The discovery thread!

[Ineras]

This one looks pretty nice. Seems pricy though for a 1+3 Knowles, $229.
https://www.linsoul.com/products/ziigaat-odyssey?_pos=4&_sid=be4b5ab32&_ss=r

Then we have the new 1+2 HBB collab at $30 cheaper. MO' META MO' BETTAH!
https://www.linsoul.com/products/ziigaat-hbb-arcadia?_pos=5&_sid=84ae25f2c&_ss=r

 

[Sonic Sleuth]

Well said.

I'm happy but still get that FOMO feeling on occasion. Sometimes feels like being back in high school wishing I was part of the cool kids clique.

But that's life I guess.

Nah! There's no cool kids clique here. If anyone makes you feel like there is, they're the ones who are on the outside!!

But yes, I do understand the FOMO. That's just our mind playing tricks on us.

Listen to more music. Explore new tracks and artists!

 

[Erkil]

To balance out all you Richie Rich mofos with seemingly endless cash to burn making me jealous here in the Disco thread, here is my cheap audio loser update:

I have the dirt cheap KZ PRX and KBear Rosefinch incoming to add to my current miniscule IEM, cable and tips collection of:

KZ Castor Bass
KZ Castor Harman
KZ x HBB PR2 MkIII
KZ 784-core cable
2 x QKZ T1 200-core cables
Faaeal Hibiscus cable
Penon Liqueur Black tips (S/M/L)
Penon Liqueur Orange tips (S/M/L)
Dunu S&S tips (S/M/L)
Tri Clarion tips (S/M/L)
FiiO HS18 tips (S/M/L)
FiiO KA11 DAC/AMP

I'll move along back to my dirty cardboard box under the overpass on the Audio Expressway now.

I’m predicting PRX will knock out the others!


Edit: And really the enjoyment of music have no price tag!

 

[Syan25]

My goal in the next few months is to iron out my preferences with the collection I have. That group of IEMs will keep me quite busy and will allow me to assess implementations across various companies like Aful, Dunu, MoonDrop, Kinera, Queen of Audio, EPZ, BGVP, Jomo, Shanling, Melody,TSMR, and Fiio among others. I have spent too much time acquiring and less time assessing with the best tool I have. My own ears.

@Vonbuddy I'm totally behind you on this. I can only hold faith that you come such a position through clarity and solitude. This is your grace. It should be a golden number.

 

[MakeItWain]

Hi all.

I'm still working on video editing (ugh, video editing sucks, y'all) my AME Mousa video that I hope to drop this weekend. Been a bit chaotic here with a lot of changes. But, this has been a review I've almost fully typed up and just wanted to finish it up to drop.

ISN H60 Review

Pros: Pleasant warmer sound balance
Mids are the star of this show - instruments, vocals, all of it
Treble is extended very well - airy without being harsh
Comfortable (for my ears) fit
Bass performance is very solid - with the right tips and source
Good overall technical performance

Cons: Source/Synergy dependent: they want/crave power or you're going to get terrible performance
Sub-bass occasionally sounds like it takes a step back from the track/vocals
Smooth nozzle means some tips just don't work with it - I dislike smooth nozzles
Nozzle lip also measures differently all around

Overall score: 8.4/10 or 4.2/5 for a solid 4 Stars.
Final Score (on the Guud scale): dis be pretty guuuud

 

[MightyBalzaq]

I’m predicting PRX will knock out the others!

I've got a sneaking suspicion you may be right.

 

[MightyBalzaq]

Liten to more music. Explore new tracks and artists!

Always.

Seems every day I'm finding a new rabbit hole to explore.

 

[Erkil]

I’ve been using Shock almost daily in preparation for my review. A surprising issue I’ve encountered is the dreaded pressure build - not sure I’ve ever encountered on a vented set before. I’ve switched to Symbio W tips and all good so far.

Has anyone else with Shock encountered this?

You are an experienced IEM user, but I got to thinking….. Could it be a BC problem, perceived as pressure build up?

 

[Syan25]

You are an experienced IEM user, but I got to thinking….. Could it be a BC problem, perceived as pressure build up?

If you mean Burnt Coffee, could be your filtering method.

 

[kaeswiss]

I’ve been waiting for this thing to be released for what feels like forever (it’s probably been about 3 weeks now, first seen it on fresh reviews channel) and I cannot wait until FiiO finally decides to release the BTR17 so I can make a damn decision on which one to get…

In Solid state, the M5 doesn’t seem like anything special if I’m honest, but the real magic is obviously the flexibility with the tubes. So far, I’ve heard nothing but overwhelming positive feedback from YouTubers and what not. One of my buddies on HiFiGuides ordered it this morning so I’ll be looking out for when he gets it in to see what it’s all about.

I daily rock the M4 and it’s been my favorite portable source I’ve tried up to this point and that uses, especially, the same DAC chip and I love the way it sounds. My BTR7 is all kinds of jacked up physically but it still works just fine sonically. I just can’t access any of the settings on the damn thing it self because the screens broken (semi long story) + if I’m honesty, the BTR7 while it was fantastic when it first came out, really does lack dynamics in the bass. It’s very noticeable to me now so I’m looking to move on from it. My plan is to pick up either the BTR17 or the M5 and be done with my portable sources for a while. I need a little extra juice for when I go to CanJam next year and I’m thinking either one could do the trick without getting a DAP.

I'm like 90% certain I'm going to pick up the Muse Hifi M5 Ultra. The idea of having a BT DAC & tube amp is just too enticing. I'm just waiting for 11.11 now.

The new BTR17 looks like it'll be a hit too. A lot of power for such a small device, but I already picked up the Quloos MUB1 so I think it'll be kind of redundant for me.

 

[FreeWheelinAudioLuv2]

To balance out all you Richie Rich mofos with seemingly endless cash to burn making me jealous here in the Disco thread, here is my cheap audio loser update:

I have the dirt cheap KZ PRX and KBear Rosefinch incoming to add to my current miniscule IEM, cable and tips collection of:

KZ Castor Bass
KZ Castor Harman
KZ x HBB PR2 MkIII
KZ 784-core cable
2 x QKZ T1 200-core cables
Faaeal Hibiscus cable
Penon Liqueur Black tips (S/M/L)
Penon Liqueur Orange tips (S/M/L)
Dunu S&S tips (S/M/L)
Tri Clarion tips (S/M/L)
FiiO HS18 tips (S/M/L)
FiiO KA11 DAC/AMP

I'll move along back to my dirty cardboard box under the overpass on the Audio Expressway now.

I know a lot of these folks are in debt to THE MAN, and let's also not forget 40% or more of these sets are either freebies sent by the manufacturers for review (or more), or tour and loaner sets. So don't be jealous. Feel fortunate you can get the joy out of your budget sets and keep the bank account solvent. Just ask @pk4425. He's a similar lifestyle.

 

[FreeWheelinAudioLuv2]

New Juzear on the way the Dragonfly JUZEAR 81T In-Ear Monitors, the price is 249.99$ ,It's coming out around November 5th. It's a 1+8 if that wasn't obvious.

LET THE HYPE TRAIN BEGIN!! The Dragonfly (my ex wife's online nickname) is about to FLY!!

 

[Syan25]

I'm like 90% certain I'm going to pick up the Muse Hifi M5 Ultra. The idea of having a BT DAC & tube amp is just too enticing. I'm just waiting for a 11.11 now.

The new BTR17 looks like it'll be a hit too. A lot of power for such a small device, but I already picked up the Quloos MUB1 so I think it'll be kind of redundant for me.

We really are spoiled for choice at the moment. But at the same time, I don't want too many portable devices. The selling point for me are the tubes on this. But XDuoo are coming out with a portable tube dac/amp too....

 

[statuefiddle]

Big thanks to @coldchillin81 for sending over some gems for a quick audition.


I am still forming my full thoughts on them but here are some first impressions. Hindsight I was very spoiled to have had the Impact in prior to ever trying any Penon set.



Fan 3 - I found the shell to fit my ear anatomy very well when paired with Eletech Baroques, I do not have the OG cable or the space cable but am instead using an ivipQ - 108 Single crystal Silver+Oil soaked copper that was sent with it.

Firstly the BC needs to be on at all times! The stage to my minds eye is more of an oval, more wide than as tall, depth is the only lacking dimension to my minds eye. There is a noticable differance with the BC on and off, when activated you hear a better more textured initial transient hit and fallowing decay. Drums have a more defined and textured hit along side a better string pluck. The stage is along the lines of a left right stereo image with the center image well placed in between without much overlap. Bass is right in the middle of the stage along with the singer and drums, along the peripheries are the bass guitars and guitars. this is a medium to moderate listening levels, I found that it will scale with volume and gear but there is a limit compared to others in its price category.




Turbo - up-up-down-up used with an ivipQ - 131 Palatium plated gold silver plated, Used with Spinfit Omni wide bores. the shell is much smaller than other iems and has a very well configured ergonomic style. Bass is the star of the show here on the turbo, it has a great presence and goes deep to allow for a tactility. This is a hidden gem still out here slamming. There is a great sense of volume and gear scaling on this little guy. The mid bass elevation is well controlled and does not bleed into the mids or vocals like in other sets. vocals keep their tonality while being enveloped in bass. i will have to do some more genre hopping to test out how it does with the rest of my library.



VOLTAGE - 1 up 2 down - Rhapsodio -RSD Golden MK4s Sheilded Copper silver - Side not- this is by far the softest 2 wire I have ever felt or cable for that matter. The OG cable was a good pairing but felt like it was missing something when going through my sources, Almost as if it homogenized the dynamics over all my sources especially while volume scaling, Once I swapped over to the MK4s there is a more defined transient edge to notes with better post hit decay texture. The Voltage takes on some of the characteristics of the Impact with a more subtle way. Vocals and mid bass are straight dead in the middle of the stage with upper mids to each side with slight separation almost mirroring the impact with the sub bass out to the periphery while sparks of treble come in and out behind. This is in my opinion the entry to another tier of replay along side the Mest MKII. Stage on the voltage is 2/3 tall as it is wide.

Thank you all for your time reading, I hope you all have a wonderful day!

I also enjoyed the Voltage in (10) setting too, my first taste of what >1k sets can do. Hope to have them around again some day.

I’ve been using Shock almost daily in preparation for my review. A surprising issue I’ve encountered is the dreaded pressure build - not sure I’ve ever encountered on a vented set before. I’ve switched to Symbio W tips and all good so far.

Has anyone else with Shock encountered this?

I didn't have that experience. Glad the tip swap seemed to help!

This one looks pretty nice. Seems pricy though for a 1+3 Knowles, $229.
https://www.linsoul.com/products/ziigaat-odyssey?_pos=4&_sid=be4b5ab32&_ss=r


Then we have the new 1+2 HBB collab at $30 cheaper. MO' META MO' BETTAH!
https://www.linsoul.com/products/ziigaat-hbb-arcadia?_pos=5&_sid=84ae25f2c&_ss=r

I think the 3 Knowles in the Odyssey are the latest-greatest drivers from them ("2 Knowles RAF 32873 full-range balanced armature drivers, and a Knowles RAD 33518 ultra-frequency tweeter"), while the Arcadia has the lower-grade Knowles mid range driver. If I've understood correctly not many sets have been released with the RAF and RAD drivers yet.

 

[Scubadevils]

You are an experienced IEM user, but I got to thinking….. Could it be a BC problem, perceived as pressure build up?

I’ve had a few BCD sets and haven’t experienced it before. I’ve also had a few unvented sets and suffered the consequences - I’m quite prone to it unfortunately! Two of my favourite sets had to go as a result… IER-M9 and Traillii. Just strange in this case as they are vented.

Hopefully it’s kept at bay with the Symbio W… Shock is certainly a very impressive set - throw in ESTs up top instead and I’d be head over heels in love…