The discovery thread!

[lushmelody]

YST-02's niche is that it is targeting a reference tuning, which is pretty rarely done by hybrids sub-$100. I don't know about the Hidizs model you mentioned but the GD3C is much bassier.

Yeah, its a "reference FR" marketing but how are the technicalities compared to branded BAs hybrids in the same price range? Just trying to bring a good discussion and comparisons about those sub $100 hybrids

 

[KutuzovGambit]

Too bad TRN markets BAX using an FR graph that suggests it's a balanced sounding IEM...
That's gonna lead to a lot of disappointed customers...

Luckily, not a lot of people will buy a TRN IEM at this price. Too many good options in that price range.
I am far more likely to buy my 4th Yanyin Canon than spend that kind of money on a TRN.

Seems like the Tansio Mirai Sands is more of a direct competitor to the Yanyin Canon.

 

[BenF]

Seems like the Tansio Mirai Sands is more of a direct competitor to the Yanyin Canon.

Does the Sands have tuning switches to make 8 different IEMs for the price of 1, like Canon?

 

[KutuzovGambit]

Does the Sands have tuning switches to make 8 different IEMs for the price of 1, like Canon?

Yep.

 

[PKTK]

Does anyone know or have more information about these headphones below, they think they are very beautiful but there is little information about the sound behavior of each one of them:
https://pt.aliexpress.com/store/1100218270?spm=a2g0o.detail.1000007.1.7b337c65ZCGFCT

EPZ Q1

EPZ K1

Q1 dark, bassy, muddy, lack of treble extension

 

[G777]

Here is TRN BAX FR measurement from on of the reviews on Ali:


Subbass goes at least 7-8dB above the 2.2kHz peak and 17-18dB above the 600Hz bottom.
Now take a look at this measurement:

Subbass is at the same level as the 2.2kHz peak!

The Ali reviewer also does mention that the BAX is extremely bassy:


He is wrong about BAX being a clone of EST112. as Dunu is more neutral:


So the question is - is BAX crazy bassy as the first measurement suggests, or relatively balanced as the second one claims?
TRN certainly thinks the second one is more representative, as it matches their own:


And could TRN be shipping 313$ IEMs that sound differently from each other? At this price, we can certainly expect decent QC.

The BAX is a clone of the EST112 shell design.

 

[Redcarmoose]

The BAX is a clone of the EST112 shell design.

It is a clone especially of the inner shell, the exact same it seems from photos of the DUNU EST 112.

DUNU EST 112

TRN Bax

Except the nozzle filter on the Bax is a 100% improvement, if you ask me.

 

[Redcarmoose]

Too bad TRN markets BAX using an FR graph that suggests it's a balanced sounding IEM...
That's gonna lead to a lot of disappointed customers...

Luckily, not a lot of people will buy a TRN IEM at this price. Too many good options in that price range.
I am far more likely to buy my 4th Yanyin Canon than spend that kind of money on a TRN.

Well, the bass will sound normal to many customers, actually right in the middle? It just depends who you talk to. Bass is subjective and if it’s done right will walk a fine line. IMO But it may seem slightly accentuated to some?

Even my own opinion is just slightly confused due to how I perceive it.....due to it being early in mental/physical burn in process. That’s why it is near impossible to do a review in a day. It takes like 4 days of burn-in and listening, minimum. For the first two days the bass was perfect. IMO

I see it as a departure from the TRN customer bass, but also a chance to impress a new level of listener. It’s slightly not noted TRN will not show Knowles drivers when they actually use Knowles drivers. Meaning check the driver numbers and often (BA8) they will be Knowles! So this isn’t the first time TRN has stepped up with Knowles, but of course it’s a new price for them as well as their first EST driver. In the past they only used the Knowles model number but didn’t place the Knowles name in-front?

It is only $145 for 8 BA drivers per side, so maybe that is why they didn’t name them? I don’t know the reason?

Personally I like the Bax tone, but it’s always going to be a subjective thing. What is too much bass for some, will end up dialed in for others.

 

[Dobrescu George]

If you're ready to start their week with the first monitoring headphone in the whole world to have a true no-latency wireless connection, you surely want to learn more about the TMA-2 Studio Wireless+ from AIAIAI audio !

I made a full written review about it, with comparisons to other popular headphones in the price range, and more info about how the wireless+ sounds like, how it works, and how the new modular headphones are like in real life!

https://www.audiophile-heaven.com/2022/04/aiaiai-tma-2-studio-wireless-the-portable-ones.html

 

[freelancr]

Well the EPZ Q1 arrived today. Out of the box impressions are as follows:

- Bass cannons
- lacking treble extension
- resin shells are nice
- driver flex
- tips are trash
- cable is ok for the price I guess

For the price they seems ok. I'll let them burn-in a few days an see if they balance out a little more. Sound demo vs. the Mele (seems appropiate) will follow as well.
I currently use them with the epro horn tips and the cable from the Shuoer S12.

Follow up to EPZ Q1 inital impressions.
After many days of burn-in I like this set much more. The Q1 is still bassy but not overwhelming as out of the box. Here is the sound demo as announced.
Final remarks about the EPZ Q1: It's a fun basshead iem with a nice looking quality shell (best shell I saw at this price point) and well worth the $35.

 

[InvisibleInk]

Q1 dark, bassy, muddy, lack of treble extension

Sounds right up my alley!

 

[BenF]

Yep.

Interesting.
Canon is DD+4BA, Sands is DD+3BA - so it's probably not an identical design.
The tuning switches are the same though...
Might pick it up, but don't see it for sale anywhere yet.

 

[robervaul]

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/100...o.store_pc_groupList.8148356.3.160039425SyhlQ
NiceHCK M5

Very ugly colour scheme and those filters probably interchangeble with Smabat Proto's.

 

[KutuzovGambit]

Interesting.
Canon is DD+4BA, Sands is DD+3BA - so it's probably not an identical design.
The tuning switches are the same though...
Might pick it up, but don't see it for sale anywhere yet.

Sands uses 2 Sonions for the midrange and a Knowles for the treble, so that may be a key differentiator in addition to having one less BA (afaik it is not specified what kind of BAs the Canon uses).

 

[FreeWheelinAudioLuv2]

For those that haven't seen, Hiby R5 Gen 2 is due for release on 15 April:
Dual 2.5mm and 4.4mm balanced outs, Android 8, dual ES9219C DACs, Class A amplification. 35hrs playback in high-stamina mode.
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/hiby-r5-gen-2-impressions-thread.962816/

I have the R5 Gen 1, and the battery bloated and knocked the plate off, so I'll probably skip it even though I love the sound of my R5. I got the R2 and with the Timeless perfectly EQ'd, I'm content enough to make it my every day player with the Timeless.