The discovery thread!

[AmericanSpirit]

Is this new? Seems like adapter to use DSP on iphone. Is this what you asked for? @AmericanSpirit

Great! USB-V to lighting! Need it for Droplet…

 

[AmericanSpirit]

If one was interested in purchasing an IEM from AüR, what is the best way? Can’t find them on any major sites as I know these are a small outfit run by a small team. Also, how about the Sound Rhyme SR5? Definitely interested in looking at the SR5 and the Neon pro as I’ve heard so many good things about both of them from you gentleman. Thanks

SR5 is definitely 100/100 recommendation, as you climb up top tiers from 80/100 and up, each small fraction of performance comes with diminishing of $$$ return.

From my experience for recent IEM market, I’d roughly put $50/1score for 80+/100 in very grand scheme. upto 80/100 you can get varieties of IEMs with sub$100 budget.

0-80/100 : Investment needed $~100USD

Average Cost to Performance for Med-Fi A Tier with examples
80~89/100 : $100+ $50/1score

80 = $100 : Moondrop Droplet
81 = $150 : Moondrop KATO / Modded Aria OG / Truthear ZERO / DUNU Titan S
82 = $200 : 7Hz Timeless / AKG N5005
83 = $250 : AFUL P5
84 = $300 : Blessing 2 OG / Mangird Tea
85 = $350 : Blessing 2 Dusk / Truthear HEXA
86 = $400 : Tangzu Wu Zetian
87 = $450 : See Audio Bravery (PWA legend II & TRI Clarion) -Endgame For Female Vocal
88 = $500 : Westone W80 (Recabled & Ear tip adapter applied)
89 = $550 : Sound Rhyme SR5


Average Cost to Performance for S-Tier
90~95/100 : $600+ $500/1score

90 = $600 : Variations
91 = $1,100 : DUNU SA6 / Softears RSV -Endgame for Natural Sound Reproduction
92 = $1,600 : Monarch OG
93 = $2,100 : MEST MKII
94 = $2,600 : Aur Audio Neon Pro
95 = $3,100 : qdc Anole VX -Endgame For Resolution and Technicalities

For this HEXA hit 85 with $79, which is 4x higher than that $350 mark. Droplet hit A- with $50, which is 2x higher than $100 mark.

SR5 is 89 or even 90, for me that‘s Variations $530 class, but SR5 achieved with $139, again 4x ~ 5x of cost performance to $550-600.

While Neon Pro hits 94 or 95 per my rough analysis when A-B tested with Anole VX 96/100. With $730 cost, to hit $2,600~3,100 mark is again another 4~5x cost performance beasts.

It depends how high they perform, my recommendation is SR5. Because all you need is $139 and you get extremely high performing IEM right away.

 

[domq422]

SR5 is definitely 100/100 recommendation, as you climb up top tiers from 80/100 and up, each small fraction of performance comes with diminishing of $$$ return.

From my experience for recent IEM market, I’d roughly put $50/1score for 80+/100 in very grand scheme. upto 80/100 you can get varieties of IEMs with sub$100 budget.

0-80/100 : Investment needed $~100USD

Average Cost to Performance for Med-Fi A Tier with examples
80~89/100 : $100+ $50/1score

80 = $100 : Moondrop Droplet
81 = $150 : Moondrop KATO / Modded Aria OG / Truthear ZERO / DUNU Titan S
82 = $200 : 7Hz Timeless / AKG N5005
83 = $250 : AFUL P5
84 = $300 : Blessing 2 OG / Mangird Tea
85 = $350 : Blessing 2 Dusk / Truthear HEXA
86 = $400 : Tangzu Wu Zetian
87 = $450 : See Audio Bravery (PWA legend II & TRI Clarion)
88 = $500 : Westone W80 (Recabled & Ear tip adapter applied)
89 = $550 : Sound Rhyme SR5


Average Cost to Performance for S-Tier
90~95/100 : $600+ $500/1score

90 = $600 : Variations
91 = $1,100 : DUNU SA6 / Softears RSV
92 = $1,600 : Monarch OG
93 = $2,100 : MEST MKII
94 = $2,600 : Aur Audio Neon Pro
95 = $3,100 : qdc Anole VX

For this HEXA hit 85 with $79, which is 4x higher than that $350 mark. Droplet hit A- with $50, which is 2x higher than $100 mark.

SR5 is 89 or even 90, for me that‘s Variations $530 class, but SR5 achieved with $139, again 4x ~ 5x of cost performance to $550-600.

While Neon Pro hits 94 or 95 per my rough analysis when A-B tested with Anole VX 96/100. With $730 cost, to hit $2,600~3,100 mark is again another 4~5x cost performance beasts.

It depends how high they perform, my recommendation is SR5. Because all you need is $139 and you get extremely high performing IEM right away.

It’s very interesting how you place all these IEMs and your grading system is also very interesting.

It’s obviously high praise and quite frankly, I’m always cautious when it comes to such high praise. For the asking price of $139, it’s not cheap by any means but it isn’t a ridiculous high price that I can’t afford.

I think I’ll give em a shot and come back with my impressions. Worst comes to worst, I could sell em off with a small loss.

Thanks for the Rec, man.

 

[FreeWheelinAudioLuv2]

Kiwi Ears Orchestra Lite

Ear whisper : "amp it though".

 

[FreeWheelinAudioLuv2]

It’s very interesting how you place all these IEMs and your grading system is also very interesting.

It’s obviously high praise and quite frankly, I’m always cautious when it comes to such high praise. For the asking price of $139, it’s not cheap by any means but it isn’t a ridiculous high price that I can’t afford.

I think I’ll give em a shot and come back with my impressions. Worst comes to worst, I could sell em off with a small loss.

Thanks for the Rec, man.

I hear ya. I sold my Tansio Mirai Sands yesterday, and I took about a $30.00 loss from what I paid for them, which to me, is a huge win, seeing that they are a boutique brand and IEM's depreciate so fast (mine are only two months old, so there's that). Sometimes, you just have to take a flier on something, cost be damned?

 

[domq422]

I hear ya. I sold my Tansio Mirai Sands yesterday, and I took about a $30.00 loss from what I paid for them, which to me, is a huge win, seeing that they are a boutique brand and IEM's depreciate so fast (mine are only two months old, so there's that). Sometimes, you just have to take a flier on something, cost be damned?

I read that you sold off your sands after a few months of praise, but hey, sometimes things get redundant. I’m hoping that these aren’t so much in that space, but they have something different from the rest of my collection. We shall see. AE shipping is killing my will to live lately but let’s hope it’s worth it wait!

 

[FreeWheelinAudioLuv2]

I read that you sold off your sands after a few months of praise, but hey, sometimes things get redundant. I’m hoping that these aren’t so much in that space, but they have something different from the rest of my collection. We shall see. AE shipping is killing my will to live lately but let’s hope it’s worth it wait!

They are a fantastic IEM, and the sound signature is very close to my preferred signature, and I was gonna keep them, but again, someone here made an offer I couldn't resist, and they just weren't getting the ear time they deserved. I'm enchanted by the Shangri-la's, Orchestra Lite, Cadenza, and Star River, not to mention still getting mileage out of my RE800 silver and Wu Zetian (I listened to both on my air travels to Florida and back home). So I was reaching for the Sands less and less, so I figured I'd let someone who really wanted them have them. I believe this is how it turned out.

 

[domq422]

Definitely a good way to go about it. I have a few sets I haven’t picked up in months, I must admit. I’m not sure if I could let them go because they were all a pivotal part of my IEM journey early on, and I’m a sentimental guy in that way, but you’re absolutely right - I think letting go of a few sets that aren’t getting the ear time they deserve is the best practice.

I’m happy with what I have now, but the curiosity is always something that plagues me in this hobby. I have the stat river coming in …. Eventually, and I hope they are worth the wait. If not, worst comes to worst, again - I could sell em off with a small loss.

Anyways, we shall see when it comes to the RS5. The Aur stuff will definitely have to wait as those are a pretty penny and I had forgotten just how much they were. There is a huge difference between $140 and $700, no doubt

They are a fantastic IEM, and the sound signature is very close to my preferred signature, and I was gonna keep them, but again, someone here made an offer I couldn't resist, and they just weren't getting the ear time they deserved. I'm enchanted by the Shangri-la's, Orchestra Lite, Cadenza, and Star River, not to mention still getting mileage out of my RE800 silver and Wu Zetian (I listened to both on my air travels to Florida and back home). So I was reaching for the Sands less and less, so I figured I'd let someone who really wanted them have them. I believe this is how it turned out.

 

[cqtek]

Hello to all.

I link you my humble opinion about the QKZ x HBB Khan.



https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/qkz-x-hbb-khan.26267/reviews#review-30317

 

[WAON303]

Listening to different sound signatures made me realize that I don't have a strong personal preference, anyone fell the same?

What I grab depends on mood and genre.

Well done bassy, warm, v, bright and neutral all have their strengths and weaknesses.

Probably why I won't be satisfied with a single endgame IEM when that day arrives, I'm that dude who needs at least 2 endgames with different signatures.

Rip bank account

 

[Ferdinando1968]

Great! USB-V to lighting! Need it for Droplet…

I have been using this adapter for some time, if it can be useful:

https://amzn.eu/d/fYrlpHT

 

[AmericanSpirit]

Listening to different sound signatures made me realize that I don't have a strong personal preference, anyone fell the same?

What I grab depends on mood and genre.

Well done bassy, warm, v, bright and neutral all have their strengths and weaknesses.

Probably why I won't be satisfied with a single endgame IEM when that day arrives, I'm that dude who needs at least 2 endgames with different signatures.

Rip bank account

It took me very long time to realize, I’m 60 % detail 40% dynamism oriented, for that Anole VX is 75:25 ~ 65:35, MEST MKII is 40:60.

But even I found my ideal 60:40 with Recabled See Audio Bravery, there are always some thing else. Like Neon Pro (65:35 or 45:55 )and SR5 (it’s 50:50).

I feel IEMs are more like fashion clothing, you will feel different each day, and there are suitable ones for that certain mood/conditions. On a gloomy day with headache, I definitely don’t want to have Bravery on, it’s too revealing, I’d rather go either Wu Zetain or SA6, vice versa.

At least I’m more interested in tunable IEMs, and hoping Truthear to come up with 4switch 14BA class flagship someday. … Switches can change tonal balance, but not timbre itself, so either way the need for another clothing would grow.

It’s very interesting how you place all these IEMs and your grading system is also very interesting.

It’s obviously high praise and quite frankly, I’m always cautious when it comes to such high praise. For the asking price of $139, it’s not cheap by any means but it isn’t a ridiculous high price that I can’t afford.

I think I’ll give em a shot and come back with my impressions. Worst comes to worst, I could sell em off with a small loss.

Thanks for the Rec, man.

Great! Looking forward for your SR5 impression!

 

[o0genesis0o]

Kiwi Ears Orchestra Lite

Ear whisper : "amp it though".

Could you stop hyping the Orchestra Lite? Mine is still in Linsoul's warehouse and you got me all excited

 

[s2kphile]

Listening to different sound signatures made me realize that I don't have a strong personal preference, anyone fell the same?

What I grab depends on mood and genre.

Well done bassy, warm, v, bright and neutral all have their strengths and weaknesses.

Probably why I won't be satisfied with a single endgame IEM when that day arrives, I'm that dude who needs at least 2 endgames with different signatures.

Rip bank account

Yes, or multiple sets

Got Turii Ti for the analytical neutral side and a Grand Duke for the warm musical side for single DDs. It's a never ending process. There are some sets that I'll never sell like Penon Serial (3DD) or the AuR Trificeta collection or any IEM that comes from a smaller boutique company like 634ears or Alambic Ears.

 

[WAON303]

Yes, or multiple sets

Got Turii Ti for the analytical neutral side and a Grand Duke for the warm musical side for single DDs. It's a never ending process. There are some sets that I'll never sell like Penon Serial (3DD) or the AuR Trificeta collection or any IEM that comes from a smaller boutique company like 634ears or Alambic Ears.

Turii Ti is one expensive boi, I could never justify spending $2,500 on a single IEM.

Grand Duke? Is that the Venture Electronics flagship?