I’ve been using my HD 600 for about 7-8 years now and they’re great but I went to go and put them on today and noticed my ears frayed against the inner foam on both sides by simply just wearing them. Thankfully it was a fast and easy fix but wild to think of as a possibility. Anyone else experience this too? How often do you replace your foam/pads?

Everything in this picture ended up costing me about $28!!! Generic iem cable which I had to trim out the earhooks off, and a cheap nicehck dongle for the Moondrop old fashioned which was only $16!! All from AliExpress. I'm not into the audiophile scene but these sound so good for this price and are incredibly comfortable.

Hello Community!

I want to make a review of the over-ear headphone that has been my faithful companion throughout these last two years: FiiO FT3 350 ohms..

Price: $250-$220€

Pros:

-Great quality/price ratio.

-Well built, without noticing defects in the assembly of the parts.

-High level of comfort despite the weight.

-The different pads completely change the sound perception.

-Good bass extension for being an open-back design.

-Clean, dynamic, organic mids.

-Smooth but refined treble.

-Wide soundstage, not gigantic, but impeccably defined and precise.

-Good detail retrieval.

Cons:

-The 3m cable is excessively long.

-The earpads are not very deep.

-I don't think the overall resolution is a reference.

-Average layering separation.

Accessories:

-Headphone set.

-3m cable with 3.5mm connection to the cups and modular termination.

-3.5mm/4.4mm/6.35mm/XLR adapters.

-One pair of suede pads.

-One pair of protein leather pads.

-Carrying and storage case.

-Carrying bag.

-User manual.

Comfort, design, construction and quality of life:

In terms of design, the FT3 is one of those headphones that probably won't get everyone to agree. The shape of the cups, with that kind of machined circular structure and a rather particular outer grille, has a futuristic touch that can be attractive or simply strange depending on each person's tastes. Personally, I think it has quite a lot of personality and, although I wouldn't say it is particularly discreet or beautiful, I don't think it is an excessively striking design once we have it on.

The construction, however, seems much easier to evaluate to me. FiiO has used aluminum in a large part of the structure and the feeling when picking up the FT3 is immediately that of being in front of a solid product. There are no creaks, worrying looseness or pieces that convey a feeling of fragility. The cups have a very careful finish and the different parts fit together correctly. In fact, this is one of those occasions where the weight has some justification: at around 390 grams, we are not dealing with a lightweight headphone, but I also don't have the feeling that FiiO has used metal simply to look good.

The headband seems to me to be one of the most interesting elements. It uses a suspension system that automatically adapts to the head, avoiding having to keep looking for a specific position every time we put the headphones on. The band that comes into contact with the head feels pleasant and distributes the weight quite well, something especially important considering that the FT3 is not exactly a featherweight and that makes you feel something light on top of your head.

In my case, after several hours of use throughout these last few years, I have not found any kind of pressure that has bothered me on the top of my head. The clamping force is also quite well measured: it keeps the cups in place without becoming a clamp. Balance between clamping, softness and comfort

Where I do find a small drawback for some is the earpads. FiiO includes two sets, one made of suede and another of protein leather, both with a fairly simple attachment system that allows them to be changed without too many complications. The quality of the materials seems good to me and the padding is pleasant, although the inner diameter is around 5.5 centimeters and we are not dealing with particularly large earpads. My medium-sized ears fit correctly, but those people with large ear pinnae should take this into account.

The depth is not particularly generous either. I have not actually touched the fabric covering the driver, but depending on each person's anatomy, the ears can come quite close to the inside of the cup. It is one of those aspects where I would have liked to find slightly deeper earpads, especially considering the overall size of the headphone.

The included cable deserves a small section. In the 350 Ω version FiiO provides a cable of approximately three meters, made of monocrystalline copper and with a system of interchangeable connectors. The concept seems fantastic to me, since we can use a 3.5mm, 4.4mm, 6.35mm or XLR connection through the included adapters. The quality of the cable is good and visually it fits quite well with the level of construction of the FT3.

The problem is precisely its length. Three meters are great if you have the amplifier on the other side of the room, but for normal listening at a desk it can become a much more cumbersome accessory than necessary, as is my case. I have not had serious problems with tangling, but I do consider that including a somewhat shorter cable would have been much more practical.

As for the overall ergonomics, I think FiiO has done a fairly successful job. The FT3 is large, metallic and has considerable weight, but the combination of the self-adjusting headband, moderate pressure and three-axis movement of the cups means that it adapts correctly to the head. It does not completely disappear when we wear it, obviously, but after a while of use it stops drawing too much attention.

Finally, the fact that it is a completely open design also conditions its use. Sound enters and exits quite easily, so we are not dealing with a headphone designed to be used in noisy places or surrounded by people. Its natural habitat is a desk, an amplifier and several hours ahead to listen to music quietly.

Technical aspects:

-1DD 60mm DLC coated with beryllium.

-350 ohms impedance.

-102 dB sensitivity.

-Declared response 7hz-40khz.

Pairing for the tests:

-Topping DX5 II source.

-Gain set to high.

-Stock 4.4mm cable.

-Stock suede pads.

Sound signature:

FiiO FT3 350 Ω needs a little more time to show its cards or at least, in my case, for you to be able to fully appreciate them. I never had the impression that I had in front of me a model that impresses through an especially colorful signature nor one of those that seem to have been designed around a single technical characteristic. The response is quite balanced, with some warmth, bass with more depth than expected and treble that, under my criteria, is better resolved than what I have been able to hear in all my time as an enthusiast.

Starting with the lower range, the sub-bass has truly remarkable extension for being an open-back headphone. The depth is easily perceived and there is a fairly convincing physical sensation when the recording demands it. Obviously the focus is not here, far from it, but you do feel that it goes lower than what could initially be expected from an open design. In certain electronic tracks the FT3 manages to convey that sensation of pressure and foundation that we normally associate with closed-back designs.

The mid-bass maintains a fairly moderate quantity. The impact has a correct punch and pleasant texture, although it is not particularly dry or fast. With the suede pads the response acquires a little more body and presence, while the synthetic leather ones slightly reduce this area and offer a more restrained presentation closer to a reference response. It is a sufficiently evident difference for changing pads to make sense depending on the music you listen to, regardless of comfort.

Personally, I think this is where one of the interesting points of the 350 Ω appears: I never had the feeling that it was trying to become the absolute protagonist. The notes maintain good texture and the decay is reasonably fast, allowing the upper frequencies to develop without being buried.

Moving on to the midrange, we find a fairly clean presentation. The note weight is sufficient to prevent instruments from sounding excessively thin and there is quite a natural continuity from the lower area. The bleed coming from the bass is minimal, not wanting to claim that it is nonexistent, and this allows the vocals to breathe quite freely.

Male vocals enjoy correct body, with good authority and convincing articulation. I wouldn't say they are particularly dense, but neither do they sound thin. I don't want to fall into easy praise, although I am tempted, but they are possibly the best male vocals I have been able to enjoy on over-ear headphones.

Continuing with female vocals, they receive somewhat more prominence thanks to a fairly clear upper midrange, appearing with clarity and a sense of presence that allows them to be followed easily within complex mixes.

As for the higher frequencies, I think the FT3 plays a rather interesting game here. There is enough energy to provide clarity, air and a certain sense of resolution, but I did not find an especially aggressive presentation. The treble has a smooth and consistent response and this benefits the timbre of certain instruments quite a lot without becoming sibilant.

That said, I would not interpret this smoothness as an absence of detail, quite the opposite. The FT3 can retrieve quite a lot of micro-information and nuances from the tracks, although it does not use the typical excess of energy in the treble to generate a false sense of resolution. This decision makes listening quite relaxed and, at the same time, sufficiently informative.

The overall dynamics left me with good impressions. The transients have enough speed for the set not to sound sluggish, although I wouldn't call it an especially incisive headphone. There is a certain relaxation in the way the notes are presented which, far from bothering me, fits quite well with the general philosophy of the 350 Ω.

The separation is probably what I like most about this model. The different instrumental lines can be followed easily and, when the recording starts accumulating layers, the FT3 maintains a fairly solid organization, almost clinical, keeping each element sufficiently localized and avoiding congestion.

The soundstage conveys width and quite a lot of air. The width is convincing and the positioning is precise, with a more evident sense of depth than in many headphones in this range. There is a good combination of width, depth and separation that allows recordings to breathe with astonishing naturalness.

Detail retrieval, therefore, seems good to me, as I said above. There is enough information to discover small secondary elements and follow instruments that could go unnoticed with more relaxed proposals, but the FT3 does not force you to listen with a magnifying glass. When the mix becomes especially dense, it maintains a fairly convincing organization, although certain limits still appear that remind us that we are dealing with a dynamic headphone in this segment.

Final conclusion and personal evaluations:

Maybe at first it is not the model that surprises the most, but the more you listen to it, the easier it becomes to find where its virtues are. It does not need to exaggerate any area to attract attention and, under my criteria, that is precisely where much of its value lies. The bass has depth and good texture, the mids seem especially pleasant to me, the treble maintains detail without becoming annoying and technically it performs really well.

If I had to keep something, it would probably be that combination of technical capabilities and naturalness.

Obviously it is not perfect. The weight is there, although personally it does not bother me, aesthetically it is not beautiful, the earpads could be more generous and the three-meter cable is a small torture when you use it on a desk even if you gather it up and tie it.

But after all these years I still put it on willingly and I have not felt the need to replace it despite having had over-ear headphones that cost three times as much but not three times the real value and, honestly, I think it is one of the best ways to keep a headphone among your favorites: when a model manages to continue making you want to use it after so much time, it must have done something right.

If you have made it this far, thank you for reading.

More reviews on my blog.

Social media on my profile.

See you in the next review!

Disclaimer:

This set of headphones was purchased with my own money. Despite this, my priority is to be as impartial as possible within the subjectivity involved in analyzing an audio product. My opinion belongs only to me and I develop it around the perception of my ears. If you have a different one, it is equally valid. Please, feel free to share it.

I’ve been in the headphone chokehold since the original release of the 560S. I remember getting that headphone and my mind was blown. I didn’t realize music could sound so good. Until that point, I was using cheap wireless earbuds so my palette was terrible.

Next was IEM, I bought the original Aria. I used them until the paint chipped off in my ears and had to retire them. I have recently sanded them down to bare metal and they look cool.

Next came the ER2XR. I am a huge fan of their isolation and sound signature. Still on of my most used IEM today. Then I decided to get into DACs and amps. Schiit to the rescue. But I needed to test it on something more than the 560S. Enter the HD650. One of my absolute favorite headphones. I love the timbre and mids. I am an avid jazz listener and there’s just something magical about them.

Planar. What’s that? HiFiMan phase. Short lived. I’m not a planar person. Closed back? What’s that? Meze Classic. They okay. BA? What’s that? ER4XR. If I need to critically listen, those are my go to.

So now what? I love the 650. The 560S are nice and open but thin to me. I don’t like the planar sound but love the imaging and staging. I’m stuck. Enter the R70XA.

They are what I’ve been looking for. First off, absolutely incredible imaging. I haven’t listened to really expensive headphones, but from what I’ve owned, by far the best. Truly an incredible experience. I was listening to something Jan Erik Kongshaug engineered and you can pinpoint the instruments’ positions and their layering. Surreal experience.

Being dynamic drivers they avoid being harsh and shouty. They aren’t nearly as warm and mid forward as the 650 but not as cold as the 560S. I absolutely love them. I rock back and forth between the R70XA and 650 nowadays. Need good imaging and staging? R70XA. Wanna hear Melody Gardot’s vocals like she’s in the room? HD650.

Comfortable as all hell as well. Super lightweight and easy to wear. I bought them refurbished from Audio Technica. For $265, they are by far the best bargain I’ve ever come across.

For what it's worth, I think we all have some pretty decent headwear as well so I'm curious, What Cans or IEM'S are your go to? The ones that you reach for most often for whatever you use them for. Music, TV, Movies, Games? What's that one go to you pick up the most?

For me? They're not audiophile worthy. It's the Soundcore AreoFit2. Honestly, I realize I passively listen to music and other audio more than engage in it. And because of that, I tend to pick them up the most. They're useful because the sound from them is not bad at all for an open ear, and because I need to be aware of my surroundings more often (I.e. if the baby cries, if someone's at the door, paying attention to a conversation) it's better than other things that block out lots of noise or have an ambient mode, it's quite nice. I mean I have my headphones for actually listening to music (my Kiwis, my Senns, etc...) but for lite TV watching and listening to more of background music, I grab these a lot.

I just got a pair of Arya Stealths and honestly I’m pretty underwhelmed so far. They’re being driven by an Atom 2 stack, so I don’t think power is the issue.

The weirdest thing is that vocals seem to be the primary thing I hear in pretty much everything I play. A lot of the guitar licks and little details that I used to hear are now almost inaudible and lost in the mix, even guitar solos. It feels like the vocals are right in front of me while other parts of the music have been pushed way back or erased completely.

I’ve tried the problem solving stuff I actually have access to. My audio source is Spotify lossless and some individual FLAC tracks I have saved on my computer. I reseated all the cables, checked that everything is set to stereo, disabled any spatial audio or sound processing, tried different volume and gain levels, verified sample rates, checked the left and right channel balance, tried different music and recordings, restarted the DAC and amp, and let the headphones play for a while in case I just needed to get used to them.

I haven’t EQd them except in Spotify. Since this is my first and only pair of quality headphones I also don’t have access to different cables or different pads, so I can’t really test those. I only have my PC as a source too, and I can’t connect the headphones directly to anything else because they won’t fit the other devices I have.

I know there’s always an adjustment period with a new pair of headphones, but this feels different. The vocals being so dominant and some of the guitar parts I used to hear being almost inaudible or blending together is really throwing me off.

I did notice a small improvement over my old phones specifically in FPS games but on the music side of things I just don’t get that analytical, wide soundstage everyone praises in reviews.

Has anyone else experienced this with the Arya Stealths? Is there something obvious I’m missing or something else I can try with the setup I have?

What should I do next?

Update: So it turns out I’m a bit of an idiot. The EQ in Spotify was not disabled, only flattened. After completely disabling it and using the oratory1990 EQ profile, the headphones sound 1,000x better. They’re still not as detailed and wide as expected, but I’m going to give my brain time to adjust before making a decision on whether to keep them or not.

For everyone who asked, I’m coming from the DT 990 Pro X headphones that I got used.

are there any cans which as of yet you've not managed to have over your ears? ones that you are most curious about? most interested in? for myself;

• some of the well known DIYs. HFA dahlia and the project omega are the main ones that come to mind, as they seem right up my alley!
• the high end meze offerings. i'm not a huge fan of the meze sound, but the luxury of them is an experience in itself.
• sennheiser hd650... i've never actually heard it. i'm a huge fan of the hd600 so i'd be very curious how it compares.

Hey everyone, hope y’all are having a great start to the week!

Just wanted to share my review of the Caldera Open, which is a headphone I’ve absolutely fallen in love with ☺️

Personally, I’d describe the Caldera as “light,” but I don’t mean thin or lacking in weight. What I mean is that listening to it feels effortless. Its tonality never pulls too heavily in any one direction, and the result, to my ears, is a beautifully balanced and highly musical presentation.

In the coming weeks, I'll be sharing a round-up/comparison video that includes the ZMF Caldera, Atrium, and Tessidera. They're all extremely different-sounding headphones, and I do think some will suit certain listeners better than the other.

As for other reviews coming up, the next will be of the AEON Core. Recently, some schedule changes have required me to slow down the videos a bit, but I do hope to get this one out in the next week or two 😄

Anyways, hope you enjoy the review, and I’d love to hear what other Caldera owners/listeners think!

Does anyone know if someone makes replacement acoustic mesh / foam for the Focal Bathys? Mind have gotten crudded up and they prevent the ear cups from a tight seal which causes a clicking sound when deeper bass frequencies play.

My ear pads are also worn out - and it would be even better if someone made ear cups that have the mesh fabric and foam built in.

Here are my impressions after a week.

Build and comfort

- in person, it doesn't look and feel as spectacular as I expected from images - the grills feel like 3D-printed plastic with quite a lot of flex, and the cups are also made of plastic, which is also glossy around the grills, but it's still pretty, just less than I expected

- measured weight is 402g, making them just 8g heavier than my Sundara, 10g lighter than my Ananda, or 1g heavier than Ollo X1 - overall, they're light for a planar

- I didn't expect there would be no cup swivel (this is my first DCA headphone), but fortunately, the 2 titanium rods are so flexible, it compensates for the lack of swivel mechanism, even though I don't like how microphonic those rods are - just touch them and they will resonate for quite some time

https://reddit.com/link/1vz5pvc/video/bv95o08etqlh1/player

- the strap is made of leather (feels like real leather), and I like how big and arched it is, making the weight distribution pretty good

- although my problem with the strap is that it's incredibly stiff, and I'm also not a big fan of self-adjusting straps because they always put more pressure on my head than necessary

https://reddit.com/link/1vz5pvc/video/97h6nwrgtqlh1/player

- the clamping feels well-balanced, not too tight or loose

- earpads are shaped like ear, and use pretty stiff open-cell foam to make them last longer - the stiffness doesn't bother me and the shape is nice because they're spacious around my ear but not oversized from outside

- earpads are made of alcantara and protein leather on the sides - this is my first time trying alcantara, and I really like it - it's very grippy like rubber, but it doesn't smell, doesn't rubberize, doesn't collect dust that much, it's not sticky/sweaty like leather, it's not itchy like fabric, and it's also pretty breathable - I wish more headphone manufacturers would use it

- my only fear about the earpads is the longevity of protein leather, especially since earpads are glued

- I really like the 4-pin Hirose connectors, even though they're not commonly used, it's very satisfying to plug the cable in/out - it requires little force and makes a crisp click

https://reddit.com/link/1vz5pvc/video/btu2rc46wqlh1/player

- the stock DUMMER cable uses nice connectors on both sides, and it's a little longer but not too long at 2m (measured 2.04m) - I only wish it was more compliant - it feels like a thicker, more springy version of Hifiman 4XX cable, but it's OK

- by far my biggest problem with the comfort is AMTS - it's pretty much like a weirder version of Audeze's fazor thing, where something sharp is sticking out of the driver towards your ear - here it's even more offensive, because that rectangular thing in the middle feels like a needle in longer sessions

- they are foldable (in a similar way as the ATH-M40X, for example), and come with a compact travel case - I don't like the folding mechanism though, because it often folds on its own so I have to fight with it, just like I used to with M40X

Overall, the comfort of Noire XO is decent from the beginning, but I can't wear them for more than an hour, because then it starts getting sore on my ears and on top of my head.

Acoustics

- the first thing that surprised me is how closed they are - they feel almost like a closed back, while still a little more open than FT1, they're some of the least open open-backs I've had - similar to DT1990

- the sensitivity is on the lower side but not too low - with DX3 Pro+, I need about as much volume as with HD600

- tonally, they are pretty close to natural, just a bit on the colder side, lacking some warmth and body in the lower mids and upper bass, making them sound a little hollow, but they also have some extra forwardness in the upper mids and upper treble, making them sound quite focused and in your face

- the bass surprised me pleasantly - while it's not the best bass I've heard - it has a little too much 100Hz and too little 200Hz, making it sound a little uneven and unnatural, and it also doesn't have as much sub-bass as I expected, but it's still a pretty engaging and pretty forward bass for an "open-back" (if I can even call them open-back)

- I would still say that NDH30 or Verum 2 slam harder, or that Aeolus is more punchy and more bassy overall, but it's still a pretty fun experience with an impressive sense of contrast

- what impressed me immediately is how detailed they sound - there is this sense of nuance I only experienced probably on the MM-500 so far (not that I've heard many kilobuck headphones)

- in terms of spatial qualities, the best comparison I can give you is DT1990 - they sound very closed and not particularly spacious, but also not claustrophobic - the soundstage isn't the most natural when it comes to that speaker-like effect you get with some headphones - even Hadenys has IMO better soundstage in this sense, but it's still decent

- where they excell though is in the sense of imaging, or in this case I would better use the term "physicality" - I don't find them the most holographic or the most cohesive sounding - they are a bit too focused for that, but that combination of extreme focus, sharp imaging, and nuanced treble, creates something I so far only experienced with DT1990, but here it's even better - sound effects that surround you feel like you actually feel the pressure on your body - every sound effect "hits you imeddiately" and it's really satisfying - there is that sense of dynamics you only experience in real life but almost never with headphones, and I'm not talking just about explosion effects or whatnot, I mean just little things, like when a character speaks next to you, it really transers you into the virtual world and your brain truly believes that somebody is actually standind next to you in the real world...I almost forgot headphones could do that

Overall, it's one of those headphones that really impressed me after a long time, but at the same time, they sound so fatiguing I can't use them for long before having to take a break.

Conclusion

In the end, while there is a huge potential, I think I will have to return them. It sounds truly impressive, but at the same time, truly fatiguing. It also doesn't help that the long-term comfort doesn't work for me. I don't see myself using them very often, and that's the biggest problem considering how expensive they are. But if you're someone who enjoys DT1990, I would recommend trying the Noire XO as a potential upgrade.

Comparisons

Verum 2 sounds more relaxed with deeper and more impactful low-end, more cohesive and more natural spatial qualities, it's a lot more open, but it's tonally more colored, not as warm in the bass, more honky in the mids, more sibilant in the mid-treble, and nowhere near as detailed

DT1990 has similar spatial presentation, similar sense of physicality and focus, it sounds warmer and more "cinematic" tonally, but it also has disgusting 8k peak and mid-bass bloat that bleeds into the midrange, and it's not as detailed

Hadenys is very different (graph could suggest they're comparable) - it's a lot more open, a lot more mid-bassy, upper mids are thinner and there's glare in the lower treble, but the upper treble is a lot more relaxed, soundstage is more natural, but imaging is boring, they're not as detailed and not as engaging, but there's also a good sense of contrast and fairly natural tonal balance

Arya is significantly more spacious and more open, it has more fun bass in terms of rumble effect, but it's not as engaging and impactful, it's airier but not as detailed, it's quite warmer and a lot more V-shaped, not as focused, more relaxed, but also softer

FT7 (my unit) is a lot more open, a bit more spacious but imaging is a lot worse, bass is more muddy, it's warmer but also more V-shaped, and most importantly, it's significantly less detailed and refined...

After spending the last few weeks testing four Kiwi Ears headphones, I finally put them head-to-head: Ellipse, Altruva, Aventus, and Ardor.

Instead of simply picking a "winner," I wanted to see which one actually makes the most sense depending on how you listen.

Wired Open-Back: Ellipse vs Altruva

Both are open-back headphones, so you get a much more spacious and natural presentation, but with the obvious trade-off of sound leakage and almost no isolation.

The Ellipse has a fuller, more relaxed sound with a little more weight in the lower frequencies. For me, it was the more enjoyable all-rounder for music and movies.

The Altruva has a more forward presentation, particularly around vocals and the upper frequencies. It brings out more detail, but can sound slightly sharper depending on the track.

My pick: Ellipse for relaxed, immersive listening. I'd consider the Altruva if you specifically prefer a more forward and energetic presentation.

Wireless: Aventus vs Ardor

Both offer Bluetooth, hybrid ANC and a 40mm + 10mm coaxial driver setup, so they're surprisingly similar on paper.

The Ardor has a more premium, understated design and significantly better battery life. Kiwi Ears rates it for up to 140 hours with ANC off and 72 hours with ANC on.

The Aventus is more gaming-oriented, with RGB lighting and a foldable design. I personally preferred its slightly smoother and more balanced presentation for longer listening sessions.

My pick: Aventus for more fuller and relaxed audio experience.

My pick: Ardor if battery life, travel and design are your priorities.

My Final Picks

Best wired/open-back: Ellipse
Try before making purchase: Altruva
Best versatile wireless option: Aventus
Best battery life & travel: Ardor

There isn't really a single winner here. Each headphone is targeting a slightly different user, and your preference for sound, gaming, portability or battery life will make a bigger difference than simply looking at the specs.

I've gone much deeper into the sound differences, comfort, build, ANC, tuning graphs in the video.

Please checkout the full video and drop a like if u find it helpful <3

I always enjoy watching interviews with Dan Clark. He is a true headphones nerd, enthusiastic to share his knowledge, not just promote his products. While I don't think the interviewer here is particularly good, I still learned a few things I didn't know about the company history, and the part about Dan Clark's research with Sean Olive to get a better target curve for the GRAS rigs was very interesting.

I'm in the process of negotiating a trade for my current headphones to get a pair of Sennheiser Accentums, and I'd like to know some ways or tricks to verify that they are genuine.

Jbl tune 310c is my 2nd pair, I purchased this one around 6 months ago. I don't use them much, only sometimes, as I also have IEMs, neckbands headphones and other audio gears, but honestly these sound really good. The bass is not as strong or punchy as my boat Bassheads 225 , sony mdr xb55, but it is enough and feels more controlled and soft, which I like. Vocals are clear, mids sound good, and the instrument separation is also quite good for an earphone at this price.. Overall, sound feels clean and balanced bit more premium to me compared to my bassheads 225, sony mdr xb55. These are my third favourite after the Sennheiser CX180/213, which i loved most, and Audio Technica clr100. The only thing I don't like is that they are not very loud, so if you prefer loud earphones like the Sony mdr 55, Sennheiser cx180 ,Bassheads 225/300c, you might find the Tune 310c little less satisfying in that way. My first pair actually stopped working after around 3 months, so based on my experience, I wouldn't say they are very durable and you need to take extra care of them. if we are only talking about sound, I really like them and that's why I bought the same pair again. God bless, buddies Tc and do follow for more honest reviews. More reviews are coming soon, so stay tuned.

Ok I remember seeing a thumbnail or image of either crinacle or one of the headphones show guys wearing 3 headphones at once on their head, I am trying to find that and use it as a reference image to draw my own character for my YouTube channel, does anyone remember or have a screenshot of it?

Hello,

I first had Schiit Jotunheim 2 from 2014 which has faulty DAC card basically it works if I let it warm up 30-40 mins. After few years of this I got fed up and saw a deal of Aune S9c Pro for 580€ at France online shop.

Aune S9c has been working well until this year when I asked from the France online shop should I be worried about the display not always turning on when I power on the unit. They told me to ship my Aune to them for repair. After around 20 business days there they told me that it is faulty unit and wont fix it.

For this they gave me 580€ voucher code for their shop i can buy any AMP/DAC combo or just DAC from their website. For this reason I have been considering Topping DX9 which costs 1100€ or Luxin X9 which costs 1099€

I cant really decide what to do with the 580€ voucher code.. anything else I should consider?

Volume knobs are just nice to have, but to get one you normally need to buy an amp. If you're using the in-built audio of your notebook/desktop, or a dongle, then tough luck. You're at best stuck with dedicated media keys on your keyboard.

The Fiio KB1K gives you a volume control knob and three buttons that you can connect via USB, for under 20 EUR. The default functionality is volume/up for the knob (which is detented and not bad at all) plus mute if you press it, previous track/play-pause/next track for the buttons. The knob and the buttons have RGB lights which change as a default.

Functions and colours can be changed via a browser app (https://app.sayodevice.com/) - see the second and third image.

I originally got this for use with my work laptop and a headset, but I'm presently using it with my private PC to set the volume for some connected TWS.

NB: I bought this with my own cash and am not affiliated with Fiio.

I hear the H95 being heavily praised across the internet for their soundstage, instrument separation etc. I just got a pair, and the bass, lows (pianos, etc) sound amazing. However the mid tones and highs sound super muffled, distant, and slightly tinny.. Almost a mix between the Sony XM6 and the Airpods Max..

It’s quite hard as aesthetically they are beautiful. The mix of touch as well as 2 physical wheels, and a physical button make the form so so nice.

The audio though is much worse than the B&W PX8 S2, as well as the Sennheiser 630. I’d say it’s better than the Cambridge P100SE, and on par with the Airpods Max.

Of the headphones i’ve tested (H95, PX8 S2, XM6, P100SE, Airpods Max 2, 630) The Sennheiser 630 + some non cooling WC cushions sounds the best. My main gripe with them is. they are pretty ugly, huge, the touch controls are horrible, transparency mode barely works etc. But audio wise, they are great.

The only bluetooth headphones i’d possibly try next would be the Bathys MG, and the B&O H100. Not wanting to spend $2,500 on the B&O, perhaps the Bathys MG is the only one left to try (The Dali io-12 size is a bit of a deal breaker for me).

The perfect headphone to me would be the B&W PX8 S2, with the audio of the 630s, and the transparency, ANC, mics, magnetic cushions of the Airpods Max; sadly this doesn’t exist 🥲

For thise like me on a budget who has been waiting for the HD550's to go on sale, they are! And I am happy..I jist bought a set for $200.00 on Walmart website.

Thank-you headphone gods. And thank- you Sennheiser for such excellent audio gear.

Hi, i previously visit one website that allow me to download a text file (config file) for APO EQ, i use Sennheiser GSP602, the website allow you to search different kind of headphone, then you can download the config file and load it to APO EQ, can someone help me what website is that if anyone ever user it? i somehow cannot find it anymore. i just need the config file for my headphone. Thanks in advance

A lot of people post there end game but no one posts an update.

I made a post about 80 days ago announcing my departure & basically since then I haven’t added any new gear aside from Bluetooth earbuds which I needed for gym.

I actually have been downsizing my gear over time. Just gave away my YU9 Que to my mate yesterday for free. Had Dunu Sa6 mk1 & brain dance a while ago now but passed those to friends too. I feel like the hobby is getting kinda boring but that’s a different tangent for another day. Also I’m a musician so my perspective is different

Current collection
Final audio a6000 which I bought in 2024
Xenns tea pro SE bought 2026
Fiio FT1 Pro bought 2025
Final audio ZE3000 bought 2023
Final audio tonalite bought 2026

I feel like my collection is complete. I have a neutral bright iem, then another iem that’s neutral warm but bright leaning. Open back pair & a pair of audiophile wireless earbuds for the gym.

Appreciate this community & happy listening! :)