[FatTeemo]

PK3 isn't bad. It's got a fun type of sound and used to be the budget earbud champion. Monk beats it though. PK2 is more neutral and better than PK3 but not necessarily Monk. Shozy Cygnus is supposed to be even better than PK2 and not too far from Zen 1 & 2. So like golov17 writes, perhaps Cygnus can be a suggestion...

 
Hmm, The Shozy Cygnus looks interesting. Why do they have to look so generic lol?

 

[yacobx]

N

PK3 isn't bad. It's got a fun type of sound and used to be the budget earbud champion. Monk beats it though. PK2 is more neutral and better than PK3 but not necessarily Monk. Shozy Cygnus is supposed to be even better than PK2 and not too far from Zen 1

Hmm, The Shozy Cygnus looks interesting. Why do they have to look so generic lol?

I actually think they don't look generic bc of the cable. There is a Cygnus thread that has all the review FYI

 

[Danneq]

Hmm, The Shozy Cygnus looks interesting. Why do they have to look so generic lol?

Well, the housing that Cygnus uses is pretty unusual. Only Yuin uses the same as far as I know. The Sennheiser MX400/500 housing that VE earbuds uses is far more common (for example Blox also uses them).

 

[goldenSHK]

So it seems like the general consensus here is that the main/close competitor on the market to the Zen is the SHOZY Cygnus? 
 
I know there's a lot of different brands of earbuds like MrZ MusicMakers and Dark Horse etc, but the one that I see always compared is the Cygnus. If true, I'll put in an order of the Cygnus soon then. 

 

[kiler]

Let us know how they fare once you do  

 

[Raketen]

  So it seems like the general consensus here is that the main/close competitor on the market to the Zen is the SHOZY Cygnus? 
 
I know there's a lot of different brands of earbuds like MrZ MusicMakers and Dark Horse etc, but the one that I see always compared is the Cygnus. If true, I'll put in an order of the Cygnus soon then. 

I think I've also seen mentioned Tomahawk, Lyra, KC08, Celsus Gramo... except I think they are so expensive hardly anyone has heard them

 

[Danneq]

I think I've also seen mentioned Tomahawk, Lyra, KC08, Celsus Gramo... except I think they are so expensive hardly anyone has heard them :veryevil:

Except that you can buy all of those together for less than what one pair of high end custom IEMs costs...

 

[Raketen]

Except that you can buy all of those together for less than what one pair of high end custrom IEMs costs...

universal iems too, for that matter
 
(guilty as charged )

 

[fleasbaby]

  So it seems like the general consensus here is that the main/close competitor on the market to the Zen is the SHOZY Cygnus? 
 
I know there's a lot of different brands of earbuds like MrZ MusicMakers and Dark Horse etc, but the one that I see always compared is the Cygnus. If true, I'll put in an order of the Cygnus soon then. 

 
I have the Mr Z Tomahawks on their way to me now...going to do some comparisons with the Zen, Monk and Asura, as well as the Blox BE3 and M2C...
 

  Let us know how they fare once you do  

 
I also have some Cygnus coming my way. I'll be adding them to the lineup above...

 

[goldenSHK]

   
I have the Mr Z Tomahawks on their way to me now...going to do some comparisons with the Zen, Monk and Asura, as well as the Blox BE3 and M2C...
 

Did you find the Monks better than the Blox BE3? I found the Monks better or as good as all the BE series and M2C which is what really surprised me. 

 

[fleasbaby]

  Did you find the Monks better than the Blox BE3? I found the Monks better or as good as all the BE series and M2C which is what really surprised me. 

I did indeed. I had actually started to get a little jaded with the earbud market until VE burst onto the scene with the Zen and Asura (v1). The Monk has very quickly become the benchmark for me. Lee is a crafty bugger though. The Monk is a brilliant earbud, but if you ever have a niggling doubt about how brilliant, and think that perhaps another edges it out, that price-tag (and yes, I know this sounds a little crass, but its the truth) seals the deal. He's onto something here...

 

[goldenSHK]

 
I did indeed. I had actually started to get a little jaded with the earbud market until VE burst onto the scene with the Zen and Asura (v1). The Monk has very quickly become the benchmark for me. Lee is a crafty bugger though. The Monk is a brilliant earbud, but if you ever have a niggling doubt about how brilliant, and think that perhaps another edges it out, that price-tag (and yes, I know this sounds a little crass, but its the truth) seals the deal. He's onto something here...

Ya me too. Half the earbud hype products I never thought lived up to the enthusiasm. The Monk has been the first budget earbud to completely live up to the massive hype. I am being told a lot that the Tomahawks and SHOZY Cygnus is up there too living up to the hype. I'll probably pick one of them up soon. 

 

[KlarkKentThe3rd]

The most important part about in-ear anything, is the quality of cable. How quick will it wear out? How soon will a broken cable destroy your musical enjoyment?
 
That is the question of utmost importance!

 

[golov17]

The most important part about in-ear anything, is the quality of cable. How quick will it wear out? How soon will a broken cable destroy your musical enjoyment?

That is the question of utmost importance!

never any problems

 

[TheTrace]

Are there any links to purchase the earfoams and/or rings that work well with the Zen 2?