[AmericanSpirit]

Those two, the Zero and the Wu! Some of my absolute favorites, maybe those two are even complementary? As they are so different in nature?

Yes if we disregard technical aspects, Salnotes Zero and Wu’s tuning is complementary, I’d put both S tonality, one of “sophisticatedly tuned with philosophy” type.

So far those has Maestro tuner to my personal book is
-qdc / See Audio
-DUNU
-Softears/Moondrop
-Thieaudio
-UM
-SONY
-Sennheiser
-AKG
-Westone
-Beyerdynamics
-Etymotic Research
-YAMAHA
-Ultrasone
-7Hz
-Final Audio
-SoundPeats ( hey they are not just a cheap TWS maker, their image positioning ability is one of god’s gifted)

I may add Tangzu later. Not Truthear though, they’ve got state of art tuning but that’s a “refinement” of what Moondrop/Softears/See Audio have done.

 

[Nabillion_786]

A little while since I've been here... Any successors on the Kato and oxygens in its similar price range? I'm single DD all the way now but just hoping for better drivers for my future upgrade. In the meantime I've been on the usb dac rabbit hole and have found an amazing combo with the kato's and centrance dacport hd. The most close to real life as I have ever heard but the search for my perfect sound still continues!

 

[Dsnuts]

So I just got this message from Drop this morning. NX7 MK4 is on sale on Drop for a decent $85. Not bad deal for folks interested
https://drop.com/buy/nicehck-nx7-mk4-in-ear-earphones?defaultSelectionIds=971561

 

[AmericanSpirit]

A little while since I've been here... Any successors on the Kato and oxygens in its similar price range? I'm single DD all the way now but just hoping for better drivers for my future upgrade. In the meantime I've been on the usb dac rabbit hole and have found an amazing combo with the kato's and centrance dacport hd. The most close to real life as I have ever heard but the search for my perfect sound still continues!

we have fullsize planar IEM waging in as a mid sector between BA hy/tri/quadbrids and DD(1/2/3 DD). Have you tried any of those? It’s all $60-200 range.

To my knowledge there aren’t any Kato beater at the price range so far.

If your religion is absolutely single dynamic, Softears Twilight($1k) is probably a Kato’s upgrade. And you got some DUNU as a well.

 

[gadgetgod]

Indeed! Thanks for recommending Wu @Redcarmoose & @Dsnuts & @baskingshark ! Wu immediately becomes my planar favorite.

-OOTB notes:
▶︎carrying pouch is HUGE and color theme is wine
Red with Gold is, well…not my taste..



▶︎Wu is a shallow fit type, the housing didn’t match with my ear so I need some bigger war tips that comes with it.
Generic Accostune AE tips styled ones.

▶︎Sound is impressive, wide diffusion, but not too U feeling. Nice balance that Tangzu team has managed. I may explain Wu’s balance as Mid-switch flipped on Anole VX. Almost warm-neutral with slight hints in upper mid as well as treble. Sub-bass is not overly emphasized (Not L-shape), with mid-bass having a welcoming warmth. People with 200hz sensitivity may feel it a slight “bleed” and may prefer Timeless style scooped uppper-to-mid bass, but I’m perfectly fine with this mid-bass.

▶︎Highly musically talented tuning. I can see the big boss of Tangzu spending nights and nights adjusting it, not a random attempt, the tuning has his/her philosophy. For someone tried many IEMs, this kind of tuning philosophy is not a tangible EQ thing, it’s more higher level top-down comprehensive bird’s -eye type “sound as a whole” presentation, just like someone creates instruments. Tangzu big boss has a talent to that extent. Now it’s getting interesting what Tangzu could’ve done with entry-level Wan’er S.G. It’s incoming and will arrive in weeks.

2022 is a year of good tuner…Salnotes Zero and Wu is currently my favorite tune

Beautiful image and excellent writeup bro!! Glad that you like the Zetian Wu.

 

[Ace Bee]

A little while since I've been here... Any successors on the Kato and oxygens in its similar price range? I'm single DD all the way now but just hoping for better drivers for my future upgrade. In the meantime I've been on the usb dac rabbit hole and have found an amazing combo with the kato's and centrance dacport hd. The most close to real life as I have ever heard but the search for my perfect sound still continues!

I did not like Kato... heavn't heard Oxygen. Heard the Hana 2021 though, and while it was good, it was not particularly exceptional.

Like you, I also am a single DD connoisseur...well more like full range DD, because of some of my iems have multiple DD, while some have BCD, some have BA...but one thing is common among them, they all got a DD bass and Mids at least (except Celest Gumiho). Under the range of $200, my absolutely favourite is Hiby Lasya. It is so outstanding that barely anything can match its performance. @gadgetgod can attest to that. And if you want to go to a bit higher range, 634EARS MIROAK-S will fulfill your need perfectly.

 

[PeacockObscura]

From a pure enjoyment level the DUNU Vernus is superb I have technically better DD iems but the joy I'm getting from listening to music from the Vernus is special. I own the DUNU Falcon Pro the vernus is more refined and better in every way. Worth anyone's money if you can catch a set in the wild

 

[Nabillion_786]

Thanks for the reply and suggestions you lot! Yes I have tried planar (7hz timeless) and still do not find it to be like single DD even though it's sounding closer to it.

You have got me interested in the Hiby lasya but it's just the fact that it's not purely single DD. In the past I have tried many hybrids and they just sounded really unrealistic to my ears for some reason but maybe these days there getting better in that department. On top of that, it's quite a risk to take after buying it from Ali express due to hard returns and common lost packages these days. Also, my preferred signature is more male vocal specialised iems soo anything sounding very thin and recessed is an instant no go for me.

 

[AmericanSpirit]

Thanks for the reply and suggestions you lot! Yes I have tried planar (7hz timeless) and still do not find it to be like single DD even though it's sounding closer to it.

You have got me interested in the Hiby lasya but it's just the fact that it's not purely single DD. In the past I have tried many hybrids and they just sounded really unrealistic to my ears for some reason but maybe these days there getting better in that department. On top of that, it's quite a risk to take after buying it from Ali express due to hard returns and common lost packages these days. Also, my preferred signature is more male vocal specialised iems soo anything sounding very thin and recessed is an instant no go for me.

Yes I can attest as someone saw ultimate ears back then offered “Super.Fi 5 EtraBass” as the first hybrid IEM in this industry. I was so curious and saved all my food budget for that 5EB…. Until I promised myself never-ever going to try any of BA+DD..(promises revoked obviously)

I feel it was until very recent BA+LCP DD, that made that itchy go away.

 

[NymPHONOmaniac]

Hello guys, since i love the Penon Serial so much, i feel the need to share it here (im kinda never making front page, so...gotta do what we gotta do!) I rarely share my review, so....follow me if you wanna be update about it. Cheers!

Pros:
-Bass presence, layering and fullness
-Mids presence, layering and fullness
-Natural dense timbre
-beautifuly balanced warm W shape tonality
-wide lush male and female vocal
-thick yet well articulated layering
-good enough transparency
-smooth non fatiguing
-heavy note weight and dynamic
-wide holographic soundstage
-excellent all arounder
-dark treble that doesnt lack in details and nuance
-excellent accessories
-good construction with appealing look
-great price value

Cons:
-not the cleanest sound
-not the sharpest resolution
-not the most extended and sparkly treble
-not for treble head

https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/penon-serial.25604/reviews#review-29662

 

[ChrisOc]

Talking about single DDs and good tuning, Tangzu Wan Er SG. The guys at Tangzu do good tuning, at £14, these earphones are highly competent, to my ears.

Declaration: These were sent to me by Tangzu.

 

[NymPHONOmaniac]

Talking about single DDs and good tuning, Tangzu Wan Er SG. The guys at Tangzu do good tuning, at £14, these earphones are highly competent, to my ears.

Declaration: These were sent to me by Tangzu.

I really love them too, and call them mini Zetian since they have similar tone. now i feel i should have taken white version, look good!
today i test them fastly with KZ Starline and it seem to improve clarity-imaging-deepness while with KB07 it was warmer bassier...interesting

 

[AmericanSpirit]

Indeed! Thanks for recommending Wu @Redcarmoose & @Dsnuts & @baskingshark ! Wu immediately becomes my planar favorite.

-OOTB notes:
▶︎carrying pouch is HUGE and color theme is wine
Red with Gold is, well…not my taste..



▶︎Wu is a shallow fit type, the housing didn’t match with my ear so I need some bigger war tips that comes with it.
Generic Accostune AE tips styled ones.

▶︎Sound is impressive, wide diffusion, but not too U feeling. Nice balance that Tangzu team has managed. I may explain Wu’s balance as Mid-switch flipped on Anole VX. Almost warm-neutral with slight hints in upper mid as well as treble. Sub-bass is not overly emphasized (Not L-shape), with mid-bass having a welcoming warmth. People with 200hz sensitivity may feel it a slight “bleed” and may prefer Timeless style scooped uppper-to-mid bass, but I’m perfectly fine with this mid-bass.

▶︎Highly musically talented tuning. I can see the big boss of Tangzu spending nights and nights adjusting it, not a random attempt, the tuning has his/her philosophy. For someone tried many IEMs, this kind of tuning philosophy is not a tangible EQ thing, it’s more higher level top-down comprehensive bird’s -eye type “sound as a whole” presentation, just like someone creates instruments. Tangzu big boss has a talent to that extent. Now it’s getting interesting what Tangzu could’ve done with entry-level Wan’er S.G. It’s incoming and will arrive in weeks.

2022 is a year of good tuner…Salnotes Zero and Wu is currently my favorite tune

What matters the most to me is not technicality, after all things considered for “enjoying/live with your favorite songs”.

Surely technicality is like big engines in a car, a sportscar, hypercar, it goes as fast as you put your feet on pedal. But once you’ve done everything you could imagine with sportscar & hypercar, you feel the suspension is way too firm to over speed bumps, and if you hit any potholes on road with high performance sports tire&suspension, it will be very unpleasant. So I’m recently finding, cars made for “comfort & luxury “ more appealing. You don’t need huge engines for the comfort, same to IEM/headphones. But that’s a one man’s maturity in “sound” preference I think. So whenever I get tired of comfortable cars, I may move to sportscars again, having options, for cars are not easy, but for IEM, is still manageable, good point of this hobby.

Wu is a good example for that, it’s made for your comfort and pure enjoyment over technical things.

Add Notes: Noticed Crin already had Salnote Zero and Wu Zetain databased. Wow great. No wonder Wu and Salnotes Zero sound so similar. Very faint little adjustments they differ each other. Salnotes with more neutral, Wu with a little spiced up tuning

Although it’s IEM and fullsize can, with a different coupler’s measurement, after listening for Wu for half a day, I found Wu shares similar little twist that Sennheiser’s HD560S’s. 4-5.5khz few decibels of implications.

This will benefit some sense of diffusion, but for someone with 2.5khz-2.7kHz pinna gain spot, this little peak may interfere. Wu’s twist is not as hard as HD560S which I find some high-pitch female vocal’s “th” sound a bit harsh, not for Wu.

For anyone interested in what’s said on the backside of Wu Zetain’s Box. Thanks to the AI-backed German translator DeepL, it makes sensible translation from the sole Empress Wu:

Simplified Chinese: OG
君子虽殒、善名不灭。

名言：君子虽殒、善名不灭。句意：有德行和知识的人虽然死了，但美好的名誉却不会消失。 出处：唐·武则天《臣轨下·诚信》

EN :
Though a gentleman perishes, his good name does not perish.

Famous saying:
Although a gentleman perishes, his good name does not perish.

Sentence: Though a man of virtue and knowledge dies, his good name will not perish.
Source: [Tang-Dynasty] ]Wu Zetian, "Under the Track of the Minister - Integrity

 

[ChrisOc]

I really love them too, and call them mini Zetian since they have similar tone. now i feel i should have taken white version, look good!
today i test them fastly with KZ Starline and it seem to improve clarity-imaging-deepness while with KB07 it was warmer bassier...interesting

As always, single-DD being fussy about which tips they are happy with. I went through quite a few and settled on Final Audio tips.

I also think they need burn-in (for those who do not believe in burn-in, just ignore this bit....peace). 48 hours burn-in, took the veil off low volume listening, which for me is an important test for sorting out the pertenders from the earphones that deliver good quality sound.

 

[Ace Bee]

Thanks for the reply and suggestions you lot! Yes I have tried planar (7hz timeless) and still do not find it to be like single DD even though it's sounding closer to it.

You have got me interested in the Hiby lasya but it's just the fact that it's not purely single DD. In the past I have tried many hybrids and they just sounded really unrealistic to my ears for some reason but maybe these days there getting better in that department. On top of that, it's quite a risk to take after buying it from Ali express due to hard returns and common lost packages these days. Also, my preferred signature is more male vocal specialised iems soo anything sounding very thin and recessed is an instant no go for me.

There's a misunderstanding. Hiby Lasya is a purely single DD, no BA or BCD or anything. And it's by far one of the greatest single DD iem under $200 imho.

You can buy them directly from Hiby's website.