[lushmelody]

We have budget Oxygen via Hana v2
Then we got budget Hana v2 via Olina (se)
Now we have budget olina via Wan'er?

Is KATO also that sig?

Thats what I was expecting KZ/CCA to do (someday, maybe). Tangzu aces in design and accessories too. The best of it is that they could go brrrr in price but decided to price fairly a single dynamic driver. Guess everyone wants to dethrone Salnotes Zero now lol

By the way, TRN MT3 can be the bassier king of that price range? It seems... overlooked

 

[ian91]

We have budget Oxygen via Hana v2
Then we got budget Hana v2 via Olina (se)
Now we have budget olina via Wan'er?

There is a lot of this going on right now. Manufacturers have caught on to these tunings as being 'well received' and everyone and their mother is releasing their reshelled/minor revisions of 'safe'/'sensible' (which isn't inherently a bad thing).

I'll be sitting this 11.11 out. I've had my fill of competitive budget sets and there's nothing ground breaking to entice me in mid-fi. For now my focus is on earbuds as I feel comparatively you usually get a more authentic timbre and certainly more spacious staging. That might change if/when new tech entices me back (not sure I'm a fan of planar IEMs). A DD supported by 'proper' BC or maybe affordable AMT?

I'm not sure we're in a golden age for IEMs yet, and having heard most driver configs I'm happy to watch and wait for while.

 

[4ceratops]

Fixed link

So this really made me laugh. These IEMs certainly never cost more than $50, let alone $250. I see what some serious-faced Chinese sellers try to advertise during "discounts" as perverse humor...

 

[4ceratops]

Xinhs (probaly not) "Olina" big sale from 250$ to 35$

With a very low quality graph

Link Here if anyone interested
edit: link fixed (thanks man )

So this really made me laugh. These IEMs certainly never cost more than $50, let alone $250. I see what some serious-faced Chinese sellers try to advertise during "discounts" as perverse humor...

 

[ChristianM]

After all the discount and coupons, Olina SE is sitting in my cart for me to pay $60.74, do you guys think it's a big upgrade over T3 Plus and Salenotes Zero? I'm also read/watched reviews of Topaz ($57) but Topaz's upper mids and treble look very recessed.
Tin Hifi T2 DLC will cost around $26 and someone on Facebook said it's better than Olina OG.

 

[InvisibleInk]

A note on the Linsoul sale. They mislisted the Bluetooth version of the latest Aune dac. I informed them about it after I purchased it. I received an email this morning that I would have to pay the difference if I wanted to get the dac. In our country customers do not have to pay for store errors. I was told to pay an extra 25 dollars if I wanted the dac. That is not a lot, but it is the principal of the thing. Others may have already purchased it at the error price. I report the error and they want me to pay after already making the purchase. Am I wrong?

Say no

 

[lushmelody]

There is a lot of this going on right now. Manufacturers have caught on to these tunings as being 'well received' and everyone and their mother is releasing their reshelled/minor revisions of 'safe'/'sensible' (which isn't inherently a bad thing).

I'll be sitting this 11.11 out. I've had my fill of competitive budget sets and there's nothing ground breaking to entice me in mid-fi. For now my focus is on earbuds as I feel comparatively you usually get a more authentic timbre and certainly more spacious staging. That might change if/when new tech entices me back (not sure I'm a fan of planar IEMs). A DD supported by 'proper' BC or maybe affordable AMT?

I'm not sure we're in a golden age for IEMs yet, and having heard most driver configs I'm happy to watch and wait for while.

Buds are great indeed. Unfortunately, my music listening is mainly related to commute and gym, so they are not in my interest. I'd go for buds the day my AKG home buddy doesnt work anymore tho.

For experienced audiophiles anything now is not groundbreaking, but its a golden age for audiophile beginners. Chi-fi competition and current inflation is forcing prices to go down for sale attractivity. Its basically the opposite of last year when Fiio and Dunu were hyperbolic in the single DD craze. Now some brands are trying to do budget in things Moondrop and Tanchjim only do mid-fi. Its the most welcoming bang for buck in the audio hobbyist market.

Dongles too are now with great product variety and price reducing tendencies. So yeah, its not a breakthrough arc in technology but it is for better affordability, especially in mobile audio.

 

[Vonbuddy]

Say no

I thought about it. The price is still very good. Just do not like how it was handled. No is an option.

 

[Ultrainferno]

The our first review of the week we look at the high-end FAudio Mezzo LE universal InEar. An article by @Aerosphere

https://www.headfonia.com/faudio-mezzo-le-review/

 

[Barusu Lamperouge]

Who has that price on Salnotes Zero?

Actually, in many Asian countries like India, Bangladesh etc. these cost $17.5 without sale per current exchange rates so this makes Linsoul sale or any other non-Ali sale even more redundant or not even a sale to be honest. But that's how these sales are becoming of late, sadly.

 

[RCracer777]

Had these beauties come in today

 

[JAnonymous5150]

Had these beauties come in today

Nice! Get to listening so we can get some impressions.

 

[Dsnuts]

Had these beauties come in today

As a long time SA6 fan. I have to admit I am a little jelly!

 

[FreeWheelinAudioLuv2]

In regards to being held to your thoughts and feelings on an initial review, I used to do reviews with review units etc, but I don't anymore. I just do quick observations and comparisons. The reason is that the goal posts move for pretty much any opinion of an IEM over time. Especially when you compare and contrast. So many people will bring up your old reviews and posts and try and use them against you if you oh so dare to change your opinion on a particular pair of gear. For instance, you might get a IEM has at first listen has decent bass to you. It might even appear to be great bass to your ears at the time of judgement. Then later, you get a similar pair or a pair from another company, and the bass turns out to not be so great in comparison to the newer or retuned pair. So where initially that pair had a 4 out of 5 bass rating, in hindsight, it might be a 3 out of 5. Sound is fluid, and the opinion could very well change based on advancements. Sound is not static. This is why so many older sets are ignored or fall out into oblivion, even though 5-10 years ago they were rated as top of the line or groundbreaking. Nowadays, even though they should still be considered as such, the community won't go back and buy them, because the newest thing "has to be better". This makes sound fluid and not static. So in defense of these reviewers who might change their minds about the sound of gear...it's because it's a fluid situation. The community makes it such. I stand by many of my old reviews, and I would change my view on a number of them as well. Case in point, the treble in the Wu is really tasteful and resolving. Then I listen with my UE500 or the Sennheiser IE800 and I realize, compared to a well tuned DD, it's not so resolving or timbre accurate. So my opinion is fluid.

 

[FreeWheelinAudioLuv2]

While IEMs still reflect a value to dollar ratio, at times (if you relate) the signature can take on endearing traits. And while nothing is perfect, some IEMs are more perfect towards your listening goals. Still I’m shy as to referring an IEM, though the 7Hz Salnotes Zero is pretty incredible for the money!

Now only $16.99!

Much of this is random, meaning it’s pointless to over analyze the process. Though that’s what I do, is analyze the response....hearing is independent and individual for the listener. Meaning value is subjective and totally dependent on what you are looking for. It’s better to judge stuff in comparison to a 5 year progress model maybe, that way the real winners can be seen?

The issue I have with the Salnotes Zero is that it played pretty MEH on most of my daps, even amped, but for some reason, there is a beautiful synergy with my Cowon J that makes them shine in a way they do not with all my other players. Thru my Cowon, the Salnotes Zero are a true pleasure at $20.00.