[FreeWheelinAudioLuv2]

after releasing surprisingly well recieved KZ Saga and PRX
KZ set to release... super budget iem that most possibly set even below the cheapo EDC-Pro...

KZ Dawn
1DD, fixed cable, most possibly sub$10
(EDC-Pro with detachable cable, often appears at discounted $6.5 in local market, this might be below that on discount)
image by Greg Sequeira



quick sound impression by Greg Sequeira

Totally passing on this, like I passed on the MT5 for $6.00. These ultra budget just end up on the sell pile stacked up and taking up space (I say this while the ultra budget Fiio JD10 is out for delivery LOL). But this is FiiO!!

 

[Nimweth]

What memories.
Every time my father and I bought a new component it was a real celebration.
I remember as if it were yesterday when we bought the MARANTZ pre and power amps, the AKAI and Technics decks, etc. etc.
Over the years we alternated various cartridges;
I remember the ADC, STANTON (the ones with the feather duster on the front) and SHURE MC.
Good times.

Yes, ADC, I seem to remember the model 25 and 26 were famous. I was very fond of Grado cartridges, they had a balanced armature design, the Signature MX was my favourite.

 

[Hypops]

All this vintage turntable talk puts together what I think I like so much about Sivga’s two most recent IEM releases (the Nightingale and the Que). They sound vintage. Both have non-neutral tunings, but both have a distinctly old school or “vintage” sound. The Que in particular is gradually becoming my most used set. Its approach to a v-shape tuning reminds me a lot of vintage sealed box speakers before the days of bass reflex ports. Sounds excellent across most of my library, but it’s really exceptional on piano—notoriously among the most difficult instruments to record and reproduce correctly.

 

[vagnagor007]

Very nice headphones. I like the sound better than the d41.

 

[Audiofilobrpt]

Have you tried double-flange tips? Might be the solution you're looking for.

I'll have to test some...

I bought the new Tangzu Sacai, but it didn't seal at all. It has the measurements close to what I want, but maybe the type of material didn't help with the sealing.

I'll try some double flange options too...


I have the Spinfit CP240 in the cart to buy and test too...

and I'll try the Penon Liqueur option, which isn't as tall as I'd like, but has a good width...

 

[Ferdinando1968]

I tried the AROMA Audio XuanWu dongle with headphones.
Well, it drives 2 headphones at the same time without batting an eye.
IFIMAN Sundara and AKG-K712-PRO, and without having to push the volume to excessive levels.

 

[-rowan-]

Penon entering Penon exiting.
Unfortunately I lost or had my beloved TURBO stolen .
(I'll have to buy them again , I'll go into financial collapse)

Anyway, I'm trying these FAN3s.
I find them fantastic, with that sense of space that many of you have highlighted.
Impactful sound, well rendered voices, very pleasant to listen to.
I'd say they're suitable for many musical genres.
(but, damn, it's a succession of IEM releases, one better than the other. It's becoming really difficult to choose).

Compared to the FAN2, I think they are better on all fronts; however I must say that I find the tuning of the FAN2 much more particular and for this reason I continue to love and listen to them, because they remind me of the sound of my old stereo system from the 70s.

Sorry to hear that. How did it happen - is there a chance that they might not be lost or gone for good and that they’ll turn up again somehow?

The Fan 3 looks SO AMAZING in person, better than I had hoped. The water is so detailed and sparkly. Truly stunning, and one of the best-looking sets I own now. I know that might be meaningless to some people but I view these as wearable art pieces that emit sonic bliss.

Not the first time I’ve said this, but the thing about Penon is that some of their least expensive and/or best value IEMs also have the most attractive faceplates, Fan 3 being chief among them.

the Totem was thinner than I imagined (Seeing those garden hose Totem cables might cause inappropriate expectations lol,

Totem sure was one of the thicker cables when it was released. More likely that other cable makers have tried to go one up on that. The fact that they’ve released many more cables since but still continue to add to the Totem product line, attract new fans and even pair their new flagship with the Totem says something about how it’s stood up against the competition.

Happy Friday!

Yay! Keen to hear what you think of the M.Hawk.

What I want is a decent oleophobic tempered glass screen protector!! That stock one is trash!

Yeah I agree Hiby stock screen protectors should be switched out asap. I got this one for the R6P2 a while back and it felt like the biggest upgrade even though it had nothing to do with sound. It was not even advertised explicitly as oleophobic but certainly felt like such. It just made the R6P2 so much easier and more enjoyable to use.

They don’t look to have one for R4 yet but it’s worth keeping an eye out - it seems to be such a popular model that there’s bound to be one sooner or later.

Nice, and really how many manufacturers update the cable they sold you a few years ago and offer to receive it in for an update? None that I know of, after the sale they are gone doing new things. But I too am a fan of the Volt and Totem combo. And while Penon may have moved onward from designing and making the Volt, it will always stay in my top shelf echelon of IEMs.

+1.

To be fair, I’ve heard stories from folks who send their kilobuck cables back for repair or retermination after a couple years, usually at considerable expense, and I doubt that it’s the company that offers to do it. But certainly it doesn’t happen for cables this far south of a kilobuck.

It’s certainly very helpful in keeping old cables relevant and it sends a strong signal that the company stands by its old products and doesn’t keep forcing you to replace them with new ones (although it hasn’t stopped me adding to the stable either).

Speaking of standing by their products, this is one of the other cables that came back - the OSG, now reunited with the Conductor:

I had to send the OSG back because its 4.4mm plug failed after more than 2 years… (I guess there has to be a first) but it’s a good job that it happens to be one of Penon’s, because I don’t actually know what the warranty period on the cable is or what other cable maker in this segment would cheerfully take back and repair one of their cables at no cost more than 2 years after purchase.

I totally forgot that Penon now has interchangeable connectors. Do you know if they offer this upgrade to all of their cables or is it just on the Totem?

I’m not sure, but no harm asking - it would make sense for them to offer the service, at least for a fee.

Also, do they have pentaconn ear connectors too or just 2pin/MMCX?

I asked them if they might produce Pentaconn or QDC connectors but they said no plans because “the demand is not large”. Pity because I’d send them a bunch of my cables in a flash.

 

[MakeItWain]

https://www.linsoul.com/products/xduoo-xd05t

Going for $549

Ugh, for $549...

I'm still interested but don't like that at all.

 

[FreeWheelinAudioLuv2]

Better than Orca? Lol

I'd say, and this is from memory, since Orca is now gone, but they are very similar in many ways, as far as technicalities, but the Saga is just more exciting and the bass is slightly punchier and more interesting, as are the upper mids/treble air, without getting spicy or peaky, like the Orca. But overall, very similar in stage and technicalities, with the Saga having more resolution, air, and just more fun bass.

 

[FreeWheelinAudioLuv2]

I'm guessing it's a kick stand. And I want it. I regularly have to find stupidly creative ways to prop my R4 up on random ish laying nearby (books, dirty socks, the shards of broken dreams, etc). Only hesitation is the beige color.


I'm raw dogging it until I can get a decent glass protector. That plastic stock one on the R4 was the first thing to get tossed when I opened the box.


Have you tried double-flange tips? Might be the solution you're looking for.


I'm with you insofar as those upper harmonics ("air") have a big influence on what I hear, but I think @baskingshark's point is that you can't rely on measurements of those regions above ~8k (or I'd argue, even much above 5 or 6k). While every coupler is different, those measured differences become so wildly exacerbated in that region that you regularly see variations in the tens of dBs (and since dBs are logarithmic, those are massive differences). It's a region where, with current measurement tech, we have to rely solely on our ears. Even worse, it's also a region that is susceptible to lots of personal variation because of age, gender, noise exposure, genetics, etc. FWIW I'm in my late 40s and lucky enough to still hear quite clearly into the 16-17k region, so like you, that region matters quite a bit to what I ultimately hear. There's just no way to measure it accurately.


Awesome review, as always. And another illustration of just how divisive this set is! I hear the Project M as a definitively "laid back" set, not at all "energetic" as you have it categorized. Based on the divisive reactions it's had among those of us in this thread, this seems to be the dividing line. Folks who hear it as energetic, hear it as way too energetic. Folks who hear it as laid back, hear it as a super chill set. Don't think the difference is down to hearing ability either, since like I said above, I can still hear well into the upper treble region. So weird.

The Project M seems a bit like cilantro: either you taste an amazing and refreshing herb, or you taste disgusting soap.

Well said about the P-M. It's one or the other. I find it chill and not energetic at all. As a matter of fact, I try to avoid using pure copper or any cable that might have a warming effect, as that makes the P-M just too chill and warm.

 

[FreeWheelinAudioLuv2]

It's more of a wishlist at this point, but I'm looking at maybe picking up one of these BT sources depending on reviews and how they compare to the Quloos MUB1 I recently picked up.

• Muse Hifi M5 Ultra - BT DAC/tube amp. 4 da toobz.
• Questyle M18i - BT DAC/amp. 4 da smaller form factor.
• FiiO BTR17 - BT DAC/amp. 4 da smaller form factor and volume knob.

I hear IEM soundstage in a similar way. It's what I describe as the bowtie stage lol. The IEMs I've heard that have BCD seem to give more depth in front of me so it widens the center "knot" a bit.





If you're a soundstage fiend, you don't have to stray too far from IEMs. Get a decent set of flathead earbuds and you have bigger soundstage in a similar form factor to IEMs.



I totally forgot that Penon now has interchangeable connectors. Do you know if they offer this upgrade to all of their cables or is it just on the Totem? Also, do they have pentaconn ear connectors too or just 2pin/MMCX?



The Quloos MUB1 isn't a DAP, but it does have FOUR gain stages with a ton of power (1100mW@32Ω): Low, Mid, High, SUPER

Endgame BT DAC/amp (for now)

I like the bowtie stage example.

 

[Vonbuddy]

Very nice headphones. I like the sound better than the d41.

What is this brand?

 

[Vonbuddy]

How do you guys feel about the KZ A24 with switches?

 

[-rowan-]

Moral of the story: don't purchase unnecessary sidegrade pokemons?

No sidegrades, you say?

*looks at Rival*

But on a serious note, what are you folks looking to buy on 11.11?

Muse Hifi M5 Ultra - BT DAC/tube amp. 4 da toobz.

^ This. And Or Shanling MG800.

Though realistically, I’m very happy with what I have atm and am prepared not to pick up anything unless I have access to really good deals - for one, AliEx has been so flaky that half the coupons don’t work for me, although the random order cancellations seem to have tailed off (or maybe it’s because I haven’t been ordering as much).

Anyone know about these?
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005007803270767.html

Not a fan of how you have to buy all the sizes because I’m never going to need the XS and S and possibly the M. At $2.70 a set it shouldn’t matter but I hate having to deal with unused tips anyway.

 

[FreeWheelinAudioLuv2]

What is this brand?

Myer Audio