Hear, hear! I very much agree, especially with the recent drama at the Discovery IEM thread at Head-fi.
This place has been an oasis of sanity for me. Thanks, people!
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Thanks, ordered.
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Damn, that response was borderline Pavlovian! 
I think youāll enjoy them. Let us know what you think!
P.S.: I really like DUNU S&S tips on the Explorer. In fact, I think Iām going to grab my Explorers and listen to them now! Talk about Pavlovian ā¦
Re: Pavlovian, nah there is simply no substitute for listening oneself to speakers, iems, headphones. I appreciate the recommendationā¦
Soon I will stop looking for more to try and just enjoy the music even more.
You know what they say, comparison is the thief of joy, but you also donāt āknowā what you donāt know.
I got exactly zero seal with the S&S tips. Iāve worn foamy ear plugs for sleep for decades now and is likely the reason for my need for large tips.
Iām most curious about the BGVP DMA with the bone conduction for when I want a listen out of the ordinaryā¦weāll see, err hear.
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I own and love the Penon Fan 3. Iāve read that it has a ātameā implementation of BCD compared to the DMA and the Pula Anvil, so Iām not sure I would like those sets.
The Fanās BCD effect strikes an almost-perfect balance between enhancing the sound and a cheap parlor trick for me. I think any stronger of a BCD effect might be a turn-off for me.
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Ooo, just got the Vol S in my ears. Niceā¦
The nozzle angle feels a bit odd though
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I am there with you I would rather listen the Explorer
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I am listening to the new KBEAR KB02 with a similar BCD as the Anvil but to nowhere need the same SQ or effect.
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Iād have to agree on two counts:
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The Davinci: Did not care for mid timbre at all (especially upper mids), or enjoy the bass that much, agreed on background hum. Frankly I prefer a lot of sets cheaper than it. In my personal opinion (of course) it is a complete failure at its price point, not even ok for the price given what else is out there now and even was out when it launched.
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The Explorer: I listen to mine all the time, it might be the best value in the hobby yet in my opinion. Terrific sound that scales too. Very natural timbre. My most listened to set at the moment (which means it is getting more ear time than sets I have had on long term loan that had MSRPs of $900 and $1300 respectively).
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You nailed it on all counts, my man.
Some may consider this heresy, but I like the Explorer better than the vaunted āchillā headphone ZMF Aeolus that I also own. Itās a $1,200 headphone. Yep, Iām selling it.
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I love it when I find something not expensive that I would pick up more than something expensive.
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The holy grail of value.
Volume S adds what I felt lacked in the da Vinci. Sub bass is better as well vs. the background drone as you guys mentioned.
Iām 100% a value guy. I gain no status or other perceived value from spending more $ than required so Iām always up for saving a buck which is why I didnāt hesitate to order the Explorer.
Now for some quality time with the Vol S. Got the tips sorted. Bummer the cable is microphonic, otherwise itās quite nice. Shirt clip helps some.
After a couple hours; I mostly like the sound profile, a good bit more mid/vocal forward than Iām accustomed but I can appreciate it on well recorded tracks. They play very faithfully to the recording. However, Iām really struggling with the case microphonics. The cable isnāt great but the shell is worse. The fit is also not great for my ear holes. The nozzle angle feels off. Iāll give them more time but I suspect my quest continues.
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I sure am enjoying these Oriolus Szalayi. I might need to buy them.
On the iBasso DC Elite is sublime
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Man, 19 IEMs in a month? Thatās some dedication! Sounds like the Volume S might just check the last couple of boxes for you, fingers crossed for that airy touch. And yeah, this crowd is easily one of the best corners of the audio world; good vibes and good ears all around! 
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youāre at that crossroads between chasing the next thing and just enjoying what you haveāalways a tough balance in this hobby! But yeah, curiosity is part of the fun, and thereās always something new to experience.
Of the now 20 pairs, a good bit were discounted nearly right away. The Final A3000 and A4000 I rejected based solely on the build quality and non-detachable cable. Many others based on their silly bright āHarmanā tuning.
Itās so vastly less effort to eval IEMs vs. speakers and speaker system components; something Iāve done several times over my 40 years in the hobby. When Iāve moved to a new space or house it is typical for me to try 15 different sets of stand mounts to pair with multiple subs. However, once the system is dialed in for the space and my preferences it remains unchanged largely for many years.
I view IEMs the same, in that I have to try them and be able to return them, but with vastly less effort but with the added issue of ergonomics. I am very thankful to not have to deal with room modes rather pinna gain and ear canal bore size. I have a good number of tips and roll to find the best match. So far the Spinfit W1 L and M have won out nearly every time.
Iāll give the Vol S a good ride for the next few days to see if I can adjust to the ergos and microphonics. It seems in their quest to make them very light, the shells are not damped at all. I donāt sit still when I use them as I have full size planars for sitting that sound much better.
Iām excited for the next years developments and hope I can find a pair now to use in the interim but my buy/return cycle will end soon.
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My kind of dude! Agree 100 percent.
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My thoughts on the new R6iii 2025 DAP , I donāt think anyone should buy it, not sure why it even exists 
And the TRN Jaws wow yup not for me.
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My Latte and another fun listen.
Quite surprised by this KBEAR KB02
Loving the Beryllium Bass and BCD.
$45 F Yeah
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Thanks. The guys at Bloom have a DX180 on its way to me. Dig that green/blue chameleon.
Weāll see how it goes with my hearing but Iāve āwarmedā up the the Vol S and have come to terms with the ergo issues, mostly 
After only using company-supplied iPhones since they came out I have enjoyed learning Android 12 and 13.
99.9% stream and thus want to install Qobuz, Radio Paradise, EQ appsā¦and optimize the OS, cpu/gpu once the above is installed and working.
While I do enjoy the sound of the R6 III 2025, it gets hot and the battery will not live long at the temps even with slow charging. Kudos to iBasso for replaceable. Forced/planned obsolescence needs to cease when only a $30 battery is needed be replaced.
Hope you all are enjoying this fine Saturday. Dynaquattro arrives shortly.
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