Audio Random IEM / Headphone Rants

Received my O16 on 20th this month, the delivery was fast. At first listen, my thought was these sound like an open version of Re-zero with bumped up mid-bass, but still not up there with them. kenpachiroks there seems to be a slight peak in the 200hz-300hz area which makes the mid-bass slightly annoying for me. Also there's a reverb, like the kind when sound reflects from a big hollow metal tube making the mids decay longer or sound nasal in vocal focused tracks and affecting the bass sometimes. Detailed impressions will be formed as soon as these burn-in and burn my head. For now, i have stopped listening to my DBA-02 mkii and DT990 pros which have spoiled me :singing:
 
The upgrade bug is back unfortunately and I've already sold my CIEMs. It's quite clear to me that IEMs/CIEMs just cant match full sized headphones (even on mediocre setups) when it comes to imaging and a more engaging experience. I'm quite happy with RE-600 for everyday use while travelling, I need to get mine replaced already but can stick with this quite easily as a longer term choice. Will be very eager to see what the UM and Hifiman custom venture will sound like, hoping for Hifiman's iem house sound with some degree of reliability!

I've been auditioning some really nice headphones of late! Tried out the AKG K812, the HD800 and the LCD3.

Was very tempted by the HE560, but I'm not sure if I'd spend 899 when the HE-4 (not 400) is only 450. Will wait for some HE-1000 reviews to come out before making any moves, it will be priced way out of league but I'd still hold off buying the HE-560 or HE-4, just to see what its like.

I've owned the LCD2 before and got to try out the Fazor version of late. I really didn't expect it to be very different, but it was! I loved the mids on the old LCD2 (rev2), the Fazor wasn't as lush but the imaging was so much better and it sounded far more spacious than before. This lack of space was my only real complaint with the old version, I can see myself make a trade off for less "lushness" in the mid range to hear the micro-details better. Going try running it of a simple fully balanced setup (AK100>Centrance A1>2.5mm balanced TRRS) to see what it sounds like. Don't think I can resist the LCD2-F any longer :(
 
I've bought the kingston hyperx cloud GAMING HEADPHONES and i would say they are the best gaming headphones i've ever used .. the association of qpad with beyerdynamic paid off very well ( kingston rebrands the qpad and sells them worldwide ) the 53 mm drivers give some real good bass .. the fit and finish are excellent i would say .. they are almost a look alike of beyerdynamic dt 990

the nly con is the high impedance ( 60 ohm ) .. normal motherboards cant drive it .. i use my xonar dx

Ps : These are better than v2 / kraken pro and almost all the so called gaming headsets :) Il try doing a short review soon :D
 
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There she is! Been using them for a week now, loving the sound, the only thing I could want more from these was the mids from my old rev2. Overall I'd still pick the Fazor over them though. Getting a cheap 2.5mm balanced cable soon, the stock one is great but heavy and requires the adapter to be used as well with the A1.
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@toxicdrift : Thanks mate . They are quite decent actually. Nothing mind blowing but for 70$ , a very good buy.
They are cooler in tone and drier . Pleasant change from the usually warm/bassy iems in this price category
They can a get splashy /agressive at times but have a Very detailed/balanced sound sig with a big soundstage.
Definite improvement from the previous vsonics.
 
must point out for potential buyers, while the vsd's possess a very high level of detail retrieval and have a massive soundstage, there's a lot of plastic resonance just like the vsd3's.
The treble has a brittle accent to it , which might be a very nice touch for some but personally i find it fatiguing after a while
The treble seems to have tamed down after about 100hrs but the plastic resonance is still present and the sound is a bit un natural , less neutral
Might be asking too much for the price, For 70$ its decent, but purists will be disappointed
 
how are these sachin? congrats btw :) /
@Ritvik im coming to sg (March hopefull) to listen to them! hahaha[
Haha, you should head down to the Adelphi man. Much better stuff to try out. Jaben and AVOne which is the shop that shares a wall with Jaben have pretty much everything you could ever want to try between the two of them. The Abyss and Orpheus included!

Will put the A1, an assortment of balanced cables and the AK100 on sale next week :)

Moved to a desktop rig finally. HE4 and LCD2F, paired with the Emotiva mini x-100-a and the Oppo HA-1 respectively.
 
wish to buy 3 pair of earphones . fan of thumb, vocal sound. Used Sound magic PL-11 & impressed by it. Thinking to opt all 3 different make earphone to test it. Better if I can get mic at least either one among 3 different earphones. How's Soundmagic ES18 or JBL T100/T150 to change for? Budget : max 700rs / each.
 
DUNU Titan 1 – Half In-ear || Full detail package || Double bang for your buck
DUNU has been around for quite a while now (earlier as an OEM) and have managed to have a recommended IEM or two in the budget price brackets. Their higher offerings, the DN1000 and DN2000 triple hybrids, wowed Head-fi and cemented DUNU as a force to be reckoned in the 200-400$ bracket. The Titan-1($115) comes barging into a very crowded and competitive price segment, that has seem a few gems prevail the hype storm. Will the Titan 1 be one of those gems we will still talk about a few years down the line?

Packaging Accessories and Build


At 115$, the packing is pure class. The thick double flap (magnetic) cardboard box, layout, and accessory list makes for a pleasing experience before the first listen.

The accessory list is extensive and I was able to find a secure fit for my narrow ear canals in no time (small Sony-hybrid like tips). I do feel that double/tri flange tips should also be included, for a shallow fit IEM like this. Quite a few people on the Titan 1 thread have found the sweet spot with multi-flange tips (For ex. See earfonia’s review)

The cable is half cloth half rubber. The cloth half isn’t prone to kink like the RE400 and does a pretty good job in suppressing microphonics. However, the same cannot be said for the rubber half which easily picks up mechanical noise. The best solution for this is to wear them cable-up, but this is not possible unless the channels are swapped. The 3.5mm jack is beefy and the strain relief seems sturdy enough to do the job. Time will tell if the Y spilt holds up. The strain reliefs exiting the housing are relatively thinner and inflexible. In the first month of use, I took extremely good care of them, and decided to put them to the test throughout the second month “for the greater good” (no case, buried in bags, stuffed in pockets, used as a bungee cord etc etc.. you know… the usual stuff). Happy to report that, other than a few scuff marks on the outer face, everything looks as good as new. “Excellent build” is the two month verdict.

Special mentions:

  • The carry case is classy. All black, very sturdy, rubber padded inside, Anti slip base, nice click to close, maybe a touch shallower than I hoped.
  • The Rubber belt-like clasp on the lower cable is a very nifty. I do not know of other IEMs that have this feature. If you do know of one, you know what I’m talking about. Quick storage and retrieval is a breeze. I think DUNU has patented this design, but I hope to see this on all IEMs.
Comfort and isolation


The colour coded metal housings are the half in-ear type. This design allows a large diaphragm to be placed nearly perpendicular to your ear canal and also allow some interesting vent designs. The Titan 1 housings are almost 1.5 cm in diameter and the angled nozzles are 0.5cm to 0.75cm in length. They fit just perfectly in my concha and anti-tragus, but I wouldn’t be surprised if a few complained of discomfort. The vents are positioned in a unique way. 11 small circular vents on the inside face of the housing and one vent on the outside face just under the stem.

As you can imagine the isolation, with this level of venting, should be poor. I found that the isolation wasn’t as poor as proper open back IEMs like the Signature Acoustics O16. The Ostry KC06(which isn’t an open IEM) also offers similar levels of isolation. The Titan-1’s are not ideal or advisable for use on the go, unless you need poor isolation of course (to aid spatial awareness).

Efficiency and perceived frequency response

The Titan-1 is pretty efficient and was easily driven by my Sansa Clip, LG G2 and Geek Out 450. The Geek Out 450 sounded better rounded than the other two (not by much though), and has been used for the Sound section below.

The sub-bass rolls off below 25Hz (quiet setting). The climb from the sub-bass to mid bass feels like a gradual curve. This gradual climb only seems to dip a tiny bit around 600Hz and 1300Hz. There are slight bumps around 2200Hz and 4800Hz before I notice a small dip at 8600Hz. There is a growing emphasis through and beyond the transition from the upper mids into the treble. Except for a peak at around 12.8KHz, the treble was well behaved before it dropped off at 17.6KHz. On the whole, I was impressed at how controlled and smooth the sweep sounded compared to my other sets. Onto the real-world tests now:

Sound
Primary list of music used
Bass: The Titan 1 has the come-only-when-called-upon type of bass. This description is reserved for IEMs that deliver are able to maintain a very clean background and deliver a surprising bass kick out of no-where. This capability gets slightly weaker as we climb into the Titan 1’s midbass.

The overall decay is fast but lingers a tiny bit beyond “fast”. I suspect the housing-design/sense-of-space also has something to do with this. What this does is, deliver a dash of warmth that contributes to the organic experience. The detail retrieval is very impressive (This is something you will read over and over throughout this review). The gradual mid-bass hump could do with a little more refinement (more about this in the RE400 comparison). This is also more apparent because of the transparency throughout the rest of the range.

Mids: There has been a mix of opinions on the extent of midrange recession. I would classify the signature as a mild V shape that is not blatantly obvious in a majority of my music. The U is quite apparent when switching from a neutral/mid-forward IEM or on tracks with some inherent midrange recession (that gets exaggerated). After two weeks of using the Titan 1, I never felt like I was missing out on detail in the midrange and only on occasion (15%) wished for more midrange emphasis. Female vocals have better presence compared to the male vocals(extend will vary depending on the recording)

Highs: The detail retrieval is astonishingly good. I have read a few reports of slight harshness/sibilance. I’ve probably lucked out with the tips, because I haven’t heard the treble cross the line. There is undoubtedly a slight treble emphasis but it only gets jarring at very high volumes. This lack of harshness contributes to the organic signature. However on the whole, it lacks some delicacy and finesse (see RE272 comparison). The treble can be considered edgy depending on the recording and listening volume, but I did not find it fatiguing.

Stage, space and imaging
The sense of space/stage is attention grabbing in the beginning (early listening) and then settles into a very natural enveloping stage that is starkly discernible when A/Bing with other IEMs. The L/R extension is above average, but that is not the (most) impressive bit. With most IEMs the sound cues start to fill your head, and after a certain virtual distance, start to feel confined. This is different from the positioning of individual cues ion the stage. The former has more to do with the “space” the cues occupy. On the Titan 1 the sound cues begin to fill your head and then radiate beyond. This feature in particular is very impressive and sounds very natural. The lesser than average isolation is a trade-off for the excellent sense of space that the Titan 1 offers.

Comparisons: The Titanium Trifecta

HIFIMAN RE400:
The RE400 needs no introduction to the Head-fi scene. This 100$ titanium pellet has a warm neutral/slightly mid-forward signature with smooth treble. The Titan 1 is bassier, slightly V shaped with more emphasised treble. Not an obvious comparison here. The Titan 1 has the edge in sub-bass presence and as a result, presents similar levels of detail in a more noticeable/obvious manner and is is more enjoyable. The story is not the same when we climb into the mid-bass. Head-to head, the Titan 1 seems woollier and less refined in comparison. The RE400 also edges the Titan 1 in details retrieval and presentation. The RE400 has a distinct hump centred in the mid-bass as opposed to the gradual hump(that extends into the lower mids). Both may not sound ideal, but I find the RE400 to be more natural in this regard. The midrange is more linear on the RE400 and is more emphasized. The level of detail is at similar levels with the RE400 sounding relatively drier. The smooth treble is a contrast from the Titan 1 which is sounds edgier and more in-your-face, in comparison. Perceived detail retrieval is higher on the Titan 1 but I think the RE400 does remarkably well(but is not as upfront about it). The soundstage and space presented by the Titan 1 is more natural and enveloping that the more conventional RE400(in this regards).

On the whole, I feel they are both technically adept and cater to slightly different audiences. I would recommend the Titan 1 over the RE400 as a transition IEM for someone wanting to venture into neutral waters(before diving head-first).

HIFIMAN RE272: This legendary, now discontinued titanium micro-driver beauty is my absolute benchmark for treble detail-retrieval and presentation. The Titan 1 reminded me of the detail retrieval and nuances the RE272 brought out in my music. They differ mainly in presentation of that detail. Both, I will say, have emphasized highs (more so on the Titan 1). Both stay clear of sibilance or harshness(at normal listening volumes). Both have similar levels of detail(RE272 is slightly ahead). The similarities however end here. The RE272 manages to serve up this detail on a smooth black granite platter, while the Titan 1 chooses an ornamental shiny platinum platter. It is very easy to get lost in all the RE272 detail. The Titan 1 however, makes you take notice of every detail but not in an annoying way.

Conclusion:

The pleasing all-rounder signature, excellent build, accessory list, and extremely competitive price is a winning formula when competing in a crowded price segment.

What DUNU has done is take a neutralish/detail-oriented IEM and add just the right amount of pizazz. While there is room for some tweaking and refinement, I think the Titan 1 will weather the hype and gain a place in the top recommendation lists for all-rounder IEMs ~100$. I am definitely looking forward to the next iteration.

Bonus: Some subjective drivel:
I am sensitive to sharp/peaky treble and cannot stand a recessed midrange(but I always try to make sure I stay as objective as possible in my review). That said, I didn’t find myself frowning with the Titan 1 singing in my ears. Yes, the midrange is slightly recessed and the treble is a little emphasized, but they never cross the line. Some expert tuning right there. I still break out the RE400 for that beautiful midrange and the Ostry KC06 when I need to be pumped up. The RE272 is the special one. It is undoubtedly my detail and treble presentation benchmark.
I don’t particularly enjoy the Titan 1 at very low listening volumes(before sleep/studying etc.). The midrange slips just beyond my threshold and distracts me. I have the relatively midforward RE400 for that.

I would like to thank Vivian (DUNU) for giving me the opportunity to share my honest opinion on the Titan 1.

Thanks for reading. Do let me know if you have any thoughts on where I can improve my reviewing style(For ex: Not descriptive enough in XXX section).

Always remember that each reviewer will have a slightly different take on the sound. It is important to go through as many reviews as possible and build a consensus of what the IEM will sound like. You could also pick a reviewer a two who you feel has similar tastes/perception as you (from reference reviews).

Other reviews of the Titan 1 can be viewed at this link. Let us know if you have any questions regarding the Titan 1 over at the main thread. Tomscy2000 has organized the impressions and review links in the OP so that will be the best place to start.

It goes without saying that auditioning something is the best way to go. Every other option is a distant 2nd, 3rd and so on, but we need to work with what
 
My latest discovery: Stock ear-buds which came with Sansa clip paired with Fiio E11(or any bassy amp) sound really good. If anyone has both then try out.
 
HD25 Aluminium - 25th Anniversary Editions

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A box from Poland
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Claire Hybrid Mk2 Interconnect
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Claire Hybrid Mk2 cable for my AKG K7XX
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the Current Setup - Audio Bliss :D
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[DOUBLEPOST=1436458850][/DOUBLEPOST]starting the Cozoy Astrapi India Tour now - incase anyone is interested please pm me your location and join in on the head fi thread - HERE

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Got a chance to listen to V-sonic VSD3S for a very brief period of time yesterday. Coming from RE-0 and TF-10 (with Re-0 double flange tips) my first impressions were these are "Rhythm" IEMs.

Compared to TF10 -
Kicks have more presence in the mix; There are some Sony IEMs which do Sub-Kicks better if you have a kick fetish. Bass slightly suppressed.
Kick drum in Rock track sounded rather weird. Mids and Highs were very annoying. There is a very weird talk box effect in Mids. TF10 sounded sibilant to me on the first listen with stock tips. Tried Foam tips for 6 months too but it's subtractive to the entire sound. Uncomfortable too. Used RE-0 Double flange which fit the best and don't subtract anything from the mix.

I'm not going to compare it to RE-0 since they are poles apart. I played drums for 5 years and have been playing guitars for 5 years and these are the perfect monitors.

What I liked immediately - Separation; Looks; Can work well for general listening;
Open Questions for me - Kicks are overbearing. Poor reproduction of traditional Rock Drums. High-Mids. Sibilant. Quick Fatigue.

I'm not saying the cons are a deal breaker but there's just enough of each to be slightly annoying. For the money very very good. Not surprised by these IEMs since GR07 were very nice too. What they do lack severely is character like a Fender or a TR808.

Rating (Good) - 3.5/5
 
Damm... I was considering vsd3s.
But now I'm not sure.

I listen to rock/pop/country/metal rock.
Right now I'm using e10.

Can you guys please suggest iem under 3k.
 
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