[ian91]

Yup, we are back to the equilibrium from a couple years ago but with new players: Moondrop Blessing 3 at $350, Dunu SA6II at $550, Monarch II at $1000, and U12T at $2000.

Thanks for the impressions. The tuning on the B3 (as with most Moondrop tunings) just won't have the midbass to suit my tastes but I'm glad it's offering something to those that do prefer that midrange clarity and a brighter tuning. I'm also interested to see how these symmetrical DD configurations impact driver performance. It's space saving, but I wonder if it comes at an audible cost.

I would also encourage people to look into the SR8 from Sound Rhyme. It should definitely be within that line up as it disrupts an equilibrium in the sub $1000 dollar range.

 

[cqtek]

Hello.
Here is my humble opinion about the KiiBOOM Evoke.

https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/kiiboom-evoke-universal-iem.26224/reviews#review-30717

 

[KokushiTsumo]

Wonder what ever happened to the HBB Maka? That is one that will never see the light of day?

Scrapped due to the Kiwiears Candeza having a very similar tuning, same-ish price and it being an excellent budget set. (According to HBB).

 

[gadgetgod]

Hello friends,

Hope you all are doing great, today I got to try the TGXear Serratus earbuds which are quite phenomenal in their sound signature. It's quite amazing to get such a stronger lower end in an earbud. Midrange is exceptionally good, and the treble is smooth and detailed. The soundstage is a bit intimate but has a good amount of air so there's no congestion at all. It's quite an amazing experience auditioning these. Earbuds are personally not my taste because most of my portable setup requires isolation, and the Serratus had no isolation for me like all other earbuds, but apart from that talking about sound only, I am literally blown away here.

Enjoy a video of initial impressions on the same:-

 

[Xinlisupreme]

Scrapped due to the Kiwiears Candeza having a very similar tuning, same-ish price and it being an excellent budget set. (According to HBB).

On paper also Thieaudio Elixir

 

[Redcarmoose]

Scrapped due to the Kiwiears Candeza having a very similar tuning, same-ish price and it being an excellent budget set. (According to HBB).

Thanks, I did not know that!

 

[Redcarmoose]

On paper also Thieaudio Elixir

Fascinating, I think the Elixir/Allure is by far superior? But the shells being metal and the faceplate being wood resonate differently and add harmonics to the response of the Elixir/Allure? IMO It’s cleaner? Maybe my Cadenza set was bad as it couldn’t get out of its own way.....too slow and murky?

But the Cadenza is $34.99, the Elixir is $209.00 and the Allure is $99.00? The Allure is exactly the same IEM as Elixir, except different extras.....and it doesn’t have the THIEAUDIO name!

 

[baskingshark]

Hmm has anyone guessed or has it been confirmed that project red is B3 Dusk? Because he sure seems to be putting in a lot of effort into it...

Don't think they are the same. I tried a prototype version of the Project Red at Singapore Can Jam and it looks totally different:



The Project Red looks similar in shell design to the Truthear Zero, so I suspect they are from the same factory (cable is also from Truthear)?

FWIW, the Project Red is supposedly dual DD and is cheaper than the B3. The Project Red has a huge mid-bass scoop out, and the bass is mostly focused at the sub-bass (haha I think the B3 is similar in this aspect), but the Project Red is quite weak in technical chops. Folks who listen to mid-bass forward genres like hip hop and EDM best skip it, the bass sounds anemic for these genres. But it comes with an impedance adapter which can boost the bass, and it is also not the final tuning, so YMMV.

 

[o0genesis0o]

Don't think they are the same. I tried a prototype version of the Project Red at Singapore Can Jam and it looks totally different:



The Project Red looks similar in shell design to the Truthear Zero, so I suspect they are from the same factory (cable is also from Truthear)?

FWIW, the Project Red is supposedly dual DD and is cheaper than the B3. The Project Red has a huge mid-bass scoop out, and the bass is mostly focused at the sub-bass (haha I think the B3 is similar in this aspect), but the Project Red is quite weak in technical chops. Folks who listen to mid-bass forward genres like hip hop and EDM best skip it, the bass sounds anemic for these genres. But it comes with an impedance adapter which can boost the bass, and it is also not the final tuning, so YMMV.

Speaking of bass, it’s ironic that SA6II (full BA) sounds like it has DD inside, and B3 with 2DD sounds like Sonion vented woofers

But different tastes, I say. SA6II is what I like: U-shaped (with bass boost on), thick and warm sound, slightly recessed midrange for depth illusion. B3 is light and open with highlighted midrange, “tight” bass, intimate but wide stage. I can see someone getting both and swap between them everyday.

 

[o0genesis0o]

B3 with stock cable. Is it just me or it looks and feels like the cable of Tanchjim OLA?

Anyhow, Moondrop has fixed the fit of B3. Nozzles are now at normal size. I was able to wear B3 for many hours without feeling any discomfort.

 

[FranQL]

Speaking of bass, it’s ironic that SA6II (full BA) sounds like it has DD inside, and B3 with 2DD sounds like Sonion vented woofers

But different tastes, I say. SA6II is what I like: U-shaped (with bass boost on), thick and warm sound, slightly recessed midrange for depth illusion. B3 is light and open with highlighted midrange, “tight” bass, intimate but wide stage. I can see someone getting both and swap between them everyday.

Knowing what I know, having B2, having listened to AuR, my money will never go back to Moondrop or similar tunings that are hyped up here (I remember RSV as one of the biggest performance disappointments I've ever experienced)....a lot They should change my tastes, something like the Kiwiears quartet is like a million times more attractive... . and realistically no multi BA is objective for my collection.... DD single, DD dual, Planar, or more exotic configurations have proven to be more fun to listen to my music, and the rest sits in storage unused.

Even IE600 that seems to fit my tastes well doesn't fit what I consider logical, it's like my son asking me for a €200 soccer ball, it doesn't fit in my mind, LOL, maybe when I hear it I swallow my bad words, but others times it has not been like that.

I believe that the upward trend of products in the logical price range with excellent performance in the last few months poses a serious threat to the flagship products, and they are becoming more and more.

 

[carrots99]

Tuning and audio profile preferences appart, theoretically what would be a better IEM: a multiple BA / 1 DD + multiple BA hybrid, or a DD+BA+EST tribrid? Does an EST driver make such a relevant difference?

 

[baskingshark]

Tuning and audio profile preferences appart, theoretically what would be a better IEM: a multiple BA / 1 DD + multiple BA hybrid, or a DD+BA+EST tribrid? Does an EST driver make such a relevant difference?

If (and this is a big if) the drivers and crossovers are implemented well, generally for a similar price, a multi driver IEM might be better at instrument separation and imaging than a single DD for example. Think of it as one driver covering one frequency band versus 5 drivers covering the entire range, generally the 5 drivers can split the workload compared to one lonely driver trying to cover everything.

The exception might be for single planars, which inherent to the driver, generally gives rapid transients and low distortion, so they generally have top notch technicalities for their price range, even as a single driver. There are some single DDs at the TOTL segment eg DUNU LUNA, Final A8000, Acoustunes, that have excellent resolution that can rival multi driver types, but their price is eye watering.

But of course we go back to the first point of tuning and implementation trumping driver type/brand/count. There are examples of companies like TRN and KZ trying to stuff as many drivers as they can into a shell, but the tuning and execution fails, and the high driver count is just a white elephant.

As for your query on multi BA. In general, BA bass that is not vented sounds quite unnatural in the bass, with a lack of decay and movement of air compared to DD bass. Therein hybrids with BA handling the higher frequencies and a DD covering the bass comes into play, to combine the best of both driver types (single DD tend to lack treble extension). There is a trend towards vented BA bass, that lets it come close to a DD bass, so that's something that may also help.

While the term EST (electrostatic) is commonly used, to be pedantic, the ones used in the budget segment (eg Shouer Tape, Shuoer Tape Pro) and even in the MidFi range (eg Mangird XENNS UP, DUNU EST 112, Moondrop Variations, ThieAudio Excalibur and Oracle) are usually that of a lower-voltage electret or magnetostatic driver, rather than a true electrostatic driver. The true higher voltage electrostatic drivers (for example, something like the Shure KSE1500 or STAX SR series) actually have their own energizer amp or high voltage amplifier to drive them.

So these electrets are already pre-charged, but they theoretically can lose their charge over time and may be inoperable once the charges are depleted (probably many hours later, and probably a new IEM will come in the mail way before that!). Anyways, these electrets bring good micro-detailing to the table, but are still generally quite smooth, say compared to a BA or piezo driver handling the same frequency band.

As spoken, all these are generalizations. Though for sure driver types have their pros and cons, but implementation and tuning is the most important. A Michelin Star restaurant cook can get the most premium ingredients but fail to cook up a presentable meal. Whereas a humble housewife can make a delicious meal with limited ingredients.

 

[Sebatian99]

A first look at the Kiwi Ears Quartet from HBB. In short, they sound fantastic.

They certainly look good, plus there is an opinion about good tuning. This could be a hit.

From the description under the video: The Kiwi Ears Quartet is a harder hitting budget DUNU SA6U and MKII

 

[ldo77]

To my understanding it's most likely a 2DD setup. So I assume he's going for something no more expensive than the 7Hz Legato.

But also to my understanding a retune of the Blessing 3 is in the works as well.

So we just have to wait for the Blessing 3 Mk2