@@BadGuyGoodAudioReviews I'm sorry that I'm writing in an off-topic video, I've been waiting for 3 months with hope for an update of your headphone rating, but ej07m kinda lava has not appeared there, in which category would you define them now?
Thank you for your view on this one. It’s going out of my list on Amazon. Had the P1 Max and sent it back. It doesn’t sound like a planar to me. Only two planar’s I have are the 7hz and PMV PP. I will probably stay with those for now.
Of course the nozzles do change the sound noticeably - I prefer the Transparency one over the Reference, that seem to give a bit v-shaped sound profile.
Spider Graph is missing the most fun category. Dynamics, aka Attack aka Slam. For reference please see Watt\Puppy, 801D4, LCD-4 Magico Q5....ect. To check for Dynamics look for hairs standing on neck.
I think the nozzles on kirin have different lengths and inner diameters that are supposed to have an effect on the playback. But the graphs I saw didn’t change very much. The one picture you showed looks like there should be something on the end though.
Normally there are filters like on the promo photos A guy from Head fi received them by mail afterwards because apparently they forgot to put them in the factory...
Bought the hook x based on your rec from planar wars. Haven't turned back. (Iems that I own Fiio FA-7, Ikko OH10, Thieaudio Legacy 5) I should preface the stock tips included with the hook x suck. Bass is reduced for some reason. Using Deconi and spinfits provide more bass for me.
Great review as always! I know you loved the iSine20... how would you compare it to these new sets? Do you think any of them can coexist in someone's collection (considering the iSine20 is insanely tunable)?
Thanks. I think the iSine are the O.G. D.I.Y planar as they needed lots of EQ and a cipher cable. I think if you have an iSine it would be a good idea to grab a Hook X to experience a totally different but planar still....experience
@@BadGuyGoodAudioReviews I was affraid you were going to point me to the direction of spending more money! I will take the opportunity and buy 5 earphones on Linsoul (including Mele and Olina), and was really hoping the extra 50 bucks for the Hook X could be spared! Thanks man, you are awesome.
I own the iSine 20 and 7hz Timeless. Out of the box, the 7hz need almost no eq (I add a little more bass). The iSine 20 need light EQ with cipher cable or extreme EQ tweaks when not. Though once dialed in, they sound the most like a full-size planar headphone. TLDR. Use iSine 20 with cipher cable when you won’t piss off nearby peeps and can benefit from its open nature. Use 7hz when you need isolation, desire a more up front presentation, desire a stronger bass impact, and don’t want to fiddle with EQ. Both are keepers.
I just got these because I thought that they looked gorgeous and they caught my attention, and after trying them, I definitely agree with you. I found the mids a bit lacking. I tried the different nozzles and I ended up liking the middle one the best (the ones that come installed), and after lightly stuffing them with cotton to help tone down some of the upper mids. I also EQ'ed up the lower mids because I prefer "a bit more meat" in my mids. After doing that, I thought that they sounded pretty good.
Three days ago I've bought p1max at 138 dollars at linsoul sale is a lot of dollars less than the others at this price the value increase a lot doesn't it? let's see how they are! I'm seeking for a neutral response, spaciousness and not grainy sound
What a bummer. My birthday is coming up and I was planning on getting this that's why I was holding off. Guess I'll get the S12 then. It's priced around $120 here in the Philippines. Best bang for buck planar by far. Might just add some tuning cotton in the nozzle if the treble is too spicy for my taste. Thanks as always hbb your spider graph is very useful.
@@BadGuyGoodAudioReviews I get it… it’s just that you made vocals a particular point of these planars, and similarly for most of the IEMs you’ve reviewed. And, for those who are in it for the vocals, we know it isn’t just about the tuning, as texture and detail play a part with vocals as well.
Appreciate the info, superb breakdown. TRN basically "scooched the pooch" by dorking part of the mids and all the treble. * Question for you & the community: - Would it be worth sacrificing a set of Tanchjim filters to attempt a mod for sound improvement? -Not sure about fit but...What about trying different set of screw-in filters (Moondrop, LZ, FiiO, etc)? [I hate seeing planars go to waste...]
Ok thank you for the review, Kirin must not be a good option. So Hook x has better detail and Soundstage than Olina? Because Olina is actually my favorite IEM.
I'm really in doubt for buying the S12 or going all in and get the Hook X (they look amazing for me). I love warm sound and love bass for my rap and hip hop music. Suggestion?
S12 + Sony triple comfort eartips. However, you need to buy the 4.4mm version if your 3.5mm source is weak because the S12 sounds tinny and inside your head otherwise
@@jasonbhatnagar7134 Oh god, right now they have are discounted on Hifigo at 130€! Instabuy :) I have a balanced cable 2.5mm, I could try that if found out that problem you said!
@@In-Marty-We-Trust Looking to end the IEM’s stable / collection at the Moondrop Variations and maybe push to the Starlight 4’s as my personal endgame. 😋
@@carminedesanto6746 Variations is my DD endgame. There’s enough differences that I’ll wait on the sidelines for a future endgame planar, however S12 tuned to Harmann target is pretty sweet.
@@In-Marty-We-Trust indeed …as someone who’s almost 60 I find a lot of good sounding IEM’s to be just what’s needed if you want great sound in a minimalist package …otherwise known as “downsizing”🤣
Yes. He even addresses that on his last sentence right before "I'm out". Planars take EQ very well because the driver is very fast moving back and forth and has very short decay (unless there are some weird acoustic resonances inside the earphone shell), and having the most linear FR makes it an easier earphone to EQ.
@@kyron42 This is not correct. Some planars sound bad technically because of bad tuning, but they can nonetheless be EQd quite well. Another example are well tuned single DDs that simply cannot be EQd easily, because when you adjust one frequency it distorts other frequencies along the range, and sometimes this cannot be counterbalanced. I've played quite some time with Parametric EQ on my earphones and I've seen this happening over and over. Also, considering the different types of drivers, regardless their technicalities, when you consider how they work its easy to understand why that happens. Plannars move much faster than DD, they will always take EQ better than DD because of the physical properties of each one; BA, on the other hand, move fast, but they can't move much air, so it is harder to EQ them to reach higher amounts of lower frequencies, for example, and yet there are technically good single and double BA.
Thanks for confirming what I was thinking when I passed on this set. It's a TRN which as most people know has been very hit and miss with their tunings and when they miss it can be a painful experience. I know you gave an open and honest review like you always do. I'm just really happy I'm starting to get a better grasp on the hobby. I will pretty much never blind buy another set without at least watching reviews first. I was hopeful for this set because of price and accessories but hope doesn't make sound that I'm aware of. Thanks HBB for another excellent review. I can count on the fingers of one hand the reviewers I trust when making a decision on gear and you rank very highly in that count...
Mate you made a typo (tin hifi t1max) it should be tin hifi p1max. Also your last video about raptgo hook, s12, muse power, 7hz timeless and tin p1max you gave tin p1max the best resolution(what has changed) also tin p1max had the second best soundstage only slightly better than the raptgo hook x because of the open back design. Also in tonality tin p1max was second place(abit subjective) the mid frequency was also better than the whole lot. I own the tin p1max it sounds so real at times I forget its a planar iem(no shit/plucky planar tembre) also the coherency of the p1max is pure bliss. The imaging is simply perfect you can trace and follow every thing in space without any overpowering frequency(perfection) I always thought the blon bo3 had one of the best organic tonality but compared to the tin p1max night and day(no shouty treble but proper extention and texture )
Sorry bout typo. My general thoughts may change over time but the P1 Max is and has been the cleanest replay because of it's tuning. Nothing offensive. No big bass bump, no poor mids, no extreme gain, no roll in sub bass or trebs, Just a great set to wor4k with
0:00 Start
0:28 TRN KIRIN INTRO
0:44 Frequency Graph
2:45 SPIDER GRAPH
5:30 BASS
7:51 MIDS
11:32 TREBLE
15:22 Opinion
Thank you for doing this series. Super valuable and informative - loving the Hook-X
I fuking that set
@@BadGuyGoodAudioReviews I'm sorry that I'm writing in an off-topic video, I've been waiting for 3 months with hope for an update of your headphone rating, but ej07m kinda lava has not appeared there, in which category would you define them now?
@@ПавелАртемьев-в8щ He doesn't rank their collabs because he thinks it wouldn't be unbiased if he did so.
@@chargv (
Thank you for your view on this one. It’s going out of my list on Amazon. Had the P1 Max and sent it back. It doesn’t sound like a planar to me. Only two planar’s I have are the 7hz and PMV PP. I will probably stay with those for now.
Cross it off bro. Lotta other stuff out or coming
Do you hear a noise rumble background on raptgo when listen Yes Roundabout 24bit Flac in 3:66 up to 4:56? Is that driver flex? Or what?
Let me check that out
Of course the nozzles do change the sound noticeably - I prefer the Transparency one over the Reference, that seem to give a bit v-shaped sound profile.
Spider Graph is missing the most fun category. Dynamics, aka Attack aka Slam.
For reference please see Watt\Puppy, 801D4, LCD-4 Magico Q5....ect.
To check for Dynamics look for hairs standing on neck.
Res = Susvara :)
@@BadGuyGoodAudioReviews Indeed, I like your style. Keep it up.
Thanks for the honest take on this set. 2022 is going to be the year of the planar IEM I think.
Yup. Planar time. Tons of them , no doubt
I think the nozzles on kirin have different lengths and inner diameters that are supposed to have an effect on the playback. But the graphs I saw didn’t change very much. The one picture you showed looks like there should be something on the end though.
Yeah promo shows white filters but mine have nothing. butt naked nozzles
@@BadGuyGoodAudioReviews I see some guys on facebook with the same problem.
I noticed you don't talk much about your hook x colab. How do you like it versus the original green version?
Normally there are filters like on the promo photos
A guy from Head fi received them by mail afterwards because apparently they forgot to put them in the factory...
Bought the hook x based on your rec from planar wars. Haven't turned back. (Iems that I own Fiio FA-7, Ikko OH10, Thieaudio Legacy 5) I should preface the stock tips included with the hook x suck. Bass is reduced for some reason. Using Deconi and spinfits provide more bass for me.
I like the OH 10 but want a little more midbass and less upper treble. Do you have a recommendation to upgrade?
Great review as always! I know you loved the iSine20... how would you compare it to these new sets? Do you think any of them can coexist in someone's collection (considering the iSine20 is insanely tunable)?
Thanks. I think the iSine are the O.G. D.I.Y planar as they needed lots of EQ and a cipher cable. I think if you have an iSine it would be a good idea to grab a Hook X to experience a totally different but planar still....experience
@@BadGuyGoodAudioReviews I was affraid you were going to point me to the direction of spending more money! I will take the opportunity and buy 5 earphones on Linsoul (including Mele and Olina), and was really hoping the extra 50 bucks for the Hook X could be spared! Thanks man, you are awesome.
I own the iSine 20 and 7hz Timeless. Out of the box, the 7hz need almost no eq (I add a little more bass). The iSine 20 need light EQ with cipher cable or extreme EQ tweaks when not. Though once dialed in, they sound the most like a full-size planar headphone. TLDR. Use iSine 20 with cipher cable when you won’t piss off nearby peeps and can benefit from its open nature. Use 7hz when you need isolation, desire a more up front presentation, desire a stronger bass impact, and don’t want to fiddle with EQ. Both are keepers.
Love myself a good planar, but holy crap that mid-high/high is spicy
I just got these because I thought that they looked gorgeous and they caught my attention, and after trying them, I definitely agree with you. I found the mids a bit lacking. I tried the different nozzles and I ended up liking the middle one the best (the ones that come installed), and after lightly stuffing them with cotton to help tone down some of the upper mids. I also EQ'ed up the lower mids because I prefer "a bit more meat" in my mids. After doing that, I thought that they sounded pretty good.
Hey! I’m new here, so it might be a dumb question, but what’s the name of the app with your music library?
J River Media
@@BadGuyGoodAudioReviews thank you!!
What music player do you use on that screen?
Three days ago I've bought p1max at 138 dollars at linsoul sale is a lot of dollars less than the others at this price the value increase a lot doesn't it? let's see how they are! I'm seeking for a neutral response, spaciousness and not grainy sound
What a bummer. My birthday is coming up and I was planning on getting this that's why I was holding off. Guess I'll get the S12 then. It's priced around $120 here in the Philippines. Best bang for buck planar by far. Might just add some tuning cotton in the nozzle if the treble is too spicy for my taste. Thanks as always hbb your spider graph is very useful.
S12 would be a much safer bet. Good set. no QC issues
Does your spider-graph need a new leg? I.e., vocals?
No. Vocals are mid bass to upper treb. If any of that is poor, vocals will be skewed at best and crap at worst
@@BadGuyGoodAudioReviews
I get it… it’s just that you made vocals a particular point of these planars, and similarly for most of the IEMs you’ve reviewed. And, for those who are in it for the vocals, we know it isn’t just about the tuning, as texture and detail play a part with vocals as well.
There's the Tangzu audio Wu Ze Tian that's due to come out next month. Planars are hitting us like meteor showers
I have never even heard of em. Thanks for the info
@Passion for Audio yeah they will release it soon
Appreciate the info, superb breakdown.
TRN basically "scooched the pooch" by dorking part of the mids and all the treble.
* Question for you & the community:
- Would it be worth sacrificing a set of Tanchjim filters to attempt a mod for sound improvement?
-Not sure about fit but...What about trying different set of screw-in filters (Moondrop, LZ, FiiO, etc)?
[I hate seeing planars go to waste...]
Anyone with tuning filters can likely improve this set. I have not tried it myself yet
There will be a new Budget iems video?
Yes
Ok thank you for the review, Kirin must not be a good option. So Hook x has better detail and Soundstage than Olina? Because Olina is actually my favorite IEM.
No Olina has better detail
@@BadGuyGoodAudioReviews thank you. And the Soundstage between hook x and Olina? 🤟🏻
sucker for bass here, loves the oh10, which one should i get?
Stock? HOOK X EQ? S12
I'm really in doubt for buying the S12 or going all in and get the Hook X (they look amazing for me).
I love warm sound and love bass for my rap and hip hop music.
Suggestion?
S12 + Sony triple comfort eartips. However, you need to buy the 4.4mm version if your 3.5mm source is weak because the S12 sounds tinny and inside your head otherwise
@@jasonbhatnagar7134 Oh god, right now they have are discounted on Hifigo at 130€!
Instabuy :)
I have a balanced cable 2.5mm, I could try that if found out that problem you said!
The best IEMs to EQ are the ones with the best technical performance.
He he ..still loving 🥰 the S12’s and the Olina 😋 on my IFI Go Blue 🤣
Those are 2 very good sets
Haha minimalist, my kinda hobbyist.
S12, Variations and Qudelix for me.
@@In-Marty-We-Trust Looking to end the IEM’s stable / collection at the Moondrop Variations and maybe push to the Starlight 4’s as my personal endgame. 😋
@@carminedesanto6746 Variations is my DD endgame. There’s enough differences that I’ll wait on the sidelines for a future endgame planar, however S12 tuned to Harmann target is pretty sweet.
@@In-Marty-We-Trust indeed …as someone who’s almost 60 I find a lot of good sounding IEM’s to be just what’s needed if you want great sound in a minimalist package …otherwise known as “downsizing”🤣
I received the KIRIN TRNs today with the filters.
The packaging is crazy for the price. They are really beautiful.
Not listen yet.
Which of these has the best vocal and micro detail resolution???
Tin hifi or 7Hz in my opinion
@@BadGuyGoodAudioReviews Thank you very much
Kinda Lava coming in hot!!
i heard kz working on planar iem 🤔
@Passion for Audio LOL 😂
I'll take S12
Thank you for this comparison again
Good choice
Looks like i'm getting the S12 then
Great set at a great price
Still waiting for the best planar iem:) Meanwhile Kl, Mest Mk2 and Vx:)
I'm still waiting for a "Best" level planar.
@@BadGuyGoodAudioReviews 😊
Hi. You put two graphs on Kl. Whats the difference?
Guys will the P1 max be as good as S12 for EQ settings? If the EQ is done through qudelix 5k😉
Yes. He even addresses that on his last sentence right before "I'm out". Planars take EQ very well because the driver is very fast moving back and forth and has very short decay (unless there are some weird acoustic resonances inside the earphone shell), and having the most linear FR makes it an easier earphone to EQ.
You get the best result when you start with the IEM that has the best technical performance.
@@kyron42 This is not correct. Some planars sound bad technically because of bad tuning, but they can nonetheless be EQd quite well. Another example are well tuned single DDs that simply cannot be EQd easily, because when you adjust one frequency it distorts other frequencies along the range, and sometimes this cannot be counterbalanced. I've played quite some time with Parametric EQ on my earphones and I've seen this happening over and over. Also, considering the different types of drivers, regardless their technicalities, when you consider how they work its easy to understand why that happens. Plannars move much faster than DD, they will always take EQ better than DD because of the physical properties of each one; BA, on the other hand, move fast, but they can't move much air, so it is harder to EQ them to reach higher amounts of lower frequencies, for example, and yet there are technically good single and double BA.
@@chargv good to know bro. Any suggestions from ur end between S12 and P1 max? I like t3+ and blon 03😉
Thanks for confirming what I was thinking when I passed on this set. It's a TRN which as most people know has been very hit and miss with their tunings and when they miss it can be a painful experience. I know you gave an open and honest review like you always do. I'm just really happy I'm starting to get a better grasp on the hobby. I will pretty much never blind buy another set without at least watching reviews first. I was hopeful for this set because of price and accessories but hope doesn't make sound that I'm aware of.
Thanks HBB for another excellent review.
I can count on the fingers of one hand the reviewers I trust when making a decision on gear and you rank very highly in that count...
Thanks for the trust
@@BadGuyGoodAudioReviews You've earned it...
How far are we from the day Sony releases a planar iem Flagship....
Follow up to IER Z1R coming 1st
@@BadGuyGoodAudioReviews Do you have hints or infos about it, or just speculation? :)
Bro review the kz esx & also the check the cca lyra iem
As soon as possible
@@BadGuyGoodAudioReviews check the new cca lyra iem too
I was waiting for this review and now i'm totally chose S12. Thanks HBB!
But still a bit afraid of the next planar set from Moondrop hahaha
Nice avatar Yup 2022 is Planar's year
@@BadGuyGoodAudioReviews especially when you live in Russia... =)
@@User-s2f3s Beast mode.
it's just that you KZ haven't made a cheap planar
They will...
And FIGHT ⚡️♠️'s
You can maybe skip this set..
I bet none of them have the wow sound
What is your iem?
open back...that's a pass.
Could be a gimmick. it doesn't help it any
same, lesson learned from headphone open back = no fun for me.
Mate you made a typo (tin hifi t1max) it should be tin hifi p1max. Also your last video about raptgo hook, s12, muse power, 7hz timeless and tin p1max you gave tin p1max the best resolution(what has changed) also tin p1max had the second best soundstage only slightly better than the raptgo hook x because of the open back design. Also in tonality tin p1max was second place(abit subjective) the mid frequency was also better than the whole lot. I own the tin p1max it sounds so real at times I forget its a planar iem(no shit/plucky planar tembre) also the coherency of the p1max is pure bliss. The imaging is simply perfect you can trace and follow every thing in space without any overpowering frequency(perfection) I always thought the blon bo3 had one of the best organic tonality but compared to the tin p1max night and day(no shouty treble but proper extention and texture )
Sorry bout typo. My general thoughts may change over time but the P1 Max is and has been the cleanest replay because of it's tuning. Nothing offensive. No big bass bump, no poor mids, no extreme gain, no roll in sub bass or trebs, Just a great set to wor4k with
👁️👁️
First bro 😁
Confirmed
@@BadGuyGoodAudioReviews 👍🙌
First
TIE