RikudouGoku's Database (IEMs/Earbuds/Headphones Ranking list)

Showed up early.




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Yes, the FH3 and the OH10 do play on the same level overall.

Comfort in terms of shape and size are basically perfect for me. BUT…the weight…might be an issue. I need more time to confirm it, only had shorter sessions with it.

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EST112 VS clair/mon. We need it.

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I did not have high expectations for the EST112 vs the Clair/Mon. I can already say after listening to the EST112 for a while last night, I prefer it to the Theiaudio IEMs in areas. Comfort being the obvious one. The EST112 does not have a deep insertion so I hardly notice it while its in my ears with larger sized tips. All the Thieaudio IEMs go much deeper into your ears which is more uncomfortable for me.

In general, I was much more impressed with how good the EST112 sounded than I expected. I’m extremely interested in all the Dunu offerings now.

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Thank you. Looks like I wasnt overestimating it based on my lack of other iems in that price range.

Not at all. I need more time with it, but on first listen, I like the EST112 a lot. I haven’t done back to back tests, but to my ears, the bass is more textured, has more impact and slam than the Monarch. The Monarch sub bass is elevated too much but the mids sound clearer and more detailed on the Monarch. The Monarch mixes the DD (which I’ve never been a fan of) and all of its BA drivers to build up the Monarch’s bass into what it is. It’s an overall smoother presentation with nice dynamics (most listeners won’t care) but I prefer a large DD beryllium driver for my bass which the EST112 has. It’s going to be different strokes for different folks.

I still feel the Monarch’s treble and extension are just about perfect. No sibilance, yet very detailed and just about the most perfect tuning I’ve heard in the treble frequencies. The EST112 also sounds very good and similar in the treble to the Monarch but might be slightly more elevated and a touch more harsh. We’re splitting hairs though and this could go either way per personal preference.

The sense of stage and imaging is very good with the Dunu as well. This feels like a grown up FH3 to me. More mature tuning while retaining some of the great characteristics of its very fast, detailed and textured bass I love while improving coherency and a much smoother, yet detailed treble presentation without the FH3’s slightly off timbre. But for almost 5X the cost, the FH3 is still punching way above its price bracket and the EST112 just proves it.

Overall, already extremely impressed with this IEM. It might get more ear-time than the Thieaudio IEMs just because of the effortless fit.

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…and what the hell is going on with the Spinfit tips? The included tips should be Spinfit CP100, but the sizes are considerably different!

It’s possible instead of going with 5 different sizes, they’re going with three. Yellow used to be large and the dark blue was the Extra Large. Now it appears white is Large, yellow is medium and red is small, but all the sizes are in-between what they used to be.

Oh, so they are the CP100 tips. I didn’t recognize them and thought they were new tips for the EST112. Since I believe that Dunu owns spinfits now.

They are CP100 but new sizes.

They didn’t fit me actually. The grey tips worked though. But ended up liking the elecom ehp cap 20 tips the most.

Sounds like it’s time for you to try the Zen. :wink:

I would only recommend the zen if that upper treble roll off won’t bother him. Basically if he’s fine with having no air and micro details. For me library, that flaw is quite fatal.

Listening now to the Monarch… It is overall smoother with better vocal representation and larger stage and a more overall coherent sound. The EST112 is harsher with faster attack, mids are more recessed. The leading edge on everything on the EST112 is tighter. The EST112 is less coherent but that leads itself to more defined and pinpoint imaging where the Monarch is softer.

The major differences will come down to if you want a smoother or more detailed/harsh experience.

The Clair will be ever smoother than the Monarch with more bass/midbass, but the Clair also has less detailed mids vs the Monarch. If I recall, the Clair treble sounded even more elevated than the Monarch to me but still retained its smooth and non-sibilant characteristics, but I preferred the Monarch’s treble.

Next on my list. I’m going to be shying away from less expensive IEMs. I think I’m done with hybrids for a while unless they have ESTs. Although @Rikudou_Goku almost forced me to pull the trigger on the OH-10. I’m still holding out damnit! :slight_smile:

The new red Spinfit size is perfect with the Monarch! I need more of these.

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Indeed, it is hard to go back to non-EST iems now that you have tasted the forbidden fruit lol.

Wonder how much that upcoming Tri Starshine will be… (2 BA + 2 EST) and the Excalibur/oracle…
Probably wont be long now before these EST iems get even cheaper since Dunu released the EST112.

Well, my posts about it above was just my first impressions. I only scratched the surface of it (and the rest of the stuff that came with it), so buy anything until I have at least given them a rank and/or reviewed them.

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btw, what do you think about the stock cable on the EST112?
Thats probably my biggest complain about it lol. Measures pretty high and I dont really like its look.


I wish it was the Zen’s. They obviously cheaped out on this cable. I do really like the angled MMCX connectors. It’s almost exactly like the DUW-02 which doesn’t measure well and is quite thin and cheap. They were successful in keeping the EST112 price down by incorporating this cable which is impressive with the costs of those EST drivers. The cable switching system is the best in the business tho.

Yeah, I read Antdroid´s review on the EST112 and cant understand how he prefers the DUW-02S over the 03…

image

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Yep, a lot better than the Fiio´s system.

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??? Agreed. I wonder what he was smoking. I have both. I could take some photos to show they are almost identical. lol

Wait… I think he was comparing the three cables. I think I misunderstood. Maybe he likes the light and flexible cable of the EST112. I know the Zen’s is a stiffer cable. I like a heavier/substancial cable like the Thieaudio EST cable.

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