I think just to be safe, it’s always the best to use the Olina modded in my opinion. Also if you don’t like modding the Olina, the Seek Real Airship exists for that but the tricky part from that IEM would be the fit but luckily for me it fits me fine.
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I have Olina and loving it…! just wondered if Dioko’s something better and worth looking into.
Given for its price, I think it’s worth looking into if you want to dwell into a sample of what planar offers. Probably would get myself a pair when that times come, but for now I have to save up since I just spent a lot of dough on my Airship and they are worth it.
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The more I read/hear about Dioko, the more I think s12 would be more suited for me than any other planar. The thing is, timeless didn’t please me, and s12 is said to be very similar… Choices, choices…
From what I read from you about the timeless and many other peoples experiences with the neo planars, I think the hook x should be the closest to your preference, even though I am not sure you would like any of them.
my olina is stock
not a huge difference in stage slight lead for Olina
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Just buy canons!
Random thought after listening to the Olina and Mele. Wish I had just stopped here and never dived into the higher dollar IEMs. However, the techie in my always wants more than needed for what I ultimately enjoy.
Take my home server for instance. Way overkill to host a handful of dockers mainly dedicated to media automation. I spend way more time tweaking and maintaining it than the movies I watch or my friends. Which was supposed to be its main purpose. It’s just something in me that always wants to see the top despite no need for it. Then I get distracted from the original purpose for it. New tech comes out then rinse and repeat the endless cycle.
This is how IEMs are starting to be. I came here just trying to get away from AirPods and gas station earbuds. To get a somewhat better reproduction of the music to my preference. I thought initially maybe $200 max was top dog. Found out real quick how wrong that was and needed to hear the higher dollar ones because the techie itch started. Despite some of the cheaper sets, such as the Hana 2021, weren’t that bad at all. Fast forward thousands of dollars later and nearly forty IEMs I’ve lost touch somewhat with my original intentions; enjoy the music.
Before coming here I gave zero care where or what music came from. Could be a cheap phone in tin can. It was all about the music, vibes and the company with me or a solo car ride jamming. It was music and I could here it, sing with it and bob my head. Of course the answer of if I still enjoy music is definitely a yes. Just that the technicality of IEMs, analyzing them and all the offerings become obstacles to the enjoyment.
So why did I bring up the Olina and Mele? Because despite being loaded with numerous technical weaknesses compared to other offerings they’re really really good at a low price. Which pulls me away from analyzing their weaknesses. They’re not trying to sing they’re praises with a high price tag or newer tech. I’m nearly 100% accepting of the faults. Which ultimately allows me to get to the main reason that brought me here and I’m back to the music.
Do I get as lost in the music or go into a deep euphoric state from micro-details and amazing staging. Not necessarily but, I do find myself listening more to the song and not critiquing the IEM. It’s a weird place to be when I’m contemplating that a $50 IEM might get me closer to the original reason why I came to this hobby than my UP or Moonlight. Would love to here your thoughts and if you disagree or can relate.
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I started off in 2019 with the ZS10 Pro, then Blon 03, then Starfield, then mele, then aladdin and now Canon. Each helping me enjoy the music and what I really appreciate in the reproduction of music and seeing my tastes have changed. I can’t imagine spending more money to get slightly better vocals etc. like the cliched saying goes “use the gear to listen to the music”
Appreciate the response. The crazy thing is I’m not even necessarily doing it to chase something better as my goal or want. I could be content with something as cheap as the Mele to enjoy the music. There’s always just this urge in me to see what “better” supposedly is. Mostly with tech and oddly I haven’t always been this way. When my wife and were younger and income was low and we had college debt I was fine. Felt no desire for anything more. A Tube TV, VCR, a Compaq computer and two flip phones were all we had tech wise well past most folks. Pay raises came and debt was eliminated and the itch started then never went away. Maybe I need the AA equivalent of therapy in the tech world.
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Yepp I get it. For the me music always comes first, but maybe its from being the child of a old school speakers/midfi guy that thrust me into the hobby. I like iems since they are small and can perform very well and have a better price to performance so it is like ice cream flavors or pokemon.
Its fun to try, but I’m not chasing a dragon of perfection or anything. The only perfect replay would be directly into the brain via like a nuralink or something so we are a ways off. Just enjoy the ride. Even if you get off the bus there is no issues with watching the route it takes for people who are still on. There will always be room for you as well. 
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For sure music is still first. As I sort of mentioned it just feels like I’m on a winding road with many obstacles. All interfering with the true journey. I’m not even remotely aware how the reviewers balance this. I just want to get back on the straight freeway, lean back and turn on cruise control.
Thanks for the bus analogy. Maybe I’m approaching my stop and need to exit shortly for a few and let the others enjoy the ride. Just watch from the sidewalk for awhile.
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I admit there are times I was like that and I can painfully admit that it might still happen to me as well, instead of just enjoying the music on what you have right now, there are those urges that makes you seek for that feeling again where you get blowned away on what you hear when first get your set of IEMs that impressed you and kickstarted you on doing this hobby, and it sucks that the magic from those IEMs will eventually be gone, therefore saying to ourselves that it is justifiable to spend more thousands of dollars on IEMs even though your current ones are already capable enough to make you enjoy your music overall.
Also I think it is a good idea to switch up your daily drivers from time to time, because there will be those moments that they will just become too repetitive and the overall appeal you get from it can just go poof sooner than you think.
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Uhhh, that’s called a HOBBY then 
You are certainly not walking THIS path alone 
, especially in these forums we are almost all “so weird”.
In my case I started here:
and now I am at this point:
via all these “intermediate stops”:
and more.
I like 50-60% of these plugs very much and return to them regularly to enjoy their individual sound design.
Is, as of today, an end to this “escalation” in sight?; I don’t believe 
… no
I have to say: I was lucky;
With all the hardware, I’ve never forgotten why I bought these, namely that these devices “serve” the hobby that I guess we all love.
So, even with the mostly intensive “test attempts” at the beginning of each new purchase, and the pairing attempts with various DAC / amp combos, I can always findthe muse, that I often spend hours with a “sound hit” of the components. immediately" and “lose” myself in the music.
In my case it is the combo of the TinHiFi T2 (Original) paired with an ifi device & xBass + xSpace; And I’m a happy person in everyday life 
(the choice of earphones depends of course on personal taste and music genre)
Uhhh, the process of getting used to these qualities started pretty quickly for me.
When I sit down after work, with a glass of the finest “beverage” next to me, in the armchair, the light is dimmed and I “devote myself” to the music.
Then it bothers me rather NOT to hear details that I know are there but can only be reproduced with higher-quality sound chains.
These properties perfect my enjoyment, so to speak, and put a smile on my face.
Until at some point in the night my wife comes into the room to point out to me with a stern facial expression that civic duty (work) is due in the morning and that I have to be fit if possible in order to bring a decent amount of 
(€) home. 
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Same easy fit . I do not have Olina but the Mele and Aurship both easy fit.
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Hello a online web site here in my country is allowing home auditions but you have to put a deposit down which is the cost of the iem.
I have not heard many iem just …
Jerry harvy billie jeans → thieaudio L4 → the clairs → mest OG → meXt
Have a upcoming 3 days off where the wife and kid are going out of town , so thinking of auditioning a set from there store at the comfort of my house .
Either the 64 audio TRIO or U12T
( they dont have many options )
I enJoy older music
Planing on listening to
Led Zeppelin, pink floyd , prince , MJ, wu tang clan , eric clapton , feetwood mac , joni michell , Nine inch nails, progressive house/Techno music ,Black Sabbath, herbie handcock , three six mafia, panthera , jimi hendrix , marvin gaye the rolling stones , bob marley …. type of music
Which IEM do you think i’ll enjoy more ?
This kind of music:
=
Since it is fuller, warmer and with a “more powerful” bass, it tends to support these music genres.
Because I would personally use U 12 t to listen to jazz, blues, folk, for example, or classical music, but as always, that’s a matter of taste.
By the way, the U 6 t isn’t quite as “sound magnifier” and doesn’t dissect your music as clearly as the 12’s and is therefore quite nice to listen to for less “audiophile” music genres, the recording quality of which is mostly rather average.
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If I look at your collection of in-ears and in which price segment you orient yourself, I would recommend a real renewal in terms of sound, instead of a sidegrade to your portfolio (which is tonally rather bright), which the Legend X for example, is quite “nice” would represent.
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I can relate to this Scotty-techie mindset 
My IEM dive started in early 2020 also with the ZS10 Pro. I’d imagine this IEM brought more people to the hobby than any other set.
I was a room speaker and headphone fan since forever. What kept me back from IEMs the whole time was that I had bad memories from early earbuds from the 90s. It’s impossible for my ear anatomy to hold buds, they immediately fall out. Back then in my mind I was like earbud = IEM.
Later in the 00s I tried IEMs that came bundled with smartphones and they all where horrible, mostly bass light, muffled just bad.
Over a decade later Amazon keeps recommending me this ominous ZS10 Pro from this far away land where they manufacture (sometimes) high quality products for a fraction of western prices. Out of curiosity I clicked the buy button.
The ZS10 arrived and I was literally blown away by how good it sounds. Big, impactful bass, good highs. A well executed V-shape in short.
After that I looked what this dubious Linsoul is all about. Is it a bird is it a plane? Turns out it’s a chifi vendor with a localized website for the western market and excellent shipping conditions.
Needles to say that after seeing there dozens upon dozens of IEMs from strange brands I never heard of my interest was sparked, the dive began and the rest is history.
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