The eartips has starting causing me a bit of itching in the ears and I could feel they were giving me proper seal. So got some luke warm water and a bit of dish washing liquid and got down to business. Happy to report that the issue has been resolved. Babies are back in business.

How do you guys clean your eartips? And how often? I usually do this every 2/3 weeks. Dont have any fancy ultrasonic cleaner atm, but feel i dont need that anyway.

Was in the mood for having the old school woofer in my ears today. Planars don't have shit on this bitch. Nuff said i guess.

Phone dapified with debloated android, poweramp, niagra launcher & screen rotation app.

I prefer keeping different iems with their own distinct tunings rather than relying on PEQ. I vould be wrong but personally i feel that if i have to alter FR of an iem heavily, that pair is not tuned for me. If i have to do it anyway I try to rely much more on cuts rather than boosts with EQ. My personal preference is using different eartips to fine-tune its subtle acoustic character while preserving what makes each IEM unique.

I’ve been tip rolling recently and have really enjoyed the subtle changes in the tonality that comes bundled with it. The combinations get endless if you have a few pairs of eartips at your disposal.

It’s going to be a long post sharing my experience with both these tips that I have been using extensively with different iems that I have in my rotation currently.

Why specifically DUNU S&S and NiceHCK R04?

Both are deep insertion tips that provide very good isolation. I generally prefer deeper insertion tips and these two have seen their fare share of usage. Both of them have their own influence on the accoustic signature of the iem these are paired with.

Build

Dunu S&S

• Material: tacky silicone, a bit stiffer.

• Shape: tubular / Cylinderical

• Fit: Can be finicky. Has to be inserted in a certain way for deeper insertion. Doesn’t conform as good as softer eartips due to their shape and structure. But exceptionally secure once it fits and sits properly.

• Bore: Straight/wide. More of an acoustic passthrough.

NiceHCK 04

• Material: Soft Silicone. Very pliable with structured stem.

• Shape: Almost tubular but more like an elongated dome style

• Fit: Seals very conveniently. Conforms to the anatomy better than Dunu S&S

• Bore: Narrow/restricted. Alters the sound signature

NOTE: S&S tends towards openness, separation and acoustic preservation while R04 leans towards adding density to notes, smoothing out the treble. While doing so, R04 tends to make the separation a bit more intimate

#My observations on their Acoustic Influence

S&S provides better (aka tighter) bass pressure / slam & thump. The physical sensation that you get sub 80hz. The kick definition is better and the punch is stronger. Midbass is cleaner. More importantly, it provides lesser bass masking of the mids (doesn’t bleed into it).

*Now why and how does it do this?*

Its relatively straight bore and deeper insertion combination.

R04 provides greater bass quantity and adds weight/ thickness / density to lower notes. So it warms up the lows while S&S seems transparent. It does impact the male vocals as well as the transition from bass to mids gets smoother compared to S&S which has better separation in this region. R04 can get boomy / softens up the bass a bit while S&S keeps it tight and controlled (the insulation & fit help elevate the experience).

S&S has more articulated vocals while the R04 makes them meaty. For female vocals, R04 loses that edge and crispness a bit which can be more noticeable on warmer (bass titled) iems. For iems that have leaner vocals, C04 can be a good pair.

Coming to the treble region, both these have very strong influence. I’d choose S&S for more open presentation as it retains the upper treble region better along with the deeper insertion and superior seal mechanics due to its tacky nature. But for an edgy iem that’s a bit aggressive in this region (a bit sibilant), R04 would definitely pair well. It just smooths out this region making the whole tuning more palatable for those who are treble sensitive.

#Examples of where do I find these better

1. 7hz Legato: Dunu S&S. already has enough bass (that keeps tight) but overall presentation just opens up in the highs that make this a lot more than just a basshead iem.

2. Simgot EG280: NiceHCK 04. Really smooths out the highs a bit and warms up the vocals a notch more while adding a tad more bass without even tinkering with PEQ. Transients and decays are relatively faster but also a notch drier sometimes and the vocals come off as a bit lean on some tracks.

Where I would not use NiceHCK R04?

• With tangzu wan’er 2 Red lion edition. This one’s already a warmer bass boosted tuning and I don’t feel the need to muddle up the bass or more mids bloat. Dunu S&S pairs exceptionally with it. The thump, kick and slam and I get with pair this iem with S&S while retaining the presence and air region just makes me enjoy it more.

Where I would not use a Dunu S&S?

• Well, haven’t found a usecase where it doesn’t thrive.

That is how I personally would pair these eartips with differently tuned iems:

• For a warmer/darker (than your preference) IEM --> Dunu S&S

- For a sharper/brighter (than your preference) IEM --> NiceHCK R04

• For a preferably tuned IEM --> Dunu S&S

• For leaner IEM --> NiceHCK 04

For me, that's what makes tip rolling so interesting—two tips can both give you a deep seal yet take the same IEM in completely different sonic directions. Sometimes the right eartip is all it takes to bring an IEM closer to the way I actually want it to sound.

I prefer keeping different iems with their own distinct tunings rather than relying on PEQ. I vould be wrong but personally i feel that if i have to alter FR of an iem heavily, that pair is not tuned for me. If i have to do it anyway I try to rely much more on cuts rather than boosts with EQ. My personal preference is using different eartips to fine-tune its subtle acoustic character while preserving what makes each IEM unique.

I’ve been tip rolling recently and have really enjoyed the subtle changes in the tonality that comes bundled with it. The combinations get endless if you have a few pairs of eartips at your disposal.

It’s going to be a long post sharing my experience with both these tips that I have been using extensively with different iems that I have in my rotation currently.

Why specifically DUNU S&S and NiceHCK R04?

Both are deep insertion tips that provide very good isolation. I generally prefer deeper insertion tips and these two have seen their fare share of usage. Both of them have their own influence on the accoustic signature of the iem these are paired with.

Build

Dunu S&S

• Material: tacky silicone, a bit stiffer.

• Shape: tubular / Cylinderical

• Fit: Can be finicky. Has to be inserted in a certain way for deeper insertion. Doesn’t conform as good as softer eartips due to their shape and structure. But exceptionally secure once it fits and sits properly.

• Bore: Straight/wide. More of an acoustic passthrough.

NiceHCK 04

• Material: Soft Silicone. Very pliable with structured stem.

• Shape: Almost tubular but more like an elongated dome style

• Fit: Seals very conveniently. Conforms to the anatomy better than Dunu S&S

• Bore: Narrow/restricted. Alters the sound signature

NOTE: S&S tends towards openness, separation and acoustic preservation while R04 leans towards adding density to notes, smoothing out the treble. While doing so, R04 tends to make the separation a bit more intimate

#My observations on their Acoustic Influence

S&S provides better (aka tighter) bass pressure / slam & thump. The physical sensation that you get sub 80hz. The kick definition is better and the punch is stronger. Midbass is cleaner. More importantly, it provides lesser bass masking of the mids (doesn’t bleed into it).

Now why and how does it do this?

Its relatively straight bore and deeper insertion combination.

R04 provides greater bass quantity and adds weight/ thickness / density to lower notes. So it warms up the lows while S&S seems transparent. It does impact the male vocals as well as the transition from bass to mids gets smoother compared to S&S which has better separation in this region. R04 can get boomy / softens up the bass a bit while S&S keeps it tight and controlled (the insulation & fit help elevate the experience).

S&S has more articulated vocals while the R04 makes them meaty. For female vocals, R04 loses that edge and crispness a bit which can be more noticeable on warmer (bass titled) iems. For iems that have leaner vocals, C04 can be a good pair.

Coming to the treble region, both these have very strong influence. I’d choose S&S for more open presentation as it retains the upper treble region better along with the deeper insertion and superior seal mechanics due to its tacky nature. But for an edgy iem that’s a bit aggressive in this region (a bit sibilant), R04 would definitely pair well. It just smooths out this region making the whole tuning more palatable for those who are treble sensitive.

#Examples of where do I find these better

1. 7hz Legato: Dunu S&S. already has enough bass (that keeps tight) but overall presentation just opens up in the highs that make this a lot more than just a basshead iem.

2. Simgot EG280: NiceHCK 04. Really smooths out the highs a bit and warms up the vocals a notch more while adding a tad more bass without even tinkering with PEQ. Transients and decays are relatively faster but also a notch drier sometimes and the vocals come off as a bit lean on some tracks.

Where I would not use NiceHCK R04?

• With tangzu wan’er 2 Red lion edition. This one’s already a warmer bass boosted tuning and I don’t feel the need to muddle up the bass or more mids bloat. Dunu S&S pairs exceptionally with it. The thump, kick and slam and I get with pair this iem with S&S while retaining the presence and air region just makes me enjoy it more.

Where I would not use a Dunu S&S?

• Well, haven’t found a usecase where it doesn’t thrive.

That is how I personally would pair these eartips with differently tuned iems:

• For a warmer/darker (than your preference) IEM --> Dunu S&S

• For a sharper/brighter (than your preference) IEM --> NiceHCK R04

• For a preferably tuned IEM --> Dunu S&S

• For leaner IEM --> NiceHCK 04

For me, that's what makes tip rolling so interesting—two tips can both give you a deep seal yet take the same IEM in completely different sonic directions. Sometimes the right eartip is all it takes to bring an IEM closer to the way I actually want it to sound.

Got some Nicehck eartips C03 & R04 with TRN CXP magnetic case and a shorty Hagibis C to C cable to complete the dapification process of my portable setup .

The tip rolling journey continues. Curious to see how these tips behave. Anybody using these here?

Got these printed for organizing my eartips. Small one can store 6 pairs (3 by 2 each side) and the larger one stores 30 pairs (6 by 5 each side).

Any good iem case layout you guys have?

Sometimes, its not all about max resolution retrieval and technicalities. Starting the weekend, sent my earholes on a vacation today. Black sabbath, rolling stones and pink floyd hit emotionally different on this el-classique bose pair.

I think i've found the one that fits me like a glove and ticks all the boxes so far. It was quite a tip rolling ride but no matter what, i keep reaching for these. Rocking dunu on these four puppies today.

I used to tip roll to add a bit of warmth, tame treble sometimes and chased varying levels of seal for higher oclussion effect, for different situations that needed different levels of isolation. It was a roller coaster ride in the beginning of almosy every session that ate into my precious time and somewhere i had stopped enjoying the music that i had grown to love. Now i can get back to it, for now.

It boggles my mind to realize how one tip can be so versatile for what i have been looking all along. It performs so well for me and i get exactly what tonality i want to get out of my monitors. Be it the controller/tighter bass, tighter kick drums, guitar strings and body, vocals or air. Yes, the separation gets a bit intimate compared to even wider bore shallow fitting tips, but, i believe i can live with that.

Pros:

1. Deep insertion - sound waves dont wander around in your tiny hole and go straight to business.

2. Very sticky /tacky silicone material - helps in better seal

Cons: For me, NONE.

Note:

Look out for the sizing. Its a straight tubular tip. It fits differently than dome / bell shaped tips. I was told to get one size up that what i usually wear. I knew my measurements based on other tips that had been in my rotation already. So ordered a large size pack. Now it did fit on my legato and the sound was great too. But it was oversized and despite all the goods, i couldnt handle it for more than an hour in a single session. The walls of my ear canal used to hurt and were chaffed. I thought may be my ears didnt like the shape. But then i tried on a pair with a bit shorter and narrower nozzle. And voila, it was a night and day difference in fitting and comfort. Ordered a downsized pack straight away. And since then, been loving these gems. Always get a multi-size pack if you're unsure. In my case, i realized that the nozzle's angle of insertion matter a lot along with the width and its length.

May you all find your earmates soon!

Summary

Not a love at first listen but oh boy, have I grown to love this one. Not a ‘wow’ factor IEM, but for me, it is something I keep reaching for to enjoy a balanced and appropriate character of some of the tracks in my library. It is not V-shaped, not warm, not bright, its just right for the price. Keeps growing on you with time. It disappears and let the tracks do the talking. Rare for an IEM in this price bracket. Although, does have its shortcomings but that’s to be expected in this range. No IEM’s perfect tbh. Every implementation has its strong and weak points. The truthear Gate does shine where it’s supposed to. A strong tonal reference under 20USD which is good for relaxed, non-fatiguing long listening sessions.

 ===============================================================

Eartips that I liked during tip rolling – very eartip dependent as per my perception (so is the case with other iems too):

• Dunu S&S (occlusion - highest)
• Legato’s Stock Narrow Bore tip
• Gate’s Stock narrow bore tip (matte and smooth texture)
• Nicehck C03
• Kz LS-01  (occlusion – Lowest)  - most relaxed and lean

Fit: Deep & Stable - Why: Compact Shell, long and narrow nozzle

Audio Chain: Bit Perfect chain via power amp/ TRN Black Pearl / Stock Cable

Test Tracks encoding format: 24-bit 96khz / 16-bit 44.1-4khz FLAC

What I paid: Around17 USD  on Shenzhenaudio during sale. Excellent value if you order directly. Locally available around 9000. Still good value for a daily runner.

Accessories in the box:

Case: Soft carry pouch. Very basic but good clip mechanism. Does not protect IEMs though

Eartips: good and usable tips (narrow bore – medium length & wide bore – short length). Matte textured and slightly software than other stock tips that are included with other budget iems. Magnets for flaky ears though.

Cable: Excellent cable. Angled 3.5 termination. Drapes very well. Minimal memory/exceptionally rollable. Minimal phonics

Observations and the tracks that I played and enjoyed:

 Tonal Balance, Midrange, timbre & Accoustic Guitars :

• Space Oddity by David Bowie Shined in tonal balance with centered vocals. Instruments stayed organized.
• More than words by Extreme:
• Keith Don’t go by Nils Lofgren (live)

Timbre was natural and Venue/Ambiance sounded slightly intimate but was very respectful presentation for the budget. Personally, i liked the balance between acoustic guitars (their relative separation) and vocals in more than words by extreme. The string plucks sounded crispy with audible finger slides. It had a slightly restrained guitar’s wooden resonance so sounded slightly leaner than I would have personally like it to be. Guitar’s body and decay produced naturally. Good transients and decay and the notes started and stopped cleanly.

 Other tracks in the playlist

• Unstoppable by Sia
• Born to die & Video Games by Lana Del Ray
• Bury a friend & Six Feet Under by Billie Eilish
• Royals by Lorde (Loved the tonality of bass and crispy fingersnap taps and their balance with the vocals)
• Stand up by Cynthia Erivo
• Fly me to the moon by Frank Sinatra

Vocal placement

Overall, vocals don’t feel like taking a backseat, no recession, no muddiness  and sit where they should be). Male vocals do have some chest resonance without sounding thick while female vocals feel energetic without becoming shouty and sibilant (listened to code cool by Patricia Barber for sibilance).

Mid-bass & Subbass dynamics:

• 1=1 by Sage
• Chameleon by Trentmoller
• Limit to your love & Retrograde by James Blake
• Had some drinks by Two feet
• The Dark Knight trilogy by Hans Zimmer (Live in Parague)
• Laura Palmer by Bastille
• The sparrow & The hunter by Mastodon
• Beginnerès guide to suicide by Orange Goblin
• Electric Mistress by Stoned Jesus

Observation: Gate don’t deliver the bass slam but reproduces the descending bass notes with good and tight control. Notes remain defined and free of distortion. Sub-bass reaches respectfully deep for a budget single dynamic driver, providing enough to support modern recordings without bleeding into the lower mids. Hence doesn’t muddy up.

It is certainly not a bassy one to satisfy your cravings for the sub-bass rumble but the texture is tighter due to good transients and decay (for 1-DD iem). It certainly doesn’t mean the bass is lacking but its rather tight, controlled and disciplined (may I say well behaved). It does feel a bit congested in Mastodon's busier and heavier passages.

Initially I did not like the leaner bass coming for either harman tuned and elevated lower frequency shelved iems but it certainly grew on me once I started using it increasingly.

Microdetails & Imaging

Microdetails are present and nothing feels artificially exaggerated. In good recordings, you listen to the breaths, fingers squeaking on the acoustic guitars - and a respectable room ambiance (this is where the price bracket shows you the mirror)

Imaging is not a wide as other higher priced iems but the instrument placement is very precise with excellent layering & center/left right imaging. The relative limited air between the instruments does impact the overall width perception tbh.

It is not a technical monster and it never acts like it either. Unlike other iems in this bracket that try very hard to act like one, Gate takes a back seat and let you fall into its trap slowly. Nowhere does it compete with planar’s transients and decay but for a single dynamic driver, it gives other similar budget pairs a run for their money by punching very much above its price range.

Note: It responds pretty well to EQ at both lower and high end of the frequency spectrum for higher bass perception and improved ambiance and air. The listed observations were on stock tuning out of the box.

 

Not too shabby.

Get yours while it lasts

The TRN mag case is on the way, so decided to do a little DIY so it wont hang from the C port. Listening to John Denver, George Thorogood, Frank Sinatra and Shirley bassey today.

What is in your playlist? Would love to get some good tracks added in mine.

First buy: cheap essager dac from aliexpress - a bit cleaner but nothing impressive apart from mininizing the hiss on my legacy dell xps laptop as well as Microsoft surface laptop

Second buy: cx31993 dongle 32bit/384khz - made iems sound cleaner and gave a bit of a headroom for PEQ. Bass came out tighter, vocals a bit cleaner, sound profile and imaging improved substantially.

Third: got the eg280 iems a while back and really liked how convinient it was to use on board PEQ using singot control app and walkplay. But tbh, i have always been more comfortable with peace /equilizer APO on windowsOS.

Then comes the TRN black pearl which turned out to be so much better especially for 7hz legato. The whole character of this one just elevated making it by far my favourite for old school bass focussed tracks. The midbass leak got substantially minimized, the instruments dont sound congested anymore and vocals are not muffed by the loose bass it had in lower output dacs. It was not just extra volume headroom but how it elevated the whole presentation. Even tangzu red lions sound better with it.

Got my eyes on BT DACs from FIIO next for my legacy headphones i am still hanging on to. Wont hurt if they can get back to work.

For iems related stuff on reddit, he's the man you guys!

Bought quite a lot of stuff in the recent times and his game is spot on! Never disappoints.

Currently rocking iems that complement each other pretty effin well.

So got these delivered today. 3 pairs of Large size tips. On the tip roll these days. First impressions: slick, sticky and comfortable (thats at 20 minutes mark) Lets see how these go with my simgots. Currently using HE sonics, sancai normal and widebores. Looking forward to these beeches.

Would love to connect with people who are into tip rolling and have spare tips in their assorted packs lying around after finding their size and fit. Share the love people.