ACS T1 Custom Review and impressions thread!

[gerry123456]

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Thanks for the reply, the above quote sums up where I'm at right now. The trouble is, I found the EPH-100 to be so good that I'm a little worried I could be disappointed with any CIEM I get. Before I purchased the EPH-100 I had been trying another single driver IEM that was nearly three times the price, but it did not have anywhere near as much detail as the EPH-100. I would be quite happy to stick with the Yams, but there are situations where I need better isolation and I know the only solution for that is a ZPM. I haven't read Average_Joe's review so I'll see if I can find it. Meanwhile, any direct comparisons to the EPH-100 would be gratefully received, especially with regards to clarity.
 
Thanks
 
Edit: lol... ZPM - I'll leave that in there -  I meant CIEM, (It's been a long day... and guess what show I'm watching  

 
Here's a link to average_joe's report: http://www.head-fi.org/t/599349/acs-t1-live-custom-iem-review-silicone-for-the-big-stage.
 
I moved up to the ACS T1 from Ultimate Ears Triple Fi 10s. I posted a comparison of the two here in case it also helps: http://www.head-fi.org/t/477897/acs-t1-custom-review-and-impressions-thread/255#post_8984568.
 
Best of luck with the decision making.

 

[StargateRecords]

Thanks for those links, I have just finished reading them. I found this bit interesting, (I need good highs) :
 
"Treble: There is a de-emphasis on the treble in comparison with the rest of the spectrum, resulting in a laid back treble area.  Most of the custom IEMs I have in the T1’s class have more treble presence with the exception of the EM3 Pro while the SA-43 has about the same amount.  Even though the treble is laid back, it still has an air to it and doesn’t sound lacking, just more relaxed.  Treble quality is good due to a natural sounding attack and decay resulting in the same natural tone that the rest of the spectrum has."
 
I'll have to think about this now...

 

[longbowbbs]

I do not find them lacking in treble, but I am not a fan of "Bright" high's. To me the sound very natural.

 

[mark_h]

Mine were incredibly detailed and this detail extended well down into the mid-range which had a very slight emphasis, truly excellent at those frequencies! It was ver etched at first and quite fatiguing but it smoothed out after around 75hrs.

 

[StargateRecords]

After reading Gerry's comparison between the ACS T1 and the TF10
 
"Highs: I don't perceive much difference between the two in this regard."
 
I looked for a comparison between the TF10 and the EPH-100:
 
"The TF10 is brighter than the EPH-100 and over all the treble sounds better and more realistic"
 
 
"Even with treble, I cannot say that TF10 takes the ball and runs with it. While treble of TF10 may have a slight edge, I don't think EPH-100 falls too far behind even with it's lack of sparkle."
 
 
So the T1 is looking like a good choice for me. I have been going back and forth between the ACS T1 and the JH16, but after reading the great reviews I think I might go for the ACS T1. (I'm in the UK at the moment so the JH16 could be difficult to arrange, what with moulds and import taxes etc).

 

[3nenbgumi]

Quote:

Thanks for those links, I have just finished reading them. I found this bit interesting, (I need good highs) :
 
"Treble: There is a de-emphasis on the treble in comparison with the rest of the spectrum, resulting in a laid back treble area.  Most of the custom IEMs I have in the T1’s class have more treble presence with the exception of the EM3 Pro while the SA-43 has about the same amount.  Even though the treble is laid back, it still has an air to it and doesn’t sound lacking, just more relaxed.  Treble quality is good due to a natural sounding attack and decay resulting in the same natural tone that the rest of the spectrum has."
 
I'll have to think about this now...

Stargate, let's be honest, how would you define "good highs"? IMO, whether you can call any part of the frequency spectrum "good" is entirely depending on your own perception of "good" itself, and the genres of music you listen to. A v-shaped signature like that of the TF10 with high treble aggressiveness will work wonders with one such as metal rock, but might be seen as too bright and earpiecing otherwise. I think you are having a mix up between treble presence and treble quality, and as such more might not necessarily translate into better.
 
Also if you're currently UK based, I would suggest you apply for a Boots Hearing Club Priority membership first before making the purchase. Takes you no time to complete and entitles you a 15% club discount on the pair. Sweet, huh?

 

[StargateRecords]

Quote:

Stargate, let's be honest, how would you define "good highs"?

 
I would define good highs as the opposite of bad highs. Here is an example of what I was thinking; the EPH-100 can faithfully reproduce the 12 to 16 kHz range in a studio recording we made some years ago, the HPH-200 does a very bad job of reproducing the same recording. Therefore the EPH-100 has good highs and the HPH-200 bad highs.
 
 
Quote:

IMO, whether you can call any part of the frequency spectrum "good" is entirely depending on your own perception of "good" itself, and the genres of music you listen to

 
 
Good as in: desirable, pleasant, suitable, favorable etc etc. As opposed to bad, undesirable, unpleasant, unsuitable etc etc
 
I listen to all genres of music.
 
Quote:

I think you are having a mix up between treble presence and treble quality, and as such more might not necessarily translate into better.

 
 
No mix up, I like both treble presence and treble quality. The EPH-100 does a good job in that regard. I want the same but with more isolation.
 
More (treble) might not necessarily translate into better - Agreed.
 
 
 
Quote:

Also if you're currently UK based, I would suggest you apply for a Boots Hearing Club Priority membership first before making the purchase. Takes you no time to complete and entitles you a 15% club discount on the pair.

 
Not UK based, just deployed here at the moment, but thanks for the tip I will see if it's possible for me to register.

 

[3nenbgumi]

Quote:

 
I would define good highs as the opposite of bad highs. Here is an example of what I was thinking; the EPH-100 can faithfully reproduce the 12 to 16 kHz range in a studio recording we made some years ago, the HPH-200 does a very bad job of reproducing the same recording. Therefore the EPH-100 has good highs and the HPH-200 bad highs.

Didn't expect to get those kind of dictionary based answers, but it looks to me that the kind of treble you want is one that sounds natural and realistic while being neither relaxed nor aggressive. I guess it's the T1 for you then! It's true that the T1's bass and mids are more prominent than the treble, but to be honest I don't find it leaving much to be desired. Neither lackluster nor too bright sounding.

 

[StargateRecords]

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Didn't expect to get those kind of dictionary based answers

 
Oops, I hope that didn't come across as defensive or aggressive

I was hoping to clarify what I meant by good, my line of thinking, sometimes my thoughts get lost in translation

 
 
Quote:

but it looks to me that the kind of treble you want is one that sounds natural and realistic while being neither relaxed nor aggressive. I guess it's the T1 for you then! It's true that the T1's bass and mids are more prominent than the treble, but to be honest I don't find it leaving much to be desired. Neither lackluster nor too bright sounding.

 
 
Yup, I'm giving ACS a call in the morning. Not sure if I can purchase direct or whether I need to go through an agent ? (whichever is the least expensive) I will check out that Boots thing too, thanks for that.

 

[3nenbgumi]

Quote:

Yup, I'm giving ACS a call in the morning. Not sure if I can purchase direct or whether I need to go through an agent ? (whichever is the least expensive) I will check out that Boots thing too, thanks for that.

ACS don't deal directly with the customers but rather leave the process to their distributor network around the UK. Boots is one of those. Afaik there are three ways of making the purchase:
 
- You either go to one of the online stores which are affiliated with ACS, purchase the voucher and bring it to one of their approved audiologist to redeem. The audiologist will take your ear impressions and send it directly to their HQ in Bansbury for the making. This is normally more convenient if you reside in an area where it's hard to get access to a company that will carry out the service as a whole like Boots, but the downside is that there is hardly any discount. Or
 
- if you live around the London/Essex area, protection4hearing is an excellent service to use. They even provide home visits to take your moulds, and have been reported to be excellent.
 
- Boots is probably the cheapest way possible as far as I'm aware, the process is exactly like the first one minus the part where you have to purchase voucher but plus the fact that you have to sign up for the Priority Club first. They are actually not an IEM and earplug dedicated company like protection4hearing, but sort of like one that sells hearing aids and hearing care products (the official name is Bootshearingcare, which is a small division of the real Boots). You can refer to this link for more information : https://www.bootshearingcareshop.com/Action/FindECommerceCategory?pcid=1108042783001-600650
 
Anyway, considering how significantly more the T1 Live! is in the US and elsewhere compared to what you pay in the UK, I find it hard not to recommend ACS

 , especially when seeing how much a JH CIEM can set you back in here.

 

[gerry123456]

Quote:

It's true that the T1's bass and mids are more prominent than the treble, but to be honest I don't find it leaving much to be desired. Neither lackluster nor too bright sounding.

 
I would totally agree with 3nenbgumi. The ACS are very natural sounding. I'm sitting here listening to some jazz (Tingvall Trio - Skagerrak) on mine, amped through my Graham Slee Ultra Linear and with no EQing. The piano notes are extremely pleasing to my ears, and the cymbals are crystal clear. If I flip over to something with vocals and strings, (Florence + the Machine - Between Two Lungs), the ACS T1 renders very detailed vocals. The plucking of the harp's strings (which I'd say are well into the treble range) are very precise and quick-sounding.
 
By the way, I went through Boots where I live in Belfast. Their audiologist, Andrew, gave me the discount without having to register. It brought the price of my ACS T1 down from 650 to 550. Pretty sweet for a world-class IEM!

 

[AlDrums]

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Oh dear. Problem.
 
My T1 Lives arrived as promised just before Christmas. I used them for a couple of hours with an iPod and they sounded very good indeed compared to what I am used to.  I wanted them in time for a big gig on New Years' Eve. I put them back in the box, with the silica gel, and had not touched them again over the festive period.
 
Yesterday I got them out again to test everything for the gig and immediately noticed something was wrong, low output LH side. Then the LH earpiece suddenly got louder but was fuzzing on bass notes. I tried several sound sources and all were the same. After a few minutes things appeared to become normal but as I increased the volume a little the LH side started to break up again. I left them overnight and just tried them again.  The LH earpiece is fuzzing at low levels again.  They have to go back and I can't use them tomorrow night.
 
This is a chance for ACS to show how good their customer service is.
 
I'll post updates.
 
Al

 
 
Update:
 
My T1 Lives have just been delivered after repair under warranty.  In a 2 minute test so far they sound fabulous again. They have a very clean and smooth top end and very tight bottom end, exactly as I'd hoped.
 
ACS would have received them on the 3rd Jan so it took them 6-7 days from receipt to shipment.  Not bad at all. They had told me it would be 10 working days. It's Interesting that the warranty repair despatch note included says "Thorough test on both sides. Please replace both bass drivers with C1 s".
 
I'll post on my experience going forward.
 
Al

 

[gerry123456]

Quote:

 
 
Update:
 
My T1 Lives have just been delivered after repair under warranty.  In a 2 minute test so far they sound fabulous again. They have a very clean and smooth top end and very tight bottom end, exactly as I'd hoped.
 
ACS would have received them on the 3rd Jan so it took them 6-7 days from receipt to shipment.  Not bad at all. They had told me it would be 10 working days. It's Interesting that the warranty repair despatch note included says "Thorough test on both sides. Please replace both bass drivers with C1 s".
 
I'll post on my experience going forward.
 
Al

 
Great news Al. Look forward to the updates, thanks.

 

[longbowbbs]

Nice! Another good example of ACS Service!

 

[StargateRecords]

Okay, I'm going for it, time to put some hardware up for sale...