Earbuds Discussion Thread

DUNU latest earbuds:

7 Likes

Has there ever been DUNU Alpha 2?

Unsure, but I think there was an Alpha 1

Any impressions on the KSearphone DB1?

They’re here :tada: similar to the ones I got of Amazon UK which I find keep the Serratus in place better, however your rec seem better made (on the left) and a tad finer too :man_shrugging:…finally got my ears microsuctioned :champagne: so now I can give Jim’s v’s your rec v’s Amazon foams a test :beers::notes:

4 Likes

:+1:t5:Good luck and godspeed

1 Like

My 2nd post on LREY Portable Music earbuds is about the Hera (2500 PHP)

Hera cost me $62 including shipping to India.

Build:
Hera comes in a very generic looking solid black mx500 shell. The construction is very lightweight and fits very comfortably in my ears. The bundled high density white foams proved to be perfect for the intended sound. The mmcx connectors are of high quality as well.

Driver: 32 Ohm Titanium

Sound:
Now, the sound. Hera sound BIG. The notes are quite tall and so is the soundstage. Bass hits hard, but not as voluminous as the Cronus. Still, it does not feel hollow at all. There is sufficient body in the mid and subbass, and both are pretty well textured as well. Bass can be termed as controlled yet refined. Because of the controlled presence, bass has less interference with the midrange, letting it breathe more.

The midrange has a distinct transparency. The lower midrange notes have comparatively slightly thinner body than Cronus, but the textures are highlighted even more. The notes are taller in height in comparison as well. Male vocals and instruments do not sound hollow - they sound sufficiently natural and crunchy. The edges of the notes are slightly smoothened, so no discomfort at all. Upper midrange body is quite natural, and with the added height sounds a bit more real.

Treble has comparatively slightly forward presence, and has slightly bigger notes as well. It is still situated slightly behind the midrange. The notes have comparatively very slightly more energy, but slightly smoother edge. The textures seem to be a bit glossed over here, but not dull.

Soundstage is very tall, and has a nice width, but feels slightly closed in. This might be because of the slightly forward presentation. Although not much of an issue. Imaging is nice. Background is acceptably clean. Separation is quite good. Overall an airy and big presentation.

Hera stands true to the claim that it has a big sound. The balanced to warm tonality really helps to provide a relaxed listening without missing out details too much. It is definitely a step up from Cronus. Being easy to drive is another plus point. It is quite competitive at its price point in my opinion.

5 Likes

To all the folks that find Serratus a little hot in the treble just add Burr Brown + Mullard M8100 Tubes = a smoother presentation (if that’s your bag) and a larger soundstage :ok_hand:

2 Likes

Hope the 1:1 Yuan to $ is only a place holder. Stem looks huge, probably doesn’t help with fit.

Yep, this doesn’t look comfortable to me.

1 Like

Great video from ASWMDanny on YouTube! I’ve been waiting for a YouTube reviewer to focus more on earbuds for a while, and he’s filled that niche very nicely

6 Likes

It’s been over a week since I picked up a package that boasted TGXear Sunniva in it and I feel like I’ve listened to them enough to write a word or two for those who are still undecided or just lurking.

I’m not gonna be original in any way - the buds I’ll be comparing them to are TGXear Serratus, though in a rather custom flavor, since my pair is bell-shaped and made of a transparent PET which, most likely, slightly alters their original tuning. And, supposedly, it’s 500 Ω.

I haven’t listened to any other Jim’s models, though I happen to also own RikuBuds GrandAlterSaber 2 and RikuBuds Alter Rider 1. I didn’t manage to compare Sunniva to GAS2 directly, but I’ve already A/Bed them with Serratus there: Earbuds Discussion Thread - #762 by heartless

To start with, one of the most important questions:

Is Sunniva really a whole different level of buds experience?

Well, not really.

If not, is it even better than Serratus?

Mostly - yes, but not always and not in every scenario.

Ergonomically-wise: it definitely is an improvement.

Like I mentioned earlier, my Serratus are bell-shaped and even though I don’t really mind it, a stem makes putting a bud into my ear much easier. Jim provided Sunniva with a better cable, which is now more soft, doesn’t tangle and is almost free of any microphonics.

The 4.4 mm connector is also more sturdy and easier to grip. Laugh as much as you want, but sometimes I have trouble unplugging Serratus from TempoTec M3 since the connector is quite short and a bit grooved.

Before I get to the sound section, some info regarding foams: I was #12 customer and, sadly, did not get Hiegi foams like some people above. My pack consisted of 3 types of foams: Smooth, Focus and Clear. They don’t differ in thickness, though. Smooth foams do not feature a hole, Focus (which are pre-installed by default) have a tiny one and Clear - slightly bigger.

To make the comparison fair, I applied same type of foams (Smooth variant) to each model and started this way.

In most genres Sunniva sounded more natural, more full and overall - in a way that the majority would prefer.

Having said that, there are some songs which make Sunniva shy of Serratus IF one wishes to stay on Smooth foams.

Especially those with cellos and a double bass - the sound may come in just ever so slightly muddy, as if the strings resonated too much. Not too bassy, just a different sort of mid extension.

BUT: if ones decide to put on Focus foams (or never replaced them in the first place), the issue goes away.

Sunniva still feels a tiny bit warmer than Serratus, but that just results in them being neutral, because Serratus are considered rather cold-ish either way.

A few fellow reviewers have already summarized Sunniva’s tonality and I wholeheartedly agree with them.

The mids are just great, just the way I like them - rather weighty, but not congested.

The bass isn’t overwhelming and tome appears like it’s tuned to provide a better sense of texture than a blunt slam. If Serratus has bass just like a BA-based IEM, then Sunniva is more like DD. Bear in mind that my Serratus may feature more bass than a default MX500 one.

The highs became a little more tamed. They are no longer shouty, but still highly resolving and detailed.

Last, but definitely not least: the soundstage…

I’m not proud of that, but I’ll have to use a metaphor I’ve once read somewhere and that sticked with me, due to how accurate and graphic it is.

If Sunniva sounds like you are standing in the first row, just touching the stage, then Serratus place you on the stage itself. The overall depth, stereo imaging, etc. feel comparable, but the thing that sets them apart is where the vocal and instruments are placed.

Sunniva, in my case, with all the tracks I’ve listened, never renders the vocal strange. It’s in the front, on the right height. Sometimes it does resolve around your head. Serratus is more erratic in this regard. Sometimes the vocal may feel too recessed, as if coming from above and behind you. But sometimes it hits you just in the eardrums, as if someone stood just beside you and sang specifically to you.

It’s highly mix-dependant and difficult to foresee, so it leaves you some place to experiment.

Some tracks in which Serratus sounds off, with vocals behind you:

A track in which Serratus misses just a tiny bit, just a couple of centimetres (it’s in Polish, sorry - I coulnd’t find any better English example):

And, finally, a song that has it perfectly and with which Sunniva doesn’t sound that real, that intimate:

I hope that’s enough to let you imagine what I had in mind writing this.

To summarize:

Sunniva ticks most of boxes that makes me enjoy the music. Its bass is on a IEM level in terms of quantity and texture. Sure, it cannot deliver that much of a punch or rumble like a proper DD, but I doubt if any earbud could - it’s a matter of creating the seal in your ear canal and pushing enough pressure into it.

It may not have come as a total breakthrough to me, like Serratus first did, but in most situations I may prefer it over its older sibling. That is to say: Sunniva doesn’t make Serratus obsolete, it just happens to delegate it to more specific songs.

11 Likes

Apparently I need to go to the PO box tomorrow :smile:

:raised_hands: Jim and RM thank you :smiley:

5 Likes

First impressions RikuBuds Alter Rider 3 by Baskingshark:

9 Likes

Yeah saw that…

:smile:

3 Likes

Ooooh congrats, that’s a very positive review!

5 Likes

Sunniva #15 aboard the barge, thank you Jim for another outstanding build :beers:
Got an almost free weekend ahead to give them the audio beans :+1:

12 Likes

What a beauty

1 Like

Thanks man I saw that cable on one of Jim’s IG posts I think on a bell Serratus?..I thought it looked dope so I asked for it on my Sunni…:purple_circle: for the win :smile:

2 Likes

NEWBSOUND LEGEND - Short Impression​

Bisoy Sisan has been quite an old name in the field of artisan earbud makers for quite some ears now. When I got into earbuds, I reached out to him to purchase any of his earbuds, only to find his previous stocks are all sold out and he is not making anything anymore. New research is under progress, but no confirm launch date yet.

But that did not mean he forgot my request, which I found out later with a pleasant surprise when he suddenly pm-ed me a head-fi classifieds listing of Legend. I promptly secured the deal.

And it will suffice to say that was one of the best decisions ever. The retail price of Legend was $135, I got it for just $85! Talk about a great deal…made greater by the incredible sound output!

Legend has a sound unlike his previous creations, as per Bisoy Sisan’s claim - it was tuned to sound more like a mainstream iem. Which means a V sound signature, except that it is more of a U signature to my ears. The subbass is very well extended and sounds completely natural, the midbass has a nice audible slam but is also controlled so that it colours the lower mid very little. The midrange is quite transparent and is rather neutral - vocals that are on the leaner side sound a bit digital instead of analogue on the Legend. Treble is quite bright, has a lot of energy and well-defined big notes, and sounds slightly forward with beautiful sparkles and extension. The upper midrange and treble might sound a bit grainy on certain tracks, but with Hiegi foams that was taken care of to a large extent. The overall presentation is quite big, extending very well in width and height, and quite fairly in depth as well. Accurate imaging, outstanding separation, and plenty of space between the notes truly made me go WOW from the very beginning. To my ears, the sound certainly does follow the name :o2smile:.

However, despite being 32 Ohm, they need above-average power to get to a listenable level. So it is recommended to use them via balanced out (if it is terminated to balanced plug already). I found out that the Jcally JM6-4 can drive it pretty well.

6 Likes