AudioCircle
Audio/Video Gear and Systems => Headphone Mania => Topic started by: oskar on 5 Jun 2023, 07:41 pm
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A few weeks ago I bought an inexpensive set of buds for traveling.
I was completely surprised at how good they sounded.
I like to listen later in the eve and I like a little volume.
It got me wondering how a better set would sound.
WOW.
I’m just knock out. Detail, dynamics, imaging it’s all there.
I can listen for hours. No fatigue at all.
Best $200 I’ve ever spent
How are people here liking their buds?
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A few weeks ago I bought an inexpensive set of buds for traveling.
I was completely surprised at how good they sounded.
I like to listen later in the eve and I like a little volume.
It got me wondering how a better set would sound.
WOW.
I’m just knock out. Detail, dynamics, imaging it’s all there.
I can listen for hours. No fatigue at all.
Best $200 I’ve ever spent
How are people here liking their buds?
I concur, I have two Brand sets in the $130 CDN price range and I'm quite impressed with the sound quality, very articulate. The downside mine tend to work themselves out of my ear. That's not a big deal as I push them back in place. The other Pros is that they're really handy on my mobile app being that I'm back to driving for a living. Also I can lye in bed while listening, I use a neck pillow and place my ear in the hole space which keeps the pillow from pressing against the ear bud.
Don't get me wrong though my wired headphones a damn good. Just that I don't find them as convenient.
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You guys should try these...
Panasonic RP-HJE125
very good to my ears and cheap
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You guys should try these...
Panasonic RP-HJE125
very good to my ears and cheap, but im not a headphone guy. really curious what you guys think
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Those Panasonics are sure on the low end of the scale. $20.cdn
Mine are wireless. What I like is being able to move around the apartment and always being in the sweet spot. I've never had phones before so the experience is new.
These buds also have an app with a basic eq and it works great.
The noise cancelling is also a big plus.
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A few weeks ago I bought an inexpensive set of buds for traveling.
I was completely surprised at how good they sounded.
I like to listen later in the eve and I like a little volume.
It got me wondering how a better set would sound.
WOW.
I’m just knock out. Detail, dynamics, imaging it’s all there.
I can listen for hours. No fatigue at all.
Best $200 I’ve ever spent
How are people here liking their buds?
So, any chance you might tell us what they are?
My Periodic Audio Be (Beryllium) v3 ($249) are very detailed but the form factor is tricky for me. I have to wear tem 'upside down' and wrap the cable behind my ear á la Shure etc. That works but is a little awkward. YMMV applies big time to every aspect of in-ears, so be ready to experiment with everything from cable routing to tip type and size to whether your ear canals are the same size or not.
BTW 'inexpensive' means different things to different people. My Truthear Zeroes (Blue) are $50 (or $55 for the Red which is more neutral}. The Periodics are more detailed but the Truthears sound way better than they have any right to for the price.
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Earbuds can sound good, especially at a reasonable price. Just need to be careful with spl levels.
I don't use earbuds anymore, due to a comfort level issue for me. For travel, like the Sennheiser Momentum 4, as they are comfortable, and support both wired and wireless.
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Despite the price, I hope you take them seriously and try them.
Because pretty much all earbuds that I have tried had been huge disappointments compared to these.
They do have 3 different size silicones so you should be able to find something comfortable.
I tried this only after Earl Geddes told me that etymotic are the best design for sound reproduction...
If anyone tries them please let me know
As far as noise canceling - I find that they block out external noise pretty well because the way they seal into the ear. I walk by locomotive engines sometimes on my commute to work, underground, where you can feel the engine in your body... and they make a huge spl difference -- if you did that without them you would appreciate how much it really does help.
Tony
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TRADERXAN you talk about Etymotic, for critical listening while traveling I use IEM in particular Etymotic ER-4SR with comply foam for comfort. For noise isolation they are one of the best, I would rather have noise isolation than cancelling they just sound more natural.
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Have had multiple Etymotics:hf5, ER3XR, ER4SR, ER2XR, ER2SE.
Pretty much the best out there as far as isolation goes but no more BA drivers for me, period. A decent DD will ruin you for BA drivers. I use my ER2SEs (which are DD) on local trains and buses when I use those for that reason. They do still make all of the models listed.
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I picked up a set of Sennheiser earbuds when the recent updte to my Android based Pixel 7 phone wouldn't let me plug in my Porta-Pro headphones anymore. Love how those updates "improve" things. Oh well.
So the Sennheisers sound pretty good, but not at the same level as a set of headphones IMO.
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I've never been a headphone listener so I don't have anything to compare to what I have now.
Knowing that there's always something better I'm still pretty darn impressed with what I'm hearing with the Technics AZ60.
Using Amazon Music at present. I'll probably try Qubuz now that it's available in Canada.
As to noise cancelling vs noise suppression I assume one is active and the other passive?
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Best iems I own are a set of wired Nobles. I have the predecessor of their Dulce Bass model. Excellent pair.
But wired increasingly sucks (thanks Apple for the required lightning to 1/8th connector) so I have a set of Mifo 05 plus I use for work - wireless and with mic etc. Good but not great, though they do live up to the long battery life per charge.
Have thought about some Sony wf-1000xm4 for on the go enjoyment but hear the call quality isn't good - not my primary use case, but would be useful if they were at least good for that.
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As to noise cancelling vs noise suppression I assume one is active and the other passive?
Yes, noise cancelling is active and noise isolation is passive.
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I did it again, ordered another set of Ear Buds. I guess I'm suffering from a audio sickness. :oops:
My reasoning: Last night on a 4 hour road trip I had my ear buds with me. Unfortunately initially I could not get my JBL 130NC to work, the right bud appeared to be dead. So I popped in my Yamaha TW-E3 which I gave a glowing review not having heard anything else. They are good except that I can't hit the desired volume as I can with the JBL 130NC, which is the critical difference. The JBL also has the equalizer which I believe I must have nailed the settings as I could clearly say the sound is superior to my Yamaha's as I wore the JBL's on the way back as the right bud was now fully charged having put them in the case. The downside of the JBL 130NC is they tend to want to fall out of my ear and I almost lost one of them already falling out of my ear in the dark at night.
This prompted me to order the JBL Endurance Peak 3, which has a extension to wrap around the ear to keep 'em from falling out. However this may cause me some discomfort around the ear as I wear glasses. Also apparently these have low bass which tends to muddy the overall sound so I might not like that but I plan on using the equalizer that come with the app and hopefully be similar to the 130NC which IMO is excellent. The bass rating for the 130NC has been reviewed at 9.1 and the Peak 3, 5.7, but again this is without the equalizer.
I'm bought these mainly for the sound quality and not so much the other features. With the JBL 130NC I had no issues with answering the phone.
(https://www.audiocircle.com/image.php?id=255446)
(https://www.audiocircle.com/image.php?id=255447)
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I just set up a return for the Sennheiser Momentum 4. I wanted to like them, but they have a channel imbalance issue. Apparently, this has been observed and measured by others: https://www.soundguys.com/sennheiser-momentum-4-wireless-review-2-86111/
It was noticeable. Mono recordings are pulled to the right, and that gets old fast.
I switched back and forth with my older Sony noise-canceling WH-H900N, and the imbalance is definitely there.
It's a pity, but the Sennheiser did not sound significantly better than the Sony. Probably better in side-by-side comparison, but nothing sounds bad with the Sony. I would look into the Technics AZ60, but I want something over the ear for ease of use and use on longer plane flights where something in-ear gets uncomfortable.
For the Sonys I had to get the Wicked Cushions earpads because the stock pads don't allow enough room (ears get squished).
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Still enjoying my Az60's. I'm only wearing them around the house.
I'm hearing things in music that I've been listening to forever that I hadn't heard before.
I think the noise cancelling must be contributing to that. Fun
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Still enjoying my Az60's. I'm only wearing them around the house.
I'm hearing things in music that I've been listening to forever that I hadn't heard before.
I think the noise cancelling must be contributing to that. Fun
Same here, for example, listening to Dead Babies by Alice Cooper a song I've played countless times, I thought I heard a wind sound. I thought about it and thought maybe I was hearing ambient noise from the road. I played it again and there is definitely the sound of wind in the background. :smoke:
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1. What source are you using for the AZ60s? I ask because they support LDAC, Sony's proprietary Bluetooth codec, and if you are using an Android phone that might help a bit with the fidelity.
2. Have you left the AZ60s on the default equalization or used the app to make adjustments?
I found that getting memory foam tips transformed the comfort and sound of my Airpods Pro, although it sounds as if the fit is good in this case.
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Just noticed that Amazon has the AZ60s for $147 at the moment.
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-Update-
My JBL Endurance Peak 3 arrived by courier this morning. Once out of the box it took about 1/2 hour to setup.
Initially did not have buds seated in my ear correctly and sounded tinny, positioned correctly they sound normal.
Using the same app for the JBL 130NC switched to Endurance Peak 3 and it upgraded the software. Using EQ mode I have saved 5 settings but preferring my EQ setting that I used for the JBL 130NC. I don't find the bass overwhelming, sounds pretty much like the JBL 130NC. Volume level seems to be the same and also depends on volume of the recording.
Seats securely on my ears, don't feel like they want to work loose and I don't feel any discomfort with my glasses resting over top at this point.
Can't speak for longevity of this product but I am happy with this product at this time. 8)
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1. What source are you using for the AZ60s? I ask because they support LDAC, Sony's proprietary Bluetooth codec, and if you are using an Android phone that might help a bit with the fidelity.
2. Have you left the AZ60s on the default equalization or used the app to make adjustments?
I found that getting memory foam tips transformed the comfort and sound of my Airpods Pro, although it sounds as if the fit is good in this case.
I have Apple so no LDAC here. Is it that much better? I tweaked the eq a little in the app.
I started with Amazon music and now I’m in Qobuz free trial. Sounds better to me.
Are the tips good for all buds?
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I use Apple devices as well, so I've never tried LDAC. On paper, LDAC should be less compressed (less information thrown out in Bluetooth transmission). However, I have never compared the two. It's a good sign that you like them so much using AAC (the Apple Bluetooth codec).
Here's some information on Bluetooth that discusses differences between the codecs: https://www.soundguys.com/understanding-bluetooth-codecs-15352/
The memory foam tips that I got were designed to fit my Airpods specifically, but on Amazon, you can find options that should fit most types. If the AZ60s are comfortable, then there's no need to experiment. For me, the Airpods do not seal and stay put very well with the stock tips.
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Picked up a pair of Earbuds Anonymous earbuds a bit back. Crazy how good they sound, has been my go to for when I am taking dog out for walks. Or at work when I want to listen inconspicuously. $50 well spent!
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I really like the Jabra line of ear buds. I'm on my second pair. Great wireless performance and noise cancelation for commuting. EQ ap on your iPhone to fine tune / EQ them.
I also bought a set of Beats Powerbeats Pro Wireless Earbuds with the intention of using them for exercise and bike rides as they have ear loops to hold them on. Unfortunately they don't seal in my ear canels very well and let too much wind and ambient noise in to enjoy them. Plus, no noise canceling technology. Now looking into getting custom fit ear molds to hopefully make these work as intended.
Kenreau
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Hi,
I really like Final Audio and AG in ear monitors.
Cheers Rod
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I gave my brother JBL Tune Buds for his 65th birthday. He was blown away by the sound quality not expecting that kind of performance from wireless ear buds and not being an audiophile. He is very happy now!
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Call me naive but I just discovered I have 3 equalizers on my Samsung A13 Smart phone while listening to my JBL earbuds.
Last night while listening something was not quite right with my right earbud. Did it quit working or did I damage my hearing in my right ear or was it Cell phone reception?
So playing around with my phone and earbuds I discovered that I have an equalizer On in the Amazon app, the phone app and the JBL app. So I adjusted 'em all to try and find the optimal sound. In addition to that I found I could adjust the sound on the phone to compensate for my aging ears 60+ and I found the balance control and moved the slide bar slightly to the right to how I'm hearing the music.
I think I found the optimal sound for my ear buds may need some slight tweaking as I adjust to the new settings. :smoke:
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I have a pair of Nura Pro BT earbuds. Thoroughly enjoyable, first Bluetooth IEM's that sound really good to my ears. Great battery life too. Looks like they are now building exclusively for Denon.
NB
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It does seem that everyone are making earbuds these days.
I've been reading about Status Between earbuds. Some are saying very good things about them.
Anyone have these and can share their impressions?
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I've completely switched to IEMs after buying an Edition XS, nothing wrong with it, I just prefer the smaller stuff.
Own a Moondrop Variations and Xenns Up right now
So I was very surprised when I found myself enjoying my Linkbuds S, I honestly thought they would be far behind wired options but they're pretty good
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---Ramble---
It's been a complete mystery to me why my JBL IEM right earbud volume cuts out when out on the road, but when at home works fine. I talked to a guy who is also using an older model of JBL and has the same problem. So I switched back to using my Yamaha's which doesn't have Ambient Aware which is important if you are driving. They IMO are as good as the JBL's now that I found the equalizer on my Samsung A13, I'm using the Jazz setting. I find with some equalizer settings the high frequencies if not rolled off sound harsh and ear piercing. And I gots to have bass with vibe!
Now I'm debating with myself if I should purchase the Bose Ultra earbuds for my birthday, $350 CDN. The reviews are positive except that they may not play as loud as I would like and therefor not play at the volume that I like to listen at. Then there is the sound leakage. I'm thinking though these would be good for when using my exercise bike if I ever get on it. :smoke:
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Etymotic is my casual earbud. Unique Melody Mest earbuds are my reference level earbuds.
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Okay, after watching numerous videos on Youtube. I decided on Huawei Freeclip open ear buds, for my birthday present.
I have two concerns though, bass may not be to my liking and it'll look like I got my ears pieced. :nono:
However I figure these will be perfect for when I'm driving. I need to hear the road environment when driving as well as conversing with passengers. Buttons are straight forward for operation and answering the phone and they will stay secure on my ears.
Will post an update after I get them and have tried 'em out.
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Those look very interesting.
Let us know what your impressions are when you have them.
Still loving my Technics but looking ahead for the next level up.
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I have the JBL Endurance Peak 3 which are an Open ear design. The problem with these is I cannot reach my desired volume level so they don't sound as good as my Yamaha or JBL IEM.
My intuition tells me that Huawei FreeClips will have good sound quality and reach my desired volume. They say these are not for audiophiles, but I suspect this is because external noise and not the driver.
If I am wrong I wasted my money.
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After anxiously waiting, my Huawei Open Ear FreeClip buds have arrived.:hyper:
Initial impressions: Buds paired easily on Bluetooth with the push of the button on charging case and holding it for a second or two. Do not have the Huawei App, instead use the settings on my Samsung Galaxy A13. Using the Equalizers on both the A13 and Amazon Mobile App. Connection speed on Amazon App is HD/Ultra.
Okay these can play plenty loud, I was able to drown out the volume of my tv. Will they drown out road noise? I hope to go out tonight and find out. Sound leakage I'm not able to determine as I live alone and when I took them out of my ears they default to pause, not a problem for me however.
The sound IMO overall spectrum is a balanced clean articulate sound. This means the bass as well even with low frequencies boosted. I was not able to get deep heavy bass vibe on music like Black Sabbath or Thin Lizzy. On Grand Funk- Into the Sun, sounded marvelous.
The sound quality is high quality audiophile grade, just lacks bass vibe that my JBL Tune 130NC can produce.
May post an Update after I wear them on the road for a few hours with higher noise floor.
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--Update--
After 15 hours of playing time the bass on my Huawei FreeClip has opened up. I had the lowest frequency bumped up +12, I was getting some bass distortion on some songs so I bumped it back a notch, see how that works. With the bass opening up to my liking I have to say these buds dare I say are presenting recordings the most articulate I have ever heard 'em, money well spent. :singing:
They also work well on the highway even with increase road noise. Sound goes around the sound ball, which is not affecting the clarity, just more noise hitting my ears. And I can hear my passengers okay without having to pull a bud off my ear.
For optimal sound you want the sound ball seated on your ear canal. So far it works for me having the rest bean on my ear lobs and fits snugly. Everyone has different ears so YMMV. Perhaps when the stem loosens they won't stay put, time will tell.