[DynamicEars]

The danger of that delusional chase for technicalities is purchasing something way more expensive for marginal benefits. Instead of a engaging or pleasant experience, its a search for an extreme resolution, instrument fidelity and perfection that are not even rational. Chasing unicorns...

Most people just listen to MUSIC casually and wants to have fun. Have a moment for mere enjoyment. Unless you are a professional that needs very analytical stuff, there is no reason to spend so much in audio transducers.

Maybe a clue of why most brands are launching so many sub $100, right?

Very true. A good post.
When people jump in to this hobby, usually they have been wowed by something and then from there will start falling down to the rabbit hole.
Curiosity that created after the satisfaction of listening through their favorite IEM and starting to explore what's out there besides this IEM, what's better than this. Meanwhile experience also increases and they begin to understand the desired tonality, making them want more and more of what they have now. This state of emotions and backed up with reading reviews, seeking for perfection of the best sound that can be produced by starting to dare to spend more money for small improvements. The law of diminishing return as @baskingshark always remind us.

I admit I've been through this state before, chasing unicorn and dragon buying more than what i need, and listening to the set of "test" playlist everyday instead of enjoying music, obsession of finding an endgame IEM that now I believe it doesn't exist. There is no such perfect IEM, there are only IEMs that are very close to our preference, with all the advantages that are in line with what we are looking for so far but cannot be separated from their shortcomings and if we sometimes try to find improvements from those shortcomings and move to other IEMs, satisfaction in other sectors which has been achieved before, will be gone.
From there a delusional feeling is created imagining a perfect IEM with a combination of satisfaction from every sector, I want the Z1R bass but with monarch mk II mids, imaging like u12t etc.
That is the unicorn and dragon we are chasing.
There is no TOTL that is perfect and better in every way than other TOTLs, up there there are only side grades one to another or maybe improvements but very little with subtle differences.

 

[Carpet]

Very true. A good post.
When people jump in to this hobby, usually they have been wowed by something and then from there will start falling down to the rabbit hole.
Curiosity that created after the satisfaction of listening through their favorite IEM and starting to explore what's out there besides this IEM, what's better than this. Meanwhile experience also increases and they begin to understand the desired tonality, making them want more and more of what they have now. This state of emotions and backed up with reading reviews, seeking for perfection of the best sound that can be produced by starting to dare to spend more money for small improvements. The law of diminishing return as @baskingshark always remind us.

I admit I've been through this state before, chasing unicorn and dragon buying more than what i need, and listening to the set of "test" playlist everyday instead of enjoying music, obsession of finding an endgame IEM that now I believe it doesn't exist. There is no such perfect IEM, there are only IEMs that are very close to our preference, with all the advantages that are in line with what we are looking for so far but cannot be separated from their shortcomings and if we sometimes try to find improvements from those shortcomings and move to other IEMs, satisfaction in other sectors which has been achieved before, will be gone.
From there a delusional feeling is created imagining a perfect IEM with a combination of satisfaction from every sector, I want the Z1R bass but with monarch mk II mids, imaging like u12t etc.
That is the unicorn and dragon we are chasing.
There is no TOTL that is perfect and better in every way than other TOTLs, up there there are only side grades one to another or maybe improvements but very little with subtle differences.

So it's the equivalent of wondering whether you'd be happier with someone other than you Wife. Getting involved with a woman from work and ending up with your Wife's younger sister! (We've all been there)

The funny thing is wondering why you ended up poor!

 

[BigGearHunter]

My happy experience/discovery today - got Kinera Celeste Gumiho, and just the art of the package and the contents totally made my day, amazing!
The beautiful image of 九尾狐 was a bit small for the shell, so Celeste made a nice bookmark. A very good pouch (thick and with a magnetic clasp) and a well-coordinated functional cable:


I have not tried them yet, the small shell size and 9 Ohm will take some time to figure out what can work.

That is wonderful packaging, especially for the asking price. These were a blind buy for me and they're on their way since a few days ago, so I'm rather interested in learning what impressions you have.

 

[Redcarmoose]

SuperTFZ Force1
$79
https://penonaudio.com/supertfz-force1.html

 

[unifutomaki]

The danger of that delusional chase for technicalities is purchasing something way more expensive for marginal benefits. Instead of a engaging or pleasant experience, its a search for an extreme resolution, instrument fidelity and perfection that are not even rational. Chasing unicorns...

Most people just listen to MUSIC casually and wants to have fun. Have a moment for mere enjoyment. Unless you are a professional that needs very analytical stuff, there is no reason to spend so much in audio transducers.

Maybe a clue of why most brands are launching so many sub $100, right?

Honestly, if all I wanted was an engaging and pleasant experience?

Koss Porta Pro and stop there

 

[o0genesis0o]

Very true. A good post.
When people jump in to this hobby, usually they have been wowed by something and then from there will start falling down to the rabbit hole.
Curiosity that created after the satisfaction of listening through their favorite IEM and starting to explore what's out there besides this IEM, what's better than this. Meanwhile experience also increases and they begin to understand the desired tonality, making them want more and more of what they have now. This state of emotions and backed up with reading reviews, seeking for perfection of the best sound that can be produced by starting to dare to spend more money for small improvements. The law of diminishing return as @baskingshark always remind us.

I admit I've been through this state before, chasing unicorn and dragon buying more than what i need, and listening to the set of "test" playlist everyday instead of enjoying music, obsession of finding an endgame IEM that now I believe it doesn't exist. There is no such perfect IEM, there are only IEMs that are very close to our preference, with all the advantages that are in line with what we are looking for so far but cannot be separated from their shortcomings and if we sometimes try to find improvements from those shortcomings and move to other IEMs, satisfaction in other sectors which has been achieved before, will be gone.
From there a delusional feeling is created imagining a perfect IEM with a combination of satisfaction from every sector, I want the Z1R bass but with monarch mk II mids, imaging like u12t etc.
That is the unicorn and dragon we are chasing.
There is no TOTL that is perfect and better in every way than other TOTLs, up there there are only side grades one to another or maybe improvements but very little with subtle differences.

Or, you can mod or build your own pair of IEMs. Why wait for influential reviewers to dictate what tuning is good for you (via collabs) when you can do so yourself. The bonus point is that your pride would give you extra level of satisfaction in the sound. Do you see how much people justify (and get defensive) over expensive IEMs that they bought, as if the IEMs are extension of themselves? With the ones that you built, they are truely extension of yourself. They will be the best ones in the world

SuperTFZ Force1
$79
https://penonaudio.com/supertfz-force1.html

I still can't get over the feeling that they look like a pair of JH audio with that flying person logo.

 

[JAnonymous5150]

SuperTFZ Force1
$79
https://penonaudio.com/supertfz-force1.html

Looks pretty and I'm a sucker for cheap, well-tuned single DD systems. I'm gonna have to keep an eye on this one.

 

[JAnonymous5150]

Very true. A good post.
When people jump in to this hobby, usually they have been wowed by something and then from there will start falling down to the rabbit hole.
Curiosity that created after the satisfaction of listening through their favorite IEM and starting to explore what's out there besides this IEM, what's better than this. Meanwhile experience also increases and they begin to understand the desired tonality, making them want more and more of what they have now. This state of emotions and backed up with reading reviews, seeking for perfection of the best sound that can be produced by starting to dare to spend more money for small improvements. The law of diminishing return as @baskingshark always remind us.

I admit I've been through this state before, chasing unicorn and dragon buying more than what i need, and listening to the set of "test" playlist everyday instead of enjoying music, obsession of finding an endgame IEM that now I believe it doesn't exist. There is no such perfect IEM, there are only IEMs that are very close to our preference, with all the advantages that are in line with what we are looking for so far but cannot be separated from their shortcomings and if we sometimes try to find improvements from those shortcomings and move to other IEMs, satisfaction in other sectors which has been achieved before, will be gone.
From there a delusional feeling is created imagining a perfect IEM with a combination of satisfaction from every sector, I want the Z1R bass but with monarch mk II mids, imaging like u12t etc.
That is the unicorn and dragon we are chasing.
There is no TOTL that is perfect and better in every way than other TOTLs, up there there are only side grades one to another or maybe improvements but very little with subtle differences.

Very well said! I have been in this hobby for a long time as a starving musician, an affluent successful musician, and everything in between, meaning I have experienced many different phases of my headphone collecting life/career and I can say unequivocally that the only endgame headphone/IEM/earbud that exists for me are whatever I own when I happen to die. Otherwise as the technology and hobby move on and develop and as music moves on and changes so too will my tastes and desires which inevitably means turnover in my collection. I accepted this fact long ago so I no longer feel that manic need to pursue "endgame" transducers as if there is a single pair of whatever that will satisfy me until the end of time. I don't believe that exists, but I'll be sure to update this post if I happen upon one in my journeys.

 

[Redcarmoose]

Well, it’s actually not bad at all, I was surprised, really?

Looks pretty and I'm a sucker for cheap, well-tuned single DD systems. I'm gonna have to keep an eye on this one.

 

[Redcarmoose]

Or, you can mod or build your own pair of IEMs. Why wait for influential reviewers to dictate what tuning is good for you (via collabs) when you can do so yourself. The bonus point is that your pride would give you extra level of satisfaction in the sound. Do you see how much people justify (and get defensive) over expensive IEMs that they bought, as if the IEMs are extension of themselves? With the ones that you built, they are truely extension of yourself. They will be the best ones in the world




I still can't get over the feeling that they look like a pair of JH audio with that flying person logo.

I’ve never seen JH Audio IEMs close-up, but I’d like to!

 

[JAnonymous5150]

Well, it’s actually not bad at all, I was surprised, really?

Any impressions on the sound you'd like to share?

BTW, JH IEMs are good for live monitoring, but I really diskike them for listening to and enjoying music. Their tuning is off-putting in a musical enjoyment context to me. I used to use them as live monitors with my band before switching to 64 Audio.

 

[Redcarmoose]

Any impressions on the sound you'd like to share?

BTW, JH IEMs are good for live monitoring, but I really diskike them for listening to and enjoying music. Their tuning is off-putting in a musical enjoyment context to me. I used to use them as live monitors with my band before switching to 64 Audio.

A 5 minute listening session this AM produced a relatively warm but not “dark” display. Probably the first thing that surprised me was the ultimate coherent aspect. Truly though I’m guessing a solid week of burn-in, before real assessments can be made? But it wasn’t terrible at all OTB, the other interesting thing I noticed first off was how close the elements where inside the soundstage? Normally I never pick-up on that at the start? So? But there is a review already up, just in-case you feel like reading, I haven’t totally read it yet, just read it 1/2 way.....and looked at the pictures. But for what ever reason the (gold/yellow/green) other color bugs me.....lucky I didn’t get the colored one. But they are slightly different in real life.......the way they look? They don’t exactly photograph how they look. They (to me) look more serious.......or something in your hand, in pictures they look like a toy? Lol

https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/supertfz-force1.26015/reviews#review-29105

But the presentation was like “here-you-go” you can be close and witnessing your music, up-front. Not in a bad way, but in an intimate and interactive way? But the fit was insanely good, like a part of me, and they block outside noise well too, because of this feature! I don’t know if you can tell from the pictures, but they have kind-of a liquid shape?

 

[JAnonymous5150]

A 5 minute listening session this AM produced a relatively warm but not “dark” display. Probably the first thing that surprised me was the ultimate coherent aspect. Truly though I’m guessing a solid week of burn-in, before real assessments can be made? But it wasn’t terrible at all OTB, the other interesting thing I noticed first off was how close the elements where inside the soundstage? Normally I never pick-up on that at the start? So? But there is a review already up, just in-case you feel like reading, I haven’t totally read it yet, just read it 1/2 way.....and looked at the pictures. But for what ever reason the (gold/yellow/green) other color bugs me.....lucky I didn’t get the colored one. But they are slightly different in real life.......the way they look? They don’t exactly photograph how they look. They (to me) look more serious.......or something in your hand, in pictures they look like a toy? Lol

https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/supertfz-force1.26015/reviews#review-29105

But the presentation was like “here-you-go” you can be close and witnessing your music, up-front. Not in a bad way, but in an intimate and interactive way? But the fit was insanely good, like a part of me, and they block outside noise well too, because of this feature! I don’t know if you can tell from the pictures, but they have kind-of a liquid shape?

Cool! Make sure you update me/us once you've logged some real hours with them, okay? And thanks for sharing!

 

[Mr.HiAudio]

SuperTFZ Force1
$79
https://penonaudio.com/supertfz-force1.html

finally, the manufacturer made a compensation hole and now the speaker will not sink

 

[Redcarmoose]

finally, the manufacturer made a compensation hole and now the speaker will not sink

Good point! Also look where it is, no way will it ever be covered-up.