KZ - x HBB

EQed QKZ x HBB. I should have written in the first post that I use EQ, sorry I forgot about this important detail. As for the EQ I use *Hot Monster Output* in MSEB settings in Hiby R4 player.

Link to what? IEM: [https://www.linsoul.com/products/qkz-x-hbb?srsltid=AfmBOorHXr5-Ccfk2JbPPUJtrXPyBWcjeDP1KSGggRv49aiG9M5CgSQi](https://www.linsoul.com/products/qkz-x-hbb?srsltid=AfmBOorHXr5-Ccfk2JbPPUJtrXPyBWcjeDP1KSGggRv49aiG9M5CgSQi) [https://qkzheadphone.com/product/qkz-hbb-3-5mm-in-ear-sports-earphones-for-mobile-gaming/](https://qkzheadphone.com/product/qkz-hbb-3-5mm-in-ear-sports-earphones-for-mobile-gaming/) [https://www.amazon.com/Linsoul-QKZ-HBB-Titanium-Coated-Silver-Plated/dp/B0BDDZVV1F](https://www.amazon.com/Linsoul-QKZ-HBB-Titanium-Coated-Silver-Plated/dp/B0BDDZVV1F) \+ aliexpress My small post about these IEMs: [link](https://www.reddit.com/r/iems/comments/1j8ofyu/i_like_the_qkz_x_hbb_am_i_a_pleb/)

You should check out the QKZ x HBB Hades. I have both and the Hades hooked me within 30 seconds of listening. Highly recommend.

Cheap ones: Kbear Rosefinch, Whizzer/Opera Factory OS1 Pro, CCA CRA, More pricey ones: 7Hz Legato, QKZ x HBB Hades, Campfire Audio Honeydew. In case you are looking for a cheap one I would go for the Rosefinch. If you have more money to burn, probably the Honeydew would suffice. :) I only have the Castor Bass and I also had the QKZ x HBB Khan (not the standard QKZ x HBB), but for me the Castor was way better.

I just gave away my pair of QKZ-HBB Hades last night. I would have offered them to you for free. Are you in the US?

Qkz x hbb has way more rumble than castor bass (not pro). I don't think that pro really improves on that aspect. But you need to find the right tips for your ears. Stock qkz hbb tips kinda trash like on most budget iems. Qkz x hbb hades has even more bass, sub bass a little worse than qkz x hbb, but they're more comfortable at higher volume, but it's not for everyone and not for every type of music and it's harder to drive, but i really love them, they're my favorite with qkz x hbb atm. Castor and castor pro are also a little harder to drive. You won't find better bass quality with good quantity at this price than qkz x hbb. Kbear Rosefinch has more quantity but it lacks any rumble and punch for me. Kz saga bass could be a good competitor to qkz x hbb from what I've heard. Also there is new 7hz elua, wich is hbb colab, also could be something interesting, but a little bit more expensive. I'm waiting for both of those and more pairs to hear them, since i can't really find anything to replace qkz x hbb. I'd say go with qkz x hbb. They're absolute beasts for hip hop and any other genre really, if you're into dark sound signature which helps bass. Qkz x hbb hades are absolutely fucking insane for hip hop, but could be lacking in other genres, but i like them for most other music too. But for movies i always use qkz x hbb.

I didn't like the Hades personally, but its an ok IEM though. there's only 3 versions of them, the original, the hades, and khan the original is my favorite on all 3, being its so close to my QKZ AK6 Pro while still having enough clarity and sparkle.

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)

As bassy as Rosefinch? sadly none, if you can wait for a Sale, QuietSea II (which is $70 stock). We bassheads really are starving out here in the $50 price range. Now, if you want only bass, no exageration, like literally only bass, consider QKZxHBB Hades.

It really depends on each people ears and taste in music. Basshead or normal people usually like v shaped iem, even if it's cheap one like qkz hbb they gonna pick it over 64audio u12t for example

Agreed, they are complete shite. Will never buy a HBB collab again

**QKZ HBB:** Has more bass compared to Castor Pro, but comes with slight compromises in Mids and Treble. In certain songs the bass tends to mask the vocals. The Treble is smooth for some, but it is on the darker side. **Castor Pro:** Has Bass and good sub bass rumble and it is one of the sets that maintains a balance in everything. It has Sub bass, mid bass, decent Mids and resolving Treble. For me, this is the jack of all trades set under 20 dollars. Most bassy iems tend to sacrifice on mid bass punch to maintain the Mids. This does provide that mid bass punch but at a cost of harman-ish Mids.

Will you plug them directly to Dualsense? Be aware there will most likely be loud hiss everytime the sound plays. Mostly noticeable when navigating through dashboard for example but not noticeable while playing a game actually I have qkz hbb and tangzu waner and both do the same. Only on dualsense.

It seems the Chu 2 is a highly regarded iem here, well if you go outside your comfort zone, I mean see outside the box there are many better budget options to consider, here 7hz Salnotes Zero 2 is a slightly more bassy version of the Chu 2, a good allrounder Blon Z300 is basically a very balanced set with good sub bass and a clean unspicy treble, comes with a decent 4.4mm balanced cable  QKZ xHBB is my fav budget basshead, it can produce immersive reverberating sub bass rumble with the right matching eartips (Spinfit CP100 for me), it also has good soundstage and imaging, with clean vocal and treble clarity too The KZ Saga is a rare KZ with a very well balanced neutral tuning, not lacking or boosting any part of the frequencies, with the right matching eartips it can qualify as an budget audiophile quality basshead, especially the bass version CCA Trio can be considered as a small upgrade from the Castor Bass with less overwhelming bass intensity and a more balanced set with a clean un-muddy sub bass focus Truthear Zero (blue) are mostly balanced sounding, with good imaging and soundstage, has good bass punch and texture

Sound signature always makes up 90% of how good an IEM sounds. If the sound signature already isn't to your liking, chances are you wont like the rest of whatever the IEM has to offer. The quintet is an amazing IEM for the money, I owned one for a time, but it was a little too bright for me so I ended up not using it much. You probably just enjoy the heavier bass of the QKZ in this case, an IEM I also used to own but sold off to my friend because I didnt like how much bass it had. Notice the duality here? SInce you prefer more bassy sets, you may end up liking more expensive bass heavy IEMs like the kiwi ears x HBB punch, punch audio martillo or Thieaudio Origin. With that said, diminishing returns begin very early in this hobby. You may find any of the IEMs i mentioned above to be nicer than the QKZ but not by much. The chifi scene has been lowering the price barrier for high end audio and its only continue to get lower as time goes on

i have 2 dirt cheap iem use for gaming kz castor bass boost and qkz hbb, but i use qkz for fps game, e.g., on cs2 dust2 im on mid ramp i can hear both connector and A long double door footstep.

? These don't sound like the BL03, but they definitely aren't lacking in bass, especially not midbass. You most likely aren't getting a proper seal, or maybe you got a faulty set. I would actually say that the CCA CRA is one of the most BL03-like IEMs, although the BL03 is better. The overall tonality is quite similar. The HBB is much warmer, with less of that sparkly upper treble that the BL03 has. The only other one I've heard that's a bit like the BL03, but a bit bassier and not quite as resolving, is the Tripowin Piccolo. It also has a more normal fit than the BL03. It's pretty good if you find it on sale - it's not so well known because it was way overpriced at release into a very competitive market at the time. If you're looking for something that sounds *exactly* like the BL03, you pretty much need to stick to the BL03 itself. There's a new version just been released with a 2pin connector. They changed the tuning slightly but I haven't heard it. Not many reviews yet. HBB says it's good, but his review is a bit hand-wavy.

They definitely do **not** sound like that normally. That's the complete opposite of how they sound. I have two pairs of HBBs and they sound identical.

It's very good. The Zero 2 is borderline neutral (but definitely warm tilted) whereas the HBB definitely has more bass than neutral. But it still sounds very natural. It's relaxing & non-distracting at low volumes, fun at higher volumes. BTW, if your Zero:2 doesn't sound warmer than the Wan'er then there's probably something wrong with it, you didn't get a good seal with the tips, or you have a Zero 1 not the Zero 2. If you're looking for a punchy style of bass, none of these do that. They're all the relaxing, warm style of tuning, just with different amounts of bass & low mids.

I would recommend the HBB over the coffee bean. I have both and the CB is more v-shaped and a bit grainy. I like the shells with the rubber fin though. Other manufacturers should steal that idea.

Yeah, the coffee bean isn't worth that sort of money. I think I paid about $12 for mine and consider them "OK" for the price. Certainly not one I'm rushing to recommend to everyone. If you really want one just for the looks or whatever, add it to your wishlist on Aliexpress and look out for it popping up in Super Deals. $12 was after coupons, but those sales are at least once a month anyway. The HBB however punches well above its weight for tuning. You mainly get what you pay for in terms of looks :) I've got mine on $10-a-pair Azla eartips and $60 Hakugei cable. Planning to customise the faceplate eventually. It's my 3rd favourite IEM at any price and probably the one I listen to the most overall. The S08 is maybe creeping up on play time and they have a similar-ish sort of sound, but the S08 is a lot more vocal forward and energetic. The HBB is more laid back, so it's good for background listening. The HBB also has better quality bass in some ways (though the S08 is much more resolving, as you'd expect).

Not really in order, as different tunings: * Moondrop Chu 2 - mild v-shape, great IEM * QKZ HBB - warm/bassy, great IEM * Blon BL03 - fun v-shape (but the fit is terrible) Bright neutral has a few options - I prefer the original Chu but the crappy fixed cable lets it down. The 7Hz Zero is a bit better in that regard, but I don't think it sounds quite as good. Arguably it's better to pay the extra for the Moondrop LAN for this signature because it's the best one until you go up significantly, but OTOH it's also kind of overpriced for what it is (I think it's around $40 normally, but it's basically just a Chu 2 with less bass). The 7Hz Zero 2 is OK as well but I personally find it a bit of an overly safe middle ground between other, better IEMs. Like the QKZ HBB, if you want warm but don't want to go quite that warm. It's probably the one that's the closest competitor to the Wan'er, as a better all-rounder. Although I find the Wan'er has a stand-out feature in its vocals while being weaker elsewhere, but the Zero 2 doesn't have a single stand-out thing it does better than anything else. It could maybe get the award for the okayest $20 IEM, as it doesn't do anything bad, but nothing stands out as particularly good either. You also have things like the KZ EDC Pro as probably the best beginner IEM, for around $5. It's very close to the Chu 2 but a bit bassier and slightly less refined in the treble. Probably more comfortable than the Chu 2 and less prone to condensation issues. The KZ Castor Bass, around $15, is good for a really hard-hitting bass tuning, although it's not an all-rounder and the tuning is a bit grainy.

I tried ranking my IEMs a while ago. It gets harder to say after the top 3, but those are: 1. Simgot EA1000 2. Letshuoer S08 3. QKZ HBB Not a lot of correlation between price and ranking. The Variations is my most expensive IEM so far, but it's ranked a lot lower down because of the bass tuck and comfort reasons. It does have the best treble, but the EA1000 is comparatively about 98% - equally resolving, just not quite as smooth. The EA1000 has much more correct-sounding bass. It's only real flaw is the slight cool tilt to the midrange, which I would change if I could, but it also doesn't bother me. Everything else about the EA1000 is basically endgame for me.

Well I rank them #3, so IDK what else you want me to add. For context I own about 50 IEMs, up to and including the Variations and quite a few in the $150-300 bracket.

I would say that the QKZ HBB and the Truthear Hola are two of the best examples of tuning to the driver, and they both sound similar except the HBB has more bass overall. They both make the same sacrifice: you don't get tons of detail/resolution in the treble. But if you have a cheap driver, you can't do everything, so it that's a pretty sensible trade-off to then focus on making everything else about the tuning really good. And in both of those cases they really pulled it off. I think the HBB is actually slightly better than the Hola in that the Hola is quite tip-sensitive and the stock tips it comes with are terrible. Plus it's discontinued and they replaced it with the Gate, which isn't as good. Hola is better if you want that same warm blanket of sound, but a bit more neutral.

How long have you had the HBB? I didn't like them at first but they're now one of my favourite IEMs. They really need some brain burn-in. It's possible that just doesn't work for everyone, but I hope you give them a proper chance before giving up on them. I don't find them particularly tip-sensitive, so how they sound is just how they sound. But I do think you get used to how bassy they are after about a week, and then they start to sound a lot more natural. It's like you're always *aware* that they have more bass than they should, but it stops sounding wrong and any sense of muddiness goes away. I haven't heard the Hades though, so if you mean that one... yeah from what I've heard one has no redeeming features at all. I'd like to try it at some point just for a laugh, but not if they insist on keeping the price at $50.

Yes. The HBB is just a very warm & relaxing tuning, but it's also good for focusing on other things, because vocals are a bit less forward than usual. The OH300 is very similar but more vocal-forward and has very immersive soundstage.

I like the S08 a lot, but it's quite tip-sensitive and the bass quality isn't the best for its price. It lacks detail/texture, especially compared to S12-like planars. It's a warm, dark sound with very intimate soundstage. More of a relaxing set than a high-volume, high-energy set. I don't rate the Explorer all that highly because the eargain makes vocals sound veiled, but they are also quite sibilant. That only gets worse with more volume. So far I haven't found any eartips that fix it. Other than that it's really good though and definitely the sort of tuning that would scale well were not for the sibilance, which may not be a problem for some. Haven't heard the Odyssey. I haven't found the perfect set for this purpose yet. The closest I have is the Ikko OH10, which is my main walking-around IEM. It's not perfect though as the treble can be a bit strident (with some sibilance too, though less than the Explorer). It's easily fixed with EQ and it can be fun to stick a 10dB bass shelf on as well, but for the most part I prefer not to EQ, so I'm still looking for something with no flaws. I bought the Explorer hoping that would be it, but was disappointed. I prefer the OH10 because while I do notice the flaws, but they don't bother me as much. On the budget end the QKZ HBB scales really well. The only reason that's not my walking-around IEM instead of the OH10 is for that use-case I prefer a bit more vocal forwardness. The HBB has set-back vocals, but very natural timbre (albeit the overall tuning is definitely warm & bassy, so *everything* sounds a bit warmed-up). The Ikko OH300 is a really nice mid-budget set as well (sometimes goes on sale for around $40 which is a bargain IMO). It's somewhere in between the OH10, HBB and S08. Bass is punchier than the S08, imaging is more holographic than the other two (close to S08 just not quite as sharp), less strident than the OH10 and more vocal-forward than the HBB. It can't compete with higher-end sets on resolution though, that's where it shows it's a budget set. It also can't quite get to the same levels of bass quality as the OH10, which is deep, rounded, punchy and textured all at the same time (with the right tips anyway; it can be a bit slow/muddy with the wrong ones).

For the ones that get recommended there's a noticeable difference. Usually good $20 IEMs will have some limitation, like good tuning but lack extension, or vice-versa. The good $80-ish ones will have both. Around $200 you typically get a bit more refinement, but diminishing returns are definitely a thing. For a first IEM, the good ones in the $20 range are excellent and nobody will notice a difference compared to starting at $80 without having the chance to compare them directly. And even then, it might take a while before they have the listening ability to tell the difference in a comparison. The main thing about the $20 IEMs is that the good ones have a very specific signature and do one thing well, but maybe not everything. For example the QKZ HBB does warm and bassy better than anything I know of under $200, but it lacks treble extension. The 7Hz Zero is the exact opposite of that. The Chu 2 is probably the most balanced option and has the most premium look & feel overall because it's metal & comes with a decent cable & a nice carry pouch. It can have some issues with condensation because of the metal shells, so it needs a bit of looking after, especially in humid environments.

Those are bullshit and probably mostly fake reviews by a competitor. Find some reputable reviewer(s) you can trust and whose opinions align with your own, as everyone hears IEMs a bit differently. This is the one that made me consider trying the HBB. Wasn't convinced at first, but they're now one of my favourite IEMs at any price (and I have about 60 IEMs): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swejkFpZfBM The HBB has a very particular style of presentation though. It's warm and relaxing, although it also volume-scales very well and can be fun if you turn it up a bit. If you want a really hard-hitting style of bass, the KZ Castor Bass+ is better, but it's overall tuning isn't as good as the HBB & it especially has some issues in the treble (though you may not notice at first). Also the Castor doesn't have much sub-bass so it's probably not what you're looking for. The KBear Rosefinch has *tons* of sub-bass, but it has much bigger problems with treble tuning and can sound quite harsh if you try to turn it up at all.

It's very well regarded. Some reviewers slightly prefer the Tanchjim Origin, but I skipped that one because some other reviewers say it's more of a downgrade or sidegrade from the Oxygen, which I already have. The EA1000 is definitely in another league technically when you compare it to 1DDs like the EA500LM, Kato, Oxygen, Dunu Falcon Ultra, etc. Even the reviewers who prefer the tuning of one of the other 1DDs acknowledge that the EA1000 is ahead on technicalities. The Origin is the only one out of that list I haven't been able to hear and compare myself. I also haven't heard the stupidly high end ones like the SoftEars Twilight, but that one interests me, to hopefully try in the future. Oh also I keep forgetting that technically the EA1000 isn't actually a 1DD, it's more like a 1.5DD because it has a passive radiator. Most people group it together with the rest though and it's unclear if the passive radiator actually contributes anything. I think it *might* because the bass on the EA1000 is pretty unique too. If I had to pick from the ones that are true 1DDs, in terms of enjoyment I'd rank them OH300 > Dunu Titan S > Kato > Oxygen, but in terms of "technically-the-best" it goes Oxygen -(tiny difference)-> Kato -(big difference)-> Dunu Titan S -(big difference)-> OH300. Also worth calling out the QKZ HBB for being stupidly good for what it costs (about $15). It's roughly my #3 favourite IEM at any price, but maybe drops down to #4 because of the OH300 (I haven't decided if the OH300 completely replaces the S08 or not). The HBB is just very unique for it's super laid back, warm tuning, so I can't see it ever leaving my collection.

Kefine Klean if you can find them in budget (they're generally right around that price, depending on sales etc.). Otherwise KBear KB01 or the Kiwi Ears Cadenza. The KB01 is a 1:1 clone of the Cadenza, so choose based on price/looks. They sound identical. Failing that I'd go for the Chu 2 as IMO they sound the best in that price range and have the best build & accessories (only the Klean is ahead of them). But they do need a bit more looking after than most IEMs and can be prone to moisture issues if not kept dry between uses. I've also heard good things about the Bunny DSP, but haven't heard it myself. The fact it's plastic makes it lower maintenance than the Chu 2, but it won't look or feel as high quality. They do have them on Aliexpress, but it's possible they don't ship to your region and that's why it's not showing up. Sometimes Aliexpress search can be a bit weird so try googling it with "site:aliexpress" (you need to add .com to that but I don't want to get caught in the spam filter). That will sometimes help with finding listings that Aliexpress decides not to show for some reason. If you get a "not found" error that normally means it's not available in your country. Also another one that's not on your list but is excellent is the QKZ HBB. It's a very warm, laid back tuning. Quite bassy, but not energetic bass, just really warm. One of my favourite IEMs at any price, because there isn't really much else tuned like that. It's not as good and all-rounder as the others, but I think it might suit the genres you mentioned quite well. I like it for background listening because it pushes vocals back a bit (without making them sound muffled or unnatural) so it can make otherwise distracting music sound less distracting. It also volume scales really well if you decide to crank it up (just don't damage your hearing doing this!)

The 7Hz Legato has the *most* bass, but most people EQ it because out of the box it sounds pretty muddy. I returned mine for that reason. If you want to EQ then the Aoshida E20 is a cheaper option, although the build quality is quite cheap compared to the Legato. Still, could be a killer combination with a Qudelix 5K if that fits in budget (or the Legato as well but that's getting even more expensive). In that price range the Aful Explorer probably has the best quality bass out of the box. Also, one of my favourite IEMs is the QKZ HBB, which is only $15. It's not as resolving as the Explorer, but I prefer it because it has more natural-sounding tonality. Vocals on the explorer can sound a bit muffled and sibilant at the same time, although it's an excellent IEM in every way other than that. Also the Ikko OH300 which is like a more vocal-forward version of the HBB, with exceptional imaging/layering - and it's only $50 (maybe 40 if you can find it on sale, but they all sold out for several months and I'm not sure if it's back on Aliexpress yet, just the Ikko site at RRP). In terms of ergonomics the Aful is miles ahead of the rest. The Aoshida is probably the 2nd most comfortable. The Legato is nicely built but it's quite large. The HBB and the OH300 are both a bit chonky and cheap feeling, but still fairly comfortable in the ear - they just stick out a bit (don't feel as large as the Legato but all are quite wide).

IMO, the QKZ HBB is the best of the three, but they all have a quite different "flavour" so it depends what you're looking for: * The Rosefinch is the most "basshead" with the most sub-bass (rumble). The downside is it has very peaky treble which can limit how loud you can comfortably listen to them, although to an extent that depends on how sensitive you are to mid-high treble. * The Castor Bass has the most punchy, aggressive, hard-hitting style of bass, with the least sub-bass of the three. Overall pretty well tuned with some minor issues in the treble but nothing as bad as the Rosefinch. * The HBB is more of a very-warm, laid back sort of tuning than a true basshead tuning and has the most natural timbre with fewest tuning issues. But it also volume scales very well, so you can turn it up quite loud if you want without any part of the tuning causing issues - just be careful not to damage your hearing if you plan to do that.

The HBB is one of my favourite IEMs at any price. It's just really well-tuned, so the driver isn't being pushed beyond its capabilities. It's still a cheap driver though, and you notice it in terms of resolution. If you want to compare something that's similar-but-better (in a way) see if you can listen to the Aful Explorer and notice how much more textured the mids and treble are. I suggest that one because the tuning isn't a million miles away from the HBB. But I actually prefer the tuning of the HBB (vocals sound a lot better on it), so I'm not recommending you go and buy one as an "upgrade". Just see if you can listen to one to satisfy your curiosity. And if those differences aren't something you care about, there's no point in chasing them - just stick to an IEM like the HBB with a tuning that you like. On the one hand, there *are* differences as you go up in price (to a point) especially when you get different driver architectures. On the other hand, diminishing returns are very much a thing, and more expensive does not automatically equal "tuned better". Also, if you like the HBB and fancy something a tiny bit different, give the Ikko OH300 a try. It basically sounds the same as the HBB, except that instead of having vocals pushed back, it's more vocal-forward. That's pretty much the only difference. It's not some subtle nebulous thing like "more texture" or "resolution". It just actually presents music in a slightly different way. It's only about $40 as well and also one my absolute favourite IEMs. There are other things it does slightly better than the HBB and some places where they "trade blows" depending on the mood you're in - but whether or not you'd notice those I don't know, so I won't list them, they're all quite subtle.

If you want to try something underrated, the Ikko OH300 is one of my favourite IEMs that seems to have flown completely under the radar. It's very warm/bassy, with exceptional imaging/layering. I won't say it's without tuning flaws as it has a couple of minor issues, but it's incredibly addictive to listen to, and great value for around $40. I listen to it more often than most of my more expensive IEMs. Another great value one (but maybe not as underrated) is the QKZ HBB. The HBB and OH300 actually sound very similar, except that the HBB has very pushed-back vocals, while the OH300 has them slightly forward. The HBB doesn't have the same sort of imaging/layering as the OH300. But it is only $15 and also one of my all-time favourite IEMs at any price. If you want soundstage then the original Simgot EA500 (the silver one, not the LM) is a bit underrated as well (although it did have a brief period of mega-hype). It is *bright* though, and can get a bit fatiguing. It's basically a mini EA1000, which is my overall favourite IEM. The EA1000 improves the bass and smooths out the treble so it's no longer fatiguing, but still very resolving. The EA500 is actually a tiny bit ahead on soundstage & imaging just because of the extra treble. These are both great soundstage IEMs in different ways. The EA500/1000 sound very open and spacious (at least by IEM standards). The OH300 sounds a bit more intimate, but the extra bass gives a "sound blanket" effect and it excels at depth/layering rather than width & overall sense of space. Of course it's important to bear in mind that imaging and soundstage aren't the same thing, and how people perceive soundstage is related to their own HRTF. So especially with IEMs, it can vary a lot from person to person. Reviews of the EA500/1000 do seem to mostly agree about them sounding more open than most IEMs though. I haven't seen many reviews of the OH300 and most have been very surface-level. TBH, I almost put it in a drawer and forgot about it after giving them a quick listen on the stock tips (I bought a few IEMs in the sale and 3 turned up at once, so the one that caught my attention at the time was the Aful MagicOne). It was only a month later when I decided to try some other tips that, perhaps by sheer luck, the first ones I happened to try sounded amazing. I've never bothered trying other tips on them. I should probably check at some point in case it turns out that they only sound that good with perfect tip-matching (something I find to be the case with the Letshuoer S08, which is the only IEM I've heard with better layering than the OH300).

I purchased qkz hbb out of curiosity. I prefer warm or warm meutral. Im a bit treble sensitive. I have ew300 in my cart. I want to purchase it but i was wondering about the treble. Can any one recommend any other warm or warm neutral set with smooth treble and no sibilance. I already have 7hz zero 2 (perfect for my ear, no eq) final e3000, and blon bl03 (eq the treble). Kz zs10 pro (huge amount of eq)

Variance is a big problem in chifi. But if you get a good one, keep it. My cheapo qkz hbb set sounds fantastic, the upgrade, hbb Khan, sounds meh.. Something wrong with it, some sort of gap in the upper mids.

Speaking of the QKZ HBB, I replied to you the other day. I tried them and I wanted to love them too since you mentioned how much you did. I tried three separate tips you recommended but the comfort is not there. The Cadenzas are fine for hours but after ten minutes the QKZ start hurting my ears. Have you had any IEMs like this? I'm not completely sure what the difference could be with them.

man i need reccos for a mid tier option that does bass well, my 2nd pair of qkz x hbb's died

Holy! how is this possible for 25 euros?!?! I love this warm blanket of pure sound that wraps around me. Thanks for the tip! Im using stock tips rn and getting a good seal with them. Bass and warmth is mindblowing really. Don't like the cable though. Have a good recommendation?

I knooooow. Honestly the first iem I bought was the QKZ HBB and had the Delci AE as an upgrade and well.. I was kinda disappointed What iem did you buy and upgraded to?

I agree with the Delco AE sounding a bit "off" or I don't know how to describe it. But everything sounded slightly harsh for me. Even the bass. It was a tad bit too "thumpy" for me. Like drums really slammed a tad bit too much on my eardrum for my liking which caused it to be a little too fatiguing. I actually enjoyed QKZ HBB more musically (albeit I had to use sound enhancer on Apple Music to introduce a bit more air, treble, and perceived soundstage in order for me to REALLY love those - I play music most of the time on my laptop) I REALLY love how the bass guitars are unusually forward with this set. Its bass was lush and smooth. It was something I was looking for on the Delci which it couldn't do. I chose the Delci since it had a V--shaped tuning. Considering I wanted a lot of bass but with more perceived clarity and air. I thought the Delci could deliver. I have heard good things about the Ziigaat Odyseyy though. How it's one of the more "musical" iems - whatever that means. Jay and GizAudio spoke highly of that set but considering my preferences, it kinda sounds like I will want to lean more onto the Tea Pro's being "neutral with bass boost" while having "an unusally clear treble for a bassy set" or something along those lines Might pick up Odyssey if I have enough money to burn though. It really has me very curios ngl

"If you can't buy a pair and use it for what it is you probably shouldn't buy it. Point blank." That's honestly almost insulting. You come across like a purist, but guess what, you don't get to gatekeep what people should and shouldn't do. Headphones/IEMS/Speakers are not some hallowed gifts from the gods we are supposed to bow down to. For the overwhelming majority of people they are just products for enjoying music, and there's nothing inherently wrong if some want to tinker around with EQ. The QKZ x HBB iems and the BD DT990 Pro couldn't sound anymore different if they tried. Am I supposed to...just listen to them the way they are? Why? Yes, I could try to buy products with a sound profile I like, but then I would own nothing more than bass canons. Why limit myself like that?

Seems like the same situation as my Qkz hbb before, my ears hurt a lot but I still continue using it until my ears are used to it and I’m using the medium size eartips as they won’t hurt too much 

I would avoid anything from KZ except for EDX Ultra, those were cool. Get the Wan'er, the QKZ HBB have such a ridiculous amount of bass that when you use them for some time and switch to anything else you will think "wow there are actually instruments in this song"

Yes whichever is their standard 2 pin, fits perfectly fine! I now am using it with my QKZ HBB that has KZ style plug, a bit dodgy, but works. Just can’t be bothered buying the adapter for it lol

I dont even know why i bought them. I thought the more you pay, the more you get out of it. My 30$ IEMs are pretty similar to my 200$ ones. I returned my 200$ one and am now using the 30$ one. Is anyone else in the same boat? Unless there is an IEM that is actually worth 200$? For reference I've tried Quintet Kiwi ears (200$~), fiio fd3 (150-200$) and the linsoul QKZ x HBB (30$) What actually constitutes them being so pricey? I'm not a audiophile but how can your ears tell such a significant difference that it's worth paying that much more money? I am willing to pay for more, but what's really worth it?

I just edited my post. But the ones are fiio fd3 (200$) and QKZ x HBB (30$) 

Yes, that could have been the case. I heard them at an audio event and compared to all the other earphones (even budget ones), they felt wierd. But I only spend a short time with them so there is that. I've found that soundstage and dynamics are very important for me and the Midbass-Uppermids level determines that for my ear anatomy. So even very cheap earphones like Wan'er and QKZ HBB sound good due to their soundstage. While Kefine Klean feels very one dimensional and lacks dynamics (contrary to what everyone else says). Olina SE, EA500LM and Supermix 4 are all great in these aspects (but they have their own issues).

The graph seems similar to qkz hbb and i find the qkz to be very dark and muffled. Is the edx pro 2 similar? 

Thank you very much man, thats what i wanted to know. Pro 2 ordered.  Hate the qkz aswell. Felt clostropobhic. The treble was extremely rolled off for me. Hoping the edx pro 2 has bigger stage. 

Is this an upgrade from qkz hbb. The hbb to me sounds dark muffled with treble roll off and with a bloated slow bass. The bass shelf in the graph seems similar. Are they similar sounding? 

In my opinion the Tripowin Vivace is hard to beat at $30. Can’t go wrong with the QKZ HBB either just know it’s bassy.

It depends on how different a sound you want. If you want more treble clarity, try the Kefine Klean. For even more treble, maybe the EW200. If you want more mid mass warmth, the Kiwi Ears Cadenza are great. For even more warmth, try the Celest Wyvern Abyss. For more prominent vocals, there’s the Wan’er. For more Bass, the QKZ HBB. If you just want something a tad more v-shaped than the Chu 2, there’s the 7hz Zero 2.

Make sure you have an air-tight seal with the eartips. This is the only way to get the right sound, particularly the bass. IEMs also need to go as deep in your ear as possible. If that doesn’t work, and it still sounds bad for you, it might be that they simply aren’t the right IEMs for your ears. With IEMs, it's all about finding what's right for your ears. There's no one-size-fits-all with IEMs. Your ear anatomy is unique to you, so you perceive sound slightly differently from other people. This is even more pronounced with IEMs. Two people can listen to the same IEM and disagree on the tuning (i.e. whether they're too bassy or too bright). If you want more bass in that price range, try the QKZ HBB or the KZ Castor Pro Bass. Something in the middle of those and the Chu 2 would be the 7hz Zero 2.

The QKZ HBB is the best value in IEMs, has such a full warm unique sound, and it’s usually easy to find for under $20…I always recommend that to people instead of the Cadenza bc most people listen to pop or rap/r&b and the QKZ HBB are great for those genres…I prefer them to many sets I’ve bought for $100 or more

The QKZ HBB do not sound muffled at all, I’ve got all the budget iems and the HBB are the only ones I still go back to after getting more into it and buying expensive sets

I know they’re great for funk, I don’t really listen to lofi stuff but I just think these are must own iems in any collection for the price of $17 on Amazon

I just love the way they sound with any Tyler of music, I’d honestly say for $17 just to buy it, you’ll like em…if not those the chu 2 are really great too in that price range, or the Castor Pro Bass edition, but I like the QKZ the most of those three…they’re great for movies too if you’re gonna use them for that, I like using them when I’m on the road watching movies on my iPad

I have this and the HBB QKZ as my cheap bass iems….I really like the Castor but the QKZ HBB are better, I think they’re the best sounding budget ($20 range) earbuds I’ve ever tried, and I’ve tried almost all the normally recommended iems in that price range

The QKZ HBB are the best sounding budget IEMS in my opinion, I have almost the same experience, I got into iems a few years ago and have about 30 sets now and I still go back to the QKZ HBB a lot of the time bc they’re tuned perfectly for my preferences…that being said for a detailed super listening experience and especially live or very instrumental music my more expensive sets blow them away, especially the planars

I have the hbb x kinda lava.. and while it’s great, for having an added bass boost compared to the ej07m it still lacks in the low end for me.. so I’ve never been too curious about the punch.. tho I do know it has a big bass shelf.. I really wanna try the zempire audio ze51b.. have you checked them out..? I imagine it might be the best bass experience..

Funny you should say that, because I’ve found them to be the most tip sensitive IEMs I’ve had. With the stock tips there was NO bass and the rest of the range sounded harsh and shrieky. With the next set of tips (Tri Clarion, I think? I can’t remember now) I could hear the bass but it just sounded so soft and poofy, like cotton balls being thrown at my ears. Finally, with the 3rd and 4th set of tips I’ve tried there was quite a turnaround and I’m seeing why people like these. I’m really enjoying them now. With all my other IEMs, tips have just made tiny differences in the sound and I’ve changed them around more to find the best comfort than anything else. But these - oh, man, was there a difference!

Qkz x Hbb But if you wanna get something really bassy 7hz legato although 100$

The bass has more texture and tremor is well done between these 2