Toranku's Thoughts and Reviews (and target EQ filters!)

[toranku]

Brand Overview: Shuoer

Shuoer is a Chinese IEM company that have been steadily putting out IEMs that have garnered reputation online. Seem to have blown up quickly.

Tape
15 December 2019
The Tape is very v-shaped with heavy lower mid recession. Due to the forwardness of the uppermids and bass, the recession in the lower mids lends the Tape a very shrill, thin and lean midrange. I don't enjoy how unnatural the Tape's tonal balance is. It's bass is boosted and shows bloat with drums and basslines, but it does have a smoother texture to the bass as well. Treble is executed well but can be a bit lower treble heavy albeit with good extension at the upper end.

Staging presentation is a bit cramped up at times with its lack of width. Combine that with the far-from-natural tone and I don't like the Tape.

EJ07
7 March 2020

Before someone says "b-but your dap doesn't have enough power!"

Within the first 10 seconds the EJ07 draws similar timbre characteristics as the Roland. That veil due to a lack of proper mid-treble harmonics. This same lack of harmonics causes the bass and mids to sound hollow and forms a sense of weightlessness. In some ways it also does remind me of the Shure 846's timbre, as did the Roland. It's not quite accurate to say that they are hazy but rather that it shows a lot of grain with its uppermidrange.

The midrange tilts a bit more towards the uppermidrange and in general I'd say it's midforward. Treble is really the biggest offender here which does not convey the harmonics properly. It does seem to pick back up in the upper treble in which it demonstrates decent extension but the mid treble has too big of a recession which throws the treble off balance.

Cant say that I like this one at all. Could have used a BA tweeter to fill up the midtreble gap and it would have so much more potential. It does have a bit more treble than Roland overall but it still needs much more.

 

[TooPoorForHiFi]

REQUEST

Unique Melody MEST

Dunu DK-2001 // Blessing 2 // Comparison

As always appreciate the work.

 

[toranku]

REQUEST

Unique Melody MEST

Dunu DK-2001 // Blessing 2 // Comparison

As always appreciate the work.

Yeah, been curious to try those. Had tried out the Dunu Luna yesterday as well but didnt have enough time with it. B2 is something I've wanted to try since it was announced but doesnt seem like local distro is too keen on stocking them up.

 

[hkpants]

Yeah, been curious to try those. Had tried out the Dunu Luna yesterday as well but didnt have enough time with it. B2 is something I've wanted to try since it was announced but doesnt seem like local distro is too keen on stocking them up.

Based off your initial impression, what did you think of the Luna?

 

[toranku]

Based off your initial impression, what did you think of the Luna?

Didn't have enough time and the fit was suboptimal in my right ear (I didn't bring my own tips & right ear is bigger than left at concha); I'll reserve from making comments until I've had enough time and a good fit with it

 

[deafdoorknob]

Looking forward to your take on Canal Works U73... had a brief listen... its BA bass is closest DD bass i have experienced... quite a feat imo. The rest is “not bad” but need a more serious listen before giving proper impressions.

 

[headphonesaddict123]

Request : DUNU lineup breakdown .
Amazing contents as always tork .

 

[Damz87]

Request : DUNU lineup breakdown .
Amazing contents as always tork .

+1

 

[toranku]

Looking forward to your take on Canal Works U73... had a brief listen... its BA bass is closest DD bass i have experienced... quite a feat imo. The rest is “not bad” but need a more serious listen before giving proper impressions.

Should be a while till I'll be able to try them again I am well aware of the 73

Request : DUNU lineup breakdown .
Amazing contents as always tork .

Unfortunately a bit difficult to try them since they don't have a dealer locally. Perhaps when crinacle is back in iemland I can get him to bring back all the dunus he has

 

[Love Music]

Toranku would you say the ikko oh10 is similar to the oriolus mkii?

 

[toranku]

Toranku would you say the ikko oh10 is similar to the oriolus mkii?

Totally different. OH10 is a much brighter earphone.

 

[toranku]

Brand Overview: Sony

Sony as a high end audio brand from Japan has been getting increasingly popular as of late. With the IER series they've been seeing a lot of attention online. They've been making hybrids like the H3 and A3 which are now evolved into the Z1R.

EX800ST/7550
12 March 20
Big vents which make this earphone isolate poorly. Signature is moderately warm with blunted uppermidrange. Treble also has a spike between 5-6k (common DD issue) which can be too much for some. "Open" sounding soundstage but instruments are still kept somewhat close to the head (like any IEM in general). A bit hazy sounding if not it's dynamics are great. Very advanced and ahead of its time and still holds up to this day against other single DDs.

EX1000
12 March 20
Like the 800, it now has 1 more vent and isolates basically nothing. If the filters are not removed, the EX1000 actually does sound similar to EX800 in tone but has clearer transients and speed. It's something you HAVE to try. Very advanced and ahead of its time and still holds up to this day against other single DDs.

N3
12 March 20
The N3 is a solid Hybrid from Sony. I'd describe the signature as bassy. It is pleasing in general but the midbass and upperbass can be problematic for some. On a technical level it does only perform average though. Has too much bass for its own good. If not, its transients are slightly blunted but highs do extend up top. The smeariness and overpowering bass can be too big of a dealbreaker.

M7
12 March 20
See: M9. But now a bit more blunt and slightly less airy with a warmer tone overall.

M9
12 March 20
Warm, technical and competent. Some people have noted that it has a narrow soundstage but I just think the presentation is different from typical IEMs. It doesn't quite wrap around your head but instead spaces it further out. Great tonality but I've to say that female vocals can sometimes sound buried within the mix. Another weakness would be its transients - they dont hit tight and hard. Rather soft and pillow-ey, a relaxed listen if you may. Does have great extension up top which I am a fan of. The thing with M9 is that it actually has bass but its not very dynamic and tight which causes the presentation to be just warm and laidback. However it is still very nice sounding and are one of my favourite earphones to date.

Z1R
12 March 20
Sony's current flagship earphone. Designed to sound like a 2.1ch, I've to say that Sony's take is well executed here. Whilst the midrange is dominated largely by BA timbre, the midrange is kept behind relative to its bass and treble. The bass is on the slower side of things and has a nice subbass and midbass tuning. I'd have to say that the Z1R sounds best to me in moderately noisy environments. In quiet environments I do feel that the bass can overwhelm things. Treble actually isnt that fatiguing after I nailed a deep fit and I'd say its kept rather even throughout. Despite people describing the Z1R as "thin", I found myself not quite agreeing. It does have the low mids IMO, but uppermids are a bit missing relative to the bass and treble. Perhaps its the influence of the treble harmonics which lends a certain sense of brighter edge to its notes. Well done but not to my taste.

 

[Love Music]

Totally different. OH10 is a much brighter earphone.

I see what about in terms of soundstage, imaging and technicalities.

Thinking of replacing the oriolus with something else. Have you also heard the inear sd2 and the custom art fibae 3 by any chance? Wonder which one will be better between the 3.

 

[Love Music]

I have recently bought the m7 due to your reviews and comparisons from before. I think they have very sweet, slightly forward/airy vocals. And the bass impact/rumble is good also. I think they are quite a nice pair of iem's just what i was looking for.

 

[toranku]

I have recently bought the m7 due to your reviews and comparisons from before. I think they have very sweet, slightly forward/airy vocals. And the bass impact/rumble is good also. I think they are quite a nice pair of iem's just what i was looking for.

Yeah. Back when I worked for an audio store part time I spent hours AB-ing the M7 and M9. Sometimes I would honestly forget which earphone were in my ears. I don't feel M9 justifies 2x the price since they are largely similar. It's more of a minor upgrade than anything. YMMV as always.