The discovery thread!

[theintention]

I thought I did until I blind volume match compared and discovered that what I heard was perception based on something rather different to electronics.

I politely suggest that if you have not taken the time to do proper blind comparisons you don’t actually know what is causing the difference you ‘hear’.

thanks but I have, and I trust my own ears more than the opinions of others...

thanks for the suggestion tho

 

[FreeWheelinAudioLuv2]

Having things organized and at reach is the only way to keep one's sanity in this hobby. It all gets too messy too quickly.

While I'm currently better-half-less, I don't quite understand why so many seem to hide their passions from each other. And I get that it's mostly meant in jest, but some aren't. If the financial influx is great enough to cover bare necessities, save some for the unpredictable future, and on top of that have any leftovers, then why the heck not spend some on these little thrills in life.


Haha yikes! Do you have them labelled or is every session a guessing game?


Project M be looking at you like frequency dip at 10kHz??!


Sheer quantity of those DAPs never ceases to amaze me. Do you have a planned rotation for them or do you just grab what you fancy?


O-oh ... that's endgame talk right there.


Got these alongside @bithalver's Volare, since both will be travelling his way next. They fit well, look good, and come with a cable that's a gorgeous shade of blue and supple, but the sound was so subpar that I packed them back up in a matter of minutes.

Agree. The wife knows, and though she does put her foot down from time to time, she also knows this hobby provides me my therapy, my sanity, so she is also quite forgiving, or accommodating, or however you want to call it, when it comes to expenditures, as well as buys me things for special occasions.

I need to spend more time with my Project M, but I'm eye deep in the review units atm.

Penon Quattro is right where it needs to be, which is polarizing and mostly forgotten. 4 DD, and average technicalities then and now, when you get the very high performing 3 DD Trio, the excellent 5 DD FIVE, and the now semi-legendary Dynaquattro. Now throw in the KZ Decet at 5 DD and bass head level bass with excellent technicalities, and this thing, priced ahead of all of them, with middling technicalities, is an afterthought, regardless of how hard Penon pushes these with reviewers, a year after release.

Kiwi Ears Septet​

1DD + 4BA + 1 Planar + 1 PZT Quadbrid​

I like the look of this thing. The successor to the Quintet and similar tech to the SM4.

EarAcoustic have pretty big marketing push with many2 reviews in the facebook audiogroup

semi recent one by Akros



had they have better naming system and didn't push like 6 iem in the same time,
it might be easier for brand recognition

Gotta hand it to TFZ for putting their money where their mouths are, but overall, this is as successful (confusing) a launch as any of their other launches, where they simply don't know how to focus on one or two ITEMS and let that breathe and simmer. They do the Ziigaat and Kiwi Ears approach (or the old KZ approach) of throwing a bunch of product at the consumer, and hoping something hits and makes them fast money.

Their namings are really confusing to a point that some Chinese reviewer warned them to change it before release but EarAcoustic don't bother…

STA-Hi End
STA-Hi End MAX
STA-PRO
STA-PRO Ultra
STA-PRO MAX
SPA-PRO
SPA-PRO Ultra
SPA-PRO MAX
SPA-Hi End
SPA-Hi End Ultra
SPA-Hi End MAX
SPA-Hi End Limited Edition 001
SPA-Hi End Limited Edition 002

What a clusterfreak…

See above. Indeed. TFZ (The Flagrant Zillion (releases)).

Talk about vents! Wow!

Hopefully, it makes for a huge soundstage, and some nice dimensionality and depth with all those drivers?

OMG...I am still craving to get a DAP....just look at that, one would be enough, and I would feel like a happy kid!!!

Hiby R3 II 2025 or the FiiO JM21 are excellent non-android and android started DAPs, that will make you feel like you're mid-fi crashing at lower price point.

Yeah but the mids sound compressed , the bass is also tighter and more textured on the 61t.

The Defiant is not going to win any awards for clarity and resolution.

This would be a great IEM for those new to the hobby who don't know thier sound preferences yet and looking to get thier first Hybrid.

Full value marks for Nice case and modular cable.

For a $100 completely Un-offensive and safe... maybe too safe.

But the Defiant is not 61T not by along shot.

You spoke what I was thinking. I'm been in this long enough to know. Exactly what I said a couple pages back. Thanks for confirming. PASS (though the green one does have quite the allure visually LOL).

thanks but I have, and I trust my own ears more than the opinions of others...

thanks for the suggestion tho

1000%. I'm going to trust my ears, and what I hear vs relying on science experiments and how someone else hears something. If sonics align, they align. Good for me. I found a kindred spirit to add to the decision (confirmation) list, but ultimately, audio is extremely personal, and so the perceptions and pleasures are also ultimately your own.

 

[pk4425]

KiwiEars Aether $135 at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Linsoul-Kiwi...eywords=kiwiears+aether&qid=1744479152&sr=8-1

 

[FreeWheelinAudioLuv2]

KiwiEars Aether $135 at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Linsoul-Kiwi...eywords=kiwiears+aether&qid=1744479152&sr=8-1

So you can add it to your Aether basket?! Ok, i'll see myself out.

 

[GorGhast]

Since KE Aether is so popular lately, what are you guy's favorite tips to use on them? I'm about to sit down and properly test the pair I got this week

 

[Fantomax]

Since KE Aether is so popular lately, what are you guy's favorite tips to use on them? I'm about to sit down and properly test the pair I got this week

Penon Liqueur B(lack) size XL 15.5mm to completely seal my gargantuan ears.
I have them on practically all my IEMs, love them, never without them.
Never tried the O(range) though, I don't know if the difference is an addition of bass...

 

[FreeWheelinAudioLuv2]

Penon Liqueur B(lack) size XL 15.5mm to completely seal my gargantuan ears.
I have them on practically all my IEMs, love them, never without them.
Never tried the O(range) though, I don't know if the difference is an addition of bass...

I got these on my S12 (2024). Provides a good seal despite the extremely short nozzle. These must be good tips for planar, because the S12 (2024) sounds excellent and clean with these tips (black lickies).

 

[activatorfly]

You are both in for a treat, especially as far as earbuds go. Listened to them last night, after my Lime Ears marathon, and they hung in there quite nicely. Just remember to buy some full bass foams. Those donut foams are . These buds bring the clarity, the midrange sweetness, and a decent amount of bass for a bud. Don't expect rumble and quake, but as long as you don't go into it expecting that, you'll be pleasantly surprised by how good they are.

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Spending the rest of my evening, in between clients, listening to the TRN Shell + Hiby R3 II (untethered. Been a few months since I used this DAP untethered. At least since I got the Nunchaku, Go Link Max, and Clarinet). This is quite the warm and lush listen with this rig, but still a good degree of technicalities, so it's warm, but not dark or cloudy. On the contrary. These are toe tappingly good.

Likewise with the Shanling M1 Plus (SE out) & Shell pairing.

 

[BS5711]

thanks but I have, and I trust my own ears more than the opinions of others...

thanks for the suggestion tho

Of course you do but, unfortunately, the reality is our ears aren’t very trustworthy, not at least when other senses and stimuli are involved.

 

[nikbr]

I love Zephyr alot and this company evolution is a fascinating one.

Zephyr was a fresh product in this sea of grey fish. While it wasn't flawless, not by a stretch, I have high hopes for Kotori's next undertakings.

Penon Quattro is right where it needs to be, which is polarizing and mostly forgotten. 4 DD, and average technicalities then and now, when you get the very high performing 3 DD Trio, the excellent 5 DD FIVE, and the now semi-legendary Dynaquattro.

See, I didn't even consider pitting it against the DQ. DQ is miles ahead in magic sauce and I needed no A/B to convince me of that.

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It's a P7 kinda evening via Mojo 2. Just the right amount of excitement and edginess in that treble.

@o0genesis0o if Aful quadbrid delivers this sort of liveliness while improving technicalities and gets closer to Terra's midrange naturalness, we're flecked.

 

[warrenpchi]

Not even close. Spend some time in the Watercooler, and there you will find the truest meaning of "whole different level."

Different gear, same passion.

 

[FreeWheelinAudioLuv2]

Zephyr was a fresh product in this sea of grey fish. While it wasn't flawless, not by a stretch, I have high hopes for Kotori's next undertakings.


See, I didn't even consider pitting it against the DQ. DQ is miles ahead in magic sauce and I needed no A/B to convince me of that.

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It's a P7 kinda evening via Mojo 2. Just the right amount of excitement and edginess in that treble.

@o0genesis0o if Aful quadbrid delivers this sort of liveliness while improving technicalities and gets closer to Terra's midrange naturalness, we're flecked.

It needs to have better bass than P7. The bass of the P7 is too linear, but boost it to say H60/Fan 3 or Project M levels both mid bass and sub bass, and give it Cantor resolution or hell, even Terra resolution, and it will be one of the must buy's of 2025, along with the Mysticraft tri-brid. Game wreckers!

@warrenpchi -

 

[Nimweth]

Kiwi Ears Allegro Pro review:
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/kiwi-ears-allegro-pro.27947/reviews

 

[Hypops]

Of course you do but, unfortunately, the reality is our ears aren’t very trustworthy, not at least when other senses and stimuli are involved.

The “reality” is that ears are not microphones. Like every other sense, hearing is subjective by definition.

 

[KamilElos]

Do the Isn Ebc 80 hold up to other Totls Like Craft ears Omnium or Loki, are they on the same level?