Your video was great, much more useful than a simple review… But, you say that the Origin has a powerful bass thanks to it’s BC driver. That is not true.
According Thieaudio description, the BC is crossed over to the mids and treble.
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That’s true. I still enjoy the bass a great deal, and find it impactful when it needs to be.
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@Jaytiss Are you planning to test Meze Alba? I’m curious if 1DD will give good quality reproduction and details.
I heard it today at can Jam. My thoughts were that it’s pleasant but not exceptional. If you need a small fitting iem it is a good option, but if you don’t you might be better off with other iems.
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Oh thanks, I was about to order them… I have simgot supermix and they are good, although sometimes too thin/light at the top. I was thinking about something smoother but without losing the details and resolution that are in sm4, maybe only with DD, e.g. Alba or maybe also Dynaquattro? I must admit that the SM4s fit my ears perfectly and when I think about Estrella I remember that they are bigger and may be painful. Can you suggest any upgrade for sm4 with the above in mind?
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Dynaquatro is to me almost perfectly tuned. Great bass, great mids, but lacks air. That is the only issue with it an I fully enjoy that set. It’s a lot of fun. It should go on sale soon. It also is packed with a great cable, case, and selection of tips.
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Is it good for high volume listening? Since it has treble roll off?
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I had a few moments of listening time. It just felt safe and not exciting.
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I had issues with the upper mids in the Tea 2. Looks like the Tea Pro might suit me better
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I’m looking for iem that won’t be large - Simgot Supermix fits almost perfectly, only the sleeve has too big an angle - it fits well in the canal, but with Divinus Velvet WB it hurts a bit at the smallest size. I have already spent some time with the SM4 and the bass is just right, there is a lot of air and treble, but as a result the sound becomes too bright and thin in the treble. At first there was an impression of a huge amount of detail, but after a while it becomes distracting. I have found that it improves the fit with the Jaytiss Target Line. I did various measurements on squlink trying to match the AutoEQ of different headphones to the sm4. (Explorer, Performer 5, 61T, Hype4, Dunu FU, Doscino, Estrella, Pilgrim, Mega5) Following also the rankings of Jay’s, Dave, Andy and yours, I predict various iems in the $300 maybe 400$ class that could have been better than simgots. Changing the EQ in sm4 to Binary The sound of Dynaquattro is nice, it does not have the brightness and thin treble like simgot, but this is only a comparison after changing the EQ so it cannot be taken seriously.
Additionally, Dynaquattro is rated very highly by you and Dave, while Jay and Andy rate it lower. I could think about estrella but having simgot I’m afraid of the top being too high. It’s a bit like the X2HR. What do you think about this? Is it worth buying Dynaquattro after somgot sm4? Should I stay with simgot + EQ correction or something else?
It’s really tough. My suggestion is to ask what you want? If you can tell me what you want, maybe I can suggest something.
Do you want a chill neutral set, or something detailed and expensive? I used to think there was a kind of meta like that new iem ranking sit that Andy talks about here.
Hell almost made a site like this myself. But the fact is we all have our biases in a subjective hobby. It’s hard to find an iem that everyone likes.
My point is simply taste, library, ear canals, mood, and ears are so different it’s almost impossible to find something that say the top 5-6 iem reviewers will all like. It’s a hype machine, but more importantly it’s a hobby about finding what is right for you that gets you to enjoy your music.
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Yep. I can think of only three or four IEMs under $350 released in the last year that have received almost universal praise from the hardcore community, with staying power past the Flavor of the Month:
– ISN H60
– Tripowin Piccolo
– Kefine Delci
– AFUL Explorer (maybe?)
I’m sure I’m missing a couple, but there are very few beloved titans with any staying power in this hobby. The churn rate is unbelievable because driver technology continues to advance at a rapid rate and because nearly all of us are like moths to a porch light when the new shiny is released, ready to cast the most recent darling to the curb.
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Especially when some of the reviewers have specific genres of music so one set that works for Cigarettes after Sex may not work for BTS or K-pop and may not work for Eminem or Kendrick Lamar.
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I hadn’t really seen that myself, I’d been subconsciously picking up ok/mixed takes, plus seeing a moderate amount being resold. I haven’t been following them in earnest though, that’s just my passive impression.
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The H60 has been the Belle of the Ball at the Head-fi Discovery thread since spring. Very few complaints.
I don’t use resale quantity as a barometer for quality with IEMs like I do with over-ear cans because IEMs are generally cheaper than similar quality cans, so people are more willing to churn to afford the new shiny. Plus the IEM market is flooded almost daily with new models, which only increases the FOMO churn. Very different from over-ears.
If a new over-ear sees a lot of sales a couple of months after release, I consider that abnormal and a sign maybe the model doesn’t match the hype. If I see that with IEMs, I consider it to be … Friday. 
Your mileage may vary!
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Oh… I guess I haven’t been in there for a long time and wouldn’t really expect to trust what I saw if I did (too many Penon/ISN stans in that thread in my experience)
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No doubt the Penon/ISN stans have a permanent residence in that thread. The passive-aggressive shilling of Penon is blatant and ridiculous.
Still, I’ve seen enough dudes not on the Penon/ISN hype train who have bought and still enjoy the H60 to think it’s a quality set.
But your point is well taken. I would never buy a Penon/ISN product based on the shills in that thread. Probably one of the reasons I’ve never bought a Penon/ISN IEM yet. But the H60 definitely interests me, as does the Shock, simply because more dudes than the Penonstans seem to really dig them.
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It’s a crazy hobby. Pennon is extremely careful of who they send stuff to. Some of their stuff is solid and fun, but I wouldn’t rank it as mainstream or neutral but audiophile stuff. Campfire is pretty much the same…
Speaking of which Campfire Trifecta review is coming out soon.
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