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I picked up some Comply tips and while they kick the poo poo out of the nobrands I was using, they're still a bit shorter and a bit narrower than large Shure Olives, and aren't quite as comfortable nor nearly as isolating. That could partly be due to the narrower nozzle on the shures allowing for more foam over and above the larger tips, but are there any frikken huge (width and depth) tips of good quality for non-shure IEMs?
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Apr 26, 2020 03:59
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Comply makes an olive shaped version... comfort plus I think?
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Apr 26, 2020 04:32
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Baby Proof posted:Is there a good A/B test for determining if headphones would benefit from an amplifier? If you had a setup that was struggling to get good output, how would you pick out the difference? :crickets: That's kind of what I thought. Is there no good way to test with your average headphones without also damaging your hearing?
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Apr 26, 2020 17:13
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Baby Proof posted::crickets: It’s difficult to volume-match your A/B and your brain almost always perceives slightly-louder as better. Pedantically: any device with a volume control on its headphone output has a “headphone amp.” If you’re happy, save your money.
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Apr 26, 2020 17:25
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Can we talk about amps and DACs for a minute? I'm looking for a sleeker new setup for my office. Currently, I'm running a Focusrite 2i2 (or 4i4 at home) to a power amp for my speakers. But I don't need the mic inputs so so I'm leaning more towards a DAC/amp instead. It makes a great headphone amp, and also a fantastic preamp SIMULTANEOUSLY. It works great. I can control the speaker and headphone volumes separately which is nice, but not an absolute necessity. What other DACs are there that do proper preamp out or even better, speaker amplification, that come in a smaller form factor? I've already got plenty of rack-mount sized 19" DACs and amps I could use, but I am trying to keep it small and tidy. Besides, I would get a lot of odd looks with something like an Emotiva XDA-2 and UPA-2 stack sitting next to me. Bonus points go to units that allow you to switch between Headphone / Speaker output without having to unplug the headphones. I was considering maybe the Drop THX 789 before I realised the SE passthrough is just that; a passthrough and not actually a preamp out. Same problem applies to the Monoprice THX AAA 887 headphone amp. The Monoprice Monolith by Monoprice Desktop Balanced Headphone Amplifier and DAC THX 887 blah blah blah thing seems like it could work, and work well. The menu navigation seems fucky though. The Topping DX7s might do the trick? It doesn't mute the analog out when you plug in headphones, but there's also no way to mute the analog out... I COULD use my MiniDSP 2x4 HD as a DAC for a power amp and headphone amp but that seems needlessly complicated and silly and not an upgrade over just having the Focusrite. Also it would look like a rats nest of poo poo. I COULD use my TEAC stack (UD-501 + AX501). It would look cleaner, but that also takes up a fair amount of desk space, even when stacked. I think this whole post is all really dumb, it's a solved problem and I probably hit endgame with a cheap Audio interface, but I'm bored and shopping so what do you all think? Edit: oh yeah I forgot to mention that the JDSLabs Element II might also work. GnarlyCharlie4u fucked around with this message at 19:17 on Apr 26, 2020 |
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Apr 26, 2020 19:10
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I had been using a Focusrite 2i2 as a combination DAC/headphone amp for a couple of years, I switched to a Khadas Tone Board + JDS Atom a few months ago, and it's been a notable improvement. Darker background, less noise on super sensitive IEMs, more precise imaging, and drives higher impedance buds/IEMs much more effortlessly. The Atom acts as a preamp when headphones are not plugged in, so I use that as the output to the mini amp that powers my desktop speakers. It's nothing fancy, and I'm not necessarily suggesting these specific items since it seems like you're looking at more expensive gear too. I suspect though that you'll be pleased with any reasonable DAC + amp pairing or a headphone focused DAC combo unit from like Topping or iFi or something of the like, in terms of pure audio performance as a headphone amp compared to the Focusrite. trem_two fucked around with this message at 19:45 on Apr 26, 2020 |
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Apr 26, 2020 19:43
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so my Beyer DT1770s came in early. have to say that I'm actually pretty surprised how good these sound. some emphasized treble around 6 - 8k, but nothing terrible, no more than the hd800s by comparison. and so many reviewers were saying there was no midrange on these.... definitely disagree on that notion. if anything it's neutral and not overly emphasized like a lot of sennheiser cans. pretty impressed for a closed back can. what impresses me the most about these is how clear, consistent, and bass notes are on these. I can easily say it's comparable to some planars I've listened to. all I can take away from this is many headphones reviewers don't have any experience doing anything professional with music, audio, or anything else related. consequently their understanding of how things "should" sound is a bit skewed compared to anyone who does anything related to music production work. 5-HT fucked around with this message at 18:04 on Apr 27, 2020 |
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Apr 26, 2020 21:28
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GnarlyCharlie4u posted:Can we talk about amps and DACs for a minute? I'm looking for a sleeker new setup for my office. I'm also considering an Element II over my current Modi+Valhalla 2. The Valhalla sounds nice but the tubes are a pain in the rear end. Gotta turn the speakers off before turning on/off the amp and I don't like to leave the tubes on 24/7,
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Apr 26, 2020 22:26
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My headset broke and I needed a new pair immediately. I couldn't wait for shipping. The best offering my local big box store had was the Hyperx Cloud Alpha S. I wasn't expecting much since gaming headsets are usually garbage but I actually like these. Good highs, acceptable mids. The bass is too weak for my tastes on EDM and hip hop even on the highest of 3 slider settings. Since I'm using them on a computer I was able to fix that with Equalizer APO. Bass is turned up to my preference now and there's still no distortion. Mic and cord are detachable/replaceable which is a must for me. It has a toggle to enable virtual 7.1 sound, which will turn a stereo source into tinny, distorted garbage. The real use is pairing it with surround sources. With many sci-fi and action movies it sounds great. Christopher Nolan hires some outstanding sound designers. BWOOOOOM! The virtual surround also sounds awesome on Battlefield V. For $100 I'm pleased, Will probably make an upgrade ~$300 in the future for better performance on classical music in particular but these are more than adequate for now.
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Apr 27, 2020 19:11
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Do non-IEM wireless sport headphones exist? Whenever I wear IEM's, especially while exercising it messes with my inner ear and I end up with weird pressure, headaches, and dizziness for days afterwards. Looking for small, compact, wireless, stays in place. I also need some sound bleed through, I have to be able to hear traffic and people around me. I get really curious about the bone conduction route. Any suggestions?
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Apr 27, 2020 19:24
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eSporks posted:Do non-IEM wireless sport headphones exist? Whenever I wear IEM's, especially while exercising it messes with my inner ear and I end up with weird pressure, headaches, and dizziness for days afterwards. Portapro, Sportapro, KSC-75, KPH-30i. They're all the same driver, pick the one you like. I find the KPH most comfortable, but the portapro is more durable. e: oh, wireless. uh... they make bluetooth portapros I guess but they're a bit DIY looking.
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Apr 27, 2020 19:46
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eSporks posted:Do non-IEM wireless sport headphones exist? Whenever I wear IEM's, especially while exercising it messes with my inner ear and I end up with weird pressure, headaches, and dizziness for days afterwards. Workout headphones. http://blueant.com.au/products/headphones/pumpzone/ (over ear) http://blueant.com.au/products/headphones/pumpsoul/ (on-ear) They do an IEM too but seems like that isn't what you're after. I have no idea where you buy these outside Australia.
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Apr 28, 2020 09:02
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I've started to listen to music from my iPod again, and I'm finding my current headphones are a bit too bulky to wear comfortably during my bus commute and way too big to wear at work before we open. I'd like to get a pair of decent IEMs for more portability. Budget - $100-$150 CAD Source - 6th gen iPod classic, rockboxed Isolation Requirements - Enough to block out bus engine sounds if possible Preferred Type of Headphone - IEM Preferred Tonal Balance - Unsure, honestly Past Headphones - ATH-m50 and ATH-m50bt, both with Brainwavz replacement memory foam pads that make them actually comfortable. I know those alter the sound slightly. I like the clarity of them over the cheap headphones/earbuds I had used before. Preferred Music - City pop and Japanese fusion jazz, FM Synth/Chiptune game soundtracks, and a little bit of rock. I've seen the Moondrop Starfields and the Tin T4s recommended in some places. Would either of those be a good buy, or should I look at something else for what I listen to?
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Apr 28, 2020 20:49
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Both are pretty good, but the Starfields will probably be tuned more to your liking.
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Apr 29, 2020 01:17
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Well poo poo, one side of my monoprice planars just abruptly went dead. Checked the wires and internal connections for continuity and everything seems ok so I assume the driver diaphragm or something quit. That set are on sale right now but frankly 2 years of use off several hundred dollar headphones is bullshit so I’m open to suggestions if monoprice declines to warranty them. Preferably <300usd, closed back, and driveable off a usb dac or mobile phone. the yeti fucked around with this message at 02:51 on Apr 29, 2020 |
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Apr 29, 2020 02:39
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DancingShade posted:Workout headphones. Before IEM's earbuds with retaining clips were all the rage, but they seem to have died off.
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Apr 29, 2020 04:49
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eSporks posted:Needs to work with a bike helmet. I'm not sure any non-IEM headphones will work with a bike helmet. Wait I got it. https://www.bose.com/en_us/products/speakers/portable_speakers/soundwear-companion.html#v=soundwear_companion_black
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Apr 29, 2020 08:47
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nitsuga posted:Hey, I'm thinking about picking up another pair of headphones so I can get my Sennheisers I use for recording refurbished. I'm considering going cheap with some Grado SR60's or SR80's, but I've liked some Audio-Technica's I've tried in the past, and would be happy to get suggestions on anything at all. Hey, sorry to revive this. Following the thread lately I see the Drop Sennheiser 58X's getting recommended a lot. Personally, though, I think I prefer the look of the 6XX's they've got up now. Is there any compelling reason to go one way or the other? Also, how would Grados compare at a similar price point (say anything from the Prestige series all the way up to the 225e)? I am working on a JDS Labs cmoyBB to power them too FWIW.
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Apr 29, 2020 14:53
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58x vs 6xx is personal preference mostly if you have an amp already. People say the 58x sounds more “lively” which may or may not be to everyone’s liking.
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Apr 29, 2020 15:50
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eSporks posted:Needs to work with a bike helmet. How about the Plantronics Backbeat Fit line? You could also look into airpods or bone-conducting headphones
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Apr 29, 2020 16:02
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nitsuga posted:Hey, sorry to revive this. Following the thread lately I see the Drop Sennheiser 58X's getting recommended a lot. Personally, though, I think I prefer the look of the 6XX's they've got up now. Is there any compelling reason to go one way or the other? Also, how would Grados compare at a similar price point (say anything from the Prestige series all the way up to the 225e)? I am working on a JDS Labs cmoyBB to power them too FWIW. 6xx: slightly more laid back treble, warmer, bigger bass, needs an amp to sound great, and will scale well with fancy amps 58x: somewhat brighter and more aggressive, sounds p. much the same whatever you plug it into they're both great, it's honestly a matter of utility imo. Grados are much brighter. Much, much brighter. Also, they are not built well. Some people go crazy for them, you really just have to try them.
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Apr 29, 2020 17:37
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Dr. Fishopolis posted:Grados are much brighter. Much, much brighter. Also, they are not built well. Some people go crazy for them, you really just have to try them. Grados feel like they're hot-glued together in Brooklyn by some hipster, because they are. It's part of the charm.
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Apr 29, 2020 17:45
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Dogen posted:58x vs 6xx is personal preference mostly if you have an amp already. People say the 58x sounds more “lively” which may or may not be to everyone’s liking. Dr. Fishopolis posted:6xx: slightly more laid back treble, warmer, bigger bass, needs an amp to sound great, and will scale well with fancy amps I wondered about Grados' build quality, maybe I can still check them out one day. Anyway, would the 58X perform better unamplified than the 6XX? Any idea if plugging into the receiver or audio interface would be amplified? I can't imagine the phono preamp for my turntable is, but plugging in the cmoyBB wouldn't be too much of a hassle for any of these scenarios.
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Apr 29, 2020 21:16
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What’s the best DAC and AMP that’s less than $300 total for both? mine seems to losing its balance and it’s pretty old. I mostly use an M1060 right now but planning to either get an Ananda or an LCD-2C.
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Apr 29, 2020 21:24
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Mang Tomas posted:What’s the best DAC and AMP that’s less than $300 total for both? mine seems to losing its balance and it’s pretty old. I mostly use an M1060 right now but planning to either get an Ananda or an LCD-2C. Stacked separates or all in one? What inputs do you need? e: also, I'm assuming the amp is just for headphones?
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Apr 29, 2020 21:25
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nitsuga posted:Anyway, would the 58X perform better unamplified than the 6XX? i think if you read the post you quoted you'll find the answer is yes.
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Apr 29, 2020 21:27
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Dr. Fishopolis posted:6xx: slightly more laid back treble, warmer, bigger bass, needs an amp to sound great, and will scale well with fancy amps I don’t really have the same experience. The 58X feels bassier to me, at least a bit more extension. It also doesn’t sound the same through everything. Not as scalable as the 6XX, but still rather scalable. I prefer it out of the two and I tend to prefer darker headphones. Audeze mostly. Who knows. Either way everyone agrees the 58X is a better option without a good amp.
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Apr 29, 2020 22:07
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I only had a week with each of them, so who knows I might be remembering them backwards. I only borrowed them to see if they were an upgrade from my ancient HD580s, and they weren't.
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Apr 29, 2020 22:29
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GnarlyCharlie4u posted:Stacked separates or all in one? What inputs do you need? Just entry to mid level stuff for headphones. It can be separate or all in one that will only stay at my desktop. Not sure if I’ll ever get into using balanced (do they have a huge difference?) so I just the regular ol 1/4 inch or 3.5 mM plugs. Something like a Schiit Hela or a magni/modi stack but I haven’t been keeping up lately on to what’s the best. Anything that can drive a $500 to $1200 planar headphone. Basically looking for an upgrade to my old Fiio E9 and E7 desktop DAC which I really didn’t research on when I bought them.
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Apr 30, 2020 00:33
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Mang Tomas posted:What’s the best DAC and AMP that’s less than $300 total for both? mine seems to losing its balance and it’s pretty old. I mostly use an M1060 right now but planning to either get an Ananda or an LCD-2C. Running a JDS Atom/Modi 3 stack and very much diggin it  I was also considering the Topping D10, FYI that is back on Drop but it isn't shipping til June 
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Apr 30, 2020 01:49
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Mang Tomas posted:Just entry to mid level stuff for headphones. It can be separate or all in one that will only stay at my desktop. Not sure if I’ll ever get into using balanced (do they have a huge difference?) so I just the regular ol 1/4 inch or 3.5 mM plugs. Or you could blow all $300 on a THX amp like the Drop THX 789 and be blown away, but still not need a new DAC.
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Apr 30, 2020 06:42
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no idea if this is the right thread but thought I'd ask here - anyone know if there exists a sub-£100 headphone amp sized thing with speaker wire outputs on the back and a 1/4 inch jack on the front? there are a ton of products sort of like this on amazon but they all seem to have 3.5mm jacks and most of them are probably garbo since it's amazon. i'm currently using this big old 80s kenwood thing that has audible hum/crackle; as long as it doesn't hum and takes up less space on my desk then i'm happy.
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Apr 30, 2020 17:50
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so... like a tiny headphone/speaker amp? Like this? https://usa.denon.com/en-us/shop/amplifiers/pma60_d but not $600? I really like my TEAC stack; UD-501 into the AX-501.  but that's definitely gonna set you back more than 100 quid for either of those. Maybe you can find a used NAD 3020 and just use a 1/8" to 1/4" adapter? https://nadelectronics.com/product/d-3020-hybrid-digital-amplifier/ GnarlyCharlie4u fucked around with this message at 18:24 on Apr 30, 2020 |
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Apr 30, 2020 18:17
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Generic Monk posted:no idea if this is the right thread but thought I'd ask here - anyone know if there exists a sub-£100 headphone amp sized thing with speaker wire outputs on the back and a 1/4 inch jack on the front? there are a ton of products sort of like this on amazon but they all seem to have 3.5mm jacks and most of them are probably garbo since it's amazon. Parts Direct has one from their house brand Dayton Audio (DTA120bt is the model). I think their stuff is generally considered pretty decent in the ultra budget range.
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Apr 30, 2020 19:13
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Mang Tomas posted:What’s the best DAC and AMP that’s less than $300 total for both? mine seems to losing its balance and it’s pretty old. I mostly use an M1060 right now but planning to either get an Ananda or an LCD-2C. Cheapest option is going to be a Khadas Tone Board + JDS Labs Atom. I'm going to sell my Khadas Tone Board and Atom here shortly on SA mart, so if you're interested, let me know. Perfect timing too, my Audeze Deckard came in today, and this thing is a best, total steal. Love how much power this unit drives single ended compared to anything else. But wow as a true class-a amp this thing does run stupid warm. 5-HT fucked around with this message at 22:11 on Apr 30, 2020 |
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Apr 30, 2020 22:07
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I'm looking for some decent, cheap buds. I see the BLON BL03 and 05 Are recommended here? I would like Bluetooth though, and I gather that I need an adapter cable for this? Any recommendations?
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May 1, 2020 13:10
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FistLips posted:I'm looking for some decent, cheap buds. I see the BLON BL03 and 05 Are recommended here? I would like Bluetooth though, and I gather that I need an adapter cable for this? Any recommendations? https://www.linsoul.com/collections/tin-hifi/products/tinhifi-t3 https://www.linsoul.com/collections/all/products/blon-bl05 I would happily recommend these value offerings. Wait Bluetooth. https://www.linsoul.com/products/kz-aptx-hd?_pos=8&_sid=6c07b290d&_ss=r Chi-fi best value fi. Choose your own supplier as you see fit. (also make sure whatever you buy is 2 pin or MMCX and match appropriately, I wasn't bothering with these links) DancingShade fucked around with this message at 14:07 on May 1, 2020 |
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May 1, 2020 14:04
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FistLips posted:I'm looking for some decent, cheap buds. I see the BLON BL03 and 05 Are recommended here? I would like Bluetooth though, and I gather that I need an adapter cable for this? Any recommendations? 05 is preorder and no one knows if it sucks or is good. Get the 03.
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May 1, 2020 14:39
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DancingShade posted:https://www.linsoul.com/collections/tin-hifi/products/tinhifi-t3 Thanks! I need shipping to Norway, but at least you've given me some terms to google! redeyes posted:05 is preorder and no one knows if it sucks or is good. Get the 03. Yeah, I searched aliexpress and saw a bunch of them, but I guess they might be preorder as well. Or counterfeit.
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May 1, 2020 15:23
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FistLips posted:Thanks! I need shipping to Norway, but at least you've given me some terms to google! There are a few floating around which were pre-production for reviewers and didn't have finalized tuning.
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May 1, 2020 15:29
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