The discovery thread!

[gadgetgod]

I think some (most?) folks like to think they like bass and "basshead IEM", until they actually listen to a basshead IEM

The ultra sub-bassy one from FatFREQ literally made me sick. I like nice, snappy, powerful bass. FatFREQ subbass is ... something else. The lesson for myself is: no more "basshead IEM" for me.

Btw, you found the recipe to be a highly regarded reviewer in this crowded market: crapting on expensive IEMs
To think about it, crapting on all things at all prices in general is a good way to stand out as a reviewer. If you can somehow reach a point where manufacturers have to send products to you to get shat so that they can have exposure, that's when you know you have built a self-sustaining review content production machine. I wonder when would be the point that the community realise negative review is not automatically "honest" or "skillful." With the way current IEMs are, sometimes praising is honesty.

(Not a criticism of your review, of course. I personally have zero interest in testing either singularity and duality. My heart is firmly set on the likes of Crimson, STORM, U12T, Cantor. You know, the agile ones with dynamic rather than bootload of subbass).



$300 for the Mach 70? That's a very good price. Fingercrossed that it's better than its entry-level siblings. Mach 20 is one of the worst modern IEMs I have ever reviewed. The graphs of the whole Mach series do not instill much confidence tbh. They have no treble extension, and mostly no sane ear gain compensation, for instance.

Btw, if you complain about the cable, wait until you see the cable of Mach 10 and Mach 20

What music do you usually listen to? Given your Neon4 and Krypton 5 and Mach 70 in the collection, it's fair to say we have very very different taste in IEMs, so I'm rather curious.



500 euro for a freaking cable? I'm too tightwad for that

Your photos are so good mate. At first I thought the post is from @domq422

Thank you man, slowly learning the art to present the products in a better way haha.

 

[mikaik]

Just a quick update on Taichjim Fission.

A couple of days in and and now is time to share a bit of the first impressions (spoiler, is very positive). The unboxing is simple but well-executed: it comes in a sturdy square box. Inside is a premium feeling carrying pouch, three pairs of interchangeable nozzles (brass, stainless, titanium), three sets of tuning filters, a small screwdriver, and six pairs of generic silicone tips in two shapes (wide-bore and bullet). The aluminium shells have a fine anodised finish and drop-shaped sapphire glass faceplates, which gives a delicate touch to the design. Overall, the materials and build seem especially robust for this price range.



Fission shells are compact and quite comfortable, once in my ears, they practically disappear. But nothing is for free in life, this IEM is definitely tip dependent. While the stock tips offer a decent seal and sound, I ended up getting the best comfort and fit with my trusty SpinFit W1 tips. The included cable is thin but flexible, and surprisingly well thought out for the price. It features replaceable connectors and even includes a built-in USB-C DAC, all for under $150.

• Tonality is broad and rich, almost reminding me of a planar-magnetic headphone in balance and speed. Vocals are smooth and slightly warm, with a clean midrange. Upper midrange detail is prioritised over lower frequencies, giving voices a neutral, non-harsh timbre. You get a hint of warmth without any muddiness. But a miss the rumbling from the lower bass. Preference for sure, nothing wrong with the tuning, it is actually really well executed.
• Soundstage is surprisingly spacious for a single DD IEM. The horizontal and depth dimensions feel about equal and there is no sense of congestion. Despite the modest driver configuration, it does not feel claustrophobic. Dynamics are moderate but well-controlled – Fission delivers Dream Theater tracks with some finesse. For example, on “Metropolis Pt. 1” or “Pull Me Under” the guitars have weight, and the cymbals hits cleanly, and each instrument stays relatively distinct. The IEM can handle the layered complexity of prog-metal well with an immersive presentation without fatigue.
• Detail retrieval is good for the price. High frequencies extend nicely so cymbal decay sound airy yet smooth. There is enough sparkle without sharp peaks. Overall, the Fission has a broad, engaging sound that reminds me of full-sounding planar headphones, with a rich, musical character.

From the unboxing, the Fission got my attention with its build quality and a pletora tuning options (which I didn’t try yet). The unboxing and included accessories feels high-end, and once I found my preferred tips, the fit was very good. Sonically it offers a smooth, expansive sound that went well with my complex tracks like Dream Theater’s. It’s a warm, lively signature with a wide stage and plenty of detail – a strong first impression for an under $150 IEM.

You had me at Metropolis already. If it can play DT we'll, it can play everything.
Thx for the write-up. It's a little hard for me to keep up with all new releases, but this one seems promising.

 

[Leonarfd]

634ears LOAK PROTOTYPE-00

Had some weeks with the new prototype from the Japanese brand 634ears, as I understand same driver as the flagship LOAK 2 TX series but in a more cost effective titanium shell. The sound of the 00 is more balanced and resolving than my TX02, studio tuning as Musashi called it. The dampening and tuning also make it harder to drive, as much as from 13% to 25% on one of my daps (not that its hard to drive, but says something about the driver being under more tension)

Transients are clear, but not where it sounds sharp just resolving and dense. Paired with a balanced tuning this is one of the best single DDs I have heard, and yes it is not bass light. It has good bass weight making music fun, but in a tighter way than its brother TX02. Midrange is one of the highlights, it is very balanced and clear without being overly aggressive. The soundstage is closer than the open back TX02, but in return the sound is more holographic and circular.

Very happy by the result of the prototype, it deserve a full official model release. Easy recommendation.

Photos together with my TX02 and Tenora, I had quite many 634ears models and just enjoy the IEMs. I also love to support small boutique makers like him.

 

[Redcarmoose]

This new contest should apply to you guys. https://www.head-fi.org/threads/ifi-audio-asks-gotta-lotta-iems.977026/post-18709483

Borrowed from their page. I know more than a few of you guys have a COLLECTION. Lets see it in full force!.

I think this is a great idea to be proud of our collection through the years. I will post a pic when I get a chance myself.

@Redcarmoose I bet your collection will be museum like. Lol.

Ya, but your collection has the good schiit. I would trade any day of the week! I only have limited flagships, you have them all!

 

[bithalver]

Vzonis VP-07



OTTB This IEM’s performance is unbelievable for the price.



Beryllium Driver too.





Bass has real good sub bass and a texture that’s soothing, but also bold enough to give some good impact.

Mids are rich and feel slightly forward but to the side , accentuating vocals very well.

Treble is so crispy and clean very natural sounding. No sibilance at all.

Soundstage is very nicely layered and not too wide but also not intimate either. (goldilocks)



Very impressed with these , gotta thank @Ineras for the suggestion.

It’s totally nuts how competitively priced these are. I feel like I’ve robbed someone.

Going to burn these in now. Looking forward to @-rowan- ’s impressions when he gets his soon.

Good photos, thank you ! You made me curious; maybe one day I buy those.

I think some (most?) folks like to think they like bass and "basshead IEM", until they actually listen to a basshead IEM

Lol, so true !

The ultra sub-bassy one from FatFREQ literally made me sick. I like nice, snappy, powerful bass. FatFREQ subbass is ... something else. The lesson for myself is: no more "basshead IEM" for me.

THAT sickness is most probably the same I feel for most Bone Conduction containing IEMs. Nightjar Duality caused a 2-days-needed-to-pass headache ...

Btw, you found the recipe to be a highly regarded reviewer in this crowded market: crapting on expensive IEMs

Let me correct you: I am not a reviewer; there is a good reason I use "documented experience" and not "review". I did not really like the Vision Ears EXT MK II either, but I did not "crapt" it because I can understand it is just not for me (and other people likes it). Same with UM Mest Jet Black. Duality, the case is something very different.

To think about it, crapting on all things at all prices in general is a good way to stand out as a reviewer. If you can somehow reach a point where manufacturers have to send products to you to get shat so that they can have exposure, that's when you know you have built a self-sustaining review content production machine. I wonder when would be the point that the community realise negative review is not automatically "honest" or "skillful." With the way current IEMs are, sometimes praising is honesty.

I do not do negative opinion to to stand out from the crowd: I am just simply not interested in that. I am strong minded: I have to take care not to be banned from forums (yeah, happened before but thankfully not in an audio-related place). I never lie to please the crowd: I can not be a politician .

(Not a criticism of your review, of course.

Your opinion is respected: zero problem.

I personally have zero interest in testing either singularity and duality. My heart is firmly set on the likes of Crimson, STORM, U12T, Cantor. You know, the agile ones with dynamic rather than bootload of subbass).

That is your choice, Sir ! Also respected.

I was just curious: it was a worthy experience. I just deleted myself from Symphonium Titan tour (because of the alike FR).

Ha! These names. When I see that name, I can’t help but immediately think of this dude:

Philip Kindred Dick has a lot common with Iain Banks : both were good sci-fi writers; unfortunately both died in their fifties . I love the work of both.

 

[ExTubeGamer]

Ah yes! The Magic City! Right before the tariff impositions, I got sent a coupon for this that would have made it slightly more than $40.00. I was poised to PTT on this one for the P7, and then overnight, it went to over $100.00, and with the coupon, it was over $80, so double the price ask from a day or two earlier, so I cleared it from my cart and never looked back. I'm sure it's a sensational cable, and would have colorway matched the P7 to perfection, but not at that price.

No cable I have tried can improve the soundstage like this cable. No Effect Audio or XINHS cable before. That's why I need more of it.

 

[nikbr]

All the dual DDs I've tried sound soft, bloaty, blurry, etc. Glad the industry has (mostly) moved on from this fad.

Right? They just don't seem as responsive, snappy, and incisive as single DDs. Listening to Project M currently and still mirin' the bass.

AirPods Pro 2 are the simplest and most practical way if you're on an iPhone and don't put sound quality as a giant mountain ahead of features and seamless integration.

TWS are very close. But, uhmm ... do those need charging? That and the poorly understood BT's effect on brain.

Aren't earbuds leaking ?

Yes, but they're too small for anyone else nearby to hear unless you're in a very quiet environment (in which case, it would make more sense to use IEMs anyway). It's not at all like wearing leaky open-back full-sizers.

They do leak, but indeed only slightly so, unless of course one listens at concert levels.

- Do you work in a loud environment? Earbuds don't seal well. You're thusly encouraged to turn up the volume which can be detrimental to your hearing health.
- Do you work in close proximity to others? If so, the sound-bleed will likely annoy them
- Do you move around while you work? Earbuds aren't particularly secure and can fall out and get crushed while in motion.

True, there are downsides, clearly. For office work with minimal noise and rare movement, earbuds are the best fit IMO.

 

[Leonarfd]

Two new toys for the weekend with Tanchjim Fission and NF Acous NA20, probably will review both quite fast as I have more coming soon Will come back with some thoughts about both later in the weekend.

 

[Simar747]

Hey guys and gals!, my review for the excellent EarAcoustic Audio STA Hi End Max is up, enjoy it!:
Review of the EarAcoustic Audio STA Hi End Max by Jamsblast

I too recieved the SPA High End Max today, and have been using it continuously.. loving it so far and will be posting my in depth review after experiencing it to the fullest

 

[GroovyAudio]

MAIL CALL!

Alright, guys. I received DDHiFi Surface a few days ago and I promised to share some impressions.

I'm just gonna say it, this set didn't do it for me, sadly. I've already sold it yesterday

I'm gonna explain why more below...

First the comfort was good for my small ears. They weight basically nothing, I could estimate 5g-6g per shell, so it felt like a feather in my hand. Nozzle diameter is 5.8mm at the widest point on the lip.

So about the sound. Look, I totally get what DDHiFi tried to do here with the Surface. They have tuned this to sound more analog/vinyl like without using tubes and unfortunately I'm not vibing with this at all. It just feels too warm from top to bottom for me. Is just a preference thing, they did a good job with this and you could certainly enjoy it IF you like this type of analog sound. If not, well...

Anyways, besides the analog sound, there was another thing that really made me sell this as soon as I put them in my ears. It's the bass of the Surface that really irked me.

It's more midbass focused than subbass, it has a nice punch, it's clean but it does not have texture. I didn't like it that much sadly.

Mids
The lower mids in particular I didn't enjoy, I feel like male vocals are a little back in the mix. I enjoyed this set more with female vocals. Due to the analog tunning, uppermids are well done, not a hint of shoutines, in fact I could raise the volume more and female vocals still sound very good and natural.

The treble feels rolled off which is not a bad thing for me being treble sensitive. There are some details that could be heard but I feel they take a step back into the mix.

The soundstage is ok, slightly out of the head. I actually apreciate it more with how it does the stage from left to right more. It's a decent soundstage, doesn't feel intimate but not that big either.

Back to overall sound of Surface. The good thing about this iem is that it represents the definition of no harshness, no sibilance. It's just smooth from top to bottom, like a smooth surface haha. Listening to music, feels like it puts a filter on it, like a veil, even though I don't really vibe with it, I have to admit it's quite interesting to be honest. To give an example I'm gonna use 2 pictures below that are identical but they feel different when you look at them and I think you'll understand what Surface does to music.

See the difference? If we pretend the 2 photos represent how music sounds then you understand what Surface does to your music. I hope I managed to convey it properly.



Now I would like to talk comparisons with other iems.

Shanling ME600 at $320.
Specifically the bass difference. I just gonna say it. ME600 just slaps Surface so hard here it's actually painful. the bass of ME600 with its two 6mm bio-diaphragm is just on a whole other level.
The Mids are also good to on ME600, more clean, transparent and you can enjoy male & female voices more. It comes with a cable that has interchangeable plugs with 3.5 and 4.4. It comes with more tips.

In comparison Surface comes with only one set of eartips named Kiwi Ears Flex and indeed with a very premium cable, the DDHiFi BC120S, which they sold separately for $100. Stunning cable but only 4.4. If you need 3.5 you have to switch to another 2pin cable. It feels like a nitpick sure, but the competition is tough at this price range.

Dynaquattro comparison

It cost now $250 on Hifigo. 3DDs and a passive radiator. Another set that I feel slaps Surface in the bass department. And Dyna it's also very smooth and warm with the best timbre that I've heard in an iem.

H60 comparison
It costs $350. A little more expensive than Surface but you get amazing bass with its two 8mm liquid silicone gel diaphgram. Beautiful mids with the Sonion BA's, more treble extension, better soundstage. Just... I'll stop here.

Conclusion

Surface is a good iem on it's own. I bet if it was released 2-3 years ago it would have got more traction I feel. I mean sure, it has that special sauce with the analog sound, awesome, but what if you already own something that has tubes like Ibasso Nunchaku, Muse M5 Ultra and so on. You could make every iem sound analog, so the magic that Surface has goes away pretty quickly.

In other news, I have something very rare coming next week. I feel like this will be my endgame in the single DD department. Very excited!

 

[musicmatters2025]

Ha! These names. When I see that name, I can’t help but immediately think of this dude:

Eesh. I think you misread or misunderstood my post. But if you want to get nasty about it, go for it, my guy. “Cheers” right back at you.

Thanks for your great review of these, they weren't really on my radar, but I am a sucker for the look of the clear shells.
Fortunately your review has saved me from the agony of defeat... I really appreciate that!

 

[r31ya]

Solid guess! But no. It’s Kuato from Total Recall. “You know, ‘Recall, Recall, Recall.’” The best PKD adaptation ever made! And, yes, before anyone says it, it’s absolutely better than Blade Runner. If history has proven anything, it’s that Paul Verhoeven is 100x the sci-fi allegorist Ridley Scott is.

Total recall?

its been seriously awhile since i watch that movie, i even forgot that Kuato is actually from that movie.

---

CVJ Medusa

Blessing 3 Aqua

not sure whether its just recolor or retune

 

[GiullianSN]

Finally got this out of the box, and damn it looks pretty and my pictures will never get it close to how nice that faceplate is real life. Also sounds really good at a first impression. Well balanced, even with the graph showing more emphasis on the upper mids and lower treble. There's a nice sharp upper frequency notes together with the nice hitting bass that is quite addictive.

Celest Yaksha

 

[caryking]

I have become obsessed with understanding why certain items can’t be bought on Aliexpress. So much so, that I contacted them and asked why. They said it’s on the seller. So, I’ve been trying to buy the ivipQ 174 Firefox and they don’t allow that one to be shown, in the US. Ivipq is saying they don’t understand why it can’t and really have been working with me trying to figure it out, without an answer, so far.

Now, I did find this interesting as ivipQ has two different stores on Aliexpress…

https://www.aliexpress.com/store/11...Items_or_groupList.pcShopHead_2004666515860.0

And

https://www.aliexpress.com/store/11...Items_or_groupList.pcShopHead_6001931119057.0


I’ve asked about the difference without an answer yet, so who knows…. I really want a certain few cables from ivipQ; however, they can’t be added to the cart. According to ivipQ, they have them and can sell them. I’m very hesitant to buy without putting the correct item in the cart. They suggested me use a different item and they would send me the correct one. I really don’t like that idea…

 

[Kordonrules]

No cable I have tried can improve the soundstage like this cable. No Effect Audio or XINHS cable before. That's why I need more of it.

Which cable are you referring to (link)?