also @jdan1457
I’m working on a reply to “other basshead sets” but TBH I don’t know how much of what I’ve heard counts as true basshead like these. I love the low end on Xenns Up and Serial, the Penon Fan might be one of the bassiest I’ve owned (I have one coming “soon” (depends on delivery)) so it’ll be interesting to compare.
The FW01 by JVC that I have atm is pretty L shaped and thick.
I’ll compare as best I can with the above when I get a chance.
Hello, today i’ve got my IEC711 coupler with USB soundcard, this one: Precision Artificial Ear Iec711 Frequency Response Curve Tester Artificial Ear 318-4 Headphone Tester - Personal Care Appliance Parts - AliExpress. I know that i’m going to need calibration file (i asked the seller for it). I would like to ask, can someone help me get through whole setup on my PC step by step? What software should i use? For first is my connection correct?
ok, everything seems to work. One question, can i do something with these 2 deviations without smoothing the whole graph? Btw. are you guys using any smoothing option at all?
FYI, found a cheaper store that sells those X meshes.
They arent as organised as the other link I used before though (NSC store).
I got my set of KBear Rosefinch in.
It’s $12 (on US Amazon).
Why? How? Like…why do we spend so much money, when these companies are FULLY capable of making good gear at bargain prices?
(In reality, we pay more for R&D, tech, and refinements of tuning and such. But what they CAN do for under $50, or $30, or $20 when they’re motivated is crazy).
I KNOW!!!
It looks ridiculous. It really does, and I got it because it was $12 but probably crappy and I’d send it right back.
But it’s NOT! It’s not an all-arounder, but it’s NOT bad! I swear!
I KNOW, DUDE!!!
I double checked Ian Fann’s graph when the package came and that bass is real. And I just heard the KS1 and Robin from KBear and was like “NOPE, hard pass!” And figured this would be another one.
I’m literally still on hour 1 of listening. But I swear to God, I didn’t put them in and want to chuck them out the window.
I have theories about this: There are three problem spots that make KS1 not really listenable. 1). The sub-bass rolloff is a killer for a BASS set. Full stop. 2). The steep pinna gain doesn’t allow enough time for the upper-mids to contrast with the bass. So there is energy there but it’s squeezed tight and the mid-bass still overwhelms everything. 3). The second rise into 5k precedes a cut of 5-8k, which murders the clarity for my ear.
Rosefinch has ALL the sub-bass, so it’s correct in the lower range, has a more gradual pinna gain into nearly 4k, and smoother through the upper-mids and into the presence area. It’s unapologetically unrefined, but it’s actually proficient at what it’s TRYING to do (so far).
True the rosefinch is a strange beast how it’s not murdering you with bass. I guess it also has to do with that biological diaphragm. I don’t know.
I just got my Tangzu Ze Tian Wu in, and man, these are fun. I’ve had my Letshuoer S12 lent out for a couple of months, but I’m looking forward to some A/B when they get back. I think this is my favorite planar bass implementation I have heard to date! Just listening to the intro to “Walking on a Thin Line” by Huey Lewis and The News and grinning ear to ear.
All I can say about the Maestro Mini after a couple of days is that I don’t really treat these as a niche / single use earphone any more. I have to reiterate that whatever BA they are using is nuts and well implemented. From a single/multi DD fan.
I’m happily keeping them in my ears for everything atm. But when something bassy does come on, it’s like nothing else I’ve listened to below the scale of a car or venue.
I’ve never really “got” tracks like the above til the bass is rendered this large but also defined. Things like at 3:03 3:07 (on YouTube) when the staple bassline does little deviating glides. Awesome.
Switched over to a BTR5 2021 from a Q5K and it’s reinforcing what I felt when I moved to the Q5K from a BTR5 OG and ES100 - the Q5K is an amazing little device, but I think it’s a tad less warm and a little more analytical. Barely. ← I’m open to that being 100% mental, don’t hold me to it.
I’m not a fan of the massive hole that the nozzle is. Even if I were to put a thin screen on to protect it, there’s not really an inner ledge for a screen, and the BA sits right up to the opening. A filter would have to sit flush with the outermost surface and use the outer diameter. Keeps me away from using short tips, it just feels vulnerable.
Looooads of fun!
Oh the Q5K is DEFINITELY not a warm source. Your ears aren’t wrong on that!
Sound Demo - Huawei Freebuds Pro 2 vs. Moondrop Variations
I compared the two IEMs because they have a similar frequency response. I’m mighty impressed by the Huawei, ymmv.
Hey guys, so I was able to demo some IEMs yesterday 
: Monarch MK2, Variations, and IE600.
Monarch MK2 Impressions:
Super clean mid-range; analytical but enjoyable and not clinical. Lots of detail I couldn’t pick up on the EJ07 along with great imaging and layering (same level as 07 I’d say). Staging has some 3D, but has less air than expected (still more than EJ07). Vocals are forward with lots of clarity and very realistic, and is the best I’ve heard at mid-volume and second only to the TEA at high-volume. Bass is good, but certainly expected more rumble and texture at $1K. Same with the treble; cymbals had a metallic timbre and is evidently boosted in certain areas; felt a bit uneven to me at times. Feels like treble is in an awkward position between not enough air but also not smooth enough; it’s weird. For me, the mid-range on the MMK2 is really the standout and is endgame level like the 07 but with more detail. Although the EJ07 still has better dynamics, better scaling, and of course staging/3D.
Moondrop Variations:
The first thought that came to mind was: “wow these are really airy”. The treble on the Variations are very well done, and I prefer it much more than the Monarch MK2. The extension seems endless, adding great depth to the stage (although not 3D). Can get too much at high volume though… Sub-bass is very “bouncy” with lots of texture; also prefer it more than the Monarch MK2 due to it being more impactful and just more amount; the Variation’s sub-bass is more like a separated sub-woofer. The MMK2 has more detail in the mid-range, where the Variations has more treble and bass detail. Overall technicalities wise they’re very similar, with the MMK2 edging slightly ahead in detail, imaging, and layering. The mid-range on the Variations are very clean with lots of clarity, but… the mid-bass cut is real, resulting in the overall tuning to sound thinner and less impactful. This cut (along with the thinness) really guts a lot of songs from my library, so although detail wise the Variations probably has one of the best-price-to-performance ratios I just can’t grow to love them unfortunately.
Sennheiser IE600 Impressions:
Wow. Holy cow there’s a lot of detail. Detail and clarity wise the DD in the IE600 beats many multi-driver IEMs around $500-600 (like the 07M and Variations). Dunno how they did it, but hey, here we are; I’d say the details are on the same level as the Monarch MK2. Imaging is also very very good; on the same level as the 07 and Monarch MK2. When I first saw the bass on the graph I thought the IE600 was going to be a basshead set, but the sub-bass is definitely less than the graph suggests. It’s good, but nothing amazing just like the MMK2; Variations still got the best sub-bass rumble and texture to me out of the 3. Stage wise the IE600 is less expansive than the Variations and the MMK2; layering is also a step behind them as well. It does everything very-well (lows, mids, highs), but nothing amazing. Upper-mids is also very spicy at higher volumes and is not as airy as the others. The IE600 is however the most coherent out of the 3, probably due to it’s single driver.
If I had to choose out of the 3, I’d most likely grab the Monarch MK2… but if I didn’t have to choose I wouldn’t buy any. As great as the mid-range and detail is on the MMK2 (endgame level), the treble timbre and tuning just feels a bit off along with the just “good” bass. To me the MMK2 lacks coherency, and dynamics needs work in the upper-mid and treble region. I heard it’s really good for metal, but then again I don’t have any metal in my library so 
As for Variations: mid-bass cut and thinness is a no go. IE600: smaller stage and bright treble; both are not as musical as the Monarch MK2 which is already leaning on the analytical side of things.
So far the EJ07 is the closest to my personal endgame, but the search continues… Thanks for reading!
I’ve gotten to a point in my IEM journey and collection where I’m extremely content. The HBB Maka and the EJ07 are about the only ones I’ve got my eye on. EJ07 is still the one IEM I’ve yet to hear that I really want to. Treble seems like it be one of the most idea presentations for me. Most likely it’ll be my next purchase when my IEM funds are replenished.
I think left side seal is broken on huawei there’s a significant imbalance on it.
that U tho.
Thats graphed by Super Reviews (MRS). He is at Canjam atm and graphed it there.
