Its a shame nobody even wondered about Moondrop Quarks DSP you featured. Where is the curiosity?
@VIVIDICI_111
Future is at your doorstep, tucked in a tiny box. This is just beginning.
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It’s definitely not a technical monster, but I think it still has above average detail retrieval for IEMs in its original price range. As far as comparisons with other planars go, the OG i3s aren’t as detailed/technical as the leaders near its price range, but it has superior timbre and it has a massively larger soundtage. I think it competes in imaging, layering and the like. Overall, for a three year old IEM, the OG i3s are actually quite impressive, IMO. If I had paid $169 (their original price I believe) for them today, I would be totally satisfied. There just aren’t many three y/o IEMs that you can say you’d be happy with buying at their original MSRP today.
I think you’re comparison with the Katos is actually a good one. The OG i3s are very much like a bassier, more detailed Kato, with a larger soundstage and some other technical differences/improvements as well. That’s oversimplifying on my part, but they take a Kato-esque approach to theit smooth presentation and timbral accuracy with the increase in technicalities you would expect from the addition of the planar and BA drivers. All of that for less money than the Katos at their orignal price and less than half if you snag a pair used.
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I had done a triple VS of sub $200 priced planar iems back in May 30, 2022. And without flooding this topic up, I can safely say that Letshuoer s12 outperformed all (Timeless and P1 MAX). However, i3 pro wasn’t included in the list to keep the project easy. This topic gave me the inspiration of a VS beyond time. TRI i3 pro VS Letshuoer S12 and the winner will face RaptGO Hook-X…
Watch the bloodbath in my corner. I will surely tag you there 
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I can’t wait! I own both and the S12 is my favorite of the new planars (haven’t tried HeyDay yet, but I have owned or tried almost all the major contenders) and the OG i3 is quickly becoming a favorite all-rounder for just jammin’. It should be a fun comparison for you to do! 
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100% agree with you there. Quarks are an amazing set.
As for comparisons, I don’t notice a difference if I just plug them in and casually listen while working or doing something, but the difference is there for sure when I lie down in bed and compare the Quarks to other sets like the SA6 Ultra. Is it worth $500+ more vs Variations? To me, no, since I like the Quarks tuning better than the Variations, but you can’t ignore the improvement in technicalities either.
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This would be a very cool comparison! Very curious to see how the i3Pro stacks up against the current leaders (heyday, hook).
@VIVIDICI_111 You wanted it, you will get it (pirate laughter) 
My corner will feature a comparison of three generations…
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Thank you! Excited to know the results 
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