Goober's Journey Into the IEM Game or "Why Are You Not As Good As....?"

Rikudou_Goku · February 4, 2024, 4:53pm

Cuz they have a bad rep lol. Thats why they usually market anything NOT knowles/sonion as “customised” driver.

obscurus · February 6, 2024, 10:21am

Hi Goober,

I somehow ordered a Kbear Rosefinch just because there was a deal that hard to pass by. I googled for reviews and they said that it is for basshead so I’m quite nerve when I first put it in my ear. But somehow the bass sound normal to me but the mid and treb sound normal and easy to listen but the bass level is too big and that make me hard to increase volume to bring it out. Not sure I’m a basshead or not :)))

I tried some mods = taped the side vent and created the tape vent so the bass level go down and mid and treb can kick in. Then I found out you have 350 Filter + High Density Foam + Nozzle Foam Mod on your Kbear (350 Filter + High Density Foam + Nozzle Foam Mod). I tried to search on those but not found anything yet. Could you point out how I can apply these mods ?

GooberBM · February 6, 2024, 11:11am

On each nozzle, there’s a filter. You take them off. Then you put a piece of low-density foam inside the nozzle:

Just found this amazing item on AliExpress. Check it out! $4.68 35％ Off | 50pcs Earphones Tuning Foam DIY Earphones Sound Tube Tuning Cotton Dustproof Foam Filter
https://a.aliexpress.com/_mK9WUcS

And then replace the filter with a 350mesh filter:

Just found this amazing item on AliExpress. Check it out! $2.96 35％ Off | 20pcs DIY Earphones Tuning Paper Damping Front Shell Filter Mesh Increase Low Frequency
https://a.aliexpress.com/_mrrrrhs

The mod I prefer now, though is just to change the filter for a 500mesh filter. Less parts to deal with

obscurus · February 6, 2024, 11:28am

Thank you for your information.
Uhm, so specifically I need to do like this youtube video:

plus put the foam inside the nozzle before apply the new filter?

Rikudou_Goku · February 6, 2024, 4:03pm

Yes, correct.

GooberBM · February 10, 2024, 4:17pm

The Second Rikubuds Retrospective or Oops He Did It Again!

So last time I visited the RIkbuds collection, I was rampaging through the Gen 1 buds where I finally ended up on Grand Rider 1 as my Rikbud of choice. I pretty much missed the entire Gen 2 lineup, save for Grand Alter Saber 2. I liked that a lot but I didn’t find it surpassing my favorite buds (GR1 and TGXear Ripples).

@Rikudou_Goku’s Gen 3 hit with a lot of fanfare, thanks to RIku’s (semi?) proprietary shell design which primarily promised a better fit experience. That got my foot in the door but the earbuds are what keep me coming back. Overall, Riku’s Gen 3 is a home run across the lineup, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t significant differences in the three current Gen 3 earbuds. So thanks to @Sonofholhorse I was able to get the one Gen 3 set I don’t have in-house (Saber 3) and am able to do a full comparison of the three.

With that said, let’s get into it and see where everything shakes out.

Songs to Listen to and Follow Along:

As usual, I’m going to write my thoughts in generalities, but I’ll give you a sample of songs that I listen to, that will relate to the concepts I write about. Feel free to ask for specifics, if you don’t keep up with my thought processes.

Playlist

Swashers/Bubbles - Yosi Horikawa (For imaging/detail retrieval (:00-1:00 Swashers), general technicalities check (both), soundstage depth/dynamics/layering/separation (:00-:30 Bubbles))

The Speedwalker (Live at Madison Square Garden) - The Fearless Flyers (For bass elements, particularly sub-bass/mid-bass interplay, drum kits, soundstage/layering)

DISINTER MY HEART - TRAILS (For treble response and resolution, male vocals, midrange response)

Savior - Rise Against (For rock bass elements, male vocals, layering and imaging, treble clarity :38-1:30)

When I Fall (Outta Love) - Kevin Olusola (For Imaging/detail retrieval :00-:07, tonality, timbre, male/female vocal interplay)

Fundamental Elements of Madness - Dax Johnson (For soundstage width 1:10-1:26, piano tonality)

Holding On (Rome In Silver Remix) - Dabin (For female vocals, tonality, mid-bass response within mix From 1:12-1:36)

1 Thing - Sophie Powers (For sibilance, harshness/shoutiness, high volume listening check 1:28-2:01

*Wire & Guns - KID DAD (For general tonality (warmth vs. brightness) and note weight :10-35, for high volume listening 1:34-2:08)

THE SOUND

I’ve Been Tryna Give it to You All Night, What’s It Gonna Take to Get You All Alone; I Just Want You Here By My Side, I Don’t Wanna Be Here Baby On My Own
Alone - Kim Petras
(IEM Tuning Style: Earbuds for all three)

We’re gonna run a different format today; rather than break down each set one by one, I’m going to look at each set in a Versus format. And after we’ve gone through all three matchups, I’m going to bring out a special Final Boss for a last matchup. An important note is that all impressions are done with the stock high-density foams on all three sets. I prefer Alter Rider 3 with medium-density foams but I wanted an even playing field to describe the differences in each earbud so I used HDF for my control. Other than that, we’re ready to go, so starting out:

Saber 3 vs. Alter Rider 3

Bass

Saber has good bass, full stop: Actual sub-bass presence and nice midbass. Hits normal IEM bass quantity levels (for neutral-tuned sets). Solid quality
AR3 carries just a little bit less quantity than Saber. It’s good sub-bass but balances to the midbass a little more evenly. I still would say it’s carrying enough bass to not be out of place with a neural-tuned IEM
Saber is more sub-bass emphasized, AR3 is more balanced. Both are good, it’s purely preference

Midrange

Saber is meaty in the low-mids. Vocals are a little more open and a half step forward, compared to AR3. Safe is the word that comes to mind. Upper-mids are okay but less emphasized.
AR 3 has warmth, but is clearer in the low-mids. Is more neutral. Vocals are not really forward. They are balanced with instrumentation: You kinda have to pick one to focus on over the other, or take what the track is giving you. Not harsh at all: Rock sounds good, non-sibilant to my ear.
Saber is more low-mid focused, with enough upper-mids to get by but could use a hair more energy. AR3 is a more balanced approach that I think it hits the mark it wants for a more neutral playback. Saber hits its mark too. Again, preference is the major delineator here.

Treble

Saber comes off with good emphasis in the treble. Drum kit in The Speedwalker has nice bite in it, balanced by the low-end
AR3 could sound a little bright to some: it has a similar treble emphasis to Saber but the more neutral midrange/bass makes some of those same details pop a little more in your ear. Also carries more air in the treble than Saber
Detail-chasers, I’d lean to AR3. People who fatigue from too much treble would be safer with Saber

Soundstage and Technicalities

Saber has decently good width but not as much height as AR3. Is more linear left-to-right in Fundamental Elements. Not a lot of depth to be heard in Bubbles, notes sound more one-dimensional in dynamics than expected; not bad, just not doing as much as I’d want. Swashers sounds more IEM-like than earbud like
AR3 has good width and height to the soundstage. Fundamental Elements has a bit of a down-left to center to up-right slope from 1:15-1:25. Depth is in line with Saber. More dynamic range to hear in the bouncing balls on Bubbles. Heavy balls not as meaty as Saber, but more distinctive bounces. Swashers sounds more fluid on AR3, not the best playback, but more in line with expectations.

Saber 3 vs. Grand Alter Saber 3

Bass

GAS3 has a close-to-neutral bass. There’s a balance between sub and midbass with very good quality but not much quantity.
Much stronger sub-bass presence. Quality is close enough but clear quantity advantage to Saber

Midrange

Warm tonality but very clean mids on GAS3. Forward vocal presentation. Energetic but not bright upper-mids. Impressively well-balanced to my ear
Warm tonality with a little more thickness on Saber. Vocals are positioned pretty equal to GAS but the mids clarity gives advantage to GAS if you prioritize vocals. A bit more energetic presentation of upper-mids. GAS is more neutral

Treble

Easy, smooth treble with very good details on GAS3. Proper emphasis without pushing treble details forward.
Not hearing much of a difference in treble playback. Saber provides nice clarity to balance low-end. Cleaner overall tuning would likely give an advantage to GAS3 but Saber isn’t a slouch in treble

Soundstage and Technicalities

GAS3 has a lot more depth in soundstage with very good width. Doesn’t have the heft on bouncing balls that Saber can with extra bass but has more dynamic range to differentiate the bounces. Extremely good imaging/separation. Has low-left to center to up-right slope on Fundamental Elements. Has one of my favorite reproductions of Swashers, short of Ripples.
Saber still has width but not much height or depth, with one-note dynamics. Doesn’t stand up to technicalities on GAS3

Grand Alter Saber 3 vs. Alter Rider 3

Bass

GAS3 has enough bass for the tuning but won’t be satisfying if you’re not looking for a neutral-type tuning that emphasizes the upper end over the low-end. Very good if looking for balanced tuning though
AR3 has a pretty similar amount of sub-bass but there’s more midbass emphasis that puts amore warmth and weight on the bass. Still maintains a neutral leaning but more low-end emphasis

Midrange

GAS3 is more neutral in the mids, though not lacking warmth. Vocals are more emphasized, do not get overtaken in busy passages. Easily the most vocal set of Gen 3
AR3 has meatier low-mids with more warmth. Upper-mids are between adequate and emphasized. Vocals are very good in less busy tracks but end up equal with instrumentation when tracks get more congested. Not for vocal enthusiasts, relatively speaking

Treble

GAS3 plays brighter with the lowered bass quantity. Not super airy but a very good amount for the tuning. Very mature, composed treble.
AR3 is not bright, when compared to GAS3, comes off as enough treble, with more air, but not as emphasized.

Soundstage and Technicalities

GAS3 has good depth of stage on Bubbles, with a moderate width; neither wide nor shallow. While lacking the deep extension on bass has great dynamic range and the cleanliness of the sound signature presents great imaging, including one of my favorite replays of Swashers
AR3 has a very competent replay of Swashers with good imaging and better note-weight. Plays with very good depth on Bubbles and extremely pleasant dynamic range. Just a step behind GAS3 when comparing the full package.

Overall, I’d put the three sets on a bit of a spectrum: Saber is the smoother, deeper sounding set. It doesn’t struggle with the upper-end but compared to other two it is more full-bodied.

Alter Rider 3 is the balanced all-rounder. If you don’t want the warmest/bassiest boy or the most vocal-centric set, but you want enough of both, this is the better choice.

Grand Alter Saber 3 is the set to get if you want the best vocal experience, with the cleanest profile. This is the neutralhead’s bud of the Gen 3 sets so far.

Of the three, if I was going to pick one to be the top dog it’s hard to go against GAS 3. While if I only had one to pick I might lean AR3 (its versatility to get closer to both Saber and GAS3 would play best in that case), the one that just does its thing best, in my opinion, is Grand Alter Saber 3.

So if GAS3 is the one survivor, it means it’s time for the Final Boss to come and meet its challenger:

Grand Alter Saber 3 vs. Yincrow RW-3000

Bass

GAS3 has a light, clean bass. It’s not deficient overall; sub-bass doesn’t have much emphasis but midbass pops enough. Quality trumps quantity to be just present enough but not intruding on the mids
RW-3000 has flat-out more quantity; has actual sub-bass presence with strong midbass. Bass is still clean overall; has less bleed than Saber 3, more quantity than AR3. Best overall bass of the four

Midrange

RW-3000 has warm mids. Note-weight is fantastic: it’s more of a balanced-warm than warm-neutral. Much more emphasis on low-end overall. Vocals aren’t drowned in that low-end. They are a slight bit forward, balanced overall, but have some moments of being a little hot. Not actually harsh for me but could tip over the line for some.
GAS3 is more warm-neutral, in comparison to RW-3000. Certainly not overly bright but do not have the thickness of any of the other buds for me. Vocals are absolutely forward and the emphasis; they sit in front of the music and are clear and present. They are amazing, and scale well. There’s no hotness or sibilance for as high as I want to take the volume

Treble:

RW-3000 treble is smooth and relaxed. It’s not the star of the show but takes nothing off the table. Good resolution and clarity that lets every play with very good balance
GAS3’s treble is incredibly balanced. Great resolution and clarity to my ear without having any boosting or spiking. Doesn’t try to extend too much just to have air, but you have enough to make sure details pop

Soundstage and Technicalities:

RW-3000 has a nice sense of depth, okay width and height. Bass gives good weight to balls in Bubbles, and maintains great dynamic range/imaging. Good imaging on Swashers but sounds a little distant at good listening volume. Good sense of low-left to center to high-right imaging on Fundamental Elements
GAS3 has a little less of a sense height on the left to center to right of Fundamental Elements. Much better presence on Swashers. Water feels more forward like I’d expect with fantastic imaging. Less sense of depth than RW-3000 but pinpoint imaging with amazing dynamic range, even if lacking the full-bodied bass

Overall, RW-3000 and GAS3 are complimentary sets to me. RW-3000 is very much a direct competitor to Saber 3, as they have extremely similar mission statements. RW-3000 does a lot of Saber does well, but I would take the intangibles of RW-3000 over Saber by a little bit. I don’t think RW-3000 quite matches GAS3 across the board: RW-3000 is superior in bass, and while they have different midrange philosophies they’re both great at their chosen style. Treble is a little bit to GAS3 for me but those soundstage/technicalities intangibles tip the scale to the GAS3 to me. But the two sets are absolutely on the same level with each other.

So for me, I think the very best of the best is the Grand Alter Saber 3. In my collection, it sits right below Ripples as one of the very best I’ve got. But depending on your tastes, library, and budget, I think any of the Gen 3 Rikubuds can hit the spot. And that’s going to be it for this review. Enjoy your days, and take care till next time!

Rank for Rikubuds Saber 3, Alter Rider 3 & Grand Alter Saber 3, and Yincrow RW-3000: Saber 3 - B+; Alter Rider 3 - B+; Grand Alter Saber 3 - A; Yincrow RW-3000 - A
Recommendation Level: Highly Recommended For All
Rank As a Food: Chocolate Fondue Fountain

SoundEater · February 10, 2024, 5:05pm

I’m on the waitlist for Saber 3. Guess I’ll get my head chopped off by that Rikubuds.

GooberBM · February 11, 2024, 3:57pm

BQEYZ Wind, Orveti OD200, and Dunu Falcon Ultra or A Review So Good It Needs a 1DD Runback

So last time, I did a 3 earbud comparison featuring the Rikubuds Gen 3 collection. Well thanks again to the kindness of friends and strangers alike (@Sonofholhorse, @rattlingblanketwoman, and @Merhumblegrumble) I can bring you another face-off. This time involving the aforementioned 1DDs, with a special Final Boss that I happened to get around the same time, for myself. Time to find out which way the single dynamic cookie crumbles.