Craft Ears Craft SIX
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Introduction
Hi
During the last two weeks, by courtesy of @ I had the opportunity to try out the Flagship IEM offered by the polish producer of audio equipment „Craft Ears”, which owns a quite simple name „Six”. Its genesis surely alludes to the construction of the headphones, inside of which there are 6 drivers on each side. Just as in other headphones distributed by CE, the set of drivers incorporates the armatures which, according to the description on the website, are responsible for the individual scopes in the configuration: 2 for the low tones, 2 for the low midrange, 1 for the high midrange and 1 for the high tones. Were You eager to read up on the applied technologies I would recommend You that website. Here I am going to concentrate on what one hears and sees.
Production quality, accessories
The piece that I tried out is a universal version, available for the interested for lending out. The dome incorporating the drivers is black, opaque and smoothly finished, no sharpness can be found. It sleekly melts into a faceplate finished in version Forged Carbon Fibre with embedded copper flakes and decorated with the gleaming CE logo. The neck of the received model is quite long and looks rather specifically (long, stubby and cambered). I pay attention to it due to the fact that at first glance it doesn’t seem very universal, however, in my ear it fitted perfectly. I couldn’t complain about the comfort. The size of the headphones I would describe as a multiarmature classic. Not only are they not too big, especially compared to the tribrids available on the market, but also luckily bigger than the typical 1DD. Similarly, I cannot grumble about the performance quality of the whole. The headphones present themselves very well, they look truly elegantly and niftily, although, as it is with the custom models, the final piece one can adjust to one’s personal aesthetic expectations and preferences. The box, in which they arrive, also deserves great appreciation. On the spot, it gives the receiver impression of communing with a premium product. The set also includes Earfit Sedna Light tips and a terminated cable 2-pin – 3,5mm. In the case of the tried out piece, it is a model Rhapsodio OCC mk2 available for an additional fee. It is a 4-core copper, the cable itself is soft, flexible, pleasantly satin to the touch. Concededly I lack comparison with a standard cable, but more or less knowing the influence of pure copper on the signature of the playing and following other reviews of the product Rhapsodio I profess, that it is a good choice. Were I to complain, I would mention the producers giving straight away the cables that fit all popular output standards (2.5/3.5/4.4), but it’s not really a standard practice and I don’t like whining
Sound
If I had to briefly describe how the SIXs sound, I would depict them as bright-neutral/ bright-cold, and more vividly as crystalline, fresh, pure. They represent tuning that emphasizes the high midrange and high tones, countering this with an additional accent on the lowest range of the lower registers. Hence, for them, I would look for all those sources that would enhance the lower midrange in an analogue way.
Bass
One cannot escape the impression that in the overall signature it plays a more complementary rather than primary role, however, it manages to do it extremely well. This sentence was the first to come to my mind already during the listening sessions with headphones plugged into the IBasso DX160. And although this, as a good, clean canvas, quite faithfully allowed the Sixes to draw an image dictated by their signature, I am so glad that the more impetuous HiBy R6 2020 soon also joined the group of sources. Albeit coming back to bass and its complementary or rather emphasizing role. Not only is it a matter of the amount, but also the way of serving. It is drawn with a fast, hard, dynamic line. Concurrent it is not an anemic or emaciated appearance – from memory, I can say that there is more of it than, for instance, in the case of Moondrop Blessing2 which presented this range in a much more linear way. Here I catch a character similar to the one of UM MEST, although these sounded a bit more wholly. The accentuation depends a lot on the source itself. Listening to the DX160, the emphasis is definitely on the sub-bass, then slowly descends towards the mid-bass. They retained this general character with the HiBy player as well, but this one also filled the middle bass a bit. Eventually, I preferred this presence and although I often opt for the warmer music, such a fast, hard, contour tuning creates the impression of freshness and leaves room for breath. The results were great, among others Breathe into Me by Marian Hill duo, where from the very beginning the emphasis on the lowest range is impressive. In the case of Acid Rain by Lorn, the bass took a further, emphasizing role. After switching from Penon Volt, which plays much more organic, I felt a certain lack of warmth, but it fades away after about 3 songs. However, turning down my personal fondness I can say, that this range appeals to me, among others on BLISS songs (Mivahetsek, La Mamounia Theme…), where it hit hard, fast, dynamic, but also pleasantly multi-invoiced and on a low-descending Submarine-Kwizma. In the case of the latter, similar impressions – technically good, drawn with a hard, contour line, quickly attacking and fading away. The further towards the “analogue” sound (vocals, instruments) and the mid and high bass ranges, the more pronounced the thinning is, especially when the source is quite even or cold. Personally, I would prefer slightly more warmth and ballast, both in the case of popular music and, for instance, orchestral music. The Gladiator soundtrack, despite the beautiful performance of Lisa Gerrard’s vocals, has lost some of the impacts, in favor of lightness/ airiness.
Midrange
The lower midrange is a derivative of the lower bass – it is similarly slimmer, which is legible, among others on male vocals, although let me repeat myself, it can be countered by the complexion of the source. Sixes in this range are brightened and shifted towards severity. It is possible that this is where I spotted the sibilance coming from the male vocals several times. The situation fares similarly with the instruments operating in this span. Experimentally I used the sensations from listening to the song Englishman by Sting. It is very musical and clear, leaving the room for air. The whole time the word “airy” keeps coming back to me, rightly conveying the nature of such presence. Personally, I would look for more ballast, however, I am aware that there are people, with some I’m even acquainted with, that prefer such illuminated imagery. The full and high midranges are the areas where the Sixes reach definitely the best results. Women’s high vocals stand out with great presence and extension. IU, Billie Eilish or Bjork (the phrase “how Scandinavian of me” Hunter) sound tremendous, although Lizz Wright’s voice might want to purr a little lower. I wish to convey my great appreciation for how the Sixes perform metal music as well. There a fast attack and light on electric guitars do a great job, although, I don’t like this genre, so I suggest this opinion be taken with a grain of salt. Just as tremendous they kept up with the energetic string dialogue in Cumbe by Rodrigo y Gabriela and the ending of Miami piece by Counting Cows. The very breakthrough of the mids and highs is another low, separating these two bands, maybe that’s why I never perceived female vocals as overkeen, despite their overall exposure.
Highs
There is! And a very legible one. About this range I will probably elaborate the least – as I am able to catch its withdrawal or exposure, the differences in possible undulations are slightly beyond my perception Coming back to the high tones – there is no withdrawal in this case, but a clear, even presence. It can be safely described as “sparkling” or “shiny” or – faithful, genuine, present. I don’t think anyone could complain about its lack and it definitely hits my preferences. It can violate, but this is more due to the recording itself than to tuning the headphones – it is presented faithfully (the last seconds of the Windowlicker by Aphex Twins, an outstanding cut on the ears – and that’s exactly how it is supposed to be ). It works great both in chirping drum cymbals (the already mentioned Englishman by Sting), and also in typically electronic pieces (including Undone, Spaces).
Technicalities
This part I actually rewrote after plugging Sixs to Hiby’s player. The stage has definitely grown in depth, gaining great natural sphericity or rather a roundness. It probably still remains elliptical with a tendency towards latitude, but it is not the dominant direction. Separation, holography – this is not the MEST level yet, but it is very… just natural, well-arranged, giving pleasure from listening. Having mentioned the quality of individual ranges in the previous parts, here let me close the paragraph.
Summary
The adventure with Sixes I will reminisce very well. Although they do not exactly match my taste, I cannot underestimate their overall quality. Referring to the popular SQ ranking (S, A, B…), in my private estimation they target the high A-class. They are very good, bright, clean, with a naturally built round stage. Although I did not find in them that spark of excellence, which usually means this top-tier, as a whole, they are a complete and attractive product, with the inclination for being a good daily all-rounder
Hi
During the last two weeks, by courtesy of @ I had the opportunity to try out the Flagship IEM offered by the polish producer of audio equipment „Craft Ears”, which owns a quite simple name „Six”. Its genesis surely alludes to the construction of the headphones, inside of which there are 6 drivers on each side. Just as in other headphones distributed by CE, the set of drivers incorporates the armatures which, according to the description on the website, are responsible for the individual scopes in the configuration: 2 for the low tones, 2 for the low midrange, 1 for the high midrange and 1 for the high tones. Were You eager to read up on the applied technologies I would recommend You that website. Here I am going to concentrate on what one hears and sees.
Production quality, accessories
The piece that I tried out is a universal version, available for the interested for lending out. The dome incorporating the drivers is black, opaque and smoothly finished, no sharpness can be found. It sleekly melts into a faceplate finished in version Forged Carbon Fibre with embedded copper flakes and decorated with the gleaming CE logo. The neck of the received model is quite long and looks rather specifically (long, stubby and cambered). I pay attention to it due to the fact that at first glance it doesn’t seem very universal, however, in my ear it fitted perfectly. I couldn’t complain about the comfort. The size of the headphones I would describe as a multiarmature classic. Not only are they not too big, especially compared to the tribrids available on the market, but also luckily bigger than the typical 1DD. Similarly, I cannot grumble about the performance quality of the whole. The headphones present themselves very well, they look truly elegantly and niftily, although, as it is with the custom models, the final piece one can adjust to one’s personal aesthetic expectations and preferences. The box, in which they arrive, also deserves great appreciation. On the spot, it gives the receiver impression of communing with a premium product. The set also includes Earfit Sedna Light tips and a terminated cable 2-pin – 3,5mm. In the case of the tried out piece, it is a model Rhapsodio OCC mk2 available for an additional fee. It is a 4-core copper, the cable itself is soft, flexible, pleasantly satin to the touch. Concededly I lack comparison with a standard cable, but more or less knowing the influence of pure copper on the signature of the playing and following other reviews of the product Rhapsodio I profess, that it is a good choice. Were I to complain, I would mention the producers giving straight away the cables that fit all popular output standards (2.5/3.5/4.4), but it’s not really a standard practice and I don’t like whining
Sound
If I had to briefly describe how the SIXs sound, I would depict them as bright-neutral/ bright-cold, and more vividly as crystalline, fresh, pure. They represent tuning that emphasizes the high midrange and high tones, countering this with an additional accent on the lowest range of the lower registers. Hence, for them, I would look for all those sources that would enhance the lower midrange in an analogue way.
Bass
One cannot escape the impression that in the overall signature it plays a more complementary rather than primary role, however, it manages to do it extremely well. This sentence was the first to come to my mind already during the listening sessions with headphones plugged into the IBasso DX160. And although this, as a good, clean canvas, quite faithfully allowed the Sixes to draw an image dictated by their signature, I am so glad that the more impetuous HiBy R6 2020 soon also joined the group of sources. Albeit coming back to bass and its complementary or rather emphasizing role. Not only is it a matter of the amount, but also the way of serving. It is drawn with a fast, hard, dynamic line. Concurrent it is not an anemic or emaciated appearance – from memory, I can say that there is more of it than, for instance, in the case of Moondrop Blessing2 which presented this range in a much more linear way. Here I catch a character similar to the one of UM MEST, although these sounded a bit more wholly. The accentuation depends a lot on the source itself. Listening to the DX160, the emphasis is definitely on the sub-bass, then slowly descends towards the mid-bass. They retained this general character with the HiBy player as well, but this one also filled the middle bass a bit. Eventually, I preferred this presence and although I often opt for the warmer music, such a fast, hard, contour tuning creates the impression of freshness and leaves room for breath. The results were great, among others Breathe into Me by Marian Hill duo, where from the very beginning the emphasis on the lowest range is impressive. In the case of Acid Rain by Lorn, the bass took a further, emphasizing role. After switching from Penon Volt, which plays much more organic, I felt a certain lack of warmth, but it fades away after about 3 songs. However, turning down my personal fondness I can say, that this range appeals to me, among others on BLISS songs (Mivahetsek, La Mamounia Theme…), where it hit hard, fast, dynamic, but also pleasantly multi-invoiced and on a low-descending Submarine-Kwizma. In the case of the latter, similar impressions – technically good, drawn with a hard, contour line, quickly attacking and fading away. The further towards the “analogue” sound (vocals, instruments) and the mid and high bass ranges, the more pronounced the thinning is, especially when the source is quite even or cold. Personally, I would prefer slightly more warmth and ballast, both in the case of popular music and, for instance, orchestral music. The Gladiator soundtrack, despite the beautiful performance of Lisa Gerrard’s vocals, has lost some of the impacts, in favor of lightness/ airiness.
Midrange
The lower midrange is a derivative of the lower bass – it is similarly slimmer, which is legible, among others on male vocals, although let me repeat myself, it can be countered by the complexion of the source. Sixes in this range are brightened and shifted towards severity. It is possible that this is where I spotted the sibilance coming from the male vocals several times. The situation fares similarly with the instruments operating in this span. Experimentally I used the sensations from listening to the song Englishman by Sting. It is very musical and clear, leaving the room for air. The whole time the word “airy” keeps coming back to me, rightly conveying the nature of such presence. Personally, I would look for more ballast, however, I am aware that there are people, with some I’m even acquainted with, that prefer such illuminated imagery. The full and high midranges are the areas where the Sixes reach definitely the best results. Women’s high vocals stand out with great presence and extension. IU, Billie Eilish or Bjork (the phrase “how Scandinavian of me” Hunter) sound tremendous, although Lizz Wright’s voice might want to purr a little lower. I wish to convey my great appreciation for how the Sixes perform metal music as well. There a fast attack and light on electric guitars do a great job, although, I don’t like this genre, so I suggest this opinion be taken with a grain of salt. Just as tremendous they kept up with the energetic string dialogue in Cumbe by Rodrigo y Gabriela and the ending of Miami piece by Counting Cows. The very breakthrough of the mids and highs is another low, separating these two bands, maybe that’s why I never perceived female vocals as overkeen, despite their overall exposure.
Highs
There is! And a very legible one. About this range I will probably elaborate the least – as I am able to catch its withdrawal or exposure, the differences in possible undulations are slightly beyond my perception
Coming back to the high tones – there is no withdrawal in this case, but a clear, even presence. It can be safely described as “sparkling” or “shiny” or – faithful, genuine, present. I don’t think anyone could complain about its lack and it definitely hits my preferences. It can violate, but this is more due to the recording itself than to tuning the headphones – it is presented faithfully (the last seconds of the Windowlicker by Aphex Twins, an outstanding cut on the ears – and that’s exactly how it is supposed to be ). It works great both in chirping drum cymbals (the already mentioned Englishman by Sting), and also in typically electronic pieces (including Undone, Spaces).
Technicalities
This part I actually rewrote after plugging Sixs to Hiby’s player. The stage has definitely grown in depth, gaining great natural sphericity or rather a roundness. It probably still remains elliptical with a tendency towards latitude, but it is not the dominant direction. Separation, holography – this is not the MEST level yet, but it is very… just natural, well-arranged, giving pleasure from listening. Having mentioned the quality of individual ranges in the previous parts, here let me close the paragraph.
Summary
The adventure with Sixes I will reminisce very well. Although they do not exactly match my taste, I cannot underestimate their overall quality. Referring to the popular SQ ranking (S, A, B…), in my private estimation they target the high A-class. They are very good, bright, clean, with a naturally built round stage. Although I did not find in them that spark of excellence, which usually means this top-tier, as a whole, they are a complete and attractive product, with the inclination for being a good daily all-rounder
max1236
Beautiful shells
dhruvmeena96
Well, it should be source independent as it's a flat impedance iem
It cannot react to sources
But, then I think you might be hearing DAC and amplifier spec
But yeah, it has the best treble extension bands down
It cannot react to sources
But, then I think you might be hearing DAC and amplifier spec
But yeah, it has the best treble extension bands down
The Four and Six universal demo have been graciously lent by Jędrzej Nowicki / Craft Ears in order to realize a Tour on Tellement Nomade and to allow the French community to discover this new proposition on the in-ear market. I would like to thank him for his confidence in TN. They will be returned at the end of the Tour.
I am in no way commercially linked to Craft Ears and have received no compensation whatsoever for this return.
Introduction
Craft Ears is a company based in Kobylanka, in the northwest of Poland, close to the German border.
The company was founded about two and a half years ago by Jędrzej Nowicki, a music engineer, musician (drums) and producer/composer in his own right.
It currently offers 3 models based exclusively on balanced armature drivers, and available in both custom and universal versions. The models used for the tour are universal versions, and I've had confirmation that they are tuned slightly differently to sound like customs.
Official website : https://www.craftears.com/
Hardware
I was able to test the Crafts Ears headphones with the following hardware.
DAP : Plenue L, iBasso DX160 and smartphone
Cables : stock cables, Eletech Plato and PW1950 cables
I was able to compare them to the following pairs of in-ears :
64 Audio U12t, Ambient Acoustics MAD24, Empire Ears Zeus XIV Custom Retuned, IMR Rah and Jomo Audio Trinity SS
Build, Fit & Tips
Both Four and Six are of exemplary manufacturing quality, the lacquering is magnificent and shell inspires confidence.
Six shell shape is quite special, with an extremely long nozzle due to the tubing required to achieve the desired sound.In my little ears with the short and narrow canal, it was no easy task to get a correct fit, and the shell stood out a lot.
Stock tips are Azla SednaEarfit Short. However, I preferred to use Jomo double flanges which allowed me to get a deeper fit and a fuller, more intense signature without impacting the sound stage at all. The following feedback is based on the use of these tips.
Six / Four
Four shell is tiny, just like the nozzle, and they fit perfectly in my ear. With them, I got a perfect fit with narrow nozzle tri-flanges, just like the supplied Final Audio type E tips.
Tech Specs
Craft Ears Four
Specifications :
- 4 Balanced Armatures : 1 super-tweeter, 1 midrange and 2 bass
- 4-way passive filter
- 3 bores nozzle
- Frequency response: 15Hz - 22kHz
- Impedance: 10 Ohms
- Insulation: -26db
- Stock cable: 4 strands in silver plated copper
- Selling price: from 550€
- Builder's site: https://www.craftears.com/products/model-ce-4/
Craft Ears Six
Specifications :
- 6 Balanced Armatures : 1 super-tweeter, 1 tweeter / high-midrange, 2 low-midrange and 2 basses
- 5-way passive filter
- 3 bores nozzle
- Frequency response: 2Hz - 23kHz
- Impedance: 7 Ohms
- Insulation: -26db
- Stock cable: 8 strands in silver plated copper
- Selling price : from 945€
- Manufacturer's website: https://www.craftears.com/products/model-ce6/
In addition, some proprietary technologies are used on the Six :
- RASEN Bass ™ (Reference Acoustic Spiral Enhanced Bass) : 3D printed structure that creates low notes as realistic as a real subwoofer.
- True Load ™ : Extremely flat impedance and phase.
- SES™ (Space Expanse System) : Horn tweeter, printed in 3D, and tuned to a very particular bandwidth.
There is currently a pre-order on the Six, a discount of over 20%, which brings the price down from €745, and allows you to switch to a Rhapsodio OCC mk2 cable for €145. This is the cable that was in the package I received for my listening.
Sound
Craft Ears Six
The signature of the Craft Ears Six is very balanced with a definite emphasis on the high midrange and high treble.
Here are the Crinacle measurements (uncompensated) to compare with the 64Audio U12t I had in my possession at the time of the tests.
Bass are very well mastered, even on loaded tracks. They are very fast as often with the BA, and they offer a very nice impact. We're certainly not on the same level of roaring then U12t, but they seem to be a bit more legible, and not only here for the show. The extension of the subs (<60Hz) is excellent, really top-notch. The basses (60 to 250Hz) are present but not swollen, quite even, which brings this extra definition in the register. The whole gives a powerful foundation that is extremely easy to decipher and enjoy.
The mids are almost perfect for my tastes, both technical and musical. They manage to convey without any effort the slightest inflection of the music, the slightest breath of the singer and all the emotions of each piece.
Low-Mids (250 to 500Hz) is in the lineage of the basses. Relatively set back, it allows to highlight the technical qualities of the Medium and High-Medium.
Mids (500 to 2000Hz) opens delicately from 1000Hz to bring energy to the vocals and instruments and stabilize at 2000Hz.
High-Mids (2000 to 4000Hz) with its peak at 3500Hz is never tiring despite the crunch it gives to instruments such as guitars or violins.
The result is a very technical and chiselled medium but which never falls into the analytical and knows how to keep its grain and its emotion.
Treble (>4000Hz) are quite destabilizing for me because they are the first in-ear I listen to that have such a peak around 16KHz. The result is a very high presence of cymbal or violin harmonics, and an excellent aeration. And consequently a highlighting of a quantity of sounds that I don't usually hear. But this is done again with great mastery and fingering, without any sibilance or aggressiveness. Flip side of the coin, you can end up with a slightly exacerbated background noise if it is present on the recording.
The 4 to 6KHz dip reinforces the presence, then the 7 to 8KHz peak increases the definition of the rendering while sacrificing nothing to the tones.
Tones actually seem to me very slightly on the light side but without sounding dry. And in spite of an obvious technicality, there is a certain warmth in the voices that is really very appreciable.
Soundstage develops a nice pitch and the depth is pleasant even if not exceptional. The stage is very wide, and rather frontal especially because of the very lively and dynamic side of the Six and their sharp attacks throughout the whole spectrum.
The Magic Square seems exceptional for an item at this price.
Resolution -> very good (no more because may seem artificial)
Separation -> excellent
Definition -> excellent
Transparency -> excellent
The Cables:
- The PW1950, compared to the Rhapsodio cable, adds substance and intensity to the midrange, the timbres are magnified. The bass is slightly overexposed, the treble a little more organic. The stage is wider too and a little deeper. Resolution and separation are pushed a little further. Really an excellent association.
- The Eletech Plato has a nice contribution to the spatialization, both in height and depth, and increases the separation. The treble is quite close to the PW and the bass is unchanged compared to the Rhapsodio. It brings a bit of grain to the midrange.
Craft Ears Four
The signature of the Craft Ears Four is very slightly V-shaped, fleshy, but finally quite balanced with a well open high midrange.
Here are the Crinacle measures (uncompensated) of a custom version, allowing to compare with the Craft Six.
I won't go into detail in the analysis but simply make a short comparison with the Six.
The bass seem a bit slower, rounder and less well defined. This is surely due to the fact that there are less Subs and more Basses than on the Six.
The Low-Midrange is denser but the mids are very readable from the 800Hz dip, and a nice emphasis on the High-Midrange. Male voices in particular are fuller but less delicate.
The soundstage seems a bit smaller in the 3 dimensions, and we are positioned a bit closer to the music. But it's still a strong point like on the Six.
The highs seem a bit clearer but without being aggressive. However, I can find here a little metallic side that can appear sometimes and a slightly higher hiss than on the Sixes.
In spite of a different signature, tones are quite close to what the Six offer, i.e. more on the light side but with a little more muscles.
The sound is finally quite surprising because it is both more robust, with thicker notes in the lower midrange/bass, and at the same time thinner and brighter in the upper midrange and treble. The dynamics remain important and the impacts excellent.
For the Magic Square of the Four, we are on a very good level, even if logically below the Six :
Resolution -> very good
Separation -> good
Definition -> very good
Transparency -> very good
I've had very good results with the Eletech Plato, which is a better match than the PW1950. It brings an extra soul to the stage while facilitating the readability of the lower midrange.
Conclusion:
I have to say that I'm really hypnotised with the Six and I think they correspond to a signature that I particularly like (apart from the 16KHz peak). The combination of their musical and technical qualities is a cocktail that I particularly enjoyed. And offered at the price at which they are currently sold, it's a golden opportunity to make the big leap to the TOTL heaven without any risk. However, it is necessary to take into account theese " peculiar " high notes which can be corrected easily with EQ if needed, this slightly thin tunning and this big shell and long nozzle.
The Four are a slightly more V-shapped, clearer and less technical variation but have good qualities in the price segment where they are offered.
Congratulations again to Craft Ears for these solid proposals and exemplary finishes that give an extra choice to any headfier looking for a solution for his listening sessions.
Magic Square :
"Resolution is the ability to individualize a voice or instrument"
"Separation is the ability to feel space between the various sound sources"
"Definition is the ability to perceive as much information as possible"
"Transparency is the ability to transcribe the nuances and subtleties of music"
My topic on Tellement Nomade here : http://www.tellementnomade.org/forum/viewtopic.php?p=671123#p671123
dooxtypoox
Nice comparison!
Bartosz
Tis spec is for Craft 4 not 6 
TLDR –
The Craft Six competes in kilo-buck turf in both tonality and technicality at a substantial discount (pre-order).
Introduction –
Craft Ears is a newcomer from Poland with big aspirations. The company’s first two models the Craft Two and Four were very well-received by enthusiasts and critics. Despite this, there was one main aspect that drew me to the company; and that was their transparency about their acoustic designs. The staff are responsive, confident and proficient, happy to lay out all of the science to back their lofty promises. After months of development, their efforts have born fruit in the form of the Craft Six, currently the highest-end model in their line-up featuring 6-BA setup with a 5-way crossover. This earphone also marks a big innovational step forward of the company, implementing multiple proprietary technologies. All of this comes at a highly competitive 745 EUR preorder asking price, and 945 EUR launch price. You can read more about the Craft Six and purchase one for yourself here.
Disclaimer –
I would like to thank Jed from Craft Ears very much for their utmost patience with me while explaining their design and for providing me with the Craft 6 for the purpose of this review. All words are my own and there is no monetary incentive for a positive review. This quick-review will be covering a demo universal unit that is to be sent to the next reviewer after my evaluation. I will attempt to be as objective as possible.
Specs –
Frequency Response: 2Hz – 23KHz
Impedance: 7-ohms
Driver setup: 2x Sub, 1x low-mid, 1x mid-high, 1x tweeter, 1x super-tweeter
Crossover: 5-way electrical
The Pitch –
RASEN Bass
The Craft 6 implements “Reference Acoustic Spiral Enhanced Bass”. This is a patent-pending 3D printed low-pass filter that promises true subwoofer extension from current BA drivers. I’ve been told this operates similarly to that implemented on the legendary Shure SE846 but with modern innovations that increase efficiency.
True Load
The staff behind Craft Ears were proud to tout the extremely flat impedance and phase offered by their latest earphone. This functions similarly to the FIBAE technology pioneered by Piotr at Custom Art, whereby the earphone’s signature does not vary with output impedance, at least, to a much smaller degree than most. Meanwhile, phase-coherence brings benefits to imaging and detail retrieval by minimising destructive interference between the drivers. This successfully circumvents two of the most polarising aspects of multi-driver design.
SES
“Space expansion system” is a field-specific 3D printed horn-loaded tweeter tuned to a particular bandwidth. We’ve seen this implemented on some other high-end IEMs that have been very well-received. I’ll leave it to the professionals to offer in-depth clarification.
Design –
My demo unit arrived in the form of Craft Ears’ new universal housing. Much like their customs, the universal housings are 3D printed and immaculately finished. They assume a deep piano black design set to stunning red-stained wood faceplates inscribed with the model number. A thick clear coat provides additional depth and intrigue and the total lack of seams, orange peel or other imperfections results in a high-class aesthetic. The housings themselves don’t follow any traditional design, being of the faux-custom variety. The Craft Six utilises a 0.78mm removable cable, the OCC MK2 from Rhapsiodio.
It’s a beefy 4-wire unit with copper conductors and carries all of the flare you’d expect from a high-quality custom-cable with chrome/carbon-fibre connectors and pleasing strain relief. The pre-moulded earguides showcase great attention to detail, curving both backward and inwards to offer an especially secure fit without pressure point formation. I also love the matte jacket which routes cleanly through clothing if offering a bit less visual intrigue than clear units. The cable itself is very high-quality, a bit springy but highly tangle-resistant. It represents a great complement to the Craft 6 for a premium overall package.
Fit & Isolation –
They’re very well sculpted earphone, with long, tapered nozzles providing a deep fit and an anti-helix fin providing an exceptionally locked-in sensation. Fit stability is excellent as is isolation, being fully-sealed, easily sufficient for travel and loud environments. That said, the housings are very large, and protrude noticeably from the ear. They also contact a lot of my outer ear and may cause discomfort on those with smaller ears. I personally found them to offer good levels of comfort during long listening sessions, albeit, they never quite disappeared as some IEMs tend to.
Sound –
Testing Methodology: Measured using Arta via IEC 711 coupler to Startech external sound card. 7-9KHz peaks may be artifacts/emphasized due to my measurement setup. Measurements besides channel balance are volume matched at 1KHz. Fit depth normalized to my best abilities – the brighter measurement is with the tips installed, shallow fit while the darker measurement is tip removed, deep insertion.
Due to these factors, my measurements may not accurately reflect the earphone or measurements taken by others.
Tonality –
At its elevated asking price, it almost goes without saying that the Craft 6 is an impressive listen. Yet even among its peers, the Craft 6 shines in many regards; that being its resolving treble and especially powerful, extended bass. Fundamentally, it builds atop the foundation of the Craft Four, while introducing a more neutrally-toned and linear signature. It retains light colouration, being slightly vocal forward and analytical but with a bit of bass emphasis that grants it excellent balance and accurate tone overall. The Six is, in turn, no longer as euphonic as its cheaper sibling. And yet, as it carries quite a substantial boost in technical ability, one would hardly misses the added warmth and body. The Craft Six is a wonderfully insightful listen, but may not appeal to those craving warmth and full, dense notes.
Bass –
The low-end showcases some of the best extension I’ve ever heard from a BA-earphone. This impression is aided by light emphasis through the sub-bass, together with providing a powerful rumble and visceral slam at the very bottom. The timbre is still BA-ish in nature, being quicker decaying than most dynamics if a little more drawn out than most BA’s, and being highly controlled. There is a bit more information and texture in the sub-bass than normal for sure. Working alongside that terrific extension, the commanding presence, power and extension of the Craft Six’s sub-bass might just mislead a fair few. This is followed by a gradual drop through the mid and upper-bass, providing a well-balanced presentation overall with slightly thicker albeit highly defined notes set to a neutral tone.
Mids –
The midrange has a neutral tone and lighter note weight alongside a clear and revealing character. It showcases sound linearity with an upper-midrange emphasis around 3KHz providing a bump to vocal size and clarity in addition to bringing vocals forward over-stepping on intimacy. As the upper-bass and lower-midrange are lightly attenuated, the source of its neutral and highly-defined presentation, vocal body lies on the thinner side. Nonetheless, emphasis falls off through the 4KHz region into a lower-treble trough, providing wicked smooth articulation and a hint of additional density that redeems some note weight and structure. As such, sibilance and raspiness are non-existent despite the superlative clarity of the Craft 6’s vocals. Altogether, the midrange is clear, highly-resolved and very refined, a well-executed demonstration of a neutrally-toned sound.
Highs –
Despite possessing a trough around 5KHz, emphasis picks up quickly after, leading to a moderate 7KHz peak. I hear very quick, concise note attack and accurate decay, superb control and a clean transient response, all contributing to outstanding fine detail retrieval. The background is dark, providing strong foreground/background contrast and a focused foreground. Meanwhile, a peak in the upper-treble works in tandem with excellent extension to provide a surprising amount of air set to abundant sparkle and micro-detail presence. Such a tuning produces thinner but not brittle instrument body alongside a slightly tizzy character. I would argue that the treble strays furthest from linearity, favouring greater engagement and a more aggressive detail presentation over perfectly accurate timbre. Still, as the tone is a touch on the warmer side, this helps to retain a fairly natural image. The Craft Six showcases truly superb detail retrieval front and foremost without wearing on the ear in quantity.
Soundstage –
Such a presentation works wonders for the soundstage too, which stretches beyond the head in width and provides a surprising amount of depth too; albeit slightly reduced due to its more forward vocal presentation. Imaging is sharp and accurate. Vocals occupy a strong centre image and localisation is pinpoint sharp. Separation is strong on account of the Craft Six’s neutral tone and slightly thinner note structure. I would still classify the Six as providing convincing coherence. Its bass provides volume and stability to its stage, avoiding sounding diffuse. The Craft Six is well-structured with defined layers and precise imaging.
Early Verdict –
An earphone like the Craft Six is difficult to evaluate as its technical properties work in tandem with a tuning that emphasizes their presence to the listener. To clarify, it is easy to mistake a forward lower-treble for high detail retrieval, bright background for sparkle. The list goes on, and reviews shall henceforth, be crucified for their misnomers. Thankfully, the Craft Six offers an incredibly solid technical foundation for its vivid yet neutrally toned signature, end to end extension is superb and the organisation of its presentation is excellent too. Surely, this earphone does not represent perfect timbre, being slightly forward, detail aggressive and, in turn, delivering a lighter note weight which may not please all. Still, the Craft Six ticks all the boxes a high-end IEM should, the treble is sparkly and resolving of minutiae, the midrange is revealing yet refined and its bass is a revelation. I was sceptical of the company’s proprietary acronyms, but the product cannot be denied. The Craft Six competes in kilo-buck turf in both tonality and technicality at a substantial discount when bought on preorder, and I will be sad to see this one go.
Comparisons, source synergy and in-depth breakdown coming soon to the extended review!
The Craft Six is available from on Craft Ears (International) for $745 EUR (preorder) with a retail price of $945 EUR after this period has ended. I am not affiliated with Craft Ears and receive no earnings from purchases through this link.
Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed my review, please see my website for more just like it!
Track List –
brb. – relationship
Bob Seger – Stranger in Town
Emotional Oranges – The Juice: Vol. II
Father John Misty – Pure Comedy
Fleetwood Mac – Tango In the Night
George Michael – Listen Without Prejudice
Joji – Sanctuary
Kanye West – Only One
Keshi – skeletons
IU – eight
Nirvana – Nevermind
OOHYO – Honey Tea
Pixies – Surfer Rosa
Radiohead – OK Computer
Rich Brian – Amen
Sharon Van Etten – The End of the World
Sun Rai – Pocket Music
The Rolling Stones – Sticky Fingers
Yosi Horikawa – Wandering
The Craft Six competes in kilo-buck turf in both tonality and technicality at a substantial discount (pre-order).
Introduction –
Craft Ears is a newcomer from Poland with big aspirations. The company’s first two models the Craft Two and Four were very well-received by enthusiasts and critics. Despite this, there was one main aspect that drew me to the company; and that was their transparency about their acoustic designs. The staff are responsive, confident and proficient, happy to lay out all of the science to back their lofty promises. After months of development, their efforts have born fruit in the form of the Craft Six, currently the highest-end model in their line-up featuring 6-BA setup with a 5-way crossover. This earphone also marks a big innovational step forward of the company, implementing multiple proprietary technologies. All of this comes at a highly competitive 745 EUR preorder asking price, and 945 EUR launch price. You can read more about the Craft Six and purchase one for yourself here.
Disclaimer –
I would like to thank Jed from Craft Ears very much for their utmost patience with me while explaining their design and for providing me with the Craft 6 for the purpose of this review. All words are my own and there is no monetary incentive for a positive review. This quick-review will be covering a demo universal unit that is to be sent to the next reviewer after my evaluation. I will attempt to be as objective as possible.
Specs –
Frequency Response: 2Hz – 23KHz
Impedance: 7-ohms
Driver setup: 2x Sub, 1x low-mid, 1x mid-high, 1x tweeter, 1x super-tweeter
Crossover: 5-way electrical
The Pitch –
RASEN Bass
The Craft 6 implements “Reference Acoustic Spiral Enhanced Bass”. This is a patent-pending 3D printed low-pass filter that promises true subwoofer extension from current BA drivers. I’ve been told this operates similarly to that implemented on the legendary Shure SE846 but with modern innovations that increase efficiency.
True Load
The staff behind Craft Ears were proud to tout the extremely flat impedance and phase offered by their latest earphone. This functions similarly to the FIBAE technology pioneered by Piotr at Custom Art, whereby the earphone’s signature does not vary with output impedance, at least, to a much smaller degree than most. Meanwhile, phase-coherence brings benefits to imaging and detail retrieval by minimising destructive interference between the drivers. This successfully circumvents two of the most polarising aspects of multi-driver design.
SES
“Space expansion system” is a field-specific 3D printed horn-loaded tweeter tuned to a particular bandwidth. We’ve seen this implemented on some other high-end IEMs that have been very well-received. I’ll leave it to the professionals to offer in-depth clarification.
Design –
My demo unit arrived in the form of Craft Ears’ new universal housing. Much like their customs, the universal housings are 3D printed and immaculately finished. They assume a deep piano black design set to stunning red-stained wood faceplates inscribed with the model number. A thick clear coat provides additional depth and intrigue and the total lack of seams, orange peel or other imperfections results in a high-class aesthetic. The housings themselves don’t follow any traditional design, being of the faux-custom variety. The Craft Six utilises a 0.78mm removable cable, the OCC MK2 from Rhapsiodio.
It’s a beefy 4-wire unit with copper conductors and carries all of the flare you’d expect from a high-quality custom-cable with chrome/carbon-fibre connectors and pleasing strain relief. The pre-moulded earguides showcase great attention to detail, curving both backward and inwards to offer an especially secure fit without pressure point formation. I also love the matte jacket which routes cleanly through clothing if offering a bit less visual intrigue than clear units. The cable itself is very high-quality, a bit springy but highly tangle-resistant. It represents a great complement to the Craft 6 for a premium overall package.
Fit & Isolation –
They’re very well sculpted earphone, with long, tapered nozzles providing a deep fit and an anti-helix fin providing an exceptionally locked-in sensation. Fit stability is excellent as is isolation, being fully-sealed, easily sufficient for travel and loud environments. That said, the housings are very large, and protrude noticeably from the ear. They also contact a lot of my outer ear and may cause discomfort on those with smaller ears. I personally found them to offer good levels of comfort during long listening sessions, albeit, they never quite disappeared as some IEMs tend to.
Sound –
Testing Methodology: Measured using Arta via IEC 711 coupler to Startech external sound card. 7-9KHz peaks may be artifacts/emphasized due to my measurement setup. Measurements besides channel balance are volume matched at 1KHz. Fit depth normalized to my best abilities – the brighter measurement is with the tips installed, shallow fit while the darker measurement is tip removed, deep insertion.
Due to these factors, my measurements may not accurately reflect the earphone or measurements taken by others.
Tonality –
At its elevated asking price, it almost goes without saying that the Craft 6 is an impressive listen. Yet even among its peers, the Craft 6 shines in many regards; that being its resolving treble and especially powerful, extended bass. Fundamentally, it builds atop the foundation of the Craft Four, while introducing a more neutrally-toned and linear signature. It retains light colouration, being slightly vocal forward and analytical but with a bit of bass emphasis that grants it excellent balance and accurate tone overall. The Six is, in turn, no longer as euphonic as its cheaper sibling. And yet, as it carries quite a substantial boost in technical ability, one would hardly misses the added warmth and body. The Craft Six is a wonderfully insightful listen, but may not appeal to those craving warmth and full, dense notes.
Bass –
The low-end showcases some of the best extension I’ve ever heard from a BA-earphone. This impression is aided by light emphasis through the sub-bass, together with providing a powerful rumble and visceral slam at the very bottom. The timbre is still BA-ish in nature, being quicker decaying than most dynamics if a little more drawn out than most BA’s, and being highly controlled. There is a bit more information and texture in the sub-bass than normal for sure. Working alongside that terrific extension, the commanding presence, power and extension of the Craft Six’s sub-bass might just mislead a fair few. This is followed by a gradual drop through the mid and upper-bass, providing a well-balanced presentation overall with slightly thicker albeit highly defined notes set to a neutral tone.
Mids –
The midrange has a neutral tone and lighter note weight alongside a clear and revealing character. It showcases sound linearity with an upper-midrange emphasis around 3KHz providing a bump to vocal size and clarity in addition to bringing vocals forward over-stepping on intimacy. As the upper-bass and lower-midrange are lightly attenuated, the source of its neutral and highly-defined presentation, vocal body lies on the thinner side. Nonetheless, emphasis falls off through the 4KHz region into a lower-treble trough, providing wicked smooth articulation and a hint of additional density that redeems some note weight and structure. As such, sibilance and raspiness are non-existent despite the superlative clarity of the Craft 6’s vocals. Altogether, the midrange is clear, highly-resolved and very refined, a well-executed demonstration of a neutrally-toned sound.
Highs –
Despite possessing a trough around 5KHz, emphasis picks up quickly after, leading to a moderate 7KHz peak. I hear very quick, concise note attack and accurate decay, superb control and a clean transient response, all contributing to outstanding fine detail retrieval. The background is dark, providing strong foreground/background contrast and a focused foreground. Meanwhile, a peak in the upper-treble works in tandem with excellent extension to provide a surprising amount of air set to abundant sparkle and micro-detail presence. Such a tuning produces thinner but not brittle instrument body alongside a slightly tizzy character. I would argue that the treble strays furthest from linearity, favouring greater engagement and a more aggressive detail presentation over perfectly accurate timbre. Still, as the tone is a touch on the warmer side, this helps to retain a fairly natural image. The Craft Six showcases truly superb detail retrieval front and foremost without wearing on the ear in quantity.
Soundstage –
Such a presentation works wonders for the soundstage too, which stretches beyond the head in width and provides a surprising amount of depth too; albeit slightly reduced due to its more forward vocal presentation. Imaging is sharp and accurate. Vocals occupy a strong centre image and localisation is pinpoint sharp. Separation is strong on account of the Craft Six’s neutral tone and slightly thinner note structure. I would still classify the Six as providing convincing coherence. Its bass provides volume and stability to its stage, avoiding sounding diffuse. The Craft Six is well-structured with defined layers and precise imaging.
Early Verdict –
An earphone like the Craft Six is difficult to evaluate as its technical properties work in tandem with a tuning that emphasizes their presence to the listener. To clarify, it is easy to mistake a forward lower-treble for high detail retrieval, bright background for sparkle. The list goes on, and reviews shall henceforth, be crucified for their misnomers. Thankfully, the Craft Six offers an incredibly solid technical foundation for its vivid yet neutrally toned signature, end to end extension is superb and the organisation of its presentation is excellent too. Surely, this earphone does not represent perfect timbre, being slightly forward, detail aggressive and, in turn, delivering a lighter note weight which may not please all. Still, the Craft Six ticks all the boxes a high-end IEM should, the treble is sparkly and resolving of minutiae, the midrange is revealing yet refined and its bass is a revelation. I was sceptical of the company’s proprietary acronyms, but the product cannot be denied. The Craft Six competes in kilo-buck turf in both tonality and technicality at a substantial discount when bought on preorder, and I will be sad to see this one go.
Comparisons, source synergy and in-depth breakdown coming soon to the extended review!
The Craft Six is available from on Craft Ears (International) for $745 EUR (preorder) with a retail price of $945 EUR after this period has ended. I am not affiliated with Craft Ears and receive no earnings from purchases through this link.
Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed my review, please see my website for more just like it!
Track List –
brb. – relationship
Bob Seger – Stranger in Town
Emotional Oranges – The Juice: Vol. II
Father John Misty – Pure Comedy
Fleetwood Mac – Tango In the Night
George Michael – Listen Without Prejudice
Joji – Sanctuary
Kanye West – Only One
Keshi – skeletons
IU – eight
Nirvana – Nevermind
OOHYO – Honey Tea
Pixies – Surfer Rosa
Radiohead – OK Computer
Rich Brian – Amen
Sharon Van Etten – The End of the World
Sun Rai – Pocket Music
The Rolling Stones – Sticky Fingers
Yosi Horikawa – Wandering
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