Natural upgrade single dynamic

IEMs / Other In-Ear Monitors (IEM)
1

Hi experts ; ]

Looking for a single DD recommendation as an upgrade for my Starfields at up to $200.
l love single DD…
l have the Kbear diamond and they actually sound better to me than Starfield but QC issues prevent me from using them and prevent me going for the Believe model.

So what are your recommendations?
Looking for more details / resolution and airiness without sibilance.
Anyone tried the TFZ essence ?
Is the FD1 / EA1 a viable option despite being cheaper ?
l also have the IT00 but its honestly a bit disappointing. Too dry and no real details…
Can the Tripowin TC01 compete with the level of the Starfield and upwards?
Lots of questions… ; ]
Thanks !

2

Honestly, I suggest that you move up to the 300 usd range. There isnt a big gap between a 100 usd iem and a 200 (and I frankly dont know any real upgrades to the starfield in that price range anyway).

The Tanchjim Oxygen is a great iem, there is a big sale on aliexpress at the end of this month. So you might be able to get it at a lower price than the regular 270 usd.

3

Thanks
Yes because of that gap l thought l should consult with the experts here…
Oxygen has a very similar signature to the Starf. The starfield’s only real downside is a bit of a shout in the mid and upper mid.
The oxygen have been in my wishlist for a while now actually… thanks for letting me know about the sale.

4

The oxygen has a better refined treble than the KXXS (should be identical to the starfield btw) and doesnt sound shouty to me while the KXXS is.

5

sounds awesome
thanks so much !

6

Blessing 2 or Blessing 2 Dusk if you want an even greater refinement of the “Moondrop sound” for $325ish?

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7

Nah, the starfield being a single DD is very different from the B2 that has a lot of BA timbre.

The Oxygen is a safer bet both in sound and in fit (the B2 is huge).

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8

Blessing variants are becoming a golden standard in their configuration and price but l think a single DD is the way for me currently. l’m cautious of BA timbre even in higher end IEMs. Gut feeling only ; ]

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9

Fair enough. Sorry, I forgot about your desire for single DD when I replied.

Reading is fundamental! :slight_smile:

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10

No worries at all ; ]

11

If the Oxygen doesn’t go on sale, you can check out the FiiO FD5. It’s $300 I think, but maybe during the AliExpress sale you can get it for less. It comes with a modular cable which can be nice depending on your source gear. I should disclaim that I have heard neither the Oxygen or the FD5, but I’ve heard good things about both.

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12

yeah, the FD5 is also another great DD. But the Oxygen is more fitting as an upgrade to the Starfield/KXXS.

13

The new final a3000 and a4000 may be worth a look depending on your tuning preferences. I just got the a3000 in the other day, haven’t had a ton of time with them to give an impression on sound yet though. Can say that they are tiny and extremely lightweight. Best fitting iem I’ve used thus far.

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14

I’m also on a similar hunt for single DD iems.

15

A4000 A3000 are under my consideration.
l think its hard to avoid having 2 sets - one balanced and non tiring and maybe boring single DD and one that’s wider more fun more detailed set that’s still not too tiring…probably a hybrid. Both can be single DD of course.

16

FIY: crinacle didnt really like them. (I usually dont align with his rankings though…)

17

That’s ok, to each his own. l think he likes more bass quantity which makes sense

18

I also don’t tend to agree with him on most things. So far I can say that A). The a3000 is the most power hungry iem I’ve personally ever owned, and B). They recommend 150-200 hours of burn in right on the product page and I believe that to agree. They have woken up quite a bit, and I’m not up to that break in time yet.

19

The graph shows it might have light bass in the overall sound… but graphs tell only a part of the story

20

If you’re in the U.S. and don’t mind buying from Drop, I’d get the JVC HA-FDX1. I’ve been trying a lot of iems lately and those might still be my favorite, even in comparison to things much more expensive. Incredible timbre and insanely detailed for the price. Really well built and durable. And they’re versatile with the multiple tuning filters. Only weakness is that instrument separation is mediocre and stage is average, and they are not really warm or lush if that’s what you are into

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