Budget IEM (Chit Chat)

[BlackWing1977]

hehe bo give FR of 550? better than 620?

Sorry see wrongly I thought you want me to talk about Creative Outlier Air V3....

To be honest hard to compare... it is 2 different headphone leh...

As a gaming headphone is not bad, quite accurate positioning in games like BF6.....

And I never quite try to game with HD620S.... music wise... for sure the soundstage is wider on the 550 since it is open back... but it is not those super wide type it is still quite intimate type.. but not as much as HD600.... that is why vocals sounded so good on these Sennheiser open back.

Vocals wise it has very detail treble... but did not have that sparkle that HD600 have though.... but very close... for someone who just wanted a pair to do gaming and enjoy music... I think HD550 really got it around the price of $300...

HD620S have decent soundstage for a closed back... but it does not have crazy sub-bass though.... it has clean thumpy bass which is what I like for my type of music... usually vocals focus songs like JPOP few of my favourite singers are all vocalist type of singers like Utada Hikaru, MISIA and May J. Then sometimes I enjoy some electronic music JPOP.... like those old school EuroTech... from MAX... or something like m.o.v.e works well for HD620S but of course cannot compare to HD600 sweet vocals but if you need the isolation and just relax and not get disturbed... it is the go to...

 

[BlackWing1977]

No lar... frankly it probably cannot even win cheap KZ IEM lor... because the fitting is very finnicky... one wrong angle.. all the sound leaked and sounded like

Very difficult to get a good fit... that is why I hated those kind of TWS...

This Creative Outlier Air V3, I just want to buy to try try during the Creative sales.... end up hard to get a good fit.. thus affecting sound.. and also easy to drop out also.

And when I got a good fit... it is kinda like a good detailed bassy IEM... maybe like Castor Pro but less bass?

Wah lao without the PEQ equalizer on my phone app.... I connect it to PC... the treble a bit too much...

 

[BlackWing1977]

No lar... frankly it probably cannot even win cheap KZ IEM lor... because the fitting is very finnicky... one wrong angle.. all the sound leaked and sounded like

Very difficult to get a good fit... that is why I hated those kind of TWS...

This Creative Outlier Air V3, I just want to buy to try try during the Creative sales.... end up hard to get a good fit.. thus affecting sound.. and also easy to drop out also.

And when I got a good fit... it is kinda like a good detailed bassy IEM... maybe like Castor Pro but less bass?

I listen to this on PC.... I want to cry man... the bass like muddy and noisy.... totally not enjoyable...

Then I took out the cheapest chifi IEM I have which is KZ gale that is using type C cable.... almost the same but clearer.. and less noisy mess...

Then I try Castor Pro using the KZ Type C DAC..... wow.. so much better...

I think what KZ Gale and the Creative Outlier have in common is probably peaky treble... KZ Gale I can understand why the focus on treble since it is marketed as a gaming IEM for first person shooter.

 

[BlackWing1977]

So far the 2 pair of IEM that sounded the most okay with that kind bassy and electric guitar music... is CCA Hydro with foam tip... DUNU tips makes it feel like leaky nonsense...

And KZ Zenith with Spinfit CP100....

KZ PRX.. sounds a bit muffled... dunno why also.. (improved a bit after changing from Spinfit CP100 to foam tip, but still not as good as the other 2. Feels a bit muffled.. )

Also tested ZS10 Pro... sounds okay wor... just that the treble a touch more spicy, using TRN ear tips only.

Vader very similar to PRX.... but less muffled...

Castor Pro is similar to Vader but even more muffled compared to Vader and PRX, the bass probably covered up the rest...

 

[BlackWing1977]

I guess after long while of not listening to IEM only full size headphone... too used to the clarity and ability to hit all the notes perfectly... then listen back to IEM and hear all the shortcomings especially all the cheaper ones...

 

[tuckloong]

 

[tuckloong]

So far the 2 pair of IEM that sounded the most okay with that kind bassy and electric guitar music... is CCA Hydro with foam tip... DUNU tips makes it feel like leaky nonsense...

And KZ Zenith with Spinfit CP100....

KZ PRX.. sounds a bit muffled... dunno why also.. (improved a bit after changing from Spinfit CP100 to foam tip, but still not as good as the other 2. Feels a bit muffled.. )

Also tested ZS10 Pro... sounds okay wor... just that the treble a touch more spicy, using TRN ear tips only.

Vader very similar to PRX.... but less muffled...

Castor Pro is similar to Vader but even more muffled compared to Vader and PRX, the bass probably covered up the rest...

hehe wanna go try Timeless 2 and the new Simgot Supermix 5? Supermix 5 will be a good pathway up from Hydro....Timeless 2 will be good for more details than PRX

edit: Given a choice me will save the $$$ go hoot a nice headphone...wired de

waiting for more reviews on the Fiio JT7 etc

 

[BlackWing1977]

hehe wanna go try Timeless 2 and the new Simgot Supermix 5? Supermix 5 will be a good pathway up from Hydro....Timeless 2 will be good for more details than PRX

edit: Given a choice me will save the $$$ go hoot a nice headphone...wired de

waiting for more reviews on the Fiio JT7 etc

Full size headphone does have a lot of advantages... especially if it is well tuned and well designed..

 

[BlackWing1977]

I listen to this on PC.... I want to cry man... the bass like muddy and noisy.... totally not enjoyable...

Then I took out the cheapest chifi IEM I have which is KZ gale that is using type C cable.... almost the same but clearer.. and less noisy mess...

Then I try Castor Pro using the KZ Type C DAC..... wow.. so much better...

I think what KZ Gale and the Creative Outlier have in common is probably peaky treble... KZ Gale I can understand why the focus on treble since it is marketed as a gaming IEM for first person shooter.

I think my PC bluetooth probably dun support even basic codec like AAC.... I try to check and find no information.. and on my phone Poco F7 Pro at least I saw AAC used... maybe that is why the same track I put in phone sounds a bit better.. less of that messy noise like extra sharp noise..

Maybe that is why the new Sennheiser HDB630 seemingly sounds better to people since it came with its own bluetooth dongle that will always ensure same sound quality through their own codec.

 

[BlackWing1977]

I think my PC bluetooth probably dun support even basic codec like AAC.... I try to check and find no information.. and on my phone Poco F7 Pro at least I saw AAC used... maybe that is why the same track I put in phone sounds a bit better.. less of that messy noise like extra sharp noise..

Maybe that is why the new Sennheiser HDB630 seemingly sounds better to people since it came with its own bluetooth dongle that will always ensure same sound quality through their own codec.

AI Overview

Yes, transmitting an ALAC (Apple Lossless Audio Codec) source file over a Bluetooth connection using the SBC (Subband Coding) codec will result in a reduction in sound quality.
Here's why:

• ALAC is lossless: ALAC is a lossless format, meaning the original digital audio information is retained in the file.
• Bluetooth transmission is lossy: Standard Bluetooth technology does not have enough bandwidth to transmit true lossless audio wirelessly.
• SBC is a lossy codec: SBC is the most basic, universally supported Bluetooth audio codec, which uses a lossy compression algorithm to reduce the data rate for wireless transmission. While the quality may be fine for casual listening, it results in a loss of some audio detail compared to a wired connection or higher-end Bluetooth codecs.
• Transcoding occurs: When you play an ALAC file on a source device and connect it to a Bluetooth receiver (like headphones or a speaker) that only supports SBC, the source device must first decompress the ALAC file and then re-encode it into the SBC format before transmission. This conversion from a lossless format to a lossy one eliminates the benefit of the original ALAC file's quality.

In essence, the audio quality is limited by the "weakest link" in the chain, which in this case is the SBC Bluetooth codec. You are effectively listening to SBC-quality audio, not ALAC-quality audio.

---

Now then I know PC still need some sort of bluetooth transmitter with a decent range of audio codecs so that when you pair your bluetooth headphone and TWS to it.. you get the quality audio.... no wonder my first hearing was like what trashy nonsense is this.. even my cheapest wired type-C gale also sounds better...

 

[BlackWing1977]

So far the 2 pair of IEM that sounded the most okay with that kind bassy and electric guitar music... is CCA Hydro with foam tip... DUNU tips makes it feel like leaky nonsense...

And KZ Zenith with Spinfit CP100....

KZ PRX.. sounds a bit muffled... dunno why also.. (improved a bit after changing from Spinfit CP100 to foam tip, but still not as good as the other 2. Feels a bit muffled.. )

Also tested ZS10 Pro... sounds okay wor... just that the treble a touch more spicy, using TRN ear tips only.

Vader very similar to PRX.... but less muffled...

Castor Pro is similar to Vader but even more muffled compared to Vader and PRX, the bass probably covered up the rest...

Testing the KZ PRX again using balanced connect on FiiO KA13.... it seems the muffled sound is not as bad and simply put it sounded different from CCA Hydro because totally different type of driver. I think it could be the KZ AM02 dongle have a default EQ to it even at its basic default DSP, and I dunno what kind of amp they used... the single end 3.5mm is louder on it than my balanced on KA13... on the same volume level... way louder. And it might not be muffled more like noisy.. dunno why... maybe they over boost the volume... or this dongle simply lacks the clarity for more busy tracks.

I read up about it on reddit.. it seems the default DSP might have boosted the treble... so it might sounded a bit more shouty.

 

[BlackWing1977]

Dual factors I discover why Creative Outlier Air V3 always sounded bad.. to me.. one is the fitting issues.. in the past I used the larger ear tips thinking it will seal better.. but it fits worse.... then all my older phones dun even support AAC codec which is the higher quality supported by this Outlier Air V3... hence all falls back to the most basic SBC which sounded quite bad.

Now I am waiting for the KZ AN01 I ordered to see how well it can sound... with my existing IEMs.

 

[MangoCAT]

Dual factors I discover why Creative Outlier Air V3 always sounded bad.. to me.. one is the fitting issues.. in the past I used the larger ear tips thinking it will seal better.. but it fits worse.... then all my older phones dun even support AAC codec which is the higher quality supported by this Outlier Air V3... hence all falls back to the most basic SBC which sounded quite bad.

Now I am waiting for the KZ AN01 I ordered to see how well it can sound... with my existing IEMs.

that why alot more cafe in singapore can test iem themselves if wired - just adding on

if not camjam dun need everyyear go from Headfi community

 

[BlackWing1977]

Is there a cheaper version out there??

 

[BlackWing1977]

If only I discover all these before I bought the creative... cheaper and better codecs... I guess my creative TWS are meant for people with apple phone....

 

[tuckloong]

If only I discover all these before I bought the creative... cheaper and better codecs... I guess my creative TWS are meant for people with apple phone....

hehe now everyone beoing the QCY N70 liao dual drivers (Dynamic plus MEMS) cheaper than H3

 

[BlackWing1977]

hehe now everyone beoing the QCY N70 liao dual drivers (Dynamic plus MEMS) cheaper than H3

https://shopee.sg/QCY-MeloBuds-N70丨HT18-ANC-Wireless-Earbuds-Bluetooth-6.0-i.239336500.40913901000

This one?? Looks not bad wor and not expensive...

 

[BlackWing1977]

hehe now everyone beoing the QCY N70 liao dual drivers (Dynamic plus MEMS) cheaper than H3

https://goughlui.com/2025/11/17/review-qcy-h3s-ldac-dual-driver-bluetooth-v6-0-anc-headphones/

Hmm need to wait and see how is their QC... this reviewer set H3S he is reviewing on already got problem..

 

[BlackWing1977]

https://goughlui.com/2025/09/14/rev...es-bluetooth-6-0-dual-driver-anc-tws-earbuds/

 

[Godeau]

Is there a cheaper version out there??

I have this, bought on taobao, cheaper by a bit iirc... Long time already

Used it as a tv>optical to dac then to my hivi swan bookshelf speakers or transmit audio to my iems.. hardly use it to receive Bluetooth from my phone