The discovery thread!

[alexandros a]

This one showing me $20 for 2 pair.

I just found this on AliExpress:
US $22.38 | Eartips For TWS Earphone In Ear Earphone Earplugs Earbuds Silicone for HiFi Ie900 AZ80 XM5 for Eletech Baroque
https://a.aliexpress.com/_oEKMKZ6

thanks soooooooooo much bro !!!!!!!!!!!

@bschnell9 "Ahh gotcha. I thought you had said in the Martilo thread you were determined to not listen to them before the 100 hour mark "
Correct....!!!!!! @bschnell9 .... ...... have broken my own rules during this procedure...have to admitt that.. imagine just sneak listenings here and there..... starting from the 2nd day and on.......the BASS GOST TIGHTER and FASTER as well......transients improved as well....fyi......i still burning those in till this day !!!!

 

[bithalver]

Let me say a very short story how we are different.

Let me emphasize this is a personal experience; no qualifying of the product.

---

TSMR Shock abilities look good on paper.
However:

1. The treble is not enough even cranked to max.
2. Bass on 3/5 is not good. Rumble is OK, but punch is not enough while lower midrange is too much.
3. Aaaand the key point: BCD. I listened to it for ~15min and ~17 hours later (which included a good night sleep and a lazy day) my head is still spinning.

I can summarize it in 5 words: "not for me" on steroids.

---

I listened only 4 devices with BCD:

Penon Fan3: some minutes were OK, whole album was not.
KBear KB01: BCD wasn't my fav but it was kind of tolerable
ISN EBC80: BCD does not hurt me
TSMR Shock: untolerable

Yeah, avoid BCD in the future, got it.

 

[Kordonrules]

Interesting.

 

[ExTubeGamer]

Mail call!

Aliexpress delivery came in. I got my Penon OS849 delivered to me. Even right out of the box this cable sounds detailed and gives the sound some real authority. Next to this I got my new Fonex prescription glasses straight from aliexpress. Amazing quality. Even glasses made in china are good now.

 

[alexandros a]

I got my Penon OS849 delivered to me.

A good one.....having this beaty on Apevoix Grit tribrid and authority as far as sound is concerned is 100 percent quaranteed there......

Even glasses made in china are good now.

couldn't agree more on this one....let's see how exactly is Mr.Trump going to deal with this one......

 

[pk4425]

I got the Softears Volume S for $248 on Hifigo's Aliexpress site.

Hell of a deal. Hope you like them. I LOVE mine.

To borrow PNC Bank's slogan from its recent marketing campaign, I think the Volume S are "brilliantly boring," and that's a compliment. Nothing is going to stand up and beg for your attention when you first listen. But man, the cohesion and tuning among the drivers are pretty much the best I've heard in my limited experience.

Let us know what you think!

I'm not even 28 but feel quite...decrepit. Some damage done to my body in middle-school has been causing me no small amount of pain. It's like living in a "how it feels to be 75" simulator.

Diet and exercise may be able to reverse that. You can fight the inflammation that leads to pain with diet. Just realize that as you age, strength and pliability are far more important than cardio.

I keep forgetting the Volare. The one that got away. It's very close in price to the EBC80. Would love to try the Volare, and compare it to the EBC80.

The Volare and the EBC80 tempt me as future purchases a rung or two up from my current position on the IEM quality ladder.

On the way!



ZiiGaat Luna
6BA Studio In-Ear Monitor
Studio-Grade 6BA IEM with Premium Balanced Armature Drivers, Handcrafted Resin Shell, and Neutral Reference Tonal Balance.

Professional Focus: The ZiiGaat Luna is engineered for studio engineers and stage performers, delivering accuracy and precision in professional settings. It mirrors the tonal balance of studio monitors, ensuring every frequency translates faithfully. With quick transients and a snappy, detailed sound, the Luna keeps vocals warm without feeling sluggish. Its precise layering and imaging make it a reliable reference tool for pinpointing each instrument in dense mixes.

Driver Configuration: Each side of the Luna houses six high-quality balanced armature (BA) drivers for faithful audio reproduction. Dual Sonion 39AY008 units handle powerful sub-bass, while Knowles 32873 drivers cover the midrange with natural cohesion. Two Knowles 33518 tweeters provide detailed, pristine highs. Every imported driver is hand-tested and paired to guarantee perfect channel matching and consistent performance.

Tonal Balance: Tuned to ZiiGaat’s in-house target, the Luna offers an 8 dB sub-bass shelf that cuts off at 250 Hz, delivering impactful lows without bleeding into the low-mids. The midrange remains flat between 250 Hz and 1 kHz for true-to-life vocals and instruments. Natural, crisp trebles add just enough detail to keep highs clear. This tonal precision makes the Luna a dependable reference for professional mixing and monitoring.

Craftsmanship & Build Quality: Each Luna shell is 3D-printed from imported, medical-grade resin, resulting in a durable yet lightweight housing. During assembly, every driver is individually tested and matched, and each unit undergoes final quality checks before polishing. The interchangeable 0.78 mm 2-pin cable is made from ultra-pure, silver-plated oxygen-free copper for noise-free transmission. Hand-poured faceplates provide a boutique aesthetic, while the detachable cable design enhances longevity and comfort customization.

Pending price details.

Ziigaat is becoming the new KZ, huh? Monthly releases, if not more?

I'm finding out I could never be a collector, all it does is it causes unnecessary stress any time I go to choose a set to listen to. I envy @Hypops with his thoughtful and sweet little collection - that's the aim, the true ENDGAME. Same goes for music collection, having thousands of artists/albums to shuffle through is HARD WORK.

I mirror your desire with IEMs. I would LOVE to have an all-around goddess that sings to me with the breath of angels with EVERY genre. Haven't found that yet. Unsure if it exists. But the hunt is fun ...

As for music, there's never too much. My Spotify and Qobuz libraries are STUFFED and growing by the week.

Music's ability to surprise on the regular remains an incredible gift. I savored another unexpected discovery yesterday. I knew about the band Supergrass, probably have heard a few tracks. Then a track from the band's album "Road to Rouen" came up as an algorithm choice after I finished listening to a song in Qobuz. I dug the track. So, I listened to the entire album, which was released 20 years ago, and it was fantastic.

I immediately thought, "Where the f*ck have I been on these guys the last 20 years?" But I'm grateful I found them and am eagerly digging into the back catalog.

 

[ICYGENIUS]

Sound Rhyme SR9 - warm, rich, expansive sound that you won't be able to tear yourself away from!
So, friends, today I listened carefully to the Sound Rhyme SR9 hybrid headphones - not on the run, not in passing, but really thoughtfully, with my favorite tracks, in complete silence and in the right mood!
And you know what? Wow... these headphones impressed me so much that I just can't help myself and want to share my latest and most detailed impressions with you right now!
The SR9 are warm, very large-scale, and real basshead monsters, but at the same time they have a surprisingly balanced, mature, and musically smooth character.
They can not only deliver powerful, lush bass, but also surprise with their depth and well-developed sound atmosphere, and such tuning in headphones is actually quite rare nowadays, so in my opinion, this set is doubly valuable.
But let's take it one step at a time! Here we go!

Low frequencies - Mass, depth, and physics of sound.
The bass in Sound Rhyme SR9 is a true force of nature.It is incredibly massive, truly deep and lush, with that rich, saturated body that bassheads will simply love!
And it's not just emphasized low frequencies, it's a full-fledged sound pressure capable of taking your breath away and enveloping you in a dense cloud of sound.
The sub-bass here is really powerful and deep, and it goes down so confidently that it feels like the air is vibrating somewhere nearby, as if you were standing next to a subwoofer.The mid-bass is quite punchy, elastic, and dense, giving an excellent feeling of weight and impact.
The kick is particularly noteworthy, always very punchy, with a powerful body and excellent attack. Each beat is felt physically, as if a wave is passing through the body of the headphones, giving a physical response. This is exactly the kind of bass that you not only hear, but also feel with your skin.
With all this, the bass does not become sluggish or overly stretched, and it certainly has a slight noticeable shift to the mid frequencies, but nevertheless, its speed is excellent, and even on fast electronic or technical tracks, it retains its good form and structure. The texture is simply magnificent - you can hear every facet of the bass instrument, the vibration, the tone, and the reverberation.And the bass here doesn't just fill the space, it seems to paint it, with a lively, rich, and very textured presentation.
The result is a very large and rich bass that delivers everything you could want from truly powerful hybrid headphones: weight, depth, body, and texture.

Mid frequencies - Warmth, weight, and expressiveness.
The midrange of the Sound Rhyme SR9 is one of those cases where you want to say, “This is how a real musical midrange should sound!”
It is very weighty, warm in tone, and neutral in presentation, with the right balance between naturalness, richness, and involvement.
These midrange frequencies are neither colored nor sterile; they are lively, full, and very deep.The timbres of the instruments are conveyed with a dense, physical character, especially noticeable in the guitar, saxophone, and piano, and everything sounds very voluminous, weighty, with body and breath.
Both male and female vocals sound full-bodied, with absolutely no thinness or dip, and with real emotional impact and expression, especially when listening to heavy rock genres.I like that it doesn't fade into the background or get lost behind the powerful bass, but instead impresses with its stability and expressiveness, easily holding your attention in the mix.At the same time, despite its massiveness and warmth, the midrange is not sticky or sluggish, as the transitions here are quite fast and clear, especially on percussion and string instruments, where this is immediately audible.
Another pleasing feature is the tonal transparency and good airiness, as despite the very thick and dense presentation, the midrange remains clean, open, with good readability of layers and microdetails.No muddiness, no haziness - just a lively, rich, and controlled sound that maintains its structure even in complex arrangements.
This is exactly the kind of midrange that is not tiring or oppressive, but does not lose its character either. On the contrary, it creates a rich and energetic musical foundation, drawing you into the listening experience on a very emotional level.

High frequencies - Comfortable clarity and smooth analyticality.
The high frequencies in the Sound Rhyme SR9 are perhaps one of the most balanced and well-thought-out elements of their sound.
There is no sharpness, no excessive brightness, no attempt to surprise you with extra detail.Instead, there is a very smooth, natural, and musical presentation that sounds thoughtful, intelligent, and relaxed.This is definitely not a bright and sharp treble; it does not seek to draw attention to itself, but at the same time provides enough information for you to hear everything you need.Cymbals, hi-hats, reverberations, light accents in the vocals - all of this is not just there, but is clearly drawn and feels like an organic and complete part of the scene.And what is especially pleasant is the finely balanced line between comfort and analysis.
The high frequencies here do not sting, hiss, or cause fatigue, even if you listen to headphones for hours.They are slightly soft and silky, but at the same time quite detailed, with good resolution and the ability to convey micro-nuances.
Therefore, you can clearly hear the entire atmosphere of the room, the echoes of reverberation, and even the subtle nuances of the cymbals or the singer's breath.
The transitions here are not aggressive, but natural, creating a very organic, “expensive” sound, like a well-tuned audio system.There are no sharp peaks, no whistling bursts, everything is restrained, smooth, and truly musical.And it is this approach that makes the SR9 ideal for long listening sessions.
You get all the necessary information and all the depth of the recording, but in the most comfortable package, where nothing is annoying and nothing pulls the blanket over itself.The high frequencies end of these headphones is the most competent completion of the sound picture, leaving an aftertaste of refinement and calm.

Soundstage - Comfort, volume, and precise positioning.
The soundstage in the Sound Rhyme SR9 is not something extra-wide or demonstrative.It is, above all, a very cozy, collected, and truly musical space in which everything sounds meaningful and organic.From the very first track, you get the feeling that you are not just listening to music, but that you are inside it, as if you have entered another musical world.This soundstage doesn't go beyond the limits of your head, but it's not cramped either: the width is quite decent, and the depth is really impressive.
You feel the layering, the perspective, the distance to the instruments, and this makes the perception not just voluminous, but three-dimensional and alive.
The separation of planes is excellent: the vocals are clearly centered, the guitars sound a little further away, the cymbals neatly move to the sides, and the backing vocals are slightly deeper.At the same time, everything sounds like a single musical canvas, without any tightness or sticking together - each instrument has its own clearly defined place.And it's especially nice that this soundstage doesn't overwhelm you; it's cozy, warm, and musical, with natural reverb and proper positioning.
In general, when listening to the SR9, you feel not just a stereo image, but the whole atmosphere of the recording itself - whether it's a small club, a chamber studio, or a real live concert hall.

Conclusion!
Sound Rhyme SR9 headphones are the kind that stick in your memory from the very first moment.
They don't just play music - they hook you, rock you, and captivate you. It's a sound that's really hard to tear yourself away from.
They evoke emotions, they engage, they literally immediately grab your ears with their bass energy, but at the same time remain musical, warm, and surprisingly comfortable for long listening sessions.These are bass-heavy monsters made with soul - with a beautiful and lively midrange, smooth and intelligent highs, and a cozy, well-constructed soundstage.They are definitely not about dry technicality - they are about taste, drive, and a rich, mature, atmospheric sound.
If you are currently looking for headphones that can not only play music, but also make it sound voluminous, rich, and emotionally saturated, without causing fatigue, then the SR9 is definitely worth a listen.
And, of course, I will soon compare them in detail with the SR5, but I can already say for sure that the SR9 sounds completely different, these are two different approaches to tuning.

 

[Cinder]

just how crucial it is to stay in tip top shape and take preventive actions, especially with our new age sedentary lifestyles for 12+h a day.

Absolutely. I was, and still am, an avid cyclist. I have some decent cardio and lower-body strength, but issues are concentrated in my upper-body, making it quite hard to work out efficiently. I'm moving soon and have a reference to a top-notch sports-medicine doc. Hopefully that'll be the end of this.

fter releasing 13 iem with two driver setup (1xDD and 2xDD, tough they vary in actual material used in the dynamic drivers)
now they release another two 1xDD iem in $100~150 range...

Which ones were 2x DD? I thought that those IEMs were just "dual-magnet" drivers, not actually two separate drivers.

they haven't learn at all from TFZ failure yeah?

I'm thinking not. They clearly have some outstanding drivers under-the-hood, but their marketing approach is overwhelming.

A cable is a wire, we can measure its properties and effects.

Listen man, if you're going to disagree with me, at least disagree with things I've said or written. I never said cables have magical properties, or that you can't measure their impact, or lack-thereof, on sound. What I DID say is that there are some metrics that require more than basic instrumentation to measure at home. In my immediate reply to you I said I wasn't a cable person. If you equate "there's more to sound than F/R" with "I believe in magical cables", then that's on you. There's very clear, well-understood secondary and tertiary sonic properties that one can measure that exist beyond basic F/R. I encourage you to read up on it and this will be my last reply on the subject.

Looks like they stepped up there accessory game too with this one

Seems like it. Their newer IEMs seem to have gotten a little bit better, but still aren't all the way there. The Luna looks like they took all of my historical feedback on their accessories and said "here, now you can stop complaining" lol.

It's not cheap. $340.00 for a 1+8. TDM called it a slow burn. I'm not much of a believer in slow burn in audio. Either it hits or it doesn't. Sure, there's a few rare cases where something sneaks up on you after you spend time on it, but really, how often does that really happen? Not much. So $340 is an awful lot of cheddah to take a chance on if it might take a slow burn approach to enjoying it?

Honestly, I think it depends on what you mean by "slow-burn". Sometimes, IEMs have subtle (or not so subtle) differences compared to your dailies, and your brain needs time to adjust in order to fully appreciate it. I've had many an experience like this. $340 is quite a bit, but I understand entirely how one could recommending it under these conditions.

 

[pk4425]

Absolutely. I was, and still am, an avid cyclist. I have some decent cardio and lower-body strength, but issues are concentrated in my upper-body, making it quite hard to work out efficiently. I'm moving soon and have a reference to a top-notch sports-medicine doc. Hopefully that'll be the end of this.

Are you able to do any yoga or basic bodyweight exercises? That could help.

I've worked out without a gym for the last 30 years. Bodyweight, yoga, boxing, HIIT, in addition to mountain biking, hiking/walking and snowshoeing. Hockey and skiing are on hiatus -- not officially retired yet!

 

[Cinder]

Are you able to do any yoga or basic bodyweight exercises? That could help.

I've worked out without a gym for the last 30 years. Bodyweight, yoga, boxing, HIIT, in addition to mountain biking, hiking/walking and snowshoeing. Hockey and skiing are on hiatus -- not officially retired yet!

Those are all great ideas, but the specific damage done to my joints (and recently some of my muscles) has been giving me some significant pain with body-weight training. When I was in college, I was able to do rock-climbing, BMX-riding, etc, and I'd like to get back to that if I can.

As sad as it sounds, I may have to start from scratch and do ultra-light PT exercises depending on what the sports-med doc finds.

Music's ability to surprise on the regular remains an incredible gift. I savored another unexpected discovery yesterday. I knew about the band Supergrass, probably have heard a few tracks. Then a track from the band's album "Road to Rouen" came up as an algorithm choice after I finished listening to a song in Qobuz. I dug the track. So, I listened to the entire album, which was released 20 years ago, and it was fantastic.

I envy this. I've been kind of stagnant lately with my music. I primarily listen to rock/alternative with the occasional electronic track mixed in. Maybe two or three times a year I'll find a track I like but am disappointed by the artist's other works. Perhaps I'm just a miserable snob, haha. That said, I did come across a pretty cool artist doing modern EDM-styled covers of hits called Crypto.

 

[Redcarmoose]

Mail call!

Aliexpress delivery came in. I got my Penon OS849 delivered to me. Even right out of the box this cable sounds detailed and gives the sound some real authority. Next to this I got my new Fonex prescription glasses straight from aliexpress. Amazing quality. Even glasses made in china are good now.

OS849 is a classic. Glad to read about the current success it’s having. Really for an aftermarket cable it brings the stage size and clarity to life. Probably my favorite (of the 4 in the series) next to what the OCC849 does? Where the GD839 and GS849 still have uses, where the GS is silver and gold, adding contrasts, and the GD is thicker and really colored in style to go with a few IEMs thus, just not as well rounded? I really like the overall price to performance ratio the OS849 offers, ergonomically feels great too, not too small or too big! Cheers! A unique character, even though it is not colored. Just stage character and boosted midrange tone/width and a little extra treble pizzazz! Yet all this energy has a cap to it, which brings about a slight upper lushness that holds details! This new Apex cable beats it, but double the money. The Apex goes and enlarges the stage, and holds extra contrasts and separation ability, moving elements both forward and back, creating this imaging drama over the OC849. Bringing a tad of extra detail/clarity and crispness to the imaging separation. Where the OS849 is more basic and has more even style single level of extras...thus not as 3D. IMO Apex brings a slight more bass to the party with added note-weight, while sculpting new crisp images of better separation. IMO

 

[jbfps116]

Sound Rhyme SR9 - warm, rich, expansive sound that you won't be able to tear yourself away from!
So, friends, today I listened carefully to the Sound Rhyme SR9 hybrid headphones - not on the run, not in passing, but really thoughtfully, with my favorite tracks, in complete silence and in the right mood!
And you know what? Wow... these headphones impressed me so much that I just can't help myself and want to share my latest and most detailed impressions with you right now!
The SR9 are warm, very large-scale, and real basshead monsters, but at the same time they have a surprisingly balanced, mature, and musically smooth character.
They can not only deliver powerful, lush bass, but also surprise with their depth and well-developed sound atmosphere, and such tuning in headphones is actually quite rare nowadays, so in my opinion, this set is doubly valuable.
But let's take it one step at a time! Here we go!

Low frequencies - Mass, depth, and physics of sound.
The bass in Sound Rhyme SR9 is a true force of nature.It is incredibly massive, truly deep and lush, with that rich, saturated body that bassheads will simply love!
And it's not just emphasized low frequencies, it's a full-fledged sound pressure capable of taking your breath away and enveloping you in a dense cloud of sound.
The sub-bass here is really powerful and deep, and it goes down so confidently that it feels like the air is vibrating somewhere nearby, as if you were standing next to a subwoofer.The mid-bass is quite punchy, elastic, and dense, giving an excellent feeling of weight and impact.
The kick is particularly noteworthy, always very punchy, with a powerful body and excellent attack. Each beat is felt physically, as if a wave is passing through the body of the headphones, giving a physical response. This is exactly the kind of bass that you not only hear, but also feel with your skin.
With all this, the bass does not become sluggish or overly stretched, and it certainly has a slight noticeable shift to the mid frequencies, but nevertheless, its speed is excellent, and even on fast electronic or technical tracks, it retains its good form and structure. The texture is simply magnificent - you can hear every facet of the bass instrument, the vibration, the tone, and the reverberation.And the bass here doesn't just fill the space, it seems to paint it, with a lively, rich, and very textured presentation.
The result is a very large and rich bass that delivers everything you could want from truly powerful hybrid headphones: weight, depth, body, and texture.

Mid frequencies - Warmth, weight, and expressiveness.
The midrange of the Sound Rhyme SR9 is one of those cases where you want to say, “This is how a real musical midrange should sound!”
It is very weighty, warm in tone, and neutral in presentation, with the right balance between naturalness, richness, and involvement.
These midrange frequencies are neither colored nor sterile; they are lively, full, and very deep.The timbres of the instruments are conveyed with a dense, physical character, especially noticeable in the guitar, saxophone, and piano, and everything sounds very voluminous, weighty, with body and breath.
Both male and female vocals sound full-bodied, with absolutely no thinness or dip, and with real emotional impact and expression, especially when listening to heavy rock genres.I like that it doesn't fade into the background or get lost behind the powerful bass, but instead impresses with its stability and expressiveness, easily holding your attention in the mix.At the same time, despite its massiveness and warmth, the midrange is not sticky or sluggish, as the transitions here are quite fast and clear, especially on percussion and string instruments, where this is immediately audible.
Another pleasing feature is the tonal transparency and good airiness, as despite the very thick and dense presentation, the midrange remains clean, open, with good readability of layers and microdetails.No muddiness, no haziness - just a lively, rich, and controlled sound that maintains its structure even in complex arrangements.
This is exactly the kind of midrange that is not tiring or oppressive, but does not lose its character either. On the contrary, it creates a rich and energetic musical foundation, drawing you into the listening experience on a very emotional level.

High frequencies - Comfortable clarity and smooth analyticality.
The high frequencies in the Sound Rhyme SR9 are perhaps one of the most balanced and well-thought-out elements of their sound.
There is no sharpness, no excessive brightness, no attempt to surprise you with extra detail.Instead, there is a very smooth, natural, and musical presentation that sounds thoughtful, intelligent, and relaxed.This is definitely not a bright and sharp treble; it does not seek to draw attention to itself, but at the same time provides enough information for you to hear everything you need.Cymbals, hi-hats, reverberations, light accents in the vocals - all of this is not just there, but is clearly drawn and feels like an organic and complete part of the scene.And what is especially pleasant is the finely balanced line between comfort and analysis.
The high frequencies here do not sting, hiss, or cause fatigue, even if you listen to headphones for hours.They are slightly soft and silky, but at the same time quite detailed, with good resolution and the ability to convey micro-nuances.
Therefore, you can clearly hear the entire atmosphere of the room, the echoes of reverberation, and even the subtle nuances of the cymbals or the singer's breath.
The transitions here are not aggressive, but natural, creating a very organic, “expensive” sound, like a well-tuned audio system.There are no sharp peaks, no whistling bursts, everything is restrained, smooth, and truly musical.And it is this approach that makes the SR9 ideal for long listening sessions.
You get all the necessary information and all the depth of the recording, but in the most comfortable package, where nothing is annoying and nothing pulls the blanket over itself.The high frequencies end of these headphones is the most competent completion of the sound picture, leaving an aftertaste of refinement and calm.

Soundstage - Comfort, volume, and precise positioning.
The soundstage in the Sound Rhyme SR9 is not something extra-wide or demonstrative.It is, above all, a very cozy, collected, and truly musical space in which everything sounds meaningful and organic.From the very first track, you get the feeling that you are not just listening to music, but that you are inside it, as if you have entered another musical world.This soundstage doesn't go beyond the limits of your head, but it's not cramped either: the width is quite decent, and the depth is really impressive.
You feel the layering, the perspective, the distance to the instruments, and this makes the perception not just voluminous, but three-dimensional and alive.
The separation of planes is excellent: the vocals are clearly centered, the guitars sound a little further away, the cymbals neatly move to the sides, and the backing vocals are slightly deeper.At the same time, everything sounds like a single musical canvas, without any tightness or sticking together - each instrument has its own clearly defined place.And it's especially nice that this soundstage doesn't overwhelm you; it's cozy, warm, and musical, with natural reverb and proper positioning.
In general, when listening to the SR9, you feel not just a stereo image, but the whole atmosphere of the recording itself - whether it's a small club, a chamber studio, or a real live concert hall.

Conclusion!
Sound Rhyme SR9 headphones are the kind that stick in your memory from the very first moment.
They don't just play music - they hook you, rock you, and captivate you. It's a sound that's really hard to tear yourself away from.
They evoke emotions, they engage, they literally immediately grab your ears with their bass energy, but at the same time remain musical, warm, and surprisingly comfortable for long listening sessions.These are bass-heavy monsters made with soul - with a beautiful and lively midrange, smooth and intelligent highs, and a cozy, well-constructed soundstage.They are definitely not about dry technicality - they are about taste, drive, and a rich, mature, atmospheric sound.
If you are currently looking for headphones that can not only play music, but also make it sound voluminous, rich, and emotionally saturated, without causing fatigue, then the SR9 is definitely worth a listen.
And, of course, I will soon compare them in detail with the SR5, but I can already say for sure that the SR9 sounds completely different, these are two different approaches to tuning.

Considering that your praise for the SR5 tempted me to buy and and it was a truly worthy purchase indeed , I take your words on the SR9 quite seriously. I’ve almost bought that set a few times.. I’m just worried it would be just a little too warm for me. Idk… but as long as the treble doesn’t sound dark or rolled off, I think I’d love it (if they sound anything like H20, I’m running far away!)

 

[DestinoAzell]

TANCHJIM FISSION
The Budget Tuners!

<IN-DEPTH REVIEW>
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/tanchjim-fission.28225/review/38475/

Do take my words for what it’s worth. Afterall, I am just one man ╮(╯▽╰)╭

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR READING! HAVE A GOOD DAY WHEREVER YOU ARE! TAKE CARE!

 

[ToneDeafMonk]

Stock cable was worthless garbage. Sorry Penon, but oh so true!!


EPZ across the price brackets seem to have bangers, from budget to more expensive fare. They are also Crin's IEM manufacturer, so you know if he's using them, they are DOGS.


It most certainly does punch above it's price point simply because it's a 2+2+2+2, and normally, that kind of tech combination (DD+BA+BCD+EST) would cost over $1,000 easily, and yet, it lives up to it's sonic placement with well tuned drivers.

QC is never an issue with Penon. I have never had a Penon product fail on me. Ever.

Archangel has more refined texture, but less air. The Archangel's treble is more natural and textured, while the EBC80 is less natural, but has more upper harmonic extension and crispness. Technicalities are pretty close, with the EBC80 having a cleaner midrange, while the Archangel has a more dimensional and warm midrange, and way more energetic and impactful mid bass, and more dynamic sub bass. The EBC80's bass is more balanced, and not as extended sub bass to mid bass. The BCD tuning of the Archangel is more natural, full and dimensional, while the EBC80 is not quite as natural sounding as the Archangel. There's a bit more raw exaggeration with the way the spatial cues are laid out with the EBC80, but it's still got impressive stage fullness, imaging is top notch, and though the bass isn't as intrusive as the Archangel, the EBC80 bass is faster, more snap, and has fine note resolution as well as the Archangel. It's just not as heavy handed.

So the Archangel is more lush and musical (but with Coreir Brass tips, it has a cleaner midrange and even broader stage), and the EBC80 more technical and crisp, with more balanced bass presentation.

It's Eletech, bro. Nothing they sell is cheap. It's spendy boutique, but quality products.

I keep forgetting the Volare. The one that got away. It's very close in price to the EBC80. Would love to try the Volare, and compare it to the EBC80.


It's not cheap. $340.00 for a 1+8. TDM called it a slow burn. I'm not much of a believer in slow burn in audio. Either it hits or it doesn't. Sure, there's a few rare cases where something sneaks up on you after you spend time on it, but really, how often does that really happen? Not much. So $340 is an awful lot of cheddah to take a chance on if it might take a slow burn approach to enjoying it?

I needed the time to find the right source and just coming off the Quatio was a big change. For me I needed a warmer tube amp to truly enjoy the K9 , I tried again with the Kann Max and that confirmed that, too thin in the mids for me on a analytical source. Not as bad as the Mystic 8 but definitely not a all rounder on the Astell&Kern.

 

[pk4425]

As sad as it sounds, I may have to start from scratch and do ultra-light PT exercises depending on what the sports-med doc finds.

Good luck to you, pal. Slow and steady wins the game when rebuilding your body!