The discovery thread!

[thaslaya]

Hmm I don't dare to pry out the cables and stuff to uncover the inner workings, but here you go (sorry no macro lens too):



This IEM shall be named the MOON HAS DROPPED.

Moondrop's QC bearing down on us all like:

Of course, that should always take priority over quick unbaked release. But, just how long is long enough? I'm honestly starting to think Cantor is just a marketing trick (rather skillful I might add), so that we keep talking about Aful despite their rather long hiatus inbetween sets.


Now this is one way to get my ears to perk up and eyes widely open. Another pretty design and a much more approachable price. Yes please, Meze. Waiting for a graph.

I'm going to have to take the opposite stance here and say the Meze's design doesn't resonate with me at all. Just looks strange and unappealing personally.

Been a bit busy with reviews lately and had a few in the queue... only remaining for now is the NiceHCK 'Himalaya' which I'm working on next and excited to spend more time with...

For now, I've just published my review for the Orivetti OH700VB - a $699 hybrid with 1x DD and 6x BA - HERE

I have to get my ears on some Orivetti iems in the near future. They just look so nice and seem to be mostly universally praised.

 

[fidgeraldo]

No problm!

hahaha m nithr

That's why I asked, I hav to double check every time

Why eeeeeee????

Cheers!

 

[fidgeraldo]

Just looks strange

I looove strange things

 

[pradiptacr7]

Bass go Brrrrrr when connected to iFi DAC/AMPs (Zen or Hip)
Sunday night with Deva Pro. Good Rumble.

 

[Echalon]

Has someone compared ziigaat doscinco to Neo5?
At that price range doscinco, with its isobar tech, seems to be THE bass iem.

Both are really enjoyable warm IEMs with significantly boosted bass. The Doscinco has more bass, and it is excellent bass with detail and power - really this is a big bass. The Neo 5’s bass is still very good, but doesn’t have the same floor-shaking quality. Mids are very good on both, but feel clearer and more natural on the Neo 5 to my ears. Treble is definitely clearer on the Neo 5, but still very decent on the Doscinco.

The choice comes down to very warm with huge bass (Doscinco) or elevated bass with warm clear mids and treble (Neo 5). Both are a lot of fun.

 

[o0genesis0o]

New member in my stable, the Luxury & Precision W4.

Yes, I was harsh in my review, stating that while it is one of the best sounding dongles and can trade blows with some mid-range DAPs, it’s not significantly better than a good dongle but it costs too much (as much as a mid-range DAP, essentially). Anyways, when a friend wanting to get rid of all dongles to save up for a TOTL DAP, I couldn’t resist the deal.

How does it sound? Take everything I love about the staging, imaging, and energy efficiency of AFUL Snowy Night, and add a dash of refinement across the range, most noticeably in the treble and upper treble, and you have W4.

Should you grab one? If you have budget for a mid-range DAP, you want the sound of a midrange DAP, but you don’t want to carry a DAP, this might be a good choice. I still find it is too expensive, but logically, it’s not given how it sounds.

 

[darmanastartes]

Folks, one question.

Which IEM / combo that started you down the rabbit hole

For me, it’s U18s + A&K SP2000 + Bach Partita 2 performed by Julia Fischer. I was using FiiO FH3 at that time when I borrowed and tried that combo. The way the stage changes from flat and 2D to a dome of sound within and around the head was mind blowing. That’s when I know there is no going back.

KZ ATE. I'd never heard anything so good for so cheap, and in retrospect, it ended up changing my life. I wrote my first review on Head-Fi on that IEM seven and a half years ago. One thing led to another and I've had a perpetual backlog of IEMs to review for about the last four or five years.

 

[theintention]

Folks, one question.

Which IEM / combo that started you down the rabbit hole

For me, it’s U18s + A&K SP2000 + Bach Partita 2 performed by Julia Fischer. I was using FiiO FH3 at that time when I borrowed and tried that combo. The way the stage changes from flat and 2D to a dome of sound within and around the head was mind blowing. That’s when I know there is no going back.

S12 and a Q5K. It’s still the only IEM I have sold, and I regret it all the time.

 

[r31ya]

Folks, one question.

Which IEM / combo that started you down the rabbit hole

For me, it’s U18s + A&K SP2000 + Bach Partita 2 performed by Julia Fischer. I was using FiiO FH3 at that time when I borrowed and tried that combo. The way the stage changes from flat and 2D to a dome of sound within and around the head was mind blowing. That’s when I know there is no going back.

Iluv S'more that i bought per Jaben audio store rec.
Dudes there were so nice, i was simply curious and decided to gather my caurage to ask to try the expensive headphone they got.

They sat me down. Give me a DAP and three headphone to try in different price point.
I stated that i was rather penniless student, and they rec that cheap dual driver bullet-style iem.

I bought it, love it.
after that i went to eartips hole to improve on my iem. Later in my other visit, people in jaben advice me to go to nearby chifi store which have more options in my price point.

Well i went there and audition several iem, mostly KZ. I ended buying KZ ZS5 and well it continuon from there

 

[RemedyMusic]

Hi there gorgeous

EPZ 530 in the house gentlemen. A midfi entry from the brand. Here are some early impressions after a couple of hours of listening.

• these are midbass priority over sub bass. To those who loves their rumbles, you might miss them in this set.
• overall sound has a leaner presentation. I'm coming from TSMR X so while that set is lush and rich, the 530s are leaner but portrays more details.
• bright neutral sound profile for a more mature listener. Suitable for treble heads.
• a contender for purposes like stage monitoring or reference. Suitable for audio work.
• lots or energy and details in the treble. Opens up a plethora of micro and macro details.
• vocals are forward and highlighted as they should be in a vocal track.
• very agile and fast transients. Speedy. Can handle complex and fast paced tracks without a sweat.
• best paired with a r2r dac amp like cayin ru6 or hiby fc6
• separation and layering are spot on. Unbelievably impressive. Can trade blows with TOTL caliber.
• instrument placement is accurate. I can easily pick or pinpoint 2 different instruments on the same place within the stage.
• might be too bright for sensitive folks.
• sub bass lovers might want to look elsewhere.
• decay might be too fast on someone else's preference.
• sound signature might not be appreciated by those who are accustomed to rich, lush and colored sound.
• very high detail retrieval.
• texture of instruments are very prominent. Grit and bite of guitars are distinguished.
• not forgiving on low res files.
• spacious and wide stage.
• airy treble.
• source sensitive.
• if you want or need to hear every part of the musicians in your music, this is it. 530 can reveal 90-95% percent of what every instruments and vocals does in the arrangement. Even chordal and vocal harmonies are easier to disect.
• superb isolation. Which can be dangerous at times when used outside. Do pay extra attention to your surroundings.
• if you are into laid back sound, look elsewhere. These are aggressive and a highly technical set.

I gotta be honest, it took a while for me to adjust to 530s sound. Why? Because i was listening to TSMR X for a week. And somehow my brain adjusted to its sound. Lush, rich, thick, and that DD bass that is hard to resist. But, technical wise, i gotta give it to 530. For a musician like me, who has a cover band, we need to study our parts. And 530 seem like made for that purpose. For me that is the highlight of this set. BA timbre is present to my ears but hey, you gotta embrace BA as for what it is.

Full review in... 2 weeks. I gotta finish TSMR X first.

Cheers!!

#epz #530

 

[baskingshark]

CAN JAM SINGAPORE 2024 IMPRESSIONS



At the Fiio booth, I tested 2 upcoming IEMs.

First up, we have the Fiio FD15, a single DD that should retail for around $150 - 200 USD.

This sounds very safe, U-shaped with safe upper frequencies. Timbre is organic and very natural. Technicalities are quite good for a single DD with nice sub-bass rumble.








In the second photo, we have the Fiio FA19. This is a 10 Knowles BA set, I think it should retail at sub $2K USD and is one of their higher end offerings.

The FA19 has 2 tuning switches, and is neutral bright, very technical beast. Transparent and clean sonics. Their previous FX15 was a bit hot in the upper mids, but this one is safer in that region, but more technical to boot.

 

[Singaravelan]

CAN JAM SINGAPORE 2024 IMPRESSIONS



At the Fiio booth, I tested 2 upcoming IEMs.

First up, we have the Fiio FD15, a single DD that should retail for around $150 - 200 USD.

This sounds very safe, U-shaped with safe upper frequencies. Timbre is organic and very natural. Technicalities are quite good for a single DD with nice sub-bass rumble.








In the second photo, we have the Fiio FA19. This is a 10 Knowles BA set, I think it should retail at sub $2K USD and is one of their higher end offerings.

The FA19 has 2 tuning switches, and is neutral bright, very technical beast. Transparent and clean sonics. Their previous FX15 was a bit hot in the upper mids, but this one is safer in that region, but more technical to boot.

Thanks for all these impressions posts!
How do these things work? Can jam. You get how much time with an iem? You have a few test tracks that you listen or choose different tracks for each iem?

 

[baskingshark]

CAN JAM SINGAPORE 2024 IMPRESSIONS

Kinera has an upcoming IEM under the auspices of the Queen Of Audio brand, called the QOA Adonis 2.0.

The housing is made from pine cone + resin mix. Extremely beautiful. This is a 1 DD + 2 BA hybrid.




So they have 2 versions for beta testing at Can Jam.

One is neutral bright, with a transparent sound and good technical chops. Fast and clean would describe the bass, though perhaps bassheads would want something with more lower-end.

The other variant is bassier, V-shaped with a thicker note weight. Rumbly sounding and perhaps more "consumer friendly".

Their tuner said at the Shanghai Audio show, the consumers loved the bassier tuning more, but it seems at the Can Jam Singapore, participants tended to favour the less bassy one.

Not sure which will be released, maybe both?

Thanks for all these impressions posts!
How do these things work? Can jam. You get how much time with an iem? You have a few test tracks that you listen or choose different tracks for each iem?

It is an audio show where there are many booths from different brands. So consumers can walk up to any booth if there is a space and sit down to audition stuff. There is no strict time limit and you can sit there as long as you want, but of course some booths are perpetually crowded so it ain't good manners to hog the whole space haha.

So they have headphones, DAPs, dongles, amps, IEMs and even old school turntables and stuff you can audition.

I brought my own DAP and IEMs along as I am familiar with their sound signature. I don't usually use store provided sources to test their IEMs as such, but the booths should have their own.

 

[InvisibleInk]

CAN JAM SINGAPORE 2024 IMPRESSIONS



At the Fiio booth, I tested 2 upcoming IEMs.

First up, we have the Fiio FD15, a single DD that should retail for around $150 - 200 USD.

This sounds very safe, U-shaped with safe upper frequencies. Timbre is organic and very natural. Technicalities are quite good for a single DD with nice sub-bass rumble.








In the second photo, we have the Fiio FA19. This is a 10 Knowles BA set, I think it should retail at sub $2K USD and is one of their higher end offerings.

The FA19 has 2 tuning switches, and is neutral bright, very technical beast. Transparent and clean sonics. Their previous FX15 was a bit hot in the upper mids, but this one is safer in that region, but more technical to boot.

Did you listen to the cassette player?

 

[Singaravelan]

Why eeeeeee????