Duuuude, I'm not even in the market for IEMs but listening to how you break them down is like listening to poetry, you do SO exceptionally well making the audio jargon come to life. Great work man.
@@FreshReviewsYTHow about these vs the raptgo x hbb hook x? That’s what I go now but i feel they are really loud and too much bass. Looking to upgrade them.
Your reviews are absolutely amazing! I am ordering the Yanyin canon 2 but don't know whether to buy 2.2mm, 3.5mm or 4.4mm. I believe I only have 3.5mm ports, would using an adapter create audio loss? Thanks for your content!
Your reviews are always top notch and well articulated. Thanks for your thoughts on these. It will be very helpful when I actually decide to dish out a chunk of cash for my first pair of personal "end-game" iems.
Welp, I'm glad that you mentioned about the Orchestra Lite upgrade! I just got mine 3 days ago, and I love it's sound profile. The jump in price to 380 USD is hefty for me, but the Orchestra feels kinda too big for my tiny-ears... I'm still sticking with the Orchestra so far, as I am kinda broke rn, but nice to know that the Canon II is a possibility if I just can't stand the size
So the main difference from the budget side to the mid tier is going to be resolution and overall sound quality. My top 3 compared to my top 1 budget pick is large enough for me to recommend the mid range. The canon 2 for instance is definitely superior all the way around as a product over the zero. Better separation depth perception and imaging. However, if you really don’t care about resolution, the zero is good enough in all categories to not spend the extra money. I would score each IEM in my top 3 picks higher in those categories though - resolution, depth perception, separation. The zero though can definitely be used well enough to not need to spend the extra money. For instance, if I was to give the zero a 7.5/10 for separation and 7.5/10 for depth perception, I believe the canon to pick that up to at least one full point higher. However, in terms of resolution even higher. Then there are other things again to pay attention to - the attack on the bass, shoutiness etc. I think all things considered you do not need to look past the zero for just gaming - but when you go to something like the canon 2 you’ll really appreciate the differences.
@@FreshReviewsYT I picked up the Zero Red and was really impressed on how well it performs for gaming. It just left me wondering how big of an upgrade would mid tier provide😁. Very well explained, Thanks again for the hard work Fresh! 👏
@@FreshReviewsYT having a middle step between the 250-350$ wallhack tier IEM-s and the 50$ budget tier Zero, a 100-150$ IEM which would be a significant upgrade, is something I could (and would) afford. But spending more on IEM-s than I spent on the HD 560s is not something I'd easily do. I'm sad that the 80-150$ options tested do not beat the Truthear Zero. :(
@@marijanovic191x7precisely, i’m getting into iems and i think im just gonna stick with a pair of zeros until i want to commit on something crazy years down the line
Glad I held off from getting the original Yanyin Canons. Definitely gonna be getting these. Interesting that they really never got any hype. Besides you, I didn't see many people talk about them.
So is everyone pretty much running 1 down 2 up for gaming? Had a chance to play with these a bit yesterday. I own a dozen pairs of flagship headphones (HD800S, Beyer T1's, and many more) but only 2 IEM. I also have a dedicated theater room that is extremely high end, 5.4.4 atmos setup with 2 servo 12's and 2 custom built 15's that reach clear down to the 2hz (REW Calibrated and measured with Umik) frequency in a sound treated room. I have never had headphones that were as clear bass wise as these as least on some frequencies. I got into a The Finals bender so I didn't put them through the ringer but I did play a game on COD and the killstreak where you get a missile to come in, when that landed it was straight clear and pure low frequency to what I felt was perfection. This was called in from someone else, landed across the map. First time experiencing that on a headphone\IEM. When running highend speaker system, there is pressure and squeezing at lower frequency you don't experience otherwise. On super low frequency, you don't even hear it, you feel it. This is hard to do without boomy audio but these are not boomy at all. I'd need to run the frag throw scene from World War Z or the helicopter scene from Black Hawk Down but these seem pretty epic imo from initial testing. Honestly, the wallhack is so brutal with these, I had Windows Audio Effects on I actually had to turn it off. It may be doing a type of loudness equalization, but I am not sure. I'll play around a bit more and experiment, but this is not an exaggeration, I was prefiring places dudes were so far away from me I had no business hearing them. It was getting me killed. Santa Border Crossing, where the tunnel is from the parked cars, I was hearing people on the far side of that as if they were right next to me. That was a first with headphones I have ever experienced. I dropped a Mini Royale Video you can see I clearly know where these dudes all are. You can see me snapping around looking but you won't hear it in the video. Looking forward to testing Rainbow Six Siege as I know that audio like the back of my hand and some others!
This comment was absolutely amazing. Thanks for taking the time and it makes me really happy you’re enjoying them like I have. Truly, it’s the only reason I do this - comments like this
@@EvLTimE I'm pretty surprised honestly. I enjoy Fresh reviews and will always come back to them but I am certain I'll stop here with purchasing. I am not sure how much further you go. You can get things you prefer on one set over another but in terms of gaming, these are wall hacks. My Raptgo, not bad but not even close to being this level through my ears. Siege, COD, PUGB, all tested yesterday in detail and wow. Music is highly enjoyable as well.
@@yo1_yt On the back of these there are 2 dip switches that provide some EQ. A tool comes with them you can adjust. I still want to play around with these but I left them default which I believe Fresh prefers too, 1 down and 2 up. Plan on experimenting today with that.
Ahh dude, I cannot decide between the Orchestra Lights and the Canon 2. Using the Hook X at the moment and feel like I need a bit more separation and slightly better imaging. Cannot decide.
I'm not paying $400 or $500 for the 1st and 2nd place IEMs. It's just too much money. I think I will be targeting the Orchestra Lites for $250 for high end audio gaming. Unless you can suggest another option that is better or similar to the Orchestra lites for a similar price?
Right now i have the Moondrop Blessing 3, But will send them back. Now i‘m looking for a new iem. I‘m not sure which one to Buy… i only Need them for playing fps Games like escape from Tarkov. Which one should i try: Orchestra Lite, canon 2 or the xenns top ? Thanks for your answer.
Love your reviews as I'm always looking for the best audiophile gaming IEMs for imaging and staging. Any thoughts on Xenns Mangird Tea 2, and if so, compared to the Yanyin Canon II??? They are both about the same price but both sound amazing, so I want to know the difference for gaming.
Hey Fresh, how do these compare to the Goldplanars in terms of soundstage and "spacious-ness"? How you explained the sound of them in the other video really had me interested in them, but that price tag is really steep. Thanks.
you compared the lite version of Kiwi Ears Orchestra, which took 3rd place. Now I'm wondering if the non-lite version of Kiwi Ears Orchestra could take 1st place in the XENNS Mangird Top
Just bought these based on your review and I like them a lot. They perform better then my DT990 pros, however, with IEMS in general, I get a reverb when I talk. The best way I can describe it is its like I'm humming and my head vibrates when I talk. This makes it hard to hear what's playing through the IEMS at that moment. The DT990s are open back so I don't have that problem. I tried different eartips including the SpinFit W1 and that hasn't improved it at all. Do you know anyway around this issue?
Supposedly you can mix your mic input into the output so you hear yourself talking. The IEMs being closed and blocking your own voice apparently cause issues for some people. I think there are external devices for doing this since you don't want a delay on the mic audio that you're hearing.
Hey mr.fresh love the vids. I was wondering if Valorant was your only concern what would be your top pick be it iem or headphone. i currently have the blessings 3s and while the imaging is amazing I feel like footsteps get drowned out easily.
I got the Yanyin Canon II because I prefer their design over the RaptGo Hook X HBB, which I already got after watching your review. They are really great and fit better in my ears for long play sessions. Do we know what the switches really do? I got a card that explains the positions, but I can't read it, because it's only written in Chinese and translations I tried with my iPhone are not really helpful.
Thoughts on the difference between the two? I was never really impressed with my RaptGo Hook X HBB and hoping the Canon II restore hope to my IEM adventures.
If I understood correctly, the switches add bass in two stages when all the switches are in the upper position. Mild upping in bass for the 1st switch, a higher bass with the 2nd switch. The switches do not have any effect on the mids and tremble. At least that’s what people say.
Excellent review Sir! Keep up the good work, always keeping an eye out for your iem reviews. Question Sir. Is there a non chi-fi iem that is good for gaming? My Vulkan broke and don't want to buy another one. Was hoping to find something in store here, I need something kinda now. If there's nothing i might just buy these and wait. Thank you.
Hello Fresh nice review and nice gameplay. I wanted to ask you how the Canon 2 behave on valorant. I currently use the Xenns Top, I feel good but I always have the impression that the sounds are further away than they should, do you think the yanyin are superior in the game in terms of depth perception?
So depth perception is very good. Might I ask what you’re running the xenns top on? On my amp dac comp they’re really good. The canon 2 will bring the sound stage in a little closer to you and the imaging is spot on imho
@@FreshReviewsYT As DAC/AMP I have a Topping Dx3 pro+. Let's say the Xenns are excellent, much more detailed than the Dunu Vulkan I had before but everything seemed more immediate in the Dunu, in the Xenns even if I can understand where the sounds come from, it all seems a little further to me probably because they have more soundstage.. My main game is Valorant btw
Hi there! Thanks for the great review. I just want to clarify again on the vertical audio. So far I only own Final Audio VR3000 for my gaming use. However this pair don't have any vertical audio imaging. I heard the same audio whether my enemies at top or bottom floor. Do Canon II can really distinguish that? Appreciate your feedback!
Thanks for this video I owned the OG Canon, i use it on Switch 000. Never find the bass lacking. Vocal is good, not to far away and not shouty. Nice great treble, makes my music fun. Just ordered the Canon 2, should reach me on 7th July. No offense to other brand supporter, i tried P5, which is boring, too flat. And recently the 10th AE, lack of low treble. Not for my taste. Anxiously waiting for my new Canon 2 😁😁
Canon 2 arrived. Been using it for 3 days. Tips rolling 😂, didnt disappoint, no more annoying driver flex vaccum effect. Sound is as lively and entertaining as OG. I just need to decide if i like 10 or 11 😅
These iems are cool but I'm thinking of getting a semi open or open back headset. Heard the dt 880 250 ohm is good and I thought I'd ask for your recommendations. Would I need an amp or a dac amp to drive a 250 ohm pair of headphones?
I've the orchestra lite, my two drawback for the iem is that the audio feels a little bit sharp, and the separation between the incoming audio, I feel like it too much crowded, and honselty this makes me prefer with my raptgo hbb x hookx even more
Hey ,bought the xenns top following your review and I am very satisfied with it but I must admit that it has a little too much bass and that I prefer with less bass and a slightly clearer and sharper sound, do you think I should go on the canon II? Knowing that I can return the top xenns since I'm on time :)? (I play cs2 in competition and I need the one that gives me the best possible clarity for low noises while its fart everywhere lol
This helps a lot (the only thing that is strange is the part about the bass because other says that canon 2 bass is probably their weak point even in speed)... substantially i love rumble and impactfull bass, so i think is time to spend real money and pick this Xenns Top 💪
@@FreshReviewsYT if i remember correctly Is Jordan Oki reviews in his comparison with the Tea 2, New Tanchjim Kara, Blessing2 and another iem. Substantially he said that the Canon 2 bass have quantity but not quality, he place yanyin behind iem bass technically behind the Xenns Top (for speed i don't remember who said that, maybe him in the review or on reddit but i remember something like that).
Nice gameplay clips at the end and a great update to the wallhack list. I’m about to become a dad so I’m thinking about swapping to the Audeze Maxwell. I’d love to hear your thoughts on that.
I love earbuds and have decided to take the dive on a real nice pair to use for games. Do these perform well for general-use like music or single player games as well?
@@FreshReviewsYT thanks, brother. your channel has been invaluable for trying to get into the IEM space with a gaming perspective. cannot wait to try these
Well, I coudln't resist and got a pair of Canon 2s Which tips are you using on them? I can see that you have the CP 145 medium on the Xenns top, and was wondering what you would recommend for the Canons
V1 vs V2 comparison would be nice. On paper they look the same, except for less switches but 30 bucks more expensive. But hey, I would actually pay more to get rid of all the switches!
For someone that plays games like overwatch cod Val apex and single player games along with music and movies do you recommend the canons or the tops moneys not a issue
I recently purchased the kiwi orchestra lite and they're too big for my ear and caused a lot of discomfort so I'm returning them to get something different. I'm probably going to get the yanyin canon 2 after watching this review. I main apex legends but have been playing other games lately like destiny 2 and Warzone. Do you think the yanyin canon 2 will be better than the xenns top?
About to get a PS5 soon…. If I don’t have any IEMs just for gaming. Should I save up a couple extra hundred to pick one of these up (eyeing the Yanyin because I can get lost in a game for hours and comfortability is important).
It’s not a bad idea. You may want to start with something like the em6L first, although they are a bit harder to drive which could present issues. The Yanyin canon 2 would be beautiful. Admittedly, have not tried it on ps5 yet tho
Did you do a review for the mangird top iems? I thought you did but i can't find it. I have the thruthear zero. I want a iem just for gaming, what iem should i get. I'm thinking between the mangird top or yanyin canon 2. I do watch movies and listen to music too. Around 500 is my limit. Or should i get one for gaming and one for movies/music. I don't play competitive but i love wide Soundstage, imaging. I brought all the headphones you reviewed(not the hd800 too much ). You got me into iems now. Thanks
Queston. Just ordered Kiwi Ears Quartet because orchestra lite was not in stock. But now they are. Is it worth canceling the quartet order and getting the Orchestra lite instead? Awesome review as always.
@@wadez1000 it would be even more worth it if you were to buy it a little over a week ago when it was on sale, i've been using the quartet for 3 weeks now and it's good enough for music listening+gaming (cs/val mostly)
Just out of curiousity, if you prefer the more "controlled" bass response of the canon 2's, what keeps the xenns top at the highest rank of your tier list? I know you emphasized its a very close call between the two. just wondering if, for someone like myself who is looking for the best competitive edge, and where the extra ~120 for the xenns top isnt a big deal, was there a specific reason to choose to put the xenns at the top of the list? was it that slightly higher resolution and airiness you referred to that took the cake?
@@FreshReviewsYT wasn't even really expecting a response. thats exciting to hear though, I have the xenns top on the way, coming from some orchestra lites that seem to be dying. the orchestras were great, I was hearing so much my teammates weren't, but sometimes still caught off guard in fights in apex. apex is apex though, thats going to happen, but hoping to feel an improvement with the top's. Thank you freshy for all u do
@@dmicik1 hi, can I have some feedback on your Xenns top? see what you think about it compared to the orchestra lite :) I'm in the same situation as you, having tested both I would like to know if I should keep them or possibly go for the Canon II
@@croxx1494 Hey, so I've been using the top for about three weeks now. for the average gamer, they are pretty similar. to someone who is a tryhard sweat like me, I've noticed some subtle nuances that make me happy I bought the tops. The resolution of the top is a notch or two higher than the orchestra lite, I noticed gunshots/explosions sound slightly smoother to my ears. The bass is much more responsive/present on the tops, without being overwhelming at all. This is amazing for music and in gaming it feels more fun, but more importantly it has never made me feel like I missed important audio cues because there was bass booming in my ears. it is simply more present as far as directional cues go, when there isnt much going on I honestly feel the orchestra lites are comparable to the tops. however, when things in apex are hectic I do notice that all the audio cues are a bit less jumbled and are more separated on the tops. the orchestra lites performed well in this regard dont get me wrong, but the tops do it a little better. In summary id pretty much agree with everything said in the video, if you want to upgrade and its financially comfortable for you to do so, you will see some improvement from the orchestra lites. I would say maybe dont expect a night and day difference at first. the differences at the end of the day are relatively subtle but they are differences that will matter to you if you are a competitive person. I love my tops, but if I were in a more comfortable position to be at the price point of the canon 2 I would have bought those, and I'm sure I would have been very happy.
Hey just got mine, love the sound of them. One small issue im having is the default tips are causing pain in my ears and the smaller tips dont have a perfect seal like the mid size ones do. In your experience is this something that will go away as i get used to it (it feels almost as thought its cutting my ear, sharp pain) or would you recommend a different type of material tip?
Another awesome review as always. This is Tugger from Twitch. Have to ask I am still within the return window for the Orchestra Lite. Would you return the Lite and go with Cannon ? Most of my use is gaming. Again another great vid as always keep it up. My wallet is always burning when I see your vids haha
@@FreshReviewsYT Awesome got them ordered! Thanks for the recommendation. I was debating about the Kiwi Ears Quintet they seemed interesting but I think I am all in on the Canon.
Thanks! I enjoy your reviews a lot, you got me into iems, got the crinacle zero blue for games and quartet for music and my experience with them was very nice, looking to upgrade, think I'm gonna go for the yanyin canon 2 then 🙂 @@FreshReviewsYT
@@FreshReviewsYT oh awesome, thanks so much for confirming. Was interested in the canon 2s but was afraid to pull the trigger based on the nozzle size. Glad to hear they’re smaller than the zeroes.
Hello. I am a follower of your channel. I had a question. I was looking for an iem to enjoy music. Since you have tried several IEMS, could you rank these 5 iems from best to worst? thank you. -Raptgo Hook X -Dunu Sa6 MK2 -Yanyin Cannon 2 -7hz Legato -Sennheiser IE600
Now when you say rank them best to worst, do you specifically only mean for music? I am assuming that’s what you meant based on the first portion of the message but just want to be sure
Canon 2 or Dunu sa6 mk2, then ie600, hook, legato. Usually to answer I like to test things side by side so keep in mind this answer is just based on my memory.
@@FreshReviewsYT I have an 75Ohm adapter I could try with mine... Maybe the adapter from Red is what Blue needs to reach the heights of the regular IEM wallhack tier list from the budget tier list. :) And since we're doing PKMN colors, there might be a Green or Yellow next. XD
@@blindman8093 not the same tuning but the kima is a solid option that’s quite small. I’d recommend the zero and em6l as well but the zero is larger. The Em6l is smaller and is my number one budget option
