Yeaah I fucktup. I cancelled it and got money + expired coupon + no right to review. I shouldâve waited like I wanted initially, at least I mightâve got some usable coupon if that thing they call âShipping Guaranteeâ is real.
Lesson learned.
PSA: Donât buy from Panda CCC Store, they scam you out of your coupons.
PSA: Silver and Gold badges mean exactly nothing, only ratings, store longevity and units sold matter. (I say Gold too because I just saw a Gold one yesterday with a rating of 4.3 = 86%. They just give out these badges to anyone it seems. Could be you can pay to get them, like on Twitter.)
IIRC you get a âŹ1 coupon that expires in like 1-2 months depending on the time of the year. I once got âŹ2 but that seems like a one off.
This is exactly the same as with any deliveries (ie choice) that donât arrive in time that are guaranteed.
Just be aware that the late/cancelled coupons donât vest automatically - you have to go to the order listing and collect it. Which is ridiculous and I am sure catches a lot of people out.
Deuce:
Looking at the graph I ignored Deuce because of the clean bass rise, I was afraid it would sound disjointed and lack mid bass impact. But then I got to demo it and was impressed.
Iâve only tried it briefly with hip-hop so far. Iâm very impressed by how it can deliver a basshead sound while still keeping the vocals to be correct. Also, itâs one of the best fitting IEM I ever tried. The cable is very nice and very soft but as any fabric cable it does produce some microphonics.
Arcadia:
I wanted an upgrade to the QKZ x HBB so went with that one for a mild V shape sound that for me is the most versatile sound sig when Iâm not trying to analyze the music.
Pros and cons: the bass quantity is there, itâs clean enough, itâs punchy but bass quality could be better. Mids are pretty neutral, vocals are good. Treble wise, after some tip rolling, getting a deeper fit helps with some of the treble sharpness I initially heard. It definitely plays the trick to increase treble to make it sound more detailed. Stage is not super big but separation is pretty good in width and height. Sadly the cable on Arcadia feels cheaper than the one on the Doscinco.
If I know Iâm going to listen to hip-hop, Iâll definitely grab Deuce. Basshead endgame for a very reasonable price.
If Iâm going to play my library on shuffle, Iâll grab Arcadia from now on. Given than QKZ x HBB is only $20, paying $200 can feel a bit steep for an upgrade, but for me the increase resolution and slightly better fit on Arcadia makes it worth it.
Props for holding off that long, thatâs some seriously low battery health! Apple will change the battery for $90 if you still have it and were thinking of giving it a new life.
Apple care no longer supports my XS Max in my country. But I do have a battery replacement on hand and will replace it myself. Iâve done so back in the day when I replaced my battery on the 5s when I got the XS Max. I made my 5s into an iPod of sorts. Gonna turn my XS Max into a webcam.
Itâs not an Apple Care thing, since a lawsuit some years back Apple have made sure battery replacements are the one repair they do offer at a reasonable price⌠but if you meant that their stores donât have batteries for older models or something like that (as it was the result of a lawsuit maybe they only began to offer reasonable battery repairs in US/EU), thatâs too bad.
I snagged a pair of the Koss KPH40 Utility. They seem fine, but lean a bit dark for me, and the stage seemed congested. I bought them for the office, since I hate leaving expensive gear there, and wanted something over the ear.
I canât have a microphone on gear at my desk, so the 30i is out ( unless I mod it ). I think if I am rank ordering the Koss sets I have, the 40 is the worst, and the 30i is my favorite, but I use the KSC75 with my Steamdeck about half of my gaming time, and they are probably one of the easiest recommendations in audio.
I think my ND planet is going to arrive in the next couple days.
I think you might end up getting your pair before me, Iâve heard some good things so Iâll be interested in hearing your thoughts, brother. I blind bought them after watching HBBâs vid, they seem promising!
Sadly no. I work in a secure facility, which means no wireless of any kind, no microphones, no USB connected devices, and nothing with block writable storage. Indirectly that means no noise cancelling gear, no Bluetooth, and no modern mechanical keyboards. They provide a single ear headset that has push-to-talk, is made the US, and might the worst sounding audio gear I have ever been exposed to.
I have a Deity V-Mic D4 Mini on my desk at home, and a cheap lavalier mic in the desk drawer.
I did during his unboxing, the review just made me feel better about the purchase.
Next order of business, buy city power station sized audio amplifier to put out the requisite megavolt?
CC: @JeffreySJY
Meanwhile on my end with the Retro Nano, I went letâs see what we see:
Store reputationâs better, order is a buy instead of a pre-, even the discount is a bit better this time with the Choice Day - I guess whoever said on Reddit that Choice Day discounts on the first of each month can be better than BF and 11.11 was right, at least in select cases.
Wonât be using the dsp cable. The EQ settings are listed online, so will try them by just inputting them into the FiiO BTR. But honestly Iâm mostly interested in this stock/analog.
A bit of testing, but I DO NOT think the DEFAULT DSP setting is a definitive improvement in every aspect over the analog tuning. I think itâs better without the 1400hz filter (hurts vocals too much, IMO). Agree more with the 5400 and 14000 filters, which does smooth out the treble a bit at the cost of âairy-nessâ. Able to test back and forth instantly with the element IV. The differences are NOT drastic, but it deos shift the flavor, slightly. Itâs a very well tuned IMO. Maybe too neutral for some, but I like it a lot. Vocal timbre (mid-range) with the analog tuning is fantastic and smooth overall. DSP tuning is more dynamic and V-shaped, with smoother treble, but you lose some of that fantastic mid-range due to the 1400hz dip added by the DSP (Default). Using Spinfit Neo small tips with a deep fit. Very comfortable as well, overall.
I didnât bought this but man I feel so good finally getting the replacement for my P7s. How I really miss the sounds of these, and I thank the seller for being a good sport sending me a new set.
I shouldâve waited like I wanted initially, at least I mightâve got some usable coupon if that thing they call âShipping Guaranteeâ is real.
