The discovery thread!

[AmericanSpirit]

I've posted my impressions of the Kiwi Ears Cadenza in my Head-Fi thread.

Yea your closing word, it’s not bad if you don’t have $50 good IEM. Is basically one sentence summary of cadenza. Definitely not “sub $50 king” as hyped. This is my final conclusion after tip rolls, and 100hrs of burn in to Cadenza.

Attention calling for ongoing trend of “frequent collab reviewer”.

cadenza hit HBB’s top sub 50 ranking list based on:
▶︎Tonality tuning fits on his preferred curve (warm bass, inoffensive treble, neutral mid)
▶︎Possible business incentives of potential future collaboration with Kiwi Ears. Well at least Cadenza isn’t going to depreciate his HBB brand, not a bad IEM, so there will be a good monetary motivations. (I’m not indicating he is being bribed by Kiwi Ears. It’s most likely his voluntary hype)

Same business incentive applies to Crinacle’s latest ranking list. I see some “unusual” positive/negative biased scores that could be rooted from his own collaborations motivations. Not many, but countable few of them.

From professional ethics standpoint, these conflicts of interests are not good ingredients for their reviews. As one human being it is hard to completely separate personal interest with unbiased reviews. In business world, the professional firm providing “business consulting” shall be separated from the professional firm conducting objective audits.

That’s what I see from HBB/Crinacle’s once-purely-personal review has been transformed to somewhat “95% of them sounds fair, but some questions remained” one. That 5% is a bit phony, as they are not “review amateurs” that can mistakenly assess the score with more than 10% of margin of errors in the actual performance. The positive/negative bias is beyond margin of errors, which makes me wonder if there are any intentional biases are involved.

I’m not implying
“Don’t believe Reviewer’s score who does —constant—collaborations/consultations “

Just take it with a gain of salt.
Noting that there maybe monetary/intangible motivations and incentives behind self-proclaimed unbiased review.

Then apply subjective adjectives to “potential positive/negative biases” of their review product, to estimate the realistic result. This is called “Stress Test” technical analysis. Apply stress to potentially biased dataset, salvage recap result.

Back to Cadenza, it can be used as daily IEM to watch TV shows on tablet. A good dynamic theater like sound reproduction. Technically is just average. If not a bit rough textured detail articulation and mushy bass.

Recap of Cadenza:
Not bad. Not a game changer. If you own good $50-class single DD, it’s not worth to buy. If not, it’s a fair offer. But there will be better choice, like Tripowin’s Lea that could be found as low as $23 vs Cadenza’s $35.

 

[Guipnox]

Hey guys

Looking for a budget basshead IEM.
Up to $100-150 USD.
Fit is very important.
Any recommendations, please?

Thanks in advance,
Gui.

 

[AmericanSpirit]

Hey guys

Looking for a budget basshead IEM.
Up to $100-150 USD.
Fit is very important.
Any recommendations, please?

Thanks in advance,
Gui.

I’d think one of FiiO’s.

We have FiiO’s specialist here, maybe you could get more insights

 

[Vonbuddy]

What about Periodic Audio IEMs?

 

[Leonarfd]

Hey guys

Looking for a budget basshead IEM.
Up to $100-150 USD.
Fit is very important.
Any recommendations, please?

Thanks in advance,
Gui.

ISN D10, a fun and quite impressive sound. Alot of sub bass and mid bass. Only tried it for a short while, impressed.

This also depends how much bass you are looking for.

Can also go the more neutral way and EQ in some bass, and chose one of the best IEM's under 100$.

 

[Vonbuddy]

What about Periodic Audio IEMs?

I bought the Be v3 for 189. Is that reasonable?

 

[helloh3adfi]

Dunu!! You let me down...or more accurately...my EARS! The S&S are just too small for being "large". When I cupped my ears, I can see why @Dsnuts recc'd them, but 11mm is just too narrow for my ears. Now 13mm would work much better, and 14mm would be perfectly ideal. They really add amazing punch to the bass and such a crispness to the highs, but just too small. I'll sell, along with two pairs of Spinfits packs. Please release a 13-14mm XL S&S and i'm all over that like a blonde girl with blue eyes.

Dunno if Dunu is thinking about it @Sebastien Chiu ? Nonetheless I like them very much and size L is fitting on some of my IEMs and man the sparkle and more bass is recognizable. Great ear tips! Though my ears + 7Hz Timeless + S&S are not combatible, but then again Timeless build is very picky about tips.

 

[Sebastien Chiu]

Dunno if Dunu is thinking about it @Sebastien Chiu ? Nonetheless I like them very much and size L is fitting on some of my IEMs and man the sparkle and more bass is recognizable. Great ear tips! Though my ears + 7Hz Timeless + S&S are not combatible, but then again Timeless build is very picky about tips.

I can ask for you if we can consider making an XL version.

 

[FreeWheelinAudioLuv2]

Yea your closing word, it’s not bad if you don’t have $50 good IEM. Is basically one sentence summary of cadenza. Definitely not “sub $50 king” as hyped. This is my final conclusion after tip rolls, and 100hrs of burn in to Cadenza.

Attention calling for ongoing trend of “frequent collab reviewer”.

cadenza hit HBB’s top sub 50 ranking list based on:
▶︎Tonality tuning fits on his preferred curve (warm bass, inoffensive treble, neutral mid)
▶︎Possible business incentives of potential future collaboration with Kiwi Ears. Well at least Cadenza isn’t going to depreciate his HBB brand, not a bad IEM, so there will be a good monetary motivations. (I’m not indicating he is being bribed by Kiwi Ears. It’s most likely his voluntary hype)

Same business incentive applies to Crinacle’s latest ranking list. I see some “unusual” positive/negative biased scores that could be rooted from his own collaborations motivations. Not many, but countable few of them.

From professional ethics standpoint, these conflicts of interests are not good ingredients for their reviews. As one human being it is hard to completely separate personal interest with unbiased reviews. In business world, the professional firm providing “business consulting” shall be separated from the professional firm conducting objective audits.

That’s what I see from HBB/Crinacle’s once-purely-personal review has been transformed to somewhat “95% of them sounds fair, but some questions remained” one. That 5% is a bit phony, as they are not “review amateurs” that can mistakenly assess the score with more than 10% of margin of errors in the actual performance. The positive/negative bias is beyond margin of errors, which makes me wonder if there are any intentional biases are involved.

I’m not implying
“Don’t believe Reviewer’s score who does —constant—collaborations/consultations “

Just take it with a gain of salt.
Noting that there maybe monetary/intangible motivations and incentives behind self-proclaimed unbiased review.

Then apply subjective adjectives to “potential positive/negative biases” of their review product, to estimate the realistic result. This is called “Stress Test” technical analysis. Apply stress to potentially biased dataset, salvage recap result.

Back to Cadenza, it can be used as daily IEM to watch TV shows on tablet. A good dynamic theater like sound reproduction. Technically is just average. If not a bit rough textured detail articulation and mushy bass.

Recap of Cadenza:
Not bad. Not a game changer. If you own good $50-class single DD, it’s not worth to buy. If not, it’s a fair offer. But there will be better choice, like Tripowin’s Lea that could be found as low as $23 vs Cadenza’s $35.

Yea your closing word, it’s not bad if you don’t have $50 good IEM. Is basically one sentence summary of cadenza. Definitely not “sub $50 king” as hyped. This is my final conclusion after tip rolls, and 100hrs of burn in to Cadenza.

Attention calling for ongoing trend of “frequent collab reviewer”.

cadenza hit HBB’s top sub 50 ranking list based on:
▶︎Tonality tuning fits on his preferred curve (warm bass, inoffensive treble, neutral mid)
▶︎Possible business incentives of potential future collaboration with Kiwi Ears. Well at least Cadenza isn’t going to depreciate his HBB brand, not a bad IEM, so there will be a good monetary motivations. (I’m not indicating he is being bribed by Kiwi Ears. It’s most likely his voluntary hype)

Same business incentive applies to Crinacle’s latest ranking list. I see some “unusual” positive/negative biased scores that could be rooted from his own collaborations motivations. Not many, but countable few of them.

From professional ethics standpoint, these conflicts of interests are not good ingredients for their reviews. As one human being it is hard to completely separate personal interest with unbiased reviews. In business world, the professional firm providing “business consulting” shall be separated from the professional firm conducting objective audits.

That’s what I see from HBB/Crinacle’s once-purely-personal review has been transformed to somewhat “95% of them sounds fair, but some questions remained” one. That 5% is a bit phony, as they are not “review amateurs” that can mistakenly assess the score with more than 10% of margin of errors in the actual performance. The positive/negative bias is beyond margin of errors, which makes me wonder if there are any intentional biases are involved.

I’m not implying
“Don’t believe Reviewer’s score who does —constant—collaborations/consultations “

Just take it with a gain of salt.
Noting that there maybe monetary/intangible motivations and incentives behind self-proclaimed unbiased review.

Then apply subjective adjectives to “potential positive/negative biases” of their review product, to estimate the realistic result. This is called “Stress Test” technical analysis. Apply stress to potentially biased dataset, salvage recap result.

Back to Cadenza, it can be used as daily IEM to watch TV shows on tablet. A good dynamic theater like sound reproduction. Technically is just average. If not a bit rough textured detail articulation and mushy bass.

Recap of Cadenza:
Not bad. Not a game changer. If you own good $50-class single DD, it’s not worth to buy. If not, it’s a fair offer. But there will be better choice, like Tripowin’s Lea that could be found as low as $23 vs Cadenza’s $35.

I tend to agree with much of this, but as far as recc'ing it as a unspectacular DD under $50? Money is precious, so if you're gonna pick up a daily beater with good techs, I'd just recc an older IEM like the Zero Audio Tenore, which is $30.00 on sale now and has very good technicalities and sound. There are others as well to recc, and just leave the Cadenza in the heap pile of Pokemon that are not worth the time or effort compared to new or old. NEXT!

Btw, HBB recc'd the VE Bonus as one of the best budget IEM's, if not the best, and that turned out to be a less than thrilling turd, so he's often WRONG.

 

[FreeWheelinAudioLuv2]

I can ask for you if we can consider making an XL version.

That would be excellent. I'd buy multiple packs.

 

[Leonarfd]

I can ask for you if we can consider making an XL version.

All of us with dumbo ears would love XL

 

[Guipnox]

ISN D10, a fun and quite impressive sound. Alot of sub bass and mid bass. Only tried it for a short while, impressed.

This also depends how much bass you are looking for.

Can also go the more neutral way and EQ in some bass, and chose one of the best IEM's under 100$.

Very interesting, Leonarfd.
Seems like a good choice for me.
I'm gonna read more about them.
Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[Surf Monkey]

I can ask for you if we can consider making an XL version.

Please do. The Ls are just a touch too small.

 

[wdelta06]

Very interesting, Leonarfd.
Seems like a good choice for me.
I'm gonna read more about them.
Thanks for the suggestion.

A little old school but the TRI I3 Pro (tribrid-planar, ba, dd) should be considered...

Bass is off the charts while maintaining pretty good mids & treble.

[FYI they're available on Amazon for $169, but have a $20 discount putting it within striking distance of your $$$ range.

AliExpress has these even cheaper but won't arrive before Xmas]

Definitely worth a go...

 

[AmericanSpirit]

Great! AFUL performer 5(band 5) arrived!
Phew, I didn’t have to go thru a long dispute process.

Out box impression will be updated on this post.

Initial Impressions out of box with stock ear tip(decent bore size.

▶︎Purchased with my own hobby budget, no affiliations as usual

▶︎Faceplate, shell is the one ODM seemed to be coming from Tiendirenhe. It’s Monarch MKII’s model.

Such as this and this.
Hey…just don’t… they are good at shells. Not drivers inside.

For Faceplate design, I’m not a particular fan of this gorgeous style. I hope they change the style to wooden face plate, deep bass is well represented with wooden faceplate, to my personal preference.

If the shell is a transparent one like Blessings2’s it may have become more amusing, because this IEM is full of patents (to be precise 8 of them).

▶︎Trivia | AFUL is not a typical Chi-Fi IEM brands where most them situated near “chinese silicone valley”, Dongguan / Shenzhen, the world’s largest densely urbanized regions in the world “Zhuhai Delta”. Or Zhuhai Megacities.

AFUL is located near my another hometown Shanghai — SuZhou, east coast port city. It’s close to New York (Shanghai) / New Jersey (ShuZhou) relationship in States. An hour of train ride will take you from Shanghai to SuZhou.

▶︎Right after opening the box, I noticed from the stock tips fhat AFUL team knows narrowing bore will alter the signature. From this point alone, a positive impression. This company is not a joke one, that we’ve seen way too many careless shops, just jamming whatever you can find from taobao and resell it with fancy advertisements, AFUL, despite their “awful” naming sense, is solid engineering based company that know what they are dealing with.

▶︎Bass DD sounds like the type that needs initial run. But the “transient” is very impressive…! Very impressive. The acoustic long guide surely is a tech that really works.

Not just a marketing flowery words “EnVisionTec Acoustic Guide”.

Bass that actually diffuses. If a proper ear tips are matched, I’m sure this thing will rock. Even to basshead. No wonder P5 is backed by 8 independent patented technologies.

To elaborate more on one of the unique characteristics that you can find from P5, the way how bass sound. The amplitude of bass’s impluse is larger than I can except from an IEM’s dynamic diaphragm.

The resonance sounds like full-size headphones’ bass.
“Open”, “Deep”, “bouncing”, “high-dimensional” , “High Density”, “High-Sound Pressure”.

—Technical Observations:
IEM’s bass resonance, which usually relies on

Transducers+
Acoustic tube guide / or directly pass-thru + sound outlet nozzle + ear tip’s internal acoustic chamber + ear tip’s membrane (thickness and material ) + ear canal’s acoustic chamber = final sound wave delivery to
①ear drum
②ear canal’s surface

Of which AFUL added extra resonance chamber and long tube guide to have extra amplification of bass wave. When delivered to ②ear canal’s surface, the resonance provides an additional dimension of bass image depth.

▶︎Air Pressure release system confirmed to be working. No pressure build up and feels comfortable and being vented. I guess this venting system serves important role in their “Micro Resonator Technology”. Which helps bass imaging to be more dynamic and with high momentum, imaging positioning, as well as you can feel the direction and speed of how bass wave will travel through your perceived staging space.

▶︎Very instrument-neutral, rendering original mix/mastering very truthfully. BA driver spec is great too. Natural sounding

▶︎Upper registers sounds similar to that of B2’s probably not as extended as “colored” ones. Neutral approach precisely executed

Even with a bit rough out of box DD subwoofer performance, P5 is a thing that I feel “great, my hard earned money spent paid off”.

P5’s bass system is what I will be demanding for the penultimate engame IEM.
A 4EST+ 4BA (upper mid) + 4BA (mid-upper bass) + 1 LCP DD with AFUL’s acoustic technology + full range Bone Conduction Driver to fill the gap between IEM and Full-size can’s Pinna area stimulation.

—Tip Roll Notes
▶︎Stock (Blue) Actually very satisfying balance. No complaints.
▶︎SpinFit W1 : It recuded P5’s fun part bass. Tonality wise good.

▶︎Softears UC: I was expecting UC to boost P5’s best bass, to further niche, but it didn’t happen. Strangely UC and P5 is a mis-match. It makes P5 to sound a good 4BA+1DD, but a bit boring.

▶︎SpinFit CP360: The resonance match of CP360 and P5 is good. Currently a beat match except the stock tips which actually does very good job.

▶︎SpinFit CP100: Not terrible, but it V-tuned. Mid feel scooped.

▶︎AZLA SednafitLight: Opens up mid-and upper, more transparency. Bass resonance is a little tight but very good match. Currently Best Match over CP360 & Stock.

▶︎TRI CLARION: lowers baas floor, opens up staging and transparency to the highest level. Treble sensitive group with certain gain spot around 5-6khz may start to feel offended depending on the type of genre. Tonal balance is bright-neutral, I actually like this presentation for classical.

▶︎Latex M570: !!! This is a good match. Sub-bass kick, mid-bass resonance, clear visibility. Not too offensive 5-6khz, wide diffusion depending on the source. It will lower bass floor but still retain the “rumble feeling”. I was using M570 on HEXA as my vocal-neutral reference monitor, but I may need to order another pair… It will raise few decibels of mid and upper, so the tonal balance will facing north of neutral.

▶︎AZLA Xelastec Crystal : The M570’s original copy with harder silicone material. Has good synergy with P5 as well, bass floor will be lowered as well, sub-bass timbre will be tight but nimble. Technicalities wise this is very accrued and precise.

▶︎Moondrop Spring Tip : mid-upper mid boost. Bass floor is lowered. Resonance is OK, but lacks “the kick”. Spring Tip is obtainable from Moondrop’s Chu. And it has good synergy with Thieaudio’s dynamic driver if anyone haven’t tried.

▶︎Acostune AER07: similar to stock, but due to wider bore than stock, higher mid and upper, more transparency with a trade off possible fatigue, bass is tight but has good resonance.

▶︎UM BlueCore: Wide Bore x Bass boost thin black silicone, not a good match. Bass is too loose.

▶︎AZLA Zelastec: Very good synergy. Bass transient and silicone resonance point has a good balance. One of final pairing candidates. Mid-upper balance is good as well.

▶︎Final E: small bore, usually used to tame extremely harsh treble. Actually if you push down the tips further down to the steps, Final E and P5 has good synergy, making P5 a warm-neutral with some cost of transparency and air. Westone tuning. Actually a nice match.


Some tracks used to test bass performance. The 4BA part is great as well, but bass is something that needs more digging.
For male voice resonance, this is some oriental wicked but catchy one to test


J-pop with good bass.



Modern instrumental with nice acoustic and fast bass


Jazz


Acoustic Cello Solo


Smooth electronica


Billboard classic


Modern Rock


Human Beatbox



SORRY AFUL FOR MOCKING YOUR BRANDNAMS AS AWFUL.

It is BeautiFUL. Please consider changing name to BFUL Performer 5.

Will update more details later once 100 hours of burn-in run completes. Maybe at head-gear review. This P5 is worth a coverage, something new to IEM.