[dharmasteve]

Oriveti OD200....good value at this price

https://hifigo.com/products/oriveti-od200

 

[kaeswiss]

Of the items you recommend, what would play more complex electronic music best? And have a better extension than Twilight?

I traded my DTE900 for the Ascension, but they both have better bass/treble extension than the Twilight. The Twilight's sub bass doesn't go as deep and the mid bass doesn't have as much impact as the other two, likely due to the lack of isolation with the vents. The Twilight's treble is decent, but it's not as airy or sparkly as the other two can get. I would've been open to A/Bing if you had a complex electronic music track you had in mind to test, but since I no longer have the DTE900, I'm sure the Ascension would be better than the Twilight for the genre.

You should check out @Leonarfd's review of the Ascension. His review has a section where he goes into great detail comparing the Ascension with the DTE900. I agree with almost everything in his comparison. The only thing where my impressions differ are with the vocals on the DTE900. To me, I've always felt like they were more recessed than I liked.
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/aür-audio-ascension.26970/reviews#review-32735

Lately, IEM fitment has become an issue for me, mainly with the DTE900 and Ascension. The DTE900 has long skinny nozzles so they fit deeper than my other IEMs. They fit fine with smaller ear tips, but they're just.. invasive. The Ascension has slightly shorter nozzles, but they're thicker so they end up digging into my ear canal and causing soreness over time. Just wanted to throw that out there since I haven't really run into any fitment issues before trying these two.

 

[FreeWheelinAudioLuv2]

I recently had the opportunity to spend a few weeks with 5 well-known “ChiFi” IEMs, the KiwiEars Orchestra Lite, FiiO FH15, 7Hz Legato, Hidizds MP145, and YanYin Canon 2, herewith my impressions. While I’ve gravitated to the more expensive end of the IEM pool recently, I still think there’s plenty of interesting things to be heard at pretty much every price point, including a few here.

Many thanks to Linsoul, FiiO, Hidizs and YanYin for the kit and as ever to @Damz87 for organising these tours in Australia!

KiwiEars Orchestra Lite
$249
8x Balance Armature Drivers



Fit & Ergonomics
Orchestra Lite are simple standard-sized acrylic shells that are easy to fit well. These have a nice finish that feels about right for the price.

Tuning
These are bass-absent, upper-mid forward, and shouty. The HiBy R8 II is the best source I had available with this IEM, and it is passable with tracks that are inherently bass-heavy to start with; anything that isn’t feels thin and shouty, especially female vocals. Not good.

Technical
Orchestra Lite have a wide-ish stage that is rather shallow and not particularly tall; a wide, rather flat oval shape. Detail retrieval is mediocre, with pushed upper mids trying to eke out what the rather average drivers are capable of. The problem with this IEM is with all that extra energy, I’m found myself often turning the volume down which defeats the purpose of being able to hear what details this IEM does extract.

Summary
This is really not a good IEM at all. I can handle bass-lite, for example the Campfire Andromeda 2020 has been a favourite of mine for several years now; but at least the way bass is implemented on Andro, is with a nice a shelf of mid-bass that provides needed warmth. Andro’s resolution & detail are also so much better than this. Yes Andro is/was much more expensive, but I think you are much better off saving the $250 and looking elsewhere.


FiiO FH15
$229
1x Dynamic Driver, 3x Balanced Armature Drivers



Fit & Ergonomics
The FH15 shells are average size metal, I believe machined aluminium, that feel nice in the hand and fit very easily. The design is a pleasing dark blue ‘dragon-scale’ motif with a gold surround that looks pretty good.

Tuning
FH15 has moderate amount of sub-bass, if lacking somewhat in mid-bass and lower midrange warmth. Upper mids are pushed forward quite a bit, and sometimes female vocals borderline on shout. Treble feels fairly natural, but ever so slightly clipped off up top. This tuning is ok, and if I’m being generous very “safe”, but nothing particularly special really.

Technical
Stage here is reasonably wide and has some decent height to it. Depth is fairly shallow, so dynamics suffer a bit. There’s a good amount of detail there to be heard, likely on account of the pushed upper midrange. Timbre feels a bit disjointed between the smooth lower mids & bass vs the kind of plastic-y BA upper frequencies.

Summary
This is not a bad IEM at all, but there isn’t much very special or interesting about it. Pass.


7Hz Legato
$109
2x Dynamic Drivers



Fit & Ergonomics
The 7Hz Legato shells are just a bit larger than average, but I think they should fit the vast majority of ears easily. The simple, smooth metal shells are rather nice aesthetically; while not up to the high standards of 64 Audio, the Legato are somewhat reminiscent of their universals.

Tuning
Legato have excellent sub-bass extension that is very satisfying with good rumble. Mid-bass is also nicely elevated to create a warm and engaging overall presentation. Mids are rather neutral, nothing jumps out at you, and treble extends well without any sharpness or sibilance. The bass-head in me likes this tuning quite a lot.

Technical
First of all, the all-DD timbre is great, you get a lovely coherent presentation across the entire frequency response spectrum. Legato has good stage size in all 3 dimensions, with remarkable depth for an IEM at this price, and gives this IEM above average dynamics. Detail and resolution is good, but not quite as sharp or incisive as something like the an all-BA SA6 MkII, or the hybrid Yanyin Cannon II. That said, you get the lovely timbre as a tradeoff.

Summary
This is a fun IEM that had me wanting to hear more of my library with it, and at times I completely lost track of time, such was the level of engagement I got with the 7Hz Legato. That’s about the best praise I can give any IEM. I would definitely buy this.


Hidizs MP145
$159
1x Planar Magnetic Driver



Fit & Ergonomics
The MP145 are quite large metal shells, with huge nozzles. I tried a few of my own favourite tips such as Final E and Azla Sedna EarFit, but settled on the stock ones. I found on longer listening, these need to be inserted “just so”, and with the cable tugging on them a bit often moved them out of the “sweet spot” for fit. Best I could do on longer listening with these was to just hold them in place so that I could hear them correctly.

Tuning
The MP145 has rather nice bouncy bass that I enjoyed well when I had a decent fit. Midrange is very neutral with perhaps a bit of recession in the lower mids. Treble is pleasing and inoffensive, if rolled off a bit up top.

Technical
I had to hold these just right to hear them correctly, otherwise their technicals were very lacking, with a compressed stage, and an odd lack of any air or separation around the notes. With a proper seal, the planar timbre was still a little odd and ‘metallic’ compared to other planar headphones I own, but at least the stage had a reasonable 3-D shape to it.

Summary
I think Hidizs could be on to something pretty good with this IEM if only the shells had better ergonomics. For the price, the MP145 could be worth a spin, but I think for many they may not fit properly.


YanYin Cannon2
$379
1x Dynamic Driver, 4x Balanced Armature Drivers



Fit & Ergonomics
The Canyon Cannon II are slightly larger than average acrylic shells with deep-fitting nozzles, and I had no issues getting a comfortable seal with them. The faceplate design is quite attractive, that I think gives these IEMs a deserved bling factor.

Tuning
The Cannon II tuning switches are handy to tweak the sound if you like, I listened mostly in what I believe is the default “Off-On” position. Cannon II sounds like the classic “neutral with bass boost” sort of tuning, with perhaps a bit more upper mids to bring out detail. It’s done quite well, although my own preference would be a few more db in the mid bass and lower mids for just a bit more warmth.

Technical
Cannon II have decent technicals with good stage width, although perhaps lacking a bit of depth and punch. Detail retrieval is the best of any of these 5 IEMs, which is as it should be as Cannon II is the most expensive. For a hybrid IEM, Cannon II is a lot more coherent than the FiiO FH15, but the difference between the DD bass and the BA-mids/treble is still noticeable when comparing to an all-BA IEM like the SA6 MkII or an all-DD like the 7Hz Legato.

Summary
The Cannon II is the most expensive of these 5 ChiFi’s, but I think it’s the overall best of them. It’s a pretty fun listen that had my head bobbing along with plenty of tracks. I’d buy this, it’s one of the better sub-$500 IEMs I’ve heard, and competes well at around $500 or even a bit more.



It was a lot of fun to sample these IEMs, thanks much for reading!!

I could get behind everything but the Orchestra Lite being "shouty". It's got blunted highs. Rolled off treble and practically no air, so the mids, though forward, showed no shout characteristics in my experience, and it doesn't seem to be the consensus from owners either. Not sure how they came across as shouty for you, but hey, different strokes for different folks.

 

[o0genesis0o]

Can EQ (in its various forms) bring that mids forward (or backward) to one's liking?

Definitely. You can try a tight peak filter around 1.25kHz, extending from around 800Hz to around 2kHz. Boosting that tends to bring the mid forward.

Hiby app has the MSEB (or something like that) which is a PEQ that has been labelled for ease of use. There should be options to bring the midrange forward

And will it be almost as good as an iem naturally tuned like that in the factory?

Sometimes the EQ itself degrades the clarity. I noticed this only once with one of my devices.

I don’t like EQ, tbh. You need to “tune” to various genres, and repeat the tuning process days apart. It’s better/easier to have a coupler to check the progress.

 

[Nimweth]

Definitely. You can try a tight peak filter around 1.25kHz, extending from around 800Hz to around 2kHz. Boosting that tends to bring the mid forward.

Hiby app has the MSEB (or something like that) which is a PEQ that has been labelled for ease of use. There should be options to bring the midrange forward



Sometimes the EQ itself degrades the clarity. I noticed this only once with one of my devices.

I don’t like EQ, tbh. You need to “tune” to various genres, and repeat the tuning process days apart. It’s better/easier to have a coupler to check the progress.

I don't use EQ either. On every one of my devices the sound loses definition and focus just by enabling the function, even before making any adjustments. The same thing happens with MSEB on my Hidizs AP80 Pro X.

 

[Dsnuts]

So this will be a tip for folks that own the EA1000. I would imagine it will have similar results with EA500 or EA500LM nozzle filters.

Something very interesting and it has nothing to do with Simgot IEMS, well I suppose it does as you have to use their included nozzle filters. I have been tinkering a bit with Simgots Included nozzles on the NiceHCK Himalayas. I posted about this a while back but I realize some of you may be getting the Himalaya and if you also own any of the Simgot IEMs I mention here. Try their Simgot harmon tuned filter. ( to be honest these filters have pretty much collected dust since I did my reviews for the EA500, EA500LM and the EA1000 due to their brightness) But they have a use!

Yes it is the brightest filter out of all their tunings. You might like the Harmon 2019 better but for my ears at least their Harmon 2019 filter Aka red ring filter has somewhat of a neutering effect for upper mids that causes a bit of a nasal shift for vocals. Can't have that. The black filter or Simgots Harmon filter? Now we are talking. This thing. WOW. This thing improves the sound on the Himalaya. Its not that the Himalayas included nozzles are bad. Well its short which can affect fitment but What this filter does is. It opens up the stage even greater. Music sounds more open more spacious. Bass has greater impact, mids with greater body, treble with slightly better extension. It sounds even better than what was included with the Himalaya. If you have any of the Simgot IEMs. Give this a try. I bet it will surprise you. Oh and they can definitely use a better cable as well.

I will post a pic with these nozzles installed later on tonight when I get a chance but. Give these a try. It makes them sound even better than what they already are.

Who would have thought the Simgot Harmon target would be a thing for another manufactured dynamic IEM.

 

[nikbr]

Missing: a reference to your classified page where the world's best deal is unfolding

Haha nooo, that ain't happening! (yet)

Honestly though, I am going through a bit of a phase where I'm really struggling to justify the funds I've got tied up in audio gear ... despite the immense enjoyment every item brings! I'm trying to tread these hi-fi grounds a bit more patiently and holistically. Music is my main focus.

 

[domq422]

Haha nooo, that ain't happening! (yet)

Honestly though, I am going through a bit of a phase where I'm really struggling to justify the funds I've got tied up in audio gear ... despite the immense enjoyment every item brings! I'm trying to tread these hi-fi grounds a bit more patiently and holistically. Music is my main focus.

That is when you truly transend. When music becomes the main focus and the gear takes the back seat... man, what nirvana. But eventually, you will fall into the gear again, trust me. It happened to me a few times over the last 2 years.

 

[nikbr]

That is when you truly transend. When music becomes the main focus and the gear takes the back seat... man, what nirvana. But eventually, you will fall into the gear again, trust me. It happened to me a few times over the last 2 years.

Quite possibly, and I'm not at all afraid of when the cycle repeats, but it will certainly be a while before I rejoin the purchasing spree at any serious pace. I think I also want to wait until any new new tech hits the (somewhat affordable) market. Till then, most discoveries will be focused on music discoveries.

 

[domq422]

Quite possibly, and I'm not at all afraid of when the cycle repeats, but it will certainly be a while before I rejoin the purchasing spree at any serious pace. I think I also want to wait until any new new tech hits the (somewhat affordable) market. Till then, most discoveries will be focused on music discoveries.

I feel you on that, sir. It allows your brain a proper reset and it also allows you to sit back and enjoy what you already have. I started a series of impressions/reviews on all of my currently owned IEMs in order to curb the temptation of buying a new IEM. I have purchased some 2nd hand IEMs at ridiculously low prices from my buddies, but besides that, I haven't bought a single thing in 4 months. Which is an achievement for me lol

The Titan has been the only IEM I've had the pleasure of listening to recently where I am very much ready to open up the ol' wallet.

Music discoveries are the best. Especially when you find an artist that clicks with you rather than just 1 song.

 

[Jaytiss]

Cringolo!

 

[o0genesis0o]

Cringolo!

“How fast do you want to publish your review?”

@Jaytiss : yes.

I’ll save this video until I have reviewed mine to avoid bias. But I already assume that you have done a great job like usual

 

[thaslaya]

Cringolo!

Damn you ripped it so much in the beginning I was surprised to see how high you rated it

 

[Jaytiss]

“How fast do you want to publish your review?”

@Jaytiss : yes.

I’ll save this video until I have reviewed mine to avoid bias. But I already assume that you have done a great job like usual

I know what I like. This iem is very good for my ears. lol

 

[Jaytiss]

Damn you ripped it so much in the beginning I was surprised to see how high you rated it

Yeah the packaging is trash, like kz level. But it's fantastic, really nice cheap set. Thanks for watching.