Planar in-ear headphone shootout: 7hz Timeless, Z12, Dioko and more

[@ResolveReviews]

I just wanted to acknowledge that there are many other good planar IEMs, and I would love to include the P1 Max and Timeless AE and others in a more analytic comparison. You have to draw the line somewhere because there are also new ones every week, which is awesome, but leads to challenges when creating videos.

[@MrJabinho]

is Timeless AE better than Timeless og or just a different flavour ?

[@mattparsons8598]

@@MrJabinho 3db boost in the bass region, modular cable, 2 pin instead of mmcx

[@MrJabinho]

@@mattparsons8598 That was not all what they told.

[@kairohde]

Like that take on Planars. But for me all of them seems to forward in pinna region. Andrew have you heard the YanYin Aladdin? I would be interested in how you perceive them. They have a smooth pinna region and are also otherwise well tuned as it seems from graphs.

[@RJJC]

Hello, do you know if the S12 pro has the same tuning as the regular S12? A lot of reviewers said that they are the same, just different cable and color, but some said that the tuning is different.

[@Max-oi6op]

If $200 is considered "budget" I'm doomed.

[@hblog]

We Asian 😅

[@jafizzle95]

Picked up the Z12 recently and I honestly kinda love it for what it is. Definitely a fun pair. Makes electronic music super engaging, and adds some much needed bottom end to some of the otherwise thin sounding metal I listen to. I came from the world of multi-thousand watt car audio systems and am very much a bass-head, though I had mostly retrained my brain to genuinely enjoy more balanced sound when I switched to the world of headphones and IEMs. The Z12 represents a little bit of a relapse for me, but I'm not mad about it lol.

[@DrBrovahkiin]

You nailed the fit issue I had with the timeless. The treble sounded really weird to me even in comparison to the s12 and the fit is just not it for me. Always felt like it was never in my ear correctly

[@burakksalar7818]

I have s12 too and i am very happy with fit

[@Rat0713]

A lot of people end up having problems with the Timeless fit, it's definetly not that good.

[@SouEuIAm]

I may have different shaped ears, but the Timeless fit better in my ears than any of the others. The circular design fits perfect and it wedges in really tight. The shape of the others (the typical IEM shape) tend to come loose and fall out.

[@ricter]

as someone who has fit issues with MOST iems.. the timeless fit my ears perfectly and i will always love them for that. so ymmv

[@lordlopes2424]

How the tables have turned🗿🍷

[@Dan-uy2ld]

Sharp treble and 'glassy sheen' - words I love to hear as someone that listens to jazz. I actually love the tuning of the original moon drop chu too. Dioko on order.

[@MrWizardjr9]

the dioko's aesthetic actually grew on me

[@jb678901]

Yes, it does require a "transition" period.

[@ConsecDesign]

The fit on the dioko made me give up on my other iems. The tuning is inoffensive to me and they just fit like a dream.

[@KopfdesRiesen]

Funny how different this hobby can be for everyone. I HATED the fit of the Diokos and the sound was extremely offensive and metallic to me

[@kyron42]

" the brooch toilet bowl aesthetic" that's so Crin!

[@kennysandhoj]

My impressions of the Dioko is condensed to: Little bit of subbass, NO midbass, NO lower mids, and very energetic in the upper ranges. It's super imbalanced. It's nice and detailed in the upper mids and trebs but it's not pleasant to listen to when it feels like the lower half of the music is missing.. If they weren't shipped from the other side of the world i would have returned them. This made me a bit unsure of the whole planar thing since the Dioko was the first planar iem i ever tried. However since there was so much talk about the Timeless i had to see what it was all about. The Timeless AE was just released when i decided to get it so i ordered that and oh boy. Complete other world. That and the Arya are my go-to IEMs right now. Absolutely fantastic.

[@SzymonSaysStuff]

Personally, by far the best planar IEM I tried is the P1 Max, which is funny because it's also one of the cheapest ones. Just a great, warm neutral tuning with good enough tech.

[@morallytainted1]

I had the same fit issue with the Timeless and I managed to resolve the problem with the double flange tips from spinfit. I still ended up preferring the Raptgo Hook over the Timeless. The Hook-x has ended up being my favorite IEM under $500.

[@NikolasCarneiro18]

For me, double flange spinfits completely destroys bass, it has saved fit many times but always to the cost of sound (bass) quality.

[@jorvten360]

I have the s 12 , timeless and hook x…..the hook x is hands down the best out of these. The other 2 are No more in use.

[@AndrewYouTubehandle]

Helpful review, thanks for sharing. S12 was a bit sharp for me at times. I loved the 7hz Timeless - fun. But I had a similar problem with them working their way out of my ears. These days I'm loving the Simgot EA500lm and a more gentle Kiwi Melodies.

[@PainfullySoberAndUnhinged]

Went from like practically no options for Planar Earphones to an overabundance 🤣 Keep 'em coming I say!

[@anupambphoto]

"Andrew and the Planars" imo good band name

[@lordlopes2424]

First hit:Magnetic Love Album:out of stage

[@petewilson-zb5hr]

Fantastic review as always! You set the bar high

[@handlemonium]

Mind doing a follow-up comparing some of these against the Tin P1 Max (as someone already asked) and the KZ PR1?

[@colinmartin9797]

The diokos were absolutely perfect for me. I dig the jewelry vibe, the fit and finish are perfect in my ears (I added Sedna xelastec tips) and the sound is exactly what I wanted. I like the grado sparkle, so their slightly bright nature is right up my alley. Never fatiguing to me at all, even with hours and hours in my ears. They do nothing wrong for my tastes in an iem. Also they're like $90. Bananas. Which is weird because my hearing is still ridiculously good, with no loss in the upper. I guess I just like that dazzle.

[@jb678901]

I agree. Will look perfect in combo with a Mursi Lip.

[@colinmartin9797]

@@jb678901 what? That's a really weird simile. They look nice to me (and I generally wear very understated clothes), they're sapphire glass so they're nice to touch. I don't understand why the headphone community in particular is so obsessed with everything being black or grey

[@jb678901]

@@colinmartin9797 I agree...they truly seem nice to touch. Just keep your eyes closed.

[@lordlopes2424]

The Dioko is not bad The only problem is that is hard to drive 88db oh boy😕

[@colinmartin9797]

@@lordlopes2424 agreed, it's okay with a decent headphone jack but really does want an amp. A good usb-c dongle can almost get there, but the only planar I've come across that really doesn't mind a plain headphone jack is the kz pr1

[@xkleeborp465]

When I first saw the Dioko I immediately called them “Space Almonds”

[@smoloms]

I started on Tin P1 and there are definitely some tuning stuff that I don't like but I like them more than a lot of the similar priced dynamic iems.

[@RaindancerAU]

Took one look at the frequency response of the Stellaris and decided not to listen to them? If we all adopted that attitude then why do we need to watch any of your reviews when we all can just look at graphs? Seriously, that was a poor attitude.

[@samyg123]

P1 Max had my favorite tuning, more relaxed in the upper mids/lower treble. But it needs a lot of power to bring out the technical abilities

[@jb678901]

...which is why I have ordered the PR1 HiFi as my second planar set to the S12. It has its own (smaller) in house driver and requires less power. We shall see.

[@takosan699]

How much power are you talking about?

[@samyg123]

@@takosan699 a powered amp is needed to bring out the technical abilities. Dongles will power it but it won’t sound as detailed or dynamic

[@takosan699]

@@samyg123 How much power 500mw or 1W or more?

[@samyg123]

@@takosan699 1W worked for me

[@CharlesSeraphDrums]

I found that with the Diokos you need to roll the tips because the stock ones, though nice, are too short. I have used both Sedna Xlastics and Moondrop Springs which are taller than the stock ones and that really helped them (besides the use and getting accustomed to the sound) get rid of that glassiness at the top.

[@Suiax]

I got the Timeless last year, and they are full stop the best things i ever shoved in my ear. I get around the fit issue, by replacing the tips with Comply Foam T-500 ear tips. They are solid in my ear, with those. The biggest problem I have is certain songs with high frequency female choirs, the the right ear on the Timeless starts to get shouty/distort. Best example if anyone with a Timeless wants to compare: Destiny 2 (Original Soundtrack) - View From Orbit @ the 52 sec mark. It's fringe case, not a regular thing. Maybe mine are defective, Maybe i just need to turn down the volume, while i don't go so loud my ears hurt, i should being turning down my music more.

[@eyadalabasy1257]

Do you run them with a DAC/dongle?

[@HobbyTalk]

Wu > Timeless = P1 Max > Z12 > Dioko ... I have hook on the way but so far this is my preference.

[@fiddlix]

My best is the S12 retuned by Michael Bruce, better known as the S12 Prometheus mod>Hook X>P1 Max>Timeless.

[@HobbyTalk]

@@fiddlix oooh ya… I hear good things about the mod!

[@soznyw571]

For me it's S12 OG > Timeless OG = Wu = PMV PP > P1 Max > Dioko > Stellaris. I wish the Timeless is as resolving as S12.. it's too bad that S12's treble is hotter than some other planars though, if they could tame the treble a bit, I'd think they're going to be even more popular than Timeless at a cheaper price point.

[@thomasdanny7717]

I've replaced the inner foam of the Dioko nozzle with a slightly tighter one. And also replace the eartips with Azla SednaEarfit Light Standard. And the results are quite satisfactory. Mid and upper treble no longer feel intense. And free of simbilance and shouty.

[@timothymillea5564]

The fact that Zeos' change to the S12 was to add a bass shelf, at least to my ears, is completely unhinged. Over time I have been disappointed by my S12 because it is way too V-shaped to me. Both too much bass and treble, and honestly on most songs it's the bass that is obnoxious. I am really interested in a more "neutral" planar or other iem around $200

[@MagicSwordKing]

I mean, considering he's the guy who ruined the Drop/Sennheiser 8XX (though he will insist that no, really bro if you buy the dekoni pads I shill it totally fixes them) we should just consider ourselves lucky they're still listenable.

[@wardprocter2371]

Crin’s Dioko reminds me of the mood rings from the seventies, lol.

[@wahid-lg1kk]

Kz pr2 should be there, its more resolving then Dioko, but admittedly needs a lot of things to sound good, just out of the box on a normal dongle dac with stock cable and tips its no good at all. If it has everything it needs, its more natural and engaging then some of these, and really a great earphone at a very low price.

[@dougmorato]

Timeless AE would be nice to be in this overview. Great video, straight to the point!

[@nikolaygramchev]

A very truthful review, bravo. And I am 'glad' that the Talos hype is tamed down. I have a long journey in the planar iems, since the P1 release and may say the companies got it finally. The planars these days make for $1k value on specific things and especially in technicalities. My ears and experience are: 1/ best detail retrieval - Timeless OG } Timeless AE } Hook-X HBB; 2/ best soundstage - again the 3 from 1 but #1 for Hook-X } Timeless AE } Timeless OG 3/ best timber - Hook-X HBB } Timeless AE } Timeless OG, the Hook-X HBB is quite ahead; 4/ Uniqueness - Hook-X on sound stage and timber; Timeless on detail retrieval quite ahead from tge rest. Now - Stellaris is also unique but needs a difficult deep fit and a Short Bus Olina mod with a mesh on the top of the nozzle - then it gets to IE900 FR 'performance' and has superb sub-bass and sound stage + details. Stay away from: S12 and Talos if you hate shouty presentations. and Talos is the most meeee. For all these iems I use foam tips to kill the occasional sibilance. If you plan a small planar iem collection then Hook-X, Timeless OG and Stellaris cover all and are most unique and different from each other and rest non-planar iems.

[@juanblanco7898]

You've already had a chance to listen to the Raptgo Hook-X HBB?

[@nikolaygramchev]

@@juanblanco7898 yep, have it for 3 days and am doing it heavily!

[@juanblanco7898]

@@nikolaygramchev Lucky you) Have you heard the original Hook-X as well?

[@nikolaygramchev]

@@juanblanco7898 No. After the release there were several reviews of it being not that good in detail retrieval so I delayed. Later, the advertising of the Hook-X HBB came saying for improvement in that and other technicalities. So I jumped on it. I am fully satisfied with it - its technicalities are amazing and in resolution it's close to the Timeless. And the timber and openess are very natural and great. Just the tips are shit and it needs foams to kill occasional sibilance, according to my ears. It has unique replay.

[@Strizz484]

Loving the AE. Everything the OG has but a touch better, can't beat it but I almost jumped on the HBB Hook, might do it next!

[@MrBilliam29]

Maybe it’s because I’ve spent so much time in single DD land with the Starfields, but I just couldn’t bear the treble on the Z12s. I wouldn’t call it sibilant, but definitely “crunchy” or “sparkly" well outside of my tolerance. The best way I could describe it was that the treble sounded to me how a crinkled up ball of aluminum foil looks.

[@zaq9339]

I recommend autoeq/wavelet. Was disappointed with the bass boost and muddied mids (or what i perceived to be it) even if the treble was never a problem for me (I'm nearly 30). That eq fixed these iems for me. Over time my brain burned in too and I've grown to like them a lot. Now the bass is rich and textured but not overdone.

[@xsparik]

KZ P1 Pro has entered the chat!

[@thomasdanny7717]

I've replaced the inner foam of the Dioko nozzle with a slightly tighter one. And also replace the eartips with Azla SednaEarfit Light Standard. And the results are quite satisfactory. Mid and upper treble no longer feel intense. And free of simbilant and shouty.

[@hixyhicks]

The Timeless with Astell and Kern dap sounds amazing .When i bought them, i thought they were ok .Now i have my AK Dap they are wonderful .

[@Ryu_Yin]

I just bought the RaptGo Hook-X today after what seemed like 6 months of research and comparisons. It is by far my end-game IEM under $1000 for its aesthetic, design, and audio quality alone. For music and movies, hands down it is absolutely phenomenal, delivering crystal clear vocals and the most energetic and punchy bass I heard so far. But its real strength is for being the only IEM that is open back, planar, with a near perfect tuning, soundstage, and imaging for gaming. Quite the wall hack mode for competitive FPS, and extremely lively for atmospheric RPGs. I am a veteran gamer, and I couldn't care less for music as there are thousands of IEMs for those (I already own the Sennheiser HD560s & Beyerdynamic DT 900 Pro X), but the Hook-X easily won it for me as being a jack-of-all-trades and an Artisan of all. It easily brings S tier audio to gaming, music, and movies all-in-one wrapped in a harmonic package. PS - for pushing past this perfection of a sound profile IEM, I use Equalizer APO to fine tune some EQs as well as some VST normalization to compress the explosions and nudge the footsteps higher so I can hear peoples footsteps 3 floors down and behind me in Escape from Tarkov. For cinematic gaming and movies, I use Redscape, Dolby Atmos, and DTS:X spatial sound to greatly expand the 360 surround outwards, making RPGs sound like I am right there in the scene.

[@jfuente]

Awesome! I've currently got Salnote Zeros... Using with my PS5 through the controller. Think the RaptGo Hook-X would be a noticable upgrade? Your description seems to be exactly what I'm going for in IEMs.

[@Wampiroh]

I'm really new into this IEM world and I would love to try a new flavor, DD is fun but there are so many other choices and configurations out there. I'm finding planars interesting, can't wait to try the new KZ PR2. $+100 is a little bit too much for me lol

[@MartinitraM]

Thanks for the comparison. I've been eyeing off a few of these so this was insightful. I nearly pre-ordered the Dunu Talos based on aesthetics alone but couldn't justify the cost without knowing something about how they sound then saw a review and wasn't so keen. I assumed they'd be more bassy and that would explain the BA treble switch to balance the sound if you wanted. I was disappointed that's not the case and don't really have a reason to get them, which is a shame as I love how they look.

[@kyron42]

It would have been good if you did a spider graph like HBB does.

[@GadZookz]

When the human ear loosens its grip on an IEM it may be time to down tools and move onto the next set. Every ear is different though so one ear does not always speak for the other.

[@Andyhandle]

Great range and comparisons. I didn't like the s12, a bit too clinical, not so inspiring. I've grown to love the sound of the 7hz Timeless, yes it can get a bit stuck with complex classical but it's so much fun and makes me smile with most genres. And it fits my ears very well. That's why audio is fun, it's rewarding and also down to individual preferences, shapes, kit etc! And I got the ie600 which when I found the right tips, sound sublime, especially in areas where the 7hz got a bit lost. The two of them complement each other nicely, for me 🙂

[@lowrider007007]

Shame you missed P1 Max, my favourite out of the ones I've tried thus far, lovely neutral non-fatiguing sound, you would almost believe it was using a dynamic driver, I wasn't a big fan of the Zetian Wu, sounded too v-shaped for me with heightened bass and treble, if you like 'fun' tuning then I guess it's ok.

[@DZ-jm1my]

Very interesting that you and Precog have almost exactly opposite opinions about the S12 and the Dioko. An apt reminder that technical quality is highly subjective.

[@kyron42]

Because they have different ear canals. Everyone hears differently.

[@handlemonium]

@@kyron42 And conditioned musical energy/style preferences.

[@austinshelley-ww1ll]

nice and I am very impressed.

[@AndrewUKLondon]

Still loving my 7hz Timeless. They're fun, and for me. And I was surprised that they're pretty good passive noise cancelling for me.

[@MechFrankaTLieu]

One thing people seldom like to talk about Planar Drive IEM is exactly that Planar definition and quick response , often times those who try to max these Plannar character yield better defining sound but at the cost of making the Music fragmented instead of a single harmonic flow of audio energy , I test all the mentioned and then also the KZ PR1 PRO , the TinHifi P1 Max , and in the end I decide to get the Zeitan Wu Heyday edition Another thing that's seem universal with all these Planar IEM is the driving unit , you really need some juice to drive them to perform , at least on a balanced output out of a quality dongle DAC , and some of them seems to be quite affected by the tip attached while Cables seems doing not much of a difference

[@lordlopes2424]

Yeah 50% of the planars need more power While 50% is good to drive Good thing that some good planars are easy to drive

[@XeonX__ASMR__METAL-experiments]

Hello Dear Friends !!!!!!!! Can open back IEMs (especially Raptgo Hook x HBB) be SoundStagy and build Images like Sundara or like HarmonicDyne Zeus ? Thank You !!!!!!!!

[@kurincc]

You should have tested p1 Max as well

[@hartyewh1]

I thought it was mostly considered a step below the "big boys".

[@nikolaygramchev]

Boxy

[@haberdasherrykr8886]

and this and that; it never ends

[@nikolaygramchev]

@@haberdasherrykr8886 yep, but the fun and enjoyment are great, especially when you get a bit different from one another - I mean not always bassy or mid or trebled focused, or Harman.

[@SzymonSaysStuff]

@@hartyewh1 in my opinion it’s better than all of the others, a very fun warm neutral set without the odd treble most planars have

[@stereofidelic67]

Are there any wireless Planar IEM?

[@trs5127]

So like, in a sense, if you get the Dioko, knock off 2db from the upper mid range and treble, you get a $100 planar that is mostly neutral and has the technical capabilities of a typical planar?

[@cfilorvyls457]

It's just really hard to beat Timeless if you don't mind EQing it imo. Using oratory1990's preset with less aggressive reduction in the air region it just sounds amazing.

[@sadseal8118]

the only reason i sold my Timeless was the horrible mid range

[@cfilorvyls457]

@@sadseal8118 Which part of the mid did you not like? If it's the low-mid the EQ preset fixed it beautifully imo. Was also not a fan of how the low end bleeds into the mid but once I tried EQing it the result was much preferable than S12 for me.

[@sadseal8118]

@@cfilorvyls457 they sounded artificial, and the upper mids were too spicy for me. I sold em anyway and now I have a blessing 2 duck which I love

[@mattparsons8598]

@@sadseal8118 The duck should be their next iteration 🤣

[@jb678901]

I suppose it set the benchmark, for sure. Just the "unique" design and connectors make it less desirable for me. If only B-connectors...I could live with the design elements. IMHO.

[@OpeoAslam]

I always have to really clean my ears before I use my Timeless. Even replaced the tips with some Spin Fits for a more secure fit and it hasn't really done much. The right one always moves after a few minutes. That's been my biggest complaint about em. Wish the stems were longer.

[@wiesolos]

Could you please explain to me what you mean when you say things like trailing ends of tones, leading edge of notes, and "incisive" sound?

[@zep0th370]

Guys go with KZ if you're on a budget.

[@stephane5294]

Did you review the KZ PR3 PLanar? KZ-Audio has a lot of experience in manufacturing in Planar.

[@TonkyTronicus]

The Dioko's faceplates remind me of Crypto's eyes from Destroy All Humans.

[@wengezhu1]

Since there is Supermoon, should it be used a benchmark. I know it is a $1500, and most of them are custom only, but given it exists.

[@podio_km4g532]

Since there are many planar user I'm going to ask this here. I've had both the s12 and the dioko and both had this weird "distortion" in the background plus a very annoying like "pop" on some instruments, for example you can clearly hear a drum going normally then go silent/very loud for a split second and then come back to normal. Is it just bad luck or is it a characteristic of the planar?

[@s1nonnn589]

Should i go for open back headphones (hd560s) or iem with the same price as hd560s? I want tge best technicality

[@zacaviad919]

No P1 Max?

[@hartyewh1]

From what I've read none of these have good macrodynamics for metal music. Is it so? I've tried a few, but not from that point of view.

[@hdsarma]

Timeless AE is out too, wish it was covered too.

[@LordVictorHalgaard]

Its essentially just a slight bass boost.

[@MykeBinaryMan]

Shame you couldn't fit the TINHIFI-P1-MAX with these as it has quite a different tunning compared to most. Totally understand you couldn't fit in everything.

[@lowrider007007]

Seriously P1 Max really offers something different compared to the rest.

[@soulfulfool]

Wu is not 160$ actual price at linsoul is 134$ cant beat Wu at that price 👑

[@rahulsls]

Hi, 7hz timeless or Moondrop KATO, can anybody tell, which one is better or what's the Sonic difference between them ?

[@Elrics_Allenn]

Broach and toilet ball, what an analogy

[@David_Watts]

I own the Timeless and the S12 andi know what you mean about the fit. If the Timeless wouldn't move around after a while, it would stomp on A LOT definitely. If I find those perfect tips, it'll be game over for me or I'll have to spend twice as much to hands' down beat it...any suggestions on what beats it out right?

[@Njinx_]

I replaced the stock tips with the AZLA Xelastec. I absolutely love them. The fit is perfect. They don't move around and if you adjust it the seal corrects itself almost instantly. The only downside is I had to EQ it or else the treble was too harsh.

[@David_Watts]

@@Njinx_ Yep, sportin' those VERY tips also. I love 'em right after I wash them squeaky clean. Then they don't hold as well, but they are very durable. 👍 Both on my S12 and Timeless..I believe our experience is the same

[@NotTheOnlyMattAround]

The Wu are my favorite set I own, but the shell design hurts my ears terribly after less than a half hour of wearing them.

[@Sonofholhorse]

Same with fitment issues; I ended up selling mine because of that. It's not an odd shape or anything, but I just couldn't wear them for more than ~1 hour at a time. Sounds fantastic though!

[@Mr76Gus]

Great comparison. Wu for me.

[@ThompsonHarris-ud7dq]

I'm more focused on the bass part, well done.

[@sadmantahsinkhan9083]

Have you tried the truthear hexa how is it compared to dioko

[@jhtongamer3151]

are the dumu talo good for gaming for games like pubg ?

[@alvincaesar-jv6tu]

How do the Moondrop Chu compare to these?

[@ayushbhaumik7980]

I am running my S12 pro running on good desktop amplifiers like Aune X7S XLR output, now it has real sub bass and dynamics; mids sound fuller and not a V shaped IEM anymore and the treble is much better controlled and not sibilant anymore. On dongle DAC or portables like my fiio E10K or ibasso DC03 Pro it sounds anemic and unnaturally bright but on a much more powerful portable amp like my chord mojo it really starts unleashing its true potential and could probably reach kilobuck IEM level performance on good enough amp. I strongly recommend using large third party tips though like spinfit CP500 or accoustone aet06(my current tips for this, it is double flange and gives much better seal and sub bass extension. It didnt pair well with my topping L30II amp(lacking resolution, sub bass and dynamics, timbre is unnaturally dry and instrument separation is lacking compared to aune) though but thats probably because its an inferior headphone amp compared to aune X7S. I dont even listen to music very loud and my volume wheel stays at 8'0 Clock on the Aune but there is such a tremendous difference when running this thing on actually good source gear. I have never seen such scaling behaviour on my previous moondrop and final audio IEMs so this one is special I guess. I heard another reviewer on youtube( The honest audiophile ) mention this scaling behavior with S12 before and back then I refused to believe IEM could scale with better quality desktop amplifiers, but it seems true, atleast for these IEM and after witnessing such scaling behaviour I got rid of my 7Hz timeless and blessing 2. My setup- imgur.com/a/t6ssuxX

[@taidee]

The weird thing is that the Timeless and the Dioko fit me the best, I’ve had endless cable fit issues with the S12, mainly because of its nearly external on the shell connector, but the ear fit is fine, not as good as Timeless obviously. The Hook X, I’ve said to a friend of mine it sounds like an open back Timeless, but it’s size does make it a little less comfortable over time, and I’ve had to use it with the Dioko’s cable as it’s own cable starts to fall away from my earlobe after like an hour. In terms of the most neutral sound, the Dioko has it for me, while the Timeless and Hook X are most exciting, the S12 is just generally good.

[@aceofspades6667]

Still waiting for the next generation single planar driver IEM. Priced around $500 and a true TOTL giant killer. I would imagine the OEM manufacturer of all these off the shelf drivers is working on a 2.0 version as we speak/type.

[@lain2236ad]

If you're okay with an open back and EQ, the Isine or lcdi3/4 is it

[@lain2236ad]

I really do hope what you're describing will eventually come out

[@aceofspades6667]

@@lain2236ad it will be just give it time for the planars to develop. I heard the audeze iems were wonky tuned and not technical. I have no experience so cannot judge

[@Imagine_Breaker]

I had the timeless fit problem with them falling off my ears, my issue was that I was using medium tips and I was inserting them too deep, I switched to larger tips with a more sensible insertion depth and they don't slide off anymore!

[@jb678901]

A larger tip with a more sensible insertion depth...hmmm...first time I've heard that one.

[@Imagine_Breaker]

@@jb678901 sorry if it sounded a bit off/weird, English is my second language.

[@jb678901]

@@Imagine_Breaker No apologies necessary. Unfortunately, it's my only language. My family of four speaks an average of 3.75 languages. No guessing necessary as to who brought down the family's average.

[@kyron42]

Which one would you recommend if you're a bass head a treble head and also love mid-range?

[@jasonbhatnagar7134]

S12 imo

[@kyron42]

@@jasonbhatnagar7134 thanks. I recently ordered an S12 Pro on sale. I hope that works ok.

[@BillB3737]

Im enjoying the raptgos bass dont hear much about it in this vid but its good for edm maybe even a little better than my fiio fh3. Get something with a bass boost button like the xduoo link 2 regular and its like really good shit

[@gixxerman1128]

Any set you like and a qudelix 5k, All these reviews seem to forget that planars respond very well to EQ, So when you see comments like " a little bit more bass would be nice" or "to much treble" etc etc, Just add a fooking low shelf filter and have exactly how much bass you like, Wake up people and embrace EQ.

[@kyron42]

@@gixxerman1128 well said

[@calvinyip364]

Can u review the gizaudio galelio?

[@STAYCBias]

Nicehck f1 ? Can you help review it asap?!!

[@kyron42]

How about the S12 pro?

[@vianhoho19]

S12 Pro AFAIK is just the S12 with the Chimera cable that originally came standard with the Z12 so make that for what you will

[@nikolaygramchev]

Just a bit more sub-bass

[@mattparsons8598]

@@vianhoho19 I have them both (s12 going back soon) the pro is a tad less bright. Some tracks which are just on the other side of sibilant with the s12 are not with the s12 pro (at least in my library). The pro is a bit smoother in this region.

[@Bloodlust0-0]

What’s your problem with crinacle

[@sephondranzer]

He got into a crazy kung fu fight with him once and Crin kicked him in the nuts. Crinacle insists it was a break in communication but Resolve insists he was fighting dirty cause he was losing. /s

[@KenDupont]

Resolve is just jealous that Crin has been turned into a waifu and he hasn’t

[@muzansheadundrwatr]

Beautiful review

[@RJJC]

Are the S12 and the S12 pro the same IEM, just different cables? I’ve seen many say that they are the same, but some also claim they are different.

[@mattparsons8598]

I have both of them right now; they're 90% the same; *on some songs* typically more complex metal tracks the s12's have sibilance that is not present for me on the pro's. On tracks where the sibilance is not present there's really not much difference.

[@RJJC]

Thanks man, I wanted to buy the pro for the color and cable if the tuning was the same . Going to do that. 😊

[@jackpytleski7750]

Stalaris is awesome 👌

[@toriokras1582]

Basically the review is saying that none of them are great?

[@arsenromanyuk877]

where is goldplanar?)

[@arthurhaywood2184]

FTR….. The first planar in this revolution was not the 7Hz Timeless. It was the PMV PP. Same driver as the Timeless but tuned warmer. The frequency graph is very similar to the og Mangird Tea.

[@rem792]

Wasn't it the Tin P1, or even the Audeze? Anyway, I think he meant the one that started the conversation, the idea that planar iems could actually be good.

[@arthurhaywood2184]

@@rem792 No, Audeze & the TinHifi P1 didn’t start this current revolution. Yes, they preceded them but are in no way responsible for the current wave.

[@westsenkovec]

I use my Blinds (B03) at work. Sometimes Tin Hifi T2. Is any of these worth the upgrade?

[@muhasri1985]

Tangzu zetian wu 😁 i don't know why i Like that Name 🥰

[@rexbk09]

Love

[@h1a8]

Timeless AE please?

[@rodm1949]

Wow, what variety of different reviews. Shame you didn't try the Moondrops because they are the only brand that have a history in making planars. My Stellaris are in the post so I hope the evaluation from 10 plus reviews pays off. Did the the same for my lcd2 classic and could not be happier. Have to give some credit to the amp with burr brown dac.

[@huckfin1100]

If it doesn't have a DD it ain't no good !

[@Haurath]

iSine started it all, and is still the best if you are willing to use EQ.

[@rem792]

I don't think that's what he meant. After the Timeless success all of these other brands cane out of nowhere.

[@SpltPersonaltyOF]

Lmao, the "broach toilet bowl" aesthetic 🤣🤣🤣

[@johnydazzles1]

"These are just words" lol

[@UnitedAirlinesYT]

All my homies love the isine 10 where is it

[@vladstoian6760]

The “Z” 12 didnt age well if you know what I mean…

[@-aexc-]

context?

[@kyron42]

Can you get good punch and slam from the Dioko with EQ?

[@AliArghavan]

Nope! None of these have punch and slam you get from dynamic driver IEMs. (according to resolve from live videos). If you want punch and slam go for Moondrop KATO.

[@89backbone]

@@AliArghavan or go to Thieaudio Monarch mk II !!

[@AliArghavan]

@@89backbone I was assuming the same price range, but yeah Monarch MK1 or MK2 both punch really hard too.

[@kyron42]

@@AliArghavan yes good punch and slam for $100 currently discounted to $80.

[@ROCKSTAR3291]

i'm having a hard time finding hard hitting IEMs that can satisfy me, they are mostly sub bass oriented, more rumble than slam.

[@uonadtehrrocks]

S guna give it to you