[claud W]

Good question. Tonality and timbre I would give the slight edge to the Zens. Vocal lovers would love the Zens. IT07 has this liquid quality to the sound that makes them among one of the best hybrids in the market with supreme bass control and the lowest hitting bass around. Sub bass focused, imaging on both earphones are superb. IT07 has more of a traditional reference sound balancing.. Zens are a bit more harmonish but with high levels of technical ability. Both have great stage and depth.

If you fellas own the A7 or the NM2+ or both .. Think much higher levels of both earphones and I think you can understand what the IT07 and the Zens are like. Just like the cost difference on the A7 vs the NM2+ Their higher end brethren cost accordingly $899 for the IT07, $699 for the Zens.

If your considering upgrading to either one. You gotta ask yourself. Do you want one of the best hybrids in the market or one of the best dynamics in the market. Either earphones are just stupendously good. So the mids of the IT07 is actually the nice dynamic Ibasso is using and the upper details are all done with the 6 BAs on tap so naturalness and tonality is also wicked good on the IT07.
Upgrade to these would be



Upgrade to these would be


I ain't gonna lie. These two earphones will trade punches and I don't know who would win. Both are exceptional and I consider both clearly in the TOTL territory. Obviously the Zens have the better value of the two. IT07 as some astounding bass with a liquid sound presentation. Zen has this dimensional highly technical and clean resolving character that is also very addictive. Pick your poison. Both are substantial imo.

Dsnuts, Which Dunu cable do you recommend for the Zen?

 

[Dsnuts]

Dsnuts, Which Dunu cable do you recommend for the Zen?

Stock cable. Seriously the stock cable matches up extremely well with the Zens. So much so it is difficult to actually get an "upgrade" via cable rolling. Stock cable is no wimpy throw in cable it is Dunus DUW-03. Excellent in all regards. Monocrystalline 8 core SPC. Very highly resolving cable.

I did find one cable that did enhance technicalities, stage and imaging. OSG by penon. Otherwise just about every cable I tried on them doesn't really do one much better.

 

[nraymond]

I'd almost buy the NM2+ based on looks alone, but I'm a bit of a basshead and fear from reviews that it might not quite meet my bass needs.

NM2+ with New Bee Premium Replacement Tips gives wonderful bass, especially sub-bass. Best of all my earphones (even better than TFZ KING Updated). Tips are $6.99 at Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07H9PWD5Y/

 

[thebigredpolos]

I don't recall seeing any reputable reviews of them, are they supposed to be any good? Fully closed, or open? (I'm guessing there likely is some venting, since it has two DD's).
Anyone here ever own them?

If I remember correctly, @crabdog reviewed them some time ago over on his site

 

[slex]

If I remember correctly, @crabdog reviewed them some time ago over on his site

That was last year edition with 1DD. Now with 1DD coaxial format and different BAs model.

 

[slex]

Veedix Silver String, a S8 cheaper contender? Both utilize Sonion & Knowles.

 

[PCgaming4ever]

Veedix Silver String, a S8 cheaper contender? Both utilize Sonion & Knowles.

Curious to know your thoughts on the Silver string I saw that one and it looked interesting

 

[slex]

Curious to know your thoughts on the Silver string I saw that one and it looked interesting

Being new, it could be tuned to supersede S8's tuning? Perhaps frequency charts will show.
☺

The shell looks pleasant

 

[FreeWheelinAudioLuv2]

These came in. The very last of my holiday spending spree finally showed up. The shell is really nice, with resin and metalized plastic faceplate. The sound tube is short, which absolutely sucks, because even with the LARGE spiral dots, fit is tricky to get a decently deep insertion. The stock cable is useless. Very similar to the CCA cables, only silver, so i'm using the much better 2 pin HCK cable that fit it perfectly. Content are the tips, shells, and cable. Nothing else of note.

Triple dynamic driver type. I got burn in to do, but the only thing i'll say is very very good detail retrieval and well defined and splashy highs but zero sibilance. Excellent extension with undefined and light cardboard bass. Hopefully that improves with burn in? I'll report as they get the break in treatment.

 

[slex]

These came in. The very last of my holiday spending spree finally showed up. The shell is really nice, with resin and metalized plastic faceplate. The sound tube is short, which absolutely sucks, because even with the LARGE spiral dots, fit is tricky to get a decently deep insertion. The stock cable is useless. Very similar to the CCA cables, only silver, so i'm using the much better 2 pin HCK cable that fit it perfectly. Content are the tips, shells, and cable. Nothing else of note.

Triple dynamic driver type. I got burn in to do, but the only thing i'll say is very very good detail retrieval and well defined and splashy highs but zero sibilance. Excellent extension with undefined and light cardboard bass. Hopefully that improves with burn in? I'll report as they get the break in treatment.

 

[Krizit]

And yet, without having tried those budget IEMs, it's hard to know what kind of sound one even likes. Playing with different sound signatures and presentations is part of the hobby after all, and there is not a one-size-fits-all IEM. You'll want different IEMs for different moods, genres, usage contexts, sources, and how much is all that going to cost then?

Budget IEMs (and by budget, I mean < $100) are also improving year on year. My $40 SSP, for instance, is good enough that I have little appetite for splurging on anything higher-tier. My $24 Tiandirenhe is currently putting a big smile on my face. There will be no end to the spending - the question is therefore whether one listens to gear or listens to music.

Dear unifutomaki,

Thank you for your post. I have had the fortunate pleasure of owning several TOTL IEMs in the $1000+ range. I have recently been getting into ChiFi and one of the latest Tiandirenhe IEMs is actually the best IEM I have ever heard. If I had never spent a fair amount of a variety of ChiFi I would never have found this particular model.

Kind Regards,

Krizit.

 

[xanlamin]

@Krizit, would you be able to briefly how the Tiandirenhe TD02 sounds like?

 

[crabdog]

If I remember correctly, @crabdog reviewed them some time ago over on his site

Yes, I reviewed the first iteration. I found it quite pleasant and really love the cable. I was actually looking at it just a few days ago but haven't listened to it for a veeery long time.

I'm also really curious about the Silver String. The Veedix NC50 (IIRC) that I reviewed a couple years ago was a real sleeper gem.

 

[Krizit]

@Krizit, would you be able to briefly how the Tiandirenhe TD02 sounds like?

Dear xanlamin,

I have not heard the TD02. The TD2 in my signature is a different IEM.

The IEM I claimed is the best I've heard is their 2020 release of the TD06 with the changeable nozzle filters. FR is extremely similar to my Noble K10 CIEM, except there is a huge subbass bump. Think of it as a L signature. Fit is absolutely atrocious though so you have to be willing to subject yourself to ear rape. To help mitigate this I had to file down the edges of the nozzle filters to round them out. They are also quite huge, you definitely can't sleep on your side.

Specifically in terms of sound, it has one of the widest and deepest soundstages I've heard. Excellent separation. Mids are ever so slightly forward, adding richness to vocals. Highs are clear. When testing on Sabaton's The Great War album, which is perhaps one of the most sibilant albums you'll ever hear, sibilance is there but not fatiguing, which is surprising as literally every other ChiFi IEM I've tested with that album is practically unbearable.

Subbass is where the 2020 TD06 really shines. If you're basshead you'll fall in love, if not then you'll probably need some heavy EQ. There is no bleed and at no point do I feel the subbass overpowers the rest of the range.

Does that help?

Regards,

Krizit.

Edit: corrected "2020 TD02" to "2020 TD06".

 

[slex]

Dear xanlamin,

I have not heard the TD02. The TD2 in my signature is a different IEM.

The IEM I claimed is the best I've heard is their 2020 release of the TD02 with the changeable nozzle filters. FR is extremely similar to my Noble K10 CIEM, except there is a huge subbass bump. Think of it as a L signature. Fit is absolutely atrocious though so you have to be willing to subject yourself to ear rape. To help mitigate this I had to file down the edges of the nozzle filters to round them out. They are also quite huge, you definitely can't sleep on your side.

Specifically in terms of sound, it has one of the widest and deepest soundstages I've heard. Excellent separation. Mids are ever so slightly forward, adding richness to vocals. Highs are clear. When testing on Sabaton's The Great War album, which is perhaps one of the most sibilant albums you'll ever hear, sibilance is there but not fatiguing, which is surprising as literally every other ChiFi IEM I've tested with that album is practically unbearable.

Subbass is where the 2020 TD02 really shines. If you're basshead you'll fall in love, if not then you'll probably need some heavy EQ. There is no bleed and at no point do I feel the subbass overpowers the rest of the range.

Does that help?

Regards,

Krizit.

Sounds like a blon03 oversight