The discovery thread!

[4ceratops]

Orange is the new black
Came across a pretty sweet deal for anyone looking to upgrade their IEM cable — the NICEHCK OrangeSir.
Premium look, super soft and flexible, no microphonics, and sonically neutral.

If you’re interested, I’ve got a promo code: ORGC03

https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_EIwiURY

Always nice to save a bit, right?

I haven't had such a good laugh in a long time. Supposedly super soft and flexible. That cable is stiff as a stick. I bought it a long time ago and that's why I don't use it. Its stiffness makes it pretty uncomfortable. If your statement matches reality, it would mean that NiceHCK totally changed its material, thickness and construction (which I sincerely doubt).

 

[audioaura]

EBC80 arrived with H2 cable (from Canada). I spent less than an hour with it.

2 positive surprises:
- no lower mid emphasis: this is what I did not like in Voltage (the so-called Penon house sound ?)
- no strong BC (like in Fan3): for first it does not disturb me; sure I have to listen more.

FR is not my primary but quite good. More listening follows but I have more urgent things: Vision Ears Ext MK II is with me but only for days; I will write my XP in the following days (please do not ask in the meatime).

So, it looks like it is not urgent to sell EBC80 .

Do not misunderstand me: I am thankful for your warning and care.

Haha love this update. Sounds like the EBC80 gave you a pleasant curveball! Totally get you on the lower mids; I had the same issue with the Voltage and that Penon warmth. Also surprised the BC in Fan3 didn’t throw you off right away; shows how well the EBC80 might be tuned. Looking forward to your impressions on the EXT MKII, sounds like you’ve got quite the lineup right now!

 

[ListlessHeart]

Just saw a screenshot on the IEM subreddit at Reddit in which an American buyer was considering buying the Supermix 4 from AliExpress. The list price was $149.99. The final price for American buyers after regular taxes and the addition of tariff-related fees was $229.49. That's $79.50 in taxes and tariff fees -- an effective tax/tariff rate of 53 percent: https://www.reddit.com/r/iems/comments/1k6yx8a/well_this_sucks/

Strap in, American Disco threaders. This will get ugly. But look on the bright side: Your wallet or money clip will enjoy a nice vacation from opening.

The used market is about to explode.

Correction: that $229.49 number is fees only, it doesn't include the price of the IEM itself, so you are looking at a final cost of almost $400. Yes this hobby is gonna be so ugly for us Americans, however it is quite likely that the orange Nazi is gonna reduce tariffs soon due to pressure from big companies' CEOs. I suppose I will just shift my focus to my keyboard hobby, as those are considered electronic devices and therefore exempt from the upcoming tariff.

 

[thaslaya]

Woohoo 10k pages!!! I love this thread and appreciate the contributions from everyone here!

So I just posted my first full sized headphone review in about 10 months. This is for the recently released Kiwi Ears Aventus (Head-fi and blog). In my opinion, this set is a crazy good value for $90. The Aventus offers both Bluetooth and wired connections, two tuning modes, foam filters for added customization, and fantastic accessories. I was thoroughly surprised with how much I enjoyed the review process and it was nice to write about full sized cans for a change.

 

[activatorfly]

The great thing is that you are still active 14 years later, still providing invaluable impressions and scoops, and that makes this thread even that more quantitative in it's value. Thank you for your participation, Ds.

With the new post rules, 20k pages is about as approachable as Cy Young's career win total in MLB. LOL So let's celebrate 10k with zeal and gusto and pride?!

You've been a much appreciated constant here for me, through my travails, as a great friend and sounding board, and I hope I have been likewise, and I know you're going through a rough time currently, but I'm sure your Greek excursion will be just the soul remedy you need to refocus and get back on the righteous track?

@Waqar - It's been fun having you contributing, sharing your impressions, and your zeal for getting back into the hobby. Keep sharing your impressions of your 20+, and thanks for your contributions, my friend.

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Thanks to the generosity of @Jmop, I was able to add the absolutely phenomenal Cayin Ru6 to my rotation, and it's r2r DAC hits the right notes with me, and it's the closest to TOOB warmth and sonics without any tubes present. It's a brilliant dongle DAC, and I implore you all to get one if you want a smooth, stagey, but satisfying warm approach.

Likewise, the feeling is mutual bro, hopefully on return I can bounce back towards as you said, the track of righteousness? Momentum is invariably at a premium during turbulent times. The relocation transition was always going to be tough, hence being "knocked off kilter" has impacted upon my music making process, as much as it has upon my lack of recent input on the thread. Maybe much needed time out for reflection & re-evaluation will help to refocus my future audiophile/musician roadmap.

 

[bithalver]

.Don't hold your breath on the whole I/O thing. The Volare was a huge hit, and the follow up Sogno was a huge FLOP. So Shenzhen would need to be in a frisky mood to try it all over again LOL.

I have to agree . I really liked to have a new I/O IEM.

Sogno is not bad but everybody and their neighbour compares it to Volare so yeah, it was a flop. For me it was too neutral.

Correction: that $229.49 number is fees only, it doesn't include the price of the IEM itself, so you are looking at a final cost of almost $400. Yes this hobby is gonna be so ugly for us Americans, however it is quite likely that the orange Nazi is gonna reduce tariffs soon due to pressure from big companies' CEOs. I suppose I will just shift my focus to my keyboard hobby, as those are considered electronic devices and therefore exempt from the upcoming tariff.

O o. That is serious tax.

American brothers buying 2nd hand EU stuff ? Sure we will have a to sell !

Seriously, my feelings are with all of you.

 

[activatorfly]

Correction: that $229.49 number is fees only, it doesn't include the price of the IEM itself, so you are looking at a final cost of almost $400. Yes this hobby is gonna be so ugly for us Americans, however it is quite likely that the orange Nazi is gonna reduce tariffs soon due to pressure from big companies' CEOs. I suppose I will just shift my focus to my keyboard hobby, as those are considered electronic devices and therefore exempt from the upcoming tariff.

And relentlessly the troop of Trumpton Chi-Firemen scurry round like headless chickens trying to douse the raging tariff red-mist FIRE !!

 

[pk4425]

Orange is the new black
Came across a pretty sweet deal for anyone looking to upgrade their IEM cable — the NICEHCK OrangeSir.
Premium look, super soft and flexible, no microphonics, and sonically neutral.

If you’re interested, I’ve got a promo code: ORGC03

https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_EIwiURY

Always nice to save a bit, right?

Not available to American consumers. Another casualty of the Trump Tax tariff.

 

[wver]

Longtime lurker. Eventually had to make an account to pick you guys' brains even more. This place opened a whole new world (and my wallet) for me. Huge congrats on 10K pages.

 

[avishifi]

Hey folks, just wanted to share that my ZiiGaat Arcanis review is out!

https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/ziigaat-arcanis.28134/review/37788/

Any like and comment will be blessed

 

[FreeWheelinAudioLuv2]

EDIT WITH PICS!

So my Gator bag has been packed, as it will appear at Can Jam SoCal. It's a little bigger than I was expecting, but that's also a plus, as I can pack extra things in it like my laptop (won't bring that to the show, but leave it at the hotel), and pre-show, use it almost like a suitcase/carry luggage. But all my organizational bags all fit nicely and snug in the parent bag, and with the strap, it was actually fairly light. Super impressed with the build quality, and the space. So that was the last pre-show prep that needed to be completed, and that's done, so now the 140 days (exactly) wait until the evening before the show.

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MAIL CALL!!!

Another under the radar company that I have no idea how long they've been around, if they have anything else available, but this IEM's description caught my eye, as well as the store coupon that brought this down to about $25.00 from $35.00. single dynamic Graphene driver. 32ohms. Japanese copper voice coil. Carbon fibre faceplates with resin shell. It's a gorgeous shell that reminds me of the Archangel faceplate design, just a different color. Initial impressions are very spacious stage, nu-meta style treble, so safe, but incisive (not the airiest), clean midrange (like Kefine Klean clean), that's very clear and has good (not class leading) instrument separation, detail retrieval, and spatial cues. Bass at the moment is a bit sub bass focused, and a bit light in the energy and punch in the midrange. This is obviously a reason why the midrange is so clean and clear, as there isn't much the mid bass is adding to the lower mids, or the mids at all. I threw it on the burner to see if maybe the mid bass will make an appearance after some break in time? We'll see. So far it's a very good IEM for it's price range, but nothing exceptional. Maybe that changes later?

 

[avishifi]

Another under the radar company that I have no idea how long they've been around, if they have anything else available, but this IEM's description caught my eye, as well as the store coupon that brought this down to about $25.00 from $35.00. single dynamic Graphene driver. 32ohms. Japanese copper voice coil. Carbon fibre faceplates with resin shell. It's a gorgeous shell that reminds me of the Archangel faceplate design, just a different color. Initial impressions are very spacious stage, nu-meta style treble, so safe, but incisive (not the airiest), clean midrange (like Kefine Klean clean), that's very clear and has good (not class leading) instrument separation, detail retrieval, and spatial cues. Bass at the moment is a bit sub bass focused, and a bit light in the energy and punch in the midrange. This is obviously a reason why the midrange is so clean and clear, as there isn't much the mid bass is adding to the lower mids, or the mids at all. I threw it on the burner to see if maybe the mid bass will make an appearance after some break in time? We'll see. So far it's a very good IEM for it's price range, but nothing exceptional. Maybe that changes later?

how does it look like?

edit:
Looking sweet!!

 

[FreeWheelinAudioLuv2]

.

how does it look like?

For some reason, it wasn't posting the pics with a copy and paste. Edited with pics now. lol Sorry.

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Penon Archangel + Little Bear B4-X (upgraded, 2.5mm balanced) + Sony NW-A15 (11 years old and still working)

Sexy silky sinuous sound from the Archangel with TOOBS. Stellar.

 

[avishifi]

For some reason, it wasn't posting the pics with a copy and paste. Edited with pics now. lol Sorry.

Yeah it happened to me too, when I wrote on of my reviews with picture on word, and then the copy paste did not upload the pictures. I had to manually copy-paste them one by one

 

[BlankName]

@FreeWheelinAudioLuv2 Why so many sources/dacamps?