You summed it all up in this paragraph. It aint easy, but sometimes it’s fun!
Good write-up 
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If you struggle with remembering your impression. You could write notes down while you are listening or even use a temporary score that u can then compare with.
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Thanks! Cookie eaten!
Yeah I can try taking notes next time. I have a set of songs ready to test as well. Not sure I’ll commit but it can be a good writing exercise. Thanks!
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I find writing down notes on the specific parts/time of a song to be very helpful. For example the cymbals at … or the vocals at… Anyhow, good write up 
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To piggyback on these, notes are your friend. And I’m slowly working out a rating system that works for me, that I feel conveys my brain/heart feelings into an actually corresponding “objective” score. That definitely helps focus your mind (“I know THIS bass is average to me. Is the set better or worse than that?”).
My other suggestion is have a list (or lists. I have 7 5 song lists), of songs you KNOW, inside and out. The more you practice hearing a specific song, and specific things to listen for in those songs, the better you get at picking out “what’s right or wrong” by ear.
Hope that helps
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Shuoer S12 Thoughts:
Believe it or not, the S12 is the first time I’ve ever heard a planar driver. I’ve never heard the headphone version or anything. So, as I described in my initial impressions, I definitely had a “Hmmm” moment, that made me feel like “is this it? Planar is supposed to be more impressive than this, right?” As I’ve put more time in with S12, I am getting why planar is a very well received driver type, and why the planar hype train is real. It’s really about finding the tuning you like because the driver can kick very nicely.
Where the S12 falls in that…I don’t exactly know. I’ve already gone through phases of “I don’t get why this has so much hype” to “Yeah, this is pretty good actually” to “No, I really don’t get it”. The tuning is pretty good, but it has two major holes in it, that I can’t get past: It’s V-shape is way too lean in the lower mids, where raising up 400hz put so much body back into the replay. I can appreciate why neutral and V-shape tuning have their place, but it’s not for me. I am a more mid-centric listener, so making the sound leaner doesn’t do it for me.
The second problem with S12 is the treble, but not for the reason I expected going in. When people have described the S12 treble as spicy, too aggressive, and such, I was expecting it to be screeching and unappealing. Then I heard it and was all “Oh, I don’t get what the big deal is here, this treble is fine”. Once I played with EQ, it all clicked for me. Spicy treble doesn’t necessarily mean your ears are going to bleed. But the S12’s treble is TOO MUCH. There’s too much information, like cymbal strikes are distractingly present. It’s way too exaggerated, and just wrong. The two problems together are just something I cannot get past.
(One caveat: Plugging the S12 into balanced, and feeding them more current changes the whole equation. They sound better in EVERY way (tuning, soundstage, technicalities), when you feed them more current. If I were going to keep them, I’d say that’s the best/only way to listen to them. Which hurts for my use case because I want my IEMs for portability, and I don’t have a 2.5mm cable to make that happen. The revised S12 pro is very smart to put a modular cable in the box for that reason!).
If anyone wants actual song comparison differences, let me know, otherwise I’ll just give my overall comparison of the S12 with a couple of my IEMs
vs. 7hz Zero - This is where the Zero is making a compelling case for me to keep it, even though I don’t NEED them. The Zero is a FANTASTIC baseline, to compare anything else to. The Zero has a good tuning (though a touch too lean for my taste), where it does everything competently in bass, mids, and treble (bass is okay, mids are solid except for the upper mids, and treble is fine), where I can absolutely put this out there and ask “Is a new IEM better than this?” S12 definitely has better bass, and better upper mids. The lower mids are just lacking (again hence the EQ at 400hz). Where the S12 lets itself down is past 4k. A tighter tuning out there and I’d probably look past the other flaws and sign off on this. So while S12 IS a superior set to Zero, I can’t see myself picking it up over the $20 set.
vs. KBear Aurora - This is my best, most technical 1DD set and it goes blow for blow with S12. They’re pretty close in sub-bass but Aurora has THE BEST mid/upper bass I’ve heard. Other sets have better bass overall because they bring more sub-bass, but nothing has the physicality (with speed and precision) in the low end as the Aurora for me. And while they’re pretty even in speed, and S12 has a little more sub-bass, the way Aurora thumps just hits different to me. With that kind of mid-bass Aurora would have to be terribly tuned to not have better low-mids and it does. S12 and Aurora are pretty even in the upper-mids for me, but that wonky treble tips the scale away from S12. A better tuned S12 could give a run for it’s money, but Aurora is a step ahead to me.
Having heard S12, I’m really interested in what the Tin P1 Max sounds like, as a warmer/less spicy planar option. Also I want to see if any of these cheaper planars coming out bring anything to the table worth loking at. I haven’t been soured off of planar tech, and I think it’s good S12 introduced me to what I like and don’t like in how it is implemented. But this one just isn’t for me.
(Extra note: comments, questions, feedback etc. all is welcomed. I’m having fun with this quasi-“I’m not a real reviewer but I’m gonna share my opinions anyway” review thing I’m doing. If you like it and want more, tell me what I’m doing well and not 
)
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Getting some rather good results tip-rolling these beauties! Thieaudio Legacy 3 Gaia, “11” switch setting.
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This is where my heart’s still at though:
I reach for these over the Moonlight. I will have a chance to hear the Szalayi soon. Incredible things will have to be accomplished to unseat the Serial as the perfect buy along the curve of diminishing returns. For my ears and for my budget/conscience. This is not a jab at the Moonlight by any means.
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I’m really looking forward to your thoughts when you get to try the modded vortex!
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Perhaps the Mahina in the future? 
I wouldn’t add any bass to the moonlight personally. Also diminishing returns. I know I haven’t followed up my Moonlight impressions yet, but while it’s a very good IEM, the wow factor didn’t end up lasting.
Are the Mahina a good bit smaller? My ears are on the little side 
Smaller than the Moonlight no. Exact same shell. Also neither Moonlight or Mahina are really smaller than Serial. Just a different shell shape.
Can someone identify these unknown Sony IEMs?
I found these in hidden in a drawer. Build is all plastic and rubber.
They pump bass like crazy.
Ah yes thank you.
I meant smaller than the Serial I forgot to specify haha
Hey, does anyone know where I can get ahold of some Tanchjim Tanya filters?
Cheapest is from the Tanya.
Or just get the 500 mesh as they are close enough.
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Man I will be reaching out to you shortly for some of the filters/foam etc. You use for modding. I am about to dive in some more I think since I am looking for cheap ways to stay involved with the hobby etc.