BEST $80 IEM of 2023 - Moondrop/Truthear/DUNU/OpenAudio

[@michaeldy2580]

I didn't know that wired iems sound better than high-end wireless, so this vid was informative. Thanks for putting the spotlight on these brands. I hope little-known brands that yield 👍 earphones will be mainstream.

[@namedkenn]

I’m glad it was helpful! But yes actually the $29 Moondrop Chu already sounds similar to the $249ish Sony XM4 so that’s crazy More awesome stuff like this are coming for sure so stay tuned 😁

[@joejunior4700]

If you brain dead logic it you'll get more consistent and better connection with wired internet than wifi. It all comes down to the format decoding and tuning, most wireless are weak on the tuning dept. you'll have to reach higher prices to get same fidelity.

[@NamTran-xc2ip]

@@joejunior4700chill your ass, not every iem sounds good

[@r_ex_7]

@@joejunior4700 😘💋

[@VSN-wb2ly]

With wireless companies need to consider about extra features, Bluetooth, etc etc. But with wired they only need to focus in one department, and it's the main quality of the actual product

[@vunguyenanh5763]

hexa's tonality and timbre is class-leading

[@GreatPatroclus]

You're my favorite wireless earphone reviewer, you are the one i always looking up to when I am looking for new wireless earphones since then.

[@thewillsfamilyaccount6486]

Nicely done my man! Keep it up! 😊

[@neoalex]

having a regular spinfti cp100 and cp360 are indeed life savers for short/deep IEMs

[@Ricky_RSC]

True

[@benmacdhui]

TinHifi T3 Plus ftw - matched with a Tripowin C8 cable and SpinFit CP145 tips are a great combo

[@DarthThrash]

Too muddy.

[@josharaujo4005]

@@DarthThrash Ikr, once you taste the clarity of a Hexa, T3 plus is pure meh

[@Zekn69]

Very informative video I’m kinda leaning towards getting the hexa. Would you recommend any of these for gaming? Or anything around this price range?

[@dragonaashish]

i you have bought hexa can u tell gaming performance?

[@VrodegTheGoblin717]

They're great for gaming, I've got them. No issues making out the direction of footsteps or any other things, I have yet to play any *immersive* game with them, but I doubt that they would be bad for that.

[@nelnior7137]

already got Hexa.. i liked it very amazing iem

[@moinmoinmeinaktivenfreund5184]

Are they good for Gaming

[@chamindushanesh4063]

@@moinmoinmeinaktivenfreund5184 no

[@gren1977]

oh wow, someone else using the witch :D Love mine though more for the color and the fit. Subscribed :D

[@akash5180]

Its as you said, bass is very less in hexa for me and I'm thinking to exchange it with kiwi ears melody, should I?

[@michaelknibbs]

Literally a lifesaver??

[@gadgetgenerationspulkit]

Titan S2 is love especially with that stock cable ❤

[@byKyleFord]

Would these iems be great for gaming? and if so which one out of the 3?

[@supertree08]

16:06 😳came here for the reviews and saw a surprise DC track as an example

[@namedkenn]

A follower introduced me not too long ago and I’m instantly a fan! Haha

[@joewinglovemusic]

Just wondering have you use Fiio FH3 & FH5s and what do you think of them please ?!

[@luckyone525]

I wonder how would er2se be compared here, as i am leaning to dunu now due to fuller sound and i hear much woder stage than the rest of the offer in this pricepoint, would love to have a bit of surround sound while playing some open world game and listen to ambient , and still have a good music listening experience, i heard er2se is a bit in your head, but surround software can sort that out for gaming? Cause i hear it's even more detailed for vocals and everything

[@manthekid]

What about kiwi ears melody and does moondrop aria 2 have good bass?

[@pliedtka]

I think Aria2 has really good, maybe even the best tuning out of the IEMs up to $100, and way, way better than old Aria, which is nothing special. Plus Moondrop added hybrid cable if you upgrade to 4.4mm balanced. Hexa, today it's OK, bass light.

[@vortexeruption1434]

I have both and i like the kiwi better but looking into Truthear

[@nonexistence3321]

Hi ken what is your opinion on 7hz sonus?

[@rizki4883]

There's pretty much "Aria like tuning" at low-budget price range, i don't really think Aria & Aria SE is "Recommended" nowadays (well i own Hexa & Aria SE so) Nowadays there's Truthear Hexa, Tripowin Olina SE, Simgot EA500 or maybe Galileo

[@Pankajsharmaful]

I am confused with Aria and Hexa as it is my first time with IEMs

[@speciti4751]

i heard the hexa has alot of qc issues, do you have any problems with your hexa?

[@rizki4883]

@@speciti4751 QC issue? I've never heard even single complain about QC on Hexa, (at least not from few group audio i have join local or international) The only complain about Hexa from some people only the Nozzle that too wide, that make them need to buy an eartips for it Never heard about imbalance or product deffect on their driver/Cable Also i bought Hexa just right after they released (First batch) It just fine until now

[@Pankajsharmaful]

I think Aria has that not hexa...mine is working fine

[@rizki4883]

@@Pankajsharmaful yeah, actually Moondrop Known for it's paint chipping problem also the cable gets tangled easily

[@LuciferArc1]

7hz sonus is a banger competitor to these now. They blew me away. I lean more towards the sonus than my hexa

[@jeffreylowy3180]

The 7HZ/Salnotes Zero 2 is $20 and def rivals some of these $80 iems. I do LOVE Truthear Hexa though for $80

[@VSN-wb2ly]

Yeah sonus is more or less like Hexa but cheaper, tho i don't like the face plate and the cable (and it's too small for my ears)

[@koningklootzak7788]

I wish you reviewed Simgot EA500. It's an amazing IEM 👍

[@Habakkuk23]

I had Dunu but went off after 6 mos and couldn’t have it for warranty

[@Ricky_RSC]

Have you tried the 7Hz Salnotes Zero? They are pretty similar to the Moondrop Chu, but with a more "correct" tuning. How much better are these $80 iems in comparison? The HEXA tempts me

[@zadsazhad]

I've been using aria, hexa, 7hz zero and blon bl-03.. my honest opinion is hexa is in the league of its own and aria is 2nd. 7hz is amazing for its price but i find the treble is a lil bit too much for me just like regular aria. blon is bloaty but fun. hexa is the way to go for me

[@Ricky_RSC]

@@zadsazhad Thanks for yours answer but, aside the tuning personal preference and not considering the price, how much better is the HEXA technically? And how much worse is the Salnotes?

[@zadsazhad]

@@Ricky_RSC if u love more fun tuning with more bass and much much more clarity, go for hexa. Zero is more neutral and cheaper. No right answer it just comes to personal preference and price tbh. You can't go wrong with salnotes, it's better than chu

[@harshitsiwal]

@@zadsazhad i want chrisp clear sound 🥺, what to do

[@zadsazhad]

@@harshitsiwal what's your budget, timmy(gizaudio) got a whole list for different running

[@JetSe77er]

Thanks for making such great content!

[@namedkenn]

Glad it was helpful! 😁

[@nithinmgeorge2949]

Which is the best iem for dua lipa, chris brown, nicki minaj songs to listen? I mostly listening the kpop and hiphop kind of songs lot. So which iem is suit for my taste under 100$

[@namedkenn]

I would actually go with the OpenAudio, but to be honest I’m not confident at recommending it unless you can try it out at a local store first But for something outside of this video, I realky recommend the Truthear Zero: Red! I’ve planned for its review for so long but just couldn’t get it done in time due to life stuff happening, hopefully I can finish it soon!

[@vortexeruption1434]

Guys I’m contemplating between HEXA and zero blue for gaming any recommendations

[@thericemunchingmogul]

bought the zero blues yesterday, gonna return them tomorrow cos the nozzle is so big they don't fit my ears. Nozzle is huge at 7mm so keep that in mind, other than that the zero blues really impressive for the price. Bought the hexas today and so far they are fantastic. for gaming both are great but i prefer the hexas as they are more clear. The punchy bass from zeros can be distracting at times.

[@desk-kun2366]

Truthear hexa vs WitchPro?

[@Pizzerow]

What about Letshuoer S12 for FPS gaming?

[@par-y4e]

I want an iem under 200$ for listening to indie, hip hop and pop. I want a wide sound staged iem. Please recommend I am currently using Oppo enco x2, airpods pro, jabra 65T and CCA CRA.

[@namedkenn]

Doesn’t have to be that expensive but the Dunu Titan S comes to mind! One more option you could definitely consider tho is the SHUOER S12 featured here kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y2OYcqqil5WDnqcsi=qBiw9p86myquGPgA

[@par-y4e]

@@namedkenn how does the truthear nova and SIMGOT EA500LM stands against this

[@calvinyip364]

What about the gizaudio galelio?

[@Capyhandler]

Nice to see the Titan S being hyped. I feel like it is underrated

[@namedkenn]

It's a really nice sounding IEM! Although fit is a bit tricky for me but a 3rd party eartip did the job

[@pliedtka]

I think it's overrated in 2024

[@p_for_poo]

man I love the Hexa soooo much but the large nozzle hurts my ear canal after 30 mins. I have about 50+hrs and I've realized that the more I use them, the quicker they hurt. I really thought I could break them in and get used to it but no. My friend let me try out her Moondrop Kato and those nozzles are more comfortable, but they sound too enchanced and less detailed. I really wish that Hexa Mini would exist.

[@17moh.oktaviazizn.75]

Try changing eartips to smaller one

[@RAA0000]

I just got the moondrop aria. Are there any upgrades I should do for better sound?

[@shiro214okane]

same tuning? Moondrop Kato but I only recommend to buy it at really very discounted price. else go Tanchjim Kara and Aful Performer 5. big jump upgrade go with Moondrop Blessing 3. for eartips its SpinFit W1 want your IEM to become TWS? just buy something like "Moondrop Little White" or the one with very less latency like "M-VAVE WP-10".

[@RAA0000]

@@shiro214okane i heard that changing the cable could improve sound. Is that true?

[@shiro214okane]

@@RAA0000 not that much actually, the big impact is the iem and eartips, then dac/amp. Cables is very much Unless you bought fake ones thats not really up to specs of the standard or default ones.r very thick copper wire.

[@davi.poiani]

Hello there Kenneth! Good to see you reviewing iems!! Considering that the ones in this video here (in the $80 range) are already pretty good, do you still think it is worth an upgrade to the Moondrop Kato? It is possible to find the Kato for around 160,00 nowadays (on discount sales).

[@xaguerox29]

Un cable con micrófono barato para los moondrop aria?🙏

[@vianhoho19]

oooh boi another wired IEM video I personally own a Hexa and tried both the Titan S and the Aria (in both flavors). The Hexa is FAR AND AWAY the best IEM at this price point for me. It's quite literally a budget Moondrop Blessing 2 with even better, less fatiguing midrange signature (to my ears) The Aria Snow is a much more pleasing listen to me than the OG Aria because it's a more balanced tuning; The OG Aria just sounded too bassy. The Titan S does absolutely nothing for me; I'm probably just fatigued by the myriad of IEMs running very similar signatures and around the same price bracket i.e. both Aria, Titan S, both Kima, Heart Mirror Pro, EA500, Tripowin Olina SE, etc. Can't wait for your Blessing 3 video, man. I personally liked it for the music I primarily listen to i.e. J-Pop, but overall, I might still give the edge to the old Blessing 2 because while the Blessing 3 has some insanely great midrange, the bass tuning makes the overall sound feel really thin with not a lot of body; That's probably due to how the bass is tuned which coincidentally more resembles the Blessing 2 DUSK than the Original. Great video as always. Cheers :)

[@bryandandoy885]

Hi, what do you think about kiwi ears cadenza ? Is it comparable to hexa? Plesse reply

[@usmanmansoor1998]

Is hexa better than zero red?

[@CoolBunnyALOY]

Yes absolutely

[@akash5180]

Only if you like less bass

[@tahjibalmamun758]

Why not kz???

[@wanaboed]

Masih rekomendasi gak nih iem nya?

[@ihsanabdelkodos]

i have sony wf1000 xm4 and huawei freebuds pro 2 if i buy dunu , will i feel difference in sound exprience ?

[@rajeebdas1724]

Obviously... It's significantly better

[@jojoenathan]

Should i just buy crinacle zero red and be done with it. Or save some bucks to get hexa? Is it the jump from 50 to 80 even matters? In technicalities. I really love technical. I just want something similar to my wan er i love it a lot compared to chu or other sub 20 (i only havent tried zero)

[@vianhoho19]

As someone who owns a Hexa and has tried the Zero Red back in Canjam SG, I would personally still get the Hexa because of the details from being a hybrid vs 2DD. That being said, the Zero Red is absolutely no slouch either. I'm also not a fan of the bass tuck that the Zero Red has even though it doesn't sound as prominent as the OG Zero due to the more restrained bass tuning. The deciding factor, aside from the sound signature, is the comfort. The Zero Red has an absurdly large nozzle which will definitely be a hit or miss for a lot of people, while the Hexa is much more manageable. Pick your poison 😁

[@tuyatebin1547]

how about in terms of soundstage and technicalities? is the hexa still a great choice over zero specially when used for gaming?

[@tuyatebin1547]

​@@vianhoho19.

[@shuangstudio]

Hexa soundstage is slightly smaller than the zero red, but hexa has better technicalities and imaging.

[@MayankJairaj]

Please review the fiio UTWS5!

[@namedkenn]

Yep I'll try to check it out in the future!

[@overprice7802]

cobain KZ PR2 bro.. asli ini iem planar terbaik yg bisa didapatkan dgn harga 500rban

[@luqmanmohiuddin4006]

dunu is actually semi open ear, thats why it feels more open

[@namedkenn]

With the holes on the sides yeah? That's pretty cool!

[@icael.m]

please Review the Yamaha TW-E5B ❤

[@julsky14]

I already ordered my set for Dunu Titan S after watching multiple videos, people surely praise it for its clean, crispy and wide soundstage. Hope it can beat my KZ ZS10 Pro.

[@namedkenn]

Hope you'll enjoy it as much as I do! Just keep in mind with the eartips situation you might wanna order a 3rd party tips to fit you better, but just a suggestion of course

[@julsky14]

@@namedkenn It already arrived 3 days ago. Still in process of burn in although I didnt believe on that thing lol. Any suggestion on 3rd party tips? I currently using the provided tips, using the narrow bore one, smallest size.

[@bryandandoy885]

​​@julsky14 how is it? I have zs10 pro, but is the Dunu titan s worth it?

[@julsky14]

@@bryandandoy885 My answer is yes. I never look back to my KZ set anymore. Titan S become my daily driver. Love the build quality (i never worried about putting it under my pillow while sleep), the bass is good, everything feel so balanced, bass and high feels so enough, nothing overpowers another. m

[@ddundeez]

Bro, review simgot series & Epz katanya hype diluar. 👌🏽⚡

[@namedkenn]

Siap bosqu next nanti coba ke simgot ya 😁

[@jericlamb2676]

Hey Kenneth, how are you? I'm looking for iems that I can hear the singer's swallowing saliva, what do you recommend?budget meal if possible

[@markevinlagsac3252]

Simgot ea500 and buy the cheap TRN BT20XS. Destroys all TWS in all price range. Just have a good seal with your favorite eartips for passive noise cancelling.

[@batuchthebruh5165]

those are some nice sounding bras.

[@kuraiko00]

bakal review Moondrop chu II ga bro?

[@namedkenn]

Sejauh ini belum ada rencana nih tapi sebenernya mah mau mau aja ya Kita lihat deh gimana demandnya 😁

[@kuraiko00]

@@namedkenn iya wkwkwk, krna ngebet jdi gw lgsng beli, sebelomnya mikir buat beli moondrop chu , trus modif cable jdi detachable, tpi eh trnyata pas chu ii keluar, lgsng choose buat beli wkwkwk meskipun sempet mikir chu ii vs jiu vs wan'er

[@xhuwu]

Guys Aria or hexa?

[@VrodegTheGoblin717]

Hexa

[@beepover]

Well over a dozen chifi iems and the S12 is most silibant iem ever heard.

[@thomasre7276]

where is simgot ew200/ea500 buddy.

[@milkyway6080]

Hi Kenneth! There are many cheaper alternatives to the Aria that cost less and/or sound better. Tinhifi C2, Tripowin Piccolo, Simgot Ean200 EA500, at their respective price ($25-80) and many others I won't mention because the list would be too long. Any of these will sound great and have great build quality. My fav at the moment is the CVJ Mei, a great hybrid for 60usd. But even the Salnotes Zero at $20 are better value for money than Aria in my opinion.

[@rizki4883]

Even i've seen some Aria owner sold their Aria & somewhat said they like Salzero more than Aria And yes, now IEM with "Aria like tuning" is common tho Like Salzero, Truthear Hola, Tangzu Wan'er or maybe there's more? I'm not really know about it, i've heard that budget range going crazy lately

[@kamrankambang7953]

I just got into iem and my 2nd iem i just got is the kz hbb pr2... Man for 40usd this is so good.

[@rizki4883]

@@kamrankambang7953 would be better with at least DAC that powerfull enough to Drive it, there's DAC about $80 FiiO Q11, it doesn't "give flavor" (change the sound of IEM or Headphone) This setup quite popular on my local Community

[@MayankJairaj]

It's also bout the build quality here. And since most people buy tws at this price point, I guess he wants to show what all great stuff you can get at similar price points and since they last so much longer than TWS it'd be a worthwhile investment.

[@fuad000100]

Does C2 sound better than Aria?

[@kamrankambang7953]

Hi. You forgot the simgot ea500

[@MO-fg2cm]

push IEM's manufacturers to add ANC modules on it

[@namedkenn]

At this point it’s gonna be a TWS no?

[@MO-fg2cm]

@@namedkenn wireless can't match sound quality of wired systems

[@parentedojulius]

hey kenneth, im from brazil and I have 3 of 4 of theese. Dont have the moondrop aria. Hoply I also made a review in portuguese PT-BR. Truthear seems like miss salt, not fun. Titan S too intense. Open audio did not open yet. Im not a kz fan, not feel good to saying this, but Im in this moment trying for the first time the zsn pro 2. Surprisingly good. Also too intense at the beggining, but good. V shapped, but not too much. Good separation, plays the electric guitar well. I just cant raise up the volume a lot. (Im not good in english, typing without translator to get used to)

[@abhinandande]

If Your Budget is 80-100$ Go For Dunu Titan S. Nothing Else!!

[@aswakahamed6026]

Y it better than hexa

[@extirpatebabel]

​@@aswakahamed6026It's subjective. Hexa is well tuned neutral and more laid back and clean yet the highs have a better presence. Dunu sounds refined and neutral and has a balanced mid bass and highs. So, they are similar but do things in their own way. Hexa is pricier than Titan S but just by a margin. Go according to your listening style.

[@abhinandande]

@@aswakahamed6026 Dunu Titan S is The Most Nuetrsl Sounding IEM of The Lot!!

[@maxpayne69.]

I’m so groggy atm the thumbnail resembles ad for bras 😅😂😂

[@ken_eszu]

💖💖

[@kayp9447]

Please we need music samples demonstrations soundtest, that's the way additional for clearest understanding of the sounds possible by these videos 👍👍👍

[@MayankJairaj]

Please look at frequency graphs, sound demos aren't anything scientific or accurate.

[@kellydarsen3470]

Bro please review FIIL KEY

[@namedkenn]

I’ve got it already for testing actually, will probably talk about it in my next half in-ear buds video! 😁

[@mohammderikli5384]

Please try headphone realme Buds Air 5 Pro

[@namedkenn]

Ohh! They’re in their 5th generation now?! That’s insane haha but I’ll try to check it out 😁

[@vitacell1]

Having Chu1, Chu2, Tangzu Waner, Moondrop Lan... I prefer Chu1 sound. Chu1>Lan>Chu2>Waner Really wanted to hear how good is Hexa.

[@guisado1002]

Compare to kato

[@VSN-wb2ly]

Some of the IEM in this list are kinda dated except for hexa

[@DougMart-bc2jt]

Which headphones of similar prices do you recommend?

[@VSN-wb2ly]

@@DougMart-bc2jt I like Kefine klanar, but if I want to go with vocal I'd go with truthear zero red

[@369jwillow]

NIy Dominicansone!

[@MaiwandHimmat]

My 15$ chu 2 sounds better than my airpods prob1st gen

[@ih84runners]

Hallo, Ken! Best $50 IEM soon for 2024? 🥹

[@noblesix1919]

@@ih84runnersdefinitely the truthear zero red