I haven’t been as impressed with a bang for buck winner like Hill Audio’s DIY-ed cnt IEM. For just 46RM / $11, they blow away KZ Audio’s ZST with hybrid BA and DD, costing 66RM. They even eat into the ever solid Shure 112’s glorious heritage, revealing lively nuances in the mix I thought was just bland.
Along with the IEMs, I also bought an OCC braided copper cable with coax connectors. OCC improves conductivity by perfecting the crystal-like structure of a metal, eliminating imperfections that affect signal transmission. Because Hill were switching to 2-pin cables, I got this one really cheap. Of course it has no mic which is what I prefer.
The Monk Plus was similarly good and still is a favorite among audiohiles who purchase extra amps to squeeze every bit of fidelity out of this $6 buds. It was a favorite of mine for its easy on-off. The Hill Audio cnt are also easy to put on and take off which make them a natural go-to for casual listening. They also don’t hurt my ear canals or put almost any pressure on them.
The shape is reminiscent of a more bulbous Shure 215, with an oblong seashell body and over the ear cables. But the simiarities end there. There is barely -I’d say ‘nothing’ that’s tuning and directing the sound through the transparent housing and nozzle, unlike in a Shure. So the Hills are not copycats or infringers. Also they sell in a whole different price bracket. There is no branding on the buds and on the cable, being as they claim, an in-house DIY job. There were 7 for sale and I bought the last one.
Some pics of the IEM and cable. I am not able to provide a pic of the coax connector but it has a slim and fragile-looking central pin. I am still worried it took damage during mating it.
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