[vitaliy belo]

Has anyone paired the Layla with the Intruder?

Interested in getting some opinions about the combo to see if they match my own. Thanks!

This will dip the upper mids even more. ALO International is a better fit

 

[n99127]

It may just be me, but the RSA 71B makes the Layla sound extremely dark. It may have something to do with the adjustable bass, as I have the same issue with the IE8/IE8i.

 

[johnwamp55]

  It may just be me, but the RSA 71B makes the Layla sound extremely dark. It may have something to do with the adjustable bass, as I have the same issue with the IE8/IE8i.

Layla is not a neutral IEM and if one enjoys a neutral or a bright sound then best get abright sounding amp.

 

[n99127]

 
Layla is not a neutral IEM and if one enjoys a neutral or a bright sound then best get abright sounding amp.

I agree with that, although I thought the Layla is considered to be neutral?
 
The issue for me with the SR71B is that it makes the Layla sound abnormally dark. The LCD-3, when plugged into the SR71B, doesn't sound anywhere near as dark as either the Layla or the IE8, which makes me think that it has something to do with the way the IEMs handle adjustable bass.

 

[John Culter]

  Is the tuning of the custom Layla different than the universal? I just received my custom Layla and while it's been a while since I heard the universal, it seems the custom is darker sounding, i.e. closer to the Roxanne (which is way too dark for my tastes).
 
Is it just me, or have others noticed a difference? I'm listening through an AK380.

Yes, I have very same experience. But when you spend more time with customs, then you find out they are representing a true reference. Treble on the universal model is from some strange reason somehow elevated.
I believe mostly because of the fit and because use of silicone tips - they make any CIEM boosted in higher frequencies. When used with Comply foam tips, the difference is not as big in between custom and universal models.
Anyway after your ears / brain became accustomed to Layla customs, then there is no better option when seeking for true reference sound.
There is VERY little number of members who bought and listen regularly to Layla customs, Layla universals and other reference headphones / speakers. So when I read posts by some 'self-proclaimed' professionals who states Layla is not reference sounding, etc. .. it makes me really sad, because lot of regular readers and potential buyers will turn their heads away based on those misleading reviews. Jerry developed a real masterpiece and I'm truly delighted I can have such a sound in my ears anyway I go.

 

[Duncan]

Yes, I have very same experience. But when you spend more time with customs, then you find out they are representing a true reference. Treble on the universal model is from some strange reason somehow elevated.
I believe mostly because of the fit and because use of silicone tips - they make any CIEM boosted in higher frequencies. When used with Comply foam tips, the difference is not as big in between custom and universal models.
Anyway after your ears / brain became accustomed to Layla customs, then there is no better option when seeking for true reference sound.
There is VERY little number of members who bought and listen regularly to Layla customs, Layla universals and other reference headphones / speakers. So when I read posts by some 'self-proclaimed' professionals who states Layla is not reference sounding, etc. .. it makes me really sad, because lot of regular readers and potential buyers will turn their heads away based on those misleading reviews. Jerry developed a real masterpiece and I'm truly delighted I can have such a sound in my ears anyway I go.

This leads me to an interesting thought, albeit you have answered it from your own perspective - which Layla is more 'neutral', the IEM or CIEM version...

...I find that Complys blur the sound slightly, so prefer spinfit tips which open up the treble

 

[cantara256]

 
Yes, I have very same experience. But when you spend more time with customs, then you find out they are representing a true reference. Treble on the universal model is from some strange reason somehow elevated.
I believe mostly because of the fit and because use of silicone tips - they make any CIEM boosted in higher frequencies. When used with Comply foam tips, the difference is not as big in between custom and universal models.
Anyway after your ears / brain became accustomed to Layla customs, then there is no better option when seeking for true reference sound.
There is VERY little number of members who bought and listen regularly to Layla customs, Layla universals and other reference headphones / speakers. So when I read posts by some 'self-proclaimed' professionals who states Layla is not reference sounding, etc. .. it makes me really sad, because lot of regular readers and potential buyers will turn their heads away based on those misleading reviews. Jerry developed a real masterpiece and I'm truly delighted I can have such a sound in my ears anyway I go.

Interesting. To my ears the treble on the universal is perfect, but the bass on the custom, even at the lower setting, is overly boosted. I've confirmed with Astell & Kern that on the universal bass pot, 12pm is neutral. It must be that on the custom, 7am is considered "neutral". Anyone have word from JH Audio on this?
 
Unfortunately I'm not in a position to fairly compare universal vs custom because JH Audio screwed up the fit; after 3 refits, I realized something was still very fundamentally wrong so they re-shelled them based on the custom ear plugs I had them make for me last year, which fit perfectly. They're way better now --- I honestly wonder if they mistakenly used somebody else's ear molds the first time --- but not only do I still get the "somebody chewing in my ear" noise pretty easily after moving my jaw, they're now somewhat uncomfortable overall. I don't know why the earplugs they made are so spot on but the IEMs are not.
 
Anyway bottom line when I got my customs after the last, fourth refit, you put the overemphasized bass together with the fit discomfort and other issues, and less than 30 minutes after walking around with them, my ears were shot. Total fatigue.
 
I'm probably giving up on the customs, I'm tired of the refit saga (four so far) and for all I know have several more ahead of me. I don't know how typical that is.
 
I have to agree with your overall sentiment though. Our ears may have different opinions on custom vs universal neutrality, but for me, the universal Layla is incredible. I never thought I'd hear something so good from an IEM, and I've had Etymotic ER4P, Shure SE545, SE846 and custom Roxanne's. Layla blows them all out of the water. And paired with my shiny new AK380, they are simply exquisite.

 

[raypin]

mmmm......my best matchup with the Layla to date: AK240 (stock balanced cable) + AK PEF 16 2.5 trrs + Continental Dual Mono with Sonotone 5719 single-triode tubes. It is a smashingly good combo and highly recommended. Waiting for arrival of a Brimar AuAG replacement cable. Hopefully, it will help the Layla resolve even more.

 

[Juan Virgo]

One week with my Hugo and my friend's Layal AK, made understand that this level will be very hard to beat even in next 10 years...
Its so ff0989 amazing, i was completely charmed ...
 
This couple is a true State of The Art system. Not only in terms of sound, but also in terms of craftsmanship , its looks gorgeous.
 
The most interesting, that a first hour made me think "What a mud and heavy sound..",
but then I play with position... one hour later I understand... THIS IS BEST MUSICAL SETUP IN THE WORLD.
 
Its eats every genre , every sounds are there, and even more,  a true brilliant...

 

[shotgunshane]

Technically there shouldn't be any difference in the custom vs universal. Assuming (big assumption) reference plane fit, the difference between the two should really just be some bass differences due to better/fuller seal wit the custom. However I have to imagine reference plane fit with the universal is quite difficult for many to achieve, since it is so bulbous. A shallower fit with the uni is going to mean a bigger treble peak that is further down in the frequency response than the custom, since the custom can more easily obtain deeper fit. Triple flange tips, although nowhere near as comfortable, should eliminate most of the differences in treble. Would be interesting for those with both to try.

 

[tumburu]

  I thought the Layla is considered to be neutral?
 

 
More like advertised.

 

[Duncan]

Neutral is a state of mind...

They certainly sound more linear than anything I've heard of this ilk...

Tell you what though, even if these have more lumps and bumps on their FR curve than the Paris to Dakar rally, they're still great to me, and I only need to impress that upon myself...

Haters gotta hate

 

[Juan Virgo]

A 140 Euro DT-150/DT-250 are neutral... even HD-600, is neutral...
 
But Layla is absolutely not neutral... I think it's impossible to mastering with it...
Its rebuild all my tracks and they sound completely different with Layla...

 

[tumburu]

  it makes me really sad, because lot of regular readers and potential buyers will turn their heads away based on those misleading reviews.

 
You know, what really saddened me was to discover that, after spending 2500 bucks on them, they sounded so  far from reference. It took me some serious eq tweaking to bring them to reference level. 
 
I have quite the opposite impression regarding the reviews that praise them. It puzzles me to read them and can't understand how that's possible.
 
They are indeed, technically advanced IEMs, and after fixing their frequency response they sound exceptional. The odd tuning is their main problem, the secondary one being the poor cable quality.

 

[Duncan]

Are we talking the IEM or CIEM version here?

Is a PITA that there are two versions called the same thing...