The discovery thread!

[4ceratops]

KZ AM16 Bass and Divinus Prism wild boars have arrived.


Very slight, almost negligible BA timbre on some tracks, but none of that metallic taste.
Bass isn't overdone imo. I think I'll try the hole mod, but it's probably not needed since it's BA bass.

Congratulations and I eagerly await (certainly not alone) your impressions.

 

[Ineras]

Soooo, I saw this and couldn't resist. Maybe it's a scam even though the vendor has a decent rating? Lots of stuff in the store at much lower prices than usual, so this might turn into a refund eventually. We'll see.

 

[Ozboyblu]

Day 2

Fiio M21

My Cassette Tape Case has not been shipped yet. But worked out how to simulate the cassette look. System>Global>Tape Mode Theme> Start Now.
Obviously if using this feature (gimmick) the display is on all the time. So battery will drain faster.

I installed the Device info app to check thermals. The internals seem to be dissipating heat fairly well.

Battery is very good , for M21 compact size. 4000mAH battery is Adequate especially with Quick Charge , it’s really good. Started charging from 55% battery, and Finished charging approx 1 hr later. I’m using Balanced out & High Gain, and without the display on, the battery is discharging around 5% every 20 mins.

Initial listening has been with ISN H20 , basically cause I have two of them. I’m using NOS filter . The presentation is very neutral leaning. Much like my M11 Plus, but noticing a little more stage. Much more listening to be had though.

---

PS - Been so time poor lately. Must catch up on the thread soon.

 

[gadgetgod]

You stepped up your photo game . Which lens are you using?

These photos are done using my friend's camera setup(Canon 5D Mark IV with Tokina 100mm F2.8 Macro).

Best thing since sliced bread in it's price category? The second coming?

Haha I would say the Meta sounds good, but the best in the price category is hugely debatable.

Just saw the Softears studio2 from andy. Anyone here tried it? Any guesses about the price. I am thinking 130 dollars may be?

While I love the Studio 4 myself, I would maintain my distance from the Studio Series as they are too reference-tuned for my taste. I would love the RS10 though.

Day 2

Fiio M21



My Cassette Tape Case has not been shipped yet. But worked out how to simulate the cassette look. System>Global>Tape Mode Theme> Start Now.
Obviously if using this feature (gimmick) the display is on all the time. So battery will drain faster.



I installed the Device info app to check thermals. The internals seem to be dissipating heat fairly well.




Battery is very good , for M21 compact size. 4000mAH battery is Adequate especially with Quick Charge , it’s really good. Started charging from 55% battery, and Finished charging approx 1 hr later. I’m using Balanced out & High Gain, and without the display on, the battery is discharging around 5% every 20 mins.

Initial listening has been with ISN H20 , basically cause I have two of them. I’m using NOS filter . The presentation is very neutral leaning. Much like my M11 Plus, but noticing a little more stage. Much more listening to be had though.

---

PS - Been so time poor lately. Must catch up on the thread soon.

I think I will end up with a M21. Want something for on the go, something good but more portable than my R8ii.

 

[FreeWheelinAudioLuv2]

Soooo, I saw this and couldn't resist. Maybe it's a scam even though the vendor has a decent rating? Lots of stuff in the store at much lower prices than usual, so this might turn into a refund eventually. We'll see.

Sailboat is hit and miss. I ordered something from them and got it, but then I ordered the Decet from them and they never sent it out, even after almost a week and a half, so I cancelled it and went with KZ Store directly. It got sent out that night. So this store is a red flag even if it's got a decent rating.

---

Been literally ages since I pulled out my Cowon J. I figured, since I pulled out my FiiO X3 III from the depths of the cherrywood box, I'd also charge it up and give it a spin with the Dunu DK3001BD as well as the Kiwi Ears Septet. Well, I forgot just how powerful this little DAP is. It's tiny, packed full of EQ features (JetAudio), and it's got juice, even though it's only 3.5mm. I've never had a problem running pretty much any IEM through this thing to full headroom and dynamics, and it has always sounded impressive. HUGE STAGE. Only problem is the battery drains because you can't turn it all the way off (Cowon stupidity), and the thing is only 256GB of micro SD with 64GB of onboard storage, so just like the recent Snowsky Mini DAP, which I passed on due to this deal breaker. Had I known about the Cowon J having this deficiency, I would have passed on it too, but I wasn't aware until I bought it. Still, every once in a while I'm reminded of just how good this thin, tiny dap is, and how much juice is has for IEMs like the Septet, which sound fantastic through this thing!

 

[suman134]

Received my Kiwi Ears Aether couple of days ago. Initial I wasn't impressed. It sounded somewhere between Canta and Singolo and the stage wasn't impressive either. Gave is around 24 hrs of burnin and the stage opened up it's more about the source. Source matching is a big deal for this IEM. Shanling M3X opens up the stage significantly. It seems this IEM needs power!!
Sound wise, I am happy the way it renders the mid range and highs. One of the best highs from an Planar IEM under $300. It's the mid bass that bothers a bit. And the movement air is limited. In any case, here is my Unboxing and initial impression of this high on potential IEM:


What sources are you guys using with this? Any suggestions for tips to reduce mid bass? Share your experiences.

 

[Okcerg]

Received my Kiwi Ears Aether couple of days ago. Initial I wasn't impressed. It sounded somewhere between Canta and Singolo and the stage wasn't impressive either. Gave is around 24 hrs of burnin and the stage opened up it's more about the source. Source matching is a big deal for this IEM. Shanling M3X opens up the stage significantly. It seems this IEM needs power!!
Sound wise, I am happy the way it renders the mid range and highs. One of the best highs from an Planar IEM under $300. It's the mid bass that bothers a bit. And the movement air is limited. In any case, here is my Unboxing and initial impression of this high on potential IEM:


What sources are you guys using with this? Any suggestions for tips to reduce mid bass? Share your experiences.

I mostly use very powerful desktop gear, like Fosi SK01, SMSL SH6, Aune X7s or Little Dot Mk3.
At work I use cheap dongles. Got the same impression as you, Aether loves power.

 

[SushiiFi]

Received my Kiwi Ears Aether couple of days ago. Initial I wasn't impressed. It sounded somewhere between Canta and Singolo and the stage wasn't impressive either. Gave is around 24 hrs of burnin and the stage opened up it's more about the source. Source matching is a big deal for this IEM. Shanling M3X opens up the stage significantly. It seems this IEM needs power!!
Sound wise, I am happy the way it renders the mid range and highs. One of the best highs from an Planar IEM under $300. It's the mid bass that bothers a bit. And the movement air is limited. In any case, here is my Unboxing and initial impression of this high on potential IEM:


What sources are you guys using with this? Any suggestions for tips to reduce mid bass? Share your experiences.

Can you do a comparison with s15?

 

[suman134]

Can you do a comparison with s15?

Easy. S15 is the more balanced one with better mid bass control and dynamics. Better lower end definition too. Tonality are very much simiar but S15 sounds a bit raw while Aether is more refined and seamless with the presentation. S15 is a bit rough. Stage size of Aether when driven properly is just unreal, can easily go hand in hand with $5-600 IEMs. It has very good Z-axis presence away from the head. Nearly everything except bass notes are placed out of the head. I was comparing with my newly acquired AKG K553 mk and Aether kind of matches up. Both have different stage shape. S15 has smaller stage but is a bit more even. Imaging of Aether is slightly better because of bigger stage. S15 is more evenly paced through out the spectrum though, with faster decay. Less reverbs, slightly dry overall. Aether is juicy and more cohesive. S15 is a bit more cleaner and has slightly better finishing definition. Vocals sound more precise on the S15 while Aether is more natural with decent throat emphasis but notes aren't as tall.
To put it simply, Aether is nearly perfect except the mid bass bloat. I just wish the mid bass bloat will go away somehow.. with time, different tips or cable maybe. I did put on the AxC for a while to reduce it and it does work but that's overly overkill.
Still, early days with the Aether. Let it burn!!

 

[SushiiFi]

Easy. S15 is the more balanced one with better mid bass control and dynamics. Better lower end definition too. Tonality are very much simiar but S15 sounds a bit raw while Aether is more refined and seamless with the presentation. S15 is a bit rough. Stage size of Aether when driven properly is just unreal, can easily go hand in hand with $5-600 IEMs. It has very good Z-axis presence away from the head. Nearly everything except bass notes are placed out of the head. I was comparing with my newly acquired AKG K553 mk and Aether kind of matches up. Both have different stage shape. S15 has smaller stage but is a bit more even. Imaging of Aether is slightly better because of bigger stage. S15 is more evenly paced through out the spectrum though, with faster decay. Less reverbs, slightly dry overall. Aether is juicy and more cohesive. S15 is a bit more cleaner and has slightly better finishing definition. Vocals sound more precise on the S15 while Aether is more natural with decent throat emphasis but notes aren't as tall.
To put it simply, Aether is nearly perfect except the mid bass bloat. I just wish the mid bass bloat will go away somehow.. with time, different tips or cable maybe. I did put on the AxC for a while to reduce it and it does work but that's overly overkill.
Still, early days with the Aether. Let it burn!!

Thanks for the detailed comparison

 

[Cinder]

Soooo, I saw this and couldn't resist. Maybe it's a scam even though the vendor has a decent rating? Lots of stuff in the store at much lower prices than usual, so this might turn into a refund eventually. We'll see.

I'm loving these right now. Its in my review queue atm.

Received my Kiwi Ears Aether couple of days ago. Initial I wasn't impressed. It sounded somewhere between Canta and Singolo and the stage wasn't impressive either. Gave is around 24 hrs of burnin and the stage opened up it's more about the source. Source matching is a big deal for this IEM. Shanling M3X opens up the stage significantly. It seems this IEM needs power!!
Sound wise, I am happy the way it renders the mid range and highs. One of the best highs from an Planar IEM under $300. It's the mid bass that bothers a bit. And the movement air is limited. In any case, here is my Unboxing and initial impression of this high on potential IEM:


What sources are you guys using with this? Any suggestions for tips to reduce mid bass? Share your experiences.

I'm using mine with the HiFiMAN SuperMini--easily my most-powerful portable source. It doesn't demand a ton of gain, but still seems like pair really well.



I just finished my Timeless II review. I took a critical look at how it fits into the current planar market landscape. I can see why people liked it so much, but don't rank it as highly on my personal scale as some others.

https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/7h...anar-universal-iem.27766/reviews#review-37971

 

[perrew]

Try this track guys for Bass, sounds insane on the Vega2020

 

[ICYGENIUS]

Hello friends today we have on review a headphone that blows up the budget - the ISN NEO 1. Who would have thought that such affordable dynamic in-ears could sound so mature, deep and musical? What awaits you is a very detailed, honest and structured breakdown - diving into every aspect of the sound, from bass to stage.If you think you've heard everything in this price category, believe me, you haven't heard the ISN NEO 1 yet. Let's go!

MY CONCLUSION OF THIS HEADPHONES!
ISN NEO 1 is the rare case of an affordable dynamic headphone that delivers a sound you want to listen to and re-listen to. They combine tight, textured bass, lively and expressive mids, and clean, comfortable highs - all delivered with excellent layering, depth, and a truly three-dimensional soundstage. These headphones don't just sound good for their price - they sound convincing and musical in an absolute sense. ISN NEO 1 is a real hidden gem, capable of surprising even the most experienced listener.
My full review: https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/isn-neo1.26852/review/37973

 

[caryking]

I’d love to see this same video for brands that make extremely affordable IEM’s. By watching this video, there is a lot of cost involved (equipment, people, etc..), so, I have no idea how some IEM’s are made inexpensive.

In all reality, is the market over saturated with brands and product? Are we getting advancements is sound? For me, if I never hear another IEM, what am I really missing (other than the fun of trying something new)?

 

[Redcarmoose]