[DynamicEars]

I can see the classic channel imbalance in the treble region. Timeless had that too...

I wonder one thing. Knowing the preference of crinacle with the tuning, isn't this neutral or let's say lacks brightness for his taste? Of course listening experience is always different especifically with planars. I remember he was criticizing some iems in the past for the deep they're having between 2khz-6khz. I might be remembering wrong.

Seeing the graph and assuming that big jump is the 8khz artifact, this set seems like gonna be dark comparing to timeless. Very nice transition from bass to mid section though...

That graph seems compensated graph to crins target, not raw measurement

 

[Jmop]

That graph seems compensated graph to crins target, not raw measurement

True, it's not accounting for pinna gain, so upper mids and a bit of lower treble will be more prominent.

 

[baskingshark]

That graph seems compensated graph to crins target, not raw measurement

The raw graph is the bottom one in grey (not the target neutral darker one).

 

[ExTubeGamer]

Maybe it would be a good upgrade for my Timeless? If they manage to upgrade the detail retrieval it would be worth it.

 

[brsdrgn]

Maybe it would be a good upgrade for my Timeless? If they manage to upgrade the detail retrieval it would be worth it.

I'll wait for the reviews before jumping.

Seeing 2 pin connection makes me wanna buy it though. With my timeless, I'm having driver crippling on the right unit unfortunately. It's not driver flex I'm %100 sure of it. When I set the gain on high, it seems suffering while playing track with heavy subbass.

 

[ChrisOc]

Tangzu Shimin Li, a single dynamic driver set. Solid feeling metal earphones with some weight, not quite Ikko OH10s but good weight. Hopefully that is a sign of a well constructed set.

Cable is rubbery and may be the least attractive part of the package, but can be changed, so worries there.

A relatively neutral and natural sounding earphones for £29.00! Surprisingly competent!

Early days yet, as I just received this review unit, but initial impressions, good. Burn-in starts now.

Further impressions to come.

 

[InvisibleInk]

Tangzu Shimin Li, a single dynamic driver set. Solid feeling metal earphones with some weight, not quite Ikko OH10s but good weight. Hopefully that is a sign of a well constructed set.

Cable is rubbery and may be the least attractive part of the package, but can be changed, so worries there.

A relatively neutral and natural sounding earphones for £29.00! Surprisingly competent!

Early days yet, as I just received this review unit, but initial impressions, good. Burn-in starts now.

Further impressions to come.

Those look too nice for the price

 

[kmmbd]

Received the Aria SE today. It's raining cats and dogs here, but decided to do some photoshoot anyway.

The anime packaging is a bit too "on-your-face" for me. At first glance, it's impossible to tell this is even an IEM package, unless you are looking at the back of the package.

Anyway, accessories are the same as OG Aria, with the addition of extra Spring tips. I am probably not gonna use those, because so far they have made every IEM I own sound worse. The carrying case is too small, again. Basically the Aria case in a different color. A chore to get the IEMs inside.

Stock cable is miles better than the horrible OG Aria cable. It seems similar to the SSP cable, so not very exotic, but gets the job done. Also I wish Moondrop would have a chin-slider here, but alas.

As for the IEMs, first up is build. The shell is again painted, and doesn't seem to be anodized. The pattern on top is also printed, not laser-etched from what I can tell (correct me if I'm wrong here).

So, yeah, I am expecting paint to chip-off here as well.

Now, some sound impressions. Didn't graph them yet. Only heard 3 songs so far. Direct A/B will be done with Titan S later.

Bass is lower than on OG Aria, but has better texture. OG Aria sub-bass kinda ate into the subtleties of mid-bass. Things are better here, but still, not the most physical bass. Treble prominence is higher than OG Aria, which was a little too polite there.

Guitar riffs are more up-front, sound cleaner than on the predecessor. Male vocals also do not sound as hazy as the OG Aria.

However, I think the laid-back nature of OG Aria is no longer there. Aria SE is more energetic, and slightly more resolving and revealing of mastering flaws. Not as resolving as NFAudio NM2 (which I consider very underrated), but a step up from the predecessor. Think of it as a better-tuned/less shouty SSR with better technicalities.

So far, I think OG Aria owners can skip this one. Those looking to upgrade from Chu/Quarks will find these more enticing.

 

[brsdrgn]

I've been using M11 Plus ESS (will be mentioned as M11E) for almost two months. I believe I spent enough time with it to share some opinion about it and make a comparison with Ibasso DX160. They're in different price range and ofc M11E performs better as expected. I'm just trying to give some idea for those who are looking for an upgrade.

The packaging is classic. I liked the case they sent along with it. It has really nice texture and well protective but makes it even more bigger.

The built is really good, feels solid. The screen has an tempered glass installed in the factory already. Not like DX160 being sent seperately.

Here is side by side the physical comparison:

M11E is definitely bigger, chunkier. That makes it less portable comparing it to DX160. I was barely using it outside so I didn't mind that change much.

I'll not go into the specs and details as they're available online. So, I'll jump into my personal experience.

Short battery life, sluggish performance, wireless connectivity of DX160 is the reason why I made this decision.

Beginning with the most obvious one, DX160 has such short usage time, somewhere between 5-8h depending on if Wi-Fi is on or what kind of headphones you use. That's okay for the price they're asking. But the standby time was pissing me the most. If you leave it aside for a day, the battery goes down by 15-20%. That's ofc due to chip that they used on DX160 which drains the battery like crazy.

I had 2020 version of DX160 so that means the screen panel is worse as they were no longer using the screens from Sharp. They used better buffers to compensate that but that doesn't change the fact that the screen is super bright even on the lowest level which is another factor that consumes the battery and makes it difficult to use in low light conditions. Ibasso confirmed that it's the minimum level that hardware supports. Having such bright screen doesn't mean only a disadvantage though when you use they device under sunlight. It looks very vivid also comparing it to M11E humble screen. M11E has slightly smaller screen size. Not too bright but definitely better with its color adjustment.


Here is side by side comparison when you set the brightness to minimum:

And when you set it on max:

Ibasso looks gorgeous though with its full HD screen(M11E has 720p+) which also has really good screen to body ratio.

On the other hand, M11E is absolutely crazy with its usage time 14-16 hours. The standby time is extra crazy. Fiio claims 1000H. As I don't have time to test that, I'd only mention that the battery level drops only 1-2% if you leave it aside for an entire day! It's doesn't matter even if you leave it with Wi-Fi on! I can't imagine leaving ibasso with Wi-Fi on.

The user experience with M11E is great. Faster SD 660 cpu, better WI-FI connection, having all the connections(2.5,3.5,4,4).


When it comes to sound experience. I'd say M11E is neutral with better emphasis and better resolution on the higher end comparing it to DX160. DX160 is slightly warm with the better emphasis on the lower end. I hear more texture in the mid section with M11E. It's very nice DAP for neutralists. Soundstage is more or less the same in both. I'd say it's more holographic and capturing on M11E. You don't get a day and night difference with sound quality. However definitely better performance while using it.

And interesting factor to mention! When it comes to output power. I'd like to confidently mention that DX160 gives more juice than M11E. Yes, it's true and I confirmed with another user who has both DAPs in M11E's thread. Such a small compact device like DX160 makes my over-ear headphones go crazy on both 3.5 and balanced outputs.

After the purchase I ended up selling my DX160. I'd honestly mention that it had really good sound quality for a ridiculous price. However, performance and good user experience are also very important. I'd definitely recommend.

 

[ChrisOc]

The gold version also looks good. They feel quite solid and sound good to my ears. At this stage (I have had them only a couple of hours now) I have to say, for some people who are treble peak sensitive, cymbals, at their peak, may be a bit spicy!

It seems to me, this is a manufacturer announcing their presence.

On the box it says: "Trilogy Part II" (I must have missed Part I) that suggests a series of some sort.

 

[ChristianM]

Received the Aria SE today. It's raining cats and dogs here, but decided to do some photoshoot anyway.

The anime packaging is a bit too "on-your-face" for me. At first glance, it's impossible to tell this is even an IEM package, unless you are looking at the back of the package.

Anyway, accessories are the same as OG Aria, with the addition of extra Spring tips. I am probably not gonna use those, because so far they have made every IEM I own sound worse. The carrying case is too small, again. Basically the Aria case in a different color. A chore to get the IEMs inside.

Stock cable is miles better than the horrible OG Aria cable. It seems similar to the SSP cable, so not very exotic, but gets the job done. Also I wish Moondrop would have a chin-slider here, but alas.



As for the IEMs, first up is build. The shell is again painted, and doesn't seem to be anodized. The pattern on top is also printed, not laser-etched from what I can tell (correct me if I'm wrong here).

So, yeah, I am expecting paint to chip-off here as well.



Now, some sound impressions. Didn't graph them yet. Only heard 3 songs so far. Direct A/B will be done with Titan S later.

Bass is lower than on OG Aria, but has better texture. OG Aria sub-bass kinda ate into the subtleties of mid-bass. Things are better here, but still, not the most physical bass. Treble prominence is higher than OG Aria, which was a little too polite there.

Guitar riffs are more up-front, sound cleaner than on the predecessor. Male vocals also do not sound as hazy as the OG Aria.

However, I think the laid-back nature of OG Aria is no longer there. Aria SE is more energetic, and slightly more resolving and revealing of mastering flaws. Not as resolving as NFAudio NM2 (which I consider very underrated), but a step up from the predecessor. Think of it as a better-tuned/less shouty SSR with better technicalities.

So far, I think OG Aria owners can skip this one. Those looking to upgrade from Chu/Quarks will find these more enticing.

Hi, do you have T3 Plus and Olina to compare Aria SE? I have T3 Plus and really like the sound but it's not comfortable and want to buy similar sounding IEM. Thanks

 

[ian91]

Tangzu Shimin Li, a single dynamic driver set. Solid feeling metal earphones with some weight, not quite Ikko OH10s but good weight. Hopefully that is a sign of a well constructed set.

Cable is rubbery and may be the least attractive part of the package, but can be changed, so worries there.

A relatively neutral and natural sounding earphones for £29.00! Surprisingly competent!

Early days yet, as I just received this review unit, but initial impressions, good. Burn-in starts now.

Further impressions to come.

I love my set. A very natural, inviting signature with a wide stage. While I like the solid metal build they are a bit weighty and need reseating often. For the price its definitely my pick of the bunch.

 

[RCracer777]

Very interested to hear your thoughts on Heart Mirror vs Shimin Li and whether they really are direct competitors from a tonal perspective. The Shimin Li sounds neutral to warm to my ears and everyone said Heart Mirror was bright.

I've been listening to the Shimin Li over the past week and I've got to say, I'm not that impressed with it. Don't get me wrong, it's not bad but it definitely isn't the Heart Mirror killer.

Seeing the first few images and FR's and it potentially being another neutral budget IEM to challenge the Heart Mirror, I decided to get one. Loving my Heart Mirror I wanted to hear if it really was true. Sadly I can say that is not the case, the Heart Mirror is just that one step beyond. The signatures are different, balanced warm or neutral bright, but it also lacks the wow factor the Heart Mirror has. But that doesn't mean it's not a good IEM. When I stopped comparing the Shimin Li to the Heart Mirror and just enjoy it for what it is, I did start to enjoy it quite a bit more.

The Shimin Li has great build quality, good looks and are fairly comfortable. The 2-pin connectors on the cable are the only thing that can ruin the comfort as they have edges that are a little sharp. The cable itself is nice, although the rubber like coating might return to primordial goo in a few years like most of these coatings do. Only time will tell.

The bass is pretty good, it has good extension with pretty good textures. The treble is quite good but a bit of a double edged sword at times. It has good extension, is fairly clean and never sibilant. However it's prone to sounding harsh on some tracks. As a treble head I'm pretty unforgiving about treble quality but the Shimin Li has no big issues here other than the occasional harshness. It could be better but for €35 I'm not complaining. The treble isn't as crisp and clean as the Heart Mirror but when it comes to DD treble quality you just can't beat the CNT. I'll give the Shimin Li some points for trying though. The mids I'm not that fond of, it's rather congested when compared to the Heart Mirror and can at times sound a little hollow. It sometimes feels like it's being held back by something, like there is potential there but it just won't show it. I've tried a few things, but stuff like running it balanced doesn't reveal this potential like it did with the Tripowin x HBB Olina (man, that thing rocks when driven balanced ). The Shimin Li does, just like the Heart Mirror, scale with power, although to a lesser extent.

The detail retrieval is no better or worse than the Heart Mirror with similar imaging, separation and layering. The only difference being the larger soundstage, in absolute size it's pretty close but the Shimin Li has a bigger presentation compared to the more intimate Heart Mirror. Although the soundstage is above average at this price point, something like the CCZ Emerald will beat the Shimin Li quite badly when it comes to soundstage, imaging, separation and layering. Despite having a slightly bigger soundstage than the Heart Mirror, it still sounds more congested and I'm not sure why this is. Might be due to the Heart Mirror having a clean presentation with a nice black background.

The Shimin Li is also sensitive to the tips used. And I'm not just talking about the sound signature here. This kind of tip sensitivity is not something I've had before. The tonality goes, depending on the tip you use, from pretty good to sounding off. Using tips to make it neutral warm completely ruins the tonality, and when you get a decent tonality the sound is more a warm mild V-shape rather than balanced warm, let alone neutral warm. How ever this is only using the included tips, haven't tried any other tips yet. This all leads to the Shimin Li being pretty bad at rock and metal as congestion and poor tonality really hurt these genres.

Overall the Shimin Li is a nice IEM with a balanced warm to warm mild v-shaped sound signature. Easy to listen to for long periods at a time. I could see people picking the Shimin Li over the heart mirror, especially if you can't stand a neutral bright signature. But do know it still has quite a bit of treble, more than most IEM's would have at this price. The sound quality of the Shimin Li is above average for the price but that doesn't mean you can't get better for less. Things have been rather competitive as of late, if the Shimin Li was released a few years ago it would have been one of the best choices under €50. But with the HZsound Heart Mirror, Reecho SG-01 OVA and CCA CRA existing it has some really stiff competition which in turn means the Shimin Li doesn't really stand out in the crowd. At least not with it's sound, golden IEM's always stand out...

 

[ChrisOc]

I love my set. A very natural, inviting signature with a wide stage. While I like the solid metal build they are a bit weighty and need reseating often. For the price its definitely my pick of the bunch.

Agreed, they sound natural and have a wide stage, I can see (or rather hear) why you like them. Despite reseating these and OH10s (which are heavier) I like the feeling that they are not going to break just by glancing at them and not many manufacturers bother making earphones this solid at this price range.

I do hope they are what they seem at this stage, in which case they are a definite marker for build and sound quality under $50.

 

[VHariram2]

BL-01 - hard to drive, not much value add from BL-03. Fit was also iffy. V shaped generic sounding meh CHIFI.

100% Disagree...you havent unearthed full potential of BL01.

Mind blowing when paired with Ovidius B1 dongle...use any decent spc cable...i am using S12 cable on bl01...and final e tips...heaven. I own Timeless, S12, Olina....Olina is great besides from i tried B1 and BL01 combo this is my daily driver. Throw some 24bit flac..see magic widest 3D. B1 will expose if you throw mp3 or low recording. Thanks.