Yes its really difficult to capture the deep richness of the wood on the Grand Oriveti Supremacy when in hand they are almost too beautiful to use
9 Likes
OKSC makes a reasonably priced ‘Pentaconn Ear’ cable available on Amazon US and Aliexpress.us -you’ll have to search for what’s available in your country
Update: The one on Amazon has the tiniest conductors ever but otherwise is well weaved. No ear hooks, it just drapes. But I felt that is sucked the life out of both the low and high end. I didn’t totally wreck the sound but definitely changed it. An increase in impedance and/or resistance I presume. Back they go.
I keep coming back to the Himalaya as my most satisfying set. They sound just right to me with zero EQ. The Pilgrim is sounding a bit disconnected/not cohesive to me recently. Not sure it will stay. After some hours the treble has mellowed a bit too much and lost some of the magic. The Himalaya just seems to be more consistent to my ear. Lovely stage with just enough holography to be fun with no artificial quality. I also prefer the more present mid bass vs. the Pilgrim. Sad the Pilgrim lost it’s high freq special sauce but I have a few more weeks to decide.
3 Likes
Current top 5 getting maximum usage.
- DUNU DK3001B BrainDance. Wow just wow a sound signature I didn’t know I needed in my life.
- Fiio FH19 pure class all rounder
- Dawnwood single DD astonishing $100 gem
- Elysian Pilgrim Noir. Quality lasts
- Grand Oriveti Supremacy will probably be in my top five till the day I pass or go deaf.
4 Likes
Updated:
- Softears Volume S → Epro EP00 M
- Kiwi Ears Aether → 500 Mesh Filter → 7Hz H08 Horn
- Aful MagicOne → Epro EP00 M
- Hisenior Mega5-EST → (Flared Black Silicone Tips, don’t know the brand)
- AFUL Explorer → 7Hz H08 Horn
Kilobuck sets are taking a break. Volume S has been in my ears 90% of the time, and after getting acclimated to its signature, I’ve determined its tuning is my favorite of all time. I was tempted to return the Aether, but after throwing a mesh on it, it handily outperformed my modded MP145 (now sold), particularly in retaining the mids—for a ‘stupid-bass’ planar set. I use the rest of my sets at night for vocal and easy-listening tracks.
3 Likes
I’m only counting four 
Pretty sure you got one more up your sleeve! 
1 Like
1: Moondrop Meteor: Nearly perfect neutral tuning to my ears. Perfect treble. Bass is solid and impactful. smooth mid-range. The timbre across the board is wonderful, IMO. Also, very comfortable.
2: Aful Performer 5+2: Best all arounder. Solid V-shaped leaning but still neutral tuning. Comfort is extremely good as well.
3: Tanchjim Bunny DSP: Amazing value for the price. Very good tuning. Best IEM to sleep with for it’s tiny size and great sound. Better than the Chu II and other cheap options IMO.
Rest is a bit of a tossup. These are the three that stand out. But here are some honorable mentions in no particular order.
Dunu 3001 BD: Replaced by the Meteors for me, but these have great treble extension and a nice bright, yet punchy tuning overall. Comfort overall is pretty reasonable.
ThieAudio Hype 4: Great bassy v-shaped set. Though the ThieAudio Origin takes this to the next level at the cost of a bit of comfort. Aful Performer 5+2 replaces these for me for the most part, though these still have slightly better bass, IMO.
ThieAudio Origin: The Hype 4 on steroids. BC driver adds some really nice impact to the low-end and the highs sound clean and smooth AF. The ‘experience’ with these is top tier especially with movies and games with impactful bassy soundtracks. Though long-term comfort leaves a bit to be desired.
Blessing 3 + Dusk: Both of these are great, IMO. Still hold up very well. Blessing 3 leans slightly brighter and more neutral while the Dusk is slightly warmer. I still pick up both and listen to them on occasion. Dusk does not need DSP cable, IMO and is overall better without it.
Softears Volume S: Some of the nicest mid-range in an IEM, but both treble and sub-bass are a bit lacking IMO (Though mid bass (Overall impact/body) is good). The treble especially is a bit too dark, IMO, but probably great for those who are treble sensitive. Not the best for female vocals.
Mega5 EST & Davinci: Great if you’re in the mood for something smooth and warm. Mega5 has slightly more neutral tuning, while the Davinci is slightly more v-shaped sounding. Otherwise very similar overall. I like them both plenty and still go back to them sometimes. Mega5 wins slightly on comfort.
I’d rate just about every IEM in my collection an 8 out of 10 or above, honestly. Lots of stuff is really good nowadays. We are really living in good times for IEM enthusiast.
12 Likes
Another update and it’s safe to say that I have leveled up in terms of the current top 5 that I own right now which I hope that is the case, and here are the IEMs.
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Elysian Acoustic Labs Pilgrim - The main IEM set and the big boss of my collection for now. It even got better once I have find the proper ear tips for it and as well as doing a mod for it, which is removing its mesh filter and making it more similar to the CanJam Pre-Production tuning which even blew my damn mind. I really don’t get it, they could’ve had just done the pre-production tuning as the main tuning for the Pilgrims, because for me the damn details are even amazing, and they were amazing to me before the mod.
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Softears Volume S - The 2nd in command of the collection and pretty much the running mate of the Elysian Pilgrims. I have to admit I need more testing and listening to this for the Pilgrims are just keep spoiling me still due to its tuning and how they sound overall. But so far they have been great for me and yes these IEMs are my very first set from Softears which an another brand that I never thought will get. A bit more warm and more colored to the Pilgrims and the details are no slouch either for it’s like behind the Pilgrims when it comes to the details. Also probably the only IEM that I didn’t do any tip rolling at all, for the included UC tips for it are just perfect for it.
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Aful Performer 5+2 - The former leader of the collection, and the main one before the Pilgrims and the Volume S took over. Still an impressive set and currently the 3rd placer in my collection. At first back then I thought this was like a neutral set but nope it’s like a V-shape but lean towards more to neutral which is an irony for me, for I am usually not a fan of V-shaped sets but this one is a different story for me, for it is still neutral enough to my liking.
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Pula Anvil 114 - The weird one and the running mate of the Performer 7s. Weird due to its unorthodox size, driver configuration and you need the proper tips for these in order to fully utilize its BC drivers and I finally got it by using the included SpinFit CP100 that are small in size from my Pilgrims. This one is a bit in a pickle right now not gonna lie due to the treble from these especially on the upper region needs more a bit of energy for me. Don’t get me wrong this set is still good but yeah the Pilgrims have spoiled me a lot when details are mentioned.
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Truthear Hexa - Yes this IEM is still damn excellent to me despite it being released like years ago, also I just love its overall looks, design and tuning. But yeah this one has been overtaken by the Softears Volume S due to that one having better technicalities and the tuning is a bit more better compared to the Hexas. But nope, these are not bad for they are probably gonna be one of the IEMs that I will never sell due to its tuning and value just hits it right for me. Yes even if the Hexa 2 is coming out and no I don’t like its tuning of it being more warmer than the original one, I will still take this one.
Honorable mention:
- Tanchjim Bunny - I have owned a lot of budget sets back then and most of them didn’t last so long when it comes to my usage and listening sessions. But this one? is a different story and a for sure a damn keeper for me every time I use it when I am going outside or with a vacation with the family. This is like “Tanchjim Origin-lite” and I think it’s time for me to have that opportunity to get those as well, but yeah these are enough when I am in need of a reliable IEM set that can my library well andnot worry too much about anything.
9 Likes
Ha edited to include the Dawnwood single DD
Small but but big sounding a real shot in the dark but turned out to be striking gold
4 Likes
Really digging the box!
Where can this be found?
1 Like
- EPZ 530 = Penon Fan 3
- Nature Sound NS5 MKII (underappreciated)
- Sony XBA-N3
- ISN Neo 5
- Moondrop Aria 1st ver., KXXS
Same experience here with me on the Volume S, which I had for about a week on a tour. Sound signature didn’t wow me at first, but it grew on me with every listen to the point where it was one of the best-tuned IEMs I’ve heard.
I miss it. Going to order a pair for myself! 
4 Likes
Ali Express
1 Like
- Spectrumica ( Long sessions )
- Dunu Kima 2 ( Public Transport )
- EarAcoustic SPA Hi End Max ( Gym & Walks )
- RoseTechnics Earfree i5 ( Calls and Lectures )
- KB EAR KB02 ( Review Purpose )
2 Likes
Welcome back to the forums. Also some of the classic IEMs are still there like the Sony ones and yeah I haven’t been able to experience those within my ears and I am not sure if my best friend still has his own set, since he just recently got an Elysian Annihilator 2023, which is a big time upgrade for him.
Maybe it would be a good idea to meet up with him at an audio hub then give those a listen, so that I hear what it is all hyped about, and I am like already impressed with the Pilgrim, especially doing the mesh filter removal mod that brings it back to its CanJam Pre-Production Tuning.
7th Acoustics Supernova(Podcast, Stand up Comedy, Everything)
Nostalgia Camelot(Whenever my heart craves for Flagshipppppppp)
Eminent Ears Sapphire(Guilty Pleasure)
LUA Synchronicity(Sub-Bass, Vocals)
KBEAR KB02(Gym)
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- SuperMix 4 (every day for post-work CoD session)
- Z300 (surprised at how good this one is every time I plug it in)
- Kiwi Cadenza (bassy boi all-rounder)
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My top 5 I own
ALPHA OMEGA OMEGA
LETSHOUER CADENZA 12
ORIOLUS SZALAYI
BGVP PHANTOM SE
SHANLING ME600
I pick up these 5 more than any others when not reviewing and just for the love of music.
9 Likes
Good to see Cadenza 12 there. It is the best I have heard/owned.
5 Likes
Lately:
Subtonic Storm
Simgot EM10
Aful Explorer
Symphonium Europa
Various Rikubuds (GAS2, GAS3, Caster 3, Saber 3)
I’m also rotating a lot at home at bedtime, such as the Ziigaat Odyssey, Ziigaat Estrella, Kinera Celest Dark Phoenix, Kinera Imperial Loki Emerald, Shortbus Glamdring…
11 Likes
I found EM10 to have excellent synergy with my R4. I should maybe try it again with my XM10
2 Likes