-03-05: Combined part 1 and 2 of my tip haul.

Big haul of tips, starting with 3 of them.


Sony EP-TC50

Starting with the boring part first, it is the same as the Triple-comfort tips that comes in the XBA-N3, my favorite silicone/foam hybrid tip out of the 2 I got (these and the Symbio W). Fit and sounds like a silicone tip, comfort and isolation like a softer foam tip. Price is around 1100-1500 jpy, which is around 12 usd for 2 pairs. Recommended if you want to try a silicone/foam hybrid tip, otherwise I still prefer silicone tips a lot more.
(they even have the XBA-N3 pictured in the package, 100% the same tips.)

Elecom EHP-CAP20

Excellent tips, essentially the same sound as the Final Type E except that the bass quantity and quality are better on the Type E´s, while the upper mids (female vocals) are better on the CAP20. Makes the female vocals a bit more forward, while still reducing peaks like the Type E.

Works great for something like the Fiio FD5 and the Sony XBA-N3 where the bass is already very good and where the female vocals could be a bit more forward on some tracks.

This is tied as my favorite tips with the Type E´s, no brainer recommendation, they literally cost 440 jpy, which is around 4 usd, dirt cheap for 3 pairs of high-quality tips.



Radius Deep Mount

Opens up the treble even more than wide bore tips but also isn’t as peaky as those (like the Azla Sedna and JVC Spiral dots) and at the same time, tightens the bass more than them as well. Mids are similar to them, but is affected by the rest of the sound, so they sound cleaner and a bit brighter in tonality.

Game changer for something like the Blon BL-03, this fits better than Azla tips AND sounds better.


Although they are not good for already bright iems. Highly recommended for everything else, price is 1070 jpy which is around 10 usd for 3 pairs. Very good price.


Final Audio Type A

Extremely similar to the Elecom CAP20 but with a bit less treble and overall air, I recommend the Elecom over the Type A due to cost (almost 3 times cheaper) and compatibility (Type A struggles with bigger nozzles) advantages over the Type A.


Final Audio Type B

Poor fit for me, so take my evaluation on it with a grain of salt, a very bassy tip, not suited for very warm/bassy iems. Also struggles with iems with bigger nozzles. Not recommended.



JVC EP-FX2 (black and clear version)

Mid focused, not a lot of bass and treble isn’t very airy (kind of like the upper-treble is rolled-off), good for the price but NOT a budget spiral dot and very shallow fit, not recommended for iems with shallow nozzles like the Tanchjim Oxygen/Blon Bl-03.


JVC EP-FX8

Disqualified due to very poor fit, L size is much bigger than all other tips.....I get no seal at all.

If you are someone with huge ears and tried all other tips and didnt get any good results (including the biggest size of azla sedna tips) then maybe I could recommend this to you. But otherwise it is horrible for me.






In conclusion, get the Elecom EHP-CAP20 and the Radius Deep mount tips. Those are really hidden gems.

My current tip recommendations are:

1. Final Type E
2. Elecom EHP-CAP20
3. Radius Deep Mount


The CAP20 tips are like a mix between the Type E bass and the Deep Mount treble, very well balanced. For those that want more bass the Type E will be better and for those that want more treble the Deep Mount will be better.

All 3 of them reduce treble peaks more than other tips. And even the Deep Mount tips does that even though it has more treble quantity/is brighter than other wide-bore tips that do get a bit peaky.




I am a bit interested in getting some more japanese iems like the Elecom EHP-R/HH1000 (beryllium coated DD + BA (side-firing?) and the ELECOM EHP-CB1000 (DD + piezo).