Hey guys - I'm looking for some really excellent WIRED EARBUDS to try, in an attempt to replace my Koss KSC75(best sounding Koss, IMO). I've already tried these, which were OK/decent: Moondrop Nameless, Yincrow RW-9/RW-1000/X6, Venture Electronics Bonus IE/Monk+, Toneking MrZ Tomahawk. Looking for higher end stuff, since these only cost $25 at most...
- Wired
- No mic
- No IEMs
- No sound isolation (best for phone calls)
- Great sound quality
For comparison to the Koss KSC75 there are only 2 buds I have that share the same (not exact) tonality. One is the Edifier H185 which are cheaper than $15. I actually bought the last set from the Edifier US webstore about a year ago and they removed them from their listing afterwards. I did find another store which still sells them, but I've never bought anything from that store. Edifier H185 at Sunsky Wholesale. I will say for the low cost of the Edifier H185, they are a surprisingly good sounding set of buds and I can understand why they've gotten very good past reviews. Heck, low cost + excellent sound quality = low budget winner.
Now to the step up buds that I think will satisfy and will most likely take over the KSC75 listening duties for you is the FiiO FF3. Take note these are the first original release of the FF3 series. FiiO came out with a second release which they named FF3S which is a good sounding set of buds, but IMO loses some of the magic of the original FF3.
You could order a set of the FF3 on AliExpress, but they are easily gotten from Amazon for instant gratification. FiiO FF3 at Amazon (US) for $89.00
Edit: I just wanted to add that the FF3 come with 3 sets of foams, Bass, Balanced and Crisp (donut foams). I use the balanced foams, but you might choose the other foams for your own listening prefs.
Quick impressions from me on the Lrey Protheus, which uses a custom 80ohm driver according to Lrey with a balanced sound. However, despite being labelled balanced I hear it to be a balanced V shape but I can see where he would get that idea.
I am using a Hiby m300, Questyle m15, vesper audio cryo cable and the stock foam.
- Very energetic treble, not sibilant but definitely has good depth.
- Bass is pretty punchy, which is surprising. Not the most tight but clear.
- Resolving, slight haze over the entire sound but its only something you'll notice on some tracks.
- Vocals are slightly recessed, makes it feel a bit V shaped in the sound. Balanced V shape if you will.
- Instrumentals like pianos and guitars have incredible texture, works incredible with jazz like music with lots of enthusiasm.
Slower tracks don't exactly work but still sound great.
- Staging is pretty good, no tightness to the sound and has a great depth to everything.
Other than the slight haze, this is a pretty dang good earbud! It has a really fun and forgiving sound that punches above the price! Plus they look lovely too. Really well done by Lrey.
I dont have a good camera, but I used my phone to show how my set looks:
Apologies upfront for any mispellings or anything that isn't coherent, my health took a nosedive the past few days. Don't be afraid to point out anything that doesn't make sense, I'm used to needing to clarify or rewrite what I've said when I'm not fully with it.
Now that i am re-reading your previous post, i see that you were being pretty clear, so i am the one that have to apologize for not paying enough attention the first time.
Hope you're recovering well.
I've been interested in the DB1E but hadn't looked very far into it, but after seeing some comments about the LBBS being somewhat similar to the Chaconne which is now on my short list thanks to a recommendation from @samandhi I've been giving K's earbuds a close look. As much as people love the LBBS I wasn't too keen on the fixed cable, especially since (I think?) at least part of it was braided which I'm not a fan of. The DB1E fixes that issue but I wasn't sure what it sounded like, but after reading your comments and doing some more digging I think it's definitely worth considering. It would be interesting to see whether anyone has ever compared the DB1/E to the Chaconne, I wonder whether the comparison between the LBBS and the Chaconne applies or not.
After listening to it more I would agree with that assessment of the OHN, I don't think I stressed enough in my other posts that the treble can be overwhelming and if I'm not feeling great then I can't stand to listen to them for very long. But when my hearing isn't affected by my health problems it's not as much of an issue. I think you're spot-on with that comment, while I definitely like the way the RW2K sounds and think that it makes a great all-around bud I think I'm looking for something that has a little more sparkle for the times when I can stand it. Yeah that's the impression I've gotten, the only thing that's kept me interested in them was a comment I found from @JAnonymous5150 over on r/headphones saying that they achieve 95% of what the Chaconne does. I know his opinion of the Green Mamba isn't what most people think of them but the chance they can achieve most of the same sound for 1/5th the price is definitely intriguing.
I am sorry for replying after so much time, specially after you already ordered the DB1E, but i still would like to stress out more about DB1E, things i should have emphasized before:
Its slim body, slick surface, and small diammeter make it not have a good fit in my ears, but as i haven't seen anyone else complaining about it, this can be just me. As fit changes drastically the sound of a earbud, having a better fit than what i have, will give you a different sound than the what i reported.
When i get a loose fit with it, i find the mids stand out too much, to the point of shoutyness; in the most consistent fit i can get, i get what i had already described, flat, clean and clear sound, with nice highs, its a little thin overall, timbre can be off sometimes, soundstage is large, somewhat tall, not much deep, and while there is bass, it is little but clean. Now if i can somehow get a tight fit, or if i push it in my ears, the bass becomes more present and you can see its articulation, separation gets better, but stage width is reduced a little, the rest remains the same.
For reference, all that impressions were had outta my Tempotec V6, which is slightly warm. With more flat sources it may sound a little too bright.
Anyway congratulations on your new shiny!
I hope DB1E fits well in your ears and you like then. Looking forward to see your thoughts about it, whatever they are.
P.S. I urge anyone that likes a more analytical sound (but certainly not boring) to build these right away. Trust me, if you like this sort of sound signature, you will LOVE these to pieces... The driver that @mt877 uses, coupled with the shells is top notch IMHO.
Smabat's new SL-10 dual diaphragm buds are in crowd funding status. They are only posted at Smabat's Chinese language website, not to their English site.
I wouldn't be surprised if the 14.2mm dd covered all the frequencies, and 10mm dd was there for the solely purpose of shounting 2-3k at us.
Even though, i cannot lie that i'm interested in these; isn't all days that a dual dd bud realeases.
And well, if it follows the way of previous smabat releases, and instead of being a earphone, it is a easy way to hear the scream of the damned, then to the diy box it'll go.
Also, it seems they had updated the page after your post, as it now says it's in 'pre-sale', the color scheme of the product was altered a bit, and the 14.2mm driver which previously was dlc is now a titanium dome one.
Hello, I need some recommendations. Mostly I play competitive games and daily usage. Can you recommend earbuds to fit my requirements under 75 dollars.
Quick impressions from me on the Lrey Protheus, which uses a custom 80ohm driver according to Lrey with a balanced sound. However, despite being labelled balanced I hear it to be a balanced V shape but I can see where he would get that idea.
I am using a Hiby m300, Questyle m15, vesper audio cryo cable and the stock foam.
- Very energetic treble, not sibilant but definitely has good depth.
- Bass is pretty punchy, which is surprising. Not the most tight but clear.
- Resolving, slight haze over the entire sound but its only something you'll notice on some tracks.
- Vocals are slightly recessed, makes it feel a bit V shaped in the sound. Balanced V shape if you will.
- Instrumentals like pianos and guitars have incredible texture, works incredible with jazz like music with lots of enthusiasm.
Slower tracks don't exactly work but still sound great.
- Staging is pretty good, no tightness to the sound and has a great depth to everything.
Other than the slight haze, this is a pretty dang good earbud! It has a really fun and forgiving sound that punches above the price! Plus they look lovely too. Really well done by Lrey.
I dont have a good camera, but I used my phone to show how my set looks:
I whole-heartedly agree with everything you said. Mine is a cabled Proteus, copper cable. I simply love it. It is my casual listening partner directly from my phone. Yes it is behind the Aurora, but on its own it's magnificent for the price!
My Mingjiang 32ohm and 600ohm buds are in. Can't get a proper fit via the over ear style with the Code series cables. Waiting for newly ordered cables to come in. Otherwise I'm pleasantly surprised at how sweet and dynamic the 600ohms are out of my tube amp. The 320MaxTi also seems to drive it well. There is enough slam to feel it rumble in my ears. Will wait for proper cables to give them a proper listen.
What sort of music do you listen to? What source will these be used with? Budget (like @Ace Bee asked)??? Do you have a shell type preference? What is your definition of great sound quality (if you can tell us)?
I don't really want genre-specific sound, but I don't want too sterile and/or weak sound. For IEMs, I like KZ ZAS/PR2 HBB, FiiO FH3 was solid, FD5 had some amazing qualities, AFUL P5 was decent, Shuoer EJ07 was decent, EE Raven & Odin, 64A U12t. Clarity, detail, natural tone, realistic soundstage, and non-fatiguing treble are main traits I'm after. I don't know how good earbud bass can be.
I think the Yincrow X6/Monk+ style shell fit me better than the RW-1000 style. But I don't recall being bothered by the RW-1000 style. I have some rubber ear clips, too, but never tried them yet... Could be really nice and snug
I heard Moondrop Chaccone 2 is apparently fantastic!
The Qian69 shell is only 0.1 mm smaller than the mx500 according to my caliper measurements.
If you are looking for earbuds that are definitely smaller, I would recommend the Qian39 or PK shell earbuds (Yuin PK3 or Yuin PK2 or DQSM Panda PK2s).
As far as I know FiiO is the only company to provide 3 different types of earbud foams with their earbuds. They started this practice when they released the EM5 in 2020, so not really a new feature. The only other FiiO earbuds that includes 3 sets of foams are the original FF3 and the FF5 models. Later earbud releases (FF1 and FF3S) only include bass and crisp foams. BTW, the EM5 is a unique earbud and while it's FiiO's most expensive ($299.00) set of buds, it is a top class performer. Of course like most head gear, people either love them or hate them. I happen to be in the 'love them' camp.
Hello, I need some recommendations. Mostly I play competitive games and daily usage. Can you recommend earbuds to fit my requirements under 75 dollars.
From that list of earbuds the Dunu Alpha 3, Yincrow Rhino, K's LBBS and Temperament X3 are very good earbuds. I don't have any experience with any of the other earbuds listed except for the Yincrow Calf and I think the Yincrow Rhino are better.
From that list of earbuds the Dunu Alpha 3, Yincrow Rhino, K's LBBS and Temperament X3 are very good earbuds. I don't have any experience with any of the other earbuds listed except for the Yincrow Calf and I think the Yincrow Rhino are better.
Totally agree regarding the Yincrow Calf. Those are the least favorite of the buds I own, while also beeing nearly the most expensive. They are somewhat hot in the lower treble. Also bass rolls off very early. To me it is like a V-shape, but without the bass.
Regarding tonality even the standard Vido earbuds (not the red or white) are going to be better... For 2€!
Disclaimer: this is only my opinion - others don't mind some more energy in the upper mids/lower treble.
My Mingjiang 32ohm and 600ohm buds are in. Can't get a proper fit via the over ear style with the Code series cables. Waiting for newly ordered cables to come in. Otherwise I'm pleasantly surprised at how sweet and dynamic the 600ohms are out of my tube amp. The 320MaxTi also seems to drive it well. There is enough slam to feel it rumble in my ears. Will wait for proper cables to give them a proper listen.
I don't really want genre-specific sound, but I don't want too sterile and/or weak sound. For IEMs, I like KZ ZAS/PR2 HBB, FiiO FH3 was solid, FD5 had some amazing qualities, AFUL P5 was decent, Shuoer EJ07 was decent, EE Raven & Odin, 64A U12t. Clarity, detail, natural tone, realistic soundstage, and non-fatiguing treble are main traits I'm after. I don't know how good earbud bass can be.
I think the Yincrow X6/Monk+ style shell fit me better than the RW-1000 style. But I don't recall being bothered by the RW-1000 style. I have some rubber ear clips, too, but never tried them yet... Could be really nice and snug
I heard Moondrop Chaccone 2 is apparently fantastic!
The Moondrop Chaconne are indeed fantastic, and I rank them VERY highly in my collection. Having said that, I don't think that you would like them very much (from your description of what you are looking for). Though, I could be wrong because the Chaconne have ALL these traits in spades:
Clarity, detail, natural tone, realistic soundstage, and non-fatiguing treble
The reason I am not sure you will like them is because they are NOT fully bodied and are definitely genre specific because the quantity of bass turns some people off. Put it this way, they are akin to the sound of the OG Sennheiser HD800 without the spikes up top (the treble is VERY revealing, but so smooth).
With that said, I think from your description, either the Yinman 2.0 600 or the FiiO FF3 might better suit your taste. Both are suited to be a very good "all rounder" and have some of the best bass that you can get in a flathead earbud (not necessarily the MOST quantity, but the most balanced sounding to the rest of the spectrum). The FF3 DOES have a rolloff up top and might not offer the perceived clarity you want, but that doesn't mean that they don't have very good resolution, and an overall clarity. As for the Yinman, they have some very deep bass for a bud, while retaining speed, and texture. On the top end, these have always been a paradox for me. They are super smooth, while retaining lots of clarity. They sound like a very clear set that is being played through a good tube amp. Also, I put the overall sound to be akin to the Sennheiser HD650, or a good set of LCDs (closest comparison I can make).
Knowing that though, also know that they require a lot of power to drive them correctly because they are 600Ω with a very low sensitivity of 87dB/mW, which makes them actually harder to drive than the (in)famous Hifiman Susvara. As I tell everyone though, you may be perfectly happy with the sound where it is not damped correctly if you have a very limited power output from your source. Or you might find them a bit flat up top, and a bit of "mud" added to the bass area, and etc... Most of this takes place at higher volumes though, because in reality, they aren't hard to drive at all if you are a low volume listener. The good news is that either of the two choices I have offered are set at a very fair price for TOTL sound quality ($129 or less).
P.S. As a minor note, there is no Chaconne version 2. This has always been a mixup on the Amazon site (where it probably started). Having said that, ANY Chaconne is a second version. What I mean is that the first version weren't even called Chaconne. They were the Moondrop Liebesleid, so if you are looking for them, and one site says simply Moodrop Chaconne, and another adds the "2" to the title, it is the same thing.
P.P.S. And, I almost forgot, that I recently discovered a set that are similar to the Chaconne, but have a touch more quantity of bass (making them better suited for more than classical, and jazz, etc...). They are the Artiste Nightingale as created by @mt877. You can make them at home for a fraction of the cost of any of the buds listed here, and you can learn more about these (along with many others as well) here: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/earbuds-round-up.441400/post-17848713
The Qian69 shell is only 0.1 mm smaller than the mx500 according to my caliper measurements.
If you are looking for earbuds that are definitely smaller, I would recommend the Qian39 or PK shell earbuds (Yuin PK3 or Yuin PK2 or DQSM Panda PK2s).
I think that what I'm looking for is a small earbud with a "laid back" sound signature. The DQSM Panda PK2s that you recommend I liked a lot and maybe I will try it, but I just want to know if there is other options more cheaper with a "laid back" sound signature.
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