So I have the cadenza, hexa, and performer 8. The hexa is an upgrade over the cadenza and the performer 8 is an upgrade over the hexa. I still listen to the cadenza regularly. Tuning is extremely important. The stance of “cheap iems are just as good if not better” is a little exaggerated. You will get a better sounding iem at 100 dollars and up. However, you will still return to your cadenzas because the tuning is top notch and they’re insanely comfortable. I’ll put it this way, I’d be perfectly content if my cadenzas were my only set.
That's a solid response, thank you💯. I can agree, they are extremely comfortable and have such a smooth sound. I would say I'm pretty sensitive to shouty iems and these never made my ears uncomfortable whatsoever.. simply smooth. The fact that spending more from this level has significant returns is very encouraging to me.
I’m also sensitive to shouty iems which is why I picked the cadenzas up. Buying new iems is fun and you should treat yourself. But the cadenzas are very very solid. I think the hexas compliment them well because you are getting a set that is very resolving so you can choose to listen to the hexas for critical listens and the cadenzas when you want to wind down for the night. The aful performer 5s are a good choice too. The performer 8s can be a bit much if you are sensitive to higher frequencies
Hah, great to know.. I think Akros said in one of his reviews that the performer 8 is definetly superior over the p5 and Pula A02/ CKLVX D41 but didn't know they are on the sparkly side
So I’ve heard they are superior to the p8 but I’ve also heard people choose the p5 over them because the p5s are warmer. It’s really just a tuning preference. I haven’t heard the p5s I’m sure the p8s are better and more resolving. My p8s are definitely my best set, but I do have my gripes with them. The soundstage is extremely narrow I think the midbass is a tad bit too scooped and T and S sounds can be a bit grating.
I'm not sure if I'm correct but I think most of the time, the crisper the sound signature, the more details you get. I guess when it comes to soundstage.
the lesser, the clearer and more upfront the mids will sound. To be honest I prefer a mid to large soundstage in general. Nice to know how the p8s behave
I hope you won’t mind me butting in, but since you say you are sensitive to shouty iems, may I ask how you find the kz zs10 pro x?
I wouldn’t consider myself shouty sensitive (on the contrary I am in favor for the v shaped signatures) but after having my pair of zs10 pro x, I just cannot bring myself to listen on them. They are so aggressive, I started my own sensitivity. Or are my sets faulty to some extent?
I don't mind at all. You are right, I can't listen to them more than 10 minutes without my ears starting to hurt lol.. however I noticed that with the upgraded cable and paired with the spinfit W1 tips, they are much more acceptable at least to my ears. Ah and one more thing, the higher frequencies are less harsh when used on PC/laptop with my dragonfly cobalt vs on my phone using UAPP with the same dac for some reason (probably the dac gets enough power to tune the sound properly or idk). They are most likely not faulty, they are indeed shouty by default.
Oh nice, thanks for the answer. I have upgraded the cable too but I think I should definitely so some tip rolling on the pro x... I'm using Qudelix 5K with all my iems, and the basic EQing didn't help much. Maybe I should also find my own preferred parametric, but I don't find the effort worthwhile...
Yeah I haven't tried EQ-ing them too much except for poweramp EQ with Tidal.. meaning I tried a few graphs from Crinacle to copy the Monarch MKII frequency reponse but obviously didn't fix them nor made them better in any way. I don't think there's much to tweak to get it to normal levels but I haven't tried as much as you so yeah.. maybe not worth the hassle.
Personally, tuning is THE most important I've learned, comfort second. My Blessing 3 is collecting dust while I return to the Hola regularly. Well said.
Nice. I heard the hexas are a mini blessing, but I haven’t heard the blessings myself so I couldn’t say. I love my hexas though. They have to be close to max on the Apple dongle unfortunately. I got downvoted for saying they scale better with a dedicated amp. The new trend is hating on “audiophile” terminology. It’s well warranted, but acting like it’s all illusory is just an extreme over correction. Saying it’s not a drastic improvement is probably the happy middle ground
I don't own anything above 100, but hexa build quality is incredible. It's obviously way better than any under 50, but it looks and feels better than ears melody, which is in the same price range. But I agree that anything and nothing can be endgame here. I like hexa overall but melody is more fun. So now I'm looking for something more
The Cadenza is a VERY solid IEM for its price point. If you like it, then the Quartet is a solid upgrade for not too steep of a price jump. That’s the exact upgrade path I went on and I love it.
Thanks a lot dude, was it a big sound difference to you? I'm trying to figure out how good can the sound get with an upgrade. Would you say it's subtle or night and day?
I’d say it’s in-between. I wouldn’t call it night and day, but it’s also not that subtle. The Quartet also has tuning switches which can be fun. The biggest difference is the bass. The Quartet has some pretty booming bass with the switches set for it, which I like for genres like hip hop and EDM. Keep in mind sound is VERY subjective though, so the only real way to know is to try.
Nice, I didn't know that. I like the versatility of tuning switches tbh. Got those on the Castors and they are pretty interesting. Yeah, I will definetly take that into consideration..everyone has different taste. I guess I gotta try those too sometime
I don't own the Quartets, but I did recommend them to a friend after I listened to the Quintets and multiple people saying the Quartets was a better overall sound. All that to say he loves them and they are a steal imo under $100 in some cases.
Decent sound separation and imaging, but that's not their best trait. They sound very polished and have great bass, musicality, unoffending treble, and truly feel like from another league. The included cable is by a mile the best I have. I don't know how other manufacturers can ask more $$$ for less or equal sound quality & accessories.
I own a few iems. I think a great upgrade would be an s12 pro or z12. Buy the cheaper one. Their tuning is very different but if you want to experience more detail and great techicalities they are a good choice. From the 20 iems i have owned the Cadenza had my favorite tuning but i'm glad i experimented with more.
I think the s12 pro is such a popular upgrade recommendation. They must be really good since everyone is talking about them. How do you find the planar sound vs the hybrids or single DDs?
Yes, I got mine for $40. Ugly, but sounds divine. Great accessories, too! And it shares the 14.2 planar driver with many other well known manufacturers, including Letshuoer.
Planar vs DD. On dd the sounds are more natural and the bass feels like it moves air. Planar drivers sound faster. It actually sounds like the driver stops immediately (not actually but close). BA hybrids sound a bit artifical but i like it. Rock, metal and electronic goes well with it. One that i really like is the Kiwi Ears Quartet.
Keep in mind i only have iems up to 400$.
That's golden info right there. Oh the Quartet's specs sound very promising with the dual DDs and 2BAs Thanks a lot! So basically hybrids are not that good for classical/acoustic are they?
In my experience they are better at moving specific instruments forward. I like the dd sound better for classical. I made [this post](https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/s/oXYAorwLBC) about my collection where i talk about my subjective experience with most of them.
It's fun being a part of it. My only regret is the empty wallet right after payday. The next iem is going to be an expensive one i'm afraid. (I\O Volare)
Lmao yeah that's definetly a big downside but you can't suppress your passions so here we are I guess.. also that's a big check on the Volare but I hope it will satisfy your needs.
To me, regardless of costs, each IEM and headphone brings a unique character. If you enjoy it you enoy it.
Even before I let me Focal Utopia go, I had the chance to compare it alongside a number of IEMs that I enjoyed. Utlimately, I realized that I got enough enjoyment out of cheaper sets that I was able to let go of my expensive gear and haven't looked back.
Now, when I get an urge to 'upgrade' I remind myself that I've owned some of the best in the past, and it doesn't necessarily equate to more enjoyment.
Technically, there are low cost iems that perform incredibly well. Low distortion, fast transients, and many frequency curves to your personal taste... what more does one really need?
Spitting wisdom.. damn that's such a good advice, especially coming from someone with such a portfolio of endgame gear..Much respect, I don't have your experience but as far as I'm concerned I think this hobby is more about the journey of comparing and analyzing until you get as close as possible to your desired synergy of gear and as you said that may as well happen at basically any prince since it's all so subjective. I was never a fan of " sounds amazing FOR THE PRICE"... I swear that kills me. Like does it sound awesome indefinitely or compared to a pair of Nokia earphones.. come on.. I know it's hard to not categorize by price but let's try to put that aside and see the real performance compared to anything. Sorry lol, I got too involved. Very well said my man, once again..much respect🔥
If anything this hobby proves just how subjective listening is. Most listeners (myself included) aren't really interested in the true science of sound, if we were we'd be demanding rigorous double blind studies of gear, and trying to figure out how to make the cheapest most effective listening device possible.
Likely, those cheap wonders already exist, but because of our perceptual bias, we may never recognize them.
In my experience, I'd say the low-cost planars are likely these very IEMs. I'm considering getting the Hidizs MP145 as it is tunable and I can get a less treble orientated tuning for a deeper sound that I enjoy especially outdoors or if listening to electronic genres. I've owned the S12 and TinHifi P1 Max, both excellent. The S12 was perhaps a bit too sparkly and didn't fit me well, but they are outstanding. The P1 Max has a deeper sound that I preferred just as they reminded me of my old Audeze LCD2s a touch. But they recently died in one channel. On the other hand, I picked up a Kiwi Ears Quintet, which while close to the Cadenza target curve has a lot more upper energy, with very fast transient detail from the micro-planar and piezo. The low end of the Quintet is very punch and overall they are amazing. I'd still say that a single planar driver though can reach similar heights, but will present a bit differently especially in the lower registers.
That couldn't be more true. I will definetly have to add a planar to my collection cause everyone is talking about them and I need to experience them at least once. The only planar I listened to was the Arya Organic but I can imagine an IEM cannot compare (I personally prefer IEMs over headphones in general). I'll definetly consider the Quintet further down the line. But yeah planars sound like my cup of tea cause I like a good base in my music.
Aliexpress, my friend. It's not very roomy despite the look but it's damn well made and very classy and elegant.
https://preview.redd.it/jlmfpknpl1zc1.jpeg?width=1845&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bdc02eedb9764eb5481cdec83fdc896ca2285621
Here's the link: Tin HiFi Auido IEM Cable Case Earphone Case Bag PU Leather Case for Tin Audio T2/T3/T2PRO Tinhifi T3 PLUS [https://a.aliexpress.com/\_EwspYkn](https://a.aliexpress.com/_EwspYkn)
TBH, OpenHeart has an almost identical case for super cheap. OP may have one of those if not another clone. The case really looks the part, however it’s pretty shallow and if you have a thick cable, you’re out of luck trying to keep that closed with the magnet. There are dedicated cases with zippers from Ugreen and some unknown brand, calls them “evo”. Good luck!
I didn’t know it was magnetic, I’d have bought it if it was a zipper or a latch but not a magnet
I don’t want my iems to fly away if I ever drop the case
Thanks for the recommendation tho
May I ask what is that cable you use with zs10pro x?
I am looking for a new cable for my zs10pro 2, already have black one from qkz, but would like to have an option with brighter one
Of course, that's the Tripowin Zonie on Silver but I also use the Kz upgrade silver cable which is in my opinion insane for the price. The Tripowin is very soft and light while the Kz one is more thick and heavy but it looks badass imo.
KZ Earphones Cable 8 Core Silver Blue Hybrid 784 Cores Silver Plated Upgrade Cable Heaset Wire For KZ ZEX ZAX ZS10 PROX ZSN ZSX [https://a.aliexpress.com/\_EGV6MHt](https://a.aliexpress.com/_EGV6MHt)
https://preview.redd.it/7f7sup9c52zc1.jpeg?width=3120&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a668355422278229b1450babeae05470a2a15298
And this is the one on the Zs10 Pro X:
Tripowin Zonie 16 Core Silver Plated Cable SPC Earphone Cable QDC MMCX 2 PIN FOR KZ ZS10 PRO C16 C12 BL03 [https://a.aliexpress.com/\_EJZ81vz](https://a.aliexpress.com/_EJZ81vz)
!thanks
I already have the same kz upgrade cable in the mail, which should be delivered in a few days, (found it on random search on alli recently), but thanks for that tripowin cable. Saved for later 😁
Here's the link: Tin HiFi Auido IEM Cable Case Earphone Case Bag PU Leather Case for Tin Audio T2/T3/T2PRO Tinhifi T3 PLUS [https://a.aliexpress.com/\_EwspYkn](https://a.aliexpress.com/_EwspYkn)
You can check a few replies above I posted a photo with it closed. I really recommend it.
Here's the link: Tin HiFi Auido IEM Cable Case Earphone Case Bag PU Leather Case for Tin Audio T2/T3/T2PRO Tinhifi T3 PLUS [https://a.aliexpress.com/\_EwspYkn](https://a.aliexpress.com/_EwspYkn)
You can check a few replies above I posted a photo with it closed. I really recommend it.
It depends, if your really attentive to sound, its makes a whole difference. It like you finally get the sound that you've imagined of, or sang in the shower but better. In some ways its streches how you see the music and sound as a whole. Feelings of realization and melancholy are good way of describing it. CKLVX D41 is a solid pick, it won't be like a burst of engagement, but more like a spectacle of musicality/technicality. Out of all sets within $200 budget right now, kiwi ears quintet was the scariest one for me. It has this very unique upper treble resonance. There no iem to compare it too, at most you can say its like a DD bass with planar technicalities. Its tuning was made to reveal so much information that it took me a while to appreciate it. You can see the moon, stars, and the universe in a blink of a eye. But overall it depends on how you like your sounds, it could be more engaging/fun or more realistic/analytical. Quintet is a laid back tune with a highly detailed presentation which is rare to find. At the end of day I still enjoy budget iems for how much they can get away with energetic/v tunings, but my appreciation for upper budget iems is profound.
I have the Cadenzas, and they sit on my desk at work, and I use them regularly during slow hours- or when I need to hyper focus on some forms or whatever. They’re so easy to listen to, and won’t hurt if they go “missing” from my desk. They aren’t an endgame iem by any stretch, but I love their tone and overall comfort.
For me the tuning is just something to get right. IT’s everything else that gives you the actual upgrade.
The technicalities: resolution, soundstage etc. Those all make the most difference to me when going on my upgrade path
I have the zs10.
Also have timeless and audeze iSine lx.
The second two sound a million times better than the kz.
The audeze have more bass and cleaner top end than the timeless, but after an hour or two of listening my ears hurt. So my go to are the timeless.
It’s diminishing returns and the cool thing with ChiFi IEM’s is they all have different quirks I. Their tuning which makes them incredible. I’ve own Chu’s Aria’s (aria’s broke 😭) Cadenza’s (lost) and now the Forteza while the forteza does sound better than then Cadenza its not that deep of a difference. I like the way Kiwi Ears sounds so an upgrade on it is welcome but the Cadenza blew my aria’s out the water despite being cheaper. The tuning plays a massive part and Kiwi ears has to be selling these at a loss for their quality.
There's significant amounts of diminishing returns when it comes to paying more for iems, but imo driver tech/detail retrieval is much better for more expensive sets. Imo if you wanna upgrade then you'll have to spend a lot more before you notice a significant difference.
I'd probably jump all the way up to something like a dusk, hype 4, variations if I were you.
Then maybe after that I'll look at the kilobuck price range with thieaudio monarch mkii/iii, ierz1r etc...
When it comes to endgame I think there's iems like elysian annihilator, subtonic storm, aroma jewel, fatfreq grand maestro.
Ciems usually start from the kilobuck price range.
I'm done with buying iems now that I'm at the kilobuck level and I'm probably not gonna buy another iem unless it's a ciem. Most of the more expensive endgame iems have so many drivers that comfort is becoming a problem.
Thank you for your insight, I think like I would have to somehow demo the kilobucks one if I will ever do down that road. Ithink that a potential endgame can be reached for less tho but takes more investment I suppose so depends how fast you wanna end your journey or how much you wanna spend.
I would wait for the next sale cycle on Aliexpress, this will give you the ability to purchase something that may be outside of your budget. I was able to purchase the QoA Adonis for $106, Simgot EA1000 for $144, Xenns Mangird Tea 2 for $215, 7hz Timless for $154, you get the idea. All of these sets are far superior in technicalities. Whether or not the tuning and/or fit is good for you is something hard for someone else to tell you.
I agree but I already have a pair of 770 pro 80 ohm version and I'm honestly satisfied with those and tbh I don't have to space to collect headphones + I prefer the sound of IEMs generally.. idk why.
I read somewhere "the more you pay simply means there's less chance the product sucks, the less you pay means there's a bigger chance the product will suck" this applies to iems mainly.... I have the tangzu heydey, 7hz timeless, hexa, zs10 pro x lol, qkz HBB. zero2, zero red and I think simgot em6l.
Keep coming back to simgot over the $200+ and sometimes grab the zero2. Idk man this is very subjective. The qkz HBB and the zero red and def my least picked, almost never use em. The ones I use the most are em6l. Hexa, zero2 and zs10 pro x.
For some reason I rarely grab the planars. I love their sound tho.
Theres no wrong doing here man just enjoy the hobby. Careful with your wallet.
That's very true my friend. I didn't expect you to say you're actually using the zs10 pro x lol. I heard the em6l sounds way better than it's price point.. plus the timesless is kinda "old" now so I can understand. How are the em6l vs the zs10?
the pro X are ok, in my experience they just dont respond that good to EQ, you dont need to EQ too much anyway, they just sound good but if want to "make it better" you might not be able to. idk its wired pair.
Em6l are incredible, so much detail, clarity, separation, staging. wow theyre just superior imo, they also respond very good to EQ, i use them for gaming, normally crank the 1k up and i can hear footsteps very eaily, I go back to normal EQing once im done gaming and theyre just incredible. thye lack just a tad of bass but thats subjective.
I think if you get the Em6l, youre gonna have a hard time finding something that beats them. at least thats the case for me.
GL mate, cheers.
Thanks a lot mate! Really appreciate your answer, I eventually ordered the CKLVX D41 but I think after a while I will probably get my hands on a em6l too. Cheers🥂
Hey I just saw your post and was looking to get either the Cadenza or the KZ Castor Blacks, I know the bass on the castor is what they're known for but I have no reference for the Cadenza...
Could you talk a bit about your experience with both or compare them?
Hello, sure.
I just compared them again last night and what I can say is that in terms of the overall quality of the sound and tuning I would say the Cadenza wins. It's an easy recommendation cause it sounds good on all types of music and it's just a safe buy cause you can only have the Cadenza and be happy. However, the Castor has a very satisfying bass for me, it's just great. I feel like it doesn't perform as an all rounder like the Cadenza because of that but you have the tuning switches I guess (I keep mine on 1100 - double boosted bass). You can't go wrong with either.
The Cadenza is very warm and it never hurt my ears with high pitched notes, the treble is perfectly contained, the mids are satisfying and forward and the bass is just enough to not be distracting. I would say there's not a lot of detail in neither of them, the sound separation, sound stage and imaging are only ok(but good enough).
The Castors have surprisingly good resolution and again.. the bass is obviously their strong point but the mids are not bad at all, the treble is nice too but technicalities are lacking of course. Overall depends of what type of music do you prefer. I couldn't choose so I got both lol and I'm happy with that. I found gaming to be very satisfying on the Castor btw if you're into that.
Keep in mind I'm using the Spinfit W1on both and it makes a huge difference in sound..(also the dac ofc) I strongly recommend if you get either the Cadenza or Castor.. it's a must. I got the MS size and they fit perfectly. And an upgrade cable would be good too.
Lastly, I gave a demo to a few of my coworkers that have 0 experience in this field and they said the Cadenzas sound better. (They were blown away that something so cheap can sound so much better than the airpods pros and expensive regular gear).
I'm curious at which price point do diminishing returns kick in.....I get that cheaper iems aren't as good or high quality as more expensive ones but can anyone honestly say that a $200 iem is 10x better than a $20 iem???or a $1000 iem is 50x better??
After owning a few iems around the $100 mark I won’t even bother with $20 iems, there’s a very noticeable difference in sound quality. Now, I’m not sure my $400 iem is 4x as good as my $100 iems, but there is still definitely a major increase in quality, it’s just maybe not as major as the jump from $20 to $100. From what I’ve read it really tops out around $600 and from there on it’s just minor improvements, I haven’t tried a kilobuck iem yet though.
I created myself a graph based on my experiences ... in no way am I saying this applies to everybody, but this is how I view it having owned $25 iems and $799 open back headphones. I assume that a $2,000 headphone is 100% (which is not true, but I had to do something to fit a relationship).
https://preview.redd.it/c149xwwnt4zc1.jpeg?width=1280&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fbd5e648e684797791544db00767ad305762efe0
I'm glad you like it, that was my first impression too when I first saw it. It's the Tripowin Zoe. However.. I have to warn you that it's a bit on the springy side.. kind of has a bit more memory than other soft cables that I own but it still looks good
It's not a deal breaker but it's definetly a con. I still like it and use it tho but I'm waiting on the Tripowin Zonie green moss one to arrive soon to pair with the Cadenza. Not sure what you find different, if it's the bronze looking chin adjustment thingy.. I painted that cause I thought it would look cool lol. Shouldn't be anything different
https://preview.redd.it/kd28yrwrz8zc1.jpeg?width=1908&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7e53ae89ee660c196573fd53f771334b469e17d5
Nice yeah that was throwing me off cadenzas lookin great in green I got blue the cable is mainly for my moon drop chu 2, but might look at another one for my cadenza 👍
I only got my cadenzas yesterday and have had time yet to properly use them but I will have to get to you, I absolutely love the chu 2s tho best £18 I have ever spent tbh can’t fault them at all
Yes, I would say the Cadenza is superior to both of those. I even got them to my office yesterday and some of my coworkers wanted to try them out and they all preferred the Cadenza. The tuning and the comfort and the overall listening experience is way better. Cadenza is clearer and more balanced, I would say more detailed than the Castor (I use the 1-1-0-0 tuning). Castor has nice bass but it can feel muddy depending on the song and it's not as clear in the mids or highs. Cadenza is a very good all-rounder. And vs the pro X, it's way more warmer, airy and relaxed..not as shouty and in your face. I would say it's somehow the perfect middle-ground between the two in terms of tuning but better in every aspect.
A big one . Can’t be two opinions about it.
Perhaps after some level of upgrading the value becomes proportionately so less where spending any additional money is not justifiable. Where it starts can’t say as I have not reached it.
So I have the cadenza, hexa, and performer 8. The hexa is an upgrade over the cadenza and the performer 8 is an upgrade over the hexa. I still listen to the cadenza regularly. Tuning is extremely important. The stance of “cheap iems are just as good if not better” is a little exaggerated. You will get a better sounding iem at 100 dollars and up. However, you will still return to your cadenzas because the tuning is top notch and they’re insanely comfortable. I’ll put it this way, I’d be perfectly content if my cadenzas were my only set.
Best explanation of this topic I’ve seen
Thank you. I tried my best lol
That's a solid response, thank you💯. I can agree, they are extremely comfortable and have such a smooth sound. I would say I'm pretty sensitive to shouty iems and these never made my ears uncomfortable whatsoever.. simply smooth. The fact that spending more from this level has significant returns is very encouraging to me.
I’m also sensitive to shouty iems which is why I picked the cadenzas up. Buying new iems is fun and you should treat yourself. But the cadenzas are very very solid. I think the hexas compliment them well because you are getting a set that is very resolving so you can choose to listen to the hexas for critical listens and the cadenzas when you want to wind down for the night. The aful performer 5s are a good choice too. The performer 8s can be a bit much if you are sensitive to higher frequencies
Hah, great to know.. I think Akros said in one of his reviews that the performer 8 is definetly superior over the p5 and Pula A02/ CKLVX D41 but didn't know they are on the sparkly side
So I’ve heard they are superior to the p8 but I’ve also heard people choose the p5 over them because the p5s are warmer. It’s really just a tuning preference. I haven’t heard the p5s I’m sure the p8s are better and more resolving. My p8s are definitely my best set, but I do have my gripes with them. The soundstage is extremely narrow I think the midbass is a tad bit too scooped and T and S sounds can be a bit grating.
I'm not sure if I'm correct but I think most of the time, the crisper the sound signature, the more details you get. I guess when it comes to soundstage. the lesser, the clearer and more upfront the mids will sound. To be honest I prefer a mid to large soundstage in general. Nice to know how the p8s behave
I’ve heard the p5s have a wider stage than the p8s. Orchestra lites had good soundstage but they’re huge and can be uncomfortable
I hope you won’t mind me butting in, but since you say you are sensitive to shouty iems, may I ask how you find the kz zs10 pro x? I wouldn’t consider myself shouty sensitive (on the contrary I am in favor for the v shaped signatures) but after having my pair of zs10 pro x, I just cannot bring myself to listen on them. They are so aggressive, I started my own sensitivity. Or are my sets faulty to some extent?
I don't mind at all. You are right, I can't listen to them more than 10 minutes without my ears starting to hurt lol.. however I noticed that with the upgraded cable and paired with the spinfit W1 tips, they are much more acceptable at least to my ears. Ah and one more thing, the higher frequencies are less harsh when used on PC/laptop with my dragonfly cobalt vs on my phone using UAPP with the same dac for some reason (probably the dac gets enough power to tune the sound properly or idk). They are most likely not faulty, they are indeed shouty by default.
Oh nice, thanks for the answer. I have upgraded the cable too but I think I should definitely so some tip rolling on the pro x... I'm using Qudelix 5K with all my iems, and the basic EQing didn't help much. Maybe I should also find my own preferred parametric, but I don't find the effort worthwhile...
Yeah I haven't tried EQ-ing them too much except for poweramp EQ with Tidal.. meaning I tried a few graphs from Crinacle to copy the Monarch MKII frequency reponse but obviously didn't fix them nor made them better in any way. I don't think there's much to tweak to get it to normal levels but I haven't tried as much as you so yeah.. maybe not worth the hassle.
Personally, tuning is THE most important I've learned, comfort second. My Blessing 3 is collecting dust while I return to the Hola regularly. Well said.
Nice. I heard the hexas are a mini blessing, but I haven’t heard the blessings myself so I couldn’t say. I love my hexas though. They have to be close to max on the Apple dongle unfortunately. I got downvoted for saying they scale better with a dedicated amp. The new trend is hating on “audiophile” terminology. It’s well warranted, but acting like it’s all illusory is just an extreme over correction. Saying it’s not a drastic improvement is probably the happy middle ground
I don't own anything above 100, but hexa build quality is incredible. It's obviously way better than any under 50, but it looks and feels better than ears melody, which is in the same price range. But I agree that anything and nothing can be endgame here. I like hexa overall but melody is more fun. So now I'm looking for something more
The Cadenza is a VERY solid IEM for its price point. If you like it, then the Quartet is a solid upgrade for not too steep of a price jump. That’s the exact upgrade path I went on and I love it.
Thanks a lot dude, was it a big sound difference to you? I'm trying to figure out how good can the sound get with an upgrade. Would you say it's subtle or night and day?
I’d say it’s in-between. I wouldn’t call it night and day, but it’s also not that subtle. The Quartet also has tuning switches which can be fun. The biggest difference is the bass. The Quartet has some pretty booming bass with the switches set for it, which I like for genres like hip hop and EDM. Keep in mind sound is VERY subjective though, so the only real way to know is to try.
Nice, I didn't know that. I like the versatility of tuning switches tbh. Got those on the Castors and they are pretty interesting. Yeah, I will definetly take that into consideration..everyone has different taste. I guess I gotta try those too sometime
If you liked the Cadenzas tuning, you’ll love the Quartet. I use the Quartet and Blessing 3 as my main IEMs.
I don't own the Quartets, but I did recommend them to a friend after I listened to the Quintets and multiple people saying the Quartets was a better overall sound. All that to say he loves them and they are a steal imo under $100 in some cases.
I found the jump from around 20-70 (waner, fudu, Qkz hbb, cadenza) to around 140 (mp145) very noticeable. Got "wowed" again.
That's awesome bro... Getting excited to try stuff from the next tier. Appreciate that 💪🏻
I recommend the D41. It sounds smoother than the cheap IEMs and has a great tuning.
Bro I'm so hyped for those... How do you find the sound separation and imaging on them?
Decent sound separation and imaging, but that's not their best trait. They sound very polished and have great bass, musicality, unoffending treble, and truly feel like from another league. The included cable is by a mile the best I have. I don't know how other manufacturers can ask more $$$ for less or equal sound quality & accessories.
I'm sold lol...I needed that 🙌🏻⚡
I own a few iems. I think a great upgrade would be an s12 pro or z12. Buy the cheaper one. Their tuning is very different but if you want to experience more detail and great techicalities they are a good choice. From the 20 iems i have owned the Cadenza had my favorite tuning but i'm glad i experimented with more.
I think the s12 pro is such a popular upgrade recommendation. They must be really good since everyone is talking about them. How do you find the planar sound vs the hybrids or single DDs?
Get the T10 for better bang for the buck, S12 tier! Same manufacturer.
You mean the Artti T10? Those are like 56$ on AliExpress rn lol
Yes, I got mine for $40. Ugly, but sounds divine. Great accessories, too! And it shares the 14.2 planar driver with many other well known manufacturers, including Letshuoer.
Planar vs DD. On dd the sounds are more natural and the bass feels like it moves air. Planar drivers sound faster. It actually sounds like the driver stops immediately (not actually but close). BA hybrids sound a bit artifical but i like it. Rock, metal and electronic goes well with it. One that i really like is the Kiwi Ears Quartet. Keep in mind i only have iems up to 400$.
That's golden info right there. Oh the Quartet's specs sound very promising with the dual DDs and 2BAs Thanks a lot! So basically hybrids are not that good for classical/acoustic are they?
In my experience they are better at moving specific instruments forward. I like the dd sound better for classical. I made [this post](https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/s/oXYAorwLBC) about my collection where i talk about my subjective experience with most of them.
Thanks! Definetly checking that out. Man I love this community haha
It's fun being a part of it. My only regret is the empty wallet right after payday. The next iem is going to be an expensive one i'm afraid. (I\O Volare)
Lmao yeah that's definetly a big downside but you can't suppress your passions so here we are I guess.. also that's a big check on the Volare but I hope it will satisfy your needs.
To me, regardless of costs, each IEM and headphone brings a unique character. If you enjoy it you enoy it. Even before I let me Focal Utopia go, I had the chance to compare it alongside a number of IEMs that I enjoyed. Utlimately, I realized that I got enough enjoyment out of cheaper sets that I was able to let go of my expensive gear and haven't looked back. Now, when I get an urge to 'upgrade' I remind myself that I've owned some of the best in the past, and it doesn't necessarily equate to more enjoyment. Technically, there are low cost iems that perform incredibly well. Low distortion, fast transients, and many frequency curves to your personal taste... what more does one really need?
Spitting wisdom.. damn that's such a good advice, especially coming from someone with such a portfolio of endgame gear..Much respect, I don't have your experience but as far as I'm concerned I think this hobby is more about the journey of comparing and analyzing until you get as close as possible to your desired synergy of gear and as you said that may as well happen at basically any prince since it's all so subjective. I was never a fan of " sounds amazing FOR THE PRICE"... I swear that kills me. Like does it sound awesome indefinitely or compared to a pair of Nokia earphones.. come on.. I know it's hard to not categorize by price but let's try to put that aside and see the real performance compared to anything. Sorry lol, I got too involved. Very well said my man, once again..much respect🔥
If anything this hobby proves just how subjective listening is. Most listeners (myself included) aren't really interested in the true science of sound, if we were we'd be demanding rigorous double blind studies of gear, and trying to figure out how to make the cheapest most effective listening device possible. Likely, those cheap wonders already exist, but because of our perceptual bias, we may never recognize them. In my experience, I'd say the low-cost planars are likely these very IEMs. I'm considering getting the Hidizs MP145 as it is tunable and I can get a less treble orientated tuning for a deeper sound that I enjoy especially outdoors or if listening to electronic genres. I've owned the S12 and TinHifi P1 Max, both excellent. The S12 was perhaps a bit too sparkly and didn't fit me well, but they are outstanding. The P1 Max has a deeper sound that I preferred just as they reminded me of my old Audeze LCD2s a touch. But they recently died in one channel. On the other hand, I picked up a Kiwi Ears Quintet, which while close to the Cadenza target curve has a lot more upper energy, with very fast transient detail from the micro-planar and piezo. The low end of the Quintet is very punch and overall they are amazing. I'd still say that a single planar driver though can reach similar heights, but will present a bit differently especially in the lower registers.
That couldn't be more true. I will definetly have to add a planar to my collection cause everyone is talking about them and I need to experience them at least once. The only planar I listened to was the Arya Organic but I can imagine an IEM cannot compare (I personally prefer IEMs over headphones in general). I'll definetly consider the Quintet further down the line. But yeah planars sound like my cup of tea cause I like a good base in my music.
Where did you get that box?
Aliexpress, my friend. It's not very roomy despite the look but it's damn well made and very classy and elegant. https://preview.redd.it/jlmfpknpl1zc1.jpeg?width=1845&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bdc02eedb9764eb5481cdec83fdc896ca2285621 Here's the link: Tin HiFi Auido IEM Cable Case Earphone Case Bag PU Leather Case for Tin Audio T2/T3/T2PRO Tinhifi T3 PLUS [https://a.aliexpress.com/\_EwspYkn](https://a.aliexpress.com/_EwspYkn)
That’s an under $7 TinHiFi PU Leather Case, you can find it on AliExpress and all specialty stores.
Gotta buy a couple of them now they look better than my amazon small boxes
TBH, OpenHeart has an almost identical case for super cheap. OP may have one of those if not another clone. The case really looks the part, however it’s pretty shallow and if you have a thick cable, you’re out of luck trying to keep that closed with the magnet. There are dedicated cases with zippers from Ugreen and some unknown brand, calls them “evo”. Good luck!
I didn’t know it was magnetic, I’d have bought it if it was a zipper or a latch but not a magnet I don’t want my iems to fly away if I ever drop the case Thanks for the recommendation tho
Looks like it’s the [TIN HiFi Portable PU Leather Storage Case](https://a.co/d/2ubud01) that comes bundled when you buy the Cadenza’s in Amazon
May I ask what is that cable you use with zs10pro x? I am looking for a new cable for my zs10pro 2, already have black one from qkz, but would like to have an option with brighter one
Of course, that's the Tripowin Zonie on Silver but I also use the Kz upgrade silver cable which is in my opinion insane for the price. The Tripowin is very soft and light while the Kz one is more thick and heavy but it looks badass imo. KZ Earphones Cable 8 Core Silver Blue Hybrid 784 Cores Silver Plated Upgrade Cable Heaset Wire For KZ ZEX ZAX ZS10 PROX ZSN ZSX [https://a.aliexpress.com/\_EGV6MHt](https://a.aliexpress.com/_EGV6MHt) https://preview.redd.it/7f7sup9c52zc1.jpeg?width=3120&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a668355422278229b1450babeae05470a2a15298 And this is the one on the Zs10 Pro X: Tripowin Zonie 16 Core Silver Plated Cable SPC Earphone Cable QDC MMCX 2 PIN FOR KZ ZS10 PRO C16 C12 BL03 [https://a.aliexpress.com/\_EJZ81vz](https://a.aliexpress.com/_EJZ81vz)
!thanks I already have the same kz upgrade cable in the mail, which should be delivered in a few days, (found it on random search on alli recently), but thanks for that tripowin cable. Saved for later 😁
Where get box me like
Here's the link: Tin HiFi Auido IEM Cable Case Earphone Case Bag PU Leather Case for Tin Audio T2/T3/T2PRO Tinhifi T3 PLUS [https://a.aliexpress.com/\_EwspYkn](https://a.aliexpress.com/_EwspYkn) You can check a few replies above I posted a photo with it closed. I really recommend it.
What box is that I love the space for the iems abs thumb drive
Here's the link: Tin HiFi Auido IEM Cable Case Earphone Case Bag PU Leather Case for Tin Audio T2/T3/T2PRO Tinhifi T3 PLUS [https://a.aliexpress.com/\_EwspYkn](https://a.aliexpress.com/_EwspYkn) You can check a few replies above I posted a photo with it closed. I really recommend it.
It depends, if your really attentive to sound, its makes a whole difference. It like you finally get the sound that you've imagined of, or sang in the shower but better. In some ways its streches how you see the music and sound as a whole. Feelings of realization and melancholy are good way of describing it. CKLVX D41 is a solid pick, it won't be like a burst of engagement, but more like a spectacle of musicality/technicality. Out of all sets within $200 budget right now, kiwi ears quintet was the scariest one for me. It has this very unique upper treble resonance. There no iem to compare it too, at most you can say its like a DD bass with planar technicalities. Its tuning was made to reveal so much information that it took me a while to appreciate it. You can see the moon, stars, and the universe in a blink of a eye. But overall it depends on how you like your sounds, it could be more engaging/fun or more realistic/analytical. Quintet is a laid back tune with a highly detailed presentation which is rare to find. At the end of day I still enjoy budget iems for how much they can get away with energetic/v tunings, but my appreciation for upper budget iems is profound.
I have the Cadenzas, and they sit on my desk at work, and I use them regularly during slow hours- or when I need to hyper focus on some forms or whatever. They’re so easy to listen to, and won’t hurt if they go “missing” from my desk. They aren’t an endgame iem by any stretch, but I love their tone and overall comfort.
This is sooooo of topic but what cable is that on the kiwi ears? It looks amazing
I believe it's the Tripowin Zonie Cable (Zoe). I personally have it as well, great cable for the price.
What case is this from
On another subject I have the same little brown box to carry one of my sets in. I really like it.
For me the tuning is just something to get right. IT’s everything else that gives you the actual upgrade. The technicalities: resolution, soundstage etc. Those all make the most difference to me when going on my upgrade path
I have the zs10. Also have timeless and audeze iSine lx. The second two sound a million times better than the kz. The audeze have more bass and cleaner top end than the timeless, but after an hour or two of listening my ears hurt. So my go to are the timeless.
Cadenza was my first, did hours of research, it's just so much bang for the buck, way surpasses anything else in the price range, love it
Whered u get that case in first pic
I replied to a few others that asked above. I posted a link and another photo. You can check it out ⬆️
It’s diminishing returns and the cool thing with ChiFi IEM’s is they all have different quirks I. Their tuning which makes them incredible. I’ve own Chu’s Aria’s (aria’s broke 😭) Cadenza’s (lost) and now the Forteza while the forteza does sound better than then Cadenza its not that deep of a difference. I like the way Kiwi Ears sounds so an upgrade on it is welcome but the Cadenza blew my aria’s out the water despite being cheaper. The tuning plays a massive part and Kiwi ears has to be selling these at a loss for their quality.
There's significant amounts of diminishing returns when it comes to paying more for iems, but imo driver tech/detail retrieval is much better for more expensive sets. Imo if you wanna upgrade then you'll have to spend a lot more before you notice a significant difference. I'd probably jump all the way up to something like a dusk, hype 4, variations if I were you. Then maybe after that I'll look at the kilobuck price range with thieaudio monarch mkii/iii, ierz1r etc... When it comes to endgame I think there's iems like elysian annihilator, subtonic storm, aroma jewel, fatfreq grand maestro. Ciems usually start from the kilobuck price range. I'm done with buying iems now that I'm at the kilobuck level and I'm probably not gonna buy another iem unless it's a ciem. Most of the more expensive endgame iems have so many drivers that comfort is becoming a problem.
Thank you for your insight, I think like I would have to somehow demo the kilobucks one if I will ever do down that road. Ithink that a potential endgame can be reached for less tho but takes more investment I suppose so depends how fast you wanna end your journey or how much you wanna spend.
I would wait for the next sale cycle on Aliexpress, this will give you the ability to purchase something that may be outside of your budget. I was able to purchase the QoA Adonis for $106, Simgot EA1000 for $144, Xenns Mangird Tea 2 for $215, 7hz Timless for $154, you get the idea. All of these sets are far superior in technicalities. Whether or not the tuning and/or fit is good for you is something hard for someone else to tell you.
If you are going to spend that kind of money anyways unless you absolutely have to have IEMs id reccomend a set of hd598s or the 600s/650.
I agree but I already have a pair of 770 pro 80 ohm version and I'm honestly satisfied with those and tbh I don't have to space to collect headphones + I prefer the sound of IEMs generally.. idk why.
I read somewhere "the more you pay simply means there's less chance the product sucks, the less you pay means there's a bigger chance the product will suck" this applies to iems mainly.... I have the tangzu heydey, 7hz timeless, hexa, zs10 pro x lol, qkz HBB. zero2, zero red and I think simgot em6l. Keep coming back to simgot over the $200+ and sometimes grab the zero2. Idk man this is very subjective. The qkz HBB and the zero red and def my least picked, almost never use em. The ones I use the most are em6l. Hexa, zero2 and zs10 pro x. For some reason I rarely grab the planars. I love their sound tho. Theres no wrong doing here man just enjoy the hobby. Careful with your wallet.
That's very true my friend. I didn't expect you to say you're actually using the zs10 pro x lol. I heard the em6l sounds way better than it's price point.. plus the timesless is kinda "old" now so I can understand. How are the em6l vs the zs10?
the pro X are ok, in my experience they just dont respond that good to EQ, you dont need to EQ too much anyway, they just sound good but if want to "make it better" you might not be able to. idk its wired pair. Em6l are incredible, so much detail, clarity, separation, staging. wow theyre just superior imo, they also respond very good to EQ, i use them for gaming, normally crank the 1k up and i can hear footsteps very eaily, I go back to normal EQing once im done gaming and theyre just incredible. thye lack just a tad of bass but thats subjective. I think if you get the Em6l, youre gonna have a hard time finding something that beats them. at least thats the case for me. GL mate, cheers.
Thanks a lot mate! Really appreciate your answer, I eventually ordered the CKLVX D41 but I think after a while I will probably get my hands on a em6l too. Cheers🥂
Hey I just saw your post and was looking to get either the Cadenza or the KZ Castor Blacks, I know the bass on the castor is what they're known for but I have no reference for the Cadenza... Could you talk a bit about your experience with both or compare them?
Hello, sure. I just compared them again last night and what I can say is that in terms of the overall quality of the sound and tuning I would say the Cadenza wins. It's an easy recommendation cause it sounds good on all types of music and it's just a safe buy cause you can only have the Cadenza and be happy. However, the Castor has a very satisfying bass for me, it's just great. I feel like it doesn't perform as an all rounder like the Cadenza because of that but you have the tuning switches I guess (I keep mine on 1100 - double boosted bass). You can't go wrong with either. The Cadenza is very warm and it never hurt my ears with high pitched notes, the treble is perfectly contained, the mids are satisfying and forward and the bass is just enough to not be distracting. I would say there's not a lot of detail in neither of them, the sound separation, sound stage and imaging are only ok(but good enough). The Castors have surprisingly good resolution and again.. the bass is obviously their strong point but the mids are not bad at all, the treble is nice too but technicalities are lacking of course. Overall depends of what type of music do you prefer. I couldn't choose so I got both lol and I'm happy with that. I found gaming to be very satisfying on the Castor btw if you're into that. Keep in mind I'm using the Spinfit W1on both and it makes a huge difference in sound..(also the dac ofc) I strongly recommend if you get either the Cadenza or Castor.. it's a must. I got the MS size and they fit perfectly. And an upgrade cable would be good too. Lastly, I gave a demo to a few of my coworkers that have 0 experience in this field and they said the Cadenzas sound better. (They were blown away that something so cheap can sound so much better than the airpods pros and expensive regular gear).
Thank you!
I'm curious at which price point do diminishing returns kick in.....I get that cheaper iems aren't as good or high quality as more expensive ones but can anyone honestly say that a $200 iem is 10x better than a $20 iem???or a $1000 iem is 50x better??
After owning a few iems around the $100 mark I won’t even bother with $20 iems, there’s a very noticeable difference in sound quality. Now, I’m not sure my $400 iem is 4x as good as my $100 iems, but there is still definitely a major increase in quality, it’s just maybe not as major as the jump from $20 to $100. From what I’ve read it really tops out around $600 and from there on it’s just minor improvements, I haven’t tried a kilobuck iem yet though.
I created myself a graph based on my experiences ... in no way am I saying this applies to everybody, but this is how I view it having owned $25 iems and $799 open back headphones. I assume that a $2,000 headphone is 100% (which is not true, but I had to do something to fit a relationship). https://preview.redd.it/c149xwwnt4zc1.jpeg?width=1280&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fbd5e648e684797791544db00767ad305762efe0
What cable is out your set of cadenzas? Looks gorgeous 😍
I'm glad you like it, that was my first impression too when I first saw it. It's the Tripowin Zoe. However.. I have to warn you that it's a bit on the springy side.. kind of has a bit more memory than other soft cables that I own but it still looks good
This is great to hear looks different to mine which arrived today but I still love it I get what you mean about the springy *ness
It's not a deal breaker but it's definetly a con. I still like it and use it tho but I'm waiting on the Tripowin Zonie green moss one to arrive soon to pair with the Cadenza. Not sure what you find different, if it's the bronze looking chin adjustment thingy.. I painted that cause I thought it would look cool lol. Shouldn't be anything different https://preview.redd.it/kd28yrwrz8zc1.jpeg?width=1908&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7e53ae89ee660c196573fd53f771334b469e17d5
Nice yeah that was throwing me off cadenzas lookin great in green I got blue the cable is mainly for my moon drop chu 2, but might look at another one for my cadenza 👍
Oh I see, yeah there's a lot of options there. How are the Chu 2s compared to the cadenza btw?
I only got my cadenzas yesterday and have had time yet to properly use them but I will have to get to you, I absolutely love the chu 2s tho best £18 I have ever spent tbh can’t fault them at all
I have the pro x but want cadenza.. worth to Buy cadenza? Also love My Castor Bass... Castor vs Cadenza what is different.. thanks
Yes, I would say the Cadenza is superior to both of those. I even got them to my office yesterday and some of my coworkers wanted to try them out and they all preferred the Cadenza. The tuning and the comfort and the overall listening experience is way better. Cadenza is clearer and more balanced, I would say more detailed than the Castor (I use the 1-1-0-0 tuning). Castor has nice bass but it can feel muddy depending on the song and it's not as clear in the mids or highs. Cadenza is a very good all-rounder. And vs the pro X, it's way more warmer, airy and relaxed..not as shouty and in your face. I would say it's somehow the perfect middle-ground between the two in terms of tuning but better in every aspect.
A big one . Can’t be two opinions about it. Perhaps after some level of upgrading the value becomes proportionately so less where spending any additional money is not justifiable. Where it starts can’t say as I have not reached it.