Earbuds Discussion Thread

Man I thought I’d never get a chance to hear this set but a big thanks to Chang from Nightjar Acoustics for bring his personal sets along to CanJam :raised_hands: and bless you brother… Cypherus Audio Black Dragon Susvara…

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Chang’s also working on a flathead a 600ohm driver still work in progress but even now it sounded :gem: no name yet and hopefully it’ll come with a removable cable…

I also tried his Sun Copper which for me was a bit of a miss tuning wise, a bit boomy compared to his bud…

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Ooooh how was the sound??

The most complete and well rounded set I’ve heard by quite some margin, seeing as I’d just been listening to Nightjar’s singularity the Black Dragon Susvara was as good and slightly more open being a bud which is high praise indeed seeing as Singularity’s a :gem: they both had wonderful tambre and effortless replay and both $1k+.
I think they might be using that to tune their set?, it had some of the same characteristics but not quite as well polished yet…can’t wait to find out the price of that set when it’s finished, I know it won’t be cheap but I’m interested for sure :+1:

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I was very skeptical about the earbuds in general even few months back. All I had to do was to find that 5 minutes and tinker with adjustment. tl;dr I regret getting everything after Rosemary and going on a shopping spree (maybe with exception of Iris) instead of patiently waiting for my turn in the queue for GAS3. I have them only since yesterday but and I’ve only did some casual listening and some AB but I can easily say they are the best of a bunch I’ve tried, there is no real contest. For me the only “flaw” is they are not specialized set but you would have to enter minmaxing territory, and start compromising.


I also gave away Blue Vido and Snow Lotus 1.0.

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Welcome to the Dark Side! It’s the best rabbit hole :sweat_smile:

If you want other sets to explore, check out the Flathead Sanctuary’s Ranking list: Wired Earbuds, Best of the Best Recs? - #118 by ttorbic

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I’m fully aware of that list but I don’t want to go on another ride anytime soon :wink:
I need to get the most out of GAS3 for now.
Earbuds are strange to me - I can enjoy the hell out of Rosemary and despite it’s flaws, it’s the only thing I’ve ever listened, next to Penon Serial and either AD2000X or Audioquest Nighthawk (one of them, it was few years back) that can provoke some emotional reaction with specific tracks.
Alpha and FF3S on the other hand are still not there - more expensive, top tier accessories and build but still something is missing. For me skippable.
GAS3 finally hits that sweet spot where they feel like complete product.

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Today’s pick : King Dragon and LREY Silvanus

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Wow super cool enjoy and please do give us your thoughts :smiley::+1:

Met @AceBee at his place to try the Grado Buds and King Dragon. I liked the Silvanus better compared to Grado buds and King Dragon.

Will post impressions.

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Thanks looking forward that one brother :beers:

Grado Buds:

The best way to describe the sound of the Grado Buds is that they resemble the muffled quality of a radio broadcast. They are heavily dominated by mid-bass, to the extent that it overwhelms the vocals, preventing them from having their own space in the mix.

Despite the prominence of the mid-bass, it does not sound good. Drum hits come across as cheap and thumpy, as if the batter head has been excessively tightened by the tension rod.

The soundstage feels congested and uncomfortable. The lower midrange is positioned extremely close to the ears, while the treble is so recessed that it feels almost non-existent. Trying to discern treble details is similar to listening through a closed door.

Female vocals sound nasaly, and during certain tracks, they disappear almost completely when the chorus kicks in. Additionally, the sub-bass is loose and reminiscent of a poorly vented subwoofer.

The staging on this so poor that there is no clear separation between any of the frequencies.

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If I look back…mine started with TGXear Serratus and Rikubuds Rider 1 (placed order for both of them together).

Currently, I only have LREY, and need nothing but LREY as no other buds can surpass them to my ears.

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Tell you what, try once without the foams. See if you like it.

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Hey buddy how do LREY compare to Cypherus Audio Black Dragon Susvara?

Would’ve loved to open it and make changes but unfortunately the buds are not mine to make any modifications. In its stock form, has a lot to improve.

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I loved TGX Desolation sound and its pairing with WooAudio Tube Mini but not anymore. Silvanus is far better and will now replace the Desolation sound of my top pick.

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My impressions of King Dragon:

The sub-bass extends deep and has a good texture, though it feels a bit loose.

The mid-bass sounds slightly smeared and lacks a bit of clarity, resulting in a diffuse and mildly unfocused sound. It doesn’t have much energy or impact and bleeds slightly into the lower midrange. Despite this, the details are nicely highlighted and easy to pick up even in the bass.

Male vocals have good texture and come through with a good tonal balance, though the mid-bass slightly masks finer details and reduces clarity ever so slightly.

Female vocals are just a tad forward and can sound slightly dense for my preference, which takes away some of their energy.

The soundstage feels narrow and slightly congested, with vocals and instruments needing a bit more spacing between them.

The overall timbre of instruments is slightly skewed, making them sound thick and heavy.

If the mid-bass were toned down a bit, it would significantly improve the clarity of the vocals.

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Wow, that’s high praise! I’d love to get more impressions of the Silvanus :pray:

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Will be posting impressions of Melos today and Silvanus tomorrow.

Melos is actually quite good at $100

Edit : I’ve been made aware that these are $100

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