I'm listening to these through a Schiit Modi DAC and Schiit Asgard 2 amplifier (totally overkill for these, but I was listening with DT990's before). I listen mostly to CDs which I own and rip securely, in addition to Spotify's subscription-quality streaming.
I'm not very experienced with reviewing headphones, but I will say this: These are my first CIEMs, and with this I purchase I experienced a lot of trepidation. I was unsure if I would like CIEMs, mostly because of my universally negative experience with headphones that are not over-ear and open-backed. I'm so glad I took the leap and had these made. It's actually really difficult to imagine that Noble offers models above the 3C - I can't even begin to comprehend how music could sound much better than they do through my 3C's.
I'm saying a lot without really saying much, I suppose. But if you're like me and you're looking to take your first step into the territory of CIEMs, Noble's 3C is a worthwhile consideration - I've been blown away every time I listen.
Here's a quick rundown of my favorite features of the 3C's:
- I work in a noisy office, and once the music is on (even at low levels) all of the outside distractions disappear. This is both good and bad (mostly good). On the upside, I haven ever been so productive. On the downside, people have to make an effort to get my attention.
- I listen predominantly to electronic music - ambient, psy trance, house, techno, etc. These genres are all very reliant on bass, and I can tell you that the 3C's deliver on this front in ways that absolutely astound me. Sync24's [ Source ] is positively magical. At the same time, highs are crystal clear and non-sibilant... very smooth and comfortable.
- The design is really great, although I do wish I could have gotten a little bit of the yellow/white that seems to be common in the Buckeye burl. That said, I love the color of the shell and the finish is amazing. They look very classy and somewhat understated. They're the ones being used as the product photo for this page.
- Getting the CIEMs in and out of my ears took some practice to figure out. Not a good or a bad thing, but it's a thing.
- The amount of detail that these things reveal is incredible. I can't really put it to words, personally, but I am constantly amazed by the smallest of nuances that are now identifiable.
Lastly, I want to identify another huge part of what makes these headphones fantastic... the good people behind the product. Working with Noble to make sure I got what I wanted was easy, professional, and personal. When I received a bad cable with my 3C's initially, I sent an email to Brannan who quickly informed that a new cable was on it's way to my doorstep. It was literally that simple. When we discovered that it had seemingly been lost by UPS, he sent me another one! That cable did arrive and fixed all of my problems. The interactions that I had with Noble are enough for me to say with confidence that I will be returning to them if I should decide to upgrade in the future.
I'm not very experienced with reviewing headphones, but I will say this: These are my first CIEMs, and with this I purchase I experienced a lot of trepidation. I was unsure if I would like CIEMs, mostly because of my universally negative experience with headphones that are not over-ear and open-backed. I'm so glad I took the leap and had these made. It's actually really difficult to imagine that Noble offers models above the 3C - I can't even begin to comprehend how music could sound much better than they do through my 3C's.
I'm saying a lot without really saying much, I suppose. But if you're like me and you're looking to take your first step into the territory of CIEMs, Noble's 3C is a worthwhile consideration - I've been blown away every time I listen.
Here's a quick rundown of my favorite features of the 3C's:
- I work in a noisy office, and once the music is on (even at low levels) all of the outside distractions disappear. This is both good and bad (mostly good). On the upside, I haven ever been so productive. On the downside, people have to make an effort to get my attention.
- I listen predominantly to electronic music - ambient, psy trance, house, techno, etc. These genres are all very reliant on bass, and I can tell you that the 3C's deliver on this front in ways that absolutely astound me. Sync24's [ Source ] is positively magical. At the same time, highs are crystal clear and non-sibilant... very smooth and comfortable.
- The design is really great, although I do wish I could have gotten a little bit of the yellow/white that seems to be common in the Buckeye burl. That said, I love the color of the shell and the finish is amazing. They look very classy and somewhat understated. They're the ones being used as the product photo for this page.
- Getting the CIEMs in and out of my ears took some practice to figure out. Not a good or a bad thing, but it's a thing.
- The amount of detail that these things reveal is incredible. I can't really put it to words, personally, but I am constantly amazed by the smallest of nuances that are now identifiable.
Lastly, I want to identify another huge part of what makes these headphones fantastic... the good people behind the product. Working with Noble to make sure I got what I wanted was easy, professional, and personal. When I received a bad cable with my 3C's initially, I sent an email to Brannan who quickly informed that a new cable was on it's way to my doorstep. It was literally that simple. When we discovered that it had seemingly been lost by UPS, he sent me another one! That cable did arrive and fixed all of my problems. The interactions that I had with Noble are enough for me to say with confidence that I will be returning to them if I should decide to upgrade in the future.
