The discovery thread!

[Carpet]

Yes, but still the profound ability both in FR and technicalities make the “Wu” a special purchase, even for those just wanting to get their feet wet. Meaning the planar gifts are special, you have the “Wu”?

But again there are a lot (almost endless) amounts of CRA IEMs, are you describing the planar CRA, I have no experience with that one. I only report on what I have heard 99.9% of the time.

The CCA CRA, $14 V shaped single DD, which seems to have lead the single DD renaissance in the budget sector.

I'm really happy to have ended up with Wu and P1 Max. They make a similar pairing. Wu is a little more V shaped. P1 Max is more mid-centric. Neither is deficient in bass or note weight. Neither is fatiguing. Win, win, win.

 

[Redcarmoose]

The CCA CRA, $14 V shaped single DD, which seems to have lead the single DD renaissance in the budget sector.

I'm really happy to have ended up with Wu and P1 Max. They make a similar pairing. Wu is a little more V shaped. P1 Max is more mid-centric. Neither is deficient in bass or note weight. Neither is fatiguing. Win, win, win.

The P1 Max and Wu fit like a dream too..........while I haven’t heard the Timeless or S12, I would say you’re set for a while in Planar-vile!

 

[Surf Monkey]

The P1 Max and Wu fit like a dream too..........while I haven’t heard the Timeless or S12, I would say you’re set for a while in Planar-vile!

I have the P1 Max, the Wu and the S12. The Wu and the S12 are neck and neck for me. The Wu is more V shaped. The S12 is more technical but still has plenty of elevated bass. The P1 Max is the flattest of the batch and sounds a lot like studio monitors to me.

 

[Surf Monkey]

NiceHCK NX7 MK4?​

That looks cool, I'm glad you're happy with it. I could probably request it, yet I have enough to work-on at this point in time. I know that sound sacrilegious to post such thoughts here? But I have 17 or 18 maybe...........things on the way. So? I can't review everything! I would like to though. Cheers! I know 18 reviews is not a lot for some reviewers, but with the attention I try to give each one, it's a lot.............plus more will be added maybe, soon.........I am grateful and consider myself lucky. I have turned down some products.

LOL

No pressure my man. I was just curious if they took the initiative to send you a set. They should have

Regardless, I think these will be getting good reviews. They’re kind of a wild hybrid but they sound surprisingly cohesive and fun.

 

[Carpet]

This came out an hour ago...

Akros Review of AFUL ACOUSTICS Performer 5​

 

[Redcarmoose]

I have the P1 Max, the Wu and the S12. The Wu and the S12 are neck and neck for me. The Wu is more V shaped. The S12 is more technical but still has plenty of elevated bass. The P1 Max is the flattest of the batch and sounds a lot like studio monitors to me.

I totally agree with you in finding the Wu more fun and the P1 Max being more monitor like. Due to my preferences I lean more towards the Wu, but the P1 Max will always thrill me when I try it, always sounding better than I remember it to be, and better than it should. Plus, when you look and realize just how low the TINHIFI P1 Max price has dropped during these sales! Maybe people are finding it under $90 even!

Edit:
It’s $84.15 now!

 

[W0lrince]

KZ Actually listening on our complain about accesories...
Seriously, they are listening to our complains but in the same time, they are also an ass to talk to. Its a weird PR.

Btw is this just a acc update or also carries the second gen planar driver? The one touted as "50% more performance" Without any metrics

50% more treble for better clarity!

 

[Surf Monkey]

I totally agree with you in finding the Wu more fun and the P1 Max being more monitor like. Due to my preferences I lean more towards the Wu, but the P1 Max will always thrill me when I try it, always sounding better than I remember it to be, and better than it should. Plus, when you look and realize just how low the TINHIFI P1 Max price has dropped during these sales! Maybe people are finding it under $90 even!

Edit:
It’s $84.15 now!

That’s a fantastic price for a top performing pure planar.

 

[Redcarmoose]

That’s a fantastic price for a top performing pure planar.

Well, it’s kinda an underdog and in a way underrated. For me I almost gave it a horrible review....then after a few days the low-end worked-out. Being it’s not dramatic in the low-end anyways gave me just the right amount in the end, to come to terms with what it was doing. Also, really it’s pretty small and not really a showboat when you compare it to the planar IEMs surrounding it. It comes in a little box, with not much extras, but it performs in the end. IMO

 

[Carpet]

That’s a fantastic price for a top performing pure planar.

Well, it’s kinda an underdog and in a way underrated. For me I almost gave it a horrible review....then after a few days the low-end worked-out. Being it’s not dramatic in the low-end anyways gave me just the right amount in the end, to come to terms with what it was doing. Also, really it’s pretty small and not really a showboat when you compare it to the planar IEMs surrounding it. It comes in little box, which not much extras, but it performs in the end. IMO

My P1 Max were a completely unplanned purchase. I'd bought the AQ4 as my big purchase in the Summer Sale. Towards the end I stumbled on a deal with coupons for about $94. That was about half of the $190 price it had been going for. Very pleased with the Panda it's comfortable to wear and has a laid back sound I can listen to all day. Would have been nice to have had a case included, but that's the only nitpick. For less than the price of the T3+ , it's a steal.

Actually that seems to be a repeating pattern for me during sales. The first shop I looked at when the 11/11 sale started was Audiosense and they had NO deals up at all. A day or so later everything was on sale except AQ0. Then AQ0 dropped to half price and the T800 and AQ4 were no longer in stock. They don't even have an 11/11 page up, all on their normal sale page.

 

[saldsald]

Hi guys here comes the CCA CXS.



Build Quality is the same as the CCA CKS. In fact, they are make of the same material and by the same process.

They must have hurried in the production as the glue of the foam layers of the packing weren't dry before the CXS was put inside leaving the glue marks on the shells.

Is this really a U shape tuning? (I don't care about the shape anyway...)

My first impression is quite positive on this one. Pretty good resolution and decent separation just maybe too much bass for me (probably the shell is just a bit too heavy making the sound a bit too dense too).

Oh btw, I think it looks like a Gouyu or the Yinyang, not a toilet bowl

The CCA CXS sounds so great and I am just unable to tell it's a $15 set. It's bass (sub-bass) boosted netural with moderate amount of air. As I said it sounds like a ST5 with different stage height and width (taller but not as wide and relaxed). Treble is more natural and smooth. I never use the stock cables so my impression is based on my own cables that I consider them to have really good resolutions.

 

[r31ya]

Ianfann measure the holey IEM, CCA CXS, and someone realize the graph looks familiar

 

[Carpet]

and another one...

BGVP Scale Pro Review by Paul Wasabii​

 

[baskingshark]

Hi guys, I have a bunch of questions recently. I've been thinking how much can a single DD IEM can perform? What's the price of its diminishing returns? When do you opt for another type of transducer? Go for hybrid setups or go for planar? And generally what's the best type of transducer? These are the questions the go through my head every time I look at my cart on AliExpress. Haha!

For your first question, high end single DDs like the Final A8000 and DUNU LUNA can have resolution that matches some multi BA/hybrids.





For your second question about diminishing returns.
The budget segment (which I consider as < $100 USD) has the best price-performance ratio in recent years. The MIDFI segment (I consider as $100 - 300 USD), has is the sweet spot if you want to move up the line to get good sonic fidelity for a bit more coin - you pay maybe 2 - 3x more for quite a substantial upgrade in sound. Then you have the TOTL segment (> $1000 USD), which IMHO has bad diminishing returns. Moving from MIDFI to TOTL, you pay maybe 10x more for 10 - 20% improvement. And even TOTL IEMs have their weaknesses.

I would suggest that you try a few budget IEMs to see what suits you in sound signatures. Once you know what you like or dislike, it is best to upgrade to MIDFI and call it a day. Buying many budget sidegrades will add up to a TOTL set one day, and you only have one pair of ears, the rest end up in a drawer, and 80% of new releases are generally sidegrades that are not talked about in a few weeks' time. If you have the cash, then yes TOTL is the way to go, but different folks have different comfort levels when it comes to spending on audio, some want to chase that last 10% sonic fidelity at any cost, some have a tighter budget.




For your third question about driver types:
Driver type, driver brand, driver count are not as important as tuning and implementation. In general, the different transducer/driver types do have their inherent pros and cons, but there is no best driver type, it really depends on how it is implemented and what suits your preference. Companies can use the most premium of drivers like Sonions or Beryllium coated pixie dust or Uranium drivers, but if they can't tune it well, then that is a moot point. Conversely, good tuners can eke out the best performance from a cheap driver, even if it is not a branded driver so to speak.

There are exceptions of course, but in general:
1) Single DDs
- Usually are more coherent and move air/decay in the bass more naturally.
- Timbral accuracy is generally accepted to be more natural on DDs compared to other driver types
- DDs are usually vented, so there may be penalties in isolation compared to unvented BA types.
- DDs may not have as great upper treble extension as multi driver types or planars.
- Single DD types may have less technical performance than multi BAs at the same price point , especially in the budget segment (in general).

2) BAs
- BAs generally when used in a multiple configuration, may give better technicalities than a single DD.
- However, BA bass may sound less natural as it doesn't move air or decay as much as a single DD. Lately, the trend has been for vented BA bass, so as to give this bass movement of air, but they still don't sound 100% like DD bass.
- Speaking about vents, BAs generally are not vented and hence have better isolation than DDs.
- Single BAs are disadvantaged as these don't cover the upper treble and sub-bass as well as a multi-BA config. Arguably, single BAs are not too common nowadays cause of this reason.
- Cheap BAs may sound a bit less natural in timbre, especially with bass decay. YMMV, some are not particular about timbre, and certain music genres emphasize timbre more than others.

3) Hybrids
- These theoretically combine the best of both the DD and BA concept, with the DD handling the bass, and the BAs handling the higher frequencies. In practice however, there may be coherency or cross over issues - eg bass can sound much slower than the BA, or the timbre/note weight between the different drivers can sound oddly different.

4) Planars
- The hype and craze for his year. Planars generally have excellent transients and low distortion, they give excellent technical performance. Some of the planars at the $100 range can kick the behinds of higher priced DDs. However, some weaknesses (in general) would be that planar timbre doesn't sound as natural as DDs, possibly cause of the rapid transients/decay, and planar IEMs may have an issue with bass excursion. Planar IEMs have evolved rapidly in the past year or so, and I look forward to more refinement in the coming months.

 

[r31ya]

Huh. interesting, upon asking about PR1 pro in KZ discord, their response is this.

Yes, new type of eartips, and better cable
For old user who bought the old version of PR1 (HIFI edition/ balanced version) or PLA13 , all enjoy half of price to buy PR1 PRO
PR1 pro price will be a little bit higher than old version PR1, because after upgrade the performance, the pro version requires more stricter to the planar material, and requires the technical , components assembled to be more accurate

PRO version will be more easier to be drove, improve the sibilants and vocal. Vocal will be more at center than the previous version. In this cases, the sounds signature feel more relaxed and nature.

Don’t need to change our eartips to others if you guy test the graph, because the new type of memory eartips is already good enough. If will causes more difference than official graph if change to other eartips. And this type of eartips also can improve the sibilants as well.

I ask whether this is the second gen planar, and its not answered (yet)
It seems to be more than just cable and eartips change
heh, easier to driver, more center vocals, more relaxed and natural sounding... seems all good direction

and for all its discord debacle on "hobbyist" graphing, it seems KZ try to upgrade their eartips and cable to ensure 3rd party graph will be more similar with their official graph...

i was in process of filling my e-wallet for CXS (after seeing that Hana similarity), i wonder when PR1 PRO going to be released?
good chance it will be released while my CXS still sailing home.