The discovery thread!

[FreeWheelinAudioLuv2]

I think it’s not that folks are saying $7 IEM would sound bad, but JD10 gave them false hope that it would be an upgrade of the beloved JD7.

One has to be specially bad at their job to mess up a budget single DD nowadays, IMHO. I have no doubt this JD10 would be at least listenable.



Precog is back, as spicy as ever

My key takeaway:

• He makes me want a STORM and an Anni 2023 again.
• I should go to gym.

I like this guys no nonsense approach, how he's not fawning over every single IEM he listens to, give direct and detailed reasons for why he doesn't like something or does like it, and he made me once again hone in on the DUNU DK3001 as a potential must purchase for 11.11.

 

[Ozboyblu]

Shocks and the Pyrmids were made for each other. Give that a shot. I bet you will like it.

Which Pyramid versions have you tried so far? I’d be interested to know the one that gives best Price to performance?

This is really a nice warm sandwich, which fills you up

Even with this Gourmet Sandwich above. .

Your Warm Audiophile Sandwich (sammich) looks more appetising. I must audition the Questyle CMA18 next time at the Audio Store.

I gotta get off my azz and finish my reviews of the Oriveti Lowmaster and the Letshuoer S12 (2024). I spent two night ago with the LM and all last night and this morning with the S12 (2024). I'll seal that deal tomorrow.

I will be interested to read these reviews.

Oriveti Lowmaster Is featured on this somewhat Controversial Video I watched.



The S12 2024 Could be delivered shortly.

But I’m not holding my breath….. Or.

 

[FreeWheelinAudioLuv2]

Most of us consider the MP145 to be a benchmark $100ish planar set, together with the new S12 2024.

$70 is a great price. It has 3 tuning nozzles to confer a U-shaped to L shaped tonality, so it wouldn't be as trebleheaded as your usual preferences, but the MP145 has a massive soundstage when amped well. The size is a bit contentious though, so not sure if you can try a pair first before committing to purchase, or maybe get it from somewhere with a good returns policy.






If you are not using any foams with it, it will surely be very bright at the upper mids 3 kHz region.

Most of the earbud aficionados are using full foams with it, which makes it more balanced and smoothens that upper mid region, though with slight losses in resolution.






Yeah I just sold off my Onix Alpha 2 weeks ago. Since it was hyped to the moon, I was surprised I managed to sell it off at no loss haha.

Anyways, best to get rid of unused gear ASAP. Things move so fast in the CHIFI industry that something can be considered obsolete in a matter of weeks when a "PRO" version comes out, so best to sell fast if something needs to be sold, otherwise it would be unsold forever.

Yep. Just not using it as much as as the DCE, so I would rather sell it than have it collecting dust. It has been updated to the latest firmware, and whoever buys it is getting all the accessories (like it had a bunch lol) and the original box. With some nice budget IEMs, it's a good deal, and I've streamlined my rotation even further, and my gear is more the focus now.

 

[FreeWheelinAudioLuv2]

What other genres can you use with these besides jazz, or are they that niche?

Metal!!! It's Andy's go to favorite IEM for HEAVY EFFFIN METAL!! \m/ \m/

 

[ToneDeafMonk]

Yep. Just not using it as much as as the DCE, so I would rather sell it than have it collecting dust. It has been updated to the latest firmware, and whoever buys it is getting all the accessories (like it had a bunch lol) and the original box. With some nice budget IEMs, it's a good deal, and I've streamlined my rotation even further, and my gear is more the focus now.

Still in love with my DC-Elite

 

[Jmop]

Metal!!! It's Andy's go to favorite IEM for HEAVY EFFFIN METAL!! \m/ \m/

Lol I thought you were a sub bass fiend, no?

 

[FreeWheelinAudioLuv2]

Initial listening impressions:

If I was a bright head/treblehead/neutral'ish head, Dita is probably a good fit. I'm not, though.

I'd probably say Pilgrim is better to my tastes and ears.

ISN H60 - alright, I get the hype. These are good. Warm, musical, but solid detailed and technical performance. Bass comes in when needed. Could use a bit more impact but some tracks work well. So far, Like a more technical DaVinci? Or a warmer Estrella?

I have not been lying to any of you this whole time, as I have spread the gospel of H60 to the Head-fi masses (and literally in the case of @thaslaya ). lol Bless you my brother. Amen.

 

[FreeWheelinAudioLuv2]

Tempting! Do the bumps on the inside of the ear pieces bother you at all? I guess if I really like em I can do some voodoo and custom mold silicone to fill it out or something aha.

It's on Amazon my friend. Risk free. If you don't like any aspect at all, you can boomerang it and get your money back.

 

[FreeWheelinAudioLuv2]

Lol I thought you were a sub bass fiend, no?

I like my sub bass with a touch of roll off, resolving mid bass with punch and elasticity and just the tiniest amount of bleed into the mids so that it's not dry, a clean and clear resolving midrange , and sparkly and well extended but controlled treble. This would be FWAL2's sonic preference in a nutshell.

The Nightingale works for Andy, but he also rec'd the Tanchjim ZERO for metal, and he was spot on in that rec.

 

[Zerstorer_GOhren]

Can anyone here share their take on this new "meta" tuning that some people raving about it?

 

[MakeItWain]

I have not been lying to any of you this whole time, as I have spread the gospel of H60 to the Head-fi masses (and literally in the case of @thaslaya ). lol Bless you my brother. Amen.

I mean, the gospel is a bit much when the Apostle needs to drop (this is more of a pun on the name, not saying Apostle is going to be budget friendly at all) but, yeah, I get the hype.

Can anyone here share their take on this new "meta" tuning that some people raving about it?

It's basically safe AF and the new 'neutral'. I don't think it's bad at all. It's a good baseline. But it's not going to wow or impress necessarily.

 

[jbfps116]

I put up my ONIX Alpha and 7 IEMs up for sale. Culling a little bit more, and hopefully someone can make good use of the Alpha dac, as I have barely used it since I got the DCE, and even then, it was more of a "forcing" myself to use it so it didn't just sit. So someone can put it to good use, and get some great IEMs at the same time, and if it sells, that puts me at $1,300 in cull funds, but dang, if my case doesn't look anemic!! LOL Lowest amount in a decade.

It’s a tempting offer for sure… I had been interest in the A4 pro… part of me says I get all the other stuff for free and part of me says… nah I don’t need it haha. Not in the market for another dongle. Although… how much better would it be than the Fiio KA5?

 

[o0genesis0o]

Can anyone here share their take on this new "meta" tuning that some people raving about it?

It’s okay.

Well, usually, I would be more enthusiastic, but:

1. The overzealous patrons of this tuning rubbing in my face with their mythical 5128 rig and telling me what to prefer and how I should read my graph and how it’s a pivoting moment in IEM history and I should be in awe and grateful leave me a significant distaste for the whole tuning. Yes, it’s not logical; it’s against the spirit of science, yadda yadda. But I’m a human, first and foremost, despite my love for audio geekaroo.
2. This target a description of what “flat” is. Achieving flat is good (when I’m in my geeky mood, I would say flat is “ideal tuning”), but does not mean the journey is done. Preference? Breakthrough in the treble evenness? Unlocking the ability to strictly control an IEM’s dynamic? Strictly control its soundstage and imagine? There are lots of things to do, but no, let’s say those are not important, not real, rather than accepting we have a way ahead of us.
3. Taking away the distaste for the patrons of this target, I personally really like the incarnations of this target including Supernova, MagicOne, and 61t. Beautiful midrange. But again, we listen to the whole response at once, not just the midrange.
4. BUT, one cannot blindly apply this target without considering the ability of the underlying IEM, IMHO. I tried to match a few IEMs to this target (or more specifically, to supernova’s response) and the results have been varying and generally middling. In my experience, we need an IEM with strong midrange resolution to not sounding veiled and muffled with this target (but of course, resolution is not real, as per patrons).

I will stick to Harman 2019 as the “frame of reference” line, and plain old 711 coupler as the “ruler”. Other than that, tuning IEM is a skill, and I’ll keep open eyes and ears. I love my graphs, but recent experiences tell me not to trust it more than a quick visual check.


All of this reminds me of the early days when I followed internet advice to AutoEQ my IEM and headphone and have to nod and say “what a nice tuning” when the harman pinna gain drill my skull like icepick, because “experts on internet” say this is how good sound is supposed to be.

 

[FreeWheelinAudioLuv2]

Which Pyramid versions have you tried so far? I’d be interested to know the one that gives best Price to performance?



Even with this Gourmet Sandwich above. .

Your Warm Audiophile Sandwich (sammich) looks more appetising. I must audition the Questyle CMA18 next time at the Audio Store.


I will be interested to read these reviews.

Oriveti Lowmaster Is featured on this somewhat Controversial Video I watched.



The S12 2024 Could be delivered shortly.



But I’m not holding my breath….. Or.

That Lachlan guy pretty much hit the nail on the head with his short review of the Lowmaster, but it's the treble I like, but he's right, the stage is a bit left for wanting.

 

[FreeWheelinAudioLuv2]

It’s a tempting offer for sure… I had been interest in the A4 pro… part of me says I get all the other stuff for free and part of me says… nah I don’t need it haha. Not in the market for another dongle. Although… how much better would it be than the Fiio KA5?

It's got an organic sound with a very large soundstage. It's what drove the hype originally, not to mention they synergize so well with the A4 Pro, it's the ONLY reason I decided to add them as the tentpole. Whoever buys this is going to get an absolutely phenomenal combo, and the tuning options are vast.