[jaakkopasanen]

I received my FIBAE 3's over 6 weeks ago and have generally been satisfied with them. They sound very good indeed in their price point. Others have said almost everything there is to say about the sound and I mostly agree. They are very resolving and very fast. The sound signature is quite good as well. However they tend to sound a bit dark for me, I'm not sure if it's the 6k dip or the extra energy in the upper bass / lower mid range but in any case it's a minor issue. Also that emphasis on the upper treble is audible and cannot say I'm a fan of it, minor issue this one too. The bass is very good and there's plenty of it for me. Actually I would be happy for even less. I was about to write that it's about on the same level as my Hifiman HE-400S with focus pads but now that I compared them again the FIBAE 3 puts HE-400S to shame when it comes to sub-bass. Sound stage is surprisingly wide with good imaging. HE-400S definitely doesn't have an edge there even though it's open back around ears headphone often recommended (at least over Sennheiser HD600) for gaming and movies.

My main issues are with comfort and fit. Maybe I was hoping for too much when I wished that I would be able to replace my old Beyerdynamic DT-770 Pro's at the office. FIBAE 3's are comfortable enough to be worn for the entire work day but doing that for five days a week starts to build tension in back of my jaws just under the ear. You have to keep in mind that this is my first custom IEM so I didn't really have any point of reference when I was buying these. Also the seal is broken quite easily which was surprising for me. Wearing a beanie or laying on my back or even looking up will break the seal for me. Although it changes very much day to day. Sometimes it's hard to get the seal breaking even if I'm trying a bit and sometimes it's hard to get the seal keep without moving my head. Otoferm cream helps a lot with the seal as long as it's applied very thinly. Applying too much will make the IEMs sort of slide out of place breaking the seal. I can wholeheartedly recommend using the Otoferm cream for anyone having seal problems. The unfortunate thing is that it becomes a bit of a hassle having to clean and reapply the cream every day. It would definitely not say that going for customs is an easy road. Maybe CIEM enthusiasts speak too kindly about these things, sometimes it feels like some people think CIEMs are silver bullet or Jesus' second coming.

Maybe I would need a refit since I have already given up on the idea of using these at work so it wouldn't be so bad even if they were a bit too snug fit for me. On the other hand I like the level of comfort they provide as they are now and besides the free refit period has closed for me already. @piotrus-g how much does it cost to get a refit after the free 30 days period?

All in all the FIBAE 3 is very competent IEM for the price with next to no flaws. It's not perfect though and the sound doesn't really compete with my Dynaudio Focus 110 speakers but then again no headphone I have ever heard can. If you're looking for custom IEMs, look no further.

I don't understand why everybody is going for all the crazy designs. For me the crystal clear acrylic with the electronics on display is most beautiful. Very difficult to photograph though.

P.S @piotrus-g have you ever thought about doing hybrid silicon + acrylic construction where the electronics would be in acrylic and there would be silicone on top? That way moisture and durability wouldn't be a problem and the silicone would offer extra comfort. However I don't know would it be possible to pull something like this off in the production.

 

[piotrus-g]

Hey @jaakkopasanen thanks for your review/feedback.

About the fit - if we make them tighter the onset of fatigue might be faster. Still - full refit from new ear impressions is €85+shipping; however minor adjustments are free of charge. If you need only slightly ticker shell - that's something we can do without new impressions.

P.S @piotrus-g have you ever thought about doing hybrid silicon + acrylic construction where the electronics would be in acrylic and there would be silicone on top? That way moisture and durability wouldn't be a problem and the silicone would offer extra comfort. However I don't know would it be possible to pull something like this off in the production.

There are similar materials to that available - hard at room temp soft at body temp - but they require completely different production line/technology and are not very environment friendly.

 

[Deezel177]

I received my FIBAE 3's over 6 weeks ago and have generally been satisfied with them. They sound very good indeed in their price point. Others have said almost everything there is to say about the sound and I mostly agree. They are very resolving and very fast. The sound signature is quite good as well. However they tend to sound a bit dark for me, I'm not sure if it's the 6k dip or the extra energy in the upper bass / lower mid range but in any case it's a minor issue. Also that emphasis on the upper treble is audible and cannot say I'm a fan of it, minor issue this one too. The bass is very good and there's plenty of it for me. Actually I would be happy for even less. I was about to write that it's about on the same level as my Hifiman HE-400S with focus pads but now that I compared them again the FIBAE 3 puts HE-400S to shame when it comes to sub-bass. Sound stage is surprisingly wide with good imaging. HE-400S definitely doesn't have an edge there even though it's open back around ears headphone often recommended (at least over Sennheiser HD600) for gaming and movies.

My main issues are with comfort and fit. Maybe I was hoping for too much when I wished that I would be able to replace my old Beyerdynamic DT-770 Pro's at the office. FIBAE 3's are comfortable enough to be worn for the entire work day but doing that for five days a week starts to build tension in back of my jaws just under the ear. You have to keep in mind that this is my first custom IEM so I didn't really have any point of reference when I was buying these. Also the seal is broken quite easily which was surprising for me. Wearing a beanie or laying on my back or even looking up will break the seal for me. Although it changes very much day to day. Sometimes it's hard to get the seal breaking even if I'm trying a bit and sometimes it's hard to get the seal keep without moving my head. Otoferm cream helps a lot with the seal as long as it's applied very thinly. Applying too much will make the IEMs sort of slide out of place breaking the seal. I can wholeheartedly recommend using the Otoferm cream for anyone having seal problems. The unfortunate thing is that it becomes a bit of a hassle having to clean and reapply the cream every day. It would definitely not say that going for customs is an easy road. Maybe CIEM enthusiasts speak too kindly about these things, sometimes it feels like some people think CIEMs are silver bullet or Jesus' second coming.

Maybe I would need a refit since I have already given up on the idea of using these at work so it wouldn't be so bad even if they were a bit too snug fit for me. On the other hand I like the level of comfort they provide as they are now and besides the free refit period has closed for me already. @piotrus-g how much does it cost to get a refit after the free 30 days period?

All in all the FIBAE 3 is very competent IEM for the price with next to no flaws. It's not perfect though and the sound doesn't really compete with my Dynaudio Focus 110 speakers but then again no headphone I have ever heard can. If you're looking for custom IEMs, look no further.

I don't understand why everybody is going for all the crazy designs. For me the crystal clear acrylic with the electronics on display is most beautiful. Very difficult to photograph though.

P.S @piotrus-g have you ever thought about doing hybrid silicon + acrylic construction where the electronics would be in acrylic and there would be silicone on top? That way moisture and durability wouldn't be a problem and the silicone would offer extra comfort. However I don't know would it be possible to pull something like this off in the production.

You mustn't forget that at least 50% of a CIEM's fit is up to the audiologist as well as the quality of the impressions. I personally have consistently comfortable and unbreakable seals with Custom Art IEMs and I'd definitely recommend talking to @piotrus-g about getting a refit, possibly with a new set of impressions if the problems are too numerous.

 

[TokyoEvilBird]

You mustn't forget that at least 50% of a CIEM's fit is up to the audiologist as well as the quality of the impressions. I personally have consistently comfortable and unbreakable seals with Custom Art IEMs and I'd definitely recommend talking to @piotrus-g about getting a refit, possibly with a new set of impressions if the problems are too numerous.

Totally agree with this. After a lot of impressions and discussion with the audiologist at e-earphone, I end up having to take my impression in a 'non-traditional' way = chopstick bite, head tilted around 45 degrees up-wards. Why is this? It's because I have a small ear canal and the canal flex a lot between normal eye-level, eyes down & eyes up. After this, all my CIEMS fit like a glove, no fatigue and proper seal.

 

[rantng]

Totally agree with this. After a lot of impressions and discussion with the audiologist at e-earphone, I end up having to take my impression in a 'non-traditional' way = chopstick bite, head tilted around 45 degrees up-wards. Why is this? It's because I have a small ear canal and the canal flex a lot between normal eye-level, eyes down & eyes up. After this, all my CIEMS fit like a glove, no fatigue and proper seal.

That's very interesting. I too have small ear canals & I do notice that the seals on my IEMs/CIEMs change as I lower & raise my head. Definitely something to consider for my next CIEM.

 

[muffins]

I'm wondering about finding a different audiologist myself, I'm more and more convinced my molds weren't taken properly as my Harmonys continue to bother me after any real length of time. Shame there aren't any headphone stores or experienced ciem audiologists around where I live >.<

 

[piotrus-g]

Right now more and more often in case of any misfitting we are recommending that the person go to the audiologist with the IEM and show them the problem and ask for audiologist to observe how the ear canal changes with movement etc and decide for the best position for ear impressions.
In other words, yes most of fit problems is due to impressions

 

[natemact]

Why didn't we think of that, right? Well played Piotr

 

[audioNinja]

Received my fibae 3 a few days ago. Amazing design work from the Custom art team! Definitely worth the wait. Just something slightly weird I noticed was for some reason the sound doesn't feel centred. Maybe it's the way i inserted the ciem or one of the impressions is slightly deeper than the other. Sound wise these are amazing from initial listening sessions. Found these to be exceptional on synth music.

 

[crabdog]

Received my fibae 3 a few days ago. Amazing design work from the Custom art team! Definitely worth the wait. Just something slightly weird I noticed was for some reason the sound doesn't feel centred. Maybe it's the way i inserted the ciem or one of the impressions is slightly deeper than the other. Sound wise these are amazing from initial listening sessions. Found these to be exceptional on synth music.

Very nice! I like those galaxy designs a lot. Is that an Ares II cable?

 

[audioNinja]

Is that an Ares II cable?

It's the Eros ii cable. Definitely made a difference on the fibae 3.

 

[crabdog]

It's the Eros ii cable. Definitely made a difference on the fibae 3.

Oops, Eros is what I meant to say. I have the Ares II and am looking forward to comparing it with the stock cable.

 

[Kagelou]

I finally had some time to go to e-earphone in Akiba during golden week.
Tested out some universal IEMs and (universal versions of) CIEMs, including Fibae 2&3, Lime Ears Model X, and Empire Ears Bravado.

While I did like how the Model X was mid-centric and really brought out male vocals in particular, and Bravado having a nicely controlled bass, I did prefer the Fibae 2 out of the ones I tried.
I also tried the Fibae 3 and while I don't listen to any classical, I feel they outperformed the Fibae 2 when I played instrumental acoustic guitar tracks; the separation between notes were clear and crisp.
All in all, Fibae 2 was definitely the warmest of the bunch and matched my taste (Model X came close) but after reading the impressions on the Fibae ME, I think I will wait for the next drop!

 

[Mayth]

Entering my 5th week of waiting for my Fibae 2. Argh it's getting hard !

Turnaround still around 7-8 weeks ? :<

 

[Deezel177]

Entering my 5th week of waiting for my Fibae 2. Argh it's getting hard !

Turnaround still around 7-8 weeks ? :<

If you're interested in a personal update for your order, I'd recommend messaging Custom Art or @piotrus-g directly. They're amazing guys who'll do their absolute best to keep you updated and informed, so I'm sure they'll let you know how far your FIBAE 2's are from shipping and answer any enquiries you'll have along the way.