[AnAnalogSpirit]

So, Here's the story...

I had a defective RE0, which as a supposedly "card carrying" basshead" I found dry, lean, and tepid in that area. But enough about the RE0. Head-Direct was kind enough to allow me store credit which I used for YUIN PK3 (reccomended by a friend) and the dark horse in all this; and something that caught my eye for a while...

The OK-series, and the OK3 in particular which I find nothing but stilted information on with regard to the poor earbud/IEM crossover...

I'm writing this thread, because I've owned a YUIN before.

The PK2. Unamped, with a Philips Activ CD Player. Not a good source match, and not powerful enough to drive that particular model of YUIN. That particular YUIN was not a good match for me. Bad marketing thrust it upon me as it was supposed to be "better" or "more audiophile" than the PK3 because it was harder to drive, and more "reference", "less fun" or "coloured" and would grow with me as I got a new amp. blah blah. blah. Match made in HELL.

So, poor PK2 I no <3 You. I'll probably never buy you again. It was a bad luv affair. its not you, its... well... YOU. and the source. To be sure. Thanks for keeping me company for two tepid months. You staved off the boredom.

That said, that was all I had come to expect from YUIN. Great Highs, Nice Mids, and _NO BASS_. Lil Bunny Foo Foo where are you?

*sigh*

So, as this editorial goes onward, I get more toward the meat of the post, for Thanksgiving day surprises, no less!

Yeah, right as I return home from Thanksgiving, the mailbox has a treat for moi.

The replacements for the RE0: The PK3 & OK3 YUIN Earbuds...!

Much to my surprise they are beautifully packaged. (never got to see the original PK2 Packaging)

Quite stunning.

[PK3 Stuff Goes Here... Still Cooking... Not burned in yet]

-Packaging
-Contents
-Build
-Sonic Signature
-As Earbud

Preliminary Thoughts:

At less than 24 hours of burn in, even Unamped these are very Cohesive across the Tonal Scale, with a tad bit of Bass Weightedness. The sheer AMOUNT of Bass is surprising for an earbud!!!

[END PK3 Stuff]


[OK3 Stuff Goes Here... Still Cooking... Not burned in yet]

-Packaging
-Contents
-Build
-Sonic Signature
-As IEM
-As Earbud

Preliminary Impressions: I've put more time in on the OK3 than the PK3. Why? Dunno... It sort of suits me better.

It has a slightly Harder Bass Thump, not Dry, just with more Ddge, and the Mids are equivalent to the PK3, though the Highs have much more Energy...

This is with approximately 72 Hours burn-in on the earbuds/phones. They've been singing me to sleep and welcoming me to wakefulness.

I've found the Canalphone or IEM mode fine with the default double flange provided... but a bit loose. I have a better solution: The Head-Direct RE's Series Silicone Bi-Flange Tips. I found too much Vibrational/Muffle-ey Mids with the dual flange effect, so i trimmed the lower (bottom) flange off of the tips so there is only the tip on the end, and now there is:

1. Great extension to the tip into the canal
2. Great grip in the canal by the tip material
3. Excellent Airy Flute-iness to the Sound Signature delivered by the sound tube, coupled with Open-Air Sonics from the outer ring of the earbud's vent holes...

4. I no longer have a use for the OK3 as an earbud. In fact its become one of the best IEM's and one of the nicest Soundstaged phones I've owned. All while still "undercooked" These are SPECIAL PHONES.

[End OK3 Stuff]


[Final Thoughts]

I'm currently wowed by the Sonic Quality and Character of the OK3, and by the fun factor, cohesiveness, and sheer bass quantity of the PK3, even unamped. The "3"s deserve more respect in the PK and OK lineup. They aren't cheep budget phones. They're High End pieces of Audio Equipment. They just masquerade in that unassuming YUIN clothing. ;-/

[NOTE: This Post _WILL_ Be updated as I continue with my Impressions]

 

[kmhaynes]

Very entertaining post, sharing the universal pathos in finding that just-right IEM!

I had the PK3 for a while but it was a bit too mid-oriented, treble-light for me -- not much of the high-end sparkle the even the $15 KSC-75 has. Did enjoy the good bass and the amount of detail for an earbud.

So you are using the IEM cap that comes with the OK3, right?

 

[AnAnalogSpirit]

To be clear I am using the IEM _stem_ that comes with the OK3, but not the black double flange cap or sleeve that you put on the stem.

I am using the Head-Direct RE's Silicone Bi-Flange Sleeves Link HERE ---> http://head-direct.com/products.php?p=33 which I have trimmed the lower flange off of, leaving just the upper or end tip flange on. I'll post pictures as soon as I am able to....

 

[azncookiecutter]

Nice impressions. Just got the PK3s myself, sounds a bit like the PX100s in earbud form. A little bit less dark, but the sound signature seems very similar (to me, at least).

 

[stoneshadow]

So what do you say...is ok3 worth the extra money over the pk3
I'm thinking getting the ok3 or pk3 as a Christmas gift

I wanna use it with a fiio amp...becouse my source is quite week
And from what i read...i understood that i'll be getting a extra bass with fiio...with about 3db abobe 500mhz...so won't pk3 be a bit bassy with it...should i pay a little more for ok3...i'm gonna use it as a earbud not in ear...or should i think using it without the fiio...becouse of high sensibility 120db over 114 that my mx760 have
i quite like my mx760 but...my source is really weak for driving them to desired volume
I have a capped ipod...(with eu volume limit)
And with fiio...mx760's bass is...don't know how explain it...distortions in the lows....or bass rolloff...let's say the bass is to powerfull for that little earbuds...
I think i just felt in love with the yuin...it's simpe look...and it's a high quality earbud...don't really like iem or something big...i'm listening mostly outside when going to universty or for a walk
I listen to rock alternative metal...etc
And really not so rich to go for pk1
Hope you can help me decide
Best regards

 

[AnAnalogSpirit]

I am finding the tenser, firmer bass, and more coiled, ringing chimelike highs of the OK3 superior to the more easygoing laidback and somehow less satisfying renditionally; yet superior relaxationally or more open to ambient noise intrusion and "safer walking around town" character of the PK3...

OK3 has tighter, more harmonious rendition with a superior tonal scale, less booming or should I say less wide or boomy bass trading that in for a more normal radius and neutral depbass character a opposed to a narrow/lean one which is strong, pungent, and hard hitting. Almost _perfect_ to counterpoiont its excellent voice coils & mid & high timbre... lovely sound signature.

As earbuds, I've tried them with the silicone donut ring pads, and the PK3 foam donut pads (both of which slide off) and I reccomend the full silicone pads. They have an adequate number of aperatures to let a great amount of that rockin YUIN hifi soind through, and are esy to clean!

Regareding the PK3 I so far love them for what they're worth, don't get me wrong, I'm not poo-pooing them... I tend to leave my OK3 in IEM/canalphone mode as I am foolin around with that configuration at the moment, and the PK3 are of course strictly earbuds; a capacity they handle rockingly.

What I currentkly am finding myself joying the PK3 for are walks about town as I mention more ambient sound leaks in, although the wide/boomy bass satisfyingly compensates for that. The somewhat smoothed oute treble texture range also let's you focus on lots of activities where getting too in the headspace may be dangerous.

However plug the PK3 into an amp, especially one with a gain switch, or a multi or variable gain switch and hello previously veiled treble/highnote texture detail. YUINS drivers just have a lot of meat to them and I wish I knerw more about them.

Another thing I like the PK3 for is getting restful. Editation or being sung to sleep. These are damb fine comfortable buds!!!

So, do the OK3 sonically warrant a tad of a splurge in giftgiving expense? Yeah, if the personality of the OK3 as I impart matches the recipient's taste. If the PK3 s more up their aklley, get them the PK3. If your torn, print out this post with a cute IOU card and say YOU DECIDE, I want YOU to be HAPPY...

 

[stoneshadow]

thank you thery much
you really helped me...i'll go for the ok3...i didn't mention it will be a gift for me from myself

but can you pls tell me how do ok3 improves with a amp
and from where did u get them...head-direct?
thank you one more time

 

[latenlazy]

I used to own a pair of OK3s (lost them though). I switched back to full sized headphones because they were ironically more convenient (given my habits) for portable use. The bass on these little tykes was excellent. It lacked a bit on the lowest end, but that's to be expected with earbuds. The mid bass and bass extensions were excellent (percussions especially had a nice ring to them). Surprisingly though the best things about these headphones was the soundstage and the treble extension. For earbuds advertised for their bass, they had particularly great treble, especially with the assistance of a FiiO amp.