I compared the Hook-X against other similar priced IEMs like FD5, IE 300, Timeless, Honeydew, Legacy 5… and have had other IEMs like FH5, 1Custom Junior, FH3… and found the Hook-X better for my tastes. Apart from the good tuning, I really like the openess and scale of the soundstage. It’s not wide or high in depth but just does not feel claustrophobic.
It’s not all perfect though, it’s still got some planar timbre in the Mids and lacks that natural timbre of a good dynamic driver, but then again, even TOTL IEMs that I have auditioned before have some cons so…
Difficult decision. I think I’ll go with the Oh10. I perceive it as more technical, with more punch and it has that musical mid-range of the Tea.
Please note that I am using the Oh10 with 6N cable. It is possible that the cable improves, in a small proportion, the sound of the iem.
I’ve had the Blessing 2 for a while and it has more resolution & clarity compared to the Hook-X. Overall they are tuned differently with B2 being bright-neutral for me and Hook-X being warm-neutral.
Bass is much more elvated on the Hook-X while B2 has a more neutral but also much cleaner Bass response. Mids are a bit thin, too forward and also shouty for me on the B2 while Hook-X has adequate weight and decent balance for male & female singers. Image separation is about same on both but soundstage depth & openess is better on the Hook-X.
2 IEMs in fact that are still my go to use even though 2022 just ended. That would be the Kiwi Ears Cadenza and the 7Hz Salnotes Zero, for the price to performance ratio that you are getting from those two are just top tier and I just enjoy using them all the time, despite having the Kato and the Airships which are tier higher and pricier than the two.
Sucks for the Chu though, for I think at that time during the earlier stages, it was one of best value/budget IEM to get, only to be overshadowed by those 2 I have mentioned, also it does not help it when its cable are not detachable like the Zeroes.
Ya the Chu completely changed the game for budget IEMs, but the market just moves too fast! Which is good for us consumers I guess haha.
@Roberto_Enther Woah. Tea for me had one of the best vocals I’ve heard on any IEM, so that’s high praise - I’ll definitely keep an eye out for a used OH10!
@John7592jdys Ya I also had the same issue with the B2 Dusk - the open back design on the hook really interests me. Here’s to another competitive IEM year in 2023!
Okay so I’m doing the 85db test right now. I have been listening to musix so far for about 15 minutes with my i3s plugged into the TRI TK-2 and my db meter says that I’m running at 85.6 db average and I’m not having any fatigue at all so far even though this is significantly louder than I normally listen. I’m going to keep going for a bit longer just to have a better idea if it may build fatigue over time, but, thus far, this has been a pleasant rock out experience!
I almost forgot to come back and tell you that I ended up stopping my test at about 30 min because I was interrupted (stupid life and responsibilities lol), but even at that point I had no indication that I was having any fatigue from the bass, volume, or any other area. I was still groovin’ right along and enjoying every minute!
I’ll probably get a pair of the Pros to try at some point, but right now I’m just really enjoying the OG i3s. If you do get the Pros you have to let me know what you think of them.
Yeah it is generally favorable to us, and it paved way for other brands to do much better in the budget range. Also I think there are some IEMs that are a bit overshadowed as well, the Airships from SeekReal I think are overshadowed, for I rarely seen it being talked about, also the Olina exists and now the Olina SE exists and those 2 now are much better in pricing, for I admit the Airships are a bit pricey.
Earlier in 2022, the Chu had me amazingly surprised at this new price bracket in which before nothing had the right tuning beyond typical V shape.
Later last year, I got Dioko and was impressed by the tuning and technicalities for the price. However, they quickly got overshadowed by Kiwi Ears Cadenza.
Cadenza is my absolute favourite budget set ever. It’s pleasing and fun, technical enough. Fit is right and the cable is ok. It has become my EDC in my work backpack and on work trips to Mexico.
I did not A/B them at all but due to its tuning WU feels a lot more like having huge speakers inside your head or being at a live concert, everything is filled out with sound and makes you forget about technicalities, you will just enjoy the music. The whole sound is enveloped by it´s lush Bass but not to a point where it is too distracting…at least for me, because i like bass
Olina to me felt more sophisticated and because of having less bass they seem to me more technical, also a little brighter but not overly bright or fatiguing to my ears.
In the end it comes down to personal preferences and library…if i´d plan on listening to vocals and stuff i would probably reach for Olina, if i plan on just shuffling through my playlist and forget about everything and just want to enjoy music I´d grab WU
I might get the Pro version since that’s more to my tuning. Thanks man 
