Let me start by thanking everyone at Sleek Audio. They were very gracious and welcoming to me during my visit. They really rolled out the red carpet during my visit. All this for a customer who wasn't even paying for anything!
During a recent meet in Tampa, I won a raffle. The prize was a pair of Sleek Custom earphones. I was a bit worried about whether I would have enough time to get some customs made since I was scheduled to move to Taiwan in 3 weeks. However, after a call to Jason, we were able to schedule a visit to Sleek HQ, so that I could have the ear molds done on-site. Bradenton is only a short drive from Tampa, so this was a great chance for me to bypass an audiologist and the cycle of shipping products back and forth.
When I first arrived at Sleek, I was greeted by Jason. He sat down with me and we talked about the great things that Sleek Audio has accomplished to this point. It was impressive to see how the SA6 went from and idea, to a concept and then to a complete product. The really cool thing about Sleek is that they took a lifetime of experience in Audiology and turned it into a musical product for their customers. I get the impression that they really understand how the ear works with earpieces, and it gives them the knowledge to develop their products.
After showing me some recent press that Sleek has received, Jason showed me around their current offices which are soon to be moved to a new facility. I had planned on taking a few pictures of the process, but it seemed a bit unfair since everything was in the process of being packed up and sent to the new place. I did get to meet all the people who work on their products. It's nice to see regular people doing the kind of labor-intensive work that we tend to take for granted. Sleek Audio is definitely a hands-on type of venture. I got the impression that everyone there was concerned with producing a quality product that was unique in the crowded market that is IEMs. In fact, it should be noted that the custom molds are done by hand. All of the time spent dealing with hearing aids has given Jason and his team a great understanding on how to make a comfortable earpiece, using only their eyes and hands.
After the abbreviated tour, Jason did my ear injections and we talked about what I was looking for in a pair of earphones. Sleek uses a survey of sorts, in order to tailor the sound to the user. I mentioned my affinity for the HD650s and jazz music. The customs are based on the same technology as the SA6, so I was able to listen to a pair and decide what sound was best for me. I have to say that I was impressed with the SA6, a product that I had never heard before. When I first read of them, I thought they were a bit gimmicky. I suppose these are the kind of obstacles Sleek has had to overcome in the marketplace. But I was actually surprised at how different the sound was depending on the tuning ports. After deciding on a configuration that suited my musical tastes, I set off for Tampa in anticipation of returning to pick up my new customs.
Yesterday, I returned to Sleek to take recovery of my custom earphones. After dishing a bit about watches with Jason, I was also able to meet Mark, Jason's father and partner in Sleek Audio. It only takes a minute or two to realize how enthusiastic these two are about what they're doing.
Next, Jason presented me with my new Sleek Customs! They come in this slick Pelican case.
The inside is lasered with the Sleek logo. I hope my picture is clear enough.
Here is a picture of the earpieces. You can elect to have the wires connect on the ends of the earpieces, or on the back plates. I went for the back plates, so that I could wear the cords up or down.
And here are the pieces alone. I thought about doing one red piece and one blue, but the smoked grey looks so nice.
So far, the customs fit really well and the sound is very sweet. I couldn't be happier. I'll be sure to include some impressions in the near future, after I've had some time to listen critically.
I would like to thank everyone at Sleek Audio for their time and generosity, especially Jason, who allowed me to talk his ear off.
My Sleek Customs Experience
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