Jul 15, 2024 at 3:39 PM Post #111,961 of 145,181
FWIW: I’m kinda digging the F1 Pro for electronic music. It’s pretty U shaped but the treble extension is kind of nice. The sub bass really thumbs on these at volume too. Not for orchestral but they do sound good with modern music IMO.
They slid all the way into the metal tin (beyond rotation), so they won't get any ear time anytime soon. Maybe on some revisit?
 
Jul 15, 2024 at 3:45 PM Post #111,962 of 145,181
A dilemma.

In my budget rotation, I was listening to the least expensive in my collection, the CCA FLAs I received some years ago as a freebie with an order. I fitted them with tips that sealed and they sounded solidly good. For a several hours while reading, I got lost in the music, acoustic jazz and vocals, and the highs and lows were clean, thoroughly musical in the all-important mid range and I was grooving away. If I had no other IEMs, I could be satisfied.

Hmmm.....

I then listened to the Kiwi Ears Quintets and the Simgot EA1000s I just received, and they were a leap above them for sure and without a doubt; however, I couldn't help but hear that voice of practicality saying, "why spend more?" Simply put: it is their refinement and depth. The FLAs are musical for sure and very satisfying but the three dimensionality as well as the other differences youse guys wax poetic about in your reviews, simply take the cake. This assumes one can hear these differences, of course, but the problem is, if one doesn't have the hearing and the means of comparison, one would never know.

That's what you guys bring to the Discovery Thread in a nutshell. Again, my thanks to you fellas. My collection has been skewing towards the upper range as a result. Great hobby, eh?
I've felt this a few times. Listening to stuff like the Trio, D-Fi, Piccolo, hell even the Castor Bass, I'm like "man if I wasn't a hobbyist I could stop at this $15 IEM and be very happy". The cheap stuff gets me like 85% of the way there for enjoyment of music. But compared to my EPZ 530 or IvipQ V11, that last 15% is really worth it to me.
This! There is a clear delineation between what I get from my H60 or P-M than what I get from my Trio or my Neo1, or heck, even the Libra HR, and mostly it's a matter of pure refinement and stage depth and width (overall fullness), but I still get a level of enjoyment and satisfaction while going on a walk or a jog or just running errands with these with the budget IEM's in my ears, and the ST7 can hang! PERIOD.
 
Jul 15, 2024 at 3:57 PM Post #111,963 of 145,181
Definitely pays to search that site---bargains ARE to be found--it is crazy how the prices can vary depending on the vendor----I have had great results from Ali---just need to do your due diligence and FIND the best price---😉
I searched for it about 7 hours ago and it wasn't found

IMG_9471.jpeg


Some AE tips in general.

If you have the SuperDeals section in AE, look there. Prices and offerings may be different for folks in different countries (like how I didn’t get a bunch of the nice NiceHCK deals that were flying around some time back) but there’s a chance your browsing habits could persuade it to turn up.

If you can’t find it at first, search the name of the cable or whatever you’re looking for and click on the listing. With any luck it will start turning up in one of their deals sections.

And if you have a boatload of coins, try going to the coins page and you may see whatever you’re looking for there (or search for it on the coins page itself). Hit “buy” from the coins page listing (not from your cart) and you’ll get the maximum coins discount.

Anyways speaking of cables, I just picked up this new NiceHCK one called GrayLuna for about $15 before tax, with a discount code they circulated at Potafes in Tokyo this past weekend (no, I wasn’t there but it’s being circulated gleefully on X by those who were - smart marketing on NiceHCK’s part). They’ve been on a roll with their cables lately so hopefully it’s decent.

Code: 13NICEHCK14
Link: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005007341873443.html

Of course, you can use your $3 AE coupon as well or top it up with something to unlock one of the bigger coupons.
 
Jul 15, 2024 at 4:03 PM Post #111,964 of 145,181
KZ release another cheap 1dd?

1721013533206.png

EDC-line, the formerly cheapest KZ product line have successor after EDX-Lite take over the cheapest mantle?
not that interesting and i see from its marketing material, that KZ still can't do proper graph comparison

1721013510931.png

overlay the graph and explain it please, "we have warm yet clean bass to mid transition" or "we have better high freq progression"
just another KZ budget 1DD and not that intere...



wow.
wait, thats EDA Balance tuning!?

1721013734292.png

pretty close to eda balance tuning on a $12 unit?..
a bit conflicted, new iem with Eda bal tuning is the one that i always want to get but its in another budget unit not on more upscale unit like vader/trio ($20~30) or ZS-line ($40~50 ish) with better Resolution and staging...

i suppose i'll get it when its readily available locally.
What I don't understand that they compared it with an earbud!
 
Jul 15, 2024 at 4:12 PM Post #111,966 of 145,181
If you have the SuperDeals section in AE, look there. Prices and offerings may be different for folks in different countries (like how I didn’t get a bunch of the nice NiceHCK deals that were flying around some time back) but there’s a chance your browsing habits could persuade it to turn up.

If you can’t find it at first, search the name of the cable or whatever you’re looking for and click on the listing. With any luck it will start turning up in one of their deals sections.

And if you have a boatload of coins, try going to the coins page and you may see whatever you’re looking for there (or search for it on the coins page itself). Hit “buy” from the coins page listing (not from your cart) and you’ll get the maximum coins discount.
Superdeals section doesn't seem to allow some couponcodes. For the OCC849 I was cheaper off using the coin page, €53 or so for me. Even tho I don't need additional cables I wanted to try a Penon cable.
 
Jul 15, 2024 at 4:13 PM Post #111,967 of 145,181
A dilemma.

In my budget rotation, I was listening to the least expensive in my collection, the CCA FLAs I received some years ago as a freebie with an order. I fitted them with tips that sealed and they sounded solidly good. For a several hours while reading, I got lost in the music, acoustic jazz and vocals, and the highs and lows were clean, thoroughly musical in the all-important mid range and I was grooving away. If I had no other IEMs, I could be satisfied.

Hmmm.....

I then listened to the Kiwi Ears Quintets and the Simgot EA1000s I just received, and they were a leap above them for sure and without a doubt; however, I couldn't help but hear that voice of practicality saying, "why spend more?" Simply put: it is their refinement and depth. The FLAs are musical for sure and very satisfying but the three dimensionality as well as the other differences youse guys wax poetic about in your reviews, simply take the cake. This assumes one can hear these differences, of course, but the problem is, if one doesn't have the hearing and the means of comparison, one would never know.

That's what you guys bring to the Discovery Thread in a nutshell. Again, my thanks to you fellas. My collection has been skewing towards the upper range as a result. Great hobby, eh?
I've felt this a few times. Listening to stuff like the Trio, D-Fi, Piccolo, hell even the Castor Bass, I'm like "man if I wasn't a hobbyist I could stop at this $15 IEM and be very happy". The cheap stuff gets me like 85% of the way there for enjoyment of music. But compared to my EPZ 530 or IvipQ V11, that last 15% is really worth it to me.
When I gave my partner my old Truthear Hola set and she tried them out for a couple of days, it was like a lightbulb went off inside her head. She'd spent years using pack-in earbuds, airline freebies, and Target sale sets. She's not the sort to believe in "luxuries" like $50+ earphones. Her mind was blown by the modest Hola. These are her endgame.

IMG_9471.jpeg

Some AE tips in general.

If you have the SuperDeals section in AE, look there. Prices and offerings may be different for folks in different countries (like how I didn’t get a bunch of the nice NiceHCK deals that were flying around some time back) but there’s a chance your browsing habits could persuade it to turn up.

If you can’t find it at first, search the name of the cable or whatever you’re looking for and click on the listing. With any luck it will start turning up in one of their deals sections.

And if you have a boatload of coins, try going to the coins page and you may see whatever you’re looking for there (or search for it on the coins page itself). Hit “buy” from the coins page listing (not from your cart) and you’ll get the maximum coins discount.

Anyways speaking of cables, I just picked up this new NiceHCK one called GrayLuna for about $15 before tax, with a discount code they circulated at Potafes in Tokyo this past weekend (no, I wasn’t there but it’s being circulated gleefully on X by those who were - smart marketing on NiceHCK’s part). They’ve been on a roll with their cables lately so hopefully it’s decent.

Code: 13NICEHCK14
Link: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005007341873443.html

Of course, you can use your $3 AE coupon as well or top it up with something to unlock one of the bigger coupons.
Man, buying from AE is such a headache. Across my laptop, my PC, my phone, my office computer, and my tablet I get completely different prices for the same things. Their pricing is so chaotic that I don't even know how best to game the system to get the best prices anymore. It feels like I'm watching the cryptocurrency market.
 
Jul 15, 2024 at 4:18 PM Post #111,970 of 145,181
Well most of the people looking at the marketing will not know it's an earbud, they'll just see the graph and think "wow that looks crap compared to the KZ". Lol
Exactly their intent! They see that huge difference in sub bass response and go "wow! The sub bass is way better than that other one!"
 
Jul 15, 2024 at 4:21 PM Post #111,971 of 145,181
Superdeals section doesn't seem to allow some couponcodes. For the OCC849 I was cheaper off using the coin page, €53 or so for me. Even tho I don't need additional cables I wanted to try a Penon cable.
Man, buying from AE is such a headache. Across my laptop, my PC, my phone, my office computer, and my tablet I get completely different prices for the same things. Their pricing is so chaotic that I don't even know how best to game the system to get the best prices anymore. It feels like I'm watching the cryptocurrency market.

I find I usually get the best prices from the coins page, even when it means I can’t combine orders to use platform coupons. OCC849 didn’t turn up in coins for me, only Superdeals. Anyway it’s a pretty solid cable, and that price is close to what I paid for it as well.

The way they calculate discounts on the coins page is also pretty wacky so I usually just hit buy and see what I’d have to pay before deciding.
 
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Jul 15, 2024 at 4:21 PM Post #111,972 of 145,181
@FreeWheelinAudioLuv2 Did you say the newer Spiral Dots noticeably lower the bass quantity? Do you get better highs though?
No. The opposite. The ++ increase bass and lessen the treble. Also the material is different. It's a more slicker material, that kind of reminds me of the old Sony hybrid tips. Similar shape to the OG, but a slicker/shinier material and it helps to increase bass response while damping the treble.
 
Jul 15, 2024 at 4:23 PM Post #111,973 of 145,181
I find I usually get the best prices from the coins page, even when it means I can’t combine orders to use platform coupons. The way they calculate discounts there is also pretty wacky so I usually just hit buy and see what I’d have to pay before deciding.
Yeah the percentages they show on the coin page can be complete bull lol. Anything up to 20% seems trustworthy but anything above usually turns out less. But yeah you are definitely right coin page is awesome.
 
Jul 15, 2024 at 4:24 PM Post #111,974 of 145,181
But ended up with enough for $15 off and highly debating the Aful Explorer at $90 after taxes...
Ohh, Explorer is on its way here and I am very excited. Due to the graph, I'm expecting a completely different and fresh experience to all my other sets.

I guess moondrop isn't having a good year, considering they're resorting to bots to boost engagement.

Ouch, not looking good. That is their own doing, though, releasing a dud after a dud.

But even still, if you were to go down this miserable cheating path, I'm sure you can make it at least a tad less obvious in today's day and age ... Every comment starts with 'Love...' for fark's sake...
 
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