I’d have to agree with Canedza being a better all a rounder. At least for most people. For me I’d reach for Kai any day of the week before Cadenza. The upper midrange into the lower treble just don’t sit right with me Cadenza. Plus I’m more of a sucker for midbass so Kai gets a double win.
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When sub-bass is over midbass, do things feel a bit empty for you?
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It depends on how much the sub-bass glides into the mid bass, versus a scoop. Scoops are way worse about that. And I’m definitely a mid bass over sub-bass person. Rumbling sub-bass is a bonus, but I need the mid-bass to be present and not pulled back
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Sometimes. And yet it can’t do without mid-bass, despite the fashionable FRs of late.
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Im not a fan of a midbass scoop. For me it takes away the emphasis of the punch I crave for. In my thoughts it does make the song seem empty as you put it. Also if there’s to much upper
midrange and treble it sort of steals the show from the midbass. When you get to the upper midrange and treble I prefer them to be more mellow and laidback. If it’s to elevated compared to mid bass or to much emphasis is put in an frequency range of one of those areas it’s all I can focus on. I wouldn’t say they’re always piercing just that my brain and ears are more keen to picking them up. A good punchy midbass presence and lower treble really helps drive more fun and danceability into an IEM for my preference.
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That mid-bass area is crucial because not only is it responsible for sub-bass overtones, it is also an area with a lot of instrument and vocal fundamentals. Having a dip there like Harman/Variations got is not a good thing at all imo.
(of course, overboosting that area is also not good, since so much is going on there.)
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Well put. It sounds like you and I have similar tastes in this regard. The midbass is what gives the low end the punch and articulation I look for and crave, but as with anything, too much of a good thing can spoil it. I like having some sub bass rumble sometimes as well, but I find that for most of my favorite music I can handle rolled off sub bass, but I need the mid bass to have some energy.
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Have you heard the SA Meteor yet? It’s been my one of my top 3 favorite sets to date. Especially for midbass as it packs a great bunch, crazy too seeing it’s all BA, that is well textured with a good balance of attack and decay. At least that’s how my armature ears perceive it. Then throws in just the right amount of clean and crisp upper midrange and treble to not be distracting but, still present. It’s really perplexing to me how SA did it. I won’t go as far to call it a super technical set or dare call it analytical but, it’s a damn fun super musical set. Especially if you like to let the bassist and/or drummer 
ride you through the journey.
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I haven’t heard the Meteors yet, only the Helios. I really want to though and it sounds like I’d really dig them. I’m a drummer so I’m all about the rhythm section!
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I’m definitely self-aware that I’m not as much of a fan of specialist sets than I am a really good all-around set. I don’t often listen to just one artist or one genre. I mostly work off of playlists that I shuffle, so a good vocal set with subdued bass is no good, nor is a super bassy set with reduced treble. I need a good balance of everything to get the most enjoyment.
Balanced-to-neutral warm is really my wheelhouse
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You make me SUPER curious to possibly try or buy the Meteor because if it’s around the same size as the Kinda Lava it’s less to worry about things breaking down with less drivers.
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I think I’m just going to have to try the Meteors one day … you spoke highly of the DMs and they checked so many boxes for me. Plus, you and I seem to be on the same page with more subdued upper mids and treble. I too am beyond curious of the meteors just like @RockinDave
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Same for me. I literally just put all my liked songs on shuffle most the time. Only very rarely with EDM DJ sets do I listen to the same genre back to back. That’s one thing crazy about this hobby. We all have a preference and what could be considered a good all around. Meteor and SA6U are both perfect all arounders for me. I had six hours today between the two nonstop today alone.
The UP and Mahina are more a speciality set to me but, they graze the line enough to personally be an an arounder. Your right though I wouldn’t go saying in a review, that new people to the hobby may read, that it’s any of them are an all arounder. I do think there’s a few of us though in here, possibly more, that it checks the box for.
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Is the shell similar to the metal Kinda Lava shell size?
Been awhile since I had the metal KL. If my memory serves me correct Meteor is slightly smaller. Definitely not bigger just of a slightly different fit. KL gave me fit issues even with tip rolling and Meteor doesn’t.
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You just described Kinda Lava, that´s it! 
Kinda Lava, and when i need it X-Bass from Go Blu and I could happily leave the hobby
Of course i don´t want to 
still curious about other stuff
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First Impressions of the CCA CXS, CCA FLA, and KBear Ormosia
I may do full reviews, I may not (and one I know I won’t for sure), but I already have good ideas of all three of these sets
CCA FLA
PROS
- It’s $13 and it’s fine
- It does nothing poorly. Bass is fine (mid-bass almost notably good), mids and treble are fine. Soundstage is fine, technicalities are fine.
CONS
- It does nothing notable. I have nothing I can point to it and say it’s better than (insert other $20 set here).
- I’m not a fan of the plasticky build quality
- With the $20-50 killers out there, being competent is not the same as being competitive anymore
Impression Grade: C+
Grade as a Food: Elementary School Pizza
CCA CXS
PROS
- Driver is a very good budget 1DD: Technicalities are a plus
- Arguably elite treble for price class; clearer than Cadenza
- Upper-mids are forward without sharpness or harshness
- The build quality of the IEM is very nice for the price bracket
CONS
- Bass is comparable to rest of budget class but not standout
- Soundstage is average
- You probably already have a $20 set you think is “the best budget set” so this set is another strike in the “death by 1000 paper cuts” of the budget range
I like this set a lot and I think it’s up at the top of my $20 list after 2 hours. But can you fit it in your IEM belly at this point?
Impression Grade: B
Grade as Food: The dessert course of a 4-course meal
KBear Ormosia
PROS
- A desperately needed alternative to the endless iterations of Harman-Neutral/Balanced sets that have come out
- Has a bass and mids profile similar to Penon Fan 2, but lacks refinement
- Has treble profile similar to MIM Dark Magician, but boosted and more energetic
- Has wicked good soundstage with decent dynamics for sub-$100 price bracket
- Small form factor (passes my “lay down with the IEM in” test)
- Is on sale at Keephifi for $60
CONS
- Will emphasize mid-bass too much for some. Lacks sub-bass level for basshead approval
- Small form factor could be a problem for some
- It has the guts of the mid-bass/mid-centric sound profile, but likely will have too much energy for people who want darker treble signatures
This set is reminiscent of the Tinhifi P1 Max: At Ormosia’s full $100 price I never pulled the trigger on it. I can wholeheartedly recommend this at $60 if you want a presentation with less upper-mids emphasis, geared more towards mid-bass/lower-mids.
Impression Grade: B
Grade as Food: Butternut Squash Soup
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Looking Back on 2022: How We Got Here and Where We Go Next
I’m here on the last day of 2022 and I want to do a retrospective on the year, what I got to listen to and try, and open the door to you all as well, because sharing is caring. So would you like to play a game with me?
I’m going to open up a few categories for consideration, both of my own personal opinions but encouraging anyone who wants to respond to chime in with your own choices (or even why mine are the best/worst ever). I’m feeling silly and ready to get roasted, so why the heck not. Let’s go!
Category 1: IEM That Had No Right to Be This Good (My Nutella Award: Because I had it in my head that it would suck, and I could not be more wrong about that)
KBear, for both their Rosefinch and Ormosia IEMs, hit me as sets that are better than they should be, if you just read their graphs. I’ll be the first to admit, I tried both of them as curiosities because KBear is one of the companies that seems to at least try a general tuning that is different from the trendy hyped tunings. Rosefinch is a bombastic V-shaped IEM, Qinglong is something closer to a bass- boosted diffuse-field style tuning rather than a Harman-style tuning, and Ormosia is a bassy neutral-style. Compared to a Tinhifi, who just released 3 IEMs that are BARELY different from each other, or KZ or throws a bunch of crap at the wall and waits for human beta testers to cull the options to find an actually good IEM, it’s a refreshing approach. Granted it doesn’t always work; Qinglong was close but not good enough. But I’m willing to stand alone on the hill that Rosefinch and Ormosia are two of the better attempts at their styles. I will add caveats for both of them that to get the best out of their respective drivers (Rosefinch 1DD, Ormosia 1+1 hybrid), you really should put them on a balanced source and they can benefit most from a balanced tip like a Radius Deep Mount. But when you get them right, they’re fantastic. Rosefinch is my favorite “fuck you” bass IEM. I get why QKZ x HBB is preferred if you want to keep more musical balance in tonality, but if you think you’re a basshead and you haven’t heard the Rosefinch I’d say you’re missing out. The Ormosia hits my spot for a warmer, mid-bass emphasized style of near-neutral. It’s not going to be THE MOST technical but it checks a lot of boxes that I wouldn’t have expected to be checked and stands out in its price range as something actually unique.
Category 2: IEM That Makes Me Question the Hobby (My Corned Beef and Hash Award: I get that this is for some people, but I will NEVER be one of them)
While I’ll give an honorable mention to the Moondrop Aria and all the clones who share this tuning style, because…it’s not…actually…good…my winner for this category is the S12. There was SO MUCH HYPE that this was an amazing planar and it’s better than the Timeless and cheaper. I really figured I was behind the ball on it and was excited to give it a shot. And I listened to it, and tried to talk myself into it, and I got nothing. I came to two main conclusions while listening to S12: 1). Planar probably needs balanced output to put its best forward, and 2). I can appreciate the technical capabilities, but I am NOT a fan of planar timbre. The upper midrange was not bad, but so unrealistic that I actively got pulled out of the enjoyment. Then I found the Tin P1 Max and learned that if you tune the timbre out of the upper-midrange I CAN like a planar. Which means, I probably don’t like planars. But for everyone that does, you can have my share!
Category 3: IEM Trend of the Year I Need to Question (My “Carbs Are Bad For You” Award: No they’re not, you just can’t eat a box of doughnuts in one sitting and think you’re going to lose weight)
Why do we get told V-shape IEMs are bad, and only the IEMs with flat, forward mids are worthy of being the elite of the elite? Now I’m not saying I don’t like Neutral, Harman-y, or IEMs with forward midranges. But when ALL the IEMs do this, it gets boring hella fast. Sometimes, to be able to appreciate how great a well-tuned prim and proper IEM like an Olina SE or Dark Magician is, you need to get filthy with a hood rat and be wrong! Sometimes I want clean, clear, technical music where I can enjoy all the details. Sometimes I want to feel like I stuffed the club into my earholes. Both are completely valid, and both are fun as fuck. I’m making a point to be better about accepting IEMs for what they’re going for, and not attacking them if they aren’t good at a style they’re not going for. I want to remember the gear is for enjoying music. And there’s always more than one way to skin a cat! (See category 1) 
Category 4: IEM That Blew Me Away (My “OMG THIS INSTANT POT RISOTTO IS SO GOOD AND WHY DOES GORDON RAMSEY YELL THAT IT’S HARD TO MAKE BECAUSE THIS IS EASY AND DELICIOUS” Award)
Penon Fan 2 is bae. That is all.
What about you all? What were your favorites this year? What did you hate? What unreasonable hills are you willing to die on? Which unreasonable hill am I about to die on because you’re all gonna kill me?
Let me know. And on that note, have a happy, safe, and enjoyable New Year’s celebration, and see you on the other side! Enjoy your days, and take care till next time!
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What were your favourites this year?
EJ07M KL - honestly this was at my 2nd bottom IEM this year, but that 3db bass boost did something amazing. That itch that my ear wants to fix (gimped bass) has been scratched and this set became my #1.
Serratus - addicting timbre, great technicalities. Only downside is the isolation.
Tea 2 - best fit and isolation overall (for me at least). Lovely intimate vocals.
B2Dusk - spite of being dry and thin sounding I love the bass response and the soundstage.
QKZ HBB - Addictingly fun. The forward vocals and bass is like a 1-2 punch on my R&B and Hip Hop playlist. Kicked my Blon03 out of my top 5
Grand Berserker 2 - the dark timbre and deep bass is perfect for my LoFi playlists, perfect during my concentration from work.
What did you hate?
CCA CRA - loved it at first, too shouty and fatiguing for me.
TFZ No. 3 - I first loved the set because how plenty the bass quantity is, but I found the quality not that amazing. Also vocals is forward but I do not like the tonality overall.
Aria - It’s a love and hate relationship. I love it for the first few minutes, After a while you feel that something is missing that you find from your other sets. Like it’s gimped somewhere, maybe it’s just my set?
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It’s the treble for me. Every one of the sets tuned in this style have a crater between 6k-10k (varying in range and amplitude) and they all lose something because of it
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