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125. akg n5005 vs raptgo hook-x (W):

N5005: slightly leaner treble, sounds flatter, bass is fuzzier.

Hook-x: more transparent, tighter bass, a litter wider soundstage, more natural, more lively, more forward mids, better instrument separation, comfier.

 

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126. sony wm1a stock (W) vs sony wm1am2:

Wm1a: more forward mids, more bass, more transparent, warmer, smoother, fuller notes, more holographic, better layering, better imaging, more enjoyable to listen, better in the hand, better button placement.

Wm1am2: better background detail, leaner treble, clearer, wider soundstage, better instrument separation, android, but sounds tamer.

The m2 loses the charm of the original by leaning towards more neutrality imo. To be honest, the warmth of the original was one of the big reasons why someone would choose the wm1a over an a&k or chord, so I am sad to see it gone.

 

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127. a&k se200 akm (W) vs sony wm1am2:

Se200: wider soundstage, tighter and better bass, better background detail, clearer, more transparent, silkier mids, better instrument separation, better layering, better in hand, 2.5mm.

Wm1am2: feels constrained in comparison, android, 4.4mm

Yes, I am not such a fan of the new wm1am2. It loses the charm of the sony warmth and veers closer to a neutral sound. Unfortunately for sony, a&k are more experienced at producing such a sound.

 

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128. lotoo paw s1 vs a&k hc2 (W):

S1: warmer, sounds more intimate, has 3.5mm, display and volume, play/pause buttons.

Hc2: wider soundstage, more transparent, fuller notes, clearer, more expansive, cleaner bass, more sub-bass, better depth, more natural, better layering, more holographic sound, more height, clearer background detail, only has 4.4mm.

I was very impressed with the hc2. The paw s1 has been one of my favorite dongles so far, but the hc2 seems to outclass it in most areas. Unlike the paw s2, which I thought was too technical for its own good, the hc2 has good technical ability without being too analytic.

 

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129. oriolus traillii vs sony ier-z1r (W):

Traillii: wider soundstage, more natural, smoother treble, fuller mids, but sounds a bit flat in comparison.

Ier-z1r: clearer, more transparent, more and better bass, better background detail, more forward mids, better instrument separation, more exciting, better layering, but treble can get hot.

 

[Waddiewadkins]

Gotta do ie600

 

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Gotta do ie600

I have a few ie600 comparisons, but that iem is gone so there won't be any more comparisons for it unless I buy it again ^^:
However, it is my favorite out of the ie300/600/900 lineup.

 

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130. a&k hc2 (W) vs cayin ru6:

Hc2: tigher better bass, clearer, more transparent, leaner mids, more sub-bass, more height, leaner treble, better instrument separation, faster, better layering, better imaging, clearer background detail.

Ru6: smoother, warmer, has volume controls, 3.5mm and a display.

I mostly used a neutral iem, so I thought that the warmth of the ru6 would pair well with it. However, I still preferred the hc2 by a large margin. To be honest, I heard rave things about the ru6, so was a little disappointed in the outcome.

 

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131. ibasso dx170 vs hiby r3pro saber (W):

Dx170: better background detail, leaner treble, leaner mids, better instrument separation, clearer. It also has android, a bigger and more responsive screen, and 4.4mm.

R3pro saber: more bass, smoother treble, better layering, better imaging, more musical, warmer, more natural, more forward mids, fuller notes. It also has 2.5mm.

As a whole DAP, the dx170 is the better package, but purely sound-wise I prefer the r3pro saber. With the dx170 the music feels more forced in comparison, while the r3 sounds more natural and musical. Of course, this preference may be because I normally use neutral iems for DAP comparisons. Thus, the iems may just pair better with the extra warmth of the r3. If you mainly use warmer iems, the dx170 might be your preference.

 

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132. unique melody mest mk2 (W) vs hidition nt6pro:

Mest mk2: clearer, leaner mids, tighter clearer bass, better bass/mids/treble balance, more transparent, better background detail, comfier.

Nt6pro: leaner treble, wider soundstage, airier, more expansive, more analog sounding, better layering, technical while having a bit of warmth.

To be honest, this was a very close call to make, but the treble of the nt6pro was a little too hot for me, and my preference goes to the mest mk2 for now.

 

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133. jvc spiral dot++ (W) vs final type e:

Spiral dot++: clearer, sharper treble, leaner mids, airier, a little more height, wider soundstage, better background detail, comfier, better instrument separation.

Type e: smoother overall, more bass, but feels more constrained.

 

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134. jvc spiral dot++ (W) vs spinfit cp100:

Spiral dot++: clearer, leaner mids, airier, more height, clearer background detail, better instrument separation.

Cp100: a little more bass, slightly leaner treble, better fit.

 

[ramkvp]

@ss2625

Just wanted to chime in and express my thanks for keeping this comparison database going. It has a simplicity that I like and I am grateful for all the comparisons so far.

I have a question:

After all this comparison, what is your favorite IEM/headphone/source? Which ones stayed?

 

[291079]

Just wanted to chime in and express my thanks for keeping this comparison database going. It has a simplicity that I like and I am grateful for all the comparisons so far.
I have a question:
After all this comparison, what is your favorite IEM/headphone/source? Which ones stayed?

Thank you for the kind words ^^
As for my favorites among what I owned, u12t+sp2000t and utopia+hugo tt2 come to mind.
I listen to a wide arrange of genres, and the u12t does most things well. The sp2000t (tube amp mode) adds a little warmth to the u12t, which I really enjoy.
The utopia is a great natural headphone with a little warmth, and the clinical tt2 pairs well with it.

As to what stayed...
I have a few speaker setups that I listen to, so the head gear that stays is normally according to value, not according to sound quality.
So, I normally have my hidition nt-1 ciem (best cheap ciem imo, right now $275 new), and a few buds (lbbs and serratus), as well as a sr25 mk1 or 2 (for portability)
At any given time I normally have either a u12t or a z1r as well.
I tend not to keep headphones for a long times since I have speakers, and they tend to get a bit heavy on my head. ^^