Your candidates are good choices, and I have them all except the T10. I listen to all kinds of music myself. Pure is the only one I rarely use - if I feel for warm and smooth sound, I'd rather grab the Explorer. Defiant is more "entertaining" and less comfortable for me. HEXA is a true all-rounder. I would have a hard time choosing as I love them all, but Explorer is probably my favorite, and also the one you will be able to EQ the most.
I have the Defiant, Explorer, and Hexa. I don’t EQ which is why I chose these 3 different sets, so I can’t speak as to how each responds to that. Hard to pic a favorite, as they are all great, but I’d say Explorer is a safe bet because they are comfortable, and although relaxed, still give great detail in the treble. The Hexa are too polarizing, you either love them or hate them because they’re “boring.” Defiant sound amazing as a mild V-shape set, but they do have QC issues, so if you go that route, make sure you order from a place with a good return policy (I can attest for Hifigo for this, as my left driver had flex and they replaced them). Hope this helps
Not sure your gonna smell sounds, as that’s synesthesia, a neurological condition. But as someone who recently joined this hobby coming from APP2, the juice is definitely worth the squeeze for me. I am currently using the Truthear Hexa, Aful Explorer, Juzear Defiant (and the requisite hype train Kunten) along with the Black Pearl. I can confidently say that these iems with the proper setup blow the AirPods out of the water (for me). I still use them for calls and exercise, but the sound quality is far inferior to my iems.
The Explorer and Kunten are very different, but I much prefer the Explorer. Kunten are V shaped, and sound good for the price, but can’t compare to the Explorer. The Explorer are more L shaped, darker sounding with more relaxed treble, and scale very well. At higher volumes, they sound amazing (they sound good at lower volumes too) and although the treble is relaxed, it’s still quite detailed. I use them when I want a more relaxed session.
What would you say the upper mids/treble is like on the Luna? I’ve got the Aful explorers and I like the overall warmth of the set, but I want something with better detail on the upper minds/treble. I listen to a lot of breakcore and the Explorers feel sort of low res in that region
I love my Explorer with the S&S, it's my top choice. I have tried Zeos Render, Penon orange, Nicehck C04, Zhu Rhymes bamboo, kbear coffee and have always gone back to the S&S. Having said that, eartips are very personal choices for different people so just stick with whatever feels best for you.
https://preview.redd.it/dtek5ukvlonf1.jpeg?width=4080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b4eeb391a93df7a691f698dc0fd4c2abc91f1798
Aful Explorer Onix Alpha XI1 Tripowin Zonie 4.4 Dunu S&S
A 4.4 cable is a must if pairing the Explorer with the Onix Alpha, a very noticeable improvement in soundstage over the stock 3.5
AFUL Explorer is not new. Not even close. I’m skipping a wordy lead up and unboxing by hitting a few main points.
- Love the case. Puck style with a zipper. The suede material to the case is very nice to the touch.
- The cable is ok. Not cheap feeling but I chose a 3rd party cable as you can see in the photo.
- Eartips. Good enough selection especially if these are your first IEM. I chose to use a set of modded tips (I’ll get into that a little further down)
The photo does NOT do these IEM justice. I was taken aback when I opened up the box and able to look at the IEMs in person. The rich blue tones with the sparkles really is eye catching. These are not a large IEM and likely to fit most ears. My only issue with the build. Same issue i have with the Performer 5+2, as well as Truthear Hexa. There is NO FILTER at the nozzle. The openings to the sound tubes are completely “unguarded” which triggers my paranoia. This may do the same for some of you also. MY solution is to use ear tips that are equipped with “gunk guards” I chose AZLA SednaEarfit tips, specifically the ASMR Max. I like these shorter ear tips on my IEMs because they provide a deep ear fit. As I mentioned before, this specific set of tips are modded. I have used foam from a set of foam ear tips to fill the space under the umbrella or cap. Resulting in a short, filtered hybrid tip…perfect for my use and sound preference (with this set)
Sound: The Explorer is a revelation. I’ve seen and read up on every review I got my hands on before buying. Each review said the same things… “warm” “smooth” “relaxing” “unique” I wholeheartedly agree with all those opinions. I think what does get missed is the details these can still reveal in a well mixed/mastered track. The soundstage is not wide, but the imaging is still superb. The bass is quite obviously notable. However, I prefer a bit more bass with this warm presentation. This is where those short hybrid tips come into play. The deep insertion plus the foam helped bring more “warmth” to the table. The resulting sound is NOT muddy nor was the treble veiled (which goes back to the details and imaging) The mids, specifically vocals, some of the tracks I listened to…the vocals seemed a little recessed. Enough for me to take notice, but not enough to prevent me from enjoying the music with this set.
The Explorer IS that nice warm IEM you can sit on the couch or in bed to relax to. Is it my first choice if I want to do some critical listening? No. Is it a set I’ll pick up to vibe with my tunes…ABSOLUTELY. They perform well across genres: rock, pop, hip hop, edm, METAL! They are smooth and warm enough that JPOP and K-POP can be enjoyed at higher volumes without fatigue. Film scores (the good ones…😅) can come across as cinematic, particularly Hans Zimmer’s F1 and the two Dune sound tracks. The warm lush sound is not my preference for classical pieces nor jazz pieces. BUT, that’s just me.
I really enjoy the vibe this set brings. It is my go-to for my listening session before I go to sleep. Definitely a good set to add to your collection if you have several others. If this is a prospective first set…then it’s a safe first purchase. Especially if you’re coming from TWS that are quite generous in the low end.
Peeps here touched on it. A GREAT IEM now…will still be a GREAT IEM in 20 years (if the unit lasts that long) Koss and Sennheiser each have headphone models and designs that have been popular and even revered for over 40 years. That said…IEMs like Truthear Hexa and/or Mega5est will have staying power because of their reputation at their “hyped” peak. I think AFUL Explorer will be one of those IEMs that will be talked about for a long time. It has a very warm, smooth, relaxed tuning (treble) that is not common at that price point. Am sure there are fans of kilobuck or expensive mid-fi IEMs that have their favorites that they’ll swear will stand the test of time.
The IEM space is quite young still. Yes, musicians and artists have been using IEMs for a long time…but for those of us using IEMs for music/gaming it is still a young development. Good luck with your collection journey. Consider using a watch box to store and display your IEMs (if you are into that)
I love how smooth and relaxed the Explorers are. I listen to them when I'm not focusing on the music. Not in the sense I'm not paying attention...but not focusing to the details and nuance. It's a set I listen to for chill time.
Think you're recognizing a misstep from when you first started...that's a lot of budget sets....that may or may not sound the same. Taking a methodical approach and you'll figure out EXACTY what you like and don't like (sonic preferences)
Can't comment on those apps you're askign about. My EQ solution is on my computer or my DAP. EQ is a very useful tool to get the most out of your IEMs but also to dial down to what your ears like or don't like.
Zero 2 is still a good budget set to start with. You might also want to look at Kiwi Ears Cadenza and Kinera Celeste Wyvern.
I have all three of these and they perform well with playing rock music. I find the Cadenza to have the best bass performance out of these three. Zero 2 is a tad warmer. None of them are sibilant...at least nothing in my library of music.
APOS x Community have the Rock Lobster which goes for around 60usd...they are "supposed" to be tuned for rock music. If that still fit your budget...it could be a solid choice for you.
Moving up in price point around 100usd...gets to AFUL Explorer and Letshuoer S08. Both are warm and smooth. I have the Explorer and they are a wonderful set for rock. I'm running them through various rock genres last night. The warmth and down tilted treble allowed for higher volume listening. Was very fun!
Pure is neutral that leans warm. Explorer is WARM that leans bassy. They’re quite different tonally. The Explorer while it’s warm and bassy…can still give you some treble extension. Vocals (through my listening habits) tend to take a LITTLE bit of a back seat. The Pure, to me, really does have that HD600 feel. Neutral and pleasant. There’s “bass” but it’s not overbearing. The balance of tonality is really good…which is probably why some people call them natural. Do you have any others to contrast between the two?
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