Wait, my bad, I don’t know why I thought it was the planar released by CCA 
Ignore my comment and continue your cooking chef nymz.
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Ahhhhhh LOL. That makes more sense.
Np 
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Looks decent. Does it come with one of TRNs modular kekbles?
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Yes, it’s modular
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Sweet. Have a few of those and love them.
If nobody sends me a review unit anytime soon I might buy one just to have another one of these cables lol.
Post #4000
4000 Posts. Guess it’s time for a facelift, don’t you?
Thanks everyone. Appreciate every single one of you for being here!
Remember, we’re just starting!
Soon ™
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I’m not sure I should talk about it here (especially with the reserved post), but I don’t really can think of any other thread to do it, since there is no official thread for the hear I’ll speak about.
I just received the smsl HO100 I bought in sale on Amazon (127€ instead of 150). What I can say for sure:
- the aviation switches are great
- the analog volume knob feels waaaaaaay better than the clicky thing on my topping dx3 pro V3. To be frank, this click was getting on my nerves, with time
- the 3 levels of gain, that can be changed easily, will be of use (iems on one side, he400i and sen hd6xx on the other)
- at last I have a low Output Impedance, so I don’t have to worry about it messing with some iems sq.
- finally I have enough headroom for my taste. I was at 70% of max for a normal volume with the topping. Now I’m at 1 o’clock on medium gain with the smsl (11 o’clock on high gain)
- the knob is a tad small, and has a little play. The if zen dac knob feels better to me
Just with these parameters, I could consider the money well spent.
The sound has changed more drastically than I thought, switching from the dx3pro. The 2 piece of gear are described as neutral, but on my he400i, the bass quantity is not the same.
I still have to a/b between those 2 (and maybe add some stuff like q5K and w1), but I think stage and stereo separation have changed, too.
There are some very interesting listening sessions coming…
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Ahah no problem! Anyone can always post whatever they want in here. This is ours, not only mine.
Oh, the sweet source hole… Good luck!
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I is there little wood face character from avengers (ed: googled - Groot) below this DF robot face marching with Gandalf’s staff? 
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Can’t unsee it. Groot is shocked 
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Will you have to order another customized iem to match the new logo? 
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Loooooooooool that’s nice touch 
cant unsee it ahah
That’s a good idea!
Yes, gain switch in topping is hidden so far deep in the menu, that I don’t even bother with looking in manual where and how to get there (and I don’t use remote). It is quite weird though that you were maxing your topping - depending on the recording I am between -20 and -16dB on low gain for HD6xx.
What is the DAC you are using for SMSL? Topping?
Ed. I see that you have DX3Pro V3, which has a bit less power for 300Ohm, but a lot less for 32
Hi chap - unfortunately I am still away for work and so haven’t been able to get to the IEMs to do a comparison. I am (finally) booked to be home for the weekend of the 10th - which would be the soonest I could give a real impression.
Based off of 
- haven’t really used those two for awhile - the biggest issue is the fatboy weight of the OH10 which makes them almost unfit for portable use outside of the house (they are a little larger than average too but that didn’t present myself with an issue (also helps with isolation) but YMMV). This can make the whole experience a little fatiguing - I generally would not use them for sessions over 2-3 hours and 
would not try to exercise in them unless my sparing partner didn’t turn up that day and I wanted to be bitch slapped in the ears instead.
Cable and accessories are not great (in fact cable is an absolute flaming shitshow and should be replaced) but then this is an IEM that is 2-3 years old - however build quality is excellent - they feel like a more premium offering for the price.
Even though they are a one trick pony, if you enjoy bass it presents in better texture and quality, sub-bass is top notch and lower mids have detail even if a little bloated when compared to a more balanced signature (mids are slightly recessed and are the weak point in general)- but again expected in order to balance out the sub and general V shape. The bass does feel like it has a life all of its own and exists and is handled as a separate entity to the rest of the sound signature - in a good way.
Efficient to run, so long as you have a low OI source as the impedance is a little on the low side but generally ok. Looking for that sub rumble they feel like they scale well but it’s all about power and volume control really as you need to hike the power to get the full bass effect but be careful of bleed. Listening at medium volume will just give the impression of great bass texture, a mid bass boost and overall an airy IEM but will take away the sub special sauce (which I imagine is why most are attracted to this IEM).
The soundstage is also very decent (wide not deep or 3D) for this price range - but technicalities - detail/resolution wise the current crop of planars (I have Timeless, S12 and P1 max) are on a different level.
The quantity of base is also in excess of the FHE which unlike the Crin strap line does not have Fuck You Bass (or I pity his GF) but an above average level where you feel the mid-bass bloat slightly (in comparison to the OH10) due to the lower upper and treble levels. The FHE has better linearity - so unlike the OH10 it sounds the same at lower and higher volumes. Accessories are good - as always with Fiio, and has a solid build quality - again a more premium feel than price indicates, but it’s less than half the weight of the OH10.
The FHE is more balanced (though it’s audiophile clean aspirations are held back by it’s wannabe basshead composition) than the OH10 as the bass and treble are more aligned in level whilst the OH10 can be a tiny sibilant and peaky in the treble region but overall much better than the graphing would indicate. This is a really minor gripe as in the main they have artfully balanced the treble with such extended bass but again at higher power levels this issue gets revealed. The FHE keeps decent tonality as well but also suffers technically like the OH10 and soundstage wise is a little more congested.
For me the OH10 is bordering on a specialist IEM tuning at a decent price. We usually have to pay TOTL to get these specialist tunings. To me the OH10 is the better option (as it has unique abilities at this price that to a degree the FHE tries hard to capture but doesn’t quite succeed) but if it was the only IEM I own, I would pick the FHE over it as it works for a greater variety of genres and is a decent, fatigue free, warm all rounder V shape with clear improvement on the FH3 (the first serious IEM for many).
Not sure what your looking for specifically or if you are a collector but there are probably some better value plays out there at these price points currently if you are just looking for a quality daily driver.
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I use a dx3 pro v2 as dac for the smsl (on -10dB volume )
I listen to my he400i and hd6xx at approx -30dB on high gain for “normal” volume (everything maxed out in Windows and foobar). That means 70% of output power. Knowing high gain on topping is +9dB, our numbers match 
On the smsl, I get approximately the same output level on high gain at 11 o’clock. That means 45% if max power. The output power of the smsl being a little less than twice as much as the topping (from memory, 700mW VS 1.2W), my experience seems coherent, I think
Thank you for the detailed and informative review!
OH10’s weight do sound like an issue, but as I would use them only occasionally, maybe it’s not a deal breaker. I do like the looks. How is the isolation on both models? I think I heard some praise for FH3 isolation…
It is not my only IEM. As I never had a BA IEM, I’m looking for something interesting with BAs (solo or hybrid) in the <$250 range. Unfortunately, there is little interesting IEMs with BAs at that price range. OH10, FHE, Midnight, (I see Tea is now under $250), Lokahi (when available). OH10 seems reasonably priced and it’s bass performance sound very interesting. Thanks for giving me food for thought. 
Isolation is good on both actually. They are sort of sidegrades but I was dumb enough to buy both as I have no fucking impulse control. 
I actually have both the Midnight and OG Tea as well.
- OG Tea >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
- Midnight (great all-rounder but a little boring) >>>>
- OH10 or FHE (Bass specialists)
Personally the OG Tea are way ahead in almost every regard but is an acquired taste - just look at the sort of delinquent crowd @nymz it attracts haha. Midnight the safe choice in every regard.
You can pick up the OG Tea quite cheap on resale market or I think drop had them on sale for cheaper (depends where you are - I am at the mercy of EU customs).
If you just want the pure bass experience - the old TFZ No.3 holds its own (for bass alone - you need some EQ for the rest) and you can pick it up super cheap.
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The TRN TA1 Max is a REALLY good hybrid 1DD + 1BA setup. I haven’t heard the OH10 but all the things people say about it, sound like the TA1 Max, but it’s $46, not $199.
If you want to try out a hybrid on a budget and see if you like the sound, I HIGHLY suggest the TA1 Max
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I re-phrase isolation is good when your ear is not being ripped off by the OH10.
Porn like violation in a sated yet after-glow gaping way…
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