Here is a quick set of impressions. If anyone would like me to A/B any sets I have on hand or give more detail about some aspect lmk and I’ll try to find the time.
Number rating
1/5 - Took it out pretty immediately. It wasn’t particularly pleasant
2/5 - It’s meh, I didn’t want to listen to more than a song or two with it.
3/5 - It’s not bad but not my preference. Could work for some genres but overall I have heard better for those genres.
4/5 - I liked it even though it was lacking a few things. I would like to listen to it more and it fits my preferences. Works for a handful of genres I listen to.
5/5 - Really good. Like surprisingly good. Possibly missing a few things that could be solved with tip rolling. I could definitely seeing this set in the rotation and works for most of the genres I listen to.
Impressions
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Project Red - 2/5: Overall it was a meh for me. The Vocals sound off, like they are missing something key but I can’t quite put my finger on it. I got nothing really special from the set and fit wasn’t great so I won’t be giving it much more time.
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Tripowin Piccolo - 2/5: Well tuned although not the most resolving. Gives me that “listening through speakers” experience as opposed to other sets which give me the impression I am in the room where the music is being played.
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Kiwi Ears Dolce - 1/5 : Not a fan of the tuning. I didn’t give it a whole lot of time so its hard to describe in detail but it sounded wonky to me. Similar “listening through speakers” experience.
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Simgot EW100 - 4/5: Very surprised and how good this set sounds. While it didn’t stand out, it was one of the few sets where I could just put them in and enjoy the music. Pretty resolving for the price and didn’t give me much of a “listening through speakers” experience which was nice. Will be getting more listening time and a review if I have time.
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Kiwi Ears Quartet - 2/5: good midbass quantity but results in an overall muddy experience that I couldn’t get behind. That was with the treble switch up too. After that I didnt bother trying the other settings.
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Aful Performer5 - 4/5: Overall enjoyable tuning. Full bodied with forward vocals. The bass quality is a little lacking but quantity works well with the overall tuning. Nothing really stands out though and I don’t get any special sauce.
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ISN EST50 - 3/5: Warm, bassy and boomy. Treble is definitely on the darker side and vocals can be muddy depending on the track. This set works best with rap imo but even though there are better alternatives for a bass set for cheaper. Fit is top notch though, I gotta give it to ISN for that. Will probably not do a full write up on this one.
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Tri Kai - 4/5: Bass is the main event here and it is good quality for the price. I respect that even with the bass being elevated through mid bass and even into the mids it doesn’t muddy them. Presentation is pretty intimate and warm with good treble extension. Overall a good relaxing listen. You definitely aren’t getting this set for its technical prowess but if you like darker treble with some good bass and forward vocals its hard to beat at that price (out of the sets I hard so far). Personally I would take this over the EST50, though, mainly because the tuning is more my preference.
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Tri Starsea - 5/5: It shocks me how overlooked this one is. I don’t get any driver flex but I do get some pressure build up with silicone tips and although its not a lot its enough that I would use foams with these. The mids and treble are tuned to near perfection for me. Bass is substantial enough to support the rest of the FR and give it some weight although I expected a bit more bass based no the graph and reviews. The tuning switches don’t change much for me so I would prefer they just dropped those. Fit is solid as well. I would probably put these in the top 5 under $150 for an all rounder. High on my list for a full write up.
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7Hz Zero - 2/5: Vocal forward and very much a neutral bright set to my ears. They are pretty thin and don’t offer much over any other set I have heard, even at its price point. There is some bass impact but it’s very track dependent so you may not hear it at all depending on the tracks you are listening to. Technicalities are what I expect for the price. There is decent separation but stage is not particularly special and imaging is meh overall.
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KBEar Storm - 2/5: Pretty much the same as the 7Hz Zero but even brighter. It’s a bit airer but that could be due to the treble. There is a slight sizzle I can hear in the upper registers and bass feels to be equally subdued, if not more.
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DTE500 - 3/5: Take the EST50, tighten up the bass, bring down the quantity a tad and increase the mid and treble clarity a bit and you got the DTE500. It’s tough to judge this set because overall it’s better than the EST50 in my opinion but the EST50 doubles down on the tuning where this one goes conservative. Imo if you really want a big, bassy, dark treble tuning then you are better off the EST50 as it does it “more”. If you want something that is more of an all rounder than there are better options than the DTE500 for the money. I guess the DTE500 would be good for someone who wants that type of tuning but doesn’t want to constantly swap sets and wants something that can at least do genres that benefit from more upper energy like pop and latin. Also fit is good but I do get some pressure and driver flex with silicone tips unlike the EST50. I may do a write up on this but it’s not at the top of my list.