[spkrs01]

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beside. anyone know what is the most expensive iem? i'm curious now. wondering how high a iem can be cost and what can it do for that insane price

probably the fad piano forte gold plated

 

[MuppetFace]

The Final Audio 1602 SC, aka the Piano Forte X-CC and X-G, retails for about $3,000 USD. Both have a chrome copper shell, with the X-CC using ion plating while the X-G has gold plating, but both are the same IEM and have the same MSRP.
 
I believe that is the current most expensive IEM in the world.
 
The previous most expensive was the Final Audio 1601 SC, housed in chrome copper with rose gold plating. No longer in production, but the MSRP was $2600 or thereabouts.
 
These IEMs are extremely controversial sounding, with a mid-centric sound and a notoriously difficult fit. Both are designed in an unorthodox way and are more akin to tiny ear-speakers than most IEMs, and both use special metal tips instead of the traditional silicon or foam which contributes to said fit issues.
 
I believe the 3rd most expensive commercial IEM in the world is a custom, the FitEar MH334. Retails for about $1800 (sans other fees associated with customs).

 

[fatpooh]

I think the most expensive custom IEM currently is under fitear but not the MH334 but the C435. It retails at approximately $2,000USD or so! However fitear is currently promoting their MH334 so its the one with more popularity. Some say it sounds even better than C435 but I have not compared the two though! Hope to do so some day! Cheers!
 
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The Final Audio 1602 SC, aka the Piano Forte X-CC and X-G, retails for about $3,000 USD. Both have a chrome copper shell, with the X-CC using ion plating while the X-G has gold plating, but both are the same IEM and have the same MSRP.
 
I believe that is the current most expensive IEM in the world.
 
The previous most expensive was the Final Audio 1601 SC, housed in chrome copper with rose gold plating. No longer in production, but the MSRP was $2600 or thereabouts.
 
These IEMs are extremely controversial sounding, with a mid-centric sound and a notoriously difficult fit. Both are designed in an unorthodox way and are more akin to tiny ear-speakers than most IEMs, and both use special metal tips instead of the traditional silicon or foam which contributes to said fit issues.
 
I believe the 3rd most expensive commercial IEM in the world is a custom, the FitEar MH334. Retails for about $1800 (sans other fees associated with customs).

 

 

[MuppetFace]

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I think the most expensive custom IEM currently is under fitear but not the MH334 but the C435. It retails at approximately $2,000USD or so! However fitear is currently promoting their MH334 so its the one with more popularity. Some say it sounds even better than C435 but I have not compared the two though! Hope to do so some day! Cheers!

 
Yeah, the FitEar Private C435 is a bit of an enigma. It seems to only show up on dealer lists these days, so I prefaced the MH334 by saying "the third most expensive commercial IEM."

 

[tomscy2000]

I really hope that AKG somehow takes what they've learned with the K3003 and trickles it down to more consumer-level products, like what luxury car makers do with their 'halo' products.
 
AKG is one of the few major audio manufacturers that has been really lackluster in the IEM category. The K3003 is their only real, quality product, and it's inaccessible to most people, except the most hardcore in-ear listeners or people with copious disposable incomes.

 

[tomscy2000]

Anyone else think the rose gold-plated 3.5mm plug is pretty cool (even if it probably doesn't bring any real sonic benefit)?

 

[james444]

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Anyone else think the rose gold-plated 3.5mm plug is pretty cool (even if it probably doesn't bring any real sonic benefit)?

x2

 

[koonhua90]

Just now when I was walking around outside I saw someone who might have been wearing the K3003 but I wasn't really sure. The person seemed to be rushing somewhere so I didn't bother to approach him. The earphone has a shiny metal plate, on which I thought I saw "AKG" etched on it.
 
Is there any owner of the AKG K3003 living near Oakland in Pittsburgh, PA or happen to pass by there this morning?

 

[tomscy2000]

 
BTW, are those deep notches at 4 and 7.5 kHz the reason why I kept hearing the K3003 take me to the cusp of very spooky sibilance but all of a sudden pull back again? How do you even dampen to create such a notch from physical means?
 
Oh, these notches will help with minimizing noise-induced hearing loss, also... those two frequency regions are most commonly affected.

 

[piotrus-g]

This graph doesn't look like typical TWFK high fequency respose. Except 10kHz peak and roll off later and then pull back at 20kHz
It can be in fact DFK...
Crossover low-mid @ 2400-2500Hz?
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How do you even dampen to create such a notch from physical means?

Yeah that's a good question. Maybe they took avantage of phase shifts?
 

 

[Jeremypsp]

The highs on the K3003 isn't as extended as I like, though. 

 

[Anaxilus]

Do people hear the 3003 like the graph?  That's a rather striking scoop out of the treble.  The rest looks pretty good.

 

[maverickronin]

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Do people hear the 3003 like the graph?  That's a rather striking scoop out of the treble.  The rest looks pretty good.

I haven't heard it either but hat actually looks pretty awesome to me.  Odds are it's extra clever tuning to cut down on harshness without making it sound "dull" or "dead".
 
IMO that's the way to voice a 'phone for enjoying music.
 
Assuming similar compensation functions, my PFE 232s have more treble over all, but similar scoops to kill harshness and sibilance while leaving detail and overall level.  To me they always dance right on the edge of being harsh and sibilant but just when I'd expect them to murder my ears (like most other 'phones with elevated treble) they pull back and never cross the line.  They stay pleasant and smooth with just about everything and minimize the recording's flaws while maximizing its strengths.  You can still pick hear poor mixing, recoding, and compression artifacts in the source but they aren't but put front and center to detract from the music.  I find the balancing act almost magical.
 
Its not the most "neutral" or "accurate" but for pure enjoyment I think that's the best kind of tuning.
 
Anyway,  I'd imagine that's what's going on with the K3003.
 
If I was going to pick something to complain about from the graph is would be the high frequency extension.  It's not a huge concern though.

 

[Anaxilus]

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I haven't heard it either but hat actually looks pretty awesome to me.  Odds are it's extra clever tuning to cut down on harshness without making it sound "dull" or "dead".
 
IMO that's the way to voice a 'phone for enjoying music.
 
Assuming similar compensation functions, my PFE 232s have more treble over all, but similar scoops to kill harshness and sibilance while leaving detail and overall level.  To me they always dance right on the edge of being harsh and sibilant but just when I'd expect them to murder my ears (like most other 'phones with elevated treble) they pull back and never cross the line.  They stay pleasant and smooth with just about everything and minimize the recording's flaws while maximizing its strengths.  You can still pick hear poor mixing, recoding, and compression artifacts in the source but they aren't but put front and center to detract from the music.  I find the balancing act almost magical.
 
Its not the most "neutral" or "accurate" but for pure enjoyment I think that's the best kind of tuning.
 
Anyway,  I'd imagine that's what's going on with the K3003.
 
If I was going to pick something to complain about from the graph is would be the high frequency extension.  It's not a huge concern though.

I get what you're saying and it may or may not be he case till I hear it.  But your example represents roughly 5-7dB from 7-9khz where this is 10-12dB from 5-10khz.  That's a significant trough by comparison.  Whether I'd notice it or maybe prefer it is another question.  Peaks around 6khz and 10khz can be problematic as you know but hopefully the trough negates any concern about that.  It will also be interesting to see how hat affects relative transparency against something like the FAD SS and UERM.  For the price and acclaim I expect not to lose much if anything in my recordings.  I certainly wouldn't want compensation for poor modern mastering at this level of expectation.  Fingers crossed.  >.<
 

 

[maverickronin]

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I get what you're saying and it may or may not be he case till I hear it.  But your example represents roughly 5-7dB from 7-9khz where this is 10-12dB from 5-10khz.  That's a significant trough by comparison.  Whether I'd notice it or maybe prefer it is another question.  Peaks around 6khz and 10khz can be problematic as you know but hopefully the trough negates any concern about that.  It will also be interesting to see how hat affects relative transparency against something like the FAD SS and UERM.  For the price and acclaim I expect not to lose much if anything in my recordings.  I certainly wouldn't want compensation for poor modern mastering at this level of expectation.  Fingers crossed.  >.<

Its not exactly the same, but given what's been said about it I think its a likely interpretation.
 
Also, here's a comparison with the ER-4S for a little more perspective.