New custom IEM company - Custom Art: discussion, review, and impressions thread
Jul 21, 2017 at 5:49 AM Post #3,961 of 4,065
I own the 1More and several Custom Art models, so I'd like to chime in. It seems like you're a big fan of the 1More since you cited its tuning by an Italian Grammy winning sound engineer. I'm positive a lot of companies have renowned sound engineers on their teams, they just don't need to market that information as aggressively as a newer company. I'm also a bit confused about the sound signature you're looking for, and I also think you might be misinformed about a few things.

A three driver IEM isn't necessarily better than a one driver; it's a misconception that more drivers = better. One of the most famous and beloved IEMs on Head-Fi is the Etymotic ER4S, which has just one driver (although it is a $300 product). It's a neutral/analytical IEM though, and it seems like you prefer v-shaped IEMs like the 1More, so I'm not sure if that would be something you would like.

Also, be wary of comparing graphs from different sources. Different reviewers will measure IEMs differently, so it's not right to compare a graph from Headflux with a graph from Custom Art. Maybe find a source with measurements of the IEMs you want to compare, like @crinacle's thread. His 1More and Ei.xx graphs are quite similar, except the Ei.xx appears to have smoother treble.

As you already mentioned, graphs don't tell the entire story; tuning matters much more. 1More has like a +10dB bass boost but it doesn't necessarily feel that way because of how fast it decays. It has elevated treble, which can contribute to clarity and separation, but that can be fatiguing for some over longer periods of listening, and you can have great clarity and separation through good tuning, rather than elevated treble. It's interesting that a lot of the reviews on Head-Fi state that the 1More is a balanced IEM, even though its graph shows it's quite v-shaped (which I agree with). In general, the average consumer appreciates a v-shaped sound, because elevated bass (for the wub wub wub and thump thump thump) and treble (for the feeling of clarity) can be appreciated more readily than a well-tuned midrange. The average consumer also won't be wearing their headphones for hours on end, so treble fatigue isn't as much of an issue. That's why the 1More is tuned as v-shaped: to have an very agreeable sound. At its $100 price point, it is still catering quite a bit to a casual audience. You can give a more casual listener a very expensive balanced/neutral IEM without telling them what it is, and they might find it boring and might even prefer the 1More's v-shaped tuning.

I own the 1More too and I think it's very fun, and a great IEM, especially for $100, but in my opinion, it's overhyped as one of the best IEMs in recent memory, when I think it's just one of the best IEMs for its price in recent memory. I'm relieved it's still less hyped than the TFZ Series 3 (look that one up for some laughs). I'm not satisfied with how quickly the 1More's bass decays, but more importantly, I think its midrange sounds slightly hollow and less lifelike (perhaps I'm spoiled by Custom Art products, which have some of the best midrange tuning you'll find anywhere). Then again, it all comes down to personal preference, and the 1More might even be end-game for a lot of people out in the wild.

Apologies for the long message! The 1More is a steal at $100, but I think you're putting a bit too much stock in its capabilities, especially compared to Custom Art products, which are steals in their own right and are tuned with very different intentions, for a very different audience.
Hi there,

Among Custom Art entry-level CIEM in specific and among other entry-level CIEM in general, which are the ones with good separation and soundstage? I mainly listen to Yuki Kajiura, whose OSTs and songs are always multi-layered with different instruments coming from different regions of the soundstage. The vocals are 3 singers, almost like a Soprano, an Alto, and a Tenor (despite all are girls) singing different pitches, different lyrics at the same time (eg. here ).

Thanks
 
Jul 21, 2017 at 8:29 AM Post #3,962 of 4,065
@guisess93 I listening Kalafina and Yuki Kajiura too, and other anision like Aimer, Sawano, Yuki Hayashi, Yoko Kanno. For my the best for you will be Pro330v2, good SQ, separation, layers and natural sounds, second place FIBAE 2. Ei.3 and Harmony bass is very weak for this music, FIBAE 1 not enough bass.

Maybe Anzu will be best for this music, but I no listen this CIEM.
 
Jul 21, 2017 at 10:31 AM Post #3,963 of 4,065
@guisess93 I listening Kalafina and Yuki Kajiura too, and other anision like Aimer, Sawano, Yuki Hayashi, Yoko Kanno. For my the best for you will be Pro330v2, good SQ, separation, layers and natural sounds, second place FIBAE 2. Ei.3 and Harmony bass is very weak for this music, FIBAE 1 not enough bass.

Maybe Anzu will be best for this music, but I no listen this CIEM.
huh I thought Ei.3 is strong at bass?
 
Jul 21, 2017 at 2:14 PM Post #3,967 of 4,065
Ei.3 have too much bass. On song like "Ongaku" especially live, "Consolation" sounds very boomy, no layers, no quality. And vocals there are the worst from CA CIEM.

Listening Kalafina you should choice IEM/CIEM which a very good layering, resolution, and quality on vocals. For me Harmony 8.2 are the best vocals and mids, but when I listening "Ongaku" from 8th live bass was boomy, but quality/layering are better than Ei.3. That's why I don't like Harmony 8.2.

If you like bass, and quality mids and treble aren't a priority choose Ei.3, but if you like natural sound with very good vocals and mids choice Pro330v2 or Ei3.
Check all this models on https://thecustomart.com/compare/.
 
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Jul 22, 2017 at 3:00 AM Post #3,970 of 4,065
Pro330 is a studio monitor, right? I guess it's meant to be more sterile than fun...

I'm looking forward to its FIBAE update, though. It's been a while since Custom Art has made a neutral/reference IEM, and FIBAE would be very fitting tech for a studio monitor.
 
Jul 22, 2017 at 3:23 AM Post #3,971 of 4,065
Owww.. come on... bass without sufficient decay is like waffle without ice cream..

Incomplete.. lol.
I totally understand that - notice that Pro330 has fastest bass response, because it's a tool not really an audiophile earphone. I like to believe that each model in the line up should present different qualities and that's how I design IEMs. You might not like short bass decay but artist singing on the stage will require something completely different.
Pro330 is a studio monitor, right? I guess it's meant to be more sterile than fun...

I'm looking forward to its FIBAE update, though. It's been a while since Custom Art has made a neutral/reference IEM, and FIBAE would be very fitting tech for a studio monitor.
By all means Pro330 is not sterile/neutral, it's actually quite colored monitor (especially with vocals) but it's just very very fast and highly revealing. Pro330 tuning is rather untypical and directed towards narrow audience requiring specific tuning.
 
Jul 22, 2017 at 3:48 AM Post #3,972 of 4,065
I had a two years Pro330 and I still love sounds signature, because there are combine musicality with technical playing, like Peter wrote above. Vocals very quality, layering and musicality, bass is technical, fulfilled body and with good textures, highs clear, resolution, but not sharp. That I recommended Pro330v2 to listening Kalafina and other Anison.
 
Jul 22, 2017 at 4:36 AM Post #3,973 of 4,065
By all means Pro330 is not sterile/neutral, it's actually quite colored monitor (especially with vocals) but it's just very very fast and highly revealing. Pro330 tuning is rather untypical and directed towards narrow audience requiring specific tuning.

Ahhh, that makes sense. ljokerl and Massdrop used "neutral" to describe it, but Lachlan (whose reviews I like) said it sounded strange... I'm really interested now so I'll have to give it a listen.
 
Jul 24, 2017 at 12:27 AM Post #3,974 of 4,065
I just saw this beauty:



Found here: https://thecustomart.com/gallery/#jp-carousel-2051

Oh my lord! What an awesome face plate, that's pure art! Who ever is the owner, his Anime taste is great. That must be Kaori and Kousei from one of the most beatiful anime Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso!!! I'm so jealous now, time for a re-shell of my Harmony 8.2 and Tora, haha:innocent:
totally agreed with you about the beauty of the CIEM. But personally, I dont like the anime. The death of the girl is predictable, and I extremely hate it when I was enjoying the pieces the characters were playing and then random thoughts from random people kept flying in and INTERRUPTING my music listening experience =.=
 
Jul 24, 2017 at 12:51 AM Post #3,975 of 4,065
I'll give you more. I'll do FIBAE Dual vs Ei.xx vs Music One vs ACS Encore vs AAW W500 vs AAW M20. Working on it :D.


Yep, figured those out too. It's great actually, the sound match my preference a lot. The final custom sound better vs demo.

That resistive driver property, which is FIBAE main selling point, really works.

FIBAE sound signature is consistent across all of my sources i.e. iPhone 6s, iPod Touch 5th, iPod Nano 6th, Macbook Pro (yea, I'm an Apple freak), FiiO Q1, Shanling M1, AK100ii. However, SQ still scales up; better source renders more detail and that airy feeling. It also retains its balanced-ish signature in the gym at spinning class, where we use earpiece to listen at workout tracks. I don't prefer this, because I need that THUMP... Ei.xx will still be my go-to gym earpiece.
Hi there again,
Have you done with your review comparing those CIEMs?
 

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