The discovery thread!

[Steve_72]

Top Pro have landed! Kind of gobsmacked how well they perform at this price point. Excellent resolution, controlled bass and separation.

 

[FreeWheelinAudioLuv2]

Top Pro have landed! Kind of gobsmacked how well they perform at this price point. Excellent resolution, controlled bass and separation.

This is gonna blow up! That $500 range is getting so competitive atm!

 

[Steve_72]

This is gonna blow up! That $500 range is getting so competitive atm!

I think you’ll like them! Given how well you favour the H60, these are very much some of the same flavour and special sauce.

 

[GroovyAudio]

Top Pro have landed! Kind of gobsmacked how well they perform at this price point. Excellent resolution, controlled bass and separation.

Are the mids more in the front of the mix? Also, how is the treble? Is it ok for treble sensible folks?

 

[Jmop]

I think I asked something similar, I know this is mostly an iem thread but for those of you who have heard big hitter headphones like Sennheiser’s Orpheus or all those planar magnetics like Audeze stuff or Stax electrostatics, do you find the dynamic drivers still to be better in natural pacing and timbre? If you’re a timbre head that is.

Edit: Or I just go to CanJam SoCal cuz I’m like 20 mins away lol.

 

[ICYGENIUS]

LETSHUOER DX1 - When precision is more important than wow effect!
Hello friends. I have listened to the Letshuoer DX1 properly - and I would like to share what I have concluded.
This is a really interesting model for those who appreciate purely dynamic headphones with the most neutral, honest, and vocal-oriented sound. DX1 is not about showiness, but about fine taste, about balance and about control. There are no sibilants, vocals don't shout, don't get in your face with excessive tearing or emotion. On the contrary, it sounds smooth, even, restrained and really comfortable. It feels like everything unnecessary was carefully removed from it, leaving only the essence - a live, clear voice, presented with respect for the music and the listener.
The bass is a separate story. It doesn't try to impress you with scale or basshead punch. And here it works as a precise, clear foundation: tight, collected, fast, but not intrusive. It is present just enough to build a solid, whole sound picture. No smearing, no rumbling - it doesn't take attention, but it works flawlessly and reliably, emphasizing rhythm and depth without disturbing the overall harmony.
And here is what particularly pleased me - the high frequencies. They are not accentuated, do not prickle, do not ring - there is absolutely no attempt to “impress” with sharpness or excessive brightness. Instead, we get a very neat, clean and smooth top end with good detail and airiness. It softly frames the overall picture rather than painting something bright in the foreground. The stage is natural and not narrow, and the sense of space is conveyed calmly and confidently.
In general, Letshuoer DX1 is a headphone that does not chase the hype and wow-effect. They are for those who appreciate smooth, mature, balanced sound without distortions. There is no desire to please everyone at once - this is a choice in favor of musical honesty and calm, thoughtful listening!

 

[gadgetgod]

Well, it depends if you believe these guys saying it contends with the STORM, Monarch MK III, or U12t,

Every year we get such comparisons, but in the end the hype goes away very quickly.

 

[jjb3]

Verus Audio Lavender 6 Review

Before diving into my impressions, I’d like to thank Verus Audio and Audio Geek India for including the Lavender 6 in the Audio Geek’s India Tour. Having previously experienced the Lavender 2, I was excited to explore what the Lavender 6 offers with its enhanced design and performance. It’s a privilege to share my thoughts on this premium offering from Verus Audio.


Disclaimer
Cables are crafted to enhance the performance of IEMs, not to alter their inherent tuning or sound structure. My review is based on my personal hearing preferences and the performance of the Lavender 6 with specific IEMs. Please keep in mind that results may vary depending on the source and IEMs used. Purchase based on your own preferences and needs.

Preamble
The Verus Audio Lavender 6 takes the principles of the Lavender 2 and pushes them further into the realm of high performance and luxury. With six wires instead of two, this cable is designed to deliver more power and precision to compatible IEMs. As a brand, Verus Audio is known for its bespoke craftsmanship and dedication to creating synergy between cables and audio equipment. Founded in 2015, the Indonesian brand has refined its proprietary “N” tuning system to enhance audio performance across a wide range of devices.
The Lavender 6 is a statement piece, blending cutting-edge materials and robust design to meet the expectations of audiophiles seeking a premium cable upgrade.

Materials & Build
The Verus Lavender 6 features:
Materials: 7N OCC Gold Plated Copper, Long Crystal Gold Plated Silver, and OFC Silver-Plated Copper.
Gauge: 22 AWG for each of the six wires.
Design: Six-wire coaxial structure for enhanced power and refined signal transmission.
Connectors: Verus Customized Connectors with Bespoke Solder.
Insulation: Flexible yet sturdy for durability and ease of use.
The Lavender 6 exudes luxury with its gold-plated and silver accents, complemented by a solid yet flexible build. The attention to detail in its construction reflects Verus Audio’s commitment to quality and durability. Holding the cable feels like handling a piece of fine craftsmanship, offering both strength and elegance.


Sound Impressions
The Lavender 6 significantly enhances the overall performance of IEMs by offering a richer, more dynamic sound profile. Below are my impressions with different pairings:
1. Onix Overture + Lavender 6 + Sivga Nightingale + Divinus Wide Bore Tips
Bass & Treble: Improved bass impact with better texture and definition. Treble is extended and more refined.
Soundstage: The stage expands noticeably, creating a more immersive listening experience.
Overall Performance: Compared to the Lavender 2, the six-wire configuration of the Lavender 6 delivers a stronger presentation, with more power and authority driving the IEMs.
2. Onix Overture + Cayin RU6 + Lavender 6 + Sivga Nightingale + Divinus Wide Bore Tips
90s Bollywood Music: Vocals and instrumentation feel more alive and prominent, capturing the nostalgia and warmth of the era.
Warmth: The overall sound signature leans towards warmth, making the listening experience more inviting and engaging.
3. Onix Overture + Lavender 6 + Penon Fan 3 + Penon Leque Tips
Precision & Layering: The Lavender 6 enhances precision and layering, exceeding my expectations. Each instrument and vocal occupies its space more distinctly.
Mid-Bass & Treble: Mid-bass gains weight and impact, while treble is extended without harshness.
Refinement: The overall sound feels more polished and refined, elevating the IEMs’ performance to new heights.


Frequency Breakdown
Bass
The Lavender 6 offers deeper and more controlled bass than the Lavender 2, with excellent texture and punch. Sub-bass is well-defined without overwhelming other frequencies, and mid-bass gains an extra sense of weight and warmth, providing a solid foundation for all genres of music.
Mids
The midrange is smooth and natural, with a warm tonality that enhances vocals and instruments. Bollywood tracks, in particular, shine with a newfound richness and clarity. The layering in this frequency range ensures that no details are lost, even in complex compositions.
Treble
Treble performance is refined and extended, delivering crisp detail and airiness without any sibilance or harshness. Instruments such as cymbals and strings benefit from this enhancement, making the Lavender 6 a great companion for genres that demand high-frequency precision.


Pros & Cons
Pros
Six-wire design delivers enhanced power and precision.
Superior build quality with a luxurious feel.
Significant improvements in soundstage, bass, and treble performance.
Warm and engaging sound signature, particularly suited for Bollywood and acoustic tracks.
Cons
Price may be a consideration for budget-conscious buyers.
May feel slightly bulky compared to smaller cables like the Lavender 2.



Conclusion
The Verus Lavender 6 is a testament to Verus Audio’s commitment to excellence. It takes everything great about the Lavender 2 and amplifies it, delivering a more powerful, refined, and luxurious listening experience. From its stunning build quality to its ability to transform the performance of IEMs, the Lavender 6 is an investment that pays off for serious audiophiles.
For those seeking improved soundstage, enhanced bass and treble, and a warm, engaging sound signature, the Lavender 6 is a compelling choice. While it carries a higher price tag, the performance and craftsmanship justify the investment.
For more information, visit Verus Audio’s official page: https://verus-audio.com/index.php.

How long is their shipping to USA?

 

[mathe0]

I’m currently looking for a new source to pair with my IEMs, especially my latest acquisition — the I/O Audio Volare, which I’m really enjoying.

Right now, I own:

• iBasso DC04Pro (not really a fan of the sound)
• Tempotec V6, which I actually prefer in terms of tone and musicality

I’m open to suggestions — could be a dongle or a portable DAC/Amp, as long as it brings something new or different to the table sonically. Budget between $200 and $500.

Any recommendations based on your experience with the Volare or similar sets? Thanks for your help!

 

[bithalver]

I’m currently looking for a new source to pair with my IEMs, especially my latest acquisition — the I/O Audio Volare, which I’m really enjoying.

Right now, I own:

• iBasso DC04Pro (not really a fan of the sound)
• Tempotec V6, which I actually prefer in terms of tone and musicality

I’m open to suggestions — could be a dongle or a portable DAC/Amp, as long as it brings something new or different to the table sonically. Budget between $200 and $500.

Any recommendations based on your experience with the Volare or similar sets? Thanks for your help!

Shanling Onix XI 1: for me, perfect for everything.

 

[pk4425]

Good to see you here. I asked about you a bit back. Glad you're apparently doing well?

Agree 100%. The Kiwi Ears Aether is not an IEM you buy if you are a. using a smartphone b. don't have a powerful dap or dongle dac in your possession. Better to buy the cheaper Letshuoer S08 if you want planar flavor, and it's much easier to drive to it's potential than the Aether, but deliver juice to the Aether, and it becomes a BEAST. The most refined, punchy, and well rounded and stagey planar I've ever heard.

Anyone who buys an Aether and runs it from a phone, Apple dongle or low-powered DAP is a fool. And they have no one to blame but themselves.

One, the Aether is a planar. Those drivers demand juice. Two, it's a HUGE planar driver for an IEM. They squeeze even more juice from the orange.

The Aether sings with power. It easily will end up being one of, if not THE, No. 1 value IEM I'll try or buy this year. But if someone complains the Aether sounds lifeless and they're using a phone, Apple dongle or weak DAP, I'll laugh them away like a Mormon missionary coming to my front door and trying to convince this fairly devout Catholic to convert.

Sadly, my vacation went by in a flash, and though it was a blessing, tomorrow, it's over. So now, I'll start sharing daily trio's again, and my impressions of the M21 in JM21 mode.

@Jmop - Hiby R3 II is GOLD. Look into that one.

Please let me know what this "vacation" thing is. What is that all about? What is time off?

Hey Disco Threaders! It's the start of a 3 day weekend for most of us in the US and I hope you all have a relaxing and safe holiday!

If anyone is stuck in the rainy deep freeze of the Northeast on Sunday and is homebound, tune in to FOX at 10 a.m. ET for the Indy 500 pre-race show and the race at 12:45 p.m. ET. Should be a hell of a show, and we can always use the ratings. Thanks!

Last year DMS compared the mega5EST with the Storm. This year HBB has compared Top Pro with the Storm....

I guess here comes the the New-New-Meta 2025 2.0 X Precision Reference Tilt Field Neutral target (a.k.a. the MJ "hee-hee" 1 for short)

I'll probably end up buying it...

Hmm ... whose word do I trust more for non-compromised authenticity and truth, HBB or White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt? Tough call ...

I think I asked something similar, I know this is mostly an iem thread but for those of you who have heard big hitter headphones like Sennheiser’s Orpheus or all those planar magnetics like Audeze stuff or Stax electrostatics, do you find the dynamic drivers still to be better in natural pacing and timbre? If you’re a timbre head that is.

Edit: Or I just go to CanJam SoCal cuz I’m like 20 mins away lol.

I have owned the Audeze LCD-2C, Audeze LCD-X 2021, HiFiMan XS and Dan Clark Audio Aeon Noire, all mid-fi planars. While not top-end like those you described, yes, those planars don't excel in timbre and "natural pacing" like a quality DD. Planars are known for their speed and can -- emphasis on can -- have thin, metallic timbre compared to DDs.

 

[caryking]

In what sense? Seems to have been a popular release from Hiby. I use my R4 daily. Only issues for me are battery life (~10hrs) and an array of infrequent--but really nasty--software bugs that have yet to be patched out (hard crashes, blasting volume levels, etc). When/if I get another DAP, I probably won't get a Hiby.

Yea, I find to be a solid performer. That said, I have an A&K SE300 that I use regularly, so, the Hiby R4 is going up for sale…. It’s basically brand new.

 

[Jamsblast]

Review for BGVP Feather is live now. Very solid budget contender and perfect for beginners.

- https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/bgvp-feather.28163/reviews#review-38114

Permit me differ in both affirmations: 109 usd is no budget by any means...
And a neutral bright iem is not a safe recommendation for a beginner...

Anyway, some impressions about the Hidizs MK12 Turris, well I have to mention the Tanchjim Origin as my new favorite iem but this Turris a solid close second, is so well tuned, is bassy with a nice quantity and quality of sub and midbass, not so much bleeding into the lower mids, a safe but clean and with nice presence in the pinna gain, a not offensive take in the upper mids, a very well appreciated dip into the 6 kHz region, and a safe but sooo well extended treble, plenty of technicalities, it fits so well in my tastes it displaced my Dunu Falcon Ultra from that place in my top IEMs.

The tips I'm using with it? Those Sea Anemone eartips are nice, it have a kbear 07 vibe but with better materials lol.

According to Rainie from Hidizs, the MSRP would be 200 +/- usd and it will be launched in june 10. For what it is, IMHO is a very competitive price.

 

[HedleyD]

Anyone who buys an Aether and runs it from a phone, Apple dongle or low-powered DAP is a fool. And they have no one to blame but themselves.

One, the Aether is a planar. Those drivers demand juice. Two, it's a HUGE planar driver for an IEM. They squeeze even more juice from the orange.

The Aether sings with power. It easily will end up being one of, if not THE, No. 1 value IEM I'll try or buy this year. But if someone complains the Aether sounds lifeless and they're using a phone, Apple dongle or weak DAP, I'll laugh them away like a Mormon missionary coming to my front door and trying to convince this fairly devout Catholic to convert.

Please let me know what this "vacation" thing is. What is that all about? What is time off?

If anyone is stuck in the rainy deep freeze of the Northeast on Sunday and is homebound, tune in to FOX at 10 a.m. ET for the Indy 500 pre-race show and the race at 12:45 p.m. ET. Should be a hell of a show, and we can always use the ratings. Thanks!

Hmm ... whose word do I trust more for non-compromised authenticity and truth, HBB or White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt? Tough call ...

I have owned the Audeze LCD-2C, Audeze LCD-X 2021, HiFiMan XS and Dan Clark Audio Aeon Noire, all mid-fi planars. While not top-end like those you described, yes, those planars don't excel in timbre and "natural pacing" like a quality DD. Planars are known for their speed and can -- emphasis on can -- have thin, metallic timbre compared to DDs.

Got the Kiwi Aethers, thanks to @Redcarmoose inspiring me! Can't thank him enough! Love my Hidizs MP145s and now the Aethers! I use the hiby R5 gen2 which I love. Wish the Android wasn't outdated or id probably buy another as a backup...

 

[HifiFrog]

I’m currently looking for a new source to pair with my IEMs, especially my latest acquisition — the I/O Audio Volare, which I’m really enjoying.

Right now, I own:

• iBasso DC04Pro (not really a fan of the sound)
• Tempotec V6, which I actually prefer in terms of tone and musicality

I’m open to suggestions — could be a dongle or a portable DAC/Amp, as long as it brings something new or different to the table sonically. Budget between $200 and $500.

Any recommendations based on your experience with the Volare or similar sets? Thanks for your help!

I do not own the Volare, but I would recommend you to try the FiiO KA15. Ever since it gets a lot of my ear-time because it does nearly everything right for my taste.
The only thing that I would like to see improved is the noise floor aka. hiss, that could be lower for some of my high sensitive IEMs.
Read the review of @Ichos over here, as he nailed it from my perspective:
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/fiio-ka15-dac-and-headphone-amplifier.27557/reviews

I also own the DC04Pro and don't like their stage presentation. KA15 is the complete opposite and therefore chances are high that you do not need to look somewhere else.
(The DAC is below your budget with 95 USD on Linsoul, but trust me it plays above this price point, not even considering features like EQ etc.)

Otherwise go for DC Elite, Nunchaku or try Dethonray Clarinet / Clarinet Pro.
Tanchjim Luna might also be something for you, but KA15 is cheaper and has more features.

Edit: Ok Volare has a very low impedance of 4.8Ω so you might want to choose a DAC with <0.6Ω output impedance.
Like DC Elite over 3.5mm port