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Cypher Labs is well known around the world for their wonderful collection of Amps and DACs.
At the end of 2014 they release their first IEM, the C6iem. Reviews were very promising, though with some users asking for a little more tuning in the treble and soundstage.
Fast forward a year and Cypher Labs listened to their customers and released the C6iem v2.
All photos were taken by me and no stock versions were used from Cypher Labs
**As a disclaimer, I was given this updated version of the C6iem v2 for an unbiased review from Cypher Labs**
I'd like to do a special shout out to @HiFlight who was great with shooting back IMs and discussing the C6iem v2 with. His insights can be found throughout this review, though that by no means his opinion of this product is the same as mine.
*Specs*
Triple Armature Transducer Drivers (Low, Mid, High) with 3-Way Crossover
Frequency Range: 20hz - 18 Hz
Impedance: 36.2ohm@1kHz / 51.2ohm@2kHz
Sensitivity: 120.29dB@1kHz / 122.40dB@2kHz
Maximum Output (SPL): 119dB
THD: 0.9%@150Hz / 0.9%@2000Hz / Maximum THD@ 20Hz<1.4%
Connection: 3.5mm (1/8") gold plated
Noise Isolation: 26db
Weight: 10g
*Packaging*
Simple box, with straight forward descriptions on the outside.
*Contents*
There is a lot fit into such a small space:
C6iem balanced armature earphones
1 detachable behind-the-ear cable (attached)
Hard case
Super soft drawstring gear bag
Fish Cable Wrap
Degaussing tool (removes static)
1 6.35mm (1/4″) adapter
Ear tips – 3 pairs each (S/M/L) silicone, soft foam, dense foam
That is 9 pairs of extra tips in various types of materials. This almost guarantees that you are going to find one that works for you. If not, the C6iem can work with many other brands including; Comply, Havi and SpinFit. And while on the topic of tips, I did notice that the tip selection can alter the sound presentation quite a lot. A bit of tip rolling can do a lot to find the right sound with these IEMs.
The hard case is nice, long and has no trouble carrying all the accessories, I just wish it was just a little taller to help fit the large housing C6iem a bit better.
The drawstring is nice, but I feel personally I would rather store these $600 IEMs in a stronger, thicker enclosure. I've been using this taller, yet small case to store my C6iem and it fits perfectly: www.ebay.com/itm/371404842819
*Build*
The C6iem is quite nice to look with the real Carbon Fiber back plate. The rest of the body is 3D printed and made of a light, thinner materials. The housing itself is quite large, though well shaped for fit (more on that later).
The braided cable is on the thinner side, but feels well put together. Speaking of the cable, even though it is detachable, it wants to stay VERY firmly inside the housing. The two pin connector has no desire to be removed and can damage the housing on removal if one is not careful. A heads up to those looking to purchase this and wanting to upgrade the stock cable. With the over ear design, there is also almost not microphics to speak of.
*Comfort*
As mentioned before, the housing itself it quite large to fit the 3 balanced armature drivers. Though the curve of the housing does allow for good comfort while still being a universal fit.
Once inserted, the C6iem stays firmly in place thanks to the light weight design, and also puts only a minimal pressure on the ear.
The Memory wire is well seated that provides for quick placement and good comfort.
*Sound*
Lows - There is a thickness to the lows that is quickly noticed, yet does not lead to overly powerful sub-bass or mid-bass. I found the lows to be nicely controlled and never exaggerated.
Mids - To my ears, there is almost a slight recession in the mids. Vocals while still having a musical tone, seem to have a warm veil. I feel as I can closely hear the housing resonate when the mid range is pushed too hard.
Highs - There is nothing harsh about the upper range. Instead there is a smoothness in the highs that is felt right away. The upper region does seem to roll of just a tad early, which does cost a little loss in overall detail.
Isolation - Wow! The C6iem ninja blocks any outside noise. With the crazy amount of included tips, creating a good seal is more than easy. Then with the ear sculpted housing all form an impenetrable wall that no noise can breach. These are fantastic for traveling.
Soundstage: Isolating so well, you would think the C6iem would have trouble creating a wide soundstage, but this could not be farther from the truth. These have a vast soundstage for a closed, isolating IEM.
Driving: The C6iem is very easy to drive, which again is another reason these are so great for on the go. They do scale up well, source and material will affect overall quality presentation.
Total Sound Signature - As Cypher Labs has posted right on the box, these do indeed have a rich warm tone, that is very present throughout the whole signature. Instead of being neutral, the C6iem goes for a more laid back, easy listening approach. These are one of the least fatiguing IEMs I have heard in recent memory.
*Comparisons* (Note, this the only triple driver I own currently, so I had to compare to duel drivers)
C6iem vs Puro IEM500 - The first thing I noticed here was how EASY the C6iem was to drive compared with the IEM500, yet another testament to the Cypher Labs design for a very portable earphone. For sound presentation these two could not be more different. The IEM500 going for a more neutral approach and the C6iem staying steady with its warm presentation. The IEM500 does seem quicker and more consistent than the 6Ciem with its playback. And while the Puro IEM500 does isolate well, it can't hold a candle to the C6iem which blocks sound at another level. Price wise, there is quite a difference between the two. The C6iem earns it extra change by having detachable cables, more drivers and a better overall premium build.
C6iem vs Klipsch X20i - These two are much better matched for price and function. Both isolate extremely well, but a slight edge does go to the C6iem. Both have issues with the detachable cable, for the X20i, it just screws in at strange places away from the housing and is more for replacement than protection. The C6iem also having a detachable cable, that does not want to seem to detach unless it takes part of the housing with it. Sound signature is quite different between the two. The C6iem while not being a bassy IEM, does have more presence in the lower range. The X20i covers the mids and highs with more power and clarity. While neither is overly bright, the C6iem does hold a slight advantage by being slightly less fatiguing. Value wise, they both seem on equal ground, though with very different sounds. Each holding its own in its respective talents.
*Overall Thoughts*
Those looking for easy going, relaxed, great isolating, comfortable and warm sound signature should be very happy with the C6iem. Consumers looking for a more analytical/neutral presentation will have to look elsewhere.
While these are shown as having detachable cables, I prefer (like with the X20i) to call them replaceable. The C6iem is very attached to its stock cable and does not want to let go. Consumers will have to take great care, focus and patience while replacing the cable.
There is a VERY premium feel to the C6iem that finds itself with everything from the build to the accessories. For this price range though, it would have been nice if the whole housing was carbon fiber (instead of just the back plate), that would have made the C6iem even more special.
I personally did not own/test the original C6iem, but it is wonderful that Cypher Labs listens to its consumers and changes its products to meet their expectations. I would like to see a little more attention put to the mids and overall clarity, if they are able to achieve this, I think the v3 could be quite the IEM.
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Cypher Labs is well known around the world for their wonderful collection of Amps and DACs.
At the end of 2014 they release their first IEM, the C6iem. Reviews were very promising, though with some users asking for a little more tuning in the treble and soundstage.
Fast forward a year and Cypher Labs listened to their customers and released the C6iem v2.
All photos were taken by me and no stock versions were used from Cypher Labs
**As a disclaimer, I was given this updated version of the C6iem v2 for an unbiased review from Cypher Labs**
I'd like to do a special shout out to @HiFlight who was great with shooting back IMs and discussing the C6iem v2 with. His insights can be found throughout this review, though that by no means his opinion of this product is the same as mine.
*Specs*
Triple Armature Transducer Drivers (Low, Mid, High) with 3-Way Crossover
Frequency Range: 20hz - 18 Hz
Impedance: 36.2ohm@1kHz / 51.2ohm@2kHz
Sensitivity: 120.29dB@1kHz / 122.40dB@2kHz
Maximum Output (SPL): 119dB
THD: 0.9%@150Hz / 0.9%@2000Hz / Maximum THD@ 20Hz<1.4%
Connection: 3.5mm (1/8") gold plated
Noise Isolation: 26db
Weight: 10g
*Packaging*
Simple box, with straight forward descriptions on the outside.
*Contents*
There is a lot fit into such a small space:
C6iem balanced armature earphones
1 detachable behind-the-ear cable (attached)
Hard case
Super soft drawstring gear bag
Fish Cable Wrap
Degaussing tool (removes static)
1 6.35mm (1/4″) adapter
Ear tips – 3 pairs each (S/M/L) silicone, soft foam, dense foam
That is 9 pairs of extra tips in various types of materials. This almost guarantees that you are going to find one that works for you. If not, the C6iem can work with many other brands including; Comply, Havi and SpinFit. And while on the topic of tips, I did notice that the tip selection can alter the sound presentation quite a lot. A bit of tip rolling can do a lot to find the right sound with these IEMs.
The hard case is nice, long and has no trouble carrying all the accessories, I just wish it was just a little taller to help fit the large housing C6iem a bit better.
The drawstring is nice, but I feel personally I would rather store these $600 IEMs in a stronger, thicker enclosure. I've been using this taller, yet small case to store my C6iem and it fits perfectly: www.ebay.com/itm/371404842819
*Build*
The C6iem is quite nice to look with the real Carbon Fiber back plate. The rest of the body is 3D printed and made of a light, thinner materials. The housing itself is quite large, though well shaped for fit (more on that later).
The braided cable is on the thinner side, but feels well put together. Speaking of the cable, even though it is detachable, it wants to stay VERY firmly inside the housing. The two pin connector has no desire to be removed and can damage the housing on removal if one is not careful. A heads up to those looking to purchase this and wanting to upgrade the stock cable. With the over ear design, there is also almost not microphics to speak of.
*Comfort*
As mentioned before, the housing itself it quite large to fit the 3 balanced armature drivers. Though the curve of the housing does allow for good comfort while still being a universal fit.
Once inserted, the C6iem stays firmly in place thanks to the light weight design, and also puts only a minimal pressure on the ear.
The Memory wire is well seated that provides for quick placement and good comfort.
*Sound*
Lows - There is a thickness to the lows that is quickly noticed, yet does not lead to overly powerful sub-bass or mid-bass. I found the lows to be nicely controlled and never exaggerated.
Mids - To my ears, there is almost a slight recession in the mids. Vocals while still having a musical tone, seem to have a warm veil. I feel as I can closely hear the housing resonate when the mid range is pushed too hard.
Highs - There is nothing harsh about the upper range. Instead there is a smoothness in the highs that is felt right away. The upper region does seem to roll of just a tad early, which does cost a little loss in overall detail.
Isolation - Wow! The C6iem ninja blocks any outside noise. With the crazy amount of included tips, creating a good seal is more than easy. Then with the ear sculpted housing all form an impenetrable wall that no noise can breach. These are fantastic for traveling.
Soundstage: Isolating so well, you would think the C6iem would have trouble creating a wide soundstage, but this could not be farther from the truth. These have a vast soundstage for a closed, isolating IEM.
Driving: The C6iem is very easy to drive, which again is another reason these are so great for on the go. They do scale up well, source and material will affect overall quality presentation.
Total Sound Signature - As Cypher Labs has posted right on the box, these do indeed have a rich warm tone, that is very present throughout the whole signature. Instead of being neutral, the C6iem goes for a more laid back, easy listening approach. These are one of the least fatiguing IEMs I have heard in recent memory.
*Comparisons* (Note, this the only triple driver I own currently, so I had to compare to duel drivers)
C6iem vs Puro IEM500 - The first thing I noticed here was how EASY the C6iem was to drive compared with the IEM500, yet another testament to the Cypher Labs design for a very portable earphone. For sound presentation these two could not be more different. The IEM500 going for a more neutral approach and the C6iem staying steady with its warm presentation. The IEM500 does seem quicker and more consistent than the 6Ciem with its playback. And while the Puro IEM500 does isolate well, it can't hold a candle to the C6iem which blocks sound at another level. Price wise, there is quite a difference between the two. The C6iem earns it extra change by having detachable cables, more drivers and a better overall premium build.
C6iem vs Klipsch X20i - These two are much better matched for price and function. Both isolate extremely well, but a slight edge does go to the C6iem. Both have issues with the detachable cable, for the X20i, it just screws in at strange places away from the housing and is more for replacement than protection. The C6iem also having a detachable cable, that does not want to seem to detach unless it takes part of the housing with it. Sound signature is quite different between the two. The C6iem while not being a bassy IEM, does have more presence in the lower range. The X20i covers the mids and highs with more power and clarity. While neither is overly bright, the C6iem does hold a slight advantage by being slightly less fatiguing. Value wise, they both seem on equal ground, though with very different sounds. Each holding its own in its respective talents.
*Overall Thoughts*
Those looking for easy going, relaxed, great isolating, comfortable and warm sound signature should be very happy with the C6iem. Consumers looking for a more analytical/neutral presentation will have to look elsewhere.
While these are shown as having detachable cables, I prefer (like with the X20i) to call them replaceable. The C6iem is very attached to its stock cable and does not want to let go. Consumers will have to take great care, focus and patience while replacing the cable.
There is a VERY premium feel to the C6iem that finds itself with everything from the build to the accessories. For this price range though, it would have been nice if the whole housing was carbon fiber (instead of just the back plate), that would have made the C6iem even more special.
I personally did not own/test the original C6iem, but it is wonderful that Cypher Labs listens to its consumers and changes its products to meet their expectations. I would like to see a little more attention put to the mids and overall clarity, if they are able to achieve this, I think the v3 could be quite the IEM.
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