[yorosello]

great info have you compared this to tfz the king pro? thats for my the biggest question n3 or king pro!! for stage and bass and SQ! thanks

I think you can compare them from a lot of reviews on the internet. There are a lot of them actually.

 

[SciOC]

I'm very interested in the new "king edition" (What kind of name is that?)

https://penonaudio.com/tfz-king-edition.html

It has the no.3 driver, and dip switches. Hopefully it has an 11.11 sale or a drop coming up.

 

[yorosello]

I'm very interested in the new "king edition" (What kind of name is that?)

https://penonaudio.com/tfz-king-edition.html

It has the no.3 driver, and dip switches. Hopefully it has an 11.11 sale or a drop coming up.

This looks promising. Hope it can exceed the no. 3

 

[expatriot]

I'm very picky about nozzle length and in the picture it looks short. I like deep insertion earphones. Unless i learn otherwise, I'll skip this one. I'm waiting on the NS Audio NA1 coming soon to Penon Audio.

 

[ShakeThoseCans]

I am a bass head and I love the TFZ No. 3 for it's great subbass quantity and extension. Very fun sounding signature. And of all the single DD IEMs I own, I gotta say it has the best clarity and details of the bunch. It won't be able to compete in the details segment with dedicated multi BA sets, but it comes quite close.

I found the TFZ No. 3 very good, but it's not perfect for me in a few areas:
1) Midbass bleed - I actually like it for warmth to the lower mids but I suspect some may not like it
2) 8khz spike - a bit painful for horns and trumpets and female vocals occasionally are shouty. I occasionally have to turn down volume for female vocals.
3) Quite hissy with some devices, possibly due to the high sensitivity of the TFZ No. 3 - usually disappears with music on, but at slow songs in quiet areas it can be noticable. So far to mitigate this, I use the TFZ No. 3 with an amp.
4) average soundstage

If they could fix these areas, they could be genuine giantkillers. I'm actually turning to my Semkarch SKC CNT1 more for my basshead needs in view of the shouty 8khz peak.

Very helpful post, baskingshark, and very informative. I have been on the edge of getting the TFZ No. 3 for the longest time (satisfied King Pro customer here), but I already have the CNT-1. If you're turning to the CNT-1 instead of the No. 3, that makes me want to stick with it. Some people here have shown off the impressive bass of the CNT-1, and it's not like the No. 3 is going to give me a much bigger soundstage.

So far, I'll be sticking to the plan. Have a BL-03 on the way, and V90 is targeted for the 11.11 sale. That will take care of all separate DD / BA needs for now, until I can get my hands on a T800.

 

[baskingshark]

Very helpful post, baskingshark, and very informative. I have been on the edge of getting the TFZ No. 3 for the longest time (satisfied King Pro customer here), but I already have the CNT-1. If you're turning to the CNT-1 instead of the No. 3, that makes me want to stick with it. Some people here have shown off the impressive bass of the CNT-1, and it's not like the No. 3 is going to give me a much bigger soundstage.

So far, I'll be sticking to the plan. Have a BL-03 on the way, and V90 is targeted for the 11.11 sale. That will take care of all separate DD / BA needs for now, until I can get my hands on a T800.

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/chinese-asian-brand-iem-info-thread.820747/page-1834#post-15254612

Yeah I was discussing the TFZ No. 3 vs CNT 1 in this above post.
I'm a basshead and I feel TFZ No. 3 has greater subbass extension and quantity, but CNT1 is no slouch in the bass department. I honestly think the TFZ No. 3 is still better in technicalities and is a more refined version of the CNT1, but the upgrades are marginal. I don't think it is worth the extra 100 bucks for these small improvements if u already are a CNT1 owner, YMMV.
The 8kHz peak of the TFZ No. 3 is the one pushing me more to the CNT1, cause I have a lot of brass instruments in my music listening, and these can be occasionally painful at this frequency.

 

[Mindstorms]

I think you can compare them from a lot of reviews on the internet. There are a lot of them actually.

Friend can you post a link of them? or one of them that is good? thanks!

 

[Mindstorms]

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/chinese-asian-brand-iem-info-thread.820747/page-1834#post-15254612

Yeah I was discussing the TFZ No. 3 vs CNT 1 in this above post.
I'm a basshead and I feel TFZ No. 3 has greater subbass extension and quantity, but CNT1 is no slouch in the bass department. I honestly think the TFZ No. 3 is still better in technicalities and is a more refined version of the CNT1, but the upgrades are marginal. I don't think it is worth the extra 100 bucks for these small improvements if u already are a CNT1 owner, YMMV.
The 8kHz peak of the TFZ No. 3 is the one pushing me more to the CNT1, cause I have a lot of brass instruments in my music listening, and these can be occasionally painful at this frequency.

so its that trebble spike on n3 really a problem? im trebble sensitive!

 

[baskingshark]

so its that trebble spike on n3 really a problem? im trebble sensitive!

I thank Crinacle for using his FR graph.

The No. 3's spike is specifically at the 8 kHz area (not only in Crinacle's graph but a few other headfiers also noted the 8kHz peak). It has a roll off in the higher treble frequencies. I wouldn't call the No. 3's treble bright. There are way brighter sets out there, but I only find the 8 kHz annoying for certain tracks that involve instruments like trumpets IMO. Other genres that don't involve these instruments are ok with the No. 3 in my book.

 

[chickenmoon]

I thank Crinacle for using his FR graph.

The No. 3's spike is specifically at the 8 kHz area (not only in Crinacle's graph but a few other headfiers also noted the 8kHz peak). It has a roll off in the higher treble frequencies. I wouldn't call the No. 3's treble bright. There are way brighter sets out there, but I only find the 8 kHz annoying for certain tracks that involve instruments like trumpets IMO. Other genres that don't involve these instruments are ok with the No. 3 in my book.

Please note that all Crinacle graphs have an 8khz peak and it is a resonant peak due to the measuring setup, if No3 has indeed a peak at 8khz it's much less than shown on this graph.

 

[baskingshark]

Please note that all Crinacle graphs have an 8khz peak and it is a resonant peak due to the measuring setup, if No3 has indeed a peak at 8khz it's much less than shown on this graph.

K thanks for the info. I do find a peak at that region heard in my music with No. 3. It's present with different silicone tips I tried. It is tamed somewhat with foam tips, but I'm not really a fan of foamies due to their durability.

Since u have both the No. 3 and TI version, do u hear this peak too?


Edit: these are the posts where the other headfiers also mentioned a 8 kHz peak they heard:
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/moo...ressions-thread.894139/page-239#post-15061520
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/moo...ressions-thread.894139/page-239#post-15061544
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/moo...ressions-thread.894139/page-239#post-15061562

 

[warbles]

Please note that all Crinacle graphs have an 8khz peak and it is a resonant peak due to the measuring setup, if No3 has indeed a peak at 8khz it's much less than shown on this graph.

Dare I make a small digression here and ask if you or anyone else knows of anywhere at all where discussion follows Crinacle's basic dismissal of the Vsonic VS7, which the audio world *appears* to all intents and purposes to have taken as gospel?

I am intensely curious about this as my own experience with TFZ #3 has been a strange one, and I find myself listening to it hardly at all, for everything save for the delicious bass response sounds well, too 'dirty' or 'thick' for me (am still unable to explain what official meaning the use of "thick" is supposed to have audio-wise..) and I find myself listening almost exclusively to the very latest iteration of the GR07, which is really the only truly satisfying IEM I have. But still I remain madly curious about TFZ product!


But my question, as I say, is just that. Does anyone know of such a discussion? Everyday I look at the ads for VS7 and fully imagine it taking me even further into aural delight than what I presently have. And then, I remember CRINACLE.


With apologies for my small diVersion into matters Vsonic...

 

[baskingshark]

I am intensely curious about this as my own experience with TFZ #3 has been a strange one, and I find myself listening to it hardly at all, for everything save for the delicious bass response sounds well, too 'dirty' or 'thick' for me (am still unable to explain what official meaning the use of "thick" is supposed to have audio-wise..) .

Are u by any chance referring to the TFZ No. 3's midbass bleed? I know most folks don't like it, but I'm a basshead and I actually like it for adding warmth to the lower mids.

 

[warbles]

Are u by any chance referring to the TFZ No. 3's midbass bleed? I know most folks don't like it, but I'm a basshead and I actually like it for adding warmth to the lower mids.

Well, if it is possibly that which I'm referring to, it hasn't occurred to me to think of what I'm not liking in terms of a mid-bass bleed, but now that you mention it, I will carefully listen again with just that in mind!

 

[chickenmoon]

K thanks for the info. I do find a peak at that region heard in my music with No. 3. It's present with different silicone tips I tried. It is tamed somewhat with foam tips, but I'm not really a fan of foamies due to their durability.

Since u have both the No. 3 and TI version, do u hear this peak too?


Edit: these are the posts where the other headfiers also mentioned a 8 kHz peak they heard:
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/moo...ressions-thread.894139/page-239#post-15061520
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/moo...ressions-thread.894139/page-239#post-15061544
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/moo...ressions-thread.894139/page-239#post-15061562

If you wanna search for the graphs of the No3 and No3 Ti I posted earlier you will see there is a small peak at 8.5/9khz. There are big peaks at 7khz but these show on all my measurements and are resonant peaks (presumably at lower frequency than Crinacle's due to using tubing of higher diameter).

I find the No3s a bit too bright for my taste but I don't think it's due to these peaks, certainly not exclusively, more likely due to the overall elevation of the upper midrange.