Earbuds Discussion Thread

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Wanting to jump into the flathead game I got my name on the list for berserker 3s and I can’t wait. So what does every audio addict do they go looking for used gear. Found a berserker 1 and caster 3 this week and can’t wait for them to show up.

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:face_with_monocle:

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The tech sounds very cool vs. it looking like it fell out of a Christmas cracker

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BCD driver huh, depending on how much I might give it a try

I ain’t sure how it’s gonna work well though since my mext basically is shoved in my ear so far to experience it properly

BC is in earbuds are a complete meme sadly.

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Welp looks like Tansio Mirai Shock for me

Nah completely different scenario, this is in an earbud where you wont have nearly as good fit/contact with the shell, so the vibrations will be extremely inefficient compared to an iem that is both sealing your ear and in full contact.

Then there is also the question of if they implemented the BC well here (CVJ certainly didnt), so thats another question mark, all in all putting a BC in a bud is pretty stupid…

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Lol I meant in a way like “im going for mirai shock”

Thanks for the explanation though, Im glad I was correct in thinking, no way in hell those vibrations will be enough

I had to use Spinfit Omnis to get my Mext at full potential and I just couldnt see those buds being able to do it

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My impressions of Dionysus:

The sub-bass on the Dionysus goes deep and has good extension without cutting off too soon, but it could be tighter. Sometimes it feels a bit boomy, and on certain tracks, it lacks that extra texture and depth you might be looking for.

The mid-bass has a nice balance—it’s not too fast or too slow, hitting just the right pace without smearing. It doesn’t bleed into the lower mids, which is a plus, but it doesn’t always separate cleanly from the sub-bass either.

The upper bass adds warmth and body to the lower mids, giving instruments and vocals a nice richness. However, the transition into the lower mids could be smoother—it’s not as seamless as it could be, which slightly affects the overall coherence.

The lower midrange sounds full and natural, making instruments and male vocals feel engaging and weighty. But sometimes, the sub-bass can muddy the clarity here.

The upper mids are clear and easy on the ears—no harshness, just a pleasant and non-fatiguing sound. Female vocals, though, can sometimes feel a bit pushed back compared to the instruments, which adds depth but can make them seem less upfront.

Lower treble is on the weightier side, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing—it avoids harshness and sibilance, though you might find yourself wanting a bit more air and openness. You can still catch the finer details in cymbals, strings, and other high frequencies, but it’s not the most resolving.

The upper treble is decent, providing enough sparkle and space, but it does roll off a bit, which can make some high-energy tracks sound slightly dull. That said, if you prefer a more relaxed, non-fatiguing listen, it works well.

When it comes to timbre, the Dionysus leans a bit more towards vocals, giving them good depth and warmth without sounding thin or metallic. However, you might find yourself wanting the instruments to have a bit more presence, as they can sometimes get overshadowed by the sub-bass.

Detail retrieval is solid for the price—nothing extraordinary, but it does a good job bringing out the texture in vocals. Micro details in instruments could be better, though.

The soundstage is reasonably wide, with vocals positioned closer and instruments separated well, though they’re not too far apart. This can make things feel a bit congested at times, but it’s not narrow by any means. The sense of depth is decent, though not particularly standout.

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My impressions of Aurora Deluxe:

TLDR: Just get the regular Aurora.(Will post impressions soon)

The sub-bass is tight, controlled, and subtly present, without drawing too much attention. However, when you focus on it, you’ll appreciate its incisiveness and the level of detail it brings in capturing bass note variations within a track.

While some might desire a bit more sub-bass, I prefer this quality over excessive quantity. There’s no boominess, muddiness, excessive reverberation, or issues with extension. Interestingly, the bass guitar on The Beatles’ “Come Together” was the only instance where I noticed a slight boominess, which didn’t occur with other tracks.

The mid-bass is distinctly separated from the sub-bass yet remains coherent within the mix. It’s punchy and thumpy, providing a satisfying sense of impact that makes drum hits engaging, almost making you visualize the drummer in action. The decay leans towards the faster side, occasionally leaving you wishing the trailing ends of the mid-bass impact would linger a bit longer.

The upper bass doesn’t add much warmth to the lower midrange but transitions smoothly from the mid-bass into the lower mids.

The lower midrange lacks some richness or fullness and has a slight veil. Male vocals have decent body, but they lack emotional depth, feeling somewhat hollow and lacking weight.

The upper midrange has decent clarity and presence but is somewhat recessed. This veiled quality makes it harder to appreciate the finer details in lead instruments. While there is energy and excitement, the vocals often sound like they’re struggling to push through the mix, lacking an effortless feel.

The lower treble, combined with the midrange, reveals a slightly V-shaped tuning. It avoids sibilance or piercing tones but comes close to that line. It presents instrumental details and the trailing ends of tones reasonably well, but they don’t sound entirely natural, with a sense of thinness.

The upper treble has some airiness, though it’s not the highest quality. It doesn’t sound particularly open or spacious, which is puzzling given the recessed midrange and slightly forward treble that would typically suggest an open and spacious sound.

One aspect I dislike about the layering is the forward placement of the mid-bass, which makes drum hits very prominent. This can benefit genres that rely heavily on mid-bass but becomes distracting when vocals enter, as the layering tends to push vocals to the back, making it an instrument-forward presentation.

The soundstage has decent width but lacks depth, though it has a notable height.

Detail retrieval is strong if your library is primarily instrument-based, but it doesn’t do justice to vocals. The texture and nuances of the vocals, like the singer gasping for breath, are almost lost in the mix.

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Question for the flat head experts that was buzzing around my head the other day. Like with ear tips for IEMs, I realize it probably isn’t that make-or-break with flat heads but was wondering what third party foams were some of the better ones to look out for in case I wanted to (or should) swap if I ever needed to (e.g. foam falls apart, gets lost, etc.).

It actually is. Foams for buds have a major impact on the sound on buds, they change the sound more than even headphone pads do I say.

Depends on what set you buy, changing the foam if its not the same as the stock ones will alter the sound a lot. But ignoring that, Hiegi is popular for high density/thick ones.

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Awesome, thanks and good to know! I saved the rec’d foams on Ali…but…that leads me to another question. Would using open foams on certain flat heads be better and if so, what type (e.g. vocal centric versus bass centric)?

Donut foams are kinda like a hybrid between no foam and regular foam, much brighter than regular foams but less so than naked.

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Gotcha, thanks for educating me (and others that didn’t know watching this thread). :sunglasses:

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Already available on their website. $199 :saluting_face:

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Yeah just saw that too, and are offering $50 off with VIP promotion code :+1:

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@Ohmboy hi mate, just FYI, @dnolan227 is selling a CAS Susvara. I recall you being very impressed as CanJam

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Hey buddy thanks for the heads up :smiley:…I’ve seen that but he’s US based if he was UK I’d be on it like a shot…good price too :+1:

Edited to add…it’s truly an awesome bud, has to one of the bud infinity stones :gem:

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