[Jmop]

Olina SE, am I going too far back in time or a good DD choice for neutral-warm?

 

[nikbr]

Moral: Follow your passions, boys. You'll find a way to make the money follow, at least enough to live.

Correct. All these luxuries don't make us happier in the way we first imagine them to. The grass is always greener ...

Considering you rarely saw a set with ESTs under 1k when I got in this hobby 2 years ago…

Wild progress in that regard, but how will the top dogs releasing nothing but TOTL priced stuff try to stay afloat in the long run?

We’re just the dummies trying to drink from the fire hose while also dissecting the finer points of each individual drop of water.

Disco thread Line of the Month already, and it's only Nov. 8. PERFECT description!

Agreed. Amazing wording.

Also, Yongse has officially overtaken a lot of companies as some of the most beautiful cables out there.

I'm super tempted to pick it up just for looks alone...

Hm not a fan of that particular one, but I love my Yongse Warrior!

 

[DynamicEars]

You can see the same dual Sonion BC drivers but this time around instead of dual vented slots on the Shocks, there is a circular metal cap on the end of the drivers. I suppose this end is what touches the inside of your concha for the conductors to work.

So similar to BGVP design then. Noice!
Looks really close to the nozzle though, I wonder if it might get covered by the umbrella on large tips.

Thanks for the pic @Dsnuts
Yeah looks like the EC80s have similar front firing Sonion BC to the concha like DMA. While Shock's BCD opening is more to the bottom side of the concha, not sure which one os more effective until we personally try both since this is beyond generalized fit, people's unique concha shape can be playing bigger role here. Some may feel Shock BCD opening is more effective and some may prefer EC80 way.

Hopefully the EC80 also have more aggressive upper extension tune, not like majority undertuned ESTs, doesn't need to be on Annihilator 2023 level, just decent quantity with some compensation on quantity since ESTs are smoother than BAs.

I'm keeping my eyes towards BCD IEMs only now. Not sure if I'm gonna buy the Anvil 511 for 11.11. Maybe I just grab the Fifty Strings M.Hawk Cable to chase the last 5% SQ boost for my Shock, it is on my cart now, waiting for the day.

 

[gadgetgod]

Man sunday is a fun day today. i just completed shoot of two new videos, one is Clavelon Delta review and the other is the best unboxing experience I have had so far. Here's an image from my table(I was too tired to get included hehe).

 

[Marrogwar]

How is Ziigaat Estrella vs Kiwi KE4 and Ziigaat Arete? Did anyone heard all three?

 

[Okcerg]

Source is ABSOLUTELY the most important link in the chain outside of transducers.

For instance, and I was going to post this separately, but I came across your question, and well, it fit perfectly...

I have a new appreciation for the Simgot Supermix4. I thank @thaslaya for providing me a second lease on life in trying these IEMs, as my first go around was less than stellar. It was abysmal. But baxk then, I did not own the iBasso DC Elite. So playing thru the DCE changes the game for the SM4, as well as many of my other IEMs, both mid-fi and budget. Now it's an ok set thru my Sony's, and even the B4-X, with good detail retrieval and an engaging enough sound, but when it's fed thru that DCE, it becomes a whole different animal, and the stage becomes more expansive, the treble air becomes crisper with more spatiality up top, and the bass becomes tighter and less pillowy. Now separate them from this chain, and they become a $50.00 IEM, but chain them together, and the SM4 begins to play in the $200 range, and maybe higher? SOURCE MATTERS.

As for a budget source rec....a beater set? Ummm...the B4-X isn't really that mobile (it's more of a desktop amp), the DCE isn't beater cheap at all, and neither is the N3U, so the R3 II or maybe my soon incoming FiiO JM21? I also hear the Shanling M1 Plus is also fantastic sounding, small, and portable and only $200.

FWAL praising SM4, Satan must be looking for his winter jacket right now lol.
Agree, it's very source sensitive, probably due to the multi drivers and low impedance. Like Pk I do 95% of my listen on desktop stacks and SM4 is the one that alters the sound the most of all my IEMs.

 

[Okcerg]

The HiFiGo 11.11 sale has started on Amazon, and in what is a rarity, the sales on the home site match those provided on Amazon (not for all the products though, as the Cantor is not on Amazon), so 2 day or sooner Prime delivery where applicable, and the discounts already available. I also got a personalized $10.00 off coupon (they must have been monitoring my surfing), so I PTT on the AFUL Explorer for $85.00, and it arrives tomorrow. No fooling around with long HFG ship waits and delivery times. Very excited to get my own set, as the one I currently have was kindly lent to me by @thaslaya , so now I can send his back in due time (I'll probably hold on to it a little longer while I spend some more ear time with the SM4 lol).

One thing I can declare is that the Explorer are the new KINGS of my collection for my reggae playlist. There have been a few contenders for that title, with the Juzear Clear weaseling it's way in there, but last night, I was WOW'd by the sheer grace, bass, and ace handled by the Explorer on reggae music. Simply put, Marley, Levy, Beenie Man, Bounty Killer, Capleton, Junior Kelly, Red Rat, Lady Saw, Don Campbell, and Jah Cure never sounded better, clearer, heavier, and bassier. Welcome to the rota, AFUL Explorer.

If you listen to this type of playlist, then do yourself a huge favor and pick ths IEM up on 11.11 with HifiGo. You will NOT regret it, and you'll thank me later.

Oh well I guess I have to cave in and get the Explorer, it's one of the most universally approved sets at the moment. So many with different preferences are praising it. And it stood the three months honeymoon phase test, still talked a lot about.

 

[DynamicEars]

@-rowan- @Ineras @Ozboyblu @saldsald

Did you guys buy the M Hawk cable from HIFI Choi store from Ali? I only found this store that selling the M Hawk.

 

[JamoBroGuy]

Oh well I guess I have to cave in and get the Explorer, it's one of the most universally approved sets at the moment. So many with different preferences are praising it. And it stood the three months honeymoon phase test, still talked a lot about.

AFUL sets are never quickly forgotten. It takes a while, like the OG P5.

 

[mrsergey]

i'm gonna rank all my budget iems that i have (up to $85) from worst to best:
18. shanling x myryad.
17. Trn Orca.
16. Monk lite.
15. Monk plus.
14. KZ ZS6.
13. Moondrop Aria.
12. JBL CS100si.
11. Urbanfun.
10. ISN Neo 1.
9. Fiio JD7.
8. Trn conch.
7. Dunu Titan 1.
6. kinera celest phoenix call.
5. Blon bl-03 (best value award ).
4. Ibasso IT00.
3. sound rhyme SP01 .
2. Fiio FH3 .
1. Hifiman RE800 .

 

[Redcarmoose]

 

[flre]

Received in the last three days:
TSMR ARMOR
AFUL Explorer
AFUL MagicOne
7 Htz G1
DYNA Quattro

These should hold me to Christmas. Got a decent deal on all of them. Hoping to find a deal on 11 : 11 sale of AFUL 5+2.

Luck you! Enjoy

This is going to appeal to folks looking for the odd ball tuning, like the Nightingale. There are quite a few fellas and fellitas who profess a love for odd ball and off kilter tunings, so the Armor, if it does fit this impression, will do well with this crowd, and the EQ crowd, like the Nightingale and Que.

Yes and no. I intentionally didn’t use this term, although I consider myself a fan of all kinds of odd tunings and rarely miss a chance mentioning that. But I see how I pushed them into that corner. They are special, for sure, but I don’t think they would be hit with as open dislike as for instance the Fan 2 was. I’d also consider them more mainstream friendly than the ISN H50, DTE500 or the PENON 10th as such. But yeah, it’s an unusual angle and certainly more polarizing than the H60 or Fan 3. Or Hype series / AFUL / Letshuoer models Canon II, KZ Pokémon to extend beyond the PENON universe.

 

[nikbr]

Anyways, thanks once again for all the friendships and advise garnered from the forums! Keep in touch and remember it's about the music!

Shark, I've been less saddened when some of my real life friends left than seeing your goodbye. Surely you could stay around just for the banter and cut off the reviewing burden? Either way, thanks for all you brought to the table in the last year and a half I've been on here.

If you could keep only 3 iems in your collection, what iems you gonna choose?

Aur Audio Aure, VE SIE, AFUL P5+2. Pretty telling.

I just added the mesh filter on top of the grill. Reversible that way.

This graph reminds me of little something my friend's bringing me from Japan in a few days!

I backpedaled on the BTR17 and cancelled my order again.

Dang it, Ineras! They just box it, tape it, prep the delivery sticker, go to put it on the truck and you cancel ... AGAIN!

Been busy with job, and everything that goes on in life. Was wondering if there have been any must own iem releases in the last 2-3 months? <500USD

If you want to save half of those 500USD and be well content, just grab the P5+2.

I happened to own HiBy R8ii and Chord Mojo2 as my current sources. But I was always seeking for something as a beater source that I could carry to the gym. That's why I waited and grabbed the BTR17 as soon as I could(it will be shipped next week I believe).

There is nothing more practical than a tiny BT DAC/AMP. I often prefer carrying my BTR7 over the DX180.

But I am definitely finding my enjoyment of just listening to music is suffering, and I will be a lot more selective on reviews moving forward, at most one per month and with probably only a select few brands that I really admire.

... excited to hear Mecha before the year is out, I'm very confident it will be another winner...

So true and so exhausting in that regard. Sure, the ingress of new gear is cool, but dang does it take some serious dedication to stay atop of the game.

Mecha should be sweet. Definitely an upcoming highlight of mine too. Do you happen to know if it's using The DD from the PM?

IMHO, the shift of spotlight in this thread does not really matter for consumers. Your excellent ZiiGaat or AFUL or Juzears or whatever IEM wouldn’t sudden drop to 2/5 in absolute sound quality just because people stop talking about it.

Exactly. Us DTs (discoverythreaders) can only spend so much time writing posts and some sets not getting mentioned daily despite fully deserving it and remaining relevant is bound to happen.

 

[nikbr]

And talking about reviews, here's another one Fresh Outta Ljubljana.

Kefine Klean review for the ones still on the fence about 11/11.

 

[JamoBroGuy]

Source is ABSOLUTELY the most important link in the chain outside of transducers.

For instance, and I was going to post this separately, but I came across your question, and well, it fit perfectly...

I have a new appreciation for the Simgot Supermix4. I thank @thaslaya for providing me a second lease on life in trying these IEMs, as my first go around was less than stellar. It was abysmal. But baxk then, I did not own the iBasso DC Elite. So playing thru the DCE changes the game for the SM4, as well as many of my other IEMs, both mid-fi and budget. Now it's an ok set thru my Sony's, and even the B4-X, with good detail retrieval and an engaging enough sound, but when it's fed thru that DCE, it becomes a whole different animal, and the stage becomes more expansive, the treble air becomes crisper with more spatiality up top, and the bass becomes tighter and less pillowy. Now separate them from this chain, and they become a $50.00 IEM, but chain them together, and the SM4 begins to play in the $200 range, and maybe higher? SOURCE MATTERS.

As for a budget source rec....a beater set? Ummm...the B4-X isn't really that mobile (it's more of a desktop amp), the DCE isn't beater cheap at all, and neither is the N3U, so the R3 II or maybe my soon incoming FiiO JM21? I also hear the Shanling M1 Plus is also fantastic sounding, small, and portable and only $200.

Um, ACTUALLY, it’s cabl- gunshots