The Road to the ACS Encore
You do not often hear about ACS, an English company that makes hearing protection as well as in ear monitors. However, they are one of the few companies that make IEMs using silicone. A few years ago, when I wanted to venture into custom IEMs, being concerned about the discomfit and possible fit issues of acrylic customs, I had consulted Claire of Jaben Singapore in respect of my fears. She had assured me that a then little known Japanese company which Wilson and her were then actively promoting outside of Japan, FitEar, had an impeccable record insofar as getting the fit right the time around. But she had another alternative, if that did not assuage my fears, to go silicone.
That was how I came to ACS and the then TOTL 3 driver T1. I bit the bullet and went ahead. If I recall correctly, Claire kindly arranged for Wilson to personally take my ear impressions, who did so with loving care. Within a month or so, I had my first pair of beautifully crafted silicone customs. I have not looked back since then.
The funny thing that happened during that period was that the local daily was working on a story on bespoke consumer products and what was available. So Claire asked me if the journalist working on the story could speak to me about the experience of having ear impressions taken and why I had chosen the customs route. I figured there was no harm. During the interview, when the journalist asked: “Could you tell me how much did the customs cost?” My reply was: “Of course not! My wife would kill me!” Well, the article was published with, inter alia, the story on customs IEMs and quoted the above exchange verbatim… The Mrs never found out because she was safely away in NYC. Though the Mother-in-law did ask one weekend: “Kiat, are you that chap who was interviewed? … Oh! Did the food go down the wrong way?!”…. I live to tell the tale but let that be a lesson to my brethren audiophiles in respect of being candid with journalists…
The ACS T1 is still something I have with me and still works nicely with a wonderful crystal clear yet organic signature. After that, I embarked on my FitEar journey. I was happily living in sonic bliss. Then one fine day in February 2015, DesignManiac dropped a PM. Duncan was positively frothing at the mouth raving about this new custom, the Encore, which ACS had come up with. He had heard them at a show in London. In his words, they were as detailed, spacious and dynamic IEMs he had ever listened to.
The first chance I got I asked Claire about the ACS Encore. At that time, she was still awaiting further details from ACS. However, she could enquire if ACS had retained my earlier impressions for the T1 and if those could be used for the Encore. Once ACS was ready to take orders for the Encore, Jaben Singapore had mine up there in the queue. My pair arrived in Singapore in May 2015, just over a month after the order had been made. It arrived in the same parcel as some of the demos of the new products ACS had come up with.
Technical details
The ACS Encore is a 5 driver, 3 way cross over, custom in ear monitor. It uses medical grade silicone moulds finished off with hard wearing flexible lacquer.
Build Quality
The build quality of the ACS Encore is excellent. The silicone shell is lovingly finished with a hard wearing flexible lacquer. I love the sonic qualities that the silicone imparts to the sound quality of the Encore, as it did with the ACS T1.
I am frankly not sure if you could reshell the Encore seeing that the drivers are embedded in the silicone. Unlike the T1, the Encore comes with Linum Bax detachable cable and socket system and a low profile 3.5mm straight plug. I have since purchased and replaced the stock cable with another Linum Bax cable with a similarly low profile 2.5mm balanced plug.
Comfort and Isolation
The ACS T1 and Encore are both beautiful fits. The wonderful thing about silicone is because of the give that the material has, the seal is impressive. Better than even my FitEar customs. ACS used the same impression which had been previously used when I made the T1 and so unsurprisingly the fit was perfect as it had been previously. Once you get used to silicone, which is a little bit more difficult to handle and slip on than acrylic, you can slip the Encore on in a jiffy. Once on, I can wear them throughout a long haul flight, eat my meals, lie back and all that without being reminded of their presence in the conch of my ears.
I have often been asked if having a pair of silicone customs are challenging in the hot humid weather of Singapore. All I will say is I have no idea where people get their ideas from… This is medical grade silicone, not the industrial silicone adhesive you use to seal tiles and windows… And the answer is no, there are no issues. None of my silicone customs have melted in my ears while I am standing here near the Equator.
The isolation offered by the ACS Encore is impeccable. There is practically no noise leakage from the outside world.
Music Genres
I’ll admit it: I am a music person. I listen to most genres of music and the size of my music library, being more than 12 TB, is testament to that. However, the music must be good and it must move me.
The ACS Encore is pretty versatile. Thus far it sounds good with most genres I have thrown at it. The only caveat may be orchestral music: somehow the slight warmth of the IEM does tend to obscure the treble extension and make the soundstage smaller than optimal for orchestral music.
But with anything else, the Encore is really enjoyable. If you happen to be on the same fight as me, or stuck in the same crummy airport lounge, and you see me leaning back and looking absolutely chill and relaxed, it is likely that I have the ACS Encore in my ears.
Sound Quality
When I first received the ACS T1, I was astonished at its sound quality: it was crystal clear and yet organic. The only thing I wished for a bit more oomph in the bass. There is a sonic god after all: the Encore had two drivers dedicated to bass.
The Encore is crystal clear but slightly warm. While the trebles are pristine, there is a slight roll off. The mids are lush and sweet. The bass has excellent presence while having very nice decay. All this adds up to a very organic and lush sound signature. What is particularly striking, and perhaps surprising, about the Encore is the soundstage is excellent: it is deep, layered while being wide. There are times when I still shake my head in disbelief at what I just heard. I suspect that the added bass aids the creation of a 3D soundstage. And did I say it was a very organic sound? That I think is a characteristic of silicone customs as I had the same sense with the preceding T1 customs.
I would sum up the sound signature of the Encore as an organic and realistic sound. Short of orchestral music, the ACS Encore is a musical experience which can prove to be very enjoyable, addictive even.
Pairing
The only IEMs in my stable that can compete with the ACS Encore for such realism would be the Tralucent Ref1 Too and the FitEar MH335DW. In fact, it has supplanted the MH335DW in the pecking order to be only behind the incredible Ref1 Too.
I currently run the Encore with the Linum Bax balanced cable with 2.5mm plug. Because it uses the Linum Bax connectors, I have not explored the use of third party cables with the Encore. Some may see that as a disadvantage of the Encore.
Because the Encore is slightly warm and is organic in its signature, it does very well with the Lotoo Paw Gold, the Lotoo Paw 5000, the AK240. It even does a pretty competent job with the Tera Player.
Conclusion
I am glad that Duncan had sent that PM to me and alerted me on the ACS Encore. My prayers had been answered. I now luxuriate in the organic bliss that is the ACS Encore.
