[SciOC]

So, I listened for a few hours last night to the plutus beast and I do enjoy it. OOTB tuning isn't great, so it's probably a pass for those who don't EQ/DSP unless you want a really.... Euphoric and direct sound (stock tuning will be fatiguing for most, but part of that is the bone conductor doing it's thing) that overall can sound a bit thin except for the bass. It does EQ just fine though.

Overall I think it's a great tech demo that let's you really know what the BC is doing compared to other sets that pair it with a DD. @baskingshark provided the info that the microplanar is handling the bass, so it's very obvious and distinct what the BC is providing in that region if you're familiar with planar bass. It's a really wonky/niche set, there is definitely a springy noise/feeling when you insert them into your ears or tap on them. They're not your average IEM....

The bass is definitely the star of the show. The rumble and tactile sensation is very distinct, emphasized and noticeable. It definitely sounds "different". If you're looking for a set where you can tell you're listening to a bone conductor, this one is more obvious than the wind by quite a bit.

I'll be listening to it a lot. That said, I'm hoping there is a follow up or that the BC drivers get better with burn in or future iterations. Distortion, which here is a bit different on a BC, can become noticeable at high volumes, and that's really what I want is something that makes my head pound while remaining accurate.

Cool set to add to your collection, definitely worth the $90 for me. Overall the sound might be "average" but it's certainly quite unique.

 

[Knale]

I find the lack of upper extension to be the real Achilles heel of the Plutus Beast. The low end is SO wonderful and tactile though.

It's a fun unique sound that I'm glad I own because every so often I'll stumble across a song where I want to see how it vibrates my skull.

As a weird aside, I use IEMs at my PC and often talk while wearing them, and the Beasts produce such a weird twang in your head from the BC vibrating when you speak. Hard to put up with, but interesting.

I've been very curious about the Wind, but not enough to pull the trigger at that price.

 

[SciOC]

The wind is a much better and cohesive all arounder that you could be hard pressed to identify as anything out of the normal (aka, you might think it just has really good bass extension rather than Knowing there is a BC, since it essentially looks and feels like any other IEM). The plutus beast is an extremely weird set (springy/twangy like you mention) but does have some harshness, especially in female vocals that makes it hard for me to really listen to much. I'm 42, so lack of upper extension doesn't necessarily matter to me as much because I'm not sure I really hear it anymore, but I don't perceive it as a strength of the wind either.

Like you said, there are definitely songs where I will pull them out for to hear the bass because it is so different and obvious you're listening to something fundamentally different. The wind is much more my style though for general listening, the BC is more subdued, but the whole thing is more cohesive, can go louder and just doesn't have the weaknesses and wonkiness of the plutus.

It would be really cool to have a full size planar/BC hybrid. Adding the BC to the 7hz timeless would be essentially my dream set. This micro planar and BA in the plutus beast just don't do the bass justice.

That said it is a really cool tech demo that allows you to really hear exactly what the BC is doing and piece together what it is BCs can offer. It just furthers my view that BCs should go mainstream as they really add something to the sound that you just can't get with other drivers.

As far as the plutus beast goes, the BC is the star of the show, but needs some work. It's like a prototype. The wind is a more polished product but sort of plays things too safe with the BC. I'd basically put it this way, the plutus beast is the prototype, the wind is version 1.0. definitely looking forward to a version 2.0.

 

[Knale]

That said it is a really cool tech demo that allows you to really hear exactly what the BC is doing and piece together what it is BCs can offer.

This is a good point and why I'm glad it exists. It exaggerates those features of the driver that can be hard to identify elsewhere. That philosophy probably produces a "worse" sound objectively, but I find it more interesting.

I own a Monarch MK3 as my "top of the line" set of IEMs that basically perfectly matches my tastes, so these days I'm mostly keeping an eye out for products that are doing something noticeably different or special at a reasonable price. I just ordered the NiceHCK Himalaya because I'm a weirdo for titanium for example...(and I don't have a mid-tier single DD set so I'm very curious about that)

 

[SciOC]

The conclusion I've reached now is that the low end BCs are definitely offering some tactile sensations and other aspects I cannot pin down as easily, that even large, fast DD's cannot produce. It's an added level of immersion into the music that makes it a little more like listening to good speakers or live music. I would like to grab the singlolo to see if the newish DD resonating chambers replicate this now. That'll be interesting....

I might even order a pair of shokz just to try them out. I've heard the open run pro is a step above the rest so may as well go to the top since they're only $140. It's fun to watch new tech evolve and get more and more polished. But it seems natural to me that the "best" sets in a year or two will all start having some sort of BC in them now that I have evaluated the potential. They definitely need some polishing, but assuming progress can be made, it's a very promising and exciting tech. Reminds me of the first planar IEMs (rha cl2, toneking bl1, tin p1, tri i3). I think it's got staying power like the planars given it is relatively cheap and good, versus falling by the wayside like piezos or ceramic DDs (if I had my way, BAs would fall out of use).

Driver tech is fun. I really need to try AMT drivers but they're just so expensive still.

 

[Knale]

I would like to grab the singlolo to see if the newish DD resonating chambers replicate this now. That'll be interesting....

As someone who had a similar thought, I'd save your money. The bass-shelf on the Singolo is interesting, but outside of that, it's a super dull listen and barely fits(obviously YMMV, but I have normal ears, and I've seen a lot of people say the same). If you want to try a similar resonator philosophy I'd grab the Aful MagicOne, which at least has some of the most pleasant clarity I've ever heard in an IEM with a similar idea.

The MagicOne is also BY FAR the most comfortable IEM I own, and it's not even close. Overall it's just fabulous, and makes the Singolo look and sound like a toy in comparison.

 

[SciOC]

Oof, as much as I like new gadgets, pass. Single BA isn't my cup of tea unless it is truly revolutionary.

I did order a pair of shokz open run pro though. Those come on Monday and I can't wait to play around with them. I'm not expecting stellar sound quality, but I'm expecting something totally abnormal versus any other type of headphones/IEMs. It seems like they might be to headphones what the Google Glass was originally trying to be to screens/HUDs. If I can wear them around all day and tune out the world unbeknownst to others, they may be my new best friend.

 

[Knale]

Oof, as much as I like new gadgets, pass. Single BA isn't my cup of tea unless it is truly revolutionary.

Not sure I'd say revolutionary, but I had similar concerns and it absolutely rips. If you can survive without a little mid-bass dynamism, it's fabulous, but I get it.

 

[SciOC]

Not sure I'd say revolutionary, but I had similar concerns and it absolutely rips. If you can survive without a little mid-bass dynamism, it's fabulous, but I get it.

I'll consider it. I haven't tried a single BA in a while, but I'm feeling more and more sour on BAs in general as the years go by but sometimes surprises are nice.

Got my shokz open run pro. Hard pass for sound quality. The idea that these are considered "the best sounding" BC makes me feel better about not trying them until now. They're not even in the same universe as a cheap pair of KZs. I was worried about my beard interfering but they sit closer to my ear than my sideburns. Also, they're quite a bit externally louder than I expected, people around you can definitely hear them, any claims to the contrary are nonsense. I definitely can't sit in meetings with them and slack off like I was hoping (except for on teams, but I could do that with IEMs anyway).

They sound quite a bit different if you cup your hands over your ears and fiddle around with them, so I completely understand why they're getting put in IEMs and I'd think we'll start seeing closed designs with them as hybrids.

But pure open ear bone conductors are best left for podcasts or where you need more situational awareness and sound quality isn't important (like at all, there simply is no comparing these to IEMs/buds). Based on the sound, its bad enough on this set that I can see why "high end" is $140. There's really no point in debating sound quality on these, they're bad. Probably a $140 mistake... Should have bought a $40 pair but hindsight is 20/20 and I'd have wondered if the "expensive" ones were better. Maybe in 10 years? Even then, doesn't seem all that promising.

 

[SciOC]

Just as an addendum. Open ear bone conduction, aka shokz style bone conductors are not something anyone in this forum should look to for music. I rarely return gear even if I don't like it but these are going back. They just sound terrible, on par with headphones that came with a generic walkman in 1992. I'd be interested to see someone place these on a set of open ear headphones in combination with a normal DD, but otherwise BCs in IEMs are much much better.

The more I listen to the kinera/Celeste plutus beast (eq'd) the more I like it's uniqueness. It really showcases the BC, and can be basshead Worthy, almost a must have for bassheads IMO.

More please.... A good planar and a BC would just be perfect.

 

[Bosk]

I enjoyed my time with both the Noble Spartacus & UM Mest MKIII IEMs.

Those two BCD earphones seemed to project instruments forward of my head position more than IEMs lacking BCDs, which tend to wrap the soundstage around one's head to the sides more. So there's an extra sense of dimensionality, though I also noticed the imaging BCDs provide can be a little fuzzy which others have agreed with.

Now that Sonion makes BCD drivers I would love to see them proliferate into more options in the marketplace, particularly at lower price tiers so that more hobbyists get the opportunity to try them.

From my experiences I wouldn't say an earphone containing a BCD would necessarily be the deciding factor in me choosing to purchase it or not, but they definitely add something unique to the listening experience.