Yep, I’ve tried those and the others (including the newer ZS6). They are WAY too bright (huge bump @ 10-12k). However, the ZS3 is actually very decent, and is one of the cheaper models.
With a coupon you should be able to get them for under $10. That is the only KZ offering I’d bother with at this time. YMMV…
Hey, if anyone is looking for some great bluetooth buds, get the Oontz Budz They’re $34, but sound as great as a $100+ wired pair I used to own. I tore up my first pair, and turned around and ordered another pair to replace them.
Airplane flights, or screeching subway wheels on curves.
Most noise blockers don’t suppress human speech frequencies, I’ve read that’s a FAA requirement so people don’t miss aircraft emergency instructions, but don’t know if that’s true.
Isolation varies with different earbuds, but it’s mostly a function of the tips. The cheap/flimsy tips that most low-dollar IEMs come with typically don’t offer a high level of isolation. A good set of silicone tips (of the right size) usually do an OK job. For me, the best isolation almost always comes from memory foam tips (again, of the right size), with my favorites being those from Comply.
The only downside is that good memory-foam tips can be expensive, and don’t last very long. YMMV…
So far I have bought 3 Benjie branded DAPs. Sound and performance to price is amazing people compare them to players costing hundreds. They are at least as good as my walkman and have a much more neutral sound. The eq are a bit basic but they can play high resolution audio and have decent built in amps.
OP, if you are still looking, I recently tried a bunch of different IEMs. These UiiSii CM5 are a little over your budget but have excellent bass and come with many different ear tips, so you are sure to find something that provides good fitment and noise isolation. They are very comfortable. Really fantastic sound at this price point…
They’re quite different, and I like each for different reasons. It really depends on the sound signature that you prefer. The CM5 has a typical V-shaped response - boosted lows and highs, so if you’re a bass head, you’ll probably enjoy them more. The T2 has more of a neutral signature - flatter frequency response - the bass is still there, but not in the same amount as in CM5. However, the T2 is overall clearer/cleaner sounding. The T2 also has detachable cables (MMCX), which allows you to upgrade the cable and/or use a balanced cable if your amp/DAP has a balanced output. Alas, the T2 is more than twice the price.
FYI, you can partially seal the front vents on the T2 which will produce a lot more bass, but you have to be careful not to completely seal them as then the bass/midbass may become overpowering.
What I have found out is it’s all about fitment. If you can’t get proper fitment to completely seal your ear canals, you are not going to get good bass. Some people invest in third party ear tips to help with fitment if none of the factory-provided tips work well. Luckily for me, one of the tips included with CM5 ended up working well for me. But I’ve tried other IEMs where I just couldn’t get them to fit properly, and I was getting very weak bass as a result. We all have ears that are shaped differently, so we need to experiment on our own until we find what works.
After spending hours and hours of research last couple of days, yesterday I ordered Shanling M1 together with leather case, 32GB card and sticker skins for 95€ on aliexpress coupled with TinAudio T2 since I am more prone to neutral sound.
At first I wanted to spend up to 70€ for DAP and IEMs but didn’t want sluggish UI with bad screen and not having Gapless play which is really important if you want to listen whole albums and Bluetooth.