Introduction
Earwerkz currently has two IEMs in their lineup with the name “Supra.” This is a summary and review of the original Supra, the 2 BA Supra 2, not to be confused with the Supra 1 that was later developed by Earwerkz.Earwerkz is a company located in Buford, Georgia, just outside of Atlanta. Earwerkz’s rise in popularity has been quite stunning, in part due to some overwhelmingly positive reviews, and in part due to their launch of their universal (and custom) two driver IEM, the Supra 2, on Kickstarter gaining attention.
As backer number 3, I was lucky to obtain 1 of the 10 spots available to purchase the Supra 2 at the phenomenal price of 240 dollars. At this price, the Supra 2 is undoubtedly the best sounding and most sonically impressive IEM that I have ever experienced, and I’m pretty certain that it will take quite a few years until technology allows an IEM of this caliber to be priced at a mere 240 dollars. With that in mind and assuming that Earwerkz will not be offering the Supra 2 at that price again, I’ll be discussing the Supra 2 from the perspective of them being priced at their MSRP of 390 for a universal pair, and 430 for a custom fit pair, as I find little value in discussing these IEMs relative to a price in which the majority of people won’t receive for them. I will also simply refer to them as Supras.
My Experience with Earwerkz
Those that have funded a Kickstarter campaign before know that it’s almost unheard of for a campaign to deliver on time. It’s just not something that happens. There always seems to be some problem with production or quality control that pops up. Earwerkz, despite having problems of their own (they had some issues with their engraver), fought hard and succeeded in fulfilling their promise of shipping the first batches of the Supra in February. On top of that, Jack Vang of Earwerkz was always on Kickstarter or his email to answer questions, and constantly updated his backers on the status of their IEMs. Jack was more than happy to answer any question that anyone had, and in a timely manner. Talk about customer service!Even more good news for Earwerkz’s customers is that Earwerkz promises to ship the finished product to you within 10 days of receiving your ear molds (assuming you are getting a CIEM), and it doesn’t seem like anyone has been let down by Earwerkz yet.
Excellent, excellent, customer service. Nothing more to say about it.
Accessories
Upon receiving my Supras, I was a bit surprised to find that it wasn’t packaged in a box, but instead, in a padded envelope. Ripping open the package, I was a bit disappointed to find only a softshell case with Earwerkz’s logo on it. Where’s the pelican or otterbox case?Inside the softshell case were the Supras along with an Earwerkz cleaning cloth and cleaning tool (universal owners will also receive comply tips). So to put it simply, accessories were simple and the bare bone necessities. Would really have loved to get a hard carrying case along with my IEM, but it seems that they’re not included in with the Kickstarter Supras but are standard with a purchase from them.
While the lack of a hard case was certainly disappointing, I must, however, comment on the softshell case that Earwerkz provided, as I see it as softshell cases done right. Earwerkz clearly didn’t design them to fit in your pockets. They’re larger than your average clam shell cases that are offered from companies like Shure. I’ve never liked small softshell cases that force you to jam your IEMs into. The cables tend to get tangled or retain its wound up shape after pulling the IEM out. Ugh! I want my cable STRAIGHT when I use them! Not only that, but most cases still don’t fit in your pockets all that well. So why make them that size? Maybe it’s just me, but I found Earwerkz’s softshell case much better. It’s still small enough that you can comfortably use them as protection for your IEM when you’re on the go, but it’s also large enough that your IEMs and rest in them comfortably as well. Thumbs up to Earwerkz for their softshell case.
Universal or Custom? (Fit)
As one of the final stretch goals, Earwerkz opened up the option of purchasing the Supra 2 as a custom IEM along with the original option of purchasing them as universal IEMs. While I’ve demoed countless demo units of CIEMs, ranging from larger companies like UE to smaller companies like CustomArt and Clear Tune Monitors, I’ve never actually owned a pair of CIEMs myself, mostly due to the fear of them not fitting properly as I have very small ears. Seeing that the Supras aren’t a particularly big investment in the realm of CIEMs, I took this opportunity to test the waters of custom monitors. I think it’s important to note that Earwerkz offers their custom version for only 40 dollars more than the universal, which is a much more generous offer than most other CIEM makers.As a first timer in the realm of custom monitors, the initial fit was pretty disastrous and uncomfortable. I knew I was putting them in my ears the right way, but it always seemed uncomfortable after a while. It took me a few days to get it down, but once I got the hang of it, fit is fantastic and the Supras simply disappear. I’m very happy with my first CIEM experience, and also very relieved that I got a good fit on my first try.
The Supra 2 fit very flush in my small ears
Edit: Added thoughts between custom and universal Supras.
Got a chance to meet up with a bud, backer #49, to compare universal vs custom Supras.
The universal Supra honestly have the best universal shell I've ever experienced, beating out the Stagediver and Aurisonics shells which were the two best universal shells in my opinion in terms of comfort.
A heads up or warning to universal supra users! Make sure you have a tip that gives you a deep insertion. It makes ALL the difference. I listened to my friend's Supra and they sounded awful, no where near the level of detail or naturalness that the customs had. In comparison, the universals sounded veil and fake. It wasn't until we tried using a smaller set of tips that the universals started sounding better. Don't be afraid to try tips a size smaller than you may usually like to use! If the Supra stick out of your ears at all, YOURE NOT GETTING THE FULL EXPERIENCE OF THE SUPRAS.
The TINY TINY universal Supra compared to my custom Supra
that fit my tiny ears. These things are seriously small.
(Sorry for bad photo quality, taken with my smartphone)
Build
The acrylic shells of the Supras are beautifully built, with no signs of bubbles or inconsistencies. The 2 pin jack is also slightly recessed and very tight. Cables will stay firmly connected to the Supras. Absolutely no problems with loose connectors or signals cutting out with the Supras. Having own and tried a fair share of acrylic IEMs, I can most certainly say that the build quality from Earwerkz is top notch.Inside the shells, the two drivers are cleanly oriented and with very minimal amount of wires showing. Given that a two driver CIEM isn’t a particularly complex driver configuration in this day and age, Earwerkz nonetheless prides themselves in creating a clean and well-built IEM, both inside and out. All the wires of the Supras are neatly packed in a heatshrink tube (or maybe just plastic?) that connects the drivers to the 2 pin connectors.
An image of the drivers inside
As a bonus for Kickstarter backers, Earwerkz allowed us to customize our engraving. I designed my Supras with the theme of my a cappella group, The Stereotypes, in mind, using our group’s colors and engraving our logo, “(stereotypes.)” as well as my embodied stereotype stage name, “Mr. Boy Wonder” (I’m a grown man that looks like I’m still 15 years old) onto each side of the Supras. The final product most definitely exceeded my expectations and I now have in my possession a gorgeous set of custom fitted and designed IEMs. Awesome!
The Question of Cables
The significance of cables and their effects on sound may be forever debated. Regardless of various people’s opinions, I would still like to bring the topic of cable up, as Earwerkz does offer an upgrade cable with the Supras and all of their IEMs.The Supras came with Estron Linum’s BaX cable, an incredibly ergonomic, soft, and low profile cable. Seriously… this is an experience it yourself to believe it kind of deal. I know very well how it’s practically revolutionized cable ergonomics and started a new age of ergonomics, but damn I was still not prepared for just how ridiculously thin and comfortable this cable is. Experience it yourself, or you may never understand.
Linum also heavily markets their cables for how they upgrade the sound of the IEM. So do these cables change the sound, or is this more voodoo magic with fanatics willing to defend it to the death? The answer is a most definite and confident YES that it does indeed change the sound of the Supras.
So this is the part where half of you are ready to jump at me with pitch forks, while the other half are ready to embrace me with open arms. Well that’s not quite where I’m headed with this either. Does the BaX cable improve the sonic qualities of the Supras? Do I hear details that I’ve never heard before? Well hell I don’t know. I don’t think so? I’ve never tried a 1000 dollar cable that promises to bring your audio gear to new heights, and the BaX certainly doesn’t do that to the Supras.
On the other hand, the BaX undoubtedly changes the sound signature of the Supras to some extent. Compared to the Supras with my plusSound X Series cable, the BaX cable adds more treble air to the Supras, giving it an overall thinner, but more open sound, while the copper X Series cable undoubtedly has more fullness to its sound compared to the BaX cable. The difference is enough that I can hear it when I switch between the cables, and takes some time for my brain to get use to the change. Perhaps the extra added air from the BaX gives the Supra better imaging or treble detail. I don’t know, I didn’t really bother to try to find out. I like the fullness of the sound that the plusSound cable offers so I stuck with them. While not as ergonomic as the BaX cables, the X Series cable were also designed with comfort in mind, and it’s plenty comfortable for me that I’m willing to sacrifice a tiny bit of comfort for a sound I enjoy more. At the end of the day, I was honestly surprised at the amount of difference two cables that differ in price by about 30 dollars made.
The Supra 2 with plusSound Audio's X Series Copper Cable
Sound
Having talked briefly about the changes in the sound of the cable earlier, I thought I’d continue with a more in depth impression of the Supra’s sound. All listening was done with my trusty portable rig consisting of my iBasso DX90, plusSound X Series Copper cable, and, of course, the Supra 2 themselves. Something to note is that the Supras are very sensitive IEMs. While I had no problems with hiss out of my DX90, using my desktop amp (which is overkill anyways) as a test did result in quite a bit of hiss. The Supras are one of the most sensitive IEMs I’ve heard, and the most sensitive IEM out of the IEMs I’ve personally owned.The Supras are a very natural sounding IEM with a very slight U shape that gives the sound a bit of fun while remaining within the bounds of neutrality. The bass is well textured with a good balance between the mid and sub bass, as well as a surprisingly good bass extension coming out of a two driver IEM. Bass attack is very fast and very clean, with a fairly short decay that also has a good amount of rumble to it. Any sort of bleed or muddying of the midrange due to the bass is non-existent. Overall bass quality is fantastic with great dynamics, however, for those looking for some hard hitting bass will most likely find the bass lacking in quantity.
The midrange of the Supra is most certainly the star of the show. The midrange is smooth, well balanced, detailed, and oh so natural. Instruments are realistic and accurate, while vocals have great clarity and are incredibly engaging to listen to. Transparency is the name of the game for the Supra. Not just the midrange, but the entire spectrum. The Supra offers some of the most enjoyable midrange out of any IEM at any price bracket.
The treble of the Supra can be described as airy, detailed, but inoffensive. The treble response of the Supra is fairly smooth without any peaks that may lead to sibilance or create an unnatural timbre. As a person who enjoys a little more treble energy than most, I would personally ask for just a tad more sparkle to the treble, but the Supra’s treble are excellent as is in terms of treble energy and air thanks to a great extension up top.
The soundstage of the Supra may be the one point that I find that doesn’t quite punch above its price as much in the Supra. While having a nice open and airy sound to it, the soundstage is quite lacking in width and depth, although it does have a good amount of overall height. Considering the Aurisonics ASG 1Plus, priced at about 100 dollars more, you get a much more expansive soundstage, although I’ve always found Aurisonics IEMs excel in terms of having a good sense of space and dimensionality. Despite having a more intimate soundstage, the Supra makes use of the space available to it with excellent instrument separation and imaging. Each instrument is presented with accuracy and precision.
Overall, the Supra's sound presentation can come off as being slightly on the analytical and dry side but I find that it remains engaging and energetic despite that.
Edit: 7/1/2015 Added Comparison to CustomArt Ei.3 (MSRP ~300 USD)
CustomArt Ei.3 and Earwerkz Supra 2 (CIEM)
I consider the supra 2 to be the king of value as the supra is fantastically detailed and natural sounding for a 430 dollar CIEM (or 390 for the universals). So being about 100 dollars less, how do the two compare?
In terms of sound signature, the supra and the Ei.3 are more similar than they are different. However, the way in which the music is presented is quite different. For me personally, the past year or so has been fantastic, as more and more companies seem to be nailing the sound signature which I consider to be “natural” – which is generally a very slight V-shape with just a tad of extra energy in the upper mids. I would consider both of these IEMs to be close to my ideal sound signature. This sort of signature can often come forth as being fairly dry or boring, but the Ei.3, in particular, is a very musical sounding IEM.
Directly comparing the supra and Ei.3, the supra has a punchier and lower extending bass, a more aggressive upper range, and an overall more forward sound. The overall sound of the supra are crisper but dryer with better detail and overall texture as the presentation of the music from the supra are fairly analytical. Compared to the supra, the Ei.3 can feel as if it has a softer attack on the music as it’s not as sharp sounding as the supra (not to say they’re harsh sounding). While the supra are more detailed than the Ei.3, I think many will prefer the musical and smooth sound of the Ei.3 over the supra’s sound. The Ei.3 also has the benefit of having a better soundstage than the supra, particularly in terms of depth and width. The supra’s one big weakness to me is its very underwhelming soundstage.
In summary, I find those who enjoy a more analytical but energetic sound will like the supra, while those who enjoy a smoother, more musical, but slightly less textured and detailed sound will find the Ei.3 much more appealing.
Ending Thoughts
Earwerkz created a fantastic IEM in the Supra 2, an IEM which I would happily recommend to anyone looking for a balanced yet fun sound. My experience with Earwerkz from the very first moment that I chose to back their project on Kickstarter to this very moment has been nothing short of being overwhelmingly positive. After quite a few conversations with Jack about his company and products, to keep things short, I can say that Earwerkz has great business practice and they’ve really got their acts together. Every step is planned very carefully. Even the release dates of new products to come were mapped out with each detail carefully planned out. From customer service, to build quality, and most importantly to sound, Earwerkz has got everything covered, and they manage to do it in all in a friendly, efficient, and professional manner!