I saw you compare them to the Atrium and got excited–something light that sounds like Atrium? Then I went to the product page. How does something that looks like that weigh 400 grams? What’s it made of, dark matter?
1 Like
I have never tried higher end earbuds that don’t insert into the ear canal fully, but they have always been somewhat interesting as I have difficulty wearing IEMs for more than an hour without extreme discomfort. How do you think these might compare to say, apple earbuds? I use those sometimes and they are honestly not bad for $20. But $300? 
1 Like
Yeah for earbuds the rw4000 are top of the line, I would never start with that. Of course there are some way more expensive but after the $650 price range I really do think theyre just marketing by artificially elevating their value.
I cant use IEMs since Ive got a serum issue.
Theres no comparison with apple earbuds, even 20 dollar earbuds from other brands kill the apple ones.
If you wanna start big theres the yincrow rw3000 for $190 due to diminishing returns not even far from mine.
Id start with faaeal rosemary 3.5mm (NOT 4.4mm) like $20 or yincrow x6 $15 although those ones get a bit aggressive on some sources
For something mid level thats more relaxing with less treble the Venture Electronics Zen LL $70 or Zen 3.0FE $150
I know more theres a lot.
1 Like
Yeah if you find atrium heavy then the mirph headphones won’t work for you. The materials are very soft and comfortable though
1 Like
Do these also use a Peerless driver?
Getting off the PC. I know this ain’t a LPSU, but I figured it’d still improve performance from the stock PSU, right?
12 Likes
They use the same driver that’s in DMS’ Omega.
1 Like
Finally!
Coax out of that into your DDC, let us know what it does for you!
2 Likes
RIP that sucks.
The reason I like the apple earbuds is often a lot of other ones do not have the same bass impact that apple does, along with the soundstage and overall detail retrieval. The old mx500 knockoffs I used to get from aliexpress were worse imo. They were very bass light and congested in comparison. I tried some that were modified to have more bass, but they still could not beat the apples for about the same price.
Yeah maybe not right now.
Thanks! I’ll keep them on my radar for the future.
1 Like
Unfortunately my DDCs both only accept USB inputs, but this Node Nano does have a USB out. In the review that steered me to this, Tarun stated that he thought the optical output sounded the best, then coax, then USB. I will experiment.
I thought this weekend was going to be taken up in part by shopping and thus I wasn’t gonna get a chance to even plug this in but those plans have now been cancelled so hopefully I’ll make time to test this all out 
8 Likes
I dont think they were worse but they have gotten a lot better for sure, maybe your ears didnt get a proper seal with the mx500 shells which would result in a ton of bass loss
PK shells are smaller and usually more comfortable for most people than mx500. These fit me the best. Im actually going for the $300 PK Shelled VE Zen SL as a bassy complement for my yincrow rw4000.
The PK shells found in the Venture Electronics $20 Monk SM, $40 Monk SM Ti, $10 Monk SL.
PK Shozy buds include $90 cygnus pro and $170 BK mk2.
PK Nicehck are $33 B80
Every Yincrow (fave brand) earbud that isnt the x6 or rw9 (those are mx500) have a slightly smaller shells than mx500, theres $57 rw777 mk2, $70 calf, $88 rw1000 and also Rhino, $133 rw2000, $190 rw3000.
Venture electronics also has a smaller shell than the mx500 on their $70 Zen LL that I hadnt seen in other products. $15 nicehck eb2s looks a lot like that one, and theres also $30 eb2s pro.
Fiio ff earbuds series are quite small and they have unexpectedly good sound for a fiio, $27 ff1, $81 ff3s, $106 ff5.
Way back in the day I used to have an earbud collection but I actually know so many because a friend in my city collects them.
If the earbuds are too large the fit wont work, but if they are smaller theyll fit your ear, they might fit perfectly without foams, if still a bit smamm just add a foam or 2 until they fit perfectly.
Theres a very important step most people ignore, these earbuds include a clip, you attach the clip to the cable at the right place of the cable so that when you clip it to your shirt, youll be able to rotate your head around without pulling the buds away from your ears.
This way the clip will carry all of the cable’s weight, which is they main thing pulling the buds away from your ears and getting them out of place, losing bass and balance.
1 Like
An inarguable upgrade. I am always skeptical when I upgrade/expand my chain. I kinda hope you’re all talking our of your arses so I can just return the gear that I’ve bought and get my money back. But alas, in running this streamer it is an immediate obvious auditory upgrade (thank you!).
Bass guitars are better separated and easier to follow. Snare drums and toms are more three dimensional. I have only had a chance to listen for 45 minutes, but as I said, the sonic improvements were obvious.
Next, a good PSU for my DDC. Then get it all onto this rack, rather than partially on my desk. Then I have to decide between the V281 and Taurus II… The Taurus has surprised me every time I’ve turned it on, but until my new HEkse arrives, I’ll stick to my Cadenza 12 to audition the two - the HEkse will decide it.
9 Likes
I had some “unfinished business” with this hobby. And, like with my hifi gear, I am now actively finishing the business, ending the game!
10 Likes
I like the green!
2 Likes
Just a quick follow-up…I didn’t receive my Fatfreq Deuce until December 12th (pre-ordered on August 1st and release date was September 30th). Moral of the story…don’t ever buy from Fatfreq directly. Just putting this out there so that others don’t experience what i went through.
8 Likes
I’m just glad you got yours.
I felt pretty guilty after all the bitch’n I did about mine and being told I was in the first 150 then told oops you’re not and then not getting the other stuff they promised me, and then the reports of others not getting theirs at all or super long delay’s started filtering in… All that sorta killed it for me and I put it away and haven’t used it after that first week of having it.
Yep good PSA: Don’t buy from Fat Freq direct on any of their sets as the issues aren’t limited to just the Deuce
3 Likes
11 Likes
The Tangzu Wan’er is awesome for the price. I still listen to my pair every now and then.
Excuse me, what DDC are you using? Maybe I could recommend a PSU.
Even though the taurus and the v281 have some similarities, I think they both can do things the other can so even tho they both lean warm with very high potency they also have complementary potential.
If I had to pick itd be the 281 but the taurus provides insane value for its cost and like I said has some fun things the 281 doesnt. Id try to keep both at least for a while until a winner is decided.
1 Like
Thank you! My DDC is a Singxer SU-1. I’m not sure it is of an ‘appropriate tier’ to be part of this chain and so I will be testing my system with and without it. One thing that I didn’t realise is that it has an IEC power input, and thus, an internal PSU. I run it, and the rest of my main chain, on a Tacima CS947 strip. I was think maybe just another ifi PSU, but with the SU-1 having an internal PSU, I’ll have to do some research.
As for the competition for my heart between these two amplifiers, I was certain that I had found the one when I got the Violectric. I only bought the Auralic on a whim as I remember reading an article from when the mk. II was released, pitting it against the 281 and each trading blows. To me, the 281 sounds warmer and wider than the Taurus, but almost unnaturally so, in comparison. The Taurus just sounds “correct” to my ears. You are spot on in saying that, although similar, the two amps are different enough to justify keep both, but I want my solid state to be my reference and a generalist. So, the most “correct” amp will win.
I do have a WA6, too; I have gotten this for a warmer, more euphonic sound (tubes permitting) and so feel that I have that angle covered. I actually have a Little Dot mk. II that I hook up every so often for use with my HD560s - an excellent combo! That little amp cemented itself in my collection when I hooked my OG Utopia up to it; for all the wonderful amps I had on hand at the time, it was the most unassuming that gave me a glimpse of how special that headphone can be.
Anyway. I’m expecting my new HEkse any minute now …then the amp comparison can begin!
3 Likes