[lmfboy01]

You haven't missed a damn thing. I've bought about 5 KZ over the year, and the first 4 were all throwaways. Garbage. Then they came out with the DQ6 and finally they came out with something that was worth my time and effort, but I haven't bought anything since, because I don't feel like going down that rabbit hole again, especially since they release a new IEM weekly, and they probably have 50 different products in the last 3 years alone. Last 5? I couldn't tell you nor could I guess. The brand is completely watered down.
I have both PR1 Pro and PR1 Hifi, both are great (easily 9/10)in slightly different ways, CCA PLA13 is a bit different, emphasizing more bass maybe a little bleed but none of these are offensive at all.

 

[Carpet]

You haven't missed a damn thing. I've bought about 5 KZ over the year, and the first 4 were all throwaways. Garbage. Then they came out with the DQ6 and finally they came out with something that was worth my time and effort, but I haven't bought anything since, because I don't feel like going down that rabbit hole again, especially since they release a new IEM weekly, and they probably have 50 different products in the last 3 years alone. Last 5? I couldn't tell you nor could I guess. The brand is completely watered down.
I have both PR1 Pro and PR1 Hifi, both are great (easily 9/10)in slightly different ways, CCA PLA13 is a bit different, emphasizing more bass maybe a little bleed but none of these are offensive at all.

I've found that going back after the smoke clears works best. If there's still interest after 4-6 months when the hype train has slowed down, buy them in a sale! That gets around the problem of "I'm sorry last weeks releases are now completely outclassed by the new proton enriched zirconium drivers in the new Ultra Max Pro2 version". There's a limit to how many cheap IEMs I can get rid of as gifts during the year. Some people think they only need ONE pair. How the hell would that work?

 

[o0genesis0o]

I've found that going back after the smoke clears works best. If there's still interest after 4-6 months when the hype train has slowed down, buy them in a sale! That gets around the problem of "I'm sorry last weeks releases are now completely outclassed by the new proton enriched zirconium drivers in the new Ultra Max Pro2 version". There's a limit to how many cheap IEMs I can get rid of as gifts during the year. Some people think they only need ONE pair. How the hell would that work?

You can buy something like Subtonic Storm. Empty wallet and a gripping sense of guilt are effective deterrence for buying new toys.

 

[Tzennn]

These look majestic ... Link about 50-60$

Edit: maybe it build to pair with these

 

[WAON303]

What's the best TOTL core out there?

I was thinking Effect Audio Gaea + Sennheiser IE600.

Gaea as an excellent allrounder, IE600 because I'd love to have an endgame DD too.

My endgame budget will be around 2,000 USD, which coincidentally is the total cost of both if bought new.

I could increase my budget to 3k I suppose, but I think it's more or less a waste of money given how marginal improvements are after around 1k.

 

[Tzennn]

Who want a hammer in your ears?

---

What is this? A single BA ?? 18$ Link

 

[AmericanSpirit]

Not a lot of love I’m seeing here

Do you miss love?
Here you go. They have love. And now it’s 4th edition!
https://www.head-fi.org/tags/mylove/

 

[Carpet]

Edit: maybe it build to pair with these

Okay, I followed your advise Only 4 left now. Don't you think I should get something upmarket from Penon as a cable though? Not sure about tips either. Starlines be okay?

 

[InvisibleInk]

Do you miss love?
Here you go. They have love. And now it’s 4th edition!
https://www.head-fi.org/tags/mylove/

Love is overrated. I’m happy just having ZEX.

 

[Tzennn]

Okay, I followed your advise Only 4 left now. Don't you think I should get something upmarket from Penon as a cable though? Not sure about tips either. Starlines be okay?

First you will need gloves, everytime you wear it you will have to use gloves because it literally fingerprint magnet. As for cable, anything is fine as long as it is gold, maybe diamond plated gold is a good choice as it will expand the richness and scare poor people! For eartips you should use azla tips

So people can see gold vx better, transparent always better than solid color one!
.
.
.
No lol just sarcasm don't ban me haha

 

[Carpet]

Do you miss love?
Here you go. They have love. And now it’s 4th edition!
https://www.head-fi.org/tags/mylove/

I think the relevant term is "lust". I've never heard of someone "Loving after" an IEM they can't afford!

(or to be more exact can't be caught buying)

 

[o0genesis0o]

What's the best TOTL core out there?

I was thinking Effect Audio Gaea + Sennheiser IE600.

Gaea as an excellent allrounder, IE600 because I'd love to have an endgame DD too.

My endgame budget will be around 2,000 USD, which coincidentally is the total cost of both if bought new.

I could increase my budget to 3k I suppose, but I think it's more or less a waste of money given how marginal improvements are after around 1k.

The senny is alright. If the money can reach, I personally prefer IE900 as I found the IE600 quite unremarkable next to the quirky big brother. If I were to spend top money, I prefer something daring and special, as safe and decent gears are way cheaper now.

IMHO, the safest TOTL is Monarch MkII. It feels luxurious, very un-opinionated tuning to let the mixes do their job, and strong technical performance. Sure, it doesn’t have the quirky tuning for soundstage like Andromeda (same price), but I think Monarch is safer. Just an alrounder 4.5 to 5 to me. If it’s up to me, I’ll spend 2000 on Monarch, a DAP, and a pair of flathead earbuds.

 

[PhonoPhi]

I just googled, old ER4 uses a 100ohms. No wonder it’s hardest one to drive even with modern DAPs.

Wow!! That adjustable adapter is genius! let us know what impedance you felt comfortable for Neon.

And speaking about ZEX, I had a deep cross-comparison session with 30 IEMs last evening.

ZEX / Lea is the one that came with a surprise.

I forgot the ZEX’s composition and looked up KZ page, then saw this


Wow 5min quick stretch.

Those two are very nice budget option long forgotten and overshadowed by “collaboration”. But in fact those are better made than collab IEMs. For Lea, people might have hooked L/R polarity reversed.

I started simple, with 30 Ohm non-balanced on Neon with an original cable and plugged it into an Apple dongle - nice balanced sound, definitely better than without the impedance adapter - no surprises here (Apple dongle was designed to be used with 42 Ohm Apple earphones).

Then keeping in mind that impedance adapters are passive devices intended to better match sources and transducers, I scanned few, while expecting a single driver displaying less variation than multidrivers.

Oh boy! How unrealistically revealing is this simple single BA directly connected to the source (no any circuitry)! So the testing instantly became a source (DAC) comparison

Sonata HD III displayed so much warmth (I did get it for it, so great and even too great...)

Sonata HD pro - more expectedly balanced, close to Apple a bit more agile.

Shanling UA2 - power limitations of SE, Shanling engineered warmth, more subtle than that of HD III.

Sonata E44 - great even with SE, close to neutral, energetic, revealing, most enjoyable, still listening to it.

Rethinking now the testing plan, not even starting with Muse M3 with its ESS 9038 filters, as planned...

For these the first eartips i would try is flipped KZ starline, flip the tips, cut the tips (about 1cm) then you have this

The impedance matching is genius!

A great idea. I have few inverted black starlines done under the guidance of Master Slater, who put together his nice step-to-step guides.
Are new transparent one different inverted?

 

[Tzennn]

A great idea. I have few inverted black starlines done under the guidance of Master Slater, who put together his nice step-to-step guides.
Are new transparent one different inverted?

No the transparent one is Dunu S&S tips which cost about 15$, and it look quite similar to inverted starline!

 

[Redcarmoose]

https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/ki...iver-universal-iem.26246/reviews#review-29836


Comparisons to the the DUNU Kima at exactly the same price!