Good instinct of course. But you would be missing out on few pre-order goodies if you wait.
My gut says the Deuce is one of the safest bets in a while.
1 Like
I agree with you it looks like a safe bet and i like HBBās music taste too. The thing is that if i order from their site it will come from Thailand(outside Eu) and i will get destroyed on taxes and import fees. I estimate i will go from 227euro retail price to 300+. Also im afraid it might be a one trick pony like the Hades, so i guess iāll wait on that one. I really want to get the Doscinco which from my understanding has amazing bass but is also more open and versatile from like the Aful explorer. But Iām kinda skeptical of the whole driver flex issue mentioned above.
If Iām being honest, the Doscinco on the whole is good but not exceptional. This hobby moves very quick. Itās got very good bass but a little middling in every other metric.
From looking at the graph only, Deuce has arguably a better balance in the bass. I can tell you that I and many found the Doscinco mid-bass to somewhat cloud the mids. Itās also very smooth in the pinna and is level with the treble. This makes the vocals a little buried in the mix and cause some treble spice once you raise the volume.
To consider further is that FatFreq are known for their bass tech. You also get the benefit of having dynamic driver timbre which is more natural sounding 9 times out of 10.
If you are really bent on going the Doscinco route, why not spend $30 more for Estrella to get the whole package? 
2 Likes
Wow that looks really nice tbh. But I think i am more of a mid bass punch guy even though i definitely like the sub bass rumble. Btw when iām searching it on squiglink nothing shows up for me for some reason i didnāt know there is a graph posted. Also the Estrella is on my radar but iām not sure if it will have as good of a bass as the Doscinco, and i dont have access to it anyway same as the Deuce iāll have to wait for it to come to European shops to avoid the import fees. Do you know what driver configuration the Deuce has btw?
WOW thank you so much!!
2 Likes
Now that i have the graphs for the Estrella too to compare i think you might be on to something with this one!! I think im gonna get the explorer for now and wait till the end of the year and get something more high end after considering these new releases.
2 Likes
Really smart strategy imo. The Explorer is unique in its price bracket because you can listen very loud on it, so there is little chance that it will become redundant to you.
3 Likes
Itās always good to expand your searches and broaden your horizons with different price points, but, more money doesnāt always equal better performance and when you look at this hobby over the last year or so I feel like the sets around $100-$200 are some of the best value out there. Iād probably say that the absolute sweet spot for the hobby right now is around $300-$400, coming down from $500-$600 like it was a few years back. At the $300 price point, you can cover pretty much all of your bases from vocals, to treble, to basshead ect. ect. There are always going to be the specialists sets that give you the best of the best with honors, sir but they carry eye watering prices in the 4 figures most of the time. For the most part though, you should be good around $300.
With that being said, the Explorers are a very very safe pick and if youāre looking for a mid-bass experience, thatās the one set that jumps out at me immediately. According to @GooberBM the ISN Neo 3 is also a contender for that mid-bass punch. Heās a mid-bass aficionado so if you have questions or need recs, heās a good guy to ask!
5 Likes
I like that. I definitely donāt want to spend 4 figures to get the best of the best. Just a really good set that i enjoy listening most of my music catalog is good enough for me. I can easily see though how this hobby is so addicting for people who like music and a dark hole for wallets. Thank you for the recommendation it looks promising iāll check some reviews of it. Iāll also keep checking these forums. I found this community yesterday and you guys already have helped a lot, thank you!
3 Likes
If you want one set thatās up in the budget, to do all the things check out impressions and reviews as they come on but Estrella is the One Ring
4 Likes
I mostly use the Doscinco for trance and it is awesome, I EQ more subbass and it responds really well. I also listen to low volumes and I get a lot of punch and slam regardless. I use a Hiby R6 III, low gain (there is mid and high) and volume stay around 35 average, never higher than 37, I know its hard to relare but just to give you a reference.
I pre-ordered the Fatfreq HBB Deuce and should be able to compare once I receive it. Might take a few weeks though.
4 Likes
No offense, but this might be more hyperbole than the Penon crew on H***-fi and some of the other FOTM clubs. I am sure that Jayās Estrella is a fine IEM and very competitive at its price range. But, I run the other way when I read these type of gushing posts. I have read years of hype on numerous forums about some new IEM being the āeverythingā IEM. I have become completely jaded. Sorry
I am going to take a hiatus from audio forums. I am done.
6 Likes
This is not the case for me, vocals are front regardless of volume, also no issues with spice up top and, those 2 points are the reason Doscinco stays permanently.
However, that wonderful bass punch isnāt always welcome in some of my library, maybe 20 -30 percent
Americana, folksy stuff, some Jazz tracks, or when you simply want to hear more details. Much of my library is live sets, Grateful Dead, Van Morrison, Pink Floyd, Bob Marley, Electronic stuff, Sphongle, St Germain, Ott etc. All those bands are what the Doscinco excels at.
For me, Doscinco comes alive at moderate to louder listening.
Tips surely matter, my set up are wide bore short stems.)
2 Likes
Cool story, bro 
1 Like
Then Doscinco should satisfy you. There really is no IEM with comparable midbass until you hit the kilobucks. 
Itās the only IEM that gives me that Focal headphone slam feeling. 
4 Likes
are yoy copping the deuce? these two need a slam-off
That sounds perfect i donāt mind EQing because Iāll have it permanently plugged on the PC, but i would prefer not to, thatās why Iām considering this set. Do you think the bass will be nice at lower volumes with an amp/dac like the AkLIAM PD5? Also Iāll definitely be waiting for your comparison Iāll be checking this and the Deuceās forums for the next months. Btw did you have any QC issues with the Doscinco?
1 Like
If you are using on PC, just get the Peace EQ, leave it always running when listening to music, case closed. I do that on my work setup. I donāt know this amp so I canāt comment. Iām satisfied listening to low volumes but, as the other user posted, Doscinco will come to life with more volume. I will post here when I get my hands on the Deuce and will compare it with the Doscinco.
No QC issues at all, mine has serial number 330+ or something like that, no driver flex or anything else (all hail the chi-fi gods).
2 Likes
Got you. Thank you so much, Iāll be waiting for your review!!
1 Like