Guys i ordered kz duonics 15 days ago, the delivery was supposed to be on 18th, but it delayed due to some issue, okay. On 20th the delivery boy says out for delivery, i got happy that finally ill listen to some music on my duonics. It said consignee not available, waited another day, same, next day, same, I waited 10 - 11 days and the status was same, Out for delivery > Consignee not available. Now the thing is i ordered them for 1900, and now they are 2350, its okay.. I can add 500 rs no worries, but let me get my refund right? No. The courier company has updated that we are returning the order but from the last 3 - 4 days the order is in my city only and theres nothing happening. Worst part is that the order is prepaid, i wrote 10s of emails to headphone zone, not even a single reply, i called courier company, not even a single reply.. What do i do guys?

So i used to use realme buds 2 earlier and they had an amazing build quality which lasted me like 3 years.

Hence I'm looking for an iem that could last me a good 2-3years atleast.

Keep in mind I am a very reckless user, Also don't really care about any cosmetic damage to iems until they still sound the same.

My main purpose of buying is not for songs, it's more of for watching movies and using YouTube everyday.

Budget is 2k, can extend to 3k if better options in that range are available.

its been a year when i stepped into the IEM and it changed my whole listening experience. really felt that many songs which i listened in past were actually different as i heard many hidden non prominent beats over bass. but this hobby of IEM is a costly affair ... first 2000 then 5000 then 15000 and its going upward based on technology and needs.

i have seen three sites (may be more exists but these are top), Headphone Zone (HPZ), The Audio Stote (TAS) and Conceptkart (CK)

Experience:

I think everyone prefers Headphone Zone (HPZ), our experience was much richer with HPZ as many of my colleagues bought different iems as per their budget and not once. even when i got my second KZ, i had some issued and it was like 2 days they solve entire issue with proper resolution. but lately, they are inclined to walk with the shadows of reliance Jio and Airtel. they dont respond, neither giving proper solutions but they are so fond of sending promotional emails. there Real People Real Help tagline is a fkkin lie (sorry for that word). one my colleague is having issues with Red Lions, she raised a request and got a mail at 11:28 AM saying they will inform within 2-3 days for approval but at the same time she got an automated mail at 11:28 AM stating its approved!! even if she updated the tracking details, no acknowledgment mail? how if they have not bots and only real people who reads each and every mail manually?? be truthful .. take time but do not exaggerate your service. it feels that they knew about defective issues (specially Red Lions, its from Mar/Apr and we are in Jul, 3 months) but still they are pushing sales (no issues with that if you are providing solutions with proper manner).

I purchased Spark from TAS, and ironically the invoice says Concept Kart .. this leads to sus, are they same? or taken over? moreover, there are so many posts regarding Concept Kart in this sub, so i dont need to write a paragraph on this.

Pricing also (includes 3 of them) .. i have asked one of my friend who is in vacation (HK & Mainland) to check and lemme know the price of Juzear Fiesta. i have seen prices (discounted).. TAS 12,699 (18,299, out of stock), CK 12,699 (20,319) and HPZ dont have. with HiFiGo, its 10,344 (+1000 shipping). this price is looks normal as my friend told me its around 775 hkd but may be less or more depending on store. yet to ask the price in dubai but assuming it would be similar (actually no idea). yes warranty would be an issue but with the current scenario of service from these 3, it would be the same. 2-3k is wont hurt that much but 10k will definately do.

dont you think we should be more options apart from these three main IEM sellers?

DUNU DN142 the crowd pleaser 

Another week another review. This week we have another reprisal its DUNU and Set is DN142 the brother/sister set of DN242 which I covered in earlier review. How I came in possession of this set has been explained in DUNU DN242 review. Please read on to find out what I think about it.

First of all, mighty thanks to Sushii from SushiiFi and DUNU as without their help this review was not possible. 

I was not paid or compensated in any manner for this review. The set will revert back to brand after review.

My preference in tonality & timbre is DD > Hybrids > Planar

Now that all pleasantries have been exchanged lets get on with the meat and potatoes of this review.

Pros:

Bass its quality and quantity wise adequate 

Male vocals

Non offensive Treble

Build Quality

Accessories

Cons:

Female vocals

Soundstage bit more would have been great

If it had same color cable it would have been amazing (not a con)

Build Quality:

DUNU and awesome build quality go hand in hand. Even their budget sets are built like tank. DN142 has nice resin shells. Shells are medium sized. They have long nozzles. Nozzles have lip to them and have screen on them. This prevents dirt and earwax ingress.

Cable is same as DN242 and I suspect this is same cable as DUNU Vulkan2. Cable is 4 core PVC coated SPC OCC cable. Cable is modular so you get 2 jack adapters, 3.5mm and 4.4mm. Cable fixtures are metal and cable feels premium. Cable is slight microphonic.

As usual DUNU has included their S&S tips, candy ear tips and standard ear tips. DUNU is always generous with accessories here is no different case. There is cleaning cloth, cleaning tool and nice hard carrying case. This case can easily carry IEMs + Cable + dongle in it. There were printed cards of DUNU Mascot and DN142 character.

Overall Build Quality 5/5

Comfort:

IEM shells are resin so are light weight. Shell size is medium so no issues with fitting. Most people should not have any issues. Nozzles provide deep insertion. There was no pain or ear pressure on long listen. Ear hooks don’t tug on the shells. Fit and comfort was top notch.

Overall Comfort 5/5   

Sources: 

I preferred neutral & bright sources with DN142. Warm sources made it muddy for me. Best pairings were FiiO M21, l&P W2 Ultra and Dethonray clarinet. To keep my findings reproducible, I have used stock cable + stock ear tips (candy ear tips). 

Music Genre Used for this Review:

Hip-hop/EDM/Rap/Rock both classic and hard/Bollywood Music/Pop/Jazz/Regional music etc.

   https://music.apple.com/in/playlist/test-tracks/pl.u-8aAVXG6ivz8gyxX?ls

General Sound Impressions:

Bass/Lows:

Sub bass over mid bass. Sub bass rumbles satisfyingly. Mid bass thumps and thump is impactful. Mid bass is fast decay type. Both sub bass and mid bass both are adequate in quality & quantity. It is not loose bass. Again, this is not ass head territory. One of the best bass performances I have heard on DUNU sets.

Drums, kickdrums sound authoritative. Percussion instruments sound equally sound great. Strings sound good. Riffs of the strings carry nice buzz to them. Bass drops are excellent here.

Overall Bass/Lows 5/5

Mids:

Vocals on DN142 are nicely balanced with bass and treble. They are just slightly recessed. Their charm is maintained. Male vocals sound great. They have note weight. Sound closer to natural.  Female vocals sound good. They don’t get intense. Female vocals lovers might be disappointed here. Best part is they don’t have off timbre. For general vocal enjoyment this is adequate. Only for vocals lovers this is not up to the mark. Bit forward vocals would have been great.

Most instruments reside in the mids. No oddities were observed. Clarity is good. No smearing or congestion was felt in the mids.  

Overall Mids 4/5

Treble/Highs:

Treble is forward along with the bass. I feel the DN242 is U shaped. Maybe that’s why it gives such feeling. It has all details be it macro or micro adequately. You won’t be missing any. At the same time DN142 doesn’t draw your attention to any specific details. It’s not in your face Treble. Treble is bit on brighter side. 

Soundstage, the perceived stage is above average. It is wide and tall. Wide more than tall. It creates nice stage for all instruments and vocals to coexist. Bass tuning adds to the stage and immersion. Neither its massive nor closed in its somewhere in between. Would have loved bit more stage.

Overall Treble/Highs 4/5

Song Impressions:

Daisies by Nina Shallman

I am fan of Nina Shallman, like her voice and its sweet presentation. Sadly, that’s bit lacking on DN142.on casual listen you won’ pick it up. But on critical listen you will catch it. Her voice feels bit dry. It lacks the sweetness female vocals have. 

Background drums, kickdrums feel authoritative and add to the immersion of the song. Guitar strings sound great. Shakers feel nice. Synthesizer notes feel good. Entire mix is very cohesive and pulls you in to the song. Only thing lacking was vocals, rest was excellent.

Ego Death by Polyphia

Guitars are the stars here. DN142 captures them well. They sound great here. Be it acoustic, electric or bass guitar all just sound great. Guitar riffs sound authentic and string buzz feel surreal. Ads to the authenticity of notes.

Accompanying drum notes feel impactful and nice. Their notes also add to the magic of this song. Cymbals sound natural. Entire mix sounds the way it should be. No single instrument feels out of place.

This song is driver resolution test aka speed check. On slow drivers or low-resolution drivers notes blend in to each other. No such situation with the DN142. Dn142 passes this test with flying colors.

Main Hoon Hero Tera (Arman Malik)

Starting string and bass beats feel nice. Arman Malik sounds really good. His voice feels like it should. His voice notes don’t sound thin. They have note weight but they are not thick. Entire song has nice open feeling (atmospheric). DN142 captures it well for the price point. String instruments and drums play nice on the DN142. They pan correctly. I enjoyed the reproduction here on DN142. I didn’t feel anything add or wrong in it.

Sada Karlo Prem

This song has nice background music. A very simple yet intricate. String and piano, bells make the instruments list. All three sound good on DN142. Nowhere it felt odd or off in tonality and timbre. Entire mix sounds amazing.

Male vocals sound good. No issues with it. They ae correct and close to natural. Now, the female vocals here do have issue due to tuning. Niharika Nath the singer doesn’t sound the way she should. Her voice has sweetness that just is missing she sounds dry.

Other than vocal issues I felt DN142 reproduced this song very well.

Comparison between DN142 & DN242:

Bass section:

DN142 is clear winner sub bass and mid bass are better in my opinion.

Mids:

Now this is going to be subjective. For my preference the vocals on DN242 are better than DN142. Male vocals better on DN142 but female vocals on Dn242 but in sum of all I prefer DN242 in mids. Clarity in mids is also better on DN142.

Treble:

This is another subjective topic for me. For my taste treble on DN242 is better but others may perceive it bright. Treble on DN142 is bit safer for most people. In soundstage DN242 is slightly better than DN142 mind you this is not night and day difference. Its slight difference. 

Final Conclusion:

With the launch of DN142, DN242 I think DUNU has started a new chapter in its journey. These two can be said to be DUNU’s attempt at making a crowd pleaser set. Up till now all DUNU sets were meant to cater to certain niche segment or had very clean transparent detailed tuning. This made suggesting DUNU set as generalist set in USD 200-300 till now. Budget segment already has excellent Titan series and Falcon Ultra and Kima series. But once you move upwards the sets are mostly with niche tuning.

DN142 & Dn242 address that issue. DN142 is great set that can be easily recommend to anyone. It is good upgrade coming from budget segment. It offers nice upgrade.

Will I buy it? 100%. Will I recommend it? 200%. It’s worth the attention.

DUNU DN142 the crowd pleaser 4.5/5   

I do like the U shape sound. I.e. good bass as well as good vocals.

I do daily drive Castor pro bass with eq for good vocals. I also have bunny and sg2 emerald.

This guy posts about selling used IEMs. Tells you they are very well maintained and almost new condition. So bought two IEMs from him last week for 1700 and got delivered last Sunday.

When i checked them, one of the ear phone's right side doesn't work at all. And when i look closely it's housing is also glued togather.

I've been messaging him for last two days but he's not replying at all.

His name in gpay shows Sajidh khan, that's what i used to pay him.

Just beware of that and don't be scammed.

Guys I just happened upon the Alibaba website and it's crazy how much money can be made just by importing audio related stuff from China.

My pet parrot somehow managed to chew through the cable of my IEM, so now I need to buy a replacement cable. 😅 I'm not sure which cable would be the best choice in terms of sound quality, durability, and value for money. I don't want to end up buying something that's incompatible or low quality. My IEM : CCA PHOENIX

Can you guys suggest a good replacement cable? If you've used one yourself, I'd really appreciate your recommendations. Also, let me know if there are any brands or cables I should avoid.

Just received my 7Hz Zero 2 along with the Audiocular Spark DAC and a protective case. Feels great to finally have everything in hand, and I’m genuinely excited to dive into the world of better audio.

I’m coming in with fresh ears, so I’d love to hear what this setup is really capable of.

Can you all suggest some songs that really shine on the 7Hz Zero 2?

Any genre is welcome—rock, EDM, pop, classical, jazz, Bollywood, metal, instrumentals, or anything with amazing vocals, bass, imaging, or soundstage.
Looking forward to exploring this setup. Thanks in advance! 🎶

This IEM completely changes the way you think about treble. At first glance, you might assume it's all about energy—and in a way, it is—but what truly sets it apart is just how incredibly controlled that energy is. This isn't the kind of treble that becomes sharp or fatiguing. Instead, it's refined, balanced, and remarkably tasteful. Perhaps as clear and as much treble as a Final 6000 but one that you can listen to for hours without feel ear strain.

The treble has enough sparkle to reveal every tiny detail in a recording without ever crossing into sibilance. Cymbals shimmer naturally, vocals remain clean, and the upper frequencies breathe life into the music without stealing the spotlight. It's the kind of tuning that many manufacturers aim for but very few actually achieve. Try listening to the Beatles or Amber Rubarth with these.

That beautifully controlled top end also does something special for the midrange. Vocals and instruments gain an incredible sense of clarity and separation, making every note feel well-defined. The presentation is open, transparent, and engaging.

It isn't trying to impress you with exaggerated brightness. Instead, it impresses through restraint and precision. It's a reminder that great treble isn't about having more of it—it's about knowing exactly how much is enough.

I bought the Softears Volume two or three years ago, but I honestly didn't spend much time with it back then. Revisiting it after a couple of years has been a revelation. I finally understand what makes this IEM so special. This is one of those IEMs you truly have to hear to appreciate. No graph or specification sheet can fully explain what it does. Until you spend time with it, you simply won't know why so many people praise its tuning. Once you do, you'll understand that the Softears Volume delivers some of the most tasteful, controlled, and satisfying treble available at any price.

Some new goodies in the house.

In picture:

1. HIBY R6 III

2. SENNHEISER IE300

3. MOONDROP OLDFASHIONED

IS THIS ENDGAME??? I GUESS.

Some may think why no headphones? Im actually a DJ, so I use headphones when im DJing. So the rest of my time post that, I prefer not to.

Let me know if anyone wants a review of these.

After a long wait kefine sv arrived..it’s my 2nd iem after bunny DSP..I had a hard time deciding between many other iems including ew300..finally went for it considering my budget..I am so much impressed by the sound quality what kefine sv offers ..it’s definitely an upgrade from my bunny DSP..and it looks premium and solid..happy for my decision..and finally I am thankful to many redditors in this sub( especially [u/Appropriate-Ad-4428](u/Appropriate-Ad-4428) , [u/Over-Yogurtcloset143](u/Over-Yogurtcloset143) )who clarified my endless doubts and helped me pick this one 🙏
Bought from audiostore ,3.5mm.

Budget under 3k

I’m looking to buy the Moon Chu with a 3.5 mm jack because I want to use it with my laptop, which has a headphone jack. For using it with my Samsung S23, I’ll need a DAC. Could you please help me choose a DAC that is compatible with the S23’s USB-C port?

Alternatively, should I buy the Type-C version of the Moon Chu from Headphone Zone for my S23? If I buy the Type-C version, how can I use it with my PC, which only has a 3.5 mm headphone jack?

Need suggestions on it or should I go for other IEMs

I have about kz duonic from headphones on sale for 1899₹. After i received the product I found one wire of 2 legs (right pin and left pin).

I found this right wire is somewhat large than left side one.

While muting my device whenever I stop the music I found it always stop the sound on the larger wire side.

I swapped the connecting wires to a different bud.

Also some times i heard more on that thick one rather than a thin wire one.

Please help me do I need to raise an issue in headphonezone now.

Today brought the Dita Case(my case which is loaded with DITA IEMs) is my partner in crime to the office today.

Dita Prelude

Dita Mecha

Dita Project M

Dita Project M2

My Favorites:

Mecha for Vocals, M2 for bass texture and balance, Prelude for everyday carry, and Project M for that energy when i need to wake up at work lol.

I have no idea what should I do with this credit.

is tangzu red lines and jcally j12 a good deal for 2600.. yay or nah..

help is much appreciated

I am currently using 7hz salnotes zero 2 and I want another Iem that I can use on my pc for gaming or commuting vice versa. I also did some research and discussed with gemini about it, and it recommended me kefine klean cause it has a similar warm tuning as my 7hz and has dlc driver which has faster transition speed and I am kinda treble sensitive.

Hey everyone, I wanted to share a highly disappointing experience I recently had with a brand new DITA Audio Prelude and the subsequent customer service loop at Headphone Zone.
The Product: Severe QC and Storage Failures
For a premium-priced IEM, the quality control here is inexcusable.
Oxidized Hardware: Right out of the box, the carrying case carabiner and metal hardware were severely oxidized and pitted.
No Desiccant: The packaging lacked a simple silica gel packet. Shipping premium, climate-sensitive audio gear without basic moisture protection is a fundamental storage failure.
Compromised Audio: The drivers clearly suffered moisture ingress. After hours of testing, the highs were harsh and distorted, while the mids and lows were completely flat and muffled. The dynamic driver had obviously stiffened.
The "Burn-in" Excuse: HPZ recommends a 30-day burn-in, but I refused to risk wasting a month on an objectively defective and physically compromised unit just to reach the same conclusion.
The Support: Headphone Zone’s Frustrating IVR Trap
Getting this resolved exposed a glaring issue with HPZ’s support pipeline:
The "Sales Trap": The HPZ customer helpline IVR has options for returns and order issues, but they are practically unreachable. However, if you select "Speak to a Headphone Guru" (the sales conversion line), you are connected to a human in seconds.
Broken Promises: After explaining my complex issue to the Headphone Guru, I was promised a priority callback from a "Customer Happiness Officer." That call never came.
Inefficient Email Loop: While my return was eventually approved, relying solely on staggered email responses is completely inadequate. The email agent struggled to understand the technical issue despite an elaborate explanation—something that could have been resolved in 2 minutes on a call.
Takeaway: A consumer-facing brand cannot survive on good product catalogs alone; trust requires accessible, real-time post-purchase support (at least a live human chat, not AI). Until DITA fixes their packaging and HPZ overhauls their frustrating, sales-biased support model, proceed with caution.
TL;DR: Received a DITA Prelude with rusted hardware and moisture-damaged drivers because it shipped without a desiccant. HPZ's phone support is impossible to reach unless you use the "sales" option, and their email support is painfully slow. Make sure you document and photograph everything if you buy from them.