[thaslaya]

Interesting. I wonder whether it is because of the way I wear IEM, my library, or my ear physiology, but it seems I have higher tolerance for upper mid and treble than many folks here.

If I tap out with any IEM, I guess you should run away from that

Yes I'm always looking for good ears that match my preferences to watch for reviews and impressions. I tend to use my iems with farily deep insertion and L or XL tips and listen at high volume. I will say that a lot of my sibilance and shoutiness complaints mostly go away if I turn the volume down but that's not my listening style.

I once had this in the cart, ready to go, and then someone talked me into getting the Aures instead. Now, I have ZERO regrets pivoting to these amazing IEMs, but it's always left me wondering? Now with the Trio being 3DD, even more so.

Eh 3DT is very neutral bright with anemic bass. You're not missing much unless that's you're tuning preference. I think Blessing 2 does it better without sibilance. Nowadays all the Simgot stuff is better in my opinion.

 

[Zerstorer_GOhren]

@Questyle M15i

Questyle M15 First Gen and Questyle M15i

 

[FreeWheelinAudioLuv2]

When you find gear with great synergy, you don't question it, you simply enjoy it.

ST7 + Rockbox'd Sansa Fuze = Extremely satisfying experience to my ears.

Once again, I say for metal, these IEMs are freakin' sensational. I tried them for jazz, reggae, and some 80's pop, and I just didn't dig it as much. I think it's the rolled off sub bass? Something about the bass just doesn't satisfy me the way these do when I feed them METAL! Then they get silly good. Through the Sansa, they synergize to a budget perfection. I bought this Sansa still sealed in the box, so even though they came out in 2008? 2009?, this one is as new as you can get for 2024, though I've put it through the ringer already. I have two, and I've owned probably 5 since 2008, when I first got introduced to them thru my ex wife's unit. She bought me a Sony 545 DAP for Christmas, so I would stop using her Sansa all the time lol I got my own after we split, and all have been Rockbox'd. They have some of the most powerful internal amps in the old DAP world. I've never had to use an amp with any IEM. I love them, and this combo with the ST7 is CRUSHING!

 

[FreeWheelinAudioLuv2]

Yes I'm always looking for good ears that match my preferences to watch for reviews and impressions. I tend to use my iems with farily deep insertion and L or XL tips and listen at high volume. I will say that a lot of my sibilance and shoutiness complaints mostly go away if I turn the volume down but that's not my listening style.

Eh 3DT is very neutral bright with anemic bass. You're not missing much unless that's you're tuning preference. I think Blessing 2 does it better without sibilance. Nowadays all the Simgot stuff is better in my opinion.

No sir. Neutral bright with enemic bass describes the 2DD Star River, and that sits in my wooden box untouched. Not my groove. The Trio is my groove, or the Aures, or these ST7's, or the EA500LM.

 

[Jmop]

That FiiO graph looked real good with 4k cut but damn that super high treble peak kinda crazy.

 

[Redcarmoose]

SIMGOT AUDIO SuperMix 4
The graphs give some ideas as to the tuning, though still no exact price from SIMGOT. Though the early reviews seem very promising!

 

[atechreviews]

The upcoming AFUL EXPLORER - previously known in beta-testing as the Performer 3 - is releasing soon. I tested a pre-production unit at Can Jam Singapore, and the rep was saying it would be a sub-$100 USD IEM.



That was not the final tuning though, but the Can Jam unit sounded neutral with a sub-bass boost. Very balanced with good technicalities for a sub-$100 hybrid. Non-shouty upper mids, good extension at both ends. Very promising tuning, with just a nitpick of slight BA timbre. Fits well too.



AFUL has installed some resonating acoustic tube in this IEM, unlike a conventional acoustic tubing. If you recall the previous AFUL MagicOne, it had a special Nautilus labyrinth acoustic tube, which is an acoustic damper that operates via air pressure to down-throttle certain frequencies; this essentially results in an increased sub-bass resonance, much more than what a traditional single BA can execute.



Interesting to note that AFUL is employing some exotic tech once again in the Explorer, but of course, the proof is in the pudding for how it actually sounds in the ears.


https://www.facebook.com/AFULAudio/...Pstom4FSx9TPoY9gKfLqLhqBj9jbt2NLsDAHDW5888fhl










Yeah @Vonbuddy the Fiio FA19 is one of the best purchases I made this year. Warm neutral tuning with good note weight and excellent soundstage, imaging and layering. Not fatiguing to the ears too.

It has a bass boost switch to add some fun, but otherwise for an all-BA set, the bass doesn't sound like a BA bass due to the addition of a vented sub-woofer. So it doesn't sound thin compared to some all-BA sets which are "sterile".

Wow, under $100? That's amazing! I actually liked the name Performer 3. I love how AFUL always uses innovative tech in their IEMs. And it looks beautiful too!

 

[kaeswiss]

Curious to know what an upgrade to the Softears Volume would be? I love the tuning and overall FR but maybe just a tad more bass would be welcome.

Since you're sensitive to upper mid and treble sibilance, have you considered the Volume's goth-sibling, the Twilight? It's my favorite warm IEM that doesn't make vocalists sound like they're singing from under a heavy blanket.

This is one of the tracks I use for testing vocal sibilance. I also use the 10sec mark to test mid bass impact, but pretty much the first minute is very electrifyingly sparkly between the female and male vocalists. The Twilight is my least sparkly IEM with this track.

 

[thaslaya]

Since you're sensitive to upper mid and treble sibilance, have you considered the Volume's goth-sibling, the Twilight? It's my favorite warm IEM that doesn't make vocalists sound like they're singing from under a heavy blanket.



This is one of the tracks I use for testing vocal sibilance. I also use the 10sec mark to test mid bass impact, but pretty much the first minute is very electrifyingly sparkly between the female and male vocalists. The Twilight is my least sparkly IEM with this track.

Thanks for the recommendation! 2 Softears must be better than 1

 

[o0genesis0o]

very neutral bright with anemic bass.

I'm very much convinced that you have not gotten a good seal with the 3DT. Its bass slaps

 

[thaslaya]

I'm very much convinced that you have not gotten a good seal with the 3DT. Its bass slaps

It was in my very early iem days so you definitely could be right

 

[superuser1]

Are we going to have a repeat of the Plunge episode here..

 

[o0genesis0o]

It was in my very early iem days so you definitely could be right

That IEM fits kinda weird though.

I think we need to call out IEMs with weird fit in the future. It's as if some engineers expect people to have dumbo's ears to wear their IEMs.

 

[theintention]

It's as if some engineers expect people to have dumbo's ears to wear their IEMs.

people like me with dumbo ears reading this

 

[gadgetgod]

Interesting to note that AFUL is employing some exotic tech once again in the Explorer, but of course, the proof is in the pudding for how it actually sounds in the ears.

Indeed man, I loved the MagicOne and P8 so far, now i have some good thoughts about this one. I will be getting one of these.

Makes me wonder, when is the DUNU DaVinci coming out? I adored that IEM at the CJ SG. And also waiting for the Eminent Ears Ruby, want to buy that one as well.