The discovery thread!

[helloh3adfi]

I tried the Maxwells, they're great but not a Foster or DCA Noire killer. Downsides are the heavy weight and headband with only few options.

 

[cobrabucket]

Both are solid audio devices. Even HBB is using the Jot2.

Jotunheim 2 is great.
IMO, Dan Clark headphones lacked the dynamics I was looking for.
They are tuned great and have very nice timbre, tonality and detail-retrieval however.

 

[awacs7n]

after fiio fd 11 reviews a few months ago i lost trust in most known reviewers here. there are similar examples for some models, I've been writing a review for a while. after a few last items i decided to stay away from these things, free items affect transparency. When I got involved, I started to hate a few companies, I don't have any sincerity to any company anymore. I am currently fighting with fiio for btr5k, which is shipped damaged. I have sent 5 videos to fiio store proving that the device is broken, I am waiting. I will not order anything from fiio until the problem is resolved, if the problem is not resolved, I will add fiio to the blacklist. There are companies like tempotec on the list.

i met many characterless companies, expecting positive things or sending products based on reviews. one day, i intend to explain such companies with visuals in this title.

 

[SweetCans928]

I might get them. But I was also thinking I might wait for AmericanSpirit's Butastur. There are so many interesting IEMs! It is an embarrassment of riches.

Edit: I was responding to Cobra but had a slight malfunction.

 

[ian91]

I usually prefer something leaning a little bright, but otherwise "balanced"(more of a W-shape than neutral though), with good resolution and timbre. Which is basically how you describe the 530 so perhaps that settles that...

I think you would be impressed. It's a 'better' tuning than 3DT, that's for sure. Less upper mid shout and more treble sparkle.

 

[szore]

I can't access the link, maybe i need to use my PC?
Anyway me and my friend actually found a store (ali) that have all the cable that penon and ISN currently sell for a cheaper price. But i don't think we should look further into it Safe to say that if they don't take those cable and rebranded to their own, no one gonna buy them so...

I bought 5 cables off AliExpress and while they all sounded great, 2 of them failed and 1 got static...

 

[SynaestheticA]

Really sorry to hear that. @AmericanSpirit is such a great contributor here, always helpful. Hope the fact that he's not getting compensations will make it possible to remove the MoTT.

Why would a member not be allowed to post about an iem they are designing? Everyone here knows American spirit was selling an iem, he was quite explicit about that. I don't get why that is a problem?

Why are we being protected from a user with a nice personality who everyone likes and who is making a few small batch iems?

Isn't that how Noble and a few other boutique brands started?

 

[PhonoPhi]

Saving almost $1000 with Krila, OK may be $100 or so - I could not help getting AS24 with this spare-change savings

The default switches position shipped to me were all off.
So starting to listen in this configuration, I had déjà vu of Hexa, almost scared me - et tu KZ!?
Yet, putting these tiny switches "on" (much smaller than all other ones - VG4, D-Fi, Krila, etc) - the old good KZ came back.

Now, more refined and the mids better than ever before (not sure if it is still at Knowles 29689 level, but prominently more mids and more refinement there than ever before) + good old heritage of "fun V" - such a relief and joy after the original "all off" lean signature.
I will further explore from there - it is really great to have all "in-betweens".
Space may be a bit too treble-rich source, but that was exactly the point to start with and then explore the synergies of the switches and sources - may take forever, but I hope to enjoy some music in the process - the journey rather than destination

 

[SynaestheticA]

after fiio fd 11 reviews a few months ago i lost trust in most known reviewers here.

I've taken up a crusade for other reasons recently.

Been noticing HEAPS of reviewers rating iems 5/5 even though they acknowledge sibilance, bloated bass, sub par technicalities and comfort issues.

When pressed for how the unit possibly got a 100% they say something along the lines "because it was cheap"

Like does spending $23 on an iem stop your ears from hearing sibilance??

 

[NymPHONOmaniac]

As a very big fan of Simgot EW200-EA500 and EN1000....im very pumped up about the upcoming EM6L, which will follow similar tuning balance than EW200.
Price should be around 110$.
Ill do my best to convince Simgot to lower pinna gain from 2db....until then, i guess it will be main con for me.
Nonetheless, very exciting chifi summer!!

 

[cobrabucket]

Saving almost $1000 with Krila, OK may be $100 or so - I could not help getting AS24 with this spare-change savings

The default switches position shipped to me were all off.
So starting to listen in this configuration, I had déjà vu of Hexa, almost scared me - et tu KZ!?
Yet, putting these tiny switches "on" (much smaller than all other ones - VG4, D-Fi, Krila, etc) - the old good KZ came back.

Now, more refined and the mids better than ever before (not sure if it is still at Knowles 29689 level, but prominently more mids and more refinement there than ever before) + good old heritage of "fun V" - such a relief and joy after the original "all off" lean signature.
I will further explore from there - it is really great to have all "in-betweens".
Space may be a bit too treble-rich source, but that was exactly the point to start with and then explore the synergies of the switches and sources - may take forever, but I hope to enjoy some music in the process - the journey rather than destination

Keep us posted on the AS24. Seems like a good choice for a budget all-BA set. I just hope it isn't too intense in the treble.
I am wondering if it a good all-rounder as I listen to nearly everything except opera and newer "Country Pop" BS.

 

[InvisibleInk]

Why would a member not be allowed to post about an iem they are designing? Everyone here knows American spirit was selling an iem, he was quite explicit about that. I don't get why that is a problem?

Why are we being protected from a user with a nice personality who everyone likes and who is making a few small batch iems?

Isn't that how Noble and a few other boutique brands started?

We aren't being protected, @AmericanSpirit is being charged real money by Head-Fi as a sponsor and new MoTT. Why would he pay that, considering what he is doing (and not doing)?

 

[SynaestheticA]

We aren't being protected, @AmericanSpirit is being charged real money by Head-Fi as a sponsor and new MoTT. Why would he pay that, considering what he is doing (and not doing)?

Sorry that's what I mean.

The mods are "protecting" us.

It seemed simple to me. A member was making an IEM that he was very clearly selling to interested people. There was no ambiguity. People can discern this for themselves. We don't need mods deleting posts because we might not be able to figure out that the enthusiast who said he was making an iem ended up making an iem

 

[o0genesis0o]

Sorry that's what I mean.

The mods are "protecting" us.

It seemed simple to me. A member was making an IEM that he was very clearly selling to interested people. There was no ambiguity. People can discern this for themselves. We don't need mods deleting posts because we might not be able to figure out that the enthusiast who said he was making an iem ended up making an iem

There are some actual member of the trades lurking around without being caught by mods though. (And no, I’m not talking about out friendly penon enthusiasts)

 

[saldsald]

after fiio fd 11 reviews a few months ago i lost trust in most known reviewers here. there are similar examples for some models, I've been writing a review for a while. after a few last items i decided to stay away from these things, free items affect transparency. When I got involved, I started to hate a few companies, I don't have any sincerity to any company anymore. I am currently fighting with fiio for btr5k, which is shipped damaged. I have sent 5 videos to fiio store proving that the device is broken, I am waiting. I will not order anything from fiio until the problem is resolved, if the problem is not resolved, I will add fiio to the blacklist. There are companies like tempotec on the list.

i met many characterless companies, expecting positive things or sending products based on reviews. one day, i intend to explain such companies with visuals in this title.

I would like to think these reviewers, most of them, are not trying to be dishonest. But they just have too many things to review in hand and there is no way to review any of them in an accurate and robust manner. Some also keep varying their expectations according to the price making the reviews useless. If I am even going to be a reviewer I will only review one item a week at most, because that is the time I find necessary to fully understand a product.

Edit: I compared my impressions of some products and the reviews of some reviewers here to confirm the above.