Quick write up Rikubuds Berserker 3:
I have had these for ~4 weeks now, so just wanted to share my impressions thus far. Prior to purchase, the timelines were clearly communicated, and my place in line came after much excited anticipation. Design choices are plentiful, and I was able to customize with an aesthetic I find amenable to my intended long-term use. When they were ready, shipment to me was fast, and I was finally able to get my hands on them.
I purchased the Berserker 3 over the Saber 3 at Riku’s suggestion based on the library I discussed with him. I listen to mostly prog rock, various flavors of metal, with a lot of other stuff mixed in. I need not have been concerned about the B3’s ability to provide an enjoyable listening experience for my entire library.
Fit: I struggle with fit if I move at all with mx500 (iris2), but the Qian39 fit great. The B3 fit as well if not better for me than the Qian 39. Perfect for wear at work (office setting) without need for constant adjustments.
Sound:
Comps are Iris2, Qian39 on the earbud front, ea500LM and Aful explorer on the iem front.
I would say the B3 plays my library better than anything else I own. I should mention that I swap between the white and blue foams, but my listening is largely with the blue at present. The bass quantity is great, but not overblown. The bass quality shines with prog rock and metal, where it cleanly and powerfully provides backbone to the music, but makes room for all instruments to step forward with weight. Mids are lower in the mix, but to my ear, much more true sounding than the Qian39. With the tuning, you can turn these up a bit and all the detail in the midrange pops for my music. Treble is relaxed, but details are present and there is plenty of excitement for me here. I do think the blue foams might lend to these sounding slightly less dark, which I am enjoying.
Flatheads:
Vs Iris2 : better sub bass, quality of midbass, and cohesiveness across the board.
V qian39: better bass in every way, more true sounding, if relaxed, mids and highs
Techs:
I had a preconception that the B3 would sacrifice technicalities for its bassy sound signature, but I was reassured by Riku. I am glad I listened.
Soundstage is on par with Iris2 and Q39. When the recording needs it, the B3 can reflect space.
Imaging, to me, feels strong. In complex tracks, instruments can be pinpointed and there is a good sense of location within the space. Importantly, instruments sound great, and I don’t feel that details get lost in layered music.
Use case:
Prior to Berserker 3, I mostly rocked the Qian39 in office when I wanted to be able to hear colleague approaches etc, while explorer got ear time when I was isolated and need long listening sessions. Iris2 is on my nightstand and gets played when I am watching TV next to wifey, or when I want to listen while still being available. EA500LM traverses both locations and gets played when I want to “hear everything.”
The Berserker 3 has replaced the Qian39 (expected), but also generally has a sound signature I enjoy as much if not more than the explorer, so it eats into some of that ear time too. For me, the B3 has a fit and sound signature which is making it a go-to whenever I can listen to music.
Highly recommended from purchasing experience to on-ear.