[vafler86]

^Im new in my iem journey, and all i do is read what other say about different iem. To me, my Fiio FH3 sounds better then highly rated Variations. Im starting to think that iem are very subjective, because you have truly tested alot more then me, and if you still are unsure on what to try next then im starting to think that reviews and graphs dont mean alot.

 

[Ferdinando1968]

Quintet sounds nothing like Hexa to me. Maybe I just don't have golden ears.

Taking one person's opinion as proof that something is a "hype train" is disingenuous at best.

No product will ever have 100% approval which is normal.

I DEFINITELY don't have golden ears.
And of course what I write is my judgment,
but I regret having that judgment,
I am not happy with it.

I would much rather be 100% satisfied.
And I don't want to unleash flames.

My aim would be to know if someone else thinks like me, or that someone would explain to me how to appreciate what I can't.

 

[t4t3r]

I DEFINITELY don't have golden ears.
And of course what I write is my judgment,
but I regret having that judgment,
I am not happy with it.

I would much rather be 100% satisfied.
And I don't want to unleash flames.

My aim would be to know if someone else thinks like me, or that someone would explain to me how to appreciate what I can't.

There will be plenty of other people who won't like the Quintets.

It's very difficult to discern what will/won't work for you. You make a great point in your other post and I'm right there with you that it almost seems just as challenging the further you go. I try to worry less about the outcome of finding the 'perfect' set (spoiler: it rarely happens) and just enjoy the journey.

 

[Surf Monkey]

Quintet here by me.

Very first impressions: I'm not impressed .

They have a sound that reminds me of HEXA (which the world loved, but I didn't).

I much prefer ORCHESTRA LITE, BRIDGE, BLESSING.

At this point I start to think I'm not able to appreciate IEM, which those who (certainly) are more experienced and refined than me in judging, consider as good or excellent.

Evidently I can't figure out what to focus on my attention to judge.

Don't get me wrong: I perceive how detailed and resolving they are, how well the instruments are positioned in the scene, etc.

What I don't like is that slightly cold, intimate sound that seems to come from a tin, with subdued bass tones, but which occasionally give a punch in the sub-bass.

Either way, I'm not throwing them away

Interesting. This is the first I’ve heard someone saying that the timbre is off. So far reviewers I trust are generally enthusiastic about it. Mine is on the slow boat to Portland but when it gets here I’m sure I’ll have… ideas about it too.

 

[PhonoPhi]

Quintet here by me.

Very first impressions: I'm not impressed .

They have a sound that reminds me of HEXA (which the world loved, but I didn't).

I much prefer ORCHESTRA LITE, BRIDGE, BLESSING.

At this point I start to think I'm not able to appreciate IEM, which those who (certainly) are more experienced and refined than me in judging, consider as good or excellent.

Evidently I can't figure out what to focus on my attention to judge.

Don't get me wrong: I perceive how detailed and resolving they are, how well the instruments are positioned in the scene, etc.

What I don't like is that slightly cold, intimate sound that seems to come from a tin, with subdued bass tones, but which occasionally give a punch in the sub-bass.

Either way, I'm not throwing them away

^Im new in my iem journey, and all i do is read what other say about different iem. To me, my Fiio FH3 sounds better then highly rated Variations. Im starting to think that iem are very subjective, because you have truly tested alot more then me, and if you still are unsure on what to try next then im starting to think that reviews and graphs dont mean alot.

Ear anatomy is highly individual, and that implies one's specific sensitivity due to resonances (e.g. mine is 5-6 kHz, some have it in 2-3 kHz - and then our IEM impressions will be very different!) and also different fit of IEMs - nozzle angle, depth, etc. (My ears are large but with quite narrow ear canals resisting any deep penetration).
Graphs are definitely quite useless above ca. 8 kHz, and arguably are limited starting as low as 1-2 kHz due to individual anatomy and related tolerance for the pinna gain.
Then everyone have individiual music preferences, preferred volume levels, average session durations, etc, etc.

In this context, the only limited reviewer's advice I can personally consider is that of the one purchasing with their own funds and A/B-ing directly with an IEM that I am closely familiar with.

The reality is that the hype (or polite reviews where one is supposed to "read between the lines") are overdominating, so trying to extract useful information is getting progressively hard.

 

[Surf Monkey]

Ear anatomy is highly individual, and that implies one's specific sensitivity due to resonances (e.g. mine is 5-6 kHz, some have it in 2-3 kHz - and then our IEM impressions will be very different!) and also different fit of IEMs - nozzle angle, depth, etc. (My ears are large but with quite narrow ear canals resisting any deep penetration).
Graphs are definitely quite useless above ca. 8 kHz, and arguably are limited starting as low as 1-2 kHz due to individual anatomy and related tolerance for the pinna gain.
Then everyone have individiual music preferences, preferred volume levels, average session durations, etc, etc.

In this context, the only limited reviewer's advice I can personally consider is that of the one purchasing with their own funds and A/B-ing directly with an IEM that I am closely familiar with.

The reality is that the hype (or polite reviews where one is supposed to "read between the lines") are overdominating, so trying to extract useful information is getting progressively hard.

Everyone has an ASP in their head. ASP as in Analogue Signal Processor. But unlike DSPs that can be mass produced as exact copies, your personal ASP is unique to you. Your brain does a huge amount of processing on audio and visual. So clearly it follows that beyond even the vagaries of ear anatomy, the animal itself is never going to be an objective evaluator. Each and every one is made just a little differently.

 

[baskingshark]

The big Kahuna KZ AS24 has arrived.
There are two versions, a tunable and one non-tunable one. This is a 12 BA behemoth.

So this tunable one has 8 tuning switches on each housing, giving a potential mind-boggling 256 signatures!

I don't have the bandwith to graph all 256 combinations - maybe a KZ AS24 Pro/Ultra/Max would have arrived by the time I finish graphing 256 times - but I managed to graph the most extreme of tuning permutations, and all the rest of the other 256 ones fall within a spectrum of the graphs below:

Graph via IEC711 coupler. 8kHz is a coupler peak.

So the switches do work - and the changes are actually not subtle - but perhaps 256 permutations is a bit of an overkill.

Here's KZ's manual of what the switches do:

Will do some burn in and A/B comparisons and report back subsequently.

 

[szore]

^Im new in my iem journey, and all i do is read what other say about different iem. To me, my Fiio FH3 sounds better then highly rated Variations. Im starting to think that iem are very subjective, because you have truly tested alot more then me, and if you still are unsure on what to try next then im starting to think that reviews and graphs dont mean alot.

Seems you're already 90% there...

 

[Tzennn]

Tanchjim Space home!

The good:
- Small
- Esthetic
- Spacious
- Lower overall sibilant
- Independent volume control
- Tiny
- Aesthetic
- Neutral sound
- Noticeable increase in micro detail
- Extension
The not so good:
- Grainy treble (micro detail boost)
- Sound spacious (due to better extension) doesn't transfer into increasing soundstage
- too neutral that bass don't sound detail/rumble enough

 

[DynamicEars]

I have been lurking in different threads to find a cheap/mid BA iem for resolution and soundstange. I have been looking at the T800, the sound rhyme SR8, Flo blue lover, and TRN BA15. I am pretty treble sensitive, specially when hihat in EDM music kicks in. What do you guys think of the picks so far?

Still think IER-M7 suits you, non harsh trebles, great precise imagingeith layering, thick mids great body weight, nice bass for BA
Resolution is considered ok but very good in this class.

 

[PROblemdetected]

^Im new in my iem journey, and all i do is read what other say about different iem. To me, my Fiio FH3 sounds better then highly rated Variations. Im starting to think that iem are very subjective, because you have truly tested alot more then me, and if you still are unsure on what to try next then im starting to think that reviews and graphs dont mean alot.

That's nice mate.

On this journey u should find your own preferences, probably you like the FH3 because the powerful bass (or maybe the fit).

Anyways, I always recommend VARIATIONS because its easy to adjust via eq easily. The drivers got plenty of room to add some db, and technicalities/build construction are top notch.

If you want to try another iems with similar profile, powerful bass, medium clarity,
- I would pick the FH7s (or FH5 used, but maybe its too similar to FH3)
- IKKO OH10 its one of the most plesant bass on the market, maybe so much V-shaped...

 

[DynamicEars]

Btw, the KZ krila looks promising. Its like D-fi (i think they are using similar shell or same shell with different cover)
The tuning also similar with D-Fi, with better high extension (maybe thanks to the BA, D-fi is single DD)
More over the Krila is using XUN gen 2, the KZ XUN is a good DD, first appearance was on KZ Z1 TWS, since the battery is dead, I made them into single DD wired. I like the driver.
For $16 maybe this will be great contender on budget segment. Don't expect no competition on $1000 folks



Graph by Paul Wasabii

*edit : I bite the bullet on this, will compare with my $1000 IEMs later

 

[gadgetgod]

Arrived just in time for the perfect sunday. This sunday I have a lot of things to listen to lol. I feel i will be overwhelmed with all these gears lol.

 

[baskingshark]

Btw, the KZ krila looks promising. Its like D-fi (i think they are using similar shell or same shell with different cover)
The tuning also similar with D-Fi, with better high extension (maybe thanks to the BA, D-fi is single DD)
More over the Krila is using XUN gen 2, the KZ XUN is a good DD, first appearance was on KZ Z1 TWS, since the battery is dead, I made them into single DD wired. I like the driver.
For $16 maybe this will be great contender on budget segment. Don't expect no competition on $1000 folks



Graph by Paul Wasabii

*edit : I bite the bullet on this, will compare with my $1000 IEMs later

Bro I can tell u the Krila does not compete with $1000 range IEMs for sure.

It graphs similarly to the D-FI, but the Krila has an added BA, giving it much more air and better treble extension, in addition to better technicalities. The D-FI however has better timbral accuracy, pros and cons of the different driver types.

 

[lushmelody]

Bro I can tell u the Krila does not compete with $1000 range IEMs for sure.

It graphs similarly to the D-FI, but the Krila has an added BA, giving it much more air and better treble extension, in addition to better technicalities. The D-FI however has better timbral accuracy, pros and cons of the different driver types.

They added a driver AND reduced selling price. It just shows how affected they are after more brands started to compete in budget