Reviews by kimvictor

kimvictor

Headphoneus Supremus
Pros: Forward Signature, Price, Fit, Accessories
Cons: Peak, Sound Stage

Introduction

 
It has been a while since I published a review on Head-fi. For the last few years, I’ve been occupied writing reviews for higher end IEMs for another website. Nevertheless, I was recently approached by a representative from Mixcder, asking me to join a group of reviewers reviewing their new low-end IEM, the X5. While I’ve moved on to higher end IEMs, I nevertheless take joy in owning a handful of lower-end IEMs as they are easily replaceable. For instance, I would never carry my CIEMs on me on a rainy day or when I’m working out, and this is where lower end, aka “beater”, IEMs come in. However, even for “beater” IEMs, I believe that audio quality should be held to a certain standard. After all, we are all audiophiles.
 
Before I start the review, I will openly and clearly state that the X5 was provided to me free of charge for review purposes and that I do not have any personal/business relations to Mixcder. On the other hand, I also warn the readers to take my review with a grain of salt as I merely spent a week with the X5. I generally prefer to have at least two weeks of use before I publish a review, but Mixcder requested that I write a review within a week or so.
 

[size=20.007px][size=20.007px] 20170418_175844.jpg[/size][/size]

 

Review

 
The X5 arrives in a simple white/blue box, somewhat reminiscent of Amazon’s frustration free packaging. The box opens easily, and the contents of the box, while not displayed pompously, are organized and packed well. The X5 ships with a sturdy hard shell case, a cable clip, four pairs of ear tips (including a pair of double flange), and two pairs of ear guides.
 
The case, which comes with a nifty small carabineer, can easily be attached to your backpack if you wish to do so. Frankly, I tend to shove my IEMs in my blazer pocket, so the case isn’t much use to me on a daily basis, but X5’s cases are, without a doubt, one of the more sturdy and roomy cases I’ve seen. The cable clip can be used to reduce touch noise or pulling, as the cables are on the stiffer side. However, since the IEMs themselves tend to fit rather well, I found the touch noise to be manageable even without the cable clip.
 
The silicon tips included are fairly standard, although the blue termination at the bore end is a chic color choice. The included tips should fit most users, and if you find the medium sized tips to fit well, you should also give the double flanged tips a shot. Generally speaking, I find double flanged tips to isolate a tad bit more than single flanged tips. The ear guides, on the other hand, are one of the major selling points of the X5, in my opinion. Simply put, these ear guides work. They anchor the IEMs into your concha, as do CIEMs. In fact, I find the X5 with the ear guides to stay in my ears almost as well as my CIEMs do. Sure, a strong tug on the cables will dislodge the IEMs from your ears, but the X5 should stay in your ears even through your hardest workouts. This sturdy insertion also allows for a solid seal, providing decent isolation for a dynamic IEM. I estimate around 16dB of isolation (as a reference, Etys isolate up to 32dB and most BA IEMs isolate around 20-26dB).
 
The IEMs also come attached with mic/remote combo found in many other IEMs. The remote functions perfectly on the Galaxy S7, and the buttons are clicky (whether this is a pro or a con would depend on the user preference). The mic was used multiple times in phone/skype calls, and no major issues were found. The X5 provides satisfying calling quality (although the mics were not as exceptional as that of Focal Sphears).
 
On the other hand, the X5, while seemingly made for a smartphone, has an extremely low SPL of 83dB. Thankfully, the low(16ohm) resistance counteracts this, making the X5 driveable from a regular smartphone. The X5 also doesn’t seem to be impacted by high output impedance, given that OI is within a reasonable range(0-20ohm).
 
In terms of sound, the X5 presents a forward, bass heavy sound.
 
The lower end of the spectrum is boosted heavily; I suspect about 15dB with diffuse field compensation. That being said, the X5 has enough bass to satisfy most bass heads, except the most hardcore ones. Sub bass seems to extend as deep as my test tracks called for, and mid bass punches were powerful and satisfying. Decay is on the longer side, and the speed wasn’t as impressive as that of BA IEMs, yet, the X5 provides a satisfying, echoing bass.
 
I was initially a little worried about the transition from bass to mids, as strong bass tends to bleed into the mids, making the vocals/guitars sound muffled. Generally speaking, I found no significant bass bleeds, although the bleeding was noticeable on certain bass heavy tracks(Daft Punk’s Doin’ it Right, for instance). However, with a forward signature, the X5 also presents rich mids. Vocals are never recessed and are generally fun to listen to. However, if you speak from an audio absolutist point of view (disregarding the price), the X5’s mids are noticeably colored and grainy. Such coloration and grains are to be expected, and I found other IEMs in the similar price range (Soundmagics and Xiaomis, for instance), to have similar issues as well.
 
While transitioning from mids to treble, I picked up a peak. Peaks are very common amongst IEMs(or any audio receiver really), so it wasn’t a surprise I picked one up. From the short time I’ve spent listening to the X5, I concluded that the peak was on the narrower side, although fairly tall. This, in other words, means that there is a small range of lower-treble frequency that will be significantly boosted, and hence will be shrill or sharp. I found this to be of no particular concern in most tracks, although the X5 really suffered on few tracks (Rolling Stone’s Rocks Off and Queen’s Don’t Stop Me Now, for instance). Upper treble seems to be decently extended, which is just enough for a $17 IEM.
 
Overall clarity is decent, and details are ample. Keep in mind that this comparison is only valid for IEMs in similar price range. Overall sound is colored, although tastefully so. When I first heard the X5, I was reminded of (once mine) Sony XBA-Z5. The X5 has a similar forwardness to the sound as the Z5. If you enjoy a forward and engaging signature, you’ll find the X5 to suit you quite well. However, if you’re looking for a neutral or wide sounding IEM, the X5 might not be your cup of tea. Besides the peak, the only other issue I had with the X5 was the sound stage. Sound stage is small, especially for a dynamic IEM. Stereo separation is present, but the forwardness of the IEMs don’t allow for much breathing room, something I believe is necessary for a wide sound stage.
 
 

Conclusion

 
While I forced myself to listen to the technical aspect of the IEM for review/analysis purposes, I plan on ditched the objective side of the analysis to close this review.
 
Whenever manufacturers ask me to review a product (especially lower end products), I always beg them to not bother sending the IEMs to me if they can't stand behind the sound quality, as it is really awkward to publish a bad review. Thankfully, I really do enjoy the X5. The X5, priced at $16.99, is cheap, sturdy, and fun. What more could you ask for in a lower end IEM? The X5 is, technically speaking, pretty good. But who cares about the technical capability of a $17 sports IEM? All of my IEMs in my current collection (except my “beater” collection) easily triumphs the X5 in terms of technicality, and most of the readers, I suspect, will own a higher end IEM. What matters is that the X5 is packed with forwardness that makes music exciting and joyful.
 

References

The following gears were used alongside with and as references for the review:
Samsung Galaxy S7
Astell & Kern Jr.
Ultimate Ears Reference Monitors
Focal Sphears
Sennheiser HD800
Xiaomi Pistons 3
SoundMagic PL30
LG Quadbeats 2
 
20170418_181736.jpg
20170418_181801.jpg

kimvictor

Headphoneus Supremus
Pros: Solid build, great look, decent comfort, great SQ once EQed
Cons: Not so great SQ before EQ.
Read the full review here!
http://www.head-fi.org/t/809194/review-t-peos-rasiel

kimvictor

Headphoneus Supremus
Pros: Comfort, Smooth sound, build, looks, most things.
Cons: Slight lack of isolation(when compared to pleather or leather)
Full Review Here.
http://www.head-fi.org/t/702042/shure-srh1540-full-review

kimvictor

Headphoneus Supremus
Pros: Neutral sound without peak/dips. Detail, Clarity, Sound...
Cons: Cable? Deep insertion?
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kimvictor

Headphoneus Supremus
Pros: Great features and usability as well as decent sound.
Cons: Cable, mic.
Read my full review!
http://www.head-fi.org/t/686221/new-voxoa-hd-wireless-headphones-thread-bluetooth-4-0-nfc-16-hours-of-battery
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kimvictor

Headphoneus Supremus
Pros: Rockbox, Portability, SQ, Battery life
Cons: Easily Scratched, Availability
About myself: http://www.head-fi.org/t/674373/story-of-a-new-reviewer-kimvictor
 
If anyone followed my thread or Pic of Portable Rig thread, I bought a Sansa Fuze v2 8GB recently. I bought it at a thrift shop for $28 new. Heck of a deal.
 
Info: Sansa Fuze v2 is a updated version of Sansa Fuze, and has better battery. Other components remained the same. They are currently replaced by Fuze+, which imo, is not good. Fuze and Fuze v2 both have physical volume wheel while Fuze+ has really annoying touch pads. I also had a Sansa Clip Zip, but I prefer Fuze v2 over it. If you want one, you should search on ebay. Amazon sells them for $150, but that's not a fair price. Ebay has couple used ones for $40-60. I was just really lucky to find one at a store.
 
Build/Design:
Simple. It looks nice, and the wheels have blue lighting. You are able to turn the light off if you don't like it. Overall very small and light, but the screen does scratch easily. The wheels are really quick and sensitive, which is good for me. Build quality is solid.
 
Features:
A mic: It's a rather good one. Good sensitivity and fair clarity. Mono mic though.
Micro SD slot: Good god! I love it. I don't know why ipods don't have this. This is heavenly if you have lots of music.
LOD: You heard it right. Fuze and Fuze v2 are only Sansa DAPs with a line out. This is great for amp users. I haven't tried them yet though.
Volume wheel: Physical wheels that shines(actually)! Blue light is really cool to look at in the dark. You may choose to turn them off. They are very fast, so you can quickly find your music.
Rockbox: Custom skins, EQ, Crossfeed, and more.
 
 
UI:
Original UI is horrible. You need rockbox. I don't think I need to review rockbox here. It's simply great. Custom skins and stuff. They are also much faster and responsive with rockbox. It's a little bit work to install rockbox though.
 
SQ:
Overall, they have low impedance output(this is my guess) and clean sound. Almost all music files are supported, so Flac users can be happy!
 
Bass: Sub-bass lacks bit of depth. Mid bass is neutral. Has decent impact and speed.
Mids: Neutral but smooth and sweet. They actually remove a bit of sibilance. This results in very sweet mids without harshness.
Treble: Flat and good. It's very airy(maybe my UERM is). Overall inoffensive, but it doesn't roll off or lack presence.
Soundstage: Ultra wide and airy. Fuze v2 rivals AK100 in this regard. This is very surprising, as it is better than any DAP I've heard under $200.
Imaging: Decent. They place things in the right place, but it's not so clear.
Clarity: Fuze v2 is uncolored, and has good clarity.
Driving power: They should be able to drive any iems fine. But full sized and some portable hps might want bit more juice.
 
 
Pics coming soon!
kimvictor
kimvictor
@tdockweiler
It's probably because there aren't many sansa fuze left. Ebay ones are kind of expensive to. They cost more than the Fuze v2(for me at least).
BucketInABucket
BucketInABucket
Macklemore approves.
 
On another note, that's an insane price for a good DAP like this, congratulations! 
kimvictor
kimvictor
@BucketInABucket
 
thanks!

kimvictor

Headphoneus Supremus

kimvictor

Headphoneus Supremus
Pros: Very good clarity and bass impact
Cons: Soundstage and Dip and Peak
About myself: http://www.head-fi.org/t/674373/story-of-a-new-reviewer-kimvictor
 
So, as I promised on H-200 tread, I'm writing a review on the H-200. H-200 has been controversial because some claim it to be the greatest thing ever created, while some say they don't measure well. These are my impressions on them. I'll start with a pic.

 
Priced at around 230,000won, or roughly $200USD, it is a very good iem. However, availability is limited. Also, pricing in US and countries besides Korea is rather high. They are still worthy of the cost imo.
 
H-200 is a 3 way hybrid design iem, with a dynamic driver for bass, and a TWFK for mid and treble. Considering that other hybrids costs $600+, this iem is very attractive.
 
I'll start my review form factors and comfort.
Design: Fairly stylish with a red cable and a black cable. Only available in black as of now.
Build Quality: A big plus for the replaceable cable. Upgrade cables should be available soon. Overall build is very solid but the filter/mesh seems kind of fragile.
Comfort: These iems are rather big. I used medium olives with SE535, but I have to use small tips for these. They do fit fine though.
In-the-box: Various tips. 1 pair of foam tips. 2 cables(black cable with remote and red cable). Leather case. Shirt clip. Warrenty/Manual
 
Now the sound. I'm breaking the sound section into multiple sections.
Gears used: AK100, Leckerton UHA-6S.MKII, GS3
 
Sub-bass: As expected of a dynamic driver, H-200 has very deep and powerful sub bass. Bass has power and punch.
Mid-bass: Mid bass is punchy and quick, but I feel like it's too powerful for my taste. These iems are not for those looking for neutral or light bass.
Lower mids: Very slightly recessed. Not recessed like Triple Fi, which is constantly compared against H-200.
Upper mids: This is the problematic part. Overall, they are good. Very clear upper mids, but there is a harsh metalic sound that is caused by a big peak. There also is a big dip, causing certain voices to sound recessed.
Lower treble: Bit harsh, but maintains clarity. Forward lower treble.
Upper mids: Decently extended, and clear, but lacks air.
Clarity: Main selling point of this iem. TWFK is known for their clarity, and H-200 is not a exception. Think of H-200 as B2 or any TWFK based iem with much better bass. Very impressed.
Detail: Fair. Not exceptional, but nothing under average. I change my mind. It has good detail. Good micro detail. I didn't realize this until I compared it to other $200 iems. Before, I compared H-200 with my UERM and SE535, which are well detailed.
Soundstage: Fairly limited. Lacks air in treble and decay in mids. However, it's average for an iem. I've heard iems with better soundstage(TF10 and MDR7550), but it can be a lot worse.
 
About Peak&Dip:
H-200 has a certain frequency region that is extremely recessed, or a dip in it's upper mids. It also has a region that is extremely forward, or a peak in it's upper mids as well. This causes some female vocals to sound recessed and others to sound metalic/harsh. This is just about the only flaw in this iem, but it's a major flaw.
 
Burning in:
Some head-fiers claimed that burning the H-200 in helps reducing the peak and dip noticeably. However, although I've burned in my H-200 for 50 hours, no audible changes happened. Now, you might claim I have a terrible hearing or something, but I doubt it. I'm a high school student and measurements shows that I have above average hearing in upper mids and treble range.
 
*Tip: Using black tips as opposed to translucent tips helps in reducing the peak.
 
Now the fun part. IEM vs IEM part.
 
H-200 vs Triple Fi.
These two were compared frequently for having similar signature. I feel like they are very different iems. H-200 has better bass impact and slightly more forward mids while Triple Fi has much better soundstage with more recessed mid. Both do have good bass and aggressive treble though. H-200 edges the Triple Fi in terms of clarity.
 
H-200 vs SE535
SE535 is much more expensive, but I felt like H-200 could compete against it. SE535 is much smoother and softer sounding with better imaging/soundstage and detail. However, H-200 has better bass extension as well as clarity. Much better clarity on H-200. Also, treble is more extended on H-200.
 
H-200 vs W4
Sorry. But no real comparison here. While W4 may not be as smooth as SE535, it has bass extension and clarity that SE535 lacked. Therefore, W4 beats the H-200 in almost all aspects.
 
H-200 vs MDR7550
Similarly priced, but different iems. H-200 is more V shaped while 7550 has it's focus on great mid and bass. Detail and clarity wise, H-200 is better. However, 7550 has much better soundstage as well as mids. Bass has much more punchy as feel on 7550. I consider 7550 to have the best bass amongst all iems I've heard. H-200 has good bass, but 7550 is better imo.
 
 
I think I was bit harsh in judging this iem. However, I can say for sure that if you are looking for a fun bassy sound with very good clarity, H-200 is one of the best choice. It has one of the best clarity I've heard from any universal iems along with a very solid bass.
 

 
Sorry if you wanted more info on H-200. If you do want more opinion, feel free to ask for it.
I tried to keep this brief, so it's not boring to read. This review will be updated whenever I feel like I should update it.
 
*I have no affiliation with T-PEOS. I don't have any reasons to hate or like a specific company. Just saying.
 
* 8/4/13 I've updated the review few times. Currently, I decided to burn them in for additional 20 hrs to see if the peak settles. This review will be updated soon.
 
*Please Read:
A Major Update!
I filled the tips of my H-200 with a ball of tissue, and the sound sig drastically changed. Mids are much thicker and richer and the peak has disappeared. The bass also increases and treble becomes smoother. This also allowed a wider soundstage for what ever reason. With this mod, I would rate the H-200 4.75/5. The score of H-200 will be readjusted to 4.5 starts instead of 4.
 
Updated Again! 10/6/13. Updated info on vs MDR7550 part. Now that I own a MDR7550, I changed my mind about the comparison.
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kimvictor
kimvictor
Hmm. That's how I felt at first. More and more I use them, more and more I notice harshness. The dip isn't terrible. It's the peak that causes harshness.
MadMusicJunkie
MadMusicJunkie
I am an owner of the H-200's. They were easily acquired through a 3rd party vendor on Amazon. I also have the PFE232's, which I think go along beautifully. I nearly sold these and moved on, but I took one more listen and held onto them.  I agree; good clarity, great bass, and a fun listen. The soundstage was a little lacking as was instrument separation. Then, something interesting happened.
I was digging through my drawers in my office where I stumbled across the unmistakable double-flanged eartips from Yamaha EPH100's. I decided, what the hay... they barely clicked on, were a little wobbly, but they didn't just drop right off of the H-200's.  I formed a nice seal, and BOOM!  Suddenly, the sound greatly opened up on these.  It seemed the musicians each took two steps away from each other while the bass still rumbled.  I'm writing this, not to say the sound was total audio nirvana, but NOT trying to have these shoved into the ear canals while having a greatly widened tubing on the tip makes good improvements toward rectifying these fun gadgets' faults; In My Opinion, of course. I do have to be a tad gentle when removing the bud from my ear so that the tip doesn't decide to make a home in my canal.
kimvictor
kimvictor
@MadMusicJunkie 
H-200 are indeed very tip dependent. I would like to try more tips, but it's gone now. Now I have MDR-7550 and FXZ200. The shouty upper mids weren't for me.

kimvictor

Headphoneus Supremus
Pros: Cheap. Clean. Light. Fashionable. Soundstage
Cons: Hard to fit, Lacks bass extension
About myself: http://www.head-fi.org/t/674373/story-of-a-new-reviewer-kimvictor
 
So, I'm used to reviewing more high end things, and I don't have much experience with lower end iems. However, when I bought the T-PEOS H-200, I was given a B-100. I was too busy with H-200 till recently, when I tried the B-100. I was surprised, in a good way. So here comes my review:
 
I'll start with pics.

20130627_235832.jpg
B-100 and its contents. AK100 and Leckerton UHA-6S.MKII are sadly not included.
20130627_235924.jpg
Comparison with T-PEOS's flagship, H-200. B-100 is on the right.
20130627_235938.jpg
As you might notice, they are fashionable, unlike most BA iems that I know.
20130628_000032.jpg
B-100 with AK100+Leckerton UHA-6S.MKII. A marvelous set up. Oops! Wrong pic. That's the H-200, not the B-100.

 
Here is my break down. (This is the typical thing I do for reviews) (BA stands for Balanced Armateur. In this case, it's a Knowles BA)
My reference is UERM. (Check my sig for review on the UERM)
 
T-PEOS B-100
Price: 27,000won, shipping included. About 23-25 USD.
Comfort: Decent. I have weird ears, so I have issues with them staying in my ear, but it's comfy.
Build: Solid. The connection by the iems seems a bit flimsy, but overall very good.
Amping/Source: I used AK100+Leckerton UHA-6S.MKII for this review. Haven't tried anything else yet, because I love that set up.
Sound:
Sub-bass: This iem was tuned with about 8db bass boost, yet it lacks real deep extension.
Mid-bass: Surprisingly very good. I expected crappy loose bass, but the bass is very tight and punchy. Also has good amount of mid bass.
Lower-mids: Flat. There is nothing too special. Bit grainy.
Upper-mids: Slightly forward and shouty. I like it this way though.
Lower-treble: Slightly shouty but has good presence and clarity.
Upper-treble: Surprisingly extended and clean, typical of BA.
Clarity: This is why I'm reviewing this iem. BAs are known to be clear, but iems like SE535 proved that claim wrong. However, B-100 made me reconsider that claim. Very good clarity, especially for less than $30. I have heard nothing at this price with such good clarity.
Detail: Decent. Definitely above average for a $25 iem.
Soundstage: Wide. It has a bit of reverb, creating a specious feel. This may be bad, but considering that this iem wasn't made for reference purposes, this reverb makes the sound much more enjoyable.

 
So it's a stylish mainstream iem tuned for more audiophile sound. It's know to be one of the best price/performance iem in Korea. Considering the price of this iem, it is truly a great buy(although I got it for free).
 
Please ask if you have any qustions.
kimvictor
kimvictor
But T Peos included a frequency chart with the iem, ao my 8db reference is coming from the graph.
lilboozy
lilboozy
is the chart available online?
kimvictor
kimvictor
No idea. Sorry. I think it is on t peos website.

kimvictor

Headphoneus Supremus
Pros: Spectacular bass, rich mids. Supreme clarity and detail. Isolation.
Cons: Small soundstage, clamping
Simply spectacular phones.
 
DT1350 is a very unique headphone with a warmish natural sound. I am yet to hear anything like this. It has very punchy as satisfying bass, rich yet not too forward mids, and smooth and extended highs. However, what is important is the clarity and detail. DT1350 is better than SE535, costing $200 more, in terms of detail and clarity.
 
About myself: http://www.head-fi.org/t/674373/story-of-a-new-reviewer-kimvictor
 
Here is by break down:
Sub bass: Well extended and deep
Mid bass: Punchy and impactful
Lower mid: Slightly thick and rich
Upper mid: Clear and slightly forward
Lower treble: Clean and detailed.
Upper Treble: Well extended and smooth, but lacks air.
 
Soundstage: Small. More like an iem than a headphone.
Clarity: Very good. Although not at the level of SRH940, it's better than SE535 and M50.
Detail: Very good as well. One of the best details I've heard. Slightly less detail than SRH940.
Isolation: Good. Almost iem level isolation, but comes with sacrifices.
Clamping: This is the sacrifice. It's tight. For the first month, I felt pain in my ears, but it's getting better.
Source/Amping: I didn't think that it really benefited much from Magni/Modi, but it may be due to bad synergy. I'll report back once I have Leckerton UHA-6S MKII.
 
Just last week, I decided sell most of my gear besides ones I love to fund a amp/dac for my UERM. I sold SE535, AD700, M50, X20 and kept SRH940 and DT1350. There is a clear reason. They are just simply class above everything I've sold. Very impressed.
 
Update: For got to mention other portables. I was also looking at momentum, hd-25ii, and esw9a. Momentum failed as it was bit too bassy and didn't have that mid I was looking for. It did have pretty good clarity and detail. HD-25II seemed fun, but didn't fit with my acoustic music. ESW9a was most considered, buy it had rather bad clarity, so I dropped it. 
Also, I have to mention that DT1350 sounds very full, which is a good thing for me.
 
Update 5/22/13:
Thankfully, it pairs well with Leckerton UHA-6S.MKII. These Leckertons are awesome. They deserve more recognition.
 
Update 5/27/13:
Siblilance: DT1350 is the least sibilant of all gears I own. Amount of sibilance is similar to HD598, which has close to 0 sibilance.
 
Update: 6/2/13:
DT1350 compared to other hps: http://www.head-fi.org/t/665919/100-300-headphones-shootout-ath-m50-vs-ath-ad700-vs-hd598-vs-srh940-vs-dt1350-v6-coming-soon#post_9492283
 
Update: 6/18/13
Price on these are dropping! New version of them are out. They have bigger earpads, replaceable headband, and coiled cable. No difference in drivers though. I'm adjusting the value because it's cheaper now!
 
Please ask if you have any questions.
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ayaflo
ayaflo
sorry, but how does detailing get 'worse' ? it can get lesser or better .. but worse ?
kimvictor
kimvictor
Wrong phrasing. I meant that there is less detail than SRH940. Sorry for the confusion. I'll edit it.

kimvictor

Headphoneus Supremus
Pros: Great SQ, Sound stage, Case, Customer Service, Refit, Driveablitiy... more
Cons: Some air bubbles in ciem
I wonder why UERM is often disregarded when picking from $1000 range. I'm guessing that it's due to "only" having 3 drivers, versus having 8 drivers per side. I can say with confidence that driver number does not equal sound quality(for the most part). Another reason I see why UERM might not be picked is its sound sig. It's perfectly flat. Personally, I love this. Reference sound with naturalness. Call it "the Neutrality King". 
 
2013-06-1223.30.54.jpg
 
About myself: http://www.head-fi.org/t/674373/story-of-a-new-reviewer-kimvictor
 
Gears used in this review: Leckerton UHA-6S.MKII, AK100, Modi, Magni, E7, GS3, Clip Zip.
 
Intro: UERM is a ciem that is heavily dependent on source(not amp) and recording. UERM reveals any coloration, mistakes, defects from your set up. That being said, having a good source and high quality music is highly recommended. The best I've heard is AK100+Leckerton with MQS music.
 
Amping/Source: As I mentioned, UERM is heavily dependent on source. With a bassy source, they are bassy. With a bright source, they are bright. That being said, it is good to have a neutral source. They also have to have a weird impedance curve, causing them to be hard to drive. Now, they might be loud without an amp, but the sound sig changes without a good amp. Also, UERM is sensitive to impedance, so I recommend using a source with less than 3ohms. With AK100(22ohm), the UERM looses treble. An amp may be used to negate the high impedance though.
 
Here is my break down: UERM is almost totally flat.
Sub-bass: Very very good. Great extension and presence. Bass is very deep and powerful. Speed is great as well. This is the kind of bass you would want.
Mid-bass: Flat. This is the part that people like emphasis on, but there is no emphasis. It's present and punchy imo. The bass is again, speedy. It leaves good sense of speed.
Lower-mid: I don't listen to many musics with lower mids, but they have good clarity and detail.
Upper-mid: Very clean, detailed, emotional.
Lower treble: It can be little harsh, but not as harsh as SRH940. It's not rolled off, and is clean, airy, and detailed.
Upper treble: Superb extension with sense of air and detail.
Clarity: Best I've heard yet.
Detail: Best I've heard.
Sound stage: They are the best IEM when it comes to soundstage. I recently noticed that they are actually wider than SRH940, a full sized closed back.
Naturalness: UERM is a kind of ciem that sounds "real". Some argue that colored phones sound more natural and organic, but UERM sounds very real.
Imaging: Ridiculous. In a good way of course. Very impressive. They are better than most headphones. Similar to HD800.
Sibilance: It it less sibilant than SE535 and SRH940, but it is still present. I don't mind it so much, but it's worth nothing.
 
Now, other things:
Customer Service: As soon as my impression arrived, they emailed me with all the infos. I asked them many questions, and they were all answered. They gave me a completion date, and that date was kept.
Refit: My right side didn't fit, so I sent it off for a refit. They didn't even need a new impression. I described what part didn't fit, and they fixed it. They even upgraded shipping back to 2 day air for free. Very satisfied.
Packaging: I love the case. It's so much smarter than Westone Case I bought. It'd be nice if it was air tight though. 
Cable: Cable is good. It's bit thicker than normal custom cables, but is still thin and very supple.
 
My story: UERM wasn't even on my list when I was first planning to buy a CIEM. During a short visit I had in HK, I visited Jaben and demoed many CIEMs. I tried JH13, JH16, Fitear Universals, Westone ES5, but I didn't like any of them. Fitears were too expensive and bit too bassy while JH13 didn't have mids that I was looking for. From there, I was about to purchase a Miracle, but I was unsure because people told me about recessed mids. Therefore, I looked at where I haven't. I disregarded UERM because it had 3 drivers, but still pulled a trigger on it. Now, I am very happy about it.
 
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On the other hand: Are the UERM worth it over universals?
Answer to that question may vary from person to person, iem to iem, but my answer is yes. I haven't heard all the universal iems in the world, but my general thought is, for the price, no universal iem is going to beat the UERM. 
Here is my rating on some universal iems. (Don't take this personally. This is all imo.)
1. K3003: If I was to buy a universal, this would be it. This is the only iem that came close to UERM.
2. TG334
3. W4
4. IE800
5. UE900/EX1000
6. SE535/Triple fi/EX7550/H-200
7. IE80
There are more, but that gives you a sense of how highly I praise the UERM.
 
On the other hand 2: How does UERM perform against other CIEM(similarly priced, of course)
I say that it's a matter of taste. Although I've only heard demo version of other ciems, I felt like UERM, JH13, and ES5 all had similar technical capabilities. JH13 was more sub bassy, which made them great for pop, UERM was neutral and wide, making them great for classical and acoustic, and ES5 was mid centric, making them good for rock and classical. Considering that I'm an mid/treble head that hates bass(I don't enjoy having strong mid bass), UERM was a clear choice.
 
Updated again with source/amp section.8/10/13
Please ask any questions if you have any.
 
Update: 9/20/13
Still loving them! The soundstage is better than I thought. Wider than SRH940. What strikes me every time is the micro details. They are so detailed without being unnatural. They pair really well with AK100(optical out)->Leckerton UHA-6S.MKII
soundbear
soundbear
The owner of Tralucent is in China, not US. There was a demo going round here in the States, but you would have to contact Gavin to hear them. Lee730 knows many people who have a pair that could perhaps loan them to you to demo.
Rookie Rooster
Rookie Rooster
WOW... great review... GREAT!!! OK, so tell me one thing, to help me gauge the IEM... you mentioned "the best I've heard" a lot of times in the review, so if you don't mind me asking, does that mean it is better than a lot of CIEMs or just a handful of them? Thanks, anyway... :) 
kimvictor
kimvictor
 @Rookie Rooster. The only CIEMs I had a chance to demo was the JH13FP and ES5. UERM clearly had more detail and clarity(though clarity was really good on all of them). I haven't heard other fancy ciems like NT6 or Miracle, so it's just a handful of them.
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