IEM for a stupidly small amount of money

Discussion in 'IEMs and Portable Gear' started by Rotijon, Jun 18, 2016.

  1. zerodeefex

    zerodeefex SBAF's Imelda Marcos

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    @shotgunshane, whose ears I trust to give me an accurate picture of how something will sound (even if our tastes differ), has given me his notes which caused me to avoid purchasing them previously. Regardless, I ordered a pair and will give it a fair shake. I'll eat crow if my predictions were wrong (as they've been in the past).

    I actually was not a huge fan of IEMs out of the 2A3 MKIV when I owned it, FWIW.

    You mean avoiding direct confrontation but remaining hostile?
     
  2. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    We need a custom title / rank to denote perma-rando.
     
  3. Griffon

    Griffon 2nd biggest asshole on SBAF

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    ε
     
  4. bixby

    bixby Friend

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    No, I think that is a valid point, I was more thinking of this def "indirect expression of hostility, such as through procrastination, stubbornness, sullen behavior, or deliberate or repeated failure to accomplish requested tasks for which one is (often explicitly) responsible"
     
  5. Tachikoma

    Tachikoma Almost "Made"

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    Fwiw, I'm auditioning the TFZ-5 right now, and they are undoubtedly decent even in bone stock form, straight out of my phone.

    The bass isnt as bad as expected, a little eq would probably be enough to make it tolerable for longer listening sessions.
     
    Last edited: Sep 25, 2016
  6. Priidik

    Priidik MOT: Estelon

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    Well, I suppose it's slight shilling here, but no worse than in HD650 or LCD-2 threads. As long as people give their sincere impressions in relation to their gear, I think it's fine, no matter if I don't care about the same qualities or gear, I do recognize these qualities exist. The only bias to shilling I see is the low price and initial clean bass-head level bass output. These do make shitty recordings sound better as a bonus.

    In the case of TFZ S5 the 'randos' probably listen to a lot of modern synthetic music, which isn't exactly HD650-s strongest suite. Makes one forget about honest presentation and fall in the basshead dream that the TFZ-s provide.

    What bothered you with it? Only iem-s I don't like with mine are bal-armatures. Might be the output |z| screwing with these.
     
  7. MrTurtle

    MrTurtle Facebook Friend

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    Glad to see some of the old guard putting some sense back in here. Threads like these made me feel that the quality and S/N ratio of this site had really taken a turn for the worse/ become a little too much like HF...
     
  8. woodlesscans

    woodlesscans New

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    What could be more HF-like than someone who hasn't heard a set of phones calling BS on someone who has been listening to them for months? ;)

    And more modern music, if you mean from the 70's onward, then yes.
     
  9. Kattefjaes

    Kattefjaes Mostly Harmless

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    It will be interesting to see the measurements and impressions from The Usual Suspects.
    How are people shilling by discussing the (long-established and greatly respected) HD650 in a semi-critical manner? Are you implying that they're deep cover Sennheiser employees/dealers? I'm genuinely confused.
     
  10. stratocaster

    stratocaster Friend

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    I have no intention of defending anybody in this thread, but can't we agree that it is necessary to hear these first before coming down on each other like this?

    BTW, do I think that these are end-game or best-evar? Nope. I have heard and modded S1, S3 and S5. To me they sounded and measured almost identical. They are not bad, modded at least, but personally I prefer something like the Fostex TE-02n by a fair margin. I would not recommend the S3 or S5 to my friends. S1 is cheap and quite good for the price when modded. I would consider the S3 and S5 rip-offs with cosmetic distraction tactics. On the other hand I would recommend the Fostex TE-02n in a heartbeat.
     
    Last edited: Sep 25, 2016
  11. Priidik

    Priidik MOT: Estelon

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    Greatly respected now. It hasn't been so all the time. Also, there are people who simply don't find HD650 end-game regardless of how good the chain is, and to them ongoing appraisal is kind of shilling. To STAX guys the Sennheiser camp are probably bunch of shills.
    I am not one of those, to me HD650 is very much endgame, but I respect those who think differently, usually I understand why too.

    edit: shilling should be used, when some personal gains are involved (I don't know of that mechanism in use here)
    maybe we should use words cult, cultism or cultist instead
     
    Last edited: Sep 25, 2016
  12. Kattefjaes

    Kattefjaes Mostly Harmless

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    Ah, see, I think this is the nub of the matter- maybe you should try using "fanboy" rather than "shill"- just as insulting, but possibly less confusing. At the risk of trivialising the discussion, I'm going to reply with a meme:

    [​IMG]

    (Sorry, really couldn't resist. It's not often that I get to be Inigo Montoya!)

    I'm pretty sure that no-one's in league with Sennheiser, or has a financial interest in their success here- they just like some aspects of some of their headphones (and are quite hard on others).

    Some unknown pushing a crazy budget IEM as the best thing since sliced bread, however, raises valid questions, it's extremely fishy. That's the distinction I'm getting at. Extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof, and all that. It's necessary to be very open and upfront when making claims like that as an unknown person talking about unknown headphones- and expect significant pushback if too much has been claimed without early substantiation. Fishy stuff does happen, and "digital marketing" can get very murky- there's a lot of snakeoil in audio.

    Anyway, all that aside, it will be easier to triangulate what's going on, when The Usual Suspects whose preferences and listening ability are known have been able to both listen to and measure these headphones. If they're as good as they're claimed, I am sure loads of people would be delighted to be proved wrong.

    Meantime, maybe it's worth not adding fuel to the fire by being angry and tangential- make some popcorn and enjoy the show! Sorry for the slightly rambling post- it was shorter in my head...

    Edit: You ninja-edited, and it seems like we're violently agreeing about "shill" being the wrong word- good stuff!
     
    Last edited: Sep 25, 2016
  13. Madaboutaudio

    Madaboutaudio Friend

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    Is the TFZ a good iem? Certainly, This chi-fi iem is certainly a very very good iem. But is it is overhyped? After reading the previous two pages, yes.

    Athough My modded TFZ S3S has good soundstage presentation, I don't think the TFZ are as good as the HD6x0. My "harakiri" modded TFZ Series 3S has still has noticeable dynamic driver graininess and cymbals and strings don't have the crystalline like clarity that you get from TOTL iems or the HD6x0(with good amp), the TFZ adds abit of softness(muff) to the mid upper treble which makes it a very forgiving(harshness/bad recording) iem, but you lose detailing(which includes plankton etc.).

    Imho, TFZ 3/5 is on par with the Vsonic GR-07 in alot of ways but It is certainly not as good as FA Fi-BA-SS, Jomo 6R, Sirius A93, XBA-Z5(with cable upgrade), FX1200, EX1000 or K10U or IE800 level.
     
    Last edited: Sep 25, 2016
  14. Tachikoma

    Tachikoma Almost "Made"

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    Huh, I head the TFZ-1S at the shop too and I took them out almost immediately (warm gooey mess).

    The new TFZ-5s I bought have less bass than the store's (presumably well broken-in) pair for some reason and sound perfectly alright with silicon tips to me, besides some treble shoutiness when pushed hard. Note that this is not a night and day difference, but more like one that gets more noticeable in long listening sessions.
     
  15. Kattefjaes

    Kattefjaes Mostly Harmless

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    Since you've heard these TFZs, how would you compare them to the MEE Pinnacle P1, if you've heard those? I'm vaguely looking for some decent-value dynamic IEMs to keep my SE535s company, for when I don't want those brittle highs.

    Edit:

    I do already have some SE215s, which are dynamic, but find them rather muffled, and have to EQ them quite heavily in the mid-bass, unless I am listening to old, badly-recording hip hop.

    Edit the second:

    OK, this is why we don't rely on long-term memory. I just went for a walk with the SE215s to remind myself of how they sound.

    "Muffled" is a terrible description. I find the SE215 rather overpowered by their own plentiful but not overly-detailed bass. If I EQ a chunk of it out, the mids and highs come through a lot more and the perceived detail is better.

    So, I guess this has turned into a more general question for someone who has heard the TFZ, Pinnacle P1 and SE215- would I be buying more unsatisfying midfi crap, or would the P1 be a useful commuting dynamic IEM, assuming the TFZs turn out not to be made of magic?

    (Maybe I should ask this in another thread, sorry folks.)
     
    Last edited: Sep 25, 2016
  16. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    The problem is that we don't know who these people are. Doesn't matter if the product is cheap. Manufacturers, particularly the lesser known ones, have been known to pull off stuff like this. Again, rando (with three posts) + claims of best evar = alarms go off.

    As with sincerity, I'm fine with that, as long as it comes with competency. I don't care if someone says the Grado GS1000 is the best ever (to him), as long as he is competent enough to call out the screwy frequency response. Again, meritocracy. Being sincere isn't enough. HF has thousands upon thousands of sincere impressions, the vast majority of them useless to the readers here.

    We try to seek balance. There is already a forum dedicated to the complete and total superiority and unassailability of STAX. So that's why @OJneg knocks them down a peg, or two, or three. I like STAX more than I care to admit, I just don't want to go down that road again with limited amplification options, craptastic and overpriced USA customer service, 100% fail rate in high humidity environments, etc.

    A lot of longtime members own STAX too.
     
    Last edited: Sep 25, 2016
  17. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    I'm still not convinced everyone here gets it yet.

    If it sounds like I am discouraging randos from making fantastical statements at the get-go, it's because I am. More reasonable or measured (pun intended) statements or informational posts (this is how I did a mod) would probably be a better way for people to start out posting. People need to earn their right to make certain kinds of statements; but not even that: contributing content over a period of time allows readers to know a member's sonic preferences, music, associated gear, and in turn also allows a member to learn common vocabulary and thought processes to better describe sonic properties of gear. This process actually happens very quickly.

    It's never been explicitly stated, but this is a club. Always has been.
     
  18. OJneg

    OJneg The Most Insufferable

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    Something about the IEM market seems to draw the most rabid fanboiz.
     
  19. sphinxvc

    sphinxvc Gear Master (retired)

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    Exactly. This thread is putrid. We have no reference for what these people think, but here they come waving their dicks in our faces ("I have heard IEMs that cost $x to $x,xxx", "I compared it to rigs that cost $x,xxx dollars") clawing desperately for credibility, and immolating themselves in hyperbole for visibility. f**k all that. I'll take the cautious stance and even pre-emptively calling bullshit (while being prepared to eat words) over the praise auto-bukkake any day -- take that shit back where it came from. Keeping S/N up is not an easy task, and I understand the need to balance out drivel with more dick-mode. Typically there's more of a goldilocks rhetoric here, but noise brings out the worst in us.

    On a side note, maybe SBAF is on a fool's errand thinking it can keep the noise of the internet out of here, maybe HF has it right - soul for sale to the highest bidder (OBO), or maybe HC does - shoot first, ask questions later. As long as this place keeps trying to raise S/N ratio though, holding people to a high standard while still being welcoming, it might just actually get there.

    I'm thankful for the measured impressions rolling out, no doubt the positive of all this scandal is it will bring even more quality impressions.

    Potential title for perma-randos - Bye Felicia
     
    Last edited: Sep 25, 2016
  20. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Can someone post an image and/or describe this Mirakuru mod? Been skimming pages and can't find.
     

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