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Ichos

Reviewer at hxosplus
Pros: + Masterclasses fidelity and precision
+ Highly resolving and refined
+ Crystal clear and transparent
+ Balanced and polite
+ Punchy and dynamic
+ Full bodied and visceral
+ Excellent technicalities
+ Musical and engaging
+ Immersive and holographic
+ Class-A, natural timbre
+ Extremely powerful
+ Absolutely dead silent
+ Remote control
+ Dual Mono mode
+ Build quality and design
Cons: - Not that brutal and muscular
- Remote control is optional
- No preamplifier output
- Not full aluminum chassis
Flux Lab Acoustics

Flux Lab Acoustics is a Ukrainian company dedicated to the design and manufacturing of high-end audio products. The company is well regarded in the audiophile...
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Ichos
Ichos
Ohh, it's been quite a while since I tested this combo. Difficult to compare now, I think that the Oor is not as refined and silky while I could say that it is drier and more sterile than the Mentor. Take this with a grain of salt though.
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G
gadus
Thanks!
As far as you can remember, in terms of technical aspects (transparency, details, etc.)
Are they at the same level?
Love your reviews!
Ichos
Ichos
I believe that they are on the same level but have a different approach. The Oor has the tendency to highlight its technical performance while the Mentor has it on the background to serve the music.

gadgetgod

Headphoneus Supremus
Pros: Excellent bass, BCD implementation is phenomenal
Sounds immersive and captivating
Vocals are rich and textured
Fit and Isolation are good
Build quality is premium, shells look exquisite, the Royal Blue color is so premium
Cons: Bass and BCD performance is highly dependent on fit(like super high)
I would also love some more energy in Treble
Wind requires a decent amount of power
BQEYZ has brought the latest into its weather series of IEMs with the release of the BQEYZ Wind. Things that started with the Spring Season followed great performance in Autumn and winter, and now...
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Tamizhan
Tamizhan
Good review bro. How come plutus beast gets extra half star, even with a darker treble on it?
gadgetgod
gadgetgod
@Tamizhan thanks for your kind words bro. Sorry i was not very active on Head-Fi lately. Well, Plutus Beast is significantly cheaper so considering that price point i rated it hehe.

Redcarmoose

Headphoneus Supremus
Pros: Formulated to bring out the best when combined with a personal audio system
Provides not only physical fitment, but also you have a choice or Orange or Black sidewall material and/or physical thickness?
Black enhances the lower midrange and smooths out the top response
Orange increases the perception of resolution and creates a slightly faster stage response
Together they offer the both perfect union of technicalities and well-roundedness, in choice
Absolutely different than I have ever come across, both in shape and material used in both
Black is thicker and offering a bass kick to the signal and enhanced lower midrange
Orange is slightly thinner material making for a higher resolution signal and larger more nimbal stage
Yet both have a nozzle tube of diameter of 4.5mm across every size and color
S :11mm M : 12.5mm L : 14mm XL : 15.5mm
Height: 9.2mm
Can possibly find fitment with multiple sizes thus having control over bass wave maturity inside your ear canal
Cons: They don't come free with any model of IEM that I am familiar with
DSC_0076.jpeg1ed3.jpeg

PENON LIQUEUR SILICONE EAR-TIPS
Redcarmoose Labs February 21, 2024...
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Wes S
Wes S
Unfortunately, those tips don't work for everyone. I just tried every size in Black and Orange and could not get a seal. My iem (Quattro) sounded anemic and holo.
PhonoPhi
PhonoPhi
Reads like Penon ad/inventory compilation.
The question to HeadFi moderators/officials - where would be the boundary between "reviewers" and obvious (if not blatant) mass advertisrers? Why would not these advertisers be identified as "members of the trade" (or mass reviewers) to minimize deceit and confusion to less experienced members of the community.
I learned my lessons hard way with my money, so I really wish it would be easier for new Head-Fiers.
Lohb
Lohb
$9.90 always better than $99.90 - though soon I'm sure that will be reality the way canfi and IEMfi is going.

blankdisc

500+ Head-Fier
Pros: Best in class natural and analog sound with TOTL technical performance; Natural and linear bass and bass to mid transition; Three-Dimensional soundstage with photorealistic imaging; Stunning look and finish.
Cons: Source dependent. Price.
Disclaimer: The demo was loaned from MusicTeck for honest impressions. Planning on purchasing CIEMs Mason.

[ATTACH type="full"...
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BeowulfTheFoldin
BeowulfTheFoldin
ill be real at nyc it just sounded really boring and for 6 k not including the cable thats ridiculous and um should be ashamed for putting it out there with a straight face same witht their 2k for no reason cable they pair with this, id much rather get the official release of the storm then this thing if im paying that kinda money
OhmsClaw
OhmsClaw
It's a Red but 3.5k more
Mentor remains king of UM line
Leto Dal
Leto Dal
Would be very interesting if you could compare it to Mentor too, its the same BCD driver and more balanced approach to the sound than Amber Pearl, still being a mids monster.

thaslaya

500+ Head-Fier
Pros: Technicalities in a league of their own at this price
Imaging and separation
Great build quality
Tuning nozzles add versatility
Cons: Bright
Fatiguing over long sessions
Lean note weight
Nozzles don't offer enough of a difference
Lackluster accessories
Mirror finish prone to fingerprints and scratches
1000016936.jpg

Thaslaya's star rating system:
☆☆☆☆☆ - Best in class/buy it now
☆☆☆☆ - Highly recommended
☆☆☆ - Sound for thee, not for me
☆☆ - Can't see the appeal
☆ -...
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thaslaya
thaslaya
Hard agree! I'm currently enjoying the EW200 much more than the 500LM. Great treble and less recessed mids. Just an overall warmer sound which is my preference. Still has that Simgot house sound.
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pk4425
Yep. I'd give the EA500 LM four stars because the technicalities it offers are outstanding for less than 100 bucks. But that doesn't mean I enjoyed the sound signature all that much once the "holy crap" factor of the energetic tuning wore off.

Different strokes ... :)
C
Codename john
Great technical set but cold and uninviting for me. Much prefer the original EA500. Spot on review 🙏🏿

tawmizzzz

1000+ Head-Fier
Pros: -Technical proficiency: strong layering, soundstage, and detail retrieval
-Energetic sound while retaining smoothness
-State of the art dynamics and punch (seriously, unreal)
-Bass has excellent texture, speed, and extension
-Mids are euphonic with strong texture despite slight recession in the overall tuning
-Pleasing timbre
-Impeccable blend of musicality and technicality
Cons: -Price
-Can be too energetic for some folks
-Mids are a bit recessed in the tuning (so might not work for ALL genres)
-Stock cable

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OhmsClaw
OhmsClaw
What's your baseline reference for bass?
They look gorgeous😍
tawmizzzz
tawmizzzz
Most current baseline consists of TOTL planars like Susvara/Elites. But I've heard most of the prior top basshead IEMs such as FatFreq Maestro and EE EVO (probably my favorite for bass). FW beats out Aroma's other flagship the Jewel for more fun bass, and beats out all BA bass IMO. Can't speak as much to some of the newer IEMs.
OhmsClaw
OhmsClaw
It's just interesting to see it described as thunderous with a lower dB shelf than the RN6 (I also own the EVO, sold the LX, and just toured the Scarlet) 🤭 people have wide variance/tolerance for bass so it's good to see what its relative to.

Kingnubian

New Head-Fier
Pros: 3 tuning nozzle versatility
Lush Bass
Detailed midrange
Clean vibrant treble
Quality of manufacture
Cons: Nozzle choice can lead to aggressive upper-mids
Pushed hard sound can get congested
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Disclaimer: The EA500 LM was provided by Simgot for a review

NOTES:

Simgot has been around a while but has risen to prominence over the last year or so and...
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Jarlaxle

100+ Head-Fier
Pros: Price!
Great neutral bright tuning
Good comfort
Cons: Minor quirks in tonality
Nothing more at this price
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nxnje

500+ Head-Fier
Pros: - The U-shaped tuning makes them fun to listen to and easy to recommend to folks who prefer EDM, hip-hop and similar genres
- Technical ability is pretty good, with accurate imaging, well rounded soundstage and fast bass decay that helps with very speedy basslines
- The shells aren’t large and there are no sharp edges, so they are generally comfortable and easy to fit
- Three different sets of tips in the box, which provide for a nice overall package to do some tip rolling
- Pricing is interesting and will become even more interesting with some coupons or special deals
Cons: - Not the most natural sounding IEM around due to the planar timbre in the low-end and the scooped midrange
- Imaging is good but I found them struggling a bit while positioning instruments and vocals at different heights (nitpicking)
- Fierce competitors that promote their products in a more aggressive way
- The shells are not large but they are slightly thicker than average

Introduction​

NiceHCK has always been a renowned brand for cables, accessories and other stuff, but apart from some very interesting old releases (such as the Bro, the EZ Audio...
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lucanato

100+ Head-Fier
Pros: cohesive sound
musical
geat sub bass
lovely frequency curve similar to serial
incredible render of echoes that go very far in the deep dark!
cheap price (i payed almost 30euro and they are way better than chu and kz pr2)
scale very well with better amps (for example ifi gryhon in balnced mode....uau)
very layered sound for example with orchestra are wonderful and engaging and real
good separation and wide stage with better amps and better cables
pleasant dynamics neither too much nor too little
comunicative and realistic voice timbre
organic and natural
good confort with the right tips
Cons: bad cable
isolation is not the best but the comfort is good as they not seal completely
nozzle have sharp edges, and they cut me several tips until I filed them down...
a little heavy they are made of metal
At first I heard some resonance in the treble, now I don't hear them anymore maybe the burn in has had an effect or maybe the changing of cable
not much to say, buy them, i had vortex, serial, chu i, chu ii, kz pr2 that i'm sending back, he1000se. Piccolo are schockingly good for the price!
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noplsestar

Headphoneus Supremus
For Calyx K in DACs
Pros: extraordinary sound quality for a portable DAC!!
great build quality
nice weight
minimalistic design
plug and play
sound reminds me of the Calyx M (that is still considered by many audiophiles as the best sounding DAP)
Cons: no 4.4mm balanced out
not for power demanding over the ear headphones
"plop" sound when connecting to the device
no volume/skip track/play/pause buttons
USB-C port and 3.5mm port not on the same side
sometimes a faint crackling sound when on top of the mobile phone when no music is playing
looks (color) might not be for everyone (though, let´s be honest, since the Barbie movie anything goes, right)? ;-)
Today I want to take a closer look at the Calyx K Dac/Amp. I got my unit from the South Korean Calyx-audio company in exchange for an honest review.

Maybe I should begin my review with the...
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joydivisionnewdawnfades
joydivisionnewdawnfades
Could you precise the exact dimensions of the K?I can't find them (even on the FB page) Thanks a lot
F700
F700
joydivisionnewdawnfades
joydivisionnewdawnfades
Thank you @F700 ! Sorry ,i might buy new glasses instead of Calyx M :smile:

Ichos

Reviewer at hxosplus
Pros: + Class leading transparency and fidelity
+ Clean and detailed
+ Resolving and refined
+ Punchy and energetic
+ Grand and immersive soundstage
+ Warmer than Diablo 1
+ Dead silent with sensitive earphones
+ aptX lossless Bluetooth
+ Plenty of inputs and outputs
+ Powerful
+ DC power mode
+ iEMatch and xMEMS
+ Well made
+ Accessories
Cons: - Not really portable
- Price jump over Diablo 1
- Marginally better sonic performance than Diablo 1
- Doesn't support XSpace and XBass II
- No app support
- Can't switch manually to DC mode
- Price is not competitive
The iFi iDSD Diablo 2 is the successor of the original iFi iDSD Diablo which was one of the most powerful, battery powered portable DAC/amps in the market. This updated version of the product adds...
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GeorgeF89
GeorgeF89
Thanks for your answer
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Condocondor
Condocondor
This transportable unit would be perfect for the office executive that travels and wants the best. Or, it can double as a desktop that doesn't take up a lot of space. Perhaps iFi Audio could one day come up with a phone/computer app. that adds X-Bass or X-Space digitally (sacrilege, I know.) I would take something like this to a meet or an audio show to test headphones. And I believe one could use this as a stand alone DAC/PreAmp? It might be $100 too expensive but it may go on sale around XMAS time.
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Ichos
Ichos
All the scenarios you describe are doable with the Diablo 2. I don't care about XBass and XSpace but I would like if I could fiddle with digital filters.

littlenezt

100+ Head-Fier
Pros: +Bass
+Build Quality
+Looks
+Comfort
Cons: -Treble Might not for Everyone
-Thin Midrange
Kiwi Ears Forteza
2DD + 1BA
$59

IMG_20240201_135129_585 Cropped.jpg
Before I even start this review, first let me thank Linsoul for sending me this IEM in for...
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SherryLion

New Head-Fier
Pros: 1. Safe tuning
2. Balanced and clean response
3. Expensive and airy treble
4. Smooth and natural sounding mid range
5. Warm and thick bass response
Cons: 1. Imaging and layering suffers a bit
2. Details aren't very thoroughly pronounced.
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jeromeoflaherty

New Head-Fier
Pros: Sound amazing especially in Desktop Mode
Desktop Power gives you tremendous power
10 band PEQ capability
Display for easy switching
Outstanding DAC
Outstanding THX+ AAA Headphone amplifier
Cons: IOS Application can't configure device (due to Apple limitations)
Screen hard to read in direct sunlight

Review of the Fiio KA17 DAC and Headphone Amplifier​

FiiO’s latest flagship model of USB-C dongle, encompasses an array of innovative features providing the very small and...
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Hark01

Head-Fier
Pros: -fit (5.6mm lip; outstanding!)
-isolation
-relaxed tuning
-mid bass
-technicalities
-price for a 5BA set (now maybe not so competitive)
Cons: -QC (phase issues)/QA (died in less than a year)
-relaxed tuning
-treble extension could be better
-no venting (not an issue for me, but be aware)
Tips: Small silicon tips
Build: Colored resin.
Comfort: Perfection. 5.6mm at the lip.
Isolation: Fantastic.

Bass: Low sub bass, solid mid bass, BA bass, missing DD tactility and dynamics. 6/10...
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Kingnubian

New Head-Fier
Pros: Exceptional bass handling
Bass texturing and detail
open detailed midrange
Organic sonics
Extended treble
Treble clarity and sweetness
Natural timbre
Cons: Occasionally cymbal decay can be truncated
PXL_20240219_172007140.MP.jpg

NOTES:

Thieaudio is no stranger to those who are in the know. They have been designing and manufacturing quality products...
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angelmf2704

New Head-Fier
Pros: Friendly software
Smooth navigation
DSD Support
DLNA
Native third-party app support
Line-out mode
Filters
Design
Materials
Cons: Difficult to find
Rough competition
Average power output
Introduction
In May 2022, I decided to buy my first pair of IEMS, my budget range was 50-100 dollars. I was looking for a long term solution. I know there are more expensive IEMS but I was...
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kesobie

100+ Head-Fier
Pros: Very small and ergonomic
Well-built
Lightweight
Dedicated volume rockers
Good quality Type-C Cable
Gain Switch
LED indicators
Sufficient power for in-ears
Minimal power draw
Minimal heat generation
Clean, neutral sound with good extension
Solid pairing with brighter leaning IEMs
Comes included with a type c to type a adaptor
Cons: No up or down indicator on volume knobs
No instructions for the gain and LED on manual
LED is inconveniently placed
Not the most technical sounding source
Bad pairing with smoother IEMs
Not enough power for hard to drive headphones

PRICE: $79​

PROS:​

  • Very small and ergonomic
  • Well-built
  • Lightweight
  • Dedicated volume rockers
  • Good quality Type-C Cable
  • Gain Switch...
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hokagoteatimereviews

New Head-Fier
Pros: 1. The over sound is very neutral yet not harsh

2. The supplied cable is awesome (one of the beat cable I have come acrossed)

3, A good amount of volume steps for granular controls
Cons: 1. The competition has heated with the simgot DEW4X and other similar dongle DACs

2. No USB C to USB A converter inside the box
Imagepipe_167.jpg

Introduction:-

Hey, Today its a snowy night I mean the snowy night.


Hello everyone, today we have the Aful Snowy...
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