[Hanesu]

I remember that about 10 or 15 years ago, I had always admired CIEMs as the "Holy Grail" of portable audio - I always wanted some but that time I could not afford them.
That time, CIEMs looked (and were) totally different from universals and I was always sure that they must fit perfectly and their much higher price is totally justified.

About 1 year ago, I finally orderd my first custom IEM - I was SO exited...

....but in the end...I am disappointed to be honest.

I got them refitted once, because my ears really could not get used to the shape at the beginning. But even after refitting I did not like the feeling of something in my ear that was a lot harder and sat a lot deeper than the soft ear tips I got used to for many years.
Getting a seal took longer than with universals because there was no flexible and soft material that adjusted to its surrounding to create a vacuum. Because customs sit deeper, they are also way more prone to ear wax from my experience. And taking them out quickly in situations when you need to...is way more difficult than with universals and takes practice. And finally, I cannot sell them easily!

In 2020 there are so many nice semi custom universal earphones. After having tried many of them and comparing to my "custom experience" - I must say I definitely know now that I prefer universal. The only advantage I could detect using customs is that they do not fall out easily (as they are originally intended for stage use) - but that does not play any role for me.

So I finally decided to get my customs reshelled to univesal!

I know, this is just my personal experience/opinion - but anybody here who made similar experiences?

 

[IEMusic]

I remember that about 10 or 15 years ago, I had always admired CIEMs as the "Holy Grail" of portable audio - I always wanted some but that time I could not afford them.
That time, CIEMs looked (and were) totally different from universals and I was always sure that they must fit perfectly and their much higher price is totally justified.

About 1 year ago, I finally orderd my first custom IEM - I was SO exited...

....but in the end...I am disappointed to be honest.

I got them refitted once, because my ears really could not get used to the shape at the beginning. But even after refitting I did not like the feeling of something in my ear that was a lot harder and sat a lot deeper than the soft ear tips I got used to for many years.
Getting a seal took longer than with universals because there was no flexible and soft material that adjusted to its surrounding to create a vacuum. Because customs sit deeper, they are also way more prone to ear wax from my experience. And taking them out quickly in situations when you need to...is way more difficult than with universals and takes practice. And finally, I cannot sell them easily!

In 2020 there are so many nice semi custom universal earphones. After having tried many of them and comparing to my "custom experience" - I must say I definitely know now that I prefer universal. The only advantage I could detect using customs is that they do not fall out easily (as they are originally intended for stage use) - but that does not play any role for me.

So I finally decided to get my customs reshelled to univesal!

I know, this is just my personal experience/opinion - but anybody here who made similar experiences?

I only have one CIEM, but it doesn‘t fit well. It‘s too loose, and the seal breaks easily. I need to get them refitted. I think of CIEMs as useful for stage monitors, and when a secure fit with great isolation is necessary, but all of your points are valid. I definitely prefer UIEMs overall, but would like 1-2 good fitting CIEMs. I plan on ordering one from Linsoul, since they have some really good IEMs available in CIEM form for low prices.

Another advantage of UIEMs is that you can change ear tips to change the sound to your preference, and to adjust the amount of isolation, to some degree. It’s yet another way to fine tune the sound. Quite frankly, I think a lot of IEM manufacturers would sell a lot more if they didn‘t have so many CIEM-only products.

 

[GiullianSN]

I will share my oposite experience.

I could never get a nice fit with unversals of all shapes and multiple tips and everything. Until I got my first CIEM from 64a, it fitted perfectly and then I got a second one from Empire Ears and again perfect. Now I am hating Universals. They can't stand in my ears for more than an hour without causing pain, while the Customs stays for 6-8hevery single day with no issue at all.

So I understand for some people Customs are not the best solution, but after I got mine, I also understood that for some it is the best option (if done well).

 

[IEMusic]

I will share my oposite experience.

I could never get a nice fit with unversals of all shapes and multiple tips and everything. Until I got my first CIEM from 64a, it fitted perfectly and then I got a second one from Empire Ears and again perfect. Now I am hating Universals. They can't stand in my ears for more than an hour without causing pain, while the Customs stays for 6-8hevery single day with no issue at all.

So I understand for some people Customs are not the best solution, but after I got mine, I also understood that for some it is the best option (if done well).

All good points too. Ultimately, individual ear anatomy plays a huge role in our preferences. I need to just save up for the A12t. I’ve heard nothing but good things about the fit from 64 Audio.

 

[GiullianSN]

All good points too. Ultimately, individual ear anatomy plays a huge role in our preferences. I need to just save up for the A12t. I’ve heard nothing but good things about the fit from 64 Audio.

A12T was my first CIEM and a complete blind buy. It was scary, I must admit. For about 2-3 weeks the fit was a complete strange feeling and even giving me headaches, but after that I think my ears got used to it and I learned how to insert and remove it on a better way. No pain at all and is the best fit of both CIEMs I have.

 

[hkpants]

I'm on the same boat as @CrocodileDundee; I owned UIEM for years, finally bought my first CIEM earlier this year, and now I've sold all my UIEM (except MD Plus, which I use as a "gateway" IEM for people that ask about my audio stuff). The switch to CIEM is something I contemplated for a while because I've always struggled with fit/comfort on most UIEM. While the A12t isn't the "best" sound I've heard (it's still amazing, I just prefer the Solaris sound more), the comfort level more than makes up the sonic difference. The other thing I like about CIEM is that I've been a lot less gung-ho about buying IEMs now because CIEMs have less resale value, so it actually helps me curb my spending habits.

 

[GiullianSN]

I agree with the costs and control. I keep a couple universals for rotation and trials (btw I have a couple for sale here ).

A12t is a safe tuning for a CIEM. It performs well with everything, it can be enjoyed for a long time. And, the APEX tech is a real amazing thing.

 

[IEMusic]

I agree with the costs and control. I keep a couple universals for rotation and trials (btw I have a couple for sale here ).

A12t is a safe tuning for a CIEM. It performs well with everything, it can be enjoyed for a long time. And, the APEX tech is a real amazing thing.

That‘s one of the main reasons why the A12t is so alluring to me. It’s not a specialist, excelling in any given area, but is very good with everything, and thus, I imagine, would be an ideal CIEM to keep for the long haul.

I wonder how the A6t and A4t compare to the A12t?

 

[hkpants]

I know a lot of people call the U/A12t neutral in presentation, but that hasn't matched up with my experience. To me, the U/A12t is definitely somewhat u-shaped; bass is the most prominent with mids somewhat behind.

 

[GiullianSN]

I would definitely not call it neutral, natural may be my word for it. For me it is a warm signature.

I tend to be careful with reviews when tested with universals, there are so much variants just in the fit area that can affect the sound.

 

[YCHANGE]

I bought a few ciems from custom art last year. Fibae black, 7, and 6. I liked them for their fit and build quality. Soundwise, I expected more soundstage and a more open sound than I percieved from customs. My dynamics like Vega and Lyra II seemed to have more open sound to me.

What really puzzled me about my ciems was the sound changed depending whether I was laying down in bed or standing/sitting up. The former sounded more nuetral while the latter sounded more warmish.

In the future I might try out 64 or Empire Ears for ciems, but for now I'm knee deep in universals and satisfied with their sound and fit.

 

[toranku]

I bought a few ciems from custom art last year. Fibae black, 7, and 6. I liked them for their fit and build quality. Soundwise, I expected more soundstage and a more open sound than I percieved from customs. My dynamics like Vega and Lyra II seemed to have more open sound to me.

What really puzzled me about my ciems was the sound changed depending whether I was laying down in bed or standing/sitting up. The former sounded more nuetral while the latter sounded more warmish.

In the future I might try out 64 or Empire Ears for ciems, but for now I'm knee deep in universals and satisfied with their sound and fit.

Your jaw moves to a different spot while lying down

 

[hkpants]

I bought a few ciems from custom art last year. Fibae black, 7, and 6. I liked them for their fit and build quality. Soundwise, I expected more soundstage and a more open sound than I percieved from customs. My dynamics like Vega and Lyra II seemed to have more open sound to me.

What really puzzled me about my ciems was the sound changed depending whether I was laying down in bed or standing/sitting up. The former sounded more nuetral while the latter sounded more warmish.

In the future I might try out 64 or Empire Ears for ciems, but for now I'm knee deep in universals and satisfied with their sound and fit.

Customs typically have a smaller stage, just a property of how they fit and the insertion.

 

[Hanesu]

Customs typically have a smaller stage, just a property of how they fit and the insertion.

Yes, that was my impressions with my custom, too. Though, I was not sure because I had no comparison...

 

[IEMusic]

Your jaw moves to a different spot while lying down

Customs typically have a smaller stage, just a property of how they fit and the insertion.

Additional reasons why in general I prefer universal IEMs. Most IEMs do sound a bit different when upright vs lying down, but the frequent sound changes with jaw movement with rigid CIEM nozzles irritates me. At least UEIM tips can adjust to jaw movement. Granted, this is probably also due to the loose fit of my CIEMs. 64 Audio is known for a very tight fit, so they probably would work a lot better for me.