Hey, Dan. Just sharing two things: 1 - God, I've missed those video comparisons; 2 - Those are the reason I've bought my UM Mest MK2's. Thank you SO much for you contribution to the community! Cheers from Brasil!
for $20, QKZ HBB is crazy good for a warm, slightly bass-y yet balanced sound based on this recording. I mean you can tell the difference between other earphones and try to relate that.
You have incredible potential as a reviewer/expert with the way you think, talk (describe and compare) and atmosphere in your vids. You're videos are a vibe so calming at late night or early morning to watch and listen to. 3am right now. I'm becoming a big fan
I totally agree with everything that you've said in this video. QKZ x HBB is just too good for its price. I actually own one and its a no brainer to buy one. The next upgrade is really the Maestro Mini. Thanks for this video.
This was so good! I'm not a fan of warm signature, but your video made me want to buy the QKZ HBB immediately. And the Maestro SE is impressive, its tonality is so well done, not only the bass but the hights are in the perfect spot.
I'm thinking now that people new to IEMS should spent $45 on the QKZ HDD and 7hz Salnote Zero as they complement each other well... and the Zero only needs a little tweak with EQ to make them listenable for rock/indy.
After owning the OH10, I thought this is the only iem I need for warm, bassy, relaxed (at low volumes) tuning, but Maestro SE is a different beast altogether. Your rig may not be give the most accurate representation of what sounds these IEMS can produce, but just based from what I've heard in this comparison video (using my M-audio speaker), the maestro se would be my endgame iem, if I could afford it lol
You helped me to chose my next iem !!! listening the Qkz hbb and thanks to this comparision i decided to buy it. I love the way it sounds. I think i'm treeble sensitive cause when there is too much treeble extension the music doesn't sound natural to me and is too fatiguing to my ears. Thank you 👍.
Legato was designed to cater for a niche sector so while I agree that too much bass bleeds into the mid causing female vocals to ‘blend in’, it’s place, imho, is creating a chamber-like listening room. That’s how I feel when listening to jazz where I have a very strong feeling of being in a room feeling the reverberation just like when watching it live. In that regard Legato reproduces the environment like no other iems. The legato is also partial to some dongles: With the BTR7, you can clearly hear two drivers doing their thing making it sounding weird. Topping G5, on the other hand, gives it ample power yet in a controlled manner, even more so when played on a pc.
I always thought that the QKZ HBB didn’t get enough Fan Fair. It’s an Amazing IEM for $20. I was a bit surprised that the Ikko OH10 didn’t make your list. It’s one of the Kings of Laidback long listening sessions IMHO. Great Video Dan. Hope you find time to do more soon 🤘🏻😎🤘🏻
I am most impressed with the QKZ X HBB collab for my money. It treats male and female vocals with equal authority as well as instruments. I can’t afford the fatfreq atm. I do have the Legato set coming to me in the next 3-4 days. I have a specific use for it and it has little to do with musi or gaming.
If you are skilled enough, you can pinpoint almost every type of sounding just from the frequency graph's. Love bassy IEM's but Legato does exactly the same what i have seen before your comparison 😉 anyway thank you very much! Your reviews are one of the most informative! Don't stop!
Listening on simgot ea500 , The timeless' planar timbre is so apparent, The maestro have recessed upper mid and elevated upper treble with huge bass and midbass hump.
The Xenns UP might be my warm pick to fit the price point between the IE200 and the MEST2 ( $140 to $1500 is a pretty big gap ). The QKZ x HBB was so good that when my wife stole mine, I bought another pair within a week. I do think the Truthear Hola is another good budget option, even if the bass leans more toward the mids. To my ears the Kai is a slightly darker T3+.
I’m new to the hobby, and your videos are becoming extremely helpful! I’ve tried Moondrop arias, blon 03s, Ikko oh10s, and aful performer 5s. I probably like the ikkos the most. I’m chasing something that might not exist. A sub $300 IEM that has truly impactful bass but also very nice highs without strangling the midrange to do so.
@@dansaudioreviews Dan tuned warm IEMs? I think that's a fantastic idea. If it also hits the $20 price point, I think HBB and ikko Oh10s may face some serious competition.
Your descriptions were accurate and insightful. The remarks are useful. I agree with the natural qualities of the ie 200 and the warm and beautiful highs of HBB were described perfectly. I’m ordering the senn , first.
This comparison made me at last figure out differences, cleared out my preferences among these iems. My thumbs up for this listening demo, and please bring more of this. Thank you.
Dan... thankyou for the detailed reviews.. like there is no other channel to watch sound demo as clean and informative as yours.. Dan i would love to see a "get to know" of the thieaudio monarch mk2 cause its given high credits in crinicles iem rankings.. would love to see one of a longer videos of a sound demo on the thieaudio monarch mk2. Thankyou❤
I found a few tracks that make my QKZ X HBB sound insanely good these are - W by Koffee, If You Really Love Me by J Lisk, Manila by Young Cocoa. Location by Burna Boy. Only had these bad boys a few days but already love them.
@@wana.me003 I found some more songs to jive to, Rewind by Craig David, Let's get it Started by the BEP, Lyca by Swarmz, Titanium by Dave you're welcome
@@Viewer13128 it performs best for hip-hop, drill, urban..some rock, like white room by cream sounds phenomenal not good for metal, for any music where there's too much going on, it's better for songs with warmer vocals and natural separation
I have the ie200. Like the video says it is indeed very relaxing. I can listen to it longer than my other headphones without feeling fatigued. But I would like to buy the hbb to try it out.
@@TheNeilo-Audiosound Do you have the ikko OH10? I love my HBBs too but I'm wondering if the OH10 may be better even though the OH10s are significantly more expensive.
I Agree completely. The Sennheiser is remarkable for a never fatiguing, accurate reproduction of the entire sound spectrum. Extra bass is fun on the chi products for short periods, but it makes it different to transcribe each note with precision quickly.
Nearly 3AM sat here waiting for my operation in a few weeks cant sleep because of my condition, just binge watching these looking for a new headset, great stuff man thanks ✌From Manchester England!
I like the Legato, Maestro SE and IKKO OH5 better but I went ahead and purchase the QKZ x HBB. For $20, it's well worth it to have a decent IEM to throw around and listen while I sleep. Good Find. Thanks✌
Fist time viewer listening on my HD800's on this video, I'm looking at the FatFreq maestro mini for my new IEMs coming from the ie80s and true wireless something (the "nicer" ones). And this really makes me excited considering how the maestro's bass sounded through my HD800s 😭
Wish you could get all the flagships and demo them lol I watch reviews on the same IEMs and always different opinions from reviewers but what don't lie is the demos atleast I can hear 70% of the overall experience so appreciate it dan 💯👍
yap me too, just recently watch a review so good for 7hz timeless, but somehow shock by the sound that its not that good, the bass is not punchy, the sound is almost like legato, too sharp, too thin, the nuance is kind a being degraded like hearing a cheap sound that's being upgrade, the only good one for me is the tri kai coz it can match the hbb, although probably on the long run its more to ie200 style that not tiring ur ear, not saying the hbb is tiring
I'm totally in agreement with you on the IE200. I have those headphones too and I really love them. I lost them recently and I literally bought another pair without thinking about it. I get that people have issues with the wires of it but I may have been lucky. But the IE200s are easily the most comfortable IEMs to wear but also the sound is very good and it's in my constant rotation (even over IEMS that cost much more). It's one of those things you have to ignore the hate and try it yourself.
Yea, good point , in order to get the focus of reference you do have to match something , it could be vocals , overall dynamics or any other point to your preference .
Hi Dan, I just recently discovered your channel on my new search for getting into items and away from over ear and Bluetooth earbuds for casual listening. I’m 73 and I’m sure have some frequency loss as lots of folks in my age bracket do. I’ve always leaned to warmer sounding speakers so this vid has been perfect. Just ordered the Kai and the BBB, though pretty sure will choose the BBB. I’m def not a basehead, but also not into extreme highs either so hoping these will hit the spot. Keep up the great reviews!
I am very grateful to help 🙇🏻♂️ thank you for the kind words! It means a lot, maybe even a bit because my dad is about your age. For someone with age and life experience behind them to find help from me, that feels nice 😊 Thank you for stopping by to share!
This is a fascinating concept - recording the IEMs. I had been listing through some Sennheiser Buds (CX 275s). I just set up my best headphones (HD-600 through JDSLabs O2 + ODAC) and I think what I found was really interesting. I listened to the source direct (Ona / 1154) and then switched to your video and the maestro was definitely less quality. Close, but not as good as the source. Makes sense that there would be a little bit of loss - one generation of copy. Just thought that was interesting... Either that or $2.5k IEMS can't compete with my HD600s which I figure is less likely. What was REALLY interesting was how the second closest to the original source was the QKZ HBB. They are an absolute GEM - thanks, I've bought some!
Really love the actual sound playback you’ve done. So much better than watching someone describe the sound while wearing the IEMs! I own the ie200’s and they come through on my iPhone speaker as pretty close to what they actually sound like. That being said, when I brought them home, I immediately hated them and wished I could return them (the store I bought them from doesn’t return headphones). Why? The cord has a cool feel, but is so microphonic that unless you are lying absolutely still you get that brr zipper sound from everything it touches. The included tips are bad. The sound is way too tinny for my ears and it seems devoid of bass to me. If I put it on a pc and EQ it with a bit, it can be made better, but in listening to songs that I absolutely love, it just made them all feel “meh”. I think the nozzle vent leaks too much bass and even after taping it up, it still isn’t the greatest (to my ears anyways). I can see how people revere the ie600 though with how it has a slightly higher bass and low mids. I really don’t mean to crap on your favourite pick, but more to add some counter points before people rush out to buy them and regret it like I did. 😊
The QKZ sounds excellent for the price...... I might even get a pair..... I have tried many a total of 23 pairs in 2022-2023 and kept (5) ....I kept the HBB Mele, The Sony IER Z1R and the Shuoer EJ O7 and finally The Xenns UP and the IKKO OH7 .............Thanks man....I like your style of video presentation and even holding the microphone .......
Great video! I think I have to try the HBB; I generally lean more towards bright signatures, but it would be good to have for variety. I also enjoy the IE 200, but I pried off the collars so that I could put a decent cable on it. (I’m not recommending this, since it will probably void your warranty, but I did it anyway.)
I totally love your approach. You give tangible evidence of what one might and might not actually enjoy. I purchased the QKZ HBB and the 7hz Legato. Both will be here in the morning. I definitely fit in the realm of an audience that wants that super bass but only for specific things. Only been into the IEM hobby 6 days and have already got the Raptgo Hook X, Moondrop Aria, Aful Performer 5, CCA CRA+, KZ ZS10 Pro and Pro X. Now the other 2 coming in. You got me also wanting the Tri Kai but it seems redundant
Man, these are some excellent vids. Nevermind what the gear reproduces, and on which end, but the differences! That's what these vids are ALL about. Real interesting to hear the underlined differences between these IEM's! (Trusting these sound demos to be quite accurate, as in the real recorded IEM's, at least that is my hope.)
I agree absolute on the Qkz hbb, I just ordered a second backup pair. I’m just wondering how these could sound in a metal shell with a technical better driver. Separation, imaging, detail and staging would benefit of this.
Actually Timeless AE indeed sharp on the edges , exactly as sounded .V shaped , bassy , but sharpish , yes . However , there is a method to bring that midrange forward , there are bluish tips in the pack , those come handy for that kind of improvement .
The QLZ x HBB truly offers the best bang for buck with its tuning, I normally like brighter sounding IEM's . The bass is great but it has just enough treble and details to keep it very enjoyable.
Just got the Kiwi Ears Quartet and it really sounds great! Dan should definitely check it out. Only minor thing is it has plastic nozzles (metal is better). The bass is way better than the Legato. The accessories are kind of cheap, cable and carrying case. After I bought the ea500, this is the next best purchase. Check this one out!
My preference is for fun listening i have the truthear hexa which is balanced and letshouer s12 for technical listening and i have the hbbqkz so im looking for fun bass
@@profound369 If you want fun bass, the Quartet is the one to get. The ea500 is more technical with very good mid bass. Quartet has good midrange and treble as well. Quartet also has tuning switches to adjust bass and treble. If you want to beat your eardrums with bass,get the Legato or Rinko.
My HBB arrived Friday... it's a very very niche IEM but the the fit is fantastic and for $20 a no-brainer. For the right song it's awesome. For everything else a muddy mess with 0 detail. Although I like it for listening to youtube videos. If I could get slightly less bass and way more detail + sound staging (for Post Rock, 90's grunge / indy) I'd have my perfect set.
Great song choices! And thanks for the review. Judging by what I heard here I think the Timeless AE would be a great choice for me but you can't beat the QKZ at that price, going to have to give those a try as I recently learned that I may be a basshead.
To go with a HBB qkz is a good suggestion, but I will suggest this buy simgot ea500 for cheap, mod it (ask me about mod its easy and cheap) and u will obtain something that is even closer to the maestro resolution busy passages handling and separation 😊. Modded simgot vs upgraded qkz hbb? HBB is no competition and simgot has basssss this way
the most importand thing to do is to cover the upper vent with a micropore tape or vent tuning filters from aliexpress (Y1 - Y6). With the filters you can dose amount of added bass/subbass and upper mids/lower treble smoothing, with the tape u cant (it could be too much). I personally gutted out the black ring nozzle (all filtering layers out: original damper, foam and metal mesh out) and used tanchjim oxygen damper on its own (u can use also tanchjim tanya damper). I highly recommend to change the stock cable (recommend to use yinhoo 16 core for 15 bucks) and I recommend to use TRN T tips (best synergy). With this mod u will upgrade the timbre, volume scaling, bass and u will allow the iem to go to the full potential. As a reference for the vent mod use video from Akros (Hz sound heart mirror vent mod) and for the reference of the nozzle mod use (review of the simgot ea500 from Michael Bruce). Thank me later, enjoy.
@@matusjurcik6974 Thank you. I might just get this set and do the mod. I have been avoiding it because I hear it's too clinical yet I want something clinical with warmth as well.
@@wana.me003 definitely get this set u will be blown away by its potential. Driver has crazy speed and technical capability. From the stock they are a bit uneven (too lively in the upper freqs) mod will do them justice IMO. Have large sets of iems some of them kilobuck category. Simgot is one of the best single DD I have. It could be ur endgame. Wanna something better than that? U have to go straight to the kilobuck category with something that has EST driver for the treble and is tribrid. There is no significant upgrade in the single driver options.
Dude…. Have the Salnotes Zero, just got the QKZ x HBB. Wow…. Not even close. The Zeros sound thin and weak to me now. Threw balanced cables on w moonriver 2 and I think they are almost as good as the T3 plus. Totally agree with you 100%.
A-B testing the QKZ x HBB with KZ ZEX, I prefer the ZEX's looks and the air added by its magnetostatic driver (falsely marketed as electrostatic). HBB himself raved about them in his review. While the QKZ x HBB is indeed more relaxed, it's easier and cleaner to lower the upper highs with EQ than to raise them, so although I could make the ZEX sound like the HBB if I want a more relaxed sound, it's not as easy to make the HBB sound like the ZEX if I want crisper highs. FYI, the ZEX was recently on sale for $10, but back up to $15 as I write this...still a better deal than the HBB.
Sorry man I've both Qkz x HBB and Kz Zex but you're genuinely talking rubbish. Qkz x HBB is a superior sounding iem both in imaging and soundstage it's not even close
Been liking the tuning from HBB collabs. They suit my preference. Really excited about the KZ PR2. Hopefully KZ redeem themselves with this one. Haven't bought a single KZ since ZS7. Have the PR2 on pre-order after a long dry spell. Planar that seems decently tuned at 40- 50 bucks, ill take the risk.
I reached the ame conclusion in the 1st couple of minutes. Have you heard BLON BL03s? How do they compare to the Zeros/Zero2 . I thought I liked a little bit of base - but looked like I was happy with the base Zero seemed ot be churning out - then again I am listening to these clips on a pair of Sennheiser cans. - wonder how close to what I heard the IEMs will actually sound!
Hold on, listening to the QKZ HBB and the Fatfreq Maestro SE, then seeing the price difference. They both have different sounds and I don't think the extra bass is worth that much more money. Other than the bass, I prefer the QKZ HBB more from this sound demo.
My fav warm is still the OH 10. I do have the QKZ x HBB and the T3+ also. Any of them really great choices. Btw I'm not using the original tips on the OH10. (it sounded too V shapped). changed it for longer 5,5mm output tips so it might sound different from the original.
It's crazy how every single one sounded subpar when the maestro came in. I thought the HBB was good but then the maestro literally made it sound tinny when compared side by side.
For me a good iem is set by diving tones . With maestro you can just listen to the snare of drums. Very natural. The rest is just,mmm ok for the money. Mids the hbb is great for medium volumes. The ie 200 can have to much treble on high volumes but good tone. One thing I don't like the hdd. Is there is a tuning filter under the nozzle grill. And that once gets full of wax from sweat will stop working . Then I need to place a high density filter sponge inside the nozzle to give the same tuning . Kinda hard to find an iem for blasting volumes at this days with upper mids and treble taimed like the mest or 64 audio. Mist iem in this days are set for medium volumes or low. Like a deja vu tuning .
I’ll have to agree with Dan on the Legato. Tried it out and sent it back, wasn’t for me. I really like the Simgot EA 500. It’s the best one I’ve heard under $100. I’m getting the Kiwi ears Quartet. Hope it’s good.
hi Dan im a fan from the Philippines im new to your channel and i was amazed at how the QKZ x HBB sounded bcoz this is the iem that I have planning to get the aria but im still saving im just a student by the way haha cheers
@@eloy5808 I don’t love the aria, personally. But if you check out my “best of” videos or my current ranking list, titles “wall of joy,” you can quickly find my top picks 😊
@@dansaudioreviews that will be do im gonna check on that now so you see, i love the qkz HBB which i can afford but if i want to get a good looking iem with the same sounding as the qkz HBB what would you recommend i was eyeing on the dioko but i am for suggestions haha thanks
Thanks for the video. QKZ x HBB is my favorite. Maestro SE sounds better but I'm not willing to to pay US$ 2000 when I can get a really good sound for US$ 20.
I'm not a bass head but bright neutral person probably similar to you. That's why I want to own something of the extreme opposite as a collection. I actually pretty enjoyed Legato for what it does and am currently rolling tips to make the bass even stronger. In the interview with the tuners for Legato, they mentioned that they are trying to replicate the older big speakers so maybe the way they make the bass is intentional, definitely unique in my opinion. HBB is actually recommending Legato as a upgrade though lol so not sure if I should buy QKZ when I already have the Legato.
Interesting. To me, the HBB has quite a different tonal balance overall. The instruments and vocals come more forward. I don’t see the Legato as an upgrade path. More like… a different animal that barks loud bass. The HBB doesn’t try doing that so much. But I guess, if one only looked at bass response, then yea the Legato pumps it up in an “upgraded” way. But doing so makes it sound like it has a totally different signature.
@@dansaudioreviews I own the Timeless AE as well but I use it for its speedy bass but it lacks in lower mids so the bass lacks body. Legato is definitely meatier and I think I enjoy that aspect of it of which the AE doesn't provide. The rumble on the Legato is also something I don't quite hear from the QHZ from your demo.
I honestly would go with either the legato or HBB im currently using the titan S which is very very vocal forward and neutral bright looking for a much different tuning which would you suggest
When fatfreq maestro started playing i immediately went 'wow'
Same.
Heyday HBB is better than that fatfreq maestro
$2k worth of wow?
@@MeTuLHeD not for me :)
Would love to see more comparisons with those fatfreqs
Hey, Dan. Just sharing two things:
1 - God, I've missed those video comparisons;
2 - Those are the reason I've bought my UM Mest MK2's. Thank you SO much for you contribution to the community!
Cheers from Brasil!
🙇🏻♂️
for $20, QKZ HBB is crazy good for a warm, slightly bass-y yet balanced sound based on this recording. I mean you can tell the difference between other earphones and try to relate that.
You have incredible potential as a reviewer/expert with the way you think, talk (describe and compare) and atmosphere in your vids. You're videos are a vibe so calming at late night or early morning to watch and listen to. 3am right now. I'm becoming a big fan
❤️🙇🏻♂️
I totally agree with everything that you've said in this video. QKZ x HBB is just too good for its price. I actually own one and its a no brainer to buy one. The next upgrade is really the Maestro Mini. Thanks for this video.
It's wroth to get an qkz hbb having and linglong/CCA cra/ikko oh10 or they are are alike?
If you like sub-bass, the KBear Rosefinch might be another budget set for you.
This was so good! I'm not a fan of warm signature, but your video made me want to buy the QKZ HBB immediately. And the Maestro SE is impressive, its tonality is so well done, not only the bass but the hights are in the perfect spot.
I'm thinking now that people new to IEMS should spent $45 on the QKZ HDD and 7hz Salnote Zero as they complement each other well... and the Zero only needs a little tweak with EQ to make them listenable for rock/indy.
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After owning the OH10, I thought this is the only iem I need for warm, bassy, relaxed (at low volumes) tuning, but Maestro SE is a different beast altogether. Your rig may not be give the most accurate representation of what sounds these IEMS can produce, but just based from what I've heard in this comparison video (using my M-audio speaker), the maestro se would be my endgame iem, if I could afford it lol
Same scenario here. Why so expensive Maestro, why??
I bought the qkz hbb cuz of this review. A tad too warm for my taste. I gave it to my wife and she loves it. Win win 10/10.
You helped me to chose my next iem !!! listening the Qkz hbb and thanks to this comparision i decided to buy it. I love the way it sounds. I think i'm treeble sensitive cause when there is too much treeble extension the music doesn't sound natural to me and is too fatiguing to my ears. Thank you 👍.
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Your iem audio comparison videos keep on providing happiness to me. Thank you!!
❤️
the tracks are probably my favorite part of these vids. Because of your vids i found my music taste so thanks for that
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Glad to so the ie200 get some love.
And I agree it is a nice alternate.
Can't wait for you to do the neutrals if you ever do please check the RE-2.
Legato was designed to cater for a niche sector so while I agree that too much bass bleeds into the mid causing female vocals to ‘blend in’, it’s place, imho, is creating a chamber-like listening room. That’s how I feel when listening to jazz where I have a very strong feeling of being in a room feeling the reverberation just like when watching it live.
In that regard Legato reproduces the environment like no other iems.
The legato is also partial to some dongles:
With the BTR7, you can clearly hear two drivers doing their thing making it sounding weird.
Topping G5, on the other hand, gives it ample power yet in a controlled manner, even more so when played on a pc.
I always thought that the QKZ HBB didn’t get enough Fan Fair. It’s an Amazing IEM for $20. I was a bit surprised that the Ikko OH10 didn’t make your list. It’s one of the Kings of Laidback long listening sessions IMHO. Great Video Dan. Hope you find time to do more soon 🤘🏻😎🤘🏻
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Well as far as the OH10, I feel it hits me with more impact and sharpness in spots. That’s another video 😜 coming soon?
Which ones the best for female vocals
Great content Dan. Not just a pleasure to listen to the tracks but always educational too.
Thank you!
The more I watch your channel, the more I like the $20 QKZ x HBB. I guess it's really that good.
I am most impressed with the QKZ X HBB collab for my money. It treats male and female vocals with equal authority as well as instruments. I can’t afford the fatfreq atm. I do have the Legato set coming to me in the next 3-4 days. I have a specific use for it and it has little to do with musi or gaming.
If you are skilled enough, you can pinpoint almost every type of sounding just from the frequency graph's. Love bassy IEM's but Legato does exactly the same what i have seen before your comparison 😉 anyway thank you very much! Your reviews are one of the most informative! Don't stop!
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Man i always like it when you do your reviews. I happend to have the same preference as you, so you are my favorite reviewer so far.
🙇🏻♂️❤️❤️❤️🙇🏻♂️
Listening on simgot ea500 , The timeless' planar timbre is so apparent, The maestro have recessed upper mid and elevated upper treble with huge bass and midbass hump.
You're talking rubbish
The Xenns UP might be my warm pick to fit the price point between the IE200 and the MEST2 ( $140 to $1500 is a pretty big gap ). The QKZ x HBB was so good that when my wife stole mine, I bought another pair within a week. I do think the Truthear Hola is another good budget option, even if the bass leans more toward the mids. To my ears the Kai is a slightly darker T3+.
I’m new to the hobby, and your videos are becoming extremely helpful! I’ve tried Moondrop arias, blon 03s, Ikko oh10s, and aful performer 5s. I probably like the ikkos the most. I’m chasing something that might not exist. A sub $300 IEM that has truly impactful bass but also very nice highs without strangling the midrange to do so.
I’m maybe getting a collab going that nails that sound exactly. I’m chasing the same exact thing
Looking for this too. So frustrating
@@dansaudioreviews I’m definitely looking forward to it. Love how unbiased and straightforward your info is.
@@dansaudioreviews Dan tuned warm IEMs? I think that's a fantastic idea. If it also hits the $20 price point, I think HBB and ikko Oh10s may face some serious competition.
Your descriptions were accurate and insightful. The remarks are useful. I agree with the natural qualities of the ie 200 and the warm and beautiful highs of HBB were described perfectly. I’m ordering the senn , first.
yor sound demoes are pretty accurate as I have the IEMs mentioned to actually listen to keep em coming lol
Ok, Maestro SE is on another league. But HBB... I agree completely.
This comparison made me at last figure out differences, cleared out my preferences among these iems. My thumbs up for this listening demo, and please bring more of this. Thank you.
Dan... thankyou for the detailed reviews.. like there is no other channel to watch sound demo as clean and informative as yours.. Dan i would love to see a "get to know" of the thieaudio monarch mk2 cause its given high credits in crinicles iem rankings.. would love to see one of a longer videos of a sound demo on the thieaudio monarch mk2. Thankyou❤
So good to see you back doing a full comparison vid. It’s what you do best. Looking really well and sharp too.
Dreams is one my go to songs when testing new gear.
I found a few tracks that make my QKZ X HBB sound insanely good these are - W by Koffee, If You Really Love Me by J Lisk, Manila by Young Cocoa. Location by Burna Boy. Only had these bad boys a few days but already love them.
Adding these to my listening tracks, thank you!
@@wana.me003 I found some more songs to jive to, Rewind by Craig David, Let's get it Started by the BEP, Lyca by Swarmz, Titanium by Dave
you're welcome
what are your top genres for the QKZ X HBB?
what genres does it perform worse at, thus better off using other IEMs with?
@@Viewer13128 it performs best for hip-hop, drill, urban..some rock, like white room by cream sounds phenomenal
not good for metal, for any music where there's too much going on, it's better for songs with warmer vocals and natural separation
@@alexc7857 also sounds great for instrumental and orchestral music.
Hey Dan, try CCA PLA13 they're warm as well, and they have the same sub bass amount as the maestro mini
I have the ie200. Like the video says it is indeed very relaxing. I can listen to it longer than my other headphones without feeling fatigued. But I would like to buy the hbb to try it out.
Buy the QKZ x HBB without hesitation.They are phenomenal and Still out of my Massive amounts of IEMs they are my Go to In ears.🙏👍🎼🎼🎼🎼
@@TheNeilo-Audiosound Do you have the ikko OH10? I love my HBBs too but I'm wondering if the OH10 may be better even though the OH10s are significantly more expensive.
I Agree completely. The Sennheiser is remarkable for a never fatiguing, accurate reproduction of the entire sound spectrum. Extra bass is fun on the chi products for short periods, but it makes it different to transcribe each note with precision quickly.
Nearly 3AM sat here waiting for my operation in a few weeks cant sleep because of my condition, just binge watching these looking for a new headset, great stuff man thanks ✌From Manchester England!
✌🏻
I like the Legato, Maestro SE and IKKO OH5 better but I went ahead and purchase the QKZ x HBB. For $20, it's well worth it to have a decent IEM to throw around and listen while I sleep. Good Find. Thanks✌
Fist time viewer listening on my HD800's on this video, I'm looking at the FatFreq maestro mini for my new IEMs coming from the ie80s and true wireless something (the "nicer" ones). And this really makes me excited considering how the maestro's bass sounded through my HD800s 😭
Wish you could get all the flagships and demo them lol I watch reviews on the same IEMs and always different opinions from reviewers but what don't lie is the demos atleast I can hear 70% of the overall experience so appreciate it dan 💯👍
yap me too, just recently watch a review so good for 7hz timeless, but somehow shock by the sound that its not that good, the bass is not punchy, the sound is almost like legato, too sharp, too thin, the nuance is kind a being degraded like hearing a cheap sound that's being upgrade, the only good one for me is the tri kai coz it can match the hbb, although probably on the long run its more to ie200 style that not tiring ur ear, not saying the hbb is tiring
@@jeffreyphandani5160after having the hbb now for a long time the sound has changed into a muffled subb flavour than a balanced mid frequency.
I'm totally in agreement with you on the IE200. I have those headphones too and I really love them. I lost them recently and I literally bought another pair without thinking about it. I get that people have issues with the wires of it but I may have been lucky. But the IE200s are easily the most comfortable IEMs to wear but also the sound is very good and it's in my constant rotation (even over IEMS that cost much more). It's one of those things you have to ignore the hate and try it yourself.
Yea, good point , in order to get the focus of reference you do have to match something , it could be vocals , overall dynamics or any other point to your preference .
Nice to see you again Dan! I would love to hear a comparison between IE200 and Galileo as a two relaxing iEMs
I still don’t have the Galileo. Haven’t looked into it, though I’ve heard about it.
I think your style of reviewing these earphones are fantastic. Keep up the great work. Seriously.
Hi Dan, I just recently discovered your channel on my new search for getting into items and away from over ear and Bluetooth earbuds for casual listening. I’m 73 and I’m sure have some frequency loss as lots of folks in my age bracket do. I’ve always leaned to warmer sounding speakers so this vid has been perfect. Just ordered the Kai and the BBB, though pretty sure will choose the BBB. I’m def not a basehead, but also not into extreme highs either so hoping these will hit the spot. Keep up the great reviews!
I am very grateful to help 🙇🏻♂️ thank you for the kind words! It means a lot, maybe even a bit because my dad is about your age. For someone with age and life experience behind them to find help from me, that feels nice 😊
Thank you for stopping by to share!
I am inlove for the senneheiser ie200 the vocal is beautiful and sound fuller for me
These demos cemented it for me. FF Maestro SE and UM Mest MK2 are must try before I die
Love your in-depath analysis and commentary dude. Thank you so much.
🙇🏻♂️
Hey, requesting a mangrid xenns top and maestro grand review. Keep up the good work
EST drivers for the treble that is always another level!
6 months ago I would have never considered something like the maestro.... But now.....
Hbb was my first pick. Truly. Immediately.
Other than the maestro which makes me hate my life it's so good.
The fatfreq maestro sounded like my mdr7506 I was listening to this on. The hbb is my second favourite
This is a fascinating concept - recording the IEMs.
I had been listing through some Sennheiser Buds (CX 275s). I just set up my best headphones (HD-600 through JDSLabs O2 + ODAC) and I think what I found was really interesting.
I listened to the source direct (Ona / 1154) and then switched to your video and the maestro was definitely less quality. Close, but not as good as the source. Makes sense that there would be a little bit of loss - one generation of copy. Just thought that was interesting... Either that or $2.5k IEMS can't compete with my HD600s which I figure is less likely.
What was REALLY interesting was how the second closest to the original source was the QKZ HBB. They are an absolute GEM - thanks, I've bought some!
Really love the actual sound playback you’ve done. So much better than watching someone describe the sound while wearing the IEMs!
I own the ie200’s and they come through on my iPhone speaker as pretty close to what they actually sound like. That being said, when I brought them home, I immediately hated them and wished I could return them (the store I bought them from doesn’t return headphones). Why? The cord has a cool feel, but is so microphonic that unless you are lying absolutely still you get that brr zipper sound from everything it touches. The included tips are bad. The sound is way too tinny for my ears and it seems devoid of bass to me. If I put it on a pc and EQ it with a bit, it can be made better, but in listening to songs that I absolutely love, it just made them all feel “meh”. I think the nozzle vent leaks too much bass and even after taping it up, it still isn’t the greatest (to my ears anyways). I can see how people revere the ie600 though with how it has a slightly higher bass and low mids.
I really don’t mean to crap on your favourite pick, but more to add some counter points before people rush out to buy them and regret it like I did. 😊
The QKZ sounds excellent for the price...... I might even get a pair..... I have tried many a total of 23 pairs in 2022-2023 and kept (5) ....I kept the HBB Mele, The Sony IER Z1R and the Shuoer EJ O7 and finally The Xenns UP and the IKKO OH7 .............Thanks man....I like your style of video presentation and even holding the microphone .......
Great video! I think I have to try the HBB; I generally lean more towards bright signatures, but it would be good to have for variety. I also enjoy the IE 200, but I pried off the collars so that I could put a decent cable on it. (I’m not recommending this, since it will probably void your warranty, but I did it anyway.)
Gotta pick up the HM20 (the Hexa if it were fun) and the Rosefinch (HBB x QKZ but even more fun).
I totally love your approach. You give tangible evidence of what one might and might not actually enjoy. I purchased the QKZ HBB and the 7hz Legato. Both will be here in the morning. I definitely fit in the realm of an audience that wants that super bass but only for specific things. Only been into the IEM hobby 6 days and have already got the Raptgo Hook X, Moondrop Aria, Aful Performer 5, CCA CRA+, KZ ZS10 Pro and Pro X. Now the other 2 coming in. You got me also wanting the Tri Kai but it seems redundant
How is the QKZ HBB and 7hz Legato?
Man, these are some excellent vids. Nevermind what the gear reproduces, and on which end, but the differences! That's what these vids are ALL about. Real interesting to hear the underlined differences between these IEM's! (Trusting these sound demos to be quite accurate, as in the real recorded IEM's, at least that is my hope.)
I hope we get to watch your Kiwi Ears Orchestra Lite review! Looking forward to hearing your opinions about them.
I agree absolute on the Qkz hbb, I just ordered a second backup pair. I’m just wondering how these could sound in a metal shell with a technical better driver. Separation, imaging, detail and staging would benefit of this.
Would love to see a vid about the maestro mini since the SE is out of my budget :(
Actually Timeless AE indeed sharp on the edges , exactly as sounded .V shaped , bassy , but sharpish , yes . However , there is a method to bring that midrange forward , there are bluish tips in the pack , those come handy for that kind of improvement .
When u decided to not eq endfiles, do you consider to give ,,getting to know,, videos back? 😊to make them public again?
The QLZ x HBB truly offers the best bang for buck with its tuning, I normally like brighter sounding IEM's . The bass is great but it has just enough treble and details to keep it very enjoyable.
Your videos are so helpful , Thanks!
Man, please keep uploading, ur videos are amazing
❤️🙇🏻♂️
IEM=In-Ear monitor. For me as a drummer on stage -> HBB ( 20$ OMG) and TimelessAE
Just got the Kiwi Ears Quartet and it really sounds great! Dan should definitely check it out. Only minor thing is it has plastic nozzles (metal is better). The bass is way better than the Legato. The accessories are kind of cheap, cable and carrying case. After I bought the ea500, this is the next best purchase. Check this one out!
Is ea500 or quartet better im deciding between these
My preference is for fun listening i have the truthear hexa which is balanced and letshouer s12 for technical listening and i have the hbbqkz so im looking for fun bass
@@profound369 If you want fun bass, the Quartet is the one to get. The ea500 is more technical with very good mid bass. Quartet has good midrange and treble as well. Quartet also has tuning switches to adjust bass and treble. If you want to beat your eardrums with bass,get the Legato or Rinko.
@@sagaman4785 thank you
@@profound369 You’re welcome! Just remember that’s is just my opinion, and do check out reviews.
My HBB arrived Friday... it's a very very niche IEM but the the fit is fantastic and for $20 a no-brainer. For the right song it's awesome. For everything else a muddy mess with 0 detail. Although I like it for listening to youtube videos. If I could get slightly less bass and way more detail + sound staging (for Post Rock, 90's grunge / indy) I'd have my perfect set.
Also funny: my KZ PR1 Pro has much more punch to its bass, the bass is also boosted higher than the HBB as is the treble.
Any sennhiser iem is the best for making the most out of any track.
My Legatos are my favorite out of the 10 sets that I have so far.
Did you compare to tangzu Heyday HBB?
Great song choices! And thanks for the review. Judging by what I heard here I think the Timeless AE would be a great choice for me but you can't beat the QKZ at that price, going to have to give those a try as I recently learned that I may be a basshead.
To go with a HBB qkz is a good suggestion, but I will suggest this buy simgot ea500 for cheap, mod it (ask me about mod its easy and cheap) and u will obtain something that is even closer to the maestro resolution busy passages handling and separation 😊. Modded simgot vs upgraded qkz hbb? HBB is no competition and simgot has basssss this way
i have one, how to mod it ?
the most importand thing to do is to cover the upper vent with a micropore tape or vent tuning filters from aliexpress (Y1 - Y6). With the filters you can dose amount of added bass/subbass and upper mids/lower treble smoothing, with the tape u cant (it could be too much). I personally gutted out the black ring nozzle (all filtering layers out: original damper, foam and metal mesh out) and used tanchjim oxygen damper on its own (u can use also tanchjim tanya damper). I highly recommend to change the stock cable (recommend to use yinhoo 16 core for 15 bucks) and I recommend to use TRN T tips (best synergy). With this mod u will upgrade the timbre, volume scaling, bass and u will allow the iem to go to the full potential. As a reference for the vent mod use video from Akros (Hz sound heart mirror vent mod) and for the reference of the nozzle mod use (review of the simgot ea500 from Michael Bruce). Thank me later, enjoy.
@@matusjurcik6974 Thank you. I might just get this set and do the mod. I have been avoiding it because I hear it's too clinical yet I want something clinical with warmth as well.
@@wana.me003 definitely get this set u will be blown away by its potential. Driver has crazy speed and technical capability. From the stock they are a bit uneven (too lively in the upper freqs) mod will do them justice IMO. Have large sets of iems some of them kilobuck category. Simgot is one of the best single DD I have. It could be ur endgame. Wanna something better than that? U have to go straight to the kilobuck category with something that has EST driver for the treble and is tribrid. There is no significant upgrade in the single driver options.
have you ever heard the UM Mest Indigo to compare to the Mest MkII and the IE200?
alos, have you heard the IE600 to compare it to the IE200?
Dude…. Have the Salnotes Zero, just got the QKZ x HBB. Wow…. Not even close. The Zeros sound thin and weak to me now. Threw balanced cables on w moonriver 2 and I think they are almost as good as the T3 plus. Totally agree with you 100%.
Timeless Ae is chef's kiss fr
The Maestro just so so good. Well for its price 😉
A-B testing the QKZ x HBB with KZ ZEX, I prefer the ZEX's looks and the air added by its magnetostatic driver (falsely marketed as electrostatic). HBB himself raved about them in his review.
While the QKZ x HBB is indeed more relaxed, it's easier and cleaner to lower the upper highs with EQ than to raise them, so although I could make the ZEX sound like the HBB if I want a more relaxed sound, it's not as easy to make the HBB sound like the ZEX if I want crisper highs.
FYI, the ZEX was recently on sale for $10, but back up to $15 as I write this...still a better deal than the HBB.
Sorry man
I've both Qkz x HBB and Kz Zex but you're genuinely talking rubbish. Qkz x HBB is a superior sounding iem both in imaging and soundstage it's not even close
@@sleazymiguel6882 OK
Been liking the tuning from HBB collabs. They suit my preference. Really excited about the KZ PR2. Hopefully KZ redeem themselves with this one. Haven't bought a single KZ since ZS7. Have the PR2 on pre-order after a long dry spell. Planar that seems decently tuned at 40- 50 bucks, ill take the risk.
I was contemplating those too i just dont use usbc and ive heard they have high resistance. Do you noticed your phone battery drains faster with usbc?
Look at heyday HBB.. seem to be one or the best for natural timber
damn nice intro, what a quality, thx, I enjoyed this a lot, had you ever tested the iem LZ-AX, I'll recommend you have a go.
I reached the ame conclusion in the 1st couple of minutes.
Have you heard BLON BL03s? How do they compare to the Zeros/Zero2 . I thought I liked a little bit of base - but looked like I was happy with the base Zero seemed ot be churning out - then again I am listening to these clips on a pair of Sennheiser cans. - wonder how close to what I heard the IEMs will actually sound!
Hold on, listening to the QKZ HBB and the Fatfreq Maestro SE, then seeing the price difference. They both have different sounds and I don't think the extra bass is worth that much more money. Other than the bass, I prefer the QKZ HBB more from this sound demo.
My fav warm is still the OH 10. I do have the QKZ x HBB and the T3+ also. Any of them really great choices.
Btw I'm not using the original tips on the OH10. (it sounded too V shapped). changed it for longer 5,5mm output tips so it might sound different from the original.
It's crazy how every single one sounded subpar when the maestro came in. I thought the HBB was good but then the maestro literally made it sound tinny when compared side by side.
I gotta see a sound test of the new hbb pr2 planar IEMs. Considering buying those
For me a good iem is set by diving tones . With maestro you can just listen to the snare of drums. Very natural. The rest is just,mmm ok for the money. Mids the hbb is great for medium volumes. The ie 200 can have to much treble on high volumes but good tone. One thing I don't like the hdd. Is there is a tuning filter under the nozzle grill. And that once gets full of wax from sweat will stop working . Then I need to place a high density filter sponge inside the nozzle to give the same tuning . Kinda hard to find an iem for blasting volumes at this days with upper mids and treble taimed like the mest or 64 audio. Mist iem in this days are set for medium volumes or low. Like a deja vu tuning .
For my ultimate chill out iem in my stable..Crin’s SeeAudio Midnights 😌
The Legato sounds good to me. But I'm not convinced that its worth $100+ over the HBB.
For me, the difference between the HBB and the Kai are in the mids, though I'm treble sensitive. The HBB's are Best under the $50-60
I completely agree with your assessment.
Commentaries! Yay🎉🎉🎉🎉
I’ll have to agree with Dan on the Legato. Tried it out and sent it back, wasn’t for me. I really like the Simgot EA 500. It’s the best one I’ve heard under $100. I’m getting the Kiwi ears Quartet. Hope it’s good.
The Legato plays only instrumental version of each song.
Another great video. 👏🏻👏🏻
And yay no HDR 😂 thank you so much. sir, u saved my eyes.
I think it will turn on over time. Not sure
Or maybe they made the video content more compatible with devices now.
@@dansaudioreviews pleased Dan
Stop using Apple Dolby recording, it's makes everything white
@@dansaudioreviews Record normal video
Maestro rules
Thanks for this roundup review! Can you review the TRN MT4, too? It somewhat similarly tuned with the QKZ x HBB.
hi Dan
im a fan from the Philippines
im new to your channel
and i was amazed at how the QKZ x HBB sounded
bcoz this is the iem that I have
planning to get the aria but im still saving
im just a student by the way haha
cheers
It is so good!
@@dansaudioreviews yeah... it is
ive been loving it
dont know if i'll get the aria
do you have the aria and hbb video?
sorry i just found your channel
@@eloy5808 I don’t love the aria, personally. But if you check out my “best of” videos or my current ranking list, titles “wall of joy,” you can quickly find my top picks 😊
@@eloy5808 docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1yCEeALRlK2_05MIHE4Ch7oqRzf-A9Lfk_q7jEbMx71M/edit
@@dansaudioreviews that will be do
im gonna check on that now
so you see, i love the qkz HBB which i can afford
but if i want to get a good looking iem with the same sounding as the qkz HBB
what would you recommend
i was eyeing on the dioko
but i am for suggestions haha
thanks
Thanks for the video. QKZ x HBB is my favorite. Maestro SE sounds better but I'm not willing to to pay US$ 2000 when I can get a really good sound for US$ 20.
i may have the same ear as you.. finally i can believe someone in the internet..
I'm not a bass head but bright neutral person probably similar to you. That's why I want to own something of the extreme opposite as a collection. I actually pretty enjoyed Legato for what it does and am currently rolling tips to make the bass even stronger.
In the interview with the tuners for Legato, they mentioned that they are trying to replicate the older big speakers so maybe the way they make the bass is intentional, definitely unique in my opinion.
HBB is actually recommending Legato as a upgrade though lol so not sure if I should buy QKZ when I already have the Legato.
Interesting.
To me, the HBB has quite a different tonal balance overall. The instruments and vocals come more forward.
I don’t see the Legato as an upgrade path. More like… a different animal that barks loud bass. The HBB doesn’t try doing that so much.
But I guess, if one only looked at bass response, then yea the Legato pumps it up in an “upgraded” way. But doing so makes it sound like it has a totally different signature.
@@dansaudioreviews I own the Timeless AE as well but I use it for its speedy bass but it lacks in lower mids so the bass lacks body. Legato is definitely meatier and I think I enjoy that aspect of it of which the AE doesn't provide. The rumble on the Legato is also something I don't quite hear from the QHZ from your demo.
The QKZ x HBB is the poor man's Maestro SE hahaha
I honestly would go with either the legato or HBB im currently using the titan S which is very very vocal forward and neutral bright looking for a much different tuning which would you suggest