u/Connect_Cat_2045

I've been using IEMs for around 2 years at this point, and I've been pretty satisfied so far.

But I decided to start exploring some closed back options for when I don't want something in my ears. That's why I decided to go to a nearby audio store and try a couple of closed backs.

Here are my impressions.

• Final DX4000CL:
  • Comfort is mediocre for me. The ear openings are a bit too small for my ears. Touches the rear of my ears. My ears also heat up.But other than that, weight distribution is great.
  • Soundstage is also above average, and it feels like sounds are in a sphere around me. Great imaging/directionality as well.
  • Vocals sound natural albeit slightly recessed for my tastes. Guitars and other string instruments sound natural. Bass feels solid and is speedy. Not bloated at all but doesn’t have the rumble in the subs or the punch I’d want for some EDM. No sibilance in the highs as well. Smooth and natural and not an energetic sound signature by any means. 
  • Stock cable pretty bad and hard to handle
  • I think this set is a case of great headphone but just not my cup of tea.
• Final DX3000CL:
  • Stock cable is much better
  • Bass is also much improved. A lot more thump while not feeling bloated or losing quality compared to the DX4k. It can also feel stringy and tactile if need be. 
  • Staging and imaging are both worse compared to its bigger brother.
  • However it's the final brothers sound pretty similar in the mids and highs. I'd argue the DX4K comes off as slightly more cohesive and natural but that could also be because they're more forward compared to the DX3k.
  • Better value than DX4k and I personally prefer this one
• FiiO FT1
  • Controversial take but I do not like these and I'd go as far as to say these sounded pretty bad.
  • While the bass is great and has the rumble I was wanting on the finals, it comes at the cost of some punchiness.
  • Comfort is good and it's better than the final brothers because of the bigger opening on the pads.
  • However, the vocals sound underwater. It would consistently sound a bit muffled and underwater on multiple tracks I tried. The soundstage also feels in your head and on some congested tracks it gets pretty messy.
• Focal Lensys Professional
  • These are very lightweight and pretty comfortable.
  • However they get slightly spicy and sibilant on some tracks. Other than that, it has great treble extension.
  • The Lensys also has the hardest hitting bass out of all the sets I've tried. It kind of feels like a solid wall of bass, but it manages to not be bloated and it's surprisingly agile. Works great with EDM.
  • Mids are beaten by the final brothers because they can sometimes sound honky. However, when mids aren’t honky they do beat the DX3000CL but i'd put the DX4000CL's mids very slightly above the lensys.
• Aune SR7000.
  • These felt really weird but in a good way. They sounded completely different to any other closed-back I've tried. It sort of felt like those exercise open earbuds and it sounded very open. While these sounded "open", I don't think these had great imaging performance.
  • But other than that, the tonality was very natural and smooth. It reminded me of the DX4000CL in a good way.
  • They are also very comfortable and had the roomiest pads i've tried.
• Meze Strada
  • The comfort on these are insane. They fit my ears like a glove and are a joy to wear
  • These also sound fantastic. I didn't notice any sibilance or harshness with these in the treble. However, I think the mids are beaten slightly by the DX4k and the SR7k. The bass also feels nicely controlled, and I think they make for a well-balanced presentation.
  • I honestly enjoyed these so much I don't have a lot of notes for these compared to other sets lol. They aren't like a super impressive "wow!" set but they're pretty dang good and my personal favorite of the bunch.

If I had to rank them it would go (accounting for comfort and sound)

A tier: Meze Strada, DX3000CL, Aune SR7000

B tier: DX4000CL

C tier: Lensys Professional

D tier: FiiO FT1

All listening was done via my HiBY R4 with stock pads and stock cable. I listened to each headphone for about 15 minutes

For context, I've been using music to help me focus when I study for as long as I can remember now. And when I don't listen to music, I always get distracted and like doodle or daydream.

But a lot of people around me are telling me that music is just a distraction and from where I'm from, it's very frowned upon to listen to music while doing things.

So I'm wondering if this is just a case of me getting used to it not that it actually helps me focus and that I should stop listening to music.

what’s an Iem you tried, regardless of price, that’s wowed you with how wide it’s soundstage was?

I'm asking this question because a lot of people seem to prefer older sets that are now 2-3 years old like the Annihilator 2023 for example.

And that made me wonder if IEMs have fully matured and it is now just about lowering prices and trying new tunings instead of any real upgrades.

The 100 million in 10 years is inflation adjusted. You will get it tax free into your bank account no questions asked from anyone. It would’ve been like it was never there.

by “lose everything”, it means you lose all assets and all cash except for whatever is in your wallet right now and the clothes you have on your back. You also lose your job.

The 100 million in 10 years is inflation adjusted. You will get it tax free into your bank account no questions asked from anyone. It would’ve been like it was never there.

by “lose everything”, it means you lose all assets and all cash except for whatever is in your wallet right now and the clothes you have on your back. You also lose your job.

for the first option, the sport you’re a star player in is random.

you could be a star nba player making 60 million a year or your could be a star ultimate frisbee player who needs a second job to make ends meet.

for the second option, it’s 100,000 USD after tax deposited straight into your bank account no questions asked no effort needed from you at all

EDIT: Btw, for the sport that gets randomly chosen you become world class at it. Including like all the physical and mental aspects of it.

WYR be able to delete memories or add memories?

For the first option, you can make people forget anything. They will not feel like they have forgotten something. It will be as if it never existed.

For the second option, you can add memories. They will feel just as if not even more real than their existing memories.

no cooldown, no limits for both

...

Some inter papaya drama at the Hungaroring

https://preview.redd.it/uqsaago8v8fh1.png?width=1080&format=png&auto=webp&s=1473ac7a7741d8a6fd2aa0814d1d3ccd3450f439

As sad as the death of Model S&X was, at least its software will become open source

For both of these, the "someone" cannot be you. It has to be someone else. This effect applies for everyone that is within 5 meters of you. There is also a 2 minute cooldown.

If you pick the 1st option, Sherlock Holmes (can be any sherlock book or movie) will appear, solve the mystery at hand then disappear.

If you pick the second option, a random boss will appear, hand you a dollar, then disappear.

Countries like China, South Korea and India all seem to have much tougher exams and much more emphasis on those exams compared to western countries despite them not having that much in common culturally. Why is that?

I currently have the Bose quiet comfort earbuds 2024 and these don’t seem to be very good at blocking out voices even though theyre excellent at blocking lower frequencies (bus, plane, etc)

so I’m wondering which earbud has the best and for just voices so I can switch between that one and the Bose. thanks. no budget