“According to ancient and medieval science, aether (Greek: αἰθήρ aithēr), also spelled æther or ether, also called quintessence, is the material that fills the region of the universe above the terrestrial sphere. The concept of aether was used in several theories to explain several natural phenomena, such as the traveling of light and gravity.” (source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aether_(classical_element)).
 
When I first heard about Aether, I was stricken by its name. Obviously, this is a bold name to give to an audio product. When I talked with their creator, Emil Stolecki, he told me that the name actually came quite naturally, as he saw aether as the fluid element that conveys information.
 
Early on in history, aether was associated with its first letter (Æ). Naturally, Emil used the triangle with the letter t inscribed which is one of the symbols associated with aether; and the traditional Lime Ears O.
 
So does Aether deliver on its bold promise?
 

1. Testing conditions

 
I went through my usual testing routine: full month with exclusive Aether listening, then starting some comparisons here and there, mostly on test tracks (see the end of the review for details), then progressively scanning my music library.
 
In the end, I’d say I have about 175 hours of listening time, with about 10 on my iPhone 6S alone, 15 with iPhone 6S and Arrow 5TX, 50 with Schiit Gungnir Multibit and Lyr2, and 50 with Questyle Audio QP1R.
 
Cable wise, I have settled down on Linum Music, having tried stock cable, Linum BaX and Zee’s silver cable. This choice was purely ergonomic, not having found the Aether to be cable sensitive (note that the only iems with which I have experienced a significant sound difference are the Harmony 8 Pro with the Linum BaX, and a smidgen with the Ei.XX).
 
 
 
I listened to music quite low, usually between 8 and 12 on low gain with the QP1R in a calm environment, and between 13 and 18 in the loud Parisian subway. However, for this review, I pushed it up a few times in order to provide a more general feedback. So consider that what you read applies pretty much to most sound levels, as I didn’t experience significant changes in the signature.
 
Pairing was easy, with the QP1R being the best (including over Gungnir Multibit and Lyr2). Aether is driven quite easily, and the iPhone 6S will give you enough fun to look stupid in the subway (true story). They’re thus easy to drive, but not to the point of making your source hiss (hello SE846 J).
 
This unit was first provided as a test unit, but I ended up acquiring it. Big thanks to Emil for his trust and for our technical discussions (I’m an engineer and a sucker for design explanations).
 
 

2. Generalities

 
If you look up on the pictures, you will see that Lime Ears’ build quality is impeccable. Of all the acrylic ciems I have had the chance to handle (that is from Earsonics, Earwerkz, Custom Art, Lear Audio, Unique Melody), Lime Ears is tied for first with Earwerkz, because both build are just perfect. I specifically asked Emil for a transparent shell color in order to analyze this aspect, and the attention to detail is just stunning. But I’ll try and let the pictures do the talking in that regards.
 
 
 
The package is standard as well as complete: a Pelican case, a cleaning tool, removable cables, and the ciems.
 
The ordering is made by email, and Emil provides you with specific instructions for the earprints process. It is different from what I’ve known since he recommends biting two fingers (I usually bite only one). Do consider taking tissues with you, because with two fingers, you’re gonna drool. Like physically. Then, send pictures to Emil so he can validate them. Anyway, it seems to work, because this is the best fit I’ve had in acrylic along with Ei.XX, with excellent comfort and isolation. Really top notch.
 
 
 
Long story short, Aether is a four-way, 5 drivers (single sub, dual low, single mid, single high) ciem, three soundtubes, and a switch for subs boost. The design options include engraving, wood / acrylic / carbon fiber faceplates, as well as “time machine” faceplates, which are made from actual watch parts and come on top of a faceplate. Just a quick note on the switch: every single person I’ve talked to was worried about its resistance. I was too sort of. And I was wrong. Appears rock solid.
 
My design is transparent grey shell with black icewood with time machine faceplates. The cabling inside the shells as well as the serial number engraving allow for easy differentiation between left and right earpieces.
 
 
 
Build time is on average 4-6 weeks, which is somewhat an industry standard. It took me a good 5 minutes to open my box, so be prepared to use a sharp knife.
 
All the contacts with Emil were great, email response time on average was less than 24h, and I have no doubt that you will enjoy his great sense of humour.
 
Now that we’re done with the boring introduction (I mean design is cool, but those are made to be listened to, not merely stared at), on with the interesting stuff.
 

3. Soundstage

 
In order to give you a reference, I own Harmony 8 Pro (pre-order owner), Spiral Ears 5-way Reference and an HD800. In other words, I like my soundstage big (although you could argue that Spiral Ears 5-way Reference’s soundstage is not that big). I’ve also been one of the reviewers of the Massdrop / Custom Art Ei.XX, so when I say big I mean it.
 
Width wise, Aether’s soundstage is close to, but a little smaller than Harmony 8 Pro. Depth wise, Aether is significantly bigger. The first thing that struck me when I started listening was that impression of having different waves of music coming at me from different depths in the soundstage, as well as tricky-looking highs (more on that later).
 
Basically, it is the first time that the word “imaging” makes actual sense to my ears. It really seems like each sound source is located at a specific place and depth, and comes at you separated from the other sources. Now don’t go thinking that it comes at the price of less musicality, because it doesn’t. It’s really that the depth separation really provides a level of detail which I had not experienced before, and is really beautiful on two voices tracks (or tracks with voice feedback). Incidentally, many of the tracks which I prefer have either two voices or voice feedback. And I discovered at least 15 new occurences with Aether (that is tracks which I loved, but for which I wasn’t aware that they featured multiple voices).
 
 
So, all in all, probably the best soundstage I’ve experienced ciem wise, because it is wide, big and precise in all dimensions (you won’t hear me about soundstage height because I mainly listen to rock music and pop). I think where Aether really wins over Harmony 8 Pro is that the latter is wider due to the highs added above 12 kHz, which stretch the soundstage, but deforms it depth wise. I have the impression that, without these added highs, Harmony 8 Pro soundstage would have the same coherency as Aether, but would be markedly smaller in all dimensions.
 

4. Bass

 
As I’ve written before, I am not a basshead, although I recognize that Ei.XX did make me appreciate having a little more bass than I used to. I like bass which is textured, fast, and most of all not bloated. In that regards, Aether performs quite well to my tastes.
 
The amount of bass is significantly bigger than that of Harmony 8 Pro, and is the base to the signature of Aether which I will qualify as “even”, in order to not say “neutral” (which is used by everyone and doesn’t mean anything anymore). By “even”, I mean that the amounts of highs, mids and lows is fairly balanced, resulting in a signature that I cannot qualify as bright or dark, with some air, but without being airy.
 
The speed and impact are excellent, with impacting subs. In terms of amount, there is clearly less than with Ei.XX (which is a good thing to me), more than with Spiral Ears 5-way Reference, and quite significantly more than with Harmony 8 Pro. If you turn the subs switch on, then you gain some more. In my opinion it becomes too much in a calm environment, but it can be nice in the subway for instance. The switch really appears to affect almost only the subs, with decaying efficiency after 60Hz, until about 100 Hz according to my experience (using single tone .wav music files and trying to detect a difference). I was surprised to actually get something as low as 20 Hz, although I doubt you’ll get any of that in your music.
 
 
The ADSR is excellent, which I believe is the foundation of the soundstage depth. Texture wise, things are a little less good. Not that they’re not good, but I’m used to Harmony 8 Pro, whose bass may not be the most prominent, but is the best texture I’ve had the chance to experience. With Harmony 8 Pro, I feel like I get “bass resolution” or “bass details”. With Aether, I get quality texture, but not to that level.
 
Talking things out with Emil, he explained to me that you often need to make a compromise between bass level and resolution, and that Aether and Harmony 8 Pro are two different compromises. I like that explanation, and really find that one or the other can equally be appreciated for different reasons.
 

5. Mids

 
I’m always at odds with mids. First of all, they’re sort of the Malcolm in the middle of music. And I always hated Malcolm. Second, they’re so much harder to qualify than lows and highs. Lows will give you impact and make you tap your foot. Highs will give you air and details. Mids? Well, they’re supposed to give you emotion through texture and lushness. But then that often is done through coloration (which I’m not a fan of). And honestly, mids are quite often done quite well, so you’re really left talking about details.
 
In the case of Aether, the word I would use is balanced. They’re neither thick nor thin. They’re smooth without being on the “liquid” side. The voices are generally more forward than what I have experienced with Harmony 8 Pro, probably somewhat similar to Spiral Ears 5- Way Reference, but with a little less density.
 
 
I’m not a huge “male voice” or “female voice” kind of music, but I can nevertheless say that from Adele to Agnes Obel through Diana Krall, Skye Edwards or Macy Gray, Aether performs great, and I didn’t feel anything lacking.
 
Instruments are very well rendered, from cellos and violins to piano and guitars (electric or acoustic). So, while I’m not the best mids judge out there, I truly enjoy Aether’s.
 

6. Highs

 
Aether’s highs were the hardest part of this test, and probably the most satisfying at the same time. When I first tried the universal version of Aether in November in Paris, my first expression was “those highs are quality, but there is something off, especially in their location”. Of course I suspected universalization and tips to be the cause.
 
So when I received Aether, I was eager to find out more. And it was obvious that whatever was wrong in November was fixed. So one mystery was replaced by another: the highs were both “Harmony 8 Pro-level detailed” and “round” at the same time! It was as if Aether was suggesting the details instead of spelling them out.
 
So I focused very hard for a long time on them, and was clueless for most of it: I was truly getting the same amount of details, yet it was all so soft! In the end, I just gave up and talked it out with Emil, only to learn the obvious - it was not for me to find the explanation. To make things short, I’ll just say that the acoustic damper in one of the sound tubes truly works like magic.
 
 
On the timbre side of things, I didn’t notice any excessive metal feeling (think cymbals for instance). While Harmony 8 Pro never bothered me, it sounds a little less “true” than Spiral Ears 5-way Reference for instance. Aether is on the level of the latter. It has been written (and I share that opinion) that Harmony 8 Pro has an ADSR which is a little weird in the highs, which, along with the smaller amount of bass, accounts for a little less foot tapping. By contrast, that of Aether is really good and punchy, and it sounds blazing fast.
 
To sum things up, Aether’s highs are a thing of beauty. They convey details without ever being aggressive. But then keep in mind that I appear to be somewhat impervious to sibilance or highs cringe-ness.
 

7. Conclusion

 
So Aether is perfect right? Well, to me, it almost is. I mean, seriously, save for the bass texture which could be more to my tastes, it really ticks all boxes.
 
Or, to say it differently, when I do a review, I usually go through Stockholm syndrome: after a month or two with the same product, I’m quite convinced that it is sooooo good. And then I put my Harmony 8 Pro back on. And I go like “What was wrong in that sick head of mine!!!” With Aether, when I put back Harmony 8 Pro, I felt like “Oh, it’s gonna be a close game”.
 
All in all, it really is a matter of taste. Harmony 8 Pro really is a great monitor type like ciem, and I really enjoy it with the Gungnir Multibit and Lyr 2 setup when I can focus on the music. But for all other activities, and I really mean all, Aether is my new buddy, and it’s here to stay.
 
To balance out my rave, I’ll mention opinions by other persons who enjoyed it less than I do. In general, the bassheads have found it lacking subs, and a little on the airy side (although imho, it’s pretty much dead “even”). And some sensitive guys have found potential for sibilance.
 

List of tracks used in the test list:​

2 Cellos – Celloverse – The trooper (overture)
Toby Lightman – Little things – Devils and angels
Minerals – White tones – Last time
Radiohead – The king of limbs – Feral
Monika Borzym – My place – Finding her way
Brahms- Ein deutsches requiem Op.45-Selig sind die da Lied tragen-, Chorus
Com Truise – Galactic melt – Futureworld
Daft Punk – Random access memories – Contact
Matt & Toby – Matt & toby – Good boys
Dire Straits – Love over gold – Telegraph road
Dire Straits – On every street – On every street
Monika Borzym – My place – Pisces
Lights – Siberia – Flux and flow
Toby Lightman – Little things – Real love
Korn – Take a look in the mirror – Play me
Massive attack – Mezzanine – Angel
MDC – Conception – Good vibes
Alicia Keys –The diary of Alicia Keys – Nobody not really
Hans Zimmer – Pirates of the caribbean dead man's chest – Jack Sparrow
Christina Aguilera – Save me from myself – Save me from myself
Drydeck – DDK VS ODG /2 – Gentle RMX
The Killers – Hot fuss – Mr. Brightside
Savant – Alchemist – Fat cat shuffle
Pandadub – Archives – Myopie
 
** To come : detailed comparison on specific tracks with Aether / Harmony 8 Pro / Spiral Ears 5-way Reference **

​

 
 
 

Disclaimer

 
My name is Jérémie, I’m a 36 years old audiophile from Paris. I think I’ve always had audiophilitis, but things only started to get bad last year when my SM3v2 died in February 14. Looked for a replacement, and 18 months later I now have 4 customs (H8Pro, SE5, Ei.XX and Ei.3), one universal (SA7, having sold my SM64), have been through a handfull of DAPs, and just got started with headphones (HD800 plus Lyr2/Gungnir Multibit combo).
 
In the end, I just love music. That’s all it’s about. I love to feel the details, the attention that the creator thought of and put into his creation. I’m also a sucker for violins and drums, which are my favorite instrument.
 
I was invited by Piotr to be part of a team of 4 Ei.XX reviewers. Of course I was thrilled and accepted to join. My Ei.XX were provided free of charge for testing purposes, and I have no financial interest with Custom Art or Massdrop or other sort of joint interest that may skew that review.
 
For due note, I have written a preview of Ei.XX (http://www.head-fi.org/t/778219/teaser-massdrop-x-new-custom-in-ear-monitor-available-september/315#post_11933896), as well as a review of Custom Art’s Ei.3 (http://www.head-fi.org/products/customart-ei-3-acrylic-custom-iem/reviews/13821), and Harmony 8 Pro (in French, http://www.tellementnomade.org/test-des-harmony-8-pro-custom-art).
 

Introduction

 

Methodology

 
This review is based on a total of 120 hours of Ei.XX sessions. Half was made with my iPhone 6 in pure nomadic mode (Parisian subway, street, bus, etc.), and half was made on my desk rig (Schiit Gungnir Multibit and Lyr 2 with Reflektor SWGP ’74 tubes).
 
I tested the following cables: Linum BaX, Linum Music and Thor Effect Audio. In general, they did not influence sound experience, and when they did, it was extremely limited (in fact, only the Linum BaX appeared to have an effect, by slightly tightening the bass and pushing the trebles, but we’re really talking small minor details here). In actual use, I now go with the Linum Music with the iPhone 6 because you just don’t feel it on the go, and the Linum BaX at my desk.
 
From September 20 to October 20, I listened exclusively to the Ei.XX, having listened exclusively to the SE846 in September. On October 24, I performed a comparison of the Ei.XX and the SE846 which you can find at the end of this review. I also listened just a tad to my Harmony 8 Pro sometime in between.
 
Please note that I am NOT a basshead (some people even call me a treble head, but I think they are wrong), I am NOT the typical Ei.XX target, since I mainly listen to rock (around 85%), and only 10% of my listening is EDM, Rap or Hip Hop (for the curious lads, the 5% remaining are classical and soul. DUH). I also listen at levels which are usually considered as very moderate to very low. This point I cannot stress enough. Listening at different sound levels will likely lead to different experiences, but, as you’ll see, I did turn up the knob.
 
 

Presentation

 
Ei.XX are the result of the collaboration between Custom Art and Massdrop. This ciem features 6-drivers (2 super low, 2 low, 1 tweeter, and 1 super tweeter), 4 ways and 2 soundtubes. Those who know Ei.3 will be interested to know that the small soundtube is gone, and has been replaced by a much larger one.
 
Of course, collaboration with Massdrop means…Massdrop.
 
Ei.XX are thus not bound to be part of the Custom Art lineup (as far as I know), and they ought to remain for sale only through Massdrop. The first drop started on September 28 and was a resounding success, with Ei.XX finding 50 new homes in less than 73 hours. There is no doubt in my mind that further drops will happen, including in a not so far future.
 
Of course, before we go any further, the price is $600 (plus shipping and extra with you want crazy personalization – and trust me, Piotr is up for it, he’ll take on almost ANY challenge).
 

​

 

The packaging / The Fit

 
Packaging is standard Custom Art, that is, the Pelican 1010 box with a cleaning tool, Ei.XX with cable and a neat warranty / introduction card.
 
When I received my Ei.3, the fit was good and comfy, yet not as tight as with my Harmony 8 Pro or SE5. The situation is different with Ei.XX: the fit is perfect, and if it wasn’t for the nature of acrylic (which imho isolates less than silicone), the isolation would be identical to that of Harmony 8 Pro and SE5. Please note that those were made after impressions that I sent Piotr from over a year ago, which means that well-made prints can yield long lasting results with the right artisan
 

SE846

 
I’m introducing this here because when I joined in, Piotr asked me if I could try and make some Ei.3 and SE846 comparisons. I thus borrowed SE846 from a friend (blue filters, Shure olives), and listened exclusively to them for two and a half weeks preceding the reception of Ei.XX. I used exclusively the tracks mentioned in the Ei.3 review.
 
As a result, quite a bit of the following will be made in reference to SE846 and Ei.3.
 
 

The sound

 

Scene and separation

 
The Ei.XX soundstage is quite pretty. It is clearly out-of-head, and always showcases a great precision, mainly due to their trebles imho. While it is not the widest soundstage I have experienced in any dimension (width, depth and height), it is very homogeneous, albeit appearing to be slightly wider than deep. Yet, it remains markedly smaller than say, the soundstage of Harmony 8 Pro.
 
To give a proper example, if you listen to ‘Myopie’ by PandaDub, the tuba/trombone (can’t quite tell if it’s one or the other) at about 1’36 comes at you from faaaar away, deeeeeep. The same goes with the resounding effect at about 0’43 in ‘Feral’ by Radiohead. Not only does it come from far away, but its position is clearly defined, to your right in your back and slightly over your head (I’ll spare you the metric measurements).
 
As a result, the Ei.XX and Ei.3 soundstage are hardly comparable, because the Ei.XX soundstage showcases a real depth. I also have the feeling that the Ei.XX is a little less frontal (or less close) than that of Ei.3, but this could relate to the Ei.3 having very little soundstage depth.
 
Compared to SE846, the Ei.XX soundstage appears less wide. In this case it is a quality for me: sometimes, the SE846 give me the impression that they stretch the soundstage laterally, to the point that the center, right in front of me, feels kind of empty. Also, the SE846 appear to lack soundstage depth quite sorely when compared with Ei.XX. But they seem to be even in terms of soundstage precision.
 
The amount of details appears similar at first, but an attentive listener will find that the Ei.XX actually reproduce micro-details with much more brio than the SE846 (you’ll see more on that in the comparison I made on some tracks at the end of this review). However, be it with the Ei.3, Ei.XX or SE846, ‘On every street’ and ‘Telegraph Road’ by Dire Straits are impeccably reproduced. The difference really lies in how immediate and acoustically readable the details come out, like the cowbell at about 3’50 on ‘On every street’, which is much more clearly rendered by the Ei.XX than the SE846 for instance.
 
The separation provided by the Ei.XX appears to me like it is just a tad below that of the SE846. But given the fact that Ei.XX shares some family traits with Ei.3, I expected no less from them, with Ei.3 being already a solid performer (if you take into account their weakness in the trebles). After many comparisons and repetitions, I think it relates to the more airy nature of the SE846 trebles, and to the warmth and coloration of the Ei.XX.
 

​

 
 

Bass and sub-bass

 
The Ei.3 were a big step up in terms of subs quantity in the Custom Art family. The Ei.XX go further and even outdo the SE846.
 
At first, I found that the bass of both iems were comparable, and would probably not be all that easy to distinguish. And then I realized that I wasn’t volume-matching when I was switching from one to the other (precisely because the bass and overall volume level appeared pretty close).
 
But the fact is that the SE846 are more sensitive than the Ei.XX, which are already a pretty sensitive bunch. Long story short, the Ei.XX can make my Lyr 2 and its 0.3 Ohm impedance output whisper, but the SE846 will make it hum distinctively.
 
So I started over my sessions, but this time I took care to volume-match when going from one to the other. To give you an idea, I used two soundwheel clicks on my Headstage Arrow 5TX. And that made me change my point of view.
 
Concerning the Ei.XX, you’re looking a textured and full bass and sub-bass. I would tend to think that the bass texture is akin to that of Harmony 8 Pro, except that there is quite a bit more of it. And for sub-bass, well there is a lot more of it.
 
During my first day with them, it felt too much despite my listening to the SE846 for close to twenty days (but I think I can explain that below). Two days later, my brain adapted, and it doesn’t feel that way anymore. And I must confess that I really love to feel the drums kick on my rock tunes, which I sort of discover under a new light with that added kick.
 
The sub-bass of the SE846 appear somewhat drier in comparison. Not that those of the Ei.XX are bloated, but just that they feel denser. But this may relate to the fact that there is simply more of them with the Ei.XX, or to the fact that I was using Shure Olives, and not silicon flanges (but I can't stand 'em).
 
Having always considered the SE846 to be bassy iems, so I will say the same about the Ei.XX: they are not for the bass faint, and will clearly show the bass content of your music.
 
 

 

Mids

 
This is the part which I had the hardest time with. And probably the only thing I can reproach the Ei.XX with, although this is very much a matter of tastes as you will see.
 
My main beef with the Ei.3 was overall sound purity / lack of crystal-likeness. With the SE846, it quickly was obvious that my main beef would be boredom. They’re a great performing bunch, and I have almost no technical reproach (except for the stretched scene above), but they leave me limp. Like a really hot girl, but one that I just don’t lust for.
 
Well Ei.XX are different. They make me lust. But they frustrate me a little bit at the same time. They are clearly colored in the mids (I confirmed with Piotr that they are tuned for a “fun signature”), which is nice but leaves me wanting for more neutrality on some of my tracks (think Dire Straits, vocal or acoustic guitar focused songs). But then I’m a neutrality junkie.
 
I would describe this coloration as W-shaped. I more or less managed to reproduce is by applying a blend of ‘Jazz’ and ‘Rock’ equalization to my SE5, that is with a dip around 500Hz, a peak around 1.5kHz, and another dip around 2.5kHz.
 
At the very least, one can say that this coloration is clearly audible. During my first sessions, I even had the impression that some of the timbres were off! Apparently, this relates to the fact that the Ei.XX coloration plays exactly in the main frequencies of my Foo Fighters albums. I confirmed this by reversing the above described signature and applying it to the Ei.XX, which gave me more or less the sound I was used to hearing.
Once I felt reassured, I told myself “if you can beat’em, join’em”, and that I might as well try to embrace the Ei.XX mids and see how things went. And you know what? I got used to it. Well almost, because, to be 100% honest, the first time I listened again to my Foo Fighters with my Harmony 8 Pro, if felt like being back home after a looooonng trip.
 
Nevertheless, I really like the Ei.XX. They are indeed fun, and for a nomadic experience, they make a really great combo with the impact of the bass. It’s simple, pretty and efficient. And darn good with electronic music.
 
To sum things up, the mids coloration and the bass amount is a clear departure from the traditional Custom Art house sound. The Ei.XX are not strangers, but they’re more like cousins than siblings (sorry for the lousy metaphor).
 
Most of all, the mids are not lacking in presence, which almost surprised me when you see the added bass and sub-bass, as well as treble.
 
I was worried that mids would be somewhat lacking, but it is definitely not the case from my sessions. You could, on some tracks, find that the voices are a little laidback (think Mark Knopfler on ‘Telegraph Road’). But that’s really being picky imho.
 
 
 

Trebles

 
The part of the Ei.XX which gave me the most satisfaction at first. The only beef I had with Ei.3 is clearly fixed. Highs are here, they’re pretty, my cymbals finally sound right. They are not fatiguing to me, but then I am apparently impervious to treble fatigue and sibilance.
 
The trebles have clearly inherited some of the coloration from the mids, and this can be felt on some cymbals. But at the same time, they provide so much detail, they perform with such an incredible precision without ever being tiring!!!
 
I insist here, because the SE846 have the reputation (which I was able to confirm) of being excellent performs in that field, yet the Ei.XX are clearly a notch above in my book. However, you should not expect the Ei.XX trebles to provide the air of that of the SE846. The Ei.XX really are more on the warmer side, yet with incredibly present, precise yet soft highs. And yes, I am aware that this will sound paradoxical (I could use more derogatory words here but then who needs to constantly invoke bovarian faeces?).
 

Conclusion

 
The Ei.XX appear to be a fun bit of ciems. They have strong bass engagement with a great scene, very good details and separation.
 
Build quality and fit are top notch, but hey, let’s be serious, anything less would now be a disappointment coming from Piotr.
 
Before you take the plunge, please take into account the fact that Ei.XX are NOT neutral. For all their qualities, if neutrality is your dope, then they’re probably not for you.
 
In my experience, they really play toe-to-toe with the SE846 technically speaking, and the choice between these guys really appears to be a matter of taste. And maybe a little bit a matter of money too, because the Ei.XX have a $600 price tag which is much lower than that of the SE846, with the added advantage of being custom molded.
 
 
 
 
For dessert, I thought I’d provide you with a detailed comparison of the Ei.3, Ei.XX and SE846 on tracks I have listened to at least 400 times. The comparison was made on my iPhone 6 connected to the Headstage Arrow 5TX, mainly because I find the iPhone 6 lacks a little bit of bass authority. And also because the Arrow 5TX has a clicking soundwheel, which is super cool for volume matching (as I wrote above, I used two clicks between the Ei.XX and the SE846, the latter being the louder of the two).
 
The part concerning the Ei.3 as well as the ‘What to look for’ where inherited from my Ei.3 review. The order of presentation corresponds to the order in which I took my notes, and I listened pseudo-alternatively-randomly to the SE846 or to the Ei.XX first on each track.
 

Iggy Azalea – The new classic – Black widow​

 
What to look for: sub-bass and their cuts (starting at 1’50)
 
Ei.3: subs are well established, a constant tense humming which cuts sharply and resumes with the following « boom ».
 
Ei.XX: welcome to a new sub-bass world. It’s not a humming anymore, but a tight and thick vibration !
 
SE846: sub-bass are close to that of the Ei.XX, but a little less thick, a little drier and less present.
 
 

Daft Punk – Random Access Memories – Doin’ it right​

 
What to look for: sub-bass.
 
Ei.3: clean engaging subs. Not the biggest soundstage ever, but the job is done nicely and it just sounds right.
 
Ei.XX: the sub-bass provide impacting booms, and the quality of separation of the Ei.XX really makes the details shine (like the bell around 1’50)
 
SE846: a different interpretation due to the contrast between the coloured Ei.XX and the more neutral SE846. I prefer the latter because of the airier and ‘straighter’ restitution fo the SE846. But they don’t make the details shine as the Ei.XX do, and for instance, you have to know that the bell is here in order to hear it.
 

Daft Punk – Random Access Memories – Contact​

 
What to look for: all of the song. It goes crescendo all along, just the way I like it. The drums are very important, as they are recorded, but mixed with deep resonating booms and with saturated samples, as well as with a bass line which drives the final climax starting at 2’47.
 
Ei.3: it is balanced, punchy and dynamic. All of the above is there, without any interference or disappearing, even if depth is somewhat lacking. The experience remains exhilarating to me, due to the unity rendered by Ei.3. The volume knob goes up and up and up, to unreasonable levels.
 
Ei.XX: it’s a little more intense than with the Ei.3 due to the added bass and sub-bass. I find the drums a little laidback, especially the toms. A little too much bass for my taste, and a little less foot tapping too.
 
SE846: it’s more balanced, and I like it better. Here again, less details, but it’s not as bothering as with ‘Doin’ it right’. As usual with the SE846, it remains a little too polite for my taste.
 

Savant – Alchemist – Fat Cat Shuffle​

 
What to look for: bass texture, spacialisation, bass deflagrations ( starting at1’18).
 
Ei.3: bass are precise, and their texture is excellent. The deflagrations of the bass beats leave a loud hum but never bleed. They also cut sharply when called for. The whole is very lively, in spite of so-
so cymbals and a shallow soundstage.
 
Ei.XX: here again, we enter a new dimension. It’s dense, almost fat, but without ever losing control. Probably one of the tunes which suits best the Ei.XX signature.
 
SE846: the bass are less textured and dense than with the Ei.XX. The overall restitution feels good, but the SE846 are just too goody two-shoes for this tune.
 

The Avener – The wanderings of the Avener – Lonely Boy​

 
What to look for: guitar clarity, echo depth at 1’00, attack at the beginning, quality of hand clapping
 
Ei.3: guitars could be sharper, purer, but they’re still quite good. The bass line is really nice and well cut starting at 1’00, with a good depth by Ei.3 measures. Guitars sound a little matte as opposed to crystalline (as an acoustic guitar should sound). Globally not technically optimal (the voice is for example purer on SM64 with more echo depth but similar width, see 2’27), but it sounds incredibly well overall.
 
Ei.XX: the attack could be a little stronger. The guitar is clear, but it could be clearer (should be). The soundstage is nice, with a superb echo depth. The beat shows a little more authority than with the SE846.
 
SE846: this tune was made for them. All is just great. The guitar shines, and the restitution really benefits from the SE846 airier restitution. At 1’55, the specialization effects are more natural than on the Ei.XX, but the echoes show that the soundstage is significantly shallower.
 

The Avener – The wanderings of the Avener - Castle in the snow​

 
What to look for:  grain of voice, echoes (drums at 1’00), voice depth all along, for example at 2’41. Ability to smoothly mix original song with added electronic samples.
 
Ei.3: very musical, not overly spacious compared to SM64. The shallowness of Ei.3 soundstage shows. However, the width of the soundstage makes up for it at 2’41.
 
Ei.XX: I don’t feel I ever truly felt the depth of this tune before, and certainly not with such ease ! It’s ample and beautiful, details overflowing yet musical at the same time. The beat imposes the rhythm and you can’t help but tap that foot. Wow.
 
SE846: ouch. The lack of depth shows immediately, and it stings. The beat is less present. Nice, but it doesn’t quite cut it after the Ei.XX.
 

The Avener – The wanderings of the Avener – To let myself go featuring Ane Brun​

 
What to look for:  acoustic guitar, beat, musicality (violins at 2’25).
 
Ei.3: guitars are not as nice as with SM64. Likely due to Ei.3 cutting high too quick. But the more upfront soundstage and the mids density makes it all fun and games.
 
Ei.XX: if I was allowed only one word, ‘fun’. The beat is strong with this one, you can see the sub-bass at work. It even highjacks the guitar a little. The violins are here, but they’re not the stars of the show. Overall very dance-inducing and musical.
 
SE846: a little more balanced. It lacks a little depth and the beat is less present, but that gives more room to the rest of the tune. With just a little beat, it would have been perfect!
 

Dr DRE – 2001 – Still D.R.E​

 
What to look for: flow, impact
 
Ei.3: FAST, make you want to bobble your head.
 
Ei.XX: boy this is fun. The beat hits you, the voices are right where they should be, and my head is bobbling. Really great, even though it would have been even greater without the coloration which changes Dre’s voice. Matter of taste though if you’ll ask me.
 
SE846: the strings are nice, but they just take too much space compared to Dre’s voice: they’re in front! Snoop sounds better, but overall, it’s very disappointing.

Foo Fighters – Wasting Light – Rope​

 
What to look for: bass line (rare item to look for in Foo Fighters), doubled voices (big feature of Wasting Light album), chorus, and the cowbell at 2’55. For cowbell amateurs:
 
 
Ei.3: bass line is precise, could be a tad more upfront. But boy it does the job right, be it for driving the chorus or for driving the instrumental parts prior to the doubled voices. The second voice, higher, is a little less readable, but it all sounds so well together. The cymbals are there, but more as a concept, as they lack precision: the impact is there, but there resonance is much (way) too short. The cowbell is clean but somewhat shy.
 
Ei.XX: bass line is top notch, and the drums kick like I’ve never felt it kick before (probably the Ei.XX greatest quality on rock music imho). I’m still bothered by the mids coloration, which makes some guitars and toms sound a little weird for my taste. But once you get accustomed to it, boy it’s fun!
 
SE846: the bass line could use a little more strength, but the rest is really clean and fun. I find the sound of the tune that I know. But I must confess, it’s a little less fun than with the Ei.XX.
 

Foo Fighters – Wasting Light – Dear Rosemary​

 
What to look for: the intro, which echoes the end of the previous track (“Rope”), the little bells, the stop and block created by the drums and guitars, the doubled voices starting at 0’50, including on the chorus, the rise starting at 3’04.
 
Ei.3: engaging intro, very so-so little bells. Drums play their role perfectly, and provide a strong rythmic sense. The voices combine perfectly, and it sticks up with you, but in a good way. The final rise really makes you want to shake your head and to pump up the volume. Ei.3 really do this tune justice.
 
Ei.XX: if you forget the mids coloration, as with ‘Rope’, it’s top notch. All is technically irreproachable, from the bass to the guitar including the drums and the little bells. The voices are perfectly separated, yet totally sound in unison! Eargasm.
 
SE846: the classic difference with the Ei.XX – the bass is less present, there is less details and the separation suffers from it (think doubled voices), but an overall super-duper clean restitution. A bit less engaging, but truer to the sound I know from that tune.
 

Foo Fighters – Wasting Light – Arlandria​

 
What to look for: in the beginning, the echo of the scratched guitar rythmic part, the separate guitar parts at 1’30 (scratched on the left, melodic on the right), the little bells and the doubled voices on the chorus, the bass echo which moves from left to right and back between 3’12 and 3’36 ; the tom triplets (see 2’14, 4’02 or 4’18).
 
Ei.3: in the intro, the scratched rythmic resonates in the depth direction at the center. The drums and the frontal scene induce instant foot tapping despite the lack luster little bells. The melodic guitar on the right lacks purity, crystal sound. The whole is really fun thanks to the drums.
 
Ei.XX: the doubled voices are incredible, and so are the little bells. Too colored again, but it’s less bothering here. Bass echoes and drum triplets are awesome.
 
SE846: the voices and details are somewhat less satisfying. Bass echoes lack a little depth but drum triplets shine.
 

Foo Fighters – Wasting Light – Walk​

 
What to look for: all of it. Again a tune which goes crescendo in intensity. First, melodic guitars which are lateralised, then the bass tom, the rest of the drums, and the little bells before the 2’05 break. And it starts again crescendo at 2’45, adding an instrument with each repetition. Several end teasings before the drum finish circa 4’02.
 
Ei.3: this tune sums up the essence of my Ei.3 experience. Not the most perfect technically, but it grabs you by the guts, and I pump up the volume knob to unreasonable levels (fortunately not for too long).
 
Ei.XX: wow dat bass drum ! Seriously dat bass drum ! It hits hard, it rises, taking you away…
 
SE846: about the same thing, with less bass drum, details and coloration. Eargasmic.
 

List of tracks used in the test list:​

2 Cellos – Celloverse – The trooper (overture)
Toby Lightman – Little things – Devils and angels
Minerals – White tones – Last time
Radiohead – The king of limbs – Feral
Monika Borzym – My place – Finding her way
Brahms- Ein deutsches requiem Op.45-Selig sind die da Lied tragen-, Chorus
Com Truise – Galactic melt – Futureworld
Daft Punk – Random access memories – Contact
Matt & Toby – Matt & toby – Good boys
Dire Straits – Love over gold – Telegraph road
Dire Straits – On every street – On every street
Monika Borzym – My place – Pisces
Lights – Siberia – Flux and flow
Toby Lightman – Little things – Real love
Korn – Take a look in the mirror – Play me
Massive attack – Mezzanine – Angel
MDC – Conception – Good vibes
Alicia Keys –The diary of Alicia Keys – Nobody not really
Hans Zimmer – Pirates of the caribbean dead man's chest – Jack Sparrow
Christina Aguilera – Save me from myself – Save me from myself
Drydeck – DDK VS ODG /2 – Gentle RMX
The Killers – Hot fuss – Mr. Brightside
Savant – Alchemist – Fat cat shuffle
Pandadub – Archives – Myopie

INTRODUCTION AND DISCLAIMER
 
My name is Jérémie, I’m a 36 years old audiophile from Paris. I think I’ve always had audiophilitis, but things only started to get bad last year when my SM3v2 died in February 14. Looked for a replacement, and 18 months later I now have 3 customs (H8Pro, SE5 and Ei.3), one universal (SA7, having sold my SM64), have bee, through a handfull of DAPs, and just got started with headphones (HD800 plus Lyr2/Uberfrost combo).
 
In the end, I just love music. That’s all it’s about. I love to feel the details, the attention that the creator thought of and put into his creation. I’m also a sucker for violins and drums, which are my favorite instrument.
 
I am a big fan of Piotr whom I met when I got the crazy idea of pre-ordering the H8Pro. Being a curious guy, and Piotr being such a great dude, we starting exchanging quite a bit, and ended up setting-up a quite successful group buy on the French forum I mostly hang out on in November 14.
 
Bottom line is I started to know Piotr was looking into acrylic circa November 14, when he sent me an empty acrylic shell along with my H8Pro and SE5 reshell. We then talked some more, and we discussed about me beta-testing Ei.3. In the end, he developed things much faster than expected, and my beta-testing never was (not that I think that it would have been that useful anyway). Yet, on April 1^st (no joke), I received a package with the Ei.3 which were featured in Custom Art’s Facebook presentation.
 
I ended up posting first impressions after having shared them with Piotr you can find them here http://www.head-fi.org/t/761086/custom-arts-first-foray-into-acrylic-ciems-ei-3/15#post_11468402. Then, I decided to lay low, since I did not pay for my Ei.3, and wanted to let people post their impressions, feeling that the free factor would kill the credibility of my review. I was then swamped in work and finally found the time to type this review during my summer holidays.
 
METHODOLOGY
 
I listened EXCLUSIVELY to Ei.3 until almost the end of June. I started with my classics (Dire Straits and Foo Fighters mainly) and blended with my test list. The test list is the one I used for my review of the H8P (listed on Custom Art’s Facebook), with the addition of some tracks after discussion with Piotr. The listening was done directly out of my iPhone 6 for about 60%, out of my Fostex HP-P1 for about 5% and out of my Lyr2/Uberfrost stack for the remaining 35%.
 
After this brain burnin period, I started listening again to my faves, that is H8P and SE5. I quickly dismissed my SA7 which lag too far behind, and decided that Earsonics SM64 would be a good comparison, albeit being universals, in view of the fact that they can be had for a price similar to that of Ei.3 in France. A friend of mine lent the SM64 to me in July, and I used them on my test list for about two weeks, before blending listening with Ei.3, H8P and SE5 according to my mood.
 
Please note that I am NOT a basshead (some people even call me a treble head, but I think they are wrong), I am NOT the typical Ei.3 target, since I mainly listen to rock (around 85%), and only 10% of my listening is EDM, Rap or Hip Hop (for the curious lads, the 5% remaining are classical and soul. DUH). I also listen at levels which are usually considered as very moderate to very low. This point I cannot stress enough. Listening at different sound levels will likely lead to different experience, although, as you’ll see, I did turn up the knob.
 
ORDERING AND PACKAGING
 
Let’s get this not so interesting yet important to the experience part out of our way first.
 
Ciems being the very specific and hard to test devices they are, the ordering process with Custom Art usually begins with a first round of email or forum exchanges with Piotr in order to confirm that your choice is good and that the design you are contemplating is doable. Some freaks (think me) push the envelope and ask Piotr for some new stuff he isn’t yet offering. It happened to me twice (first I asked for a carbon fiber faceplate with engraving, and then  for solid color shells for H8P and SE5 which was a very “work in progress” thing at the time).
 
Bottom line is, Piotr offers top quality personalization, both in terms of colors and faceplate, and he is always open to discussion. I am not saying he’ll be able to realize ANY project you have in mind, but be sure that if he tells you no, it’s not out of laziness, but because he really can’t do it at that time.
 
I have not witnessed any other actor in the Ciem business which puts as many efforts to please his customers as Piotr does. Now, don’t take my word on it, just surf one on the Custom Art threads on HF, and make your own opinion.
 
I won’t get into much more details at that point because many have done it before me (see for instance acain’s Ei.3 review at http://www.head-fi.org/products/customart-ei-3-acrylic-custom-iem/reviews/13636), and also because my Ei.3 came in a rather bare package (but then, there is only one pair which bears the CA-0001A number).
 
I’ll use this space to comment on isolation. In my experience, silicone isolates better, especially H8P and SE5 which are filled with drivers and other material. Ei.3 isolation is still very good, well above any universal I’ve tested. However, with only three drivers per side, little electronic material, and acrylic shells (which dampens less bass than silicone), isolation is a little less than what I get with H8P and SE5 in the French transportation system). Which is a good thing – I almost got killed twice crossing the street with H8P (but that’s another issue).
 
 
 
THE SOUND
 
I won’t go into another lengthy disclaimer, but take all Ciem reviews with a big grain of salt, because they rely on the perception of one person on a non-universal product. In the end, I provide a somewhat detailed comparison of Ei.3 with SM64 on a range of tunes so you can make your own idea about the biases I have.
 
Please note that Ei.3 are extremely easy to drive, giving extremely solid performance out from an iPhone 6, and they did not exhibit signature swings when using various cables such as Linum BAX or Linum Music (or at least I didn’t notice any).
 
First impressions
 
As mentioned previously, I am not a basshead. What I expect from bass is that it’s there, clean (not muddy, and a little on the tense/dry side), and not overwhelming. If you know a little about H8P and SE5, then you know that I am used to well textured, not overwhelming with some but not too much subs. Also, both Ciems are not very “wow effect”-like, meaning that the first listening will not necessarily blow your mind (the long range listening will however take care of that for you).
 
Ei.3 is pretty different in that regards. You put them on, and BOOM, the bass hits you, and you can’t help but love it. But then, hey, I listen to four to six hours of music a day, I’m not gonna let the first nicely boomy Ciem blow me away like that right? Wrong. At first, I could not find something really wrong. Truth be told, I had a gut feeling. Well, it took me nearly two months to put words on that gut feeling. More on that later.
 
To sum up, my first impressions with Ei.3 where “Crap, that’s almost TotL level. This is amazeballs!!!”. Or, as another Headfier put it quite nicely (blujay, here : http://www.head-fi.org/t/761086/custom-arts-first-foray-into-acrylic-ciems-ei-3/75#post_11590551), the Ei.3 put on quite a magician act.
 
Soundstage and separation
 
The soundstage of Ei.3 is pretty large. It is on par with that of H8P and arguably larger than that of SE5. It is however relatively shallow (I tend to believe that is directly related to the highs, see below), which is a little compensated by a more upfront presentation than that of H8P.
 
In other words, the soundstage is much closer to you, which makes for an engaging experience, and leaves some room for expressing depth in spite of the relative shallowness of the soundstage.
 
The separation is exemplary, and you will miss almost no details (listening to ‘Telegraph Road’ or ‘On Every Street’ by Dire Straits will confirm that) as far as they are reproduced (again, see the treble section for more details).
 
All in all, Ei.3 play one or two price categories up as far as separation is concerned. For soundstage, I’d say it’s one price category up.
 
Bass
 
Well, let’s start with subs first. Because after all, those are the guys that Piotr was really after when he designed Ei.3. His exact words were: “I wanted to create something to shake your brain good”.
 
And he did. Just listen to Massive Attack’s ‘Angel’, or Iggy Azalea’s ‘Black Widow’, and you’ll undoubtedly be convinced. The subs hit hard and fast, in a controlled manner, without bleeding or tremoring. And they also know how to shut down when they’re not up anymore (see the details of ‘Black Widow’ below).
 
The bass are not forgotten however. They offer great presence and texture. They are sharp and quick, just as I like them, and never falter.
 
Mids
 
Ah mids. Those are probably the true magician act of Ei.3. As mentioned above, I had a gut feeling early on. But I couldn’t quite put words on it. In my early impressions, I wrote that Ei.3 sounded somewhat “matte”, as opposed to crystalline.
 
After hours and hours of listening, when I came back to H8P and SE5, it finally dawned on me : the Ei.3 mids actually trick you. They sound perfect, but they’re not. Now don’t get me wrong, they are excellent. But at first, I thought they were TotL. And TotL for 300$ usually means that you’re nuts or wrong.
 
Here is the trick: Piotr knows how to get the main harmonics of the mids perfect. At least to me it really is. And at the same time, Ei.3 hits you straight with its strong bass. So at first, all you really retain from the mids is that main harmonic. And it’s awesome. Now, if you make a conscious effort to filter out the bass, and start comparing Ei.3 to TotL Ciems like I did, you find that the mids are dense, they are quick, but that they don’t have that sharpness and purity that H8P brings to the table. But then again, I’m comparing Ei.3 to a Ciem which is close to 4 times its price…
 
Treble
 
The only part of Ei.3 which kinda left me wanting for more. Basically, they’re great for their category, no doubt about it. They are as non-fatiguing as it gets, and they’ll give you 95% of the detail that is out there.
 
But they do tend to shut out fast, not meaning that high frequencies are ignored, but that sustain and decay are pretty short. I wrote that very early on, and that was confirmed in the CSDs that Piotr posted later on.
 
The result is that cymbals and other high instruments don’t resonate as much as I would like them to, and that can be a little turn off on rock music. But then Ei.3 was designed with EDM, Rap and Hip Hop in mind. I’m the guy who tries to make them a TotL allrounder.
 
Musicality
 
Under this somewhat BS name I will try to discuss the intangibles of Ei.3 sound reproduction. I usually do not include that category in my reviews, because what is musical to one is lack of detail and separation to another and yaddy yadda.
 
But, when comparing Ei.3 to SM64, what really struck me out was how much all of the above blended so well together, how Ei.3 manages to cover some of the above described minuses by sounding so “united”.
 
FINAL THOUGHTS
 
So there you have it. According to me, Ei.3 is the best bang for the buck I have encountered. Designed primarily for EDM, Rap and Hip Hop, it performs imho admirably on all genres (except maybe orchestral classical), and clearly performs WAY out of its price range.
 
When you had to that the service quality that you get with Custom Art, the comfort of Ciems as opposed to universals, and the personalization possibilities, honestly, you’d be silly to put your money on another product if you’re looking at a 300$ ciem budget.
 
Ei.3 / SM64 HEAD TO HEAD COMPARISON
 
To finish through, please find below a detailed comparison of Ei.3 with SM64 on some tracks which I have each listened to at least 400+ times. Comparison has been made on an iPhone 6 with Lightning LOD to Fostex HP-P1 (SM64 are known to demand good amplification to give proper bass, and iPhone 6 is just too weak in that regards).
 
Volume matching was made by hand, which you may doubt, but after two hours of straight comparisons, trust me, you get it about right. For full disclosure, mean level was 8h45 for Ei.3 and 9h45 for SM64.
 
Iggy Azalea – The new classic – Black widow
 
What to look for: subs and their cuts (starting at 1’50)
Ei.3: subs are well established, a constant tense humming which cuts sharply and resumes with the following « boom ».
SM64: the humming is much lighter and less textured, less tense. It is hard to tell if it is proper subbass or bleeding bass.
 
Daft Punk – Random Access Memories – Doin’ it right
 
What to look for: subs.
Ei.3: clean engaging subs. Not the biggest soundstage ever, but the job is done nicely and it just sounds right.
SM64: the sound is leaner and more ample, which really flatters my ear. But the bass tends to bloat and bleed, overall sounding more boom-boom than truly impacting.
 
Daft Punk – Random Access Memories – Contact
 
What to look for: all of the song. It goes crescendo all along, just the way I like it. The drums are very important, as they are recorded, but mixed with deep resonating booms and with saturated samples, as well as with a bass line which drives the final climax starting at 2’47.
Ei.3: it is balanced, punchy and dynamic. All of the above is there, without any interference or disappearing, even if depth is somewhat lacking. The experience remains exhilarating to me, due to the unity rendered by Ei.3. The volume knob goes up and up and up, to unreasonable levels.
SM64: the sub impact is much less than that of Ei.3 (not that I expected it to be otherwise). The cymbals are much more precise but also a tad metallic. Starting at 3’20, things go seriously wrong in the final climax. The bass line bloats and devours the drum line, of which almost only remain the overly metallic cymbal. Ok if you listen to SM64 alone, but catastrophic imho when passing after Ei.3.
 
Savant – Alchemist – Fat Cat Shuffle
 
What to look for: bass texture, spacialisation, bass deflagrations ( starting at1’18).
Ei.3: bass are precise, and their texture is excellent. The deflagrations of the bass beats leave a loud hum but never bleed. They also cut sharply when called for. The whole is very lively, in spite of so-so cymbals and a shallow soundstage.
SM64: soundstage is much bigger than with Ei.3, but bass beats hum “fatter”. Bass cuts are a little slow. Bass texture is quite good, and the spacial effect are well rendered in the wide 3D soundstage.
 
The Avener – The wanderings of the Avener – Lonely Boy
 
What to look for: guitar clarity, echo depth at 1’00, attack at the beginning, quality of hand clapping
Ei.3: guitars could be sharper, purer, but they’re still quite good. The bass line is really nice and well cut starting at 1’00, with a good depth by Ei.3 measures. Guitars sound a little matte as opposed to crystalline (as an acoustic guitar should sound). Globally not technically optimal (the voice is for example purer on SM64 with more echo depth but similar width, see 2’27), but it sounds incredibly well overall.
SM64: bass immediately appear boosted. Guitars are clearer, but located too far as compared to the rest, as well as hand clappings. The same goes for the beat starting at 0’48, which is to much in front instead of providing a natural rythm. Beautiful depth around 1’40-2’05. Overall to boomy, wowing you at first, but not sounding “together”.
 
The Avener – The wanderings of the Avener - Castle in the snow
 
What to look for:  grain of voice, echoes (drums at 1’00), voice depth all along, for example at 2’41. Ability to smoothly mix original song with added electronic samples.
Ei.3: very musical, not overly spacious compared to SM64. The shallowness of Ei.3 soundstage shows. However, the width of the soundstage makes up for it at 2’41.
SM64 : seems better technically. The voice is nicer, purer, but backwards. Too bad as it reduces engagement. Sounds globally more airy, which suits that tune.
 
The Avener – The wanderings of the Avener – To let myself go featuring Ane Brun
 
What to look for:  acoustic guitar, beat, musicality (violins at 2’35).
Ei.3: guitars are not as nice as with SM64. Likely due to Ei.3 cutting high too quick. But the more upfront soundstage and the mids density makes it all fun and games.
SM64 : too airy, almost ethereal. Lacking in unity? Probably due to the backwards mids.
 
Dr DRE – 2001 – Still D.R.E
 
What to look for: flow, impact
Ei.3: FAST, make you want to bobble your head.
SM64: bigger and cleaner, but also much slacker, less engaging.
 
Foo Fighters – Wasting Light – Rope
 
What to look for: bass line (rare item to look for in Foo Fighters), doubled voices (big feature of Wasting Light album), chorus, and the cowbell at 2’55. For cowbell amateurs :
Ei.3: bass line is precise, could be a tad more upfront. But boy it does the job right., be it for driving the chorus or for driving the instrumental parts prior to the doubled voices. The second voice, higher, is a little less readable, but it all sounds so well together. The cymbals are there, but more as a concept, as they lack precision : the impact is there, but there resonance is much (way) too short.
SM64: here again, bass feels boosted. Bass line is very much there but it lacks precision, as if the main frequency was bloated. Separation and soundstage are excellent, but the voices are again a little backwards. They are distinct, but almost too much, having less magic when added to one another. The cymbals are very precise and clean. They show why the SM64 highs are somewhat called for being a little metallic (but 1) I’m not too sensitive to sibilance; and 2) it is only normal that cymbals sound metallic now is it ?!!)
 
Foo Fighters – Wasting Light – Dear Rosemary
 
What to look for: the intro, which echoes the end of the previous track (“Rope”), the little bells, the stop and block created by the drums and guitars, the doubled voices starting at 0’50, including on the chorus, the rise starting at 3’04.
Ei.3: engaging intro, very so-so little bells. Drums play their role perfectly, and provide a strong rythmic sense. The voices combine perfectly, and it sticks up with you, but in a good way. The final rise really makes you want to shake your head and to pump up the volume. Ei.3 really do this tune justice.
SM64: the drums sound a little metallic, and the stop and block is not quite as good. The little bells are however beautiful and super sharp. Lovely. Bass line is also excellent, and voices mesh up superbly together. The second voice really comes to life as compared with Ei.3, but both are yet a little too much backwards. Result is I don’t shake my head as much, and the volume knob does not move up. The high toms lack impact at the end (3’50).
 
Foo Fighters – Wasting Light – Arlandria
 
What to look for: in the beginning, the echo of the scratched guitar rythmic part, the separate guital parts at 1’30 (scratched on the left, melodic on the right), the little bells and the doubled voices on the chorus, the bass echo which moves from left to right and back between 3’12 and 3’36 ; the tom triplets (see 2’14, 4’02 or 4’18).
Ei.3: in the intro, the scratched rythmic resonates in the depth direction at the center. The drums and the frontal scene induce instant foot tapping despite the lack luster little bells. The melodic guitar on the right lacks purity, crystal sound. The whole is really fun thanks to the drums.
SM64 : in the intro, the scatched rythmic resonates far to the right, which is really fun stereo-wise, but probably less realistic than with the Ei.3. For the rest, the more airy and technical highs make the tune nicer, especially since the voices don’t feel backwards here. However, the drums are a lot less engaging for some reason. Too bad.
 
Foo Fighters – Wasting Light – Walk
 
What to look for: all of it. Again a tune which goes crescendo in intensity. First, melodic guitars which are lateralised, then the bass tom, the rest of the drums, and the little bells before the 2’05 break. And it starts again crescendo at 2’45, adding an instrument with each repetition. Several end teasings before the drum finish circa 4’02.
Ei.3: this tune sums up the essence of my Ei.3 experience. Not the most perfect technically, but it grabs you by the guts, and I pump up the volume knob to unreasonable levels (fortunately not for too long).
SM64: from the begining, it’s cleaner and more airy than Ei.3, which is really flattering to my ears. The bass tom is however less precise, a little bloated. Cymbals are a little too present, and once again the drums are less engaging. Result is the same: less guts, less volume knob turning, and less foot tapping.
 
Edit : slightly edited my grades to reflect a more generalistic view. First grades were in view of the pricing, which, after talking it out with my friend Sirenia, I believe is not a good thing to do.