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For me it's in the ~$300 range. My ISN EBC80 do sound better than my Twilight-DS, but not by much. Maybe 10-15% better overall but more capricious when it comes to tips and cables. The BC, and EST are very tip and seal sensitive as well as anything that absorbs the vibrations. Have to sell a lot of my cables because they don't play nice with the EBC80. They're great, don't get me wrong. I love them, specially when I PEQ the sub bass and 20kHz region they are chef's miss when it comes to fun sounding and how amazing they are to listen. If I was short on cash I would probably would stick to the $300-$350 price range. I haven't listened to anything super expensive (above $1.5k USD), but seeing how shallow the jump is from KZ ZS10 Pro, 7Hz elua ultra, KZ Sonata, Dunu Davinci, Punch Audio Martilo, and the INAWAKEN Twilight-DS compared to the ISN EBC80 is how I came to my conclusion. I would say above price is driver configuration, and crossover implementation when it comes to sound quality. I feel like the only way to improve BA/DD hybrids is with EST and BCD. I feel within that technology there isn't a huge jump. I think that is why some people hear a dramatic jump in 1-2k IEMs.
https://preview.redd.it/3sjy86e9cqnf1.png?width=1080&format=png&auto=webp&s=3f122b2db1ebf4f70e4688e2e759c5cb9c49b408 Punch Audio Martilo - simply amazing =:\]
yea, i was going to recommend the xenns top pro and then he said basehead, and now im thinking punch audio martillo if you can accept the decreased vocal quality. theres also FatFreq but theres no point buying a IEM from people who think serving their customers is a suggestion and not an obligation.
I have the 7hz Legato...and I wanted a basshead upgrade. The Martilo reviewed well from the YT reviewers I trust. From what I've seen...they are good value at their normal MSRP. So I pulled the trigger now, since they are on sale for me. Especially because I'm based in the US...prices off AliEx and other Asian outlets will likely get more expensive because of that guy🤬
Punch Audio Martilo…the mids are not put in the back seat…the bass is there when it’s present in the track. This is not a warm set at all. BUT it has a significant bass shelf. The Hisenior Caño Cristales has been reviewing well…that might be your best bet.
I picked up the Martilo during Prime Days. Tax and all came out to 278.99USD. Was listed at $263.20. Just an idea of what it might run around the holidayss.
I have the Martilo...love them. Sub bass rumble...check. mid bass punch and slam...check. No mud in the mids...and the details and shimmer still there in the treble. Male or female Vocals are not shouty. They don't sound V-shaped...which is quite surprising
I have the Explorer, Defiant and Martilo. I don't hear the similarities between the Defiant and Martilo as you do. They both have a similar approach to songs. If the sub-bass is there...you will hear it. More so the Martilo. The Explorer is bassy...but not basshead. In fact...I don't classify the Martilo as basshead either. Give KBears Rosefinch a twirl first. It's a budget set...but it's THE budget basshead set. See if that's what you're looking for. I also have the 7Hz Legato. For me, the Legato is more "basshead" than Martilo. It's not as warm overall as the Explorer, but the are definitely more in the low-end. You may have to step up into FatFreq territory for more mid-bass along with the sub-bass rumble. Keep in mind...how bass is presented also depends on how mids and treble are set. Pulling both of those back slightly can greatly increase bass response
love them! Enough to write a review/impression [post](https://www.reddit.com/r/iems/s/rzdfnQ5Ldy) on them. It's not a traditional basshead sound. The set is not warm. The bass is definitely clean and has good quality.
Kiwi Ears Canta (around 100usd) Punch Audio Martilo (300ish usd) AFUL P5+2...have a mini planar in there...(a little over 200usd) Simgot ET142 .... planar with pzt driver (around 200) I have all those...and I love em. That's my regular rotation
Since there are 4 different sets of tuning nozzles plus tuning foam. You can tune it to your liking. I have the Martilo for hip hop. The warmer nozzles along with short ear tips would suit hip hop no problem. I picked these over the Aether. Definitely think I.made the right choice for me
I've only heard the Martilo...I own a set. I haven't heard the Deuce nor the Portazo. Even then...what YOU prefer for that genre might not be what I like. Sorry this doesn't answer your question...but it's something to consider when you watch and read reviews for these sets as you make your purchasing decision.
I like what the Martilo offers. Bass is there when the track calls for it. The treble and the mids are well done for as large a bass shelf it has.
TL;DR: The Punch Audio Martilo has a nice unboxing experience. A luxurious cable but not many tips. This is a very tip dependent bass head set that’s can do much more than rattle your brain. This review is my personal opinion. I purchased this set with my own funds via Amazon on a Prime Day deal. Packaging and Unboxing: The package was striking. Leaves the listener no doubt what they had purchased. Though I think “bass head” all over the box is a bit misleading, which I’ll circle back to later on. The sleeve slides off revealing an unassuming black box. The front of the box has magnetic flip lids which makes for a premium feel to the experience. The IEMs are front and center the red face plates are quite striking against the black packaging. Very well done. Punch Audio logo is presented in a way that feels like an introduction. Lifting the card reveals the carrying case. The case looks and feels like vegan leather. Once again, the company’s logo is embossed on the top. Inside you’ll find the OTHER star of the show…the cable. I do love this cable, but there are a couple of MINOR gripes. It is a triple weave modular cable. The color complements the IEMs themselves. The hardware is all metal. There is branding on both the 3.5mm and the 4.4mm terminations. The chin slider is metal. It will stay in place but it does require a little effort to move it along the cables. The modular system (sadly) does not have a locking mechanism. It does, however, have a notch in the sockets which only allows for the correct fit. My modular system has a tight fit. The terminations do not come apart easily. Depending on how you look at that, it’s a blessing and a curse. I have fat fingers which made switching terminations a bit of an adventure. I do not want to accidentally pull on the cable when I’m trying to detach the termination. The 2 pin connectors (my other gripe) even though they are clearly marked for left and right, they have the rectangular protrusion that sits on a flush 2 pin receptacle on the IEM. This doesn’t affect the functionality or sound of the IEM, but, aesthetically, it can be a bit of a turn off. Inside the case, we find a set of silicone tips, a set of foam tips and some nozzle filters. I chose to use after market tips for my listening experience. I spent a good amount of time tip rolling as the depth(height) of the tips along with the material affected the Martilo in varied and nuanced way. Tips I tried: DUNU Candy tips, FiiO HS19 Bass tips, Final Audio Type E, AZLA Xelastec 2…but I eventually went back to one of my favorite, Render tips (memory foam wrapped in silicone) Sound: Before getting into sound. Here is my audio chain: Mac (via Apple Music) playing local ALAC files>FiiO K11 R2R>IEM. All ALAC files are 16-44 or better. There is no power demand for the IEM. I was able to listen to them at comfortable (for me) volumes off my phone and the Apple dongle (US edition). I have made a post on my first impressions within hours of receiving the IEM. I am not a musician nor a sound engineer. I’m just a guy that loves listening and hearing good music. Hope the following subjective opinions on the sound of these IEM will be helpful to you. Let’s get the obvious out of the way. BASS. Yes, this set has PLENTY of bass. I am upgrading from 7Hz Legato and KZ Castor Pro Bass Edition. The rumbly bits, the impact and the slam. This set has all that. The mid-bass isn’t bloated. It’s all clean and more importantly…the bass is powerful when the track calls for it. The pleasant surprise though...it can do everything else equally well! I found male and female vocals pleasing. Adele, Marita Takeuchi, Tracy Chapman, Norah Jones, Amy Winehouse all sounded amazing. At no time were their voices recessed and overpowered by the bass boost. The bass being clean was important for male vocals. Aloe Blacc, Eric Clapton, Corey Taylor, Michael Jackson or The Wellermen….all their vocals were clean. In the case of the Wellermen, the power of their voices was quite viceral because of the boosted low-end. Jazz, orchestral, symphonic and baroque pieces were replayed beautifully on the Martilo. Harpsichords can be clearly and cleanly heard and identified within various recordings of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons (Spring). Jazz pieces' high hats and brushed snares still felt airy. In all the Chesky recordings, the Martilo handled the imaging clearly with no bleed between the right and left channel. One can easily identify front and back…even height in some of those recordings. There were some tracks where the treble can be a bit bright. Luckily it wasn’t a common occurrence across any specific genre, instrument or voice. All in all, the Martilo, despite all efforts to label it as a bass head IEM…will become an all rounder for my rotation. Yes, it does hip hop, EDM and rock extremely well. The wonderful "surprise" is that it can handle genres that require a soft, accurate, technical touch. I had originally wanted to post this last night, but I ended up moving from song to song just listening and enjoying the playback. If you got this far, I thank you for your time and attention. I’ve provided impressions of IEMs and tips before, but this is my first actual review. I felt compelled to write this because this set deserves more attention. Hope this helps you if you are considering the Martilo.
Yeah…the tip rolling is real for this one. I do favor shorter and stiffer ear tips. Luckily, my ear canals are accommodating for that deep fit. I agree, the sound of the Martilo is addictive. I’m throwing everything at it…and it does them all so well!
This is NOT a definitive bass head IEM. They do well for hip hop for sure...BUT (HUGE BUT) poorly mixed/mastered tracks you'll hear it. I have the Legato, Rosefinch and have added the Diablo after these. I LOVE the Martilo but I definitely would not call these a "definitive bass head" IEM. Check out the Portazo or TSMR Armor.
Sorry to hear about your experience with this set. It's audio. Some in this thread love the Armor for exactly why they don't fit your needs. Also, "basshead" is a VERY general term and a sub-bass fiend vs a mid-bass monster can and are two very different tastes. I own the Martilo, I love them. They suit my overall tuning preference exactly. I love the sub-bass rumble. FOR ME, the mid-bass sounds controlled. More importantly, non of the bass bleeds into the mids and lower treble. However, how you hear and perceive the Martilo may be different. There might be a peak in the treble that you are sensitive to...or the tonality isn't right to your ears. Unfortunately, in this audio space, best way to know is "try before you buy" or spend the time to figure out your tuning preference and listening tolerance. Also did you try 010 on the Armor? Just looking at the FR response...that MIGHT even things out a bit. Also, perhaps give the AFUL Explorer a try. Those MIGHT suit your needs and allow for higher volume listening
I have heard good things about the Armor. I own the Martilo and the P5+2. The Martilo's sub-bass shelf NOT bleeding into the mids sets it apart. So for a "bass head" they may not seem enough. As bass centric IEM...it's quite good. I don't think they're "as technical" as the P5+2...but I think it's just the tuning and my perception of the presentation of sound. It is a good choice if you want a lot of more bass...while retaining some shimmer in the treble.
Hmm, I have the Martilo and I’ve been using my new TSMR Armor for a while now. To me, both are great sets and honestly feel like sidegrades to each other. The Martilo sounds leaner and cleaner and more natural(timbre), while the TSMR Armor is more musical, warm and thick. My Armor doesn’t sound harsh at all. If anything, it feels almost “allergic to highs” in the way it’s tuned. I actually need to turn on tuning switch 3 to fully enjoy the set haha. I’m surprised you found them harsh at all! I was disappointed at the lack of treble when I first got them. If you want a cleaner sound, definitely go for the Martilo. It has more sub-bass but scooped mid-bass. The lower mids are less emphasized, which makes it feel cleaner. The treble is way more present and consistent than on the TSMR Armor, but it’s never harsh at all.
No fatigue at all when I listen at medium-high volume. Martilo and TSMR Armor are both sets where cranking them up makes them really come alive, and your ears won’t scream at you.
Yea for sure, they were great, super comfortable also, my brother has them now, so can still use them whenever. He had momentum's aswell, and yea super muddy without EQ. I currently run punch audio martilo as my daily iem, but while working buds are a lot nicer. I am definitely a bass head.. but I like clarity not muddy so these and the noble Fokus are a perfect combo for me.
+1 on the Martilo, fantastic crisp and bassy set, not muddy at all and very comfortable. My most used set.
My Punch Audio Martilo, bass is so nice, not muddy, punchy and fast.. also crisp and well done in the top end. https://preview.redd.it/2fld2k44znnf1.jpeg?width=1840&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e987d7c5ef3110f617d6bd88a7ff50e82943eea6
The Pilgrim is very neutral, it feels like nothing is boosted, it reminds me of the Hexa but with better technicality. The Top Pro is a bit brighter, more exciting and I wanna say technically is slightly better than the pilgrim. To me the Top Pro is the way to go for sure.
I really like these two, they’re a bit different, the Dusk is neutral, the Top Pro is U shaped and more exciting. Both good technicals but the Top Pro has better imaging. The Dusk has better midrange, the Top Pro has better treble. I use the Dusk for Jazz, I use the top pro for everything else.
The Martilo is a great listen, especially if I feel like Bass. I use some more than others but it depends on the genre and the mood.
Really like both and they’re a bit different. I’d go with the Volume S if I have to choose.
Going to disagree hard with this take. Astrals are awful in the upper treble (that insane spike is real and sounds horrible on cymbals). I literally had to apply like a 10db cut to to make it through tracks that weren't already mastered to cut those upper air frequencies. Punch on the other hand is dead neutral outside the bass region. And the ESTs being subtly used vs. overemphasized is one of the most natural implementations I've heard. Martilo's treble has major issues too. HBB just said those were the better value because he's trying to play good guy greg and not piss off his audience (or linsoul), he did the same thing when linsoul dropped odyssey right after his Arcadia collab and said it was better.
He only did that because he doesn't want to look biased. His audience and the affiliate revenue is more valuable than any money made on collabs. He said the same thing about arcadia when linsoul dropped odyssey at the same time ('buy odyssey instead'). Have had all 4. Kiwi Punch is the best and by far the best value in the entire hobby. Martilo can't hang in the treble. The ESTs on the Punch are legit and it's the cheapest set with a proper EST implementation.
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