Hi , I’m completely new to the audio world , and I wanted to start with an iem setup at around $100 (portable dac/amp combo or separate portable dac and amp for $40 and an iem for $60) I’m ok with a set that is slightly more expensive , I want to use these for fun listening so I guess I’ll go with a v shape ? that’s what people seem to say anyway but I still want the mids to be nice and clear and I definitely don’t want a neutral iem, I don’t really know my preferred sound signature since I haven’t tried many audio gear but from the videos I’ve watched and playing with some eqs I think that’s what I like :
A good bass that has a big impact but not a bloated bass that overshadows the mids and highs I don’t think I’m a bass head
Nice and clear mids but I’m not going for a mid centric iem since they apparently not the way to go if you want fun listening
I want the highs to shine , I think I prefer a brighter sound signature because when I listened to a bass boosted song I found it to be a bit too dark compared to the original song but that version maybe a little too exaggerated
Wide sound stage and decent imaging
I don’t want a neutral sound signature
Good detail
Cancel noise well since I’m planing to go outside with these but not everytime
If all my requirements are even possible at this price range , I’ve done my research and I’ve found a couple of IEMs but still not sure what to pick , these are not in specific order:
Tin hifi t2 plus
Blon bl05s
Urbanfun ybf , but I’ve heard about their qc issues
Any other suggestions are welcome even if they are a bit pricier but fit my needs and can you describe the differences between them and tell me what are the widest/most detailed/most fun / best for noise canceling at this price bracket
I’m also looking for a portable dac/amp combo or portable separate dac and amp for a around $40 and should I get a dongle dac or regular portable dac
And finally I want to hear your opinion about those bass vests or straps and if there is one under $100 (that’s not included with my iem setup budget that’s separate)
Any help is greatly appreciated and thank you in advance
For a lesser bass but neutral and clarity monster of this bracket, TinHifi T4 on Drop that’s about $70. It does need a bit more power than the other two, but you said you’re getting an amp or dongle so that’s good.
Hi , thank you for your reply , in which category is Tripowin x BGGAR Mele and Blon bl05s are better than the t2 plus and urbanfun ybf , and do they have a fun v shape tuning and wide stage ?
Yeah both Mele and BL-05s can be said as borderlining the V-shape signature. The key is that they have cleaner and tighter bass in comparison to the mainstream V-shape headphones or IEMs out there that have massively bloated bass by sacrificing the mids. Another option that’s a tad pricier than your target is Moondrop Aria at around $80.
T2 Plus is still fun but the overall signature that people have said is “laid-back” listening. Urbanfun YBF I’ve never heard of it, sorry.
Here’s a graph for comparison (note that there’s no graph for BL-05s so it’s replaced by BL-05, but there will be signature differences.):
I just wanna know how the aria compares to the bl05s in terms of :
Detail
soundstage and imaging
noise cancelling
And more importantly which is more fun , I don’t want a laid back tuning , can you describe the differences in the bass , mids , and treble , and which is more musical and not for critical listening between the two ?
I think in the under $60 group, Mele is my favorite by a healthy margin.
If we expand that price range, the Aria ( $80 ) is interesting in terms of detail and resolution, but lacking in bass occasionally for me.
I haven’t tried the BL-05, the Tin T2 Plus, or the Urbanfun ybf. I had the old Tin T2, and it isn’t comfortable for me, so I have been skipping most of the other T2 variants.
I don’t own Aria but there are plenty of Aria reviews out there on YouTube. Go check out a few to get a sense if the descriptions fit your need.
On the other hand, I might be the most vocal around here that shouts out BL-05s if I get a chance to. I can say that BL-05s has all the soundstage, imaging, and FUN around the same price range. But it would benefit from a cable and tip swap (wide bore, e.g. Azla SednaEarfit Crystal).
From what I’ve researched I think that the aria are more laid back than the bl05s and they are warmer , please correct me if I’m wrong , and I also wanna know which one is brighter and have more sparkle up top , I’m ready to buy either of these so the price isn’t a concern
I’ll leave 1 more suggestion under 100 + Apple Dongle, but I don’t own it since your preferences are the opposite of mine. Based on @Rikudou_Goku reviews and some others:
I don’t have the DQ6 but the ZEX. Based on the graph and my experience with ZEX vs BL-05s, ZEX is a lot more treble forward and peaky while BL-05s has the best stage of my sub $100 region IEMs.
DQ6 peaks my interest for its 3DD, which I don’t know how they contribute to the spaciousness. I’m only basing my evaluation on HBB’s words that ZEX is somewhat similar to DQ6
