KBEAR - KB02

KZ Castor Pro Bass - has bass but the other end of the spectrum was a hot mess. KBear KB02 - Having the BCD trigger at any frequency makes it only usable for music. Moondrop Chu - Not having earhooks made them constantly fall out. Moondrop Aria - Straight nozzle with no lip made it so the tips always came off in my ear.

Right now, the KBEar KB02 with TangSancai Widebore tips are really solid at their price point. I'm testing the TRI Draco, and it isn't bad. A little warm with a pretty steep treble roll-off, but the pertinent info for gamimg is there and the spatial imaging is solid. The ThieAudio Elixir with Whizzer ET100 tips does quite well, but the stage is a little narrow. I've had good luck with the KiwiEars Quintet EQd above 1500Hz to a replica of the Tea2 squig. Stage outside your head, which is nice. That EQ takes care of the Quintet's sibilance around 6K, too. I still haven't tried the EM6L, and doubt I ever will. Too much treble. Others seem to really like it for gaming. The Dunu DaVinci is similarly tuned to the Tea Pro, but I haven't had a chance to really put my pair to the test in gaming despite loving them for music. You could give the TRN White Tiger a try.

One of my personal favorite IEMs is the Thieaudio Elixir. It just has delicious mids that follow a guitar amp's breakup patterns incredibly well. Not over-emphasized in the bass, but accurate and quick. Metal and prog are fantastic in these, as are aggressive synths in electronic stuff. I just love dynamic drivers, and they picked a good one. Its cheaper counterpart would have to be the KBEar KB02 as far as mids go. That thing, for $40, just beats ass. A solid runner-up would have to be the Dunu DaVinci. Big smooth bass, smooth present treble, and polite but naturally timbred mids ever so slightly recessed. My daily driver over ears are the Neumann NDH-30. As a reference and mixing monitor replacement, they're fantastic. Favorite headphones I've ever put on my head. Granted, when you get into IEMs you have to take into account your own personal HRTF and pinna gain. IEMs have to compensate for pinna gain through tuning given they bypass the outer part of your ear. What I hear in one set may not be exactly what you hear in the same set due to differences in our individual anatomy.

The Tripowin Vivace is getting praise in that price range specifically for gaming. Otherwise, look into the KBEar KB01 or KB02. The 02 is an acquired taste due to the nature of the bone conduction drivers for the bass and their resonance, but they are pretty good for gaming (I own both) You can buy a cable with an in-line mic for about $10, as well.

I sing the praises of the Thieaudio Elixir anywhere I go. The tuning is Hexa with more mid bass and slightly more sub, wider pinna gain (more accurate mids), smoother and less peaky treble with just as much detail. The mids growl and follow all the details of distortion quite well, the bass thumps and booms with texture, and the treble is very detailed for a single DD. Runner up is the KBEar KB02. Despite its physical resonance, I really enjoy the bone conduction bass. It separates itself so well from the mids. The mids are just shy of shouty in the upper registers. Gives great attitude to rock vocalists and guitars, and allows synths in harder electronic music to really growl and percolate. The dynamic driver is pretty impressive for its price point.

If you really, really want to try a BC driver, you can do what I did and pick up the KBear KB02 for about $20. Although I have to say, the Plutus Beast is much better looking, which nearly tempted me into buying it. Anyway, if you do get the KB02 consider that you're basically throwing away $20 for a novelty experience which you probably won't listen to again. The BC drivers do have a real effect, almost like haptics, but the tuning sounds like you're listening to music through a cardboard tube. There's also a weird resonance from the BC driver with certain frequencies. AFAIK the Plutus Beast has basically all the same issues, but it's more expensive. At least with the KB02 you aren't wasting too much money to try it out, if you really have a bad case of the FOMO. Also if you are wondering about higher end BCDs like the Thieaudio Origin, apparently that's a different type. I don't think there's a budget option with that kind of driver, so experiences with the KB02 or Plutus Beast won't give you any real idea what IEMs like the Origin are like. I didn't find that out until after I got my KB02. But also, some reviewers describe things like the springy resonance being the same on all of them, so maybe the difference isn't that big anyway. I will say that it has killed my interest in BCDs including the Origin, as I now see it as just a gimmick, like 3D movies.

Don't bother with the KB02 unless you really just want to try out bone conduction. It sounds like you're hearing everything through a cardboard tube. I suppose it's fine if you like Beats, Skullcandy and those sorts of things. Not so much if you've heard any good bassy IEMs. Audio Amigo and Paul Wasabii both have fairly balanced reviews, but I let my curiosity get the better of me. I suppose it's "unique" if you have a large IEM collection, if it's also what you consider throwaway money.

I wouldn't list the QKZ Hades, as it's pretty universally hated, unless you specifically mention that it's a *very* niche tuning most people don't like (even most bassheads). And even among people who like it at all, it's generally a one-genre set. I'd strike the Juzear Clear off the list because it appears to have [really bad unit variance](https://old.reddit.com/r/iems/comments/1insj4z/some_thoughts_on_the_juzear_clear_and_myer_audio/). I still recommend it for the cable if it's on sale for $20, but only if you really want that cable (it normally costs about $15-20 on its own). It's not a highly recommended IEM anyway, it just had a brief period of hype as a basshead IEM. Rarely gets mentioned nowadays. Neither of my two units are true basshead sets (and one is quite bright), so clearly some golden units went out to reviewers. The Blon BL03 ii hasn't got particularly good reviews. It seems to be that if you care about tuning, the original is better. The new one has 2-pin but it has all the ergonomic problems that plagued the original, so I don't think it should be recommended at all, with maybe a nod to the original as being a classic if people are able to pick one up cheaply. I don't think the KBear KB02 is worth recommending unless you specifically want to know what a BC driver does, in which case it's the cheapest way to get one. I got one for that reason. It sounds pretty bad. All the reviews point out the same issue - there's some weird "springy" resonances, especially noticeable with spoken word. It also makes everything sound like you're listening through a cardboard tube. It's just weird, not good. Audio Amigo and Paul Wasabii both have good reviews btw, I agree with pretty much everything they say about them. I don't see the Tin Hifi C2 mentioned on your original list or the new one. That's a 2025 version out recently. I have both and they are both excellent. Lots of reviews out there, but fewer for the 2025 version. I'm not sure if the old one is being discontinued, but it seems to be still for sale for about $20 while the new one is closer to $40. The difference between the two versions is quite subtle. The Moondrop Starfield 2 got pretty universally terrible reviews. The Juzear 41t and the Flame are the same IEM, so I'd put them on the same line - the flame just has a different faceplate. I have the 41t and it's good aside from the annoyingly bad venting, but I'm hesitant about recommending it for the reasons mentioned in my post about the Clear. Since it's a hybrid it really *should* be fully vented and I now consider this an engineering flaw rather than "just the way it is". Every other manufacturer seems to be able to vent their hybrid IEMs properly. The 7Hz Timeless probably shouldn't be on the list because it's very outdated nowadays. It's only a classic because it was the first reasonably-tuned planar, not because it's good by current standards. It was still an early and not-very-refined version of a formula that's been iterated on continually since then. The AE is better but less widely reviewed. The 2 seems to be getting good reviews but I believe it's closer to $300.

I think the KB02 is a good entry point to bone conduction. Effectiveness of the tech seems to vary from person to person and the low price would be a good way to understand if you would prefer to get higher end BC like the DMAs or a multi hybrid set like the Supermix 4. You might even be happy with the KB02, ultra budget sets can be very surprising. I was using a set of borrowed Supermix 4 for gaming (excellent btw) when I added KZ PRX planars to an order just to bump my total up to the next coupon tier. I returned the Supermix because the cheap PRX set (on a 4.4 balanced cable with a good source) sounded better to my ear for gaming and music. A tuning which matches your personal sound preferences can trump a technically better IEM.

kbear kb02 on ali- good budget set, worth the 20$, bone conduction works!! ew300 x hbb on ali - another budget set, worth the 60 i spent, going to take this pair to work kiwiears aether on linsoul - my favorite planar so far sivga que on linsoul- on the way! fiio ft1 on linsoul - branching out from iems, also on the way!

funny because i was also looking at all the sets that you bought this sale haha, maybe next time we'll align in the 11.11 sale i also have the pula anvil 114 and the kbear kb02 is comparable, much cheaper and you get the soundstage the bone conduction gives in the pula, but missing some technicalities/texture, but if you like the pula you'll enjoy the kb02!

i would 100% recommend the kb02, it’s super cheap and so worth the money, i actually have them in right now haha ive tried the s12 2024 and the kz prx, so not that many, but the aether definitely cuts down on the planar sharpness that’s signature of the other two

Bassy IEMs: Under $5 * QKZ AK6 Pro $25 and lower (bass-focused) * KBEar Rosefinch \* * QKZ x HBB (OG version) \* * BLON BL-01 * KZ Castor Bass \* $25 and lower (neutral warm) * Tangzu Wan'er SG/Wan'er 2 \* * 7Hz x Crinacle Salnotes Zero 2 \* * Moondrop Chu 2 * KZ Castor Silver (UUDD switches) $25-60 (bass-focused) * BLON BL-03/BL-03 II \* * BLON x HBB Z300 * TinHiFi C3 Mk2 \* * 7Hz x HBB Elua * Kinera Celest Gumiho * KZ Castor Pro Bass \* * CCA Rhapsody \* * CCA Trio \* $25-60 (neutral warm) * Kefine Klean \* * Inawaken Dawn Ms \* * Kiwi Ears Cadenza \* * Tripowin x 0DiBi Vivace \* * Kinera Celest Wyvern Abyss \* * Tangzu YuXuanJi * KBear KB02 * KZ Zenith (UUDD switches) \* * KZ Castor Pro Silver (UUDD switches) Special mentioned * Truthear x Crinacle Zero Blue 2 \* * QKZ x HBB Khan (\* recommend)

$25 and lower * Tangzu Wan'er SG/Wan'er 2 * 7Hz x Crinacle Salnotes Zero 2 \* * Moondrop Chu 2 * KZ Castor Silver (UDDD switches) \* $25-60  * Kefine Klean \* * Inawaken Dawn Ms \* * Truthear x Crinacle Zero Red \* * Truthear x Crinacle Zero Blue 2 \* * Kiwi Ears Cadenza * Tripowin x 0DiBi Vivace * Kinera Celest Wyvern Abyss * Kinera Celest IgniteX Beast \* * Tangzu YuXuanJi * KBear KB02 \* * KZ Zenith (UUDD switches) \* * KZ Castor Pro Silver (UDDD switches) \* Or any other neutral warm IEMs, but the two Truthear Crinacle are the closest one with minimal mid-bass. Or go for planar IEMs, which their bass is speedy decay enough to be not too much mid bass: * SGOR Luna * Artti T10/T10 Pro * NiceHCK F1 Pro * Shozy P10/P20 * Letshuoer S08

You can also try Kbear kb02 i own them they are nice but need a little bit extra power

Oh there are a few. Artti T10, SGOR Luna, Truthear Hexa, KBEAR KB02, moondrop Aria 2. Just got the 7hz G1 so testing those now. T10 is my primary go to at the moment.

KBear KB02. The bone conduction driver has a bizarre tone - like listening to a speaker through rubber tube. Certain bass frequencies seem to 'ring' the driver's resonant frequency, which is a jumpscare when the right 808, bass guitar, etc., hits. FWIW i'm not a neutral-head, and like a 'fun' IEM with bass, but everything sounds so off.