Have you considered how your diet changes from day to day? Caffeine can affect the body in many ways, and tannins too (e.g., berries, grapes, dark fruit, black tea – beyond caffeine). Sleep can affect physical performance, stress can too, etc. etc. etc.
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I’m not a novice lifter, nor uneducated in training management. 
(including life stress, recovery…)
You’re hearing changes throughout the day. With a whole host of reasons. Some days, listening is fantastic but others its not as great. Tiredness, health and even the alignment of the stars for all I know probably affect hearing.
At least in my opinion. 
.
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If there is one thing that is consistent about people it is that nothing about people ( including hearing ) is consistent. 
Mark Gosdin
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I just got to e-earphone today and managed to try out the HS1300SS which is quickly becoming one of the FOTM.
The impressions here are copy-pasted from my blog at https://banbeu.com but with some editing work to fit this site.
As for why I use bullet points, this is because it is a first impression post and I usually hold on to analyzing too much. Bullet points does the job well in this regard.
You can also check my disclaimer to know how I do my reviews: Review Disclaimer
Information:
- Driver: 1DD
- Price: 300$
- Purchase link: Acoustune アコースチューン HS1300SS Azul / e☆イヤホン
First impressions:
- Warm V-shaped IEM, a colored presentation for sure but quite enjoyable
- Really airy, might be sibilance for some. Peaks on the frequency response of this IEM might pose some issues.
- Nice sub-bass response, bass was able to dig deep and the rumble was satisfying
- Forward in terms of female vocal presentation, just a bit more and it would be too much.
- Probably a good IEM. No, not amazing like the Blessing 2 regarding price to performance, but good.
To add on for this forum, now that I have spent some more time with this IEM when I got home, the HS1300SS reminds me a bit of the DUNU DK3001 Pro and I think it is also a good comparison since those two are at similar price.
I will travel to e-earphone again in Feb to do some A/B between these two guys
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For anyone interested in EQ’ing headphones, finding and dealing with the typical treble resonance peak can be tricky because of variations in insertion depth and ear anatomy. I recently found this Resfinder app on the XDA forums (no root required). I was able to use it to more precisely pinpoint the resonance peak on my VK4 and improve my EQ.
Basically, it walks you through doing a frequency sweep and then plots the results for you so you can see the peaks.
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So, I have a bit of a strange question for the IEM guru’s.
The more I am using the Hifiman Ananda (I know, not IEMs, bear with me…) the more I am liking them and the more I am realising how impractical they are for me.
Apart from what I mentioned in my review of them about needing to use them in a quiet area for dedicating listening, the last couple of days we have been getting 27°C (80°F) and I am someone who sweats a lot. In a couple of months tops I will need to put my over ears away for 8 months and go back to IEMs for almost all my listening (we hit around 40°C/100°F for a great part of the year here).
So, what could you suggest in the IEM realm that could give me the same sort of FR and technicalities of the Ananda?
I am not expecting the width of the Ananda as far as soundstage but I would like more than the usual intimacy of IEMs if possible, and good image placement inside that space.
I have not set a budget here but I would certainly like to keep them below the price of the Anandas and below 500 would be perfect.
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Have you considered Audeze LCDi3 or, if you can find it an iSINE 20 with Cipher Cable (assuming you are in Apple ecosystem?). If you are not in Apple ecosystem, you need to EQ. As an IEM with a large planar driver, short insertion, and not always a tight seal (by design), they might be ideal for a hot climate.
Soundstage is amazing for an IEM. I know you have import considerations, but Headphones.com does sometimes have good “open box” deals.
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I hadn’t heard of the LCDi3 but they are around $1200 at this side of the water.
I did contemplate the iSine in the past but I am not an Apple user nor do all of my listening situations allow for EQ.
Thanks for the input though!
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I have not heard the Ananda, but an IEM with great technicalities and detail is the Moondrop S8. They are not bass canons as it is all BA drivers, but they sound really great and it is my favorite IEM. Precog has a review of them where he explains it a lot better then me.
The down side is the price at $700. Tthey sometimes can be found on sale at $600, buy they are worth it
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To add on, Blessing 2 is also a viable option. I did impression of both on my website and I can say that it is a juggle between the two. S8 has more detail while Blessing 2 excels at soundstage.
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I have both the Ananda and the Blessing 2. And I feel much the same way as you on the Ananda. I read reviews for other headphones and I’m like, “but if i spend money on this and try this, i’m giving up this natural frequency response and I don’t know if I want to.”
I haven’t used the Blessing 2 as much but I got it for the FQ. I mean, it’s not the airy monster the Anandas are, but if you’re like me and value how “relaxing” a neutral FQ feels, yeah, it’s a good call.
Note that I am a member of the “high value” club so I can’t speak to things that cost real $$$.
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I’ll have to put some time in this weekend to compare these also, I’ve got the Sundara and the Arya, just got the Blessing 2 (Still tempted to move to the S8 or HiFiGo Kinera Nanna). My initial thoughts might be a little brighter, bass is okay, not overpowering at all but not real deep. I’m one of those people where the left ear fits different than the right ear, so comfort is tough for me to find the right balance. Comparing the Blessing 2 weight to T3, T3 is very light and Blessing 2 feels like you would really notice but it deems to be pretty comfortable for the short time I’ve used them. Just need to tweak my left ear… IEM’s are new to me coming from beats3, so this is all a learning curve.
Update: I compared the blessing 2 to the beats3 and I don’t know if it’s the way those are tuned for more bass but it makes the blessing 2 sound anemic when it comes to base, the beats3 are also more warmer. I knew they were short on the bass side but I must have made a mistake putting the beats3 back in and maybe I just prefer a heavier bass. If that’s true, then I need to find direction for a more bass emphasis IEM.
You should consider the Tin T4’s. IMHO a much nicer sound than the T2+.
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Has anyone heard the new BGVP DM8 yet?
I’ll put it on my list for next time. I’ve just ordered the Blessing 2 Dusk. 
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SEEAUDIO YUME
SeeAudio is a new brand, at least to me, out of China and they recently released three products, ranging from the $169 Yume, the $1099 Neo, and their flagship $1399 Kaguya. This review will take a look at their lowest-priced offering, the Yume.
This specific unit has gotten a bit of praise from the community so far and one that I have been looking forward to given its attractive styling and its available frequency response graph. The Yume sample was provided to me by Linsoul for review and the item is available on their http:/www.linsoul.com website.
The Yume is a triple-driver in-ear monitor featuring a single dynamic driver and two balanced armature drivers and was tuned to come close to the popular Harman Target Curve. The IEM sports a very nice looking glittery blue and green pattern on a black faceplate with their logos in a metallic silver appearance.
Their logo, font, and design shape is very, very reminiscent of qdc, a very established and popular high-end brand of IEMs out of China. There is a reason for this. It seems like SeeAudio was started from an individual who had left qdc to start their own business and this is one of the first results of that start-up.
Sound Impressions
While there has been talk that this IEM is tuned similarly to the Harman Target, its not quite there. It has less bass and upper-midrange and treble quantity overall; in other words, it is less V-Shaped. It actually comes very in-line with my personal Antdroid IEM Target curve; crazy close to be honest. And with that, I think the Yume is one of the most pleasantly tuned in-ear monitors I’ve heard, at any price.
If you’ve read my reviews, you know I put relatively equal weight towards tonal balance and technical performance. In this case, the Yume will get outstanding scores for tonal balance, but it’s somewhat average for its technical chops. For some, this may not matter as much, but being a critical reviewer, I do have to point out some of the flaws, before I get back to shilling the Yume’s general sound signature.
There’s nothing blatantly wrong with its technical ability. It’s about average for the price point that it is selling at, and that’s a good thing. I find that the overall resolution to be a bit lacking versus higher-tier products. It’s slightly behind the Etymotic series (ER2, ER3 and ER4) and comparable to the Moondrop KXXS and Kanas Pro. This isn’t bad company, as I am a big fan of all of these IEMs. I just don’t think this specific IEM is the flagship killer some may have hoped it would be.
In this case, I find some of the transient responses and attack to feel a little soft and blunted. Smoothed out is perhaps a good choice of descriptor. And while smooth can mean a lot of things – I find the Empire Ears Odin and Vision Ears VE8 to be smoothed out, but still have highly resolving capabilities – I think it is appropriate here, and by this I find the general resolution and attack capability to just have a roller-pin smashed on it and taking the upper surface of the music out. You still get the general gist of the music, but its missing the edge that makes it precise, if that makes sense.
The result of this, at least to my ears, is the lost of that something special. Again, I love the tonality - its nearly perfect. It is missing a few minor ingredients that make this thing as engaging as I want overall though, whether that be the resolution, the attack, or a sense of excitement. It’s missing something, and makes this a rather easy to listen to IEM and one that is non-fatiguing, but non-memorable at the same time.
Now with that aside, the tonal balance thing again. It’s really good. Bass has just the right amount of quantity that doesn’t make it sound overly sterile, but not overly bloated either. The mid-range is forward, but not sharp, shouty, or harsh, and the treble is elevated, but not overly peaky or bright, and definitely not dark. If anything, it lacks a small amount of extension in the upper-end, which could contribute to overall lack of air and excitement.
Some Quick Comparisons
Etymotic Series
The Etymotic series, specifically the ER2 and ER3 line are priced alongside the Yume, and are very good comparisons to it. I think the Yume and ER2XR square up well with their tuning and capabilities. The ER2/ER3 series do a little more with resolution, and some minor technical things, but I think the Yume’s overall tonal balance is better, along with better treble response. I think the ER2XR sounds a little bloated compared to the Yume’s more cleaner low-end, while the ER3XR has a much better attack and resolution. The Yume’s overall pleasurable listen beats it for tonality for me without the deep insertion.
Moondrop Series
The Moondrop Kanas Pro and KXXS have always been one of my favorites for their tonal balance and price point as well as their simple, yet stunning looks and fit. The Yume is now my new recommendation for those who want an easy to wear, and attractive looking piece of gear with near perfect tonality, in my eyes. Resolution and soundstage are very similar between the Moondrops and the SeeAudio Yume, and the real deciding factor here is the slightly less emphasized upper mids of the Yume than both the KXXS and Kanas Pro.
Thieaudio Series
The Legacy 3 and 4 are two other under $200 IEMs that feature decent to good tonality as well as easy fit. They actually have similar if not the same shell design, which makes them all in the top of the list for comfort for my personal ear shapes. The Legacy 3 is quite a step below the Yume in both tonal balance and technical performance, but both are still in the “average” to “below-average” category overall in the grand scheme of things.
The Legacy 4 is a more interesting comparison. It’s priced a little higher at $190 and I think its justified versus the Yume. While the Yume has a more pleasant sound, the Legacy 4 has an added gain in the lower treble which I find more exciting, though can be fatiguing too. This extra bit of “stuff” does give it a little more character, and overall I do find the Legacy 4 an improvement in clarity, resolution, and attack.
Overall
The Yume is a nice IEM. It fits very well in-line with my tonal preferences and really only lacks some additional character in the way of resolution or transient response to make it stand out. Even so, I think this one is a nice addition to the very crowded under $200 population of in-ears, but could also be the best overall for a pleasing, neutral-ish monitor.
I didn’t go into too much detail of the unboxing experience, but I’ll just say it’s not really my choice of visuals for a box. I’m not a fan of the anime-inspired packaging, but I understand there is a large target audience around that, and so I’ll just leave it at that. The overall package, outside of that, is nice. Good cable, and really nice design and fit.
And that is all.
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For the past few weeks I’ve spent a considerable amount of time with the Dunu SA6. Long story short, they unfortunately went back because of fit issues. When the fit was “right,”I mostly enjoyed their tonal signature, but overall it was an uphill battle finding consistency with them, even with aftermarket tips. My main gripes beyond fit were that they lacked a bit of sparkle, sounding dull at times, and their layering capabilities didn’t meet my expectations.
I’m still searching for my perfect IEM, but I’m not quite sure where to go from here. I’m eying the Moondrop S8 and Thieaudio Clairvoyance, but also considering the Blessing 2 Dusk. Does anyone have any recommendations? I listen to everything from EDM and Synthwave to Jazz and Heavy Metal. Thanks in advance.
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You already mentioned the blessing 2 dusk. But if the sa6 didn’t fit go in a different direction and try the dunu zen.
I have impressions of both posted on here. But the Zen is probably better given the price you are willing to spend. Happy to answer any questions on those two.
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Empire Ears has some new stuff coming out soon. I had the chance to test the new Valkyrie MKII:
and the Bravado MKII:
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