[sodesuka]

Been using epro horn shaped tips on my Black. Feels like they help with the highs without sacrificing anything, gotta find the stock tips first before I could say for sure but they don't sound bad at least.

 

[buonassi]

Just got these in today. Fit is good from what little I know - this being my first custom. I'm still getting used to the vacuum effect of having something seal so well! Isolation is the best I've experienced, but again, can't compare to other customs. Certainly better than my best fitting non-vented universal IEMs with foam tips.


Thoughts on the stock cable - I like it. The new plastics1 cable is very supple and ergonomic, almost non-existent. Using a 'ready to ship' plussound exo (28 awg), the bass intruded on the mids and the treble lacked sparkle (not that this is a sparkly IEM to begin with). But it sounds right with the stock cable, tonal balance is there and I don't feel like I'm sacrificing resolution. Dynamics I haven't really been in a hurry to evaluate. Sources: DX150 w/ amp7, Cowon Plenue 2.

Perhaps my HRTF peaks more at 2k, or I just got used to other IEMS, so I'm adjusting to the peak at 3k on these. Being especially sensitive to sibilance, I'm happy to report these have little to none, and any that is there is so soft it's a non-issue - zero piercing. Just natural S and T sounds that give consonants a realistic and un-muted presentation.

I agree with the 'natural' references to tonality I've been reading. I'd summarize in two words: natural and gentle. The upper mid peak gives enough liveliness to keep them from being 'dark'. And it sounds like it's a gentle rise and fall vs a real 'peak' actually. Bass is very impressive with good resolution - bass guitars and kick drums never fight to be heard individually.

 

[davidcotton]

Very nice!

Got my refit ones back on monday. The right which I had remade now fits very well. Interestingly I think that I didn't need to have the left thickened at all, just shortened a touch as it's now a touch tight. Not that I'm sending them back again as it's certainly the best fitting custom I've had. Putting that down to the 3-d printing and the way the impressions were done. Now toying with the idea of getting my universal fibae 2's reshelled into customs as universals just don't play nice with my ears and don't want to get stuck at work without the isolation. Isolation is really impressive when I'm at work (which was the whole point of me getting into customs in the first place), just wish I had found this audiologist first. Might have saved a lot of time and hassle

 

[buonassi]

With universals, I can't seem to get an even balance where the sound is perfectly centered. I don't have symmetrical canals, and I'm pretty sure my eardrum is set back further/deeper on my right ear (or the 2nd bend is further back IDK). At least CA cut them this way. The right is visibly longer-stemmed than the left. Not that I can feel this, which is great. They both just lock in there like a charm and don't exhibit pressure in the canals.

Anyway, I finally know what it's like to have balanced sound without using the "L/R balance" feature in my DAP.

 

[davidcotton]

With universals, I can't seem to get an even balance where the sound is perfectly centered. I don't have symmetrical canals, and I'm pretty sure my eardrum is set back further/deeper on my right ear (or the 2nd bend is further back IDK). At least CA cut them this way. The right is visibly longer-stemmed than the left. Not that I can feel this, which is great. They both just lock in there like a charm and don't exhibit pressure in the canals.

Anyway, I finally know what it's like to have balanced sound without using the "L/R balance" feature in my DAP.

I seem to remember Piotrus talking about the curves of the ear canal having an effect on how long the c/iem can be. My right ear is awkward as the iem never goes in enough to seal properly.

 

[crabdog]

I seem to remember Piotrus talking about the curves of the ear canal having an effect on how long the c/iem can be. My right ear is awkward as the iem never goes in enough to seal properly.

Sounds to me like you've never tried large enough eartips!

 

[davidcotton]

Sounds to me like you've never tried large enough eartips!

Largest I tried (not including custom) was Final Audio LL's and they didn't do the job really. Any other suggestions? Much rather stick to universals if possible to cut down the possibilities of refits.

 

[crabdog]

Largest I tried (not including custom) was Final Audio LL's and they didn't do the job really. Any other suggestions? Much rather stick to universals if possible to cut down the possibilities of refits.

Do you have any idea how big the Final LL actually is? From my experience, most so-called "Large" tips are around 12.5mm. For my ears, 14 mm and up is game on.

I recently bought these and they are the biggest I've ever seen: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/New...licone-Earbud-In-Ear-Cover-5/32918529598.html
They're about 15.5 mm. Brilliant!

 

[killaHz]

Do you have any idea how big the Final LL actually is? From my experience, most so-called "Large" tips are around 12.5mm. For my ears, 14 mm and up is game on.

I recently bought these and they are the biggest I've ever seen: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/New...licone-Earbud-In-Ear-Cover-5/32918529598.html
They're about 15.5 mm. Brilliant!

I think if there were a two-flange version of that, I'd probably be able to make it work.

 

[piotrus-g]

At least CA cut them this way. The right is visibly longer-stemmed than the left. Not that I can feel this, which is great. They both just lock in there like a charm and don't exhibit pressure in the canals.

Just to be sure I will point out that we cut the shape digitally with assistance of the software. It might be possible that your ear canals can have different lengths or curvature that will only look like there's a difference in length. The cuts are done buy features of the ear canal (past the second bend) rather than global length.

Sounds to me like you've never tried large enough eartips!

Davids canals are not "just big" like yours. His canal is very narrow and high with a curve right at the first bend, and then it gets more narrow and more curved. The L or XL size tip will do nothing in his case. I would honestly suggest a tri-flange tip

 

[davidcotton]

Just to be sure I will point out that we cut the shape digitally with assistance of the software. It might be possible that your ear canals can have different lengths or curvature that will only look like there's a difference in length. The cuts are done buy features of the ear canal (past the second bend) rather than global length.


Davids canals are not "just big" like yours. His canal is very narrow and high with a curve right at the first bend, and then it gets more narrow and more curved. The L or XL size tip will do nothing in his case. I would honestly suggest a tri-flange tip

Any recommendations for the ca universals for tri flange before I think about a reshell?

Typical that I'm "different", particularly on the right side! My left is pretty much normal.

 

[piotrus-g]

Any recommendations for the ca universals for tri flange before I think about a reshell?

Typical that I'm "different", particularly on the right side! My left is pretty much normal.

Something like this would work - link

 

[crabdog]

Just to be sure I will point out that we cut the shape digitally with assistance of the software. It might be possible that your ear canals can have different lengths or curvature that will only look like there's a difference in length. The cuts are done buy features of the ear canal (past the second bend) rather than global length.


Davids canals are not "just big" like yours. His canal is very narrow and high with a curve right at the first bend, and then it gets more narrow and more curved. The L or XL size tip will do nothing in his case. I would honestly suggest a tri-flange tip

Yes, possibly. I thought the XL tips might work because they don't actually go inside the ear canal. They just create a seal at the outside of the canal.

 

[crabdog]

I guess most people in here know this already but the FIBAE Black is one tasty IEM! My thoughts on it here:
https://primeaudio.org/custom-art-fibae-black-review/

 

[piotrus-g]

I guess most people in here know this already but the FIBAE Black is one tasty IEM! My thoughts on it here:
https://primeaudio.org/custom-art-fibae-black-review/

WOW! What an amazing review. Love it! Thank you!