Generally parametric EQ will get more exact. You can configure AutoEQ, increasing the number of bands beyond 10 and tell it to attempt narrower corrections.

The measurements are not entirely accurate, particularly in the treble, and some aspects of the measurement will be different on your head, so extremely close adherence to a target from flawed measurements is not a great idea, small stuff it’s usually better to leave alone. Hence why by default it won’t make very narrow corrections.

Mine does not rattle. Like /u/evandarkeye says it’s very compact too for the number of drivers in it which makes for a great fit.

Mine has been OK, I’ve had it for quite some time now (since shortly after release).

Try a headband cover on the Sony, you can get ones that spread out the headband a bit better that I find invaluable, I have them on almost all my non-suspension headbands.

It depends a lot on how loud you listen and whether you want to EQ. Sundara is very well tuned and doesn’t really need much EQ, a small bass boost at most.

Sensitivity on the Sundara is 94db/mW, that means you get 94dB out of 1mW of power. The US version of the Apple dongle will do its full 1V into 32Ω without clipping, which is 31mW.

If I’m listening to it without EQ, about 1mW is a comfortable listening level, 2mW is loud and about as high as I’d go (Qudelix reports exact voltage/power).

The EQ I use with them, if I do, has a -3dB negative pre-amp, so putting that back would be a further doubling of the power to 4mW… it’s still not a whole lot.

The HE400SE is harder again at 91dB/mW though and in measurements even a bit lower. So it needs twice the power of the Sundara for the same volume level.

I’d never suggest the Apple dongle for these (or for that matter the Sundara). But if someone has the Apple dongle already, it’s worth trying. It does depend how loud you listen.

They’re quite hard to drive, around 88dB/mW. So they might be quiet, and if you want to use EQ (which improves them a lot) you need to use a negative pre-amp which further drops the volume. They will play at Apple dongle levels, but better out of an amp or at least a more powerful dongle.

Sundara or Ananda are much easier to drive.

The converse of the unvented design is better isolation.

Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 are excellent and probably better than the XM5 (they are better than the XM4, which I also have).

This is what I did and it fixes it for me as well. I cut a bit off another eartip stem, to push the tip forward. It does mean the tip is more likely to come off in my ear but it’s much better than without, where the whole IEM would just come out continually. The stem is too short.

I used B7000 to fix a Tanchjim Kara and it worked very well.

It’s a lot more powerful than the Apple dongle. Apple dongle does around 38mW max, this is claiming 140mW. You may not need it but if you do this could be a better bet. Plus volume knob and all the other stuff.

Bass is a lot more impactful on the Chopin but it’s a smoother glide down with less of a “tuck” on the Performer 5. Chopin does have a bit more in the upper mids than the P5 but not to the point it’s problematic. Treble about the same I think, both are inoffensive. Both are great, I think purely on sound I probably would give it to the Chopin but it’s a matter of taste, the P5 is ahead of the EM6L for me.

Fit is a LOT better on the Performer 5, it’s a particularly good fit IEM while the Chopin is somewhat of a challenge… not impossible to get a good fit but requires more tip rolling I think. And even after all that- the Performer 5 is still a better fit, it’s a particularly comfortable and good fitting IEM (and small, for an IEM of that pseudo-custom style).

https://timmyv.squig.link/?share=BN3,AFB5

https://squig.link/?share=Crinacle_Neutral_Target,Aful_Acoustics_Performer5,Binary_Acoustics_Chopin

No, the Chopin is far ahead of it. They are quite different sound signatures though, the EM6L is much warmer with mid-bass and also sharper pinna gain.

While the Chopin has the controversial bass “tuck” from the Variations and is a bit more restrained in the highs- relative to the EM6L. It’s not that restrained, either, it has quite a bit in the upper mids, it’s more that the EM6L is hot.

I can see someone preferring the EM6L but for me it wouldn’t be close.

https://squig.link/?share=Crinacle_Neutral_Target,Simgot_EM6L,Binary_Acoustics_Chopin

Take it up with the seller. I’ve got 50% refunds for exactly this sort of thing, with me accepting to fix it myself… if it’s an easy fix and this looks like it, could be a win for both parties, they don’t want it back.

I went for the V2 Stealth for this reason, SE looked like too much treble. I haven’t heard the other two though. Subjectively, the HE1000 Stealth sounds smoother and less fatiguing to me than the Arya Stealth which was my favourite headphone before it, although I don’t see that in the graphs. HE1000 Stealth also has better bass than the Arya, it’s much more visceral and punchy, that’s the other big difference. It’s definitely better, although… diminishing returns, the Arya is already a great headphone and it’s difficult to get that much better again.

The new normal price (after the pre-sale) is supposedly $50. Sellers often post these higher prices so they can cut it.

That price though says VAT included, the quoted prices are ex-tax. So if you’re in a country with 25% VAT that $47.99 is equivalent to $38.39.

What matters really is whether it’s worth what you paid for it, MSRPs are totally made up and notional.

I’ve seen more reports of issue with that, even multiple review units arriving faulty.

https://www.headphonesty.com/2023/07/review-xduoo-ta-22/

You must have missed it, it’s not new either, I am pretty sure it was there during 11.11 last year.

-20% is the minimum acceptable these days

It’s to make Americans feel more comfortable shopping there.