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solid0r t1_j6hl731 wrote

What most people here don't realize is, cheap chifi is basically the only way people on some countries can enjoy the hobby.

Imagine if a single HD 600 would cost your over 2 times your monthly wage, because that's how much it costs here in Brazil if you receive minimum wage, which over half the population does for example. So even buying a $20 chifi iem is considered really expensive and a luxury for them.

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Pe-PeSchlaper t1_j6idbst wrote

I feel like a lot of Americans don’t realize the power of the US dollar. I’m a relatively broke college student but I still have a “good” set up.

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solid0r t1_j6idz2l wrote

Yeah, most don't realize it. My most expensive set of headphones was an HyperX Alpha which i had to save for a few months and wait for a sale so i could buy it lol

I can only dream of the day i'll be able to buy an HD 600 or similar, but that's still a few years away.

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BoysenberryFluffy671 t1_j6kx2l4 wrote

They also don't realize a lot of the parts in the headphones they buy are made by the very same factories. Also how much marketing costs, etc.

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herleinb t1_j6hoxkz wrote

Very true. The influx of new and price conscious players in the IEM arena has likely had the biggest impact in areas where access to good sounding IEM’s has been limited due to the economic situation. What a great time to be a music lover.

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Rengoku_demon_slayer t1_j6hvsys wrote

Yeah, i also live in Brazil and is really like that.

I bought my Salnotes Zero and i'll probably buy another cheap iem like this at the end of the year, idk!

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CORE-YEEM t1_j6hz1ed wrote

PREACH TO THIS RICH ASS PEOPLE 🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️

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MrStoneV t1_j6iny83 wrote

And people forget, poor people have even less money for hobbies. So not only is it 2 months of wage, the money for your freetime is even smaller than what you would expect since its not linear or a 1:1 ratio

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AlainMC t1_j6k0d0l wrote

Tell me about it. I live in Cuba. I'm happy with my KZ ZSN

3

Diijkstra99x t1_j6ia8bi wrote

This, cheap chifi is the entrance of rabbit hole. The competition on cheap iem is very interesting.

1

No_Analysis6187 t1_j6got5r wrote

On one side it's good to keep the industry progressing and make it more accessible to the mass, on the other hand, there's no end to chifi hype train lol, back then I just sorta gave up with them and decided to get something more proper instead.

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luna-satella t1_j6gyt8o wrote

It's really good for countries with exorbitant mark up on headphones and iem prices or even speaker. like Sennheiser HD6XX cost $400! or Sennheiser HD800S costs $2000!

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No_Analysis6187 t1_j6gzpqo wrote

Yeah, HD600 cost around $400 in where I live (Indonesia), but you can still get the likes of S12 or Kato for normal price. Some sellers unfortunately intentionally mark up the price because something is very popular though, like how Hexa costs above $100 here.

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torchgasher t1_j6id7g8 wrote

In brazil the hd600 costs 600 usd ... and the minimum wage is 250 usd

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blorg t1_j6mmo80 wrote

The issue with the Truthear Hexa is it's exclusive to Shenzhen Audio, so there isn't any dealer price.

So anyone reselling it in Indonesia has to buy it from Shenzhen Audio at $80, add any import duties and VAT likely bringing it to around $90 cost and then $10 profit.

Other stuff, that is actually sold by multiple places, they can buy it at a MUCH lower dealer price (could easily be well under half the Western MSRP, as some stuff even sells to end users for under half Western MSRP) and that gives them more room to sell cheaper.

Here in Thailand, Chi-Fi is typically actually cheaper than Western countries, because it's sold cheaper to a developing market. But the Hexa isn't, because it's not distributed like this, it's Shenzhen Audio only.

You should still be able to buy directly from Shenzhen Audio yourself (either their own store or on AliExpress) for the same $80 price as everyone else. I got it from Ali on release for $65 with discounts.

For that matter this local seller on Shopee has it for 1.28m, which is $85, with discount coupons that could even possibly be below $80:

https://shopee.co.id/product/159299554/17991886433

That's a 30 day pre-order because what that seller is going to do when you order it, is go order it from Shenzhen Audio himself.

1

imabeach47 t1_j6hjelo wrote

I mean 400 for 600 is fair, it is the MSRP. MSRP for 650 is 550. Inflation is making the prices go up, I got my 650 for 325€ a couple years ago. They are worth the market prices and the MSRP as well.

−6

Gamergtx_260 t1_j6gratq wrote

I gave up on chi-fi. They introduce cheap iems every month. Neither me or my wallet can keep up.

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G65434-2_II t1_j6holyf wrote

Uh... You know, just that new product keeps getting pushed out doesn't mean you have to buy it all.

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Gamergtx_260 t1_j6hp02z wrote

Thank you! I really didn’t know that

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G65434-2_II t1_j6hr5kw wrote

Yea, another poor soul saved from chi-fi financial ruination. It's all in a day's work!

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Gamergtx_260 t1_j6lhcb4 wrote

Nothing gets past you eh?

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G65434-2_II t1_j6msh0p wrote

Yeah*

 

^^^^*Some ^^^^restrictions ^^^^may ^^^^apply, ^^^^results ^^^^may ^^^^vary.

2

Krosis86 t1_j6hufsd wrote

FOMO is strong in the Chi-Fi IEM world

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TheReturnOfKoffietas t1_j6hd633 wrote

This weekend I came to the same conclusion after ordering my last pairs of ChiFi IEMS, call it buyers remorse. I ordered the QKZ x HBB and the Tin Hifi C2. Currently have the 7Hz Zero, CCA CRA and the Moondrop Quarks (OG, no DSP). I owned and sold KZ ZSN Pro, QKZ VK4 (non-OG) and the Moondrop Chu.

Funny thing is, that with all these ChiFi IEMs I mostly use my Final Audio E1000. Maybe I should just get the Final Audio E3000's, call it a day and forget about all of the rest :-D

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Gamergtx_260 t1_j6he24m wrote

That’s what I did. I now own Moondrop SSR and good old Blon bl03. They are my beater earphones. Won’t be buying them again. I use final E1k,E3k,E5k,A4k and will buy the tws and B2 soon. Final’s house sound kind of clicked with me the first time I listened to E3000

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TheReturnOfKoffietas t1_j6hee3e wrote

Having (and liking) the Final E1000, is the E3000 the best upgrade? How do both compare in your view?

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my2dumbledores t1_j6hkhw3 wrote

No. They aren’t comparable. The e3000 is basically a e1000 with a massive sub and mid-bass boost.

It’s not an upgrade, it’s a definite side-grade.

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TheReturnOfKoffietas t1_j6hnkca wrote

What would an upgrade be then for an E1000?

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my2dumbledores t1_j6hxud4 wrote

Well, that depends on budget. But having said that, I’d absolutely recommend the Salnotes Zero. Next in like would likely be the Truthear Hexa.

I’d also highly recommend the Truthear Zero.

I have all of the E series Finals’ and my favourite is the E4000 by far. But I’d still recommend the Salnotes first. I know it’s cheap, but it’ll show you just how unrelated price and sound quality are.

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TheReturnOfKoffietas t1_j6jcq0q wrote

Just wondering about the Hexa. Would they outperform my Galaxy Buds2 (not the Pro’s)

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Gamergtx_260 t1_j6hyrk6 wrote

I beg to disagree. I definitely hear more details on the E3k than E1k. It’s definitely not a side grade but rather a step up but not exponentially.

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Gamergtx_260 t1_j6heuv1 wrote

Yes definitely. They are even more smaller, more bassy, have more detail retrieval and have a better soundstage due to the open grill. Which also means they don’t isolate well. I often times prefer E3000 to my E5000 since the E5000 can sometimes sound very dark. But when amped correctly they do shine.

E1000s sound kind of cheap when compared directly. You get what you pay for I guess. If you don’t want bassy iem then E2000 is your bet.

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c0ng0pr0 t1_j6hy344 wrote

Sir, you have no need to keep up. You have a need to enjoy your music and whatever working hardware you have.

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faulternative t1_j6jfyuu wrote

And after a while there doesn't seem to be much difference between new products, either. The latest and greatest $25 IEMs eventually sound a lot like the latest and greatest $25 IEMs from the last round...

1

leonardonfelix t1_j6hps5j wrote

Chi fi market is amazing. Very happy with my Moondrop Kato

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chris22783 t1_j6h6w07 wrote

This is definitely going to be the year of 2DD's - assuming everyone isn't burnt out by summer. I think we'll see some DD/Planar hybrids and tribrids in the mid to upper price ranges, should be interesting.

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Nosapaw OP t1_j6i957v wrote

I honestly was thinking they're already kinda dying, or at least soon to die because unless manufacturers make a proper use of the bass DD, they don't get much hype, aren't a compelling buy and probably don't make a lot of sales.

Although, now that I think about it, they maybe are relevant whenever crin's "project red" drops, and i guess moondrop, kz and other brands still haven't gotten their hands In a 2DD setup, so who knows.

2

GamePro201X t1_j6gtxgj wrote

I have no interest in chi-fi. Seems most of it is just a dick measuring contest between who can get the closest to the harman target. It's just boring

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Nosapaw OP t1_j6gx0o7 wrote

I wouldn't say so, there's plenty of decent options far from Harman, although it's definitely an endless rabbit hole.

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GamePro201X t1_j6gxsqw wrote

Oh yes, I know there are plenty of non-harman tuned IEMs. I meant mainly that is what happens when chi-fi is discussed on this subreddit. I'm not an IEM person, but new stuff is always cool. More of the same stuff being posted is tiring after so long lmao

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ZeeHost t1_j6i2ueo wrote

Then, as a headphones-person, you must be extraordinarily bored of discussion about headphones. With the HD600 being....the go to recommendation for ~30 years and running.

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GamePro201X t1_j6jc1xz wrote

Well there is a reason I don’t generally go onto r/headphoneadvice ever lol

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ThelceWarrior t1_j6i9r7j wrote

Yeah I mean that would be because their intention is after all to sell their products and adherence to the Harman target is, for a variety of reasons, a good way to achieve that.

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blorg t1_j6mmzuc wrote

> I have no interest in chi-fi

Says the R7DX/Sundara enjoyer

1

Apart_Ad632 t1_j6haqvg wrote

Chifi has a lot of great iems. Just not in the 20-50 bucks price cap. Start with >250 and you’ll find a lot of models.

−4

HashtagCanadianDude t1_j6ia5lh wrote

You can usually find a better $50 chi-fi pair of earphones than getting a $50 pair from a western brand.

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GLSRacer t1_j6kjzi1 wrote

I would agree, 50 to 100 USD seems to be the sweet spot for CHiFi IEMs. There's a lot of great stuff in that range. If you can't afford that, the 7Hz Zero and Wan'er are decent, especially with EQ, and are around 20 USD.

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Apart_Ad632 t1_j6jzwxz wrote

But still you won’t get end game pair for 50 bucks.

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Apart_Ad632 t1_j6jzycn wrote

But still you won’t get end game pair for 50 bucks.

1

luna-satella t1_j6ljva1 wrote

you get endgame pair for 320 dolla with chifi. with western brand you need to cough up 2000 dolla.

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717x t1_j6gx9ze wrote

I keep up with dudes who review chi fi stuff, but I’ve never bought any because the Z1r, e5000, and ie600 exist

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Upstairs-Ad6975 t1_j6j0dr8 wrote

I was hoping Crinacle would collaborate on a set that is about $100 - $250 that is better than the Zero kind of like a Aria or even a Kato sounding 2 dd setup. Or the would retune the hexa to try to make a cheaper B2 dusk at like $100.

3

Tenchiboy t1_j6hqruo wrote

It could be that their DD quality or housing design just isn't there yet. If either DD can't handle exclusive bass-sub or mid-high range, they'd have to choose a different cutoff. Just speculation.

I'm not really impressed with Chifi other than Hifiman performance (not QC). As others have said, the IEMs seem way more hypetrain & waifu/otaku obsessions than high performance + high quality audio gear.

2

Nosapaw OP t1_j6i7bb8 wrote

Yep, there's not really a way to know what's happening, but it's still funny seeing companies try to market 2DD IEMs while missing the point they're popular in the first place.

>I'm not really impressed with Chifi other than Hifiman performance (not QC).

It's definitely a lot of hype train, but there's definitely improvements going on, and while they have maybe lost their "impressive" factor, i think most models are still pretty good sounding, around the best you can get in the price range, and making diminishing returns hit earlier.

2

Solegide t1_j6krrvv wrote

Almost a year since I got my 7hz Timeless. Still the best thing I stuck in my ears.

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S0_B00sted t1_j6iaz1r wrote

Do people actually think Crinacle's arbitrary "neutral" target and the Harman target are the same thing?

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blorg t1_j6mnjau wrote

His Truthear Zero collab was explicitly meant to be tuned to Harman, rather than IEF neutral.

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imabeach47 t1_j6hjo6q wrote

Why waste money on cheap stuff, it will never be as good as more expensive headphones. Get a proper desktop setup and over ear headphones instead of this hyped up cheap plastic that your pushing into your ear holes. Why trust any of these youtubers, they all spew a bunch of nonsense, stats don't matter, it's up to the ear how something sounds. Save up and buy a good setup that you can enjoy 10 years from now not just tomorrow.

−28

reflectiveSingleton t1_j6hocux wrote

many people like IEMs because they are super portable and driveable by a non-desktop/high-powered amp (basically plug them into anything).

Different uses.

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MoonWun_ t1_j6i05sr wrote

Sorry but what are you basing this claim on? Is all you’ve ever heard a 650 and an Zen dac? You seem to have a very limited view of what this hobby can be and what is seen as “good.”

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imabeach47 t1_j6i49ff wrote

I mean yea your right, but I guess that’s why it’s called chifi not hifi.

−15

luna-satella t1_j6hr37u wrote

as minimum wage worker, take this L.

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imabeach47 t1_j6hrbr5 wrote

No amount of cheaping out will get you better sound than paying more. If you can pay for a 30 bucks iem then you can also save up and a couple months are years buy a proper setup. Sorry I am not part of your crinicle and amir cult… I don’t take the L proudly but I’ll take it :_(

−23

JoJonase t1_j6jdjq3 wrote

Ah yes il just save up that 30 euro every month for 5 years and just not listen to music until i can buy something without cheaping out. Actually more than 5 years. Anything but an HE-1 would be cheaping out i guess.

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imabeach47 t1_j6jdpcq wrote

I mean one year and you can get an HD650/600.

0

No_Analysis6187 t1_j6khw2o wrote

What if I simply don't like how headphone sound though? I very much prefer sound presentation of IEM.

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Diijkstra99x t1_j6ib06u wrote

Uh I sweat a lot on headphone. Uh I don't spend a lot of time on desktop just to listen music. Seems like you're out of touch, sounds like a flexing gatekeeper

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Nosapaw OP t1_j6i7r7n wrote

What does that even have to do with the meme? Lol

2