Anyone who wants AMAZING sounding in-ears/headphones for $16... read this!

[unix-guy]

I just read this whole thread.

I've just ordered the SalNotes Zero and the Kiwi Cadenza.

They're supposed to arrive Sunday.

Interested to hear how they stack up to my 64 Audio V6S custom molds and how they compare to the Ollo S4X headphones that have recently replaced my HD-650s.

Got them today. Spent a lot of time and many swear words trying to get the damn tips onto the buds... And then doing it again when they weren't a good fit! Any secrets to get those bastards on easier?

I listened to a few minutes listening to some program music and found both to sound good. In the time, I think I preferred the Zeros but nowhere near enough time yet.

I wish there was a quick way to A/B them... But I think I'm just going to pick one set and use them a while and then go the same for the other.

I did note that the tips on the Zeros seem to have a smaller aperture. Any thoughts on how that might affect the perceived sound?

Should I order Comply foam tips or use the silicon ones that came with both?

 

[eggpl@nt]

Got them today. Spent a lot of time and many swear words trying to get the damn tips onto the buds... And then doing it again when they weren't a good fit! Any secrets to get those bastards on easier?

I listened to a few minutes listening to some program music and found both to sound good. In the time, I think I preferred the Zeros but nowhere near enough time yet.

I wish there was a quick way to A/B them... But I think I'm just going to pick one set and use them a while and then go the same for the other.

I did note that the tips on the Zeros seem to have a smaller aperture. Any thoughts on how that might affect the perceived sound?

Should I order Comply foam tips or use the silicon ones that came with both?

I prefer foam tips. Easier to fit and better isolation, IMO.

 

[SwirlyMaple]

Got them today. Spent a lot of time and many swear words trying to get the damn tips onto the buds... And then doing it again when they weren't a good fit! Any secrets to get those bastards on easier?

I listened to a few minutes listening to some program music and found both to sound good. In the time, I think I preferred the Zeros but nowhere near enough time yet.

I wish there was a quick way to A/B them... But I think I'm just going to pick one set and use them a while and then go the same for the other.

I did note that the tips on the Zeros seem to have a smaller aperture. Any thoughts on how that might affect the perceived sound?

Should I order Comply foam tips or use the silicon ones that came with both?

With the silicone tips, the easiest way to get them on is to first flip the domed part up so that it turns inside out. (Hope that makes sense. Easy to show but hard to explain.) This makes it easier to grip the cylindrical part and also lets you see clearly how it’s lining up with the IEM port when you try to install them.

Then, just press the IEM port at a slight angle into the eartip hole, so it stretches around the port. Again, easy to show but hard to explain. Once you figure out the trick they’re pretty easy to install.

As for the type of eartip, I haven’t loved any of the stock ones. I use SpinFit CP145 Large eartips myself, which give a great seal for larger ear canals. Foam ones can be a good option too. Finding ones that seal well and are comfortable is one of the most important parts of IEM use, no matter the brand of IEM.

 

[unix-guy]

I used the Zeros for band rehearsal tonight. They sounded very good. I'll give the Cadenzas a run next week.

 

[synthpenguin]

Just wanted to say that I got the v2 of the Moondrop CHUs based on this thread, and they're great :) A good upgrade until I eventually get a new pair of headphones, and that makes me feel like I can wait a bit longer than planned to do that! Thank you!

 

[Sascha Franck]

Ok, I'm about to order one of these cheaper IE headphones. Would the Moondrop CHU 2 be a decent start? Or should I rather get the 7Hz Zeros?
Or have there been any new insights for those in the knows ever since this thread stopped being active?

 

[Lysander]

Ok, I'm about to order one of these cheaper IE headphones. Would the Moondrop CHU 2 be a decent start?

I had the original Chu's and, while they sounded quite good, i found them to be very uncomfortable.

I liked the TANGZU Wan'ers much, much better - and these can be regularly find online for US$11-15.

 

[Sascha Franck]

i found them to be very uncomfortable

Uncomfortable in what way? Isn't that all up to the actual earbuds?

I liked the TANGZU Wan'ers much, much better - and these can be regularly find online for US$11-15.

They're €25 at Amazon (which I will order from so they're here in time to be checked out on my next IEM gig).

 

[Lysander]

Uncomfortable in what way? Isn't that all up to the actual earbuds?

Chu's are metal and sort of L-shaped - not the most ergonomic out there. They fitted my ear canals just right, but consistently rubbed my outer ear. For some reason, cable noise also got (acoustically) amplified, which was annoying at times.

They're €25 at Amazon (which I will order from so they're here in time to be checked out on my next IEM gig).

Ah, bought mine for ~$14 from AliExpress back in the day. Turnaround was a couple weeks.

The Wan'ers are shaped like a "classic" IEM, i immediately found them way more comfortable than the Chu's. They also sound surprisingly good for a single driver IEM.

 

[dbagchee]

The Chu 2 has an updated shape that is a little more ergonomic than the original, but it’s still angular. The Wan’er does look more comfortable in the pics. That said, I haven’t had any discomfort with the Chu 2 and they seem to sit in my ears pretty well.

 

[Sascha Franck]

Well, I just ordered both. Had some leftover credit @ Amazon (xmas coupon gifts) that covered everything anyway. So let's wait and hear.

 

[spawnofthesith]

Can report that my whole band is still happily using the $25 7hz linsouls without any issues and a far better reliability track record than the Shure SE215s we were using before

 

[Sascha Franck]

Can report that my whole band is still happily using the $25 7hz linsouls without any issues and a far better reliability track record than the Shure SE215s we were using before

These were in my cart first, but after some reading I went for the Chu and the Wan'er for now. In case none of them are doing what I hope they will, I might check the 7Hz ones. Or consider stepping up to one of those 2-way models.
Considering how little IEM gigs I'm playing these days, I can't justify spending serious money on these things. I may have an entire lengthy tour coming up next winter (kinda like 30 shows or so), so if that's going to happen, I may invest a little more, but for those 2-3 IEM jobs coming up now, I hope the Chus or Wan'ers will do.

 

[bikescene]

I broke my Etymotic ER2SE headphones and am looking for a cheap replacement. How much isolation do the 7Hz, Chu’s, etc offer? I’m looking for IEMs for general listening, tracking, and playing drums.

 

[Sascha Franck]

How much isolation do the 7Hz, Chu’s, etc offer?

That's pretty much all up to the earbuds, isn't it?

 

[spawnofthesith]

If someone is trying to talk to me while I have them in, I cannot hear them

 

[aflynt]

Chu's are metal and sort of L-shaped - not the most ergonomic out there. They fitted my ear canals just right, but consistently rubbed my outer ear. For some reason, cable noise also got (acoustically) amplified, which was annoying at times.



Ah, bought mine for $11 from AliExpress back in the day. Turnaround was a couple weeks.

The Wan'ers are shaped like a "classic" IEM, i immediately found them way more comfortable than the Chu's. They also sound surprisingly good for a single driver IEM.

Same. The Chu just flop around too much in my ear. The TinHifi C3s have the best shape I've found for staying sealed in my ears. The TinHifi T3 Plus is ostensibly the same shape as well, but with better highs.

-Aaron

 

[Sascha Franck]

Very audiophile packaging. My older son (he's quite into "One Piece", a manga series) first thought the Chus would be some paraphernalia for him...

Now let me give them a testrun.

 

[Lysander]

Very audiophile packaging. My older son (he's quite into "One Piece", a manga series) first thought the Chus would be some paraphernalia for him...

Yup, surprisingly fancy packaging for such cheap IEMs - Moondrop, in particular, is great at these.

 

[Sascha Franck]

Ok, first mini resume: Looks as if the Moondrops will be it. With my ears, it's easier to fit them in without any low frequency loss and they also seem to sound more balanced (which might however as well be a result of the easier fit), the Wan'er are on the pretty bright side of things IMO. Might be nice for live at first but perhaps kill your ears on longer gigs.
And yeah, unfortunately there's chances of cable movements being transmitted by the Chus, but as I will fix them behind my neck anyway, that won't be an issue.
Also, while I really think they're kickass VFM, should that tour next winter materialize, I will likely get a 2- or 3-way model.