I imagine there's something like it for people with severe hearing issues in 1 ear only, but Ive never heard of anything similar. Be it 2 drivers for each ear or a single ear stereo headphone. Casual listening or pro mixing.

Whenever I see people recommend mono I cringe and I don't even have discerning ears. There's gotta be a better option for people with hearing loss.

alright- so my headphones - NIRVANA 751 anc that i have been using for round 8 months the cushion is starting to wear off. the problem is- neither the site not the box provides an accurate measurement of the ear cushions but its roughly 3.9 inches (ROUGHLY) and width of 3.2 somehing inches. i have searched almost all sites available in india but the problem always comes down to it being a different color- and its method of installing the ear cushion.
its white in color-
cushions are over the ear-

and they have a different method of being installed- (adhesive smthing) like this-

https://preview.redd.it/frmq2f2czuge1.png?width=219&format=png&auto=webp&s=c13492b3185ba6282d015d1ae5b210d95e701227

if anyone knowns any site that sell ear cushions of this sort (being sold in India) ill be grateful to you.,
(sites such as crysendo are out of stock for this ear cushions)

At this point I honestly have no idea whether or not I just have a really bad dent or it's just my skull shape. I've tried wearing it in different spots on my head and everything under the sun but it's never gone away.

After a month with them, I have written up my review of the Hifiman Stealth Arya.

Tl;dr: I wouldn’t pay the original MSRP, but these are awesome for $599 and that seems to be the new defacto price across the internet. These are hands-down the best objective-tuned headphones I’ve listened to. They can be a tiny bit treble-heavy, so it’s convenient to have EQ as an option, but I basically don’t use it 99% of the time so far. In my opinion, you have to pay substantially more to compete with it in an objective headphone, though I personally prefer something like the Meze 109 Pro for $200 more for every day listening.

https://daemonxar.blogspot.com/2025/02/hifiman-arya-stealth-my-new-favorite.html

Not really headphone related but I know someone here will be able to help me with what I'm wanting. I have 2 Cerwin Vega towere speakers I need to tune and not sure how to do. I'm aware of squig.link but I wasn't able to find what I was looking for. Can someone help me?

I owned this momentum4 for 13 months and it finally gave up. It was already cracked for a while but I was careful while using it so it didn’t really matter for me. When I asked my brother to give me my headphone when I was laying on bed, he decided to shake the headset holding from broken side. I guess you can see the result. Funnier thing tho is that today I got AirPods Pro 2 because I decided to use momentum only in home so it wouldn’t get broken outside when I was school/running etc. look at the irony

I've had my Blessing 3 for about 6 months and I've experienced an issue with the stock ear tips where they are slowly loosening in grip and get stuck in my ear canal. I can pull them out just fine, but I'm worried about the possibility when I can't... also, they've fallen off the IEM in public and on vacation and I'm worried about losing them and not being able to use the IEMs for the rest of the day/trip as I don't bring spare tips. I used the Starfields with stock tips before upgrading to the Blessing 3 and I never had issues with those falling off, even though they also have lip-less nozzles and the same ear tips.

I found this post about ear tips for the Blessing 3 and there are a few ear tips the OP tested where they still slip off and get stuck in your ear, including some of the Spinfit models. I might try Springtips as the OP found that they gripped the nozzle well, but since you don't get a free set with the Chu 2's anymore I've been holding off on that until I test other tips (yeah, getting a free set of Chu's with your purchase of Springtips is a huge motivator for me 😂).

I have a mixed size set of Tangzu Sancai coming since they were on sale, but I wanted to ask if anybody else has experience with ear tips that slip off of lip-less nozzles like on the Blessing 3, and what options you chose to solve it.

This will be my beginner set up. Eventually will move to a device like a fioo but using mainly Apple Music any advice will help. New to this

Would you go

A) MH40 for leica .95

B) Sundara Hifiman

coming from ATH M50x (Condensed sound, brittle highs)

coming from mdr7506 (mid forward sounding and harsh highs at points)

coming from DT 770 80ohm (somewhat immersive but muddy and not the best translation/ huge)

TL;DR for those short on time or not inclined to read the entire review:

Pros

• Masterfully balanced tuning with very good tonal and timbral accuracy
• Good imaging speed and sense of transparency
• Vocal reproduction is spot-on
• Great build quality
• Great stock cable (Dunu Lyre Mini) with interchangeable plugs (3.5mm + 4.4mm)
• Very wide set of tips and carry case included

Cons

• The bass impact could be better, bassheads beware
• Not the most detailed set out there, trebleheads beware
• Pretty small, intimate soundstage 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Introduction

Dunu is among the most famous (and well-recognized) brands in the Chi-Fi industry and therefore an introduction is probably unnecessary. In this review I’ll be covering the Kima 2 IEMs, which are a refresh of their older Kima (that I haven’t tried unfortunately), and I will try to compare them with other similarly priced IEMs.

Disclaimer: the Dunu Kima 2 were sent to me by Dunu so that I could write an honest review. This review represents my personal opinion on the set, it isn't promotional or paid content and I don’t get any revenue from the sales of this product.

At the time of the review, the Dunu Kima 2 were sold for about $119 at dunu-topsound, which is Dunu’s official website.

https://preview.redd.it/ffiu1z4ujsge1.jpg?width=1500&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6f9b8afc5f7863693a91d4622d9c0cedf9374d12

Technical Specifications

• Driver Configuration → 1 x DD (External Magnet DLC Composite Diaphragm)
• Impedance → 20 Ω
• Spec-sheet Frequency Response → 5Hz-40kHz 
• Sensitivity → 108 dB/mW @ 1kHz
• Cable → 1.25m Four-Core Monocrystalline Copper and Silver-Plated Monocrystalline Copper 2-PIN connectors
• Plug Type → 3.5mm

Packaging

The packaging of the Dunu Kima 2 follows the recent “waifu” trend, and even though I am not a fan of this I kinda understand the reasons behind these marketing things. The Kima 2 come with lots of accessories too, and specifically the box contains: 

• The Dunu Kima 2
• The detachable cable with modular plug (you can use either the 3.5mm jack or the 4.4mm jack)
• One set of Dunu Candy (S, M, L sizes)
• One set of Dunu S&S (S, S-M, M, L sizes)
• Two sets of narrower bore tips with the blue and red inner tube
• A spacious and good looking carry case
• User manual

https://preview.redd.it/f2cwlrqvjsge1.jpg?width=1500&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=10744eedd1d2e4e7c9d88053d74c2dcc43505ad5

https://preview.redd.it/geusmxgvjsge1.jpg?width=1500&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=398f2d9e53402d5e4f162a9713dfe54a550450ac

Design, Build Quality, Comfort and Isolation

The Dunu Kima 2 are super sturdy thanks to their stainless steel CNC-machined shells. The rounded shape and the absence of sharp edges provides for great comfort once the right tips are found. The isolation is not the best out there, but it is still solid enough for daily commuting.

https://preview.redd.it/k881cgowjsge1.jpg?width=1500&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8624d9cc596f0b66f1d4a33f6ff20265f81ef56c

https://preview.redd.it/9jz1kgowjsge1.jpg?width=1500&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8dde6cb4b612d540414061d1ca6edc4675022ff8

https://preview.redd.it/khtpehowjsge1.jpg?width=1500&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=52cc129ea98bcf75825882234cbef6a69a837fe1

https://preview.redd.it/mjgybhowjsge1.jpg?width=1500&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=05c7269e65ceed67db9bd39f06ca763cc0e9ff7e

Cable

The cable is a Dunu Lyre Mini, and it’s among the most interesting cables that I’ve seen included in the box as stock cables in this price range, both because of the fact that it’s braided before the Y-split and because the jack plug is interchangeable (you can use either the 4.4mm jack or 3.5mm jack by twisting it off and placing the other one instead).Hands down among the most comfortable cables to wear and use outside as well.

https://preview.redd.it/v38wsw7yjsge1.jpg?width=1500&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f11af8e0b36cc64b057a5e07eca2ac507e830271

https://preview.redd.it/dmtr1t6yjsge1.jpg?width=1500&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ec1e0ea257bb8263986cdbae595e2778c488610c

https://preview.redd.it/j789ns6yjsge1.jpg?width=1500&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=111c803f87e8b8b7a8182d1619139f9be08ad566

Sound

GEAR USED FOR THE TEST

• DAC: Topping E30 
• AMP: Topping L30, Fiio A3
• Mobile phones: Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge, Xiaomi Mi A3, Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
• Moondrop May’s DSP cable with PEQ=0
• Dongle: Apple Type-C dongle, Fosi DS2
• Portable DAPs: Benjie S8/AGPTEK M30B
• Bluetooth Adapters: KBEAR S1, KZ AZ10 
• Other sources: Presonus AudioBox iONE, Elgato Wave XLR

Amplifier needed?

The Dunu Kima 2 don’t strictly need an amplifier but they can benefit from some good amplification. 

Let’s speak about the sound.

It’s a super well rounded set that sounds “correct” and natural, so the bigger strengths of the Kima 2 are basically the timbre and the tonal accuracy.

Starting from the sub-bass, the Kima 2 sound very controlled yet not lacking in terms of extension. The bass doesn’t sound as punchy and chest-hitting as on other sets, instead every kickdrum has a very controlled, fast and clean response that leads to well-managed transients in fast basslines. It’s not the most-textured bass in this price range, but the textures are very good considering the overall bass speed, as usually brands have to thicken the bass in order to extract a good amount of textures from it.
The midrange is not recessed, and it’s presented in a mostly neutral manner with no particular focus. Male vocals sound spot-on, female vocals sound energetic and intimate, and every instrument is where it should be, even though the various sound sources seem to be very near each other. 
The treble is tuned wonderfully in my opinion, as it really strikes a lot of balance between energy and control: you can hear that the treble is kind-of airy and sparkling, but it’s not harsh or annoying, it’s not fatiguing at all, and there is no trace of sibilance. If anything, I don’t think that the Kima 2 are very good at rendering the smallest nuances, but the treble is so well-tuned that I really had to focus on analyzing the sound to understand that I was missing out on a few small details.

The soundstage is on the smaller side, so if you listen to orchestral tracks or live recording I would search for something else, but the imaging is pretty good in the small space that these are able to portray. 

Are they something I would use considering my taste and preferences?

Yes, mostly because of their tuning, their timbre and their tonal accuracy.Sometimes I miss that super big and boomy low-end (I am a diehard basshead inside) but I also love to sit and listen to various genres and these are perfect for that: they are super balanced and versatile and it’s very easy for me to pick them and put them in my backpack.

Comparisons

Dunu Kima 2 vs Tanchjim 4U (Pop)

The Kima 2 is a Tanchjim 4U on steroids, with better timbral accuracy, better speed and better timbre. The tuning is very similar but there are two key differences: the sub-bass on the Kima 2 has better extension (whereas the 4U have slightly better bass impact than the Kima 2) and the treble on the Kima 2 is a bit less airy yet more natural than on the 4U. The 4U instead play in a slightly bigger stage but except for this and for the slightly punchier bass, the Kima 2 are just better under every other aspect. Build quality is good on both sets and the isolation and comfort are similar, but the stock cable and the other accessories are an easy win for the Kima 2.

Dunu Kima 2 vs Simgot EA1000

Everyone knows how much the EA1000 are loved and how well do they perform, and well it’s pretty easy to state that they are technically superior than the Kima 2, hands down: the details, the resolution, the imaging, the bass quality, everything that involves technical performance is better on the EA1000. But if there’s something at which the Kima 2 do better, then it is the overall timbre and the masterfully done tuning: the Kima 2 are so well tuned that it’s very easy to recommend them to everyone, whereas the EA1000 are pretty bright and this poses some issues when recommending them if the listener is not a treble lover. I would pick the EA1000 any day for my personal taste, especially because I love the treble extension of the EA1000, their quality bass, their resolution and the treble brightness, but the Kima 2 are hands down more versatile and controlled. Stock cable is good on both sets, but I prefer Dunu Lyre Mini as stock cable (the interchangeable plug is a very good feature). The build quality feels more premium on the EA1000 and comfort and isolation are similar, but again the Kima 2 come super well packed with lots of tips and this is something on which the Kima 2 win with no issues.

Dunu Kima 2 vs Oriveti Dynabird

Do you wanna know what’s better on the Dynabird? The overall resolution and detail retrieval. Do you know what price you pay for that? Artificial timbre, sibilance and extreme brightness. Just skip the Dynabird, go for the Kima 2 (the latter also come with better accessories and they are more comfortable to wear).

Dunu Kima 2 vs KZ Zenith (0000)

I have heard people online speaking about the Zenith as the better set, but I don’t think so. They are similarly tuned but the Zenith sounds warmer, with a touch more low-end quantity and slightly less extended upper treble. The Kima 2 sound faster, cleaner, more transparent, more natural and more resolving overall whereas the Zenith sound super well balanced yet not as tonally accurate as the Kima 2. The Zenith behave a touch better in terms of male vocals, bass impact and soundstage and they provide for more versatility thanks to the switches. The build quality is good on both sets, comfort and isolation go to the Kima and the same applies to the overall set of accessories (including the cable, since Zenith’s cable is pretty bad). The Zenith are very good, it’s just that they are not as effortless and refined as the Kima 2. 

Final Thoughts

This was my first time trying a Dunu product and I was very happy to have the Kima 2 in my ears for the last few weeks. They are extremely well tuned, nothing feels out of place and at the same time they provide for almost everything you can ask from a properly balanced set. The bass impact has some headroom for improvement, and the same applies for the overall detail retrieval and soundstage rendering, but I think the asking price is spot-on considering the level of refinement that you get with the Kima 2, especially if you also take into account the fact that they come with lots of accessories and a great cable (with interchangeable plugs).

Well done Dunu… Well done!

Hey!

I'm quite new to audio, but recently decided to step up my audio experience. Does anyone here have experience with Toppings DX9 DAC and headphone amplifier? I was wondering if its necessary for the DX9 to have its own "clean power supply" or a USB Isolator? PC -> DX9 -> headphones is what i am going to run. but, i've seen lots of other posts mentioning this and that makes things better etc etc.. So is there anyone here who uses the Topping DX9 and if so do you use any other products like a USB isolator, power amp, power supply, custom cables etc for it? I am new to all this, but i dont mind wasting some money for some parts if it actually makes it better.

I have these earbuds but they fell on the floor unfortunately in a public place. They didn't get anything on them thankfully, and I used hand sanitizer to clean them because it's all I have on me at the moment. Is that sufficient to clean them, or do I need to clean them again or use anything else? Thanks.

Immortalized the headphones I use basically everyday out and about (with Yaxi Pads ofc).

Hello, folks. I have a short story of disliking Beyerdynamic MMX150 sound after using Marshall Major 3 for a few years. Sounds weird, I know. I never had a chance to use good headphones previously. I think I use Beyers in the wrong way since I have no amp, no EQ and simply use it on PC via USB port as a headset for gaming/consuming content. Some good man said that it can be fixed with good EQ profile. So may I ask you for some profile recommendations for Beyers that I definitely have to try? And also, giving my Marshalls to a friend, may I ask for profiles for them as well?

Thank everyone in advance 🥰

Brought a pair of Hyper X 2 Cloud few years back best price / performance at the time, first pair I brought lasted years and still work just the headband and ear covers are badly worn so I brought the same again a year ago. The build quality on these were bad, ear covers and headband worn away in months vs years same use case. Then the right side audio stopped. I looked inside cables / wires all seem fine, the audio driver seems ok, it's not a software issue, tried on other devices still right side broken. Not sure how to fix / find out whats wrong, got a solder and multimeter but not sure what to look for now. Hyper X customer service were useless, also they don't sell the Hyper x 2 cloud anymore the newer version is worse. Not found any other brands that have the same build quality / price and are good wearing all day. Any idea where to ask discord channel or subreddit?

Of course I definitely hope not, I am in Canada. Maybe I should know the answer to this, but I guess I can say I'm young as an excuse.

I'm new to the headphone hobby, and I was looking forward to one day own some Audeze headphones and HiFiMAN headphones, and others. But a big price increase makes me hesitant.

Just getting into the hobby and purchased Hifiman Edition XS. I currently have both the ToppingDX3Pro+ and Fiio K7. I am constantly switching between the 2 trying to decide which I like better. I have no use for the Topping’s additional features so strictly evaluating sound. I am connected to both using lightning to A OTG and usb a to b cable. The problem is, I think I like the sound of the K7 a little better but it doesn’t want to stay connected. If I put my phone down for more than a minute or disconnect it and reconnect it, I am required to turn off and on the K7 to get it to connect again. Is this common? Any solutions? My Topping does not do this at all.

Hi all,

So, the absolute king of recommendations is the Qudelix 5k, but, because of limited availability and taxes where I am, that would cost me upwards of 200usd, while I pay little to no taxes on stuff I can get from Ali and such.

I’ve been really enjoying using AutoEQ to try different flavors of EQ and I like to have a few different presets available to suit what IEM I have on me and what I’m listening to. I thought about buying eqMac, but that’s 40 dollars, and I spend maybe half my listening time on my iPhone - at which point I feel I’d rather spend a little extra to get a DAC. So I’m looking for something that I can use on Mac/PC laptops and my iPhone, that integrates well with AutoEQ parameters and that costs up to 100usd, preferably less.

I tried the Fiio JA11, which now supports PEQ (although not from iPhone, and I’m not sure profiles remain consistent across devices), but it just doesn’t work, at least consistently, on Apple devices. I get a lot of crackling sounds with the occasional screech from hell and then mute. I’ve read other Apple users reporting similar issues.

A lot of the competitors also reportedly don’t work well with Apple. The Qudelix seems to be ideal and all threads I find asking this type of question point to it, but 215usd is just too much. At that point I’d probably get a DAP, but I’d like to avoid spending that much.

Any tips?

Thanks!

They just don't sound good anymore, I've had them for 5 months now they sounded incredible at first and now they don't, I know it's probably cleaning that's the issue but I've cleaned them and they still don't sound good. Not only that I've had connection issues since I've had them, sometimes they'll just like randomly disconnect for no reason, or they won't connect at all. I really wish I hadn't spent the $300 on these earbuds, it's not worth it, my old JBL earbuds sound better in their current state, they were only $50 too. It's to the point where I might literally just go back to using my old, cheap JBLS as dumb as that sounds.

Haven't used my ES100 for the past year. New iOS install. And when I went to download it, the app is nowhere to be found.

I've been looking into getting a pair of TH616 and I was wondering how owners of them feel about them, any mods you guys done (as Fostex owners I feel like it's a legal obligation to mod them lol) that you guys really like? Any little quirks about the headphones that you guys have experienced over the years? Personal pad preference to pair with the headphones?

I decided to install my amp that I bought around 2 years ago. It's the moon version. I am very happy with the performance.

They just sound fun, not as clinical as some other brands but i don't want that! I want to feel and enjoy my music collection, and the 109 pro gives exactly that and the comfort is just awesome, it is like a warm pillow after 8 houes in your bed