[Dsnuts]

So far, the Canons are a clear winner by a large margin over the Sands.

The Sands are so bright "currently" out of the box that the sibilance reaches levels of distortion on some tracks; whereas the Canons are perfect to me on the same tracks right out of the box (on 000, 010, 110). I am using about 75-90 percent volume mind you.

Two tracks in particular, both FLAC:

Sound and Vision, Low - David Bowie

When the synth comes in at 0:37 it is unlistenable on the Sands whereas the Canons take the brash mix in stride/zero distortion. The drums sound a bit awful on the Sands altogether. This is on the 000, 100, 110 settings on both the Sands and Canons for both tracks.

House of Cards, In Rainbows - Radiohead

At 0:15, Thom comes in with a melody vocal and it quite simply distorts in sibilance with the Sands. Once again it is brash and completely takes away from the song; there is no correcting this with Qudelisk EQ, but I don't care for EQing an IEM for certain tracks, albums, or artists anyway. Lazy me I suppose.

I will keep burning them in, but the Canons are head and shoulders above the Sands when it comes to Rock, Metal, and hell, even acoustic - My Sweet Lord is absolute magic on the Canons but harsh on the Sands; to be frank it makes the guitars sound brickwalled/overcompressed. I don't think I'm hearing more detail out of the Sands at all; just very very hot upper range.

Lame sidenote:

The Canons are considered Cannons to me because the bass is quite simply amazing. For the first time, I can truly hear Cliff Burton thru Hetfield's frequency hoarding wall of sound. I have tested some live Tool and Metallica with bass-heavy soundboards and they haven't even flinched and yes, I listen to the occasional set at unsafe volumes. My later loss indeed.

I did dabble into Radiohead/Atoms for Peace kind of electronic stuff and the bass once again delivered, but I suppose other headphones specialize in such subbass beyond. My ignorance, but I'm pretty smitten.

Sands will sound harsh for crash cymbals for any type of rock or metal music. Unfortunately the sands are tuned that way with a large treble shelf from 7Khz-9Khz the most sensitive portions for treble tunings. I highly advise you change out that cable that comes with it as that cable actually accentuates that treble region. If you have a pure copper cable give that a go. Unfortunately the tuning is what it is and burn in is not going to lower down that region of its tuning.

However like I said try a copper cable and tips will also play a big part of how they sound as well. It is a difficult earphone to nail down but believe it or not you can get them to sound really good. It takes a bit of experimentation on your part however. If you got a source with a warm sound profile that helps as well.

Unfortunately Sands are a much more complicated earphone than they should be. With the Sands they are nothing like a traditional earphone in that you do a simple burn in and they sound good. No way. If I was to judge them even after a week of run in, I wounldnt recommend them to anyone. But I put it on my review of them what the catch on those are.

It takes a lot of tweaking on the sound chain for them to become what they can be. They are like a puzzle you have to solve with different pieces that connect to them but once that is all figured out it becomes a freak of nature in how they sound. Canon is much more easier to use and versatile for that reason alone as you dont need to do any of that for the Canon to sound optimized.

 

[FalseProphet]

Sands will sound harsh for crash cymbals for any type of rock or metal music. Unfortunately the sands are tuned that way with a large treble shelf from 7Khz-9Khz the most sensitive portions for treble tunings. I highly advise you change out that cable that comes with it as that cable actually accentuates that treble region. If you have a pure copper cable give that a go. Unfortunately the tuning is what it is and burn in is not going to lower down that region of its tuning.

However like I said try a copper cable and tips will also play a big part of how they sound as well. It is a difficult earphone to nail down but believe it or not you can get them to sound really good. It takes a bit of experimentation on your part however. If you got a source with a warm sound profile that helps as well.

Agree on that, Sands can sound very different with various configurations, as if you had different IEMs. Anyway I got used to the stock cable, even so that I have all switches on, right tips and right cable can make a difference, got Spiral Dot++ today, I think it works even better than Moondrop MIS-Tips, well at least with the stock cable, I found that different cable, needs different tips. But sure, I guess Canon out of box is a safer choice.

 

[Alchempissed]

I love 010 actually thought 110 too much LOL I am still wondering how the Canon 010 bass compares to the Mahina or Moonlight

I have only found the bass to be a little much on 110 on one track and oddly enough it was on the sonically superb DSTOM; that being said, I relistened whilst messing with source volume etc and found it to be just fine, so there ya go.

That being said, I did swap the cables on the Canon/Sands to the Dunu DUW-02S and Dunu Amber because I found the Canon cable to be laughably static at the input and simply too bulky. Same with the Sands on the PAC480, minus the static. It amazes me that people actually like these thicker cables, but audiophiles will phile.

Also, I can ONLY use foam tips; I always have, but DAMN, driver flex is nonsense to me, trying the silicone tips provided. I know there is a wide debate on the subject but I cannot imagine that driver flex is any good on the cone of the driver. My $.02.

I put my flame retardant jacket on accordingly.



It also blew my mind how much smaller these IEMs are than I expected; the HDR photos make them look massive but they are relatively small considering what they pack and they fit my dome like a key in a door.

 

[Alchempissed]

Sands will sound harsh for crash cymbals for any type of rock or metal music....

I was aware - thanks to your review - and have read up on much of what you have posted accordingly - thank you once again.

QC-wise the Sands win easily; the shells are A+ game quality and the boxed presentation was well-done.

Unfortunately, my driver vents on my Canons are a bit sloppy; the left side has a bit of adhesive residue and the filter looks a bit haggard - the right side has minimal residue, but it's still noticeable without a magnifying glass. I also got jipped on a cloth, but that is peanuts.

Truth to be told, I really don't mind considering the sound quality; I am that impressed.

I will continue to burn the Sands in, but I am already fairly sold on Canons being my endgame for now.

My appreciation to you all; this very thread made me order the Canons AFTER securing the Sands and I couldn't be happier I did. Would I have settled on the Sands? Would I have found my way thru their sonic forest? I don't know, but either way, I made the right choice. The second swing connected on my IEM frenzy.

 

[Dsnuts]

I have only found the bass to be a little much on 110 on one track and oddly enough it was on the sonically superb DSTOM; that being said, I relistened whilst messing with source volume etc and found it to be just fine, so there ya go.

That being said, I did swap the cables on the Canon/Sands to the Dunu DUW-02S and Dunu Amber because I found the Canon cable to be laughably static at the input and simply too bulky. Same with the Sands on the PAC480, minus the static. It amazes me that people actually like these thicker cables, but audiophiles will phile.

Also, I can ONLY use foam tips; I always have, but DAMN, driver flex is nonsense to me, trying the silicone tips provided. I know there is a wide debate on the subject but I cannot imagine that driver flex is any good on the cone of the driver. My $.02.

I put my flame retardant jacket on accordingly.



It also blew my mind how much smaller these IEMs are than I expected; the HDR photos make them look massive but they are relatively small considering what they pack and they fit my dome like a key in a door.

Oh so you do have the PAC480. I know they are like a garden hose but if you listen to your tracks with the PAC480 attached to the Sands. Those will change up the sound profile to be much more balanced.

I know a lot of folks that are not fans of thicker cables but there is a reason why they exists. Thicker cables thicken up a sound profile the PAC480 will smoothen out the treble aspect of the SANDs as well. If you plan on doing any stationary listening try the PAC480 again. IT might surprise you how the Sands sound with them.

Foams on the Sands is good and bad. If you get the right foams then it benefit the Sands, if you use the wrong type it will accentuate the treble area even more so than silicones.

These are what I recommend and what I use. These sound great for just about any IEM actually.

These are worth getting as unlike most foams that leak causing more treble these actaully help curbs treble glare/. Smooths out treble

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/2255800159340410.html?spm=a2g0o.store_pc_groupList.8148356.26.3b1f59a55H3mPT&pdp_npi=2@dis!USD!US $6.99!US $6.99!!!!!@2100bddd16602474565338705ee82b!10000001423669901!sh

 

[alex24rus]

I didn't mean to offend anyone last night. But such videos always spoil the mood. Everything will become clear soon.

 

[Alchempissed]

Oh so you do have the PAC480...

These are what I recommend and what I use. These sound great for just about any IEM actually...

These are worth getting as unlike most foams that leak causing more treble these actaully help curbs treble glare/. Smooths out treble


https://www.aliexpress.com/item/2255800159340410.html?spm=a2g0o.store_pc_groupList.8148356.26.3b1f59a55H3mPT&pdp_npi=2@dis!USD!US $6.99!US $6.99!!!!!@2100bddd16602474565338705ee82b!10000001423669901!sh

I am not absolute in my early judgment of the Sands, because your words (among others here) molded the last half of my IEM rabbit-hole hunt. Crinacle and the Blessing, Timeless rave made me question quite a bit of the current IEM boom. Then after too many YouTube reviews and reading up, I found this place. The language was more genuine and unfettered by hype. That's where my confidence is in the Canon. I'm very happy that I bought the Sands to have the comparison and if anyone is looking for a set...

I kid.

It is posts like yours I quoted that make me love this place; tho the infectious gear-acquisition-syndrome did set me back a good chunk of change.

 

[Dsnuts]

I am not absolute in my early judgment of the Sands, because your words (among others here) molded the last half of my IEM rabbit-hole hunt. Crinacle and the Blessing, Timeless rave made me question quite a bit of the current IEM boom. Then after too many YouTube reviews and reading up, I found this place. The language was more genuine and unfettered by hype. That's where my confidence is in the Canon. I'm very happy that I bought the Sands to have the comparison and if anyone is looking for a set...

I kid.

It is posts like yours I quoted that make me love this place; tho the infectious gear-acquisition-syndrome did set me back a good chunk of change.

IEMs can be more complicated than they need to be. I mean the sheer nature of throwing what is essentially high precision speakers in your ears.

In the end the Sands tuning might not be to your like in a sound profile. If you never get the point that it sounds greater than you have ever heard in an IEM moment with them than I don't know if that will ever happen for you. Especially after you try all the things, I wrote about on my review of them.

It is the type of IEM that has an edgy tuning to it. All that treble emphasis is for folks that love them some treble and a lot of auditory detail. You have to counter that detail using a warm source, a warm cable and an tips that does not enhance the treble. I have to admit, it is not my favorite type of tuning either. I even wrote a message to Tansio Mirai on my review of the Sands that it might be time to change the Tansio house tuning a bit to be more universal vs being a treble first edgy tuning they got going on with the Sands.

It is not just the Sands but pretty much all their IEMs have treble emphasis front and center. Yanyin earphones all have safe balanced tunings even the Canon which leads them to be more versatile in the long run.

But I am never one to leave potential alone. If you heard my set I have now I bet you would do a 180 degree turn on how you feel about them. But I do have a very expensive cable on them. A cable that cost 4x the cost of the Sands. What the sands ultimately meshes with is a gold-plated copper type cable but that is taking it to another level of crazy. No need to buy any cable worth more than the earphones themselves a rule I set for myself actually, but for the Sands.

It is again a lot like a grand puzzle you have to solve. This is the sound that the manufacturer provides. They include a cable that accentuates the highs. Which for that sound profile is a no no and they include tips that does nothing to balance out the sound. So I had to resort to aftermarket cables and tips. Sands out of my Ibasso DX300Max is ethereal sounding.

Synergy for the Sand is very difficult to achieve but it is one of those when you do achieve it. You will finally understand as it will sound like nothing you have heard before. Sands can get there even over the Canons and even over the Moonlights, but to achieve it, I think it is too much for most folks and you can't expect a $300 earphone not to be optimal with the stuff they give you included within the box, but that is in fact what that is.

I actually tried to discourage folks from buying the Sands if you read my review carefully. I warn people about it. Lol. But in the end folks that figure out that puzzle will be granted with something they are not ready for. It is an amazing sound experience hidden in there. It has to be found however and that is what sucks about the Sands.

They are not your conventional hybrid no way no how and, in the end, might be a bit too complicated to figure out for its own good.

 

[FalseProphet]

IEMs can be more complicated than they need to be. I mean the sheer nature of throwing what is essentially high precision speakers in your ears.

In the end the Sands tuning might not be to your like in a sound profile. If you never get the point that it sounds greater than you have ever heard in an IEM moment with them than I don't know if that will ever happen for you. Especially after you try all the things, I wrote about on my review of them.

It is the type of IEM that has an edgy tuning to it. All that treble emphasis is for folks that love them some treble and a lot of auditory detail. You have to counter that detail using a warm source, a warm cable and an tips that does not enhance the treble. I have to admit, it is not my favorite type of tuning either. I even wrote a message to Tansio Mirai on my review of the Sands that it might be time to change the Tansio house tuning a bit to be more universal vs being a treble first edgy tuning they got going on with the Sands.

It is not just the Sands but pretty much all their IEMs have treble emphasis front and center. Yanyin earphones all have safe balanced tunings even the Canon which leads them to be more versatile in the long run.

But I am never one to leave potential alone. If you heard my set I have now I bet you would do a 180 degree turn on how you feel about them. But I do have a very expensive cable on them. A cable that cost 4x the cost of the Sands. What the sands ultimately meshes with is a gold-plated copper type cable but that is taking it to another level of crazy. No need to buy any cable worth more than the earphones themselves a rule I set for myself actually, but for the Sands.

It is again a lot like a grand puzzle you have to solve. This is the sound that the manufacturer provides. They include a cable that accentuates the highs. Which for that sound profile is a no no and they include tips that does nothing to balance out the sound. So I had to resort to aftermarket cables and tips. Sands out of my Ibasso DX300Max is ethereal sounding.

Synergy for the Sand is very difficult to achieve but it is one of those when you do achieve it. You will finally understand as it will sound like nothing you have heard before. Sands can get there even over the Canons and even over the Moonlights, but to achieve it, I think it is too much for most folks and you can't expect a $300 earphone not to be optimal with the stuff they give you included within the box, but that is in fact what that is.

I actually tried to discourage folks from buying the Sands if you read my review carefully. I warn people about it. Lol. But in the end folks that figure out that puzzle will be granted with something they are not ready for. It is an amazing sound experience hidden in there. It has to be found however and that is what sucks about the Sands.

They are not your conventional hybrid no way no how and, in the end, might be a bit too complicated to figure out for its own good.

Well said, still trying to figure it out . So you are saying that gold plated copper cable is the way? Is it much better than that Effct Audio cable that you mentioned earlier? Planning to get an optimal cable for it so keep me posted. It is crazy to imagine than it can even rival the Moonlight with a right cable

 

[Dsnuts]

Well said, still trying to figure it out . So you are saying that gold plated copper cable is the way? Is it much better than that Effct Audio cable that you mentioned earlier? Planning to get an optimal cable for it so keep me posted. It is crazy to imagine than it can even rival the Moonlight with a right cable

Well I can say without a doubt the Sands are more effected by cable pairings more so than any other IEMs I have ever used. It will convert a non-cable believer into a cable believer. Quite astounding actually. Don't know exactly why. Could be due to its highly detailed sound profile it has. And it isn't because they are overly sensitive @ 17 Ohms.

I do know it sounds better on my DX300Max vs the Moonlight even. Warmish tuning on the DX300Max seem to suit the sound profile on the Sands more so than the Moonlights. Synergy is a strange beast that is for certain.

In any case back to Yanyin stuff. Sorry for hijacking the thread.

 

[FalseProphet]

Well I can say without a doubt the Sands are more effected by cable pairings more so than any other IEMs I have ever used. It will convert a non-cable believer into a cable believer. Quite astounding actually. Don't know exactly why. Could be due to its highly detailed sound profile it has. And it isn't because they are overly sensitive @ 17 Ohms.

I do know it sounds better on my DX300Max vs the Moonlight even. Warmish tuning on the DX300Max seem to suit the sound profile on the Sands more so than the Moonlights. Synergy is a strange beast that is for certain.

In any case back to Yanyin stuff. Sorry for hijacking the thread.

Back to Yanyin!

 

[Alchempissed]

In any case back to Yanyin stuff. Sorry for hijacking the thread.

Back to Yanyin!

Twas I who brought it up, my bad



Are all the Yanyins as loud as the Canons? I can't believe they don't clip. They brace my head before their ceiling.

 

[maxifuny]

Are all the Yanyins as loud as the Canons?

Yeah... Not my sound at all.

 

[Azanulimbar]

My Mahina is here. The fit seems pretty nice, I've settled on some spiral dots.
Initial impressions will follow after a few days as I get more acclimated to its sound.

 

[Yefry]

Waiting patiently for Mahina impressions

I wonder how it compares to penon volt