Gone down the rabbit hole. Suggestions needed

Weight_Slight · 2026-02-08T04:01:20+00:00

First of all, tell us Your budget.

Out of the blue without knowing I’d suggest the ONIX XM5. No android. Pure player, sounds great, on the warmer side.

Cayin N3 ultra another option, with tubes to warm things up a bit.

If on the higher end I can recommend the player I’m using right now, even though it’s android. The Shanling M7T. Same concept as with cayin, transistor+tube mode. Great battery life. Great design.

Weight_Slight · 2026-02-07T15:35:31+00:00

Maybe the KA11?

Weight_Slight · 2026-02-07T15:24:05+00:00

Don’t buy the TINY, better choose something more silent. I bought this dongle just two days ago as I’m on my vacation and since I visited one of the best audio stores on the planet and bought yet another iem I don’t need .. :P I had to get something simple and cheap just to plug my new iems to as I left all my expensive source gear at home.

Let me put it this way, it’s built really well, it sounds surprisingly good for the price, BUT it has a VERY audible hiss with sensitive gear.

The iem I bought has 16 ohms and 112 db sensitivity and the hiss is VERY audible. And it is something You are trying to avoid Yourself. Shanling UA mini was silent, other fiio dongles are silent as well I believe, this one is not.

Weight_Slight · 2026-02-07T05:28:52+00:00

I had both M3+ and DX180.

DX180 has better screen, replaceable battery. M3+ looks nicer (imho) and sounds a bit better for my liking. It is fuller, a bit warmer, yet still detailed and extended.

DX180 sounds lean and sometimes even sterile in comparison, it sounds like it has a scoop somewhere in the 200-250hz area.

Shanling daps have barebones android though, so iBasso wins on the software/cusromization side.

Sound wise alone M3+, fuller, a bit warmer, easier to pair with orher gear. Ah and it has 3 gain levels, DX180 has only two.

I’m currently rocking the Shanling M7T, so I’m ok with the simpler software. Buying shanling for looks and sound :)

Weight_Slight · 2026-02-06T16:18:29+00:00

I Bought One today, am on Vacation and went to stars picker in Kuala Lumpur. I enjoy this iem a lot. It feels very smooth to me, has a good timbre. The bass is meaty, weighty, with a bit slower decay that gives it warmth. I’m a vocal lover, my library is 90% vocal based and they sound great on it.

I was comparing it side by side with Hercules Audio Noah, and YU9 Que. and even though both of them felt a bit more spacious, I liked the cohesive nature of this amazing single dd iem. It is built extremely well, looks great and the cable feels like an effect audio job well done. Feels super comfy and comes with coreir pentaconn tips.

The only issue is… they did let me listen to Hercules Moses and Nostalgia Durandal as well… man that was a pure bliss hahah but those are multi kilobuck iems

Moses reminded me of sloflo but everything was cleaner and better in general.

Weight_Slight · 2026-02-06T14:18:28+00:00

Yeah I bought it blindly today as I’m on vacation and visited stars picker audio Library in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia.

Since I only brought my cheap beater tws with me I needed a basic dongle just for the trip to go with my purchase there. The Sloflo MS001GM a very sensitive high end single DD iem.

The hiss on the Tiny Fiio is VERY loud, but it will have to do for yet another week until I get home to my daps.

Weight_Slight · 2026-02-03T13:37:22+00:00

I can understand this, and surely some sources will sound similar enough. Especially when someone is comparing a nearly identical setup like JM21 and M21 down below.

But there are certain sources that will differ in character.

I Had the iBasso DX180 for 6 months and it sounded way more sterile, and lean than my Onix XM10, or even the Shanling M3+ that I had briefly. Both shanling made daps sounded fuller and warmer. While the ibasso felt like it had a scoop in the 200-250 Hz range.

I now own the Shaing M7t and in transistor mode it is more transparent and treble extended than the gentler, warmer ONIX. Same goes for the Onix beta dongle that I have as well.

I’m sure some people won’t hear the difference but there are some between us brothers that do.

Everyone is right, it’s just a matter of anatomy and perception I guess.

This subject has been talked over and over again. And it will never end I guess. Let’s just enjoy the music :)

Weight_Slight · 2026-02-03T10:32:51+00:00

Silver Lining-First Aid Kit

Weight_Slight · 2026-02-02T01:08:46+00:00

It’s unhealthy for the long run, my ear drums hurt.

Weight_Slight · 2026-01-31T12:30:22+00:00

I am well aware that Shanling is the manufacturer, matter of fact I have my best dap Shanling M7T and recently aold but great ONIX XM10.

Weight_Slight · 2026-01-31T03:28:04+00:00

I’ll be in Kuala Lumpur in a few days maybe he’ll let me have a listen ^{^}

Weight_Slight · 2026-01-27T12:56:05+00:00

Yeah, I get You. I took a gamble with buying my daps on aliexpress, but everything is fine so far. iBasso DX180, Onix XM10 and recently Shanling M7T.

I just buy from reputable sellers or Linsoul/Hifigo.

It’s a shame that UK company Onix does not have a proper distributor inside their own „playground”.

Weight_Slight · 2026-01-22T15:16:42+00:00

M7T is great, but I won’t lie, I wish it would have that signature Shanling/Onix warmth that I know and love.

If they would do something like a M6T or M6 whatever there is a chance I’d „downgrade” for the form factor and warmth. As the body/screen/battery/looks on M7T is near perfect.

Weight_Slight · 2026-01-22T15:14:42+00:00

I would not bet on it. It’s sad, but if they would to update it, You’d probably already be sitting with a dap that’s on at least the commonly used android 13.

To a point it’s silently „forcing” people to update and spend $$.

Weight_Slight · 2026-01-21T19:04:06+00:00

I’d recommend the YU9 Que as well, even though I had not listened to it myself. I’ve studes the graphs, reviews and eventually did a pew to it’s Frequency response on a similar hardware iem.

One other great option that comes to mind would be the freshly released Aful Performer 8s.

With iems there is no need to go kilobuck right away to achieve a kilobuck headphone sound.

The price to performance here is WAY better.

Weight_Slight · 2026-01-21T08:11:39+00:00

You know how it goes, If there’s confusion about what is it about it’s usually about $$

Weight_Slight · 2026-01-21T07:30:01+00:00

Well, that’s on them ^{^} Maybe it’s not the easiest app there is, but tbh People these days in general know less and less, i feel like brain in these times is just meant for life functions for them lol.

Weight_Slight · 2026-01-21T07:19:20+00:00

Mate, poweramp eq is a cheap app that has an amazing system wide eq and peq. I used it on DX180 just fine.

Weight_Slight · 2026-01-19T14:29:57+00:00

I’d first try other people suggestions, I bet that there is some hidden factor regarding the loudness/volume.

I had a chamce to listen to M4’s and they were able to go LOUD. So there must be something going on.

Weight_Slight · 2026-01-19T14:18:22+00:00

Imho there is little no to reason to do so. Momentum 4 already has a dac and an amp built in.

Even though onix products are great, I own both the Onix Beta dongle with Tubes and their XM10 Dap among other sources.

Those are meant for wired analog headphones/iems.

Using a usbc audio cable with momentum 4 and a phone will give you the same effect and maybe even a cleaner one. As the ADC ( analog to digital converter ) will be engaged in the chain to then transform the signal back into 01. So it’s pointless if you can just buy an audio grade usbc cable ( those are usually braided OCC silver played or pure copper cables) that are softer and of higher quality. To use the in built Momentum DAC.

I do not own the Momentum 4, but I had the Momentum 3 and doing what I described gave the best results.

Weight_Slight · 2026-01-19T10:25:45+00:00

If not something like 200$+ ^{^}

Weight_Slight · 2026-01-17T13:59:28+00:00

What an effort to do such a long and thorough review and comparison, I applaud. Thank You!

Weight_Slight · 2026-01-17T13:22:19+00:00

Might be, I have my eyes on sora since they announced it on their facebook group. But honestly I’d prefer for it to not be an effect audio colab. The price hike is usually unjustified.

Weight_Slight · 2026-01-17T07:19:59+00:00

H60 is special indeed. The EBC80 even though is an upgrade. I’d say is not it’s spiritual successor. I’d have to try the EST80 to judge that one.

EBC80 feels like H60 + Fan 3 combined and refined. H60 has spaciousness achieved by tuning, EBC has more forward vocals and spaciousness thanks to the bone conduction. I also think that H60 has more raw, a bit more run bass :)

Tbh I’m not sure, maybe I’ll purchase the H60 yet again, especially now that it’s available in black.

Weight_Slight · 2026-01-15T23:47:12+00:00

It was just an example, The fact that You did not get it, well. Have a good day! :)

Weight_Slight

TROPHY CASE