[obsidyen]

   
 
Same.

I'm asking because K10 is known to be smooth sounding yet some reviews (like the one on Cnet and Twister6's review here) describe K10UA as bright sounding bordering on harshness. You can imagine why I was surprised. I guess they didn't get a good fit.

 

[fb24601]

You'll get a darker sound using spinfit rather than double flange, since it push the source a bit farther away from the ear and become less bright.

I own k10u before and now k10ua. To me k10u brighter and k10ua seems darker. I guess it is due to a longer tube in k10ua which I like the tone more. Some may like k10u more since it provides a closer mids which seems sweeter on vocals.

k10 custom may even be darker as the better sealing means less loss in bass and overall your are hearing at a lower volume. I do not own a custom and this is just a guess.

You can try comply tips if you still find k10ua brighter than expected on spinfit.

 

[DrSheep]

I'm asking because K10 is known to be smooth sounding yet some reviews (like the one on Cnet and Twister6's review here) describe K10UA as bright sounding bordering on harshness. You can imagine why I was surprised. I guess they didn't get a good fit.

The K10 is highly sensitive and VERY responsive to power, which can cause it to sounds harsh.

 

[obsidyen]

  The K10 is highly sensitive and VERY responsive to power, which can cause it to sounds harsh.

What do you mean by power? You mean powerful amps will cause it to distort? I'll just use iPhone 6s and sometimes Mojo, not really into the DAP scene.

 

[DrSheep]

What do you mean by power? You mean powerful amps will cause it to distort? I'll just use iPhone 6s and sometimes Mojo, not really into the DAP scene.

Exactly.  I never had any problem with my K10 straight out of a DAP or Phone, but as soon as I amp it with my PDC XM6, it kicked so hard that it is almost uncomfortable for me.

 

[krismusic]

I use an amp/DAC and prefer it to my iPhone.

 

[prismstorm]

So how will a Prestige sound, bright or dark or darker or darkest (compared to K10, K10U, K10 custom aesthetics universal fit demo)? I have heard all and the 'custom aesthetics universal fit demo' produced the greatest sound (warm, lush, cohesive) by a good margin. But I have no idea what the Prestige will be akin to. 
 
If someone with that kind of experience (having heard a CIEM K10 and any of the universal variants) can comment a way to 'simulate' what a Prestige will sound like (e.g. K10U with Spinfit tips, K10 original with Comply) it will give a better idea of what to expect. 

 

[The Life]

 
Since, like everybody else, I am still waiting on my long-ago-pre-ordered Dulce Bass customs, I decided to get my K10s a companion in the mean time.

 

[Malevolent]

What's your source? I've found the K10s can go from good to great depending on the source I use.

 
Yes. They scale very well. With my smartphone as a source, they sound pretty darn good; with a better DAP such as the DP-X1 or DACs such as the Mojo, the K10 truly sings. She's certainly capable of a lot more than you initially hear.

 

[Malevolent]

I'm sure its been mentioned to you before, it is paramount to get full potential  Fit....Fit...Fit....

 
This. I've had friends who've had negative experiences with IEMs, only to realize that their fit wasn't as secure and snug as it should have been.
 
Of course, one can circumvent this issue with customs (mostly), but seeing that universal IEMs are still very much the de facto IEM standard, fit is a paramount requirement most users should recognize.

 

[krismusic]

So how will a Prestige sound, bright or dark or darker or darkest (compared to K10, K10U, K10 custom aesthetics universal fit demo)? I have heard all and the 'custom aesthetics universal fit demo' produced the greatest sound (warm, lush, cohesive) by a good margin. But I have no idea what the Prestige will be akin to. 

If someone with that kind of experience (having heard a CIEM K10 and any of the universal variants) can comment a way to 'simulate' what a Prestige will sound like (e.g. K10U with Spinfit tips, K10 original with Comply) it will give a better idea of what to expect. 

AFAIK the material that a custom shell is made from has no effect on sound. BA's are self contained units firing down a tube in the bore.

 

[prismstorm]

AFAIK the material that a custom shell is made from has no effect on sound. BA's are self contained units firing down a tube in the bore.

Thanks for the response, but this perplexes me further as now nothing can explain why I heard different sound from the K10UA, the original plain purple K10U, and the best sounding custom-looking universal demo with wooden faceplates: 
 
Picture of the custom-looking universal demo: 
 
 
Picture of the worse-sounding K10UA and a custom-looking universal demo at another shop:

 
Even the material of the tips seem to be uniform .... these discrepancies make me unable to fathom what final sound I will get if I were to go for a CIEM / Prestige. 

 

[FullCircle]

Differences in insertion Depths?

 

[ScottFree]

AFAIK the material that a custom shell is made from has no effect on sound. BA's are self contained units firing down a tube in the bore.

Thanks for the response, but this perplexes me further as now nothing can explain why I heard different sound from the K10UA, the original plain purple K10U, and the best sounding custom-looking universal demo with wooden faceplates: 
 
Picture of the custom-looking universal demo: 
 
 
Picture of the worse-sounding K10UA and a custom-looking universal demo at another shop:

 
Even the material of the tips seem to be uniform .... these discrepancies make me unable to fathom what final sound I will get if I were to go for a CIEM / Prestige. 

The sound of Pure Awesome

 

[krismusic]

Thanks for the response, but this perplexes me further as now nothing can explain why I heard different sound from the K10UA, the original plain purple K10U, and the best sounding custom-looking universal demo with wooden faceplates: 

Picture of the custom-looking universal demo: 
 


Picture of the worse-sounding K10UA and a custom-looking universal demo at another shop:



Even the material of the tips seem to be uniform .... these discrepancies make me unable to fathom what final sound I will get if I were to go for a CIEM / Prestige. 

Warning! I could be wrong on this!! I don't recall reading of anyone saying that any of the universals sound better than the custom K10.
I would always go custom to avoid all the hassle of finding tips that work for me. Plus the pleasure of having something bespoke for me.
If you can afford the Prestige I would go for it secure in the knowledge that you are ordering the finest quality iteration of a CIEM that is very highly regarded as being one of the best on the market.
If the price tag seems too much of a risk then an acrylic design of your choice may be the way forward. I figure that ordering any CIEM is a gamble as you can only get a vague idea of what it will sound like from demo units.
Alternatively try and get demos of other companies products and see if you can find something that you are more convinced by.