[davidcotton]

The Custom Art tips are roughly the same, around 50 euros, and great quality.

I've thought about getting tips from CA for quite awhile. It seems that the canal part of the impressions I sent them were fine, it was always the concha part of the ear that had issues. Of course it's a 50 euro (or £45 in real money)gamble, and one of the reasons I never did do it.

 

[Torrs]

I use my custom Phantoms on my commute to and from NYC daily, I'm on Metro North, not subway though. Got customs specifically for their isolation, and I don't need to put them back in their EE case from the time I leave home until I get to the office. Fantastic thus far.

Only thing is I tend to notice people staring at me kinda often. Most of the time it's probably because I'm freakishly gorgeous, but other times I see them trying to figure out what the hell I'm wearing in my ears, and if I'm just dangling a bare copper cable around my neck.

That said I'm usually in midtown, if I did have to venture into more seedy areas, I'd put them out of sight.

I commute from Williamsburg to FiDi. Take the J train in the morning. Not too worry about people mugging me. Just if it starts raining or for what other reason, I can stuff it into my case quickly. I got stares yesterday on my commute home, which I usually don’t get when wearing the andromedas. People just aren’t use to seeing customs in public.

 

[davidmolliere]

I commute from Williamsburg to FiDi. Take the J train in the morning. Not too worry about people mugging me. Just if it starts raining or for what other reason, I can stuff it into my case quickly. I got stares yesterday on my commute home, which I usually don’t get when wearing the andromedas. People just aren’t use to seeing customs in public.

Yeah people are curious, I sometimes wonder if getting the wooden faceplates for the VE8 was the right call, it attracts quite a bit of attention, never got that even with TOTL universal... still, Paris transportation is not an issue unless you’re on specific lines at specific times.

 

[ctsooner22]

I agree that the KSE1500 with the WM1Z don't work well together, while I'm very happy with the SP1000, for the tips I settle for the Comply Tsx-100 even if there are quite few fellows that are very happy with the Spinfit.
Ambient Acoustic is another company that can provide custom sleeves with different nozzle length, I'm very intrigue by this possibility and teh cost is $70 per pair, not too expensive.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BXX5rMxB1gU/?taken-by=ambient_acoustics

@ctsooner22, I never tried the Stax but I can guarantee the KSE has great bass (quality), you gave me a great picture of the 2 channel world, based on my (limited) experience the KSE is what you can find closer to a reference audio system for earphones. You have to try it!

You are sooooo on!!!!! This is why I love these forums as I'm so open minded and you guy love to share and it's not always about what YOU own or WANT to own like it is in most of the 2 channel world. I look forward to hearing the 1500's then ....

 

[natemact]

Just kidding, excellent post. You weren't lying about that ADD though huh. Reminds me of the emails @Wyville used to send me

Sir, I am in your debt and to top it off, regardless of what EE states, I believe these Phantoms wouldn't sound the way they do if not for you. So thank you or existing.

Great impressions. The KSE1500, which I own, require quite some time. First of all it is not so easy to find the right source. Of course you can use it as USB DAC and it works fine, but you won't take full advantage of the potential. The WM1Z just doesn't work. I couldn't find a volume / gain / pad combo that sounded right. So far my best source is the Lotoo Paw Gold, out of the light out you have a resolution champion. It isn't very kind to badly recorded music (60% of what I own).

Now to the second part...tips. I tried them ALL. Westone Star tips and Spinfit CP100 are fine. But not perfect. So I tried custom sleeves. I have the Sensaphonics full sleeves and just received the Custom Art custom tips, so will post pics and report soon. But long story short, the Sensaphonics sound great, but are huge and not convenient at all, and they REALLY change the signature. The Custom Art should fit my needs betteer, to be confirmed.

OK so that's now three of the quality daps that it won't play friendly with. Discouraging, considering the potential.

I figured these would be quite tip-sensitive so being forced to use tri-flanges during the audition didn't instill confidence that I was hearing them at their best. I - like many - am of the mindset that you should choose tips based on sound quality first and fit/isolation second, within respect. As in, all tips should seal adequately if the correct size is selected. Could I've changed the presentation for the better? I wish I could say.

 

[Deezel177]

Sir, I am in your debt and to top it off, regardless of what EE states, I believe these Phantoms wouldn't sound the way they do if not for you. So thank you or existing.


OK so that's now three of the quality daps that it won't play friendly with. Discouraging, considering the potential.

I figured these would be quite tip-sensitive so being forced to use tri-flanges during the audition didn't instill confidence that I was hearing them at their best. I - like many - am of the mindset that you should choose tips based on sound quality first and fit/isolation second, within respect. As in, all tips should seal adequately if the correct size is selected. Could I've changed the presentation for the better? I wish I could say.

Tips are capable of changing the sound of an IEM quite drastically. This is because the acoustics of your ear canal shifts according to the material, bore size, insertion depth, etc. of the tip. I remember hating the KSE1500 with Shure's large-bore foam tips IIRC and loving them with small-bore silicone tips, so YMMV. Also, isn't the SHA1200 an electrostatic amp? How could phenomenon such as clipping or a lack of drive affect it if the DAP was simply serving as a DAC feeding a line out signal? Forgive me if I'm missing something, but that doesn't sound right to me for some reason. The IEMs/amp may possibly have been faulty or could the clipping be sibilance, perhaps?

 

[natemact]

Tips are capable of changing the sound of an IEM quite drastically. This is because the acoustics of your ear canal shifts according to the material, bore size, insertion depth, etc. of the tip. I remember hating the KSE1500 with Shure's large-bore foam tips IIRC and loving them with small-bore silicone tips, so YMMV. Also, isn't the SHA1200 an electrostatic amp? How could phenomenon such as clipping or a lack of drive affect it if the DAP was simply serving as a DAC feeding a line out signal? Forgive me if I'm missing something, but that doesn't sound right to me for some reason. The IEMs/amp may possibly have been faulty or could the clipping be sibilance, perhaps?

Oh that's too bad for moi. I tried small-bore silicon but still couldn't get deep enough insertion with any size of them. Unique. Ears.

Wish I could offer my explanation for the clipping, but sadly can't. Wish I could also say this clipping sounded like sibliance but it was distortion - extremely heavy at times too.

 

[Deezel177]

Oh that's too bad for moi. I tried small-bore silicon but still couldn't get deep enough insertion with any size of them. Unique. Ears.

Wish I could offer my explanation for the clipping, but sadly can't. Wish I could say this clipping sounded like sibliance but it was distortion - extremely heavy at times too.

I see, it could've been a faulty unit then.

 

[proedros]

Yeah people are curious, I sometimes wonder if getting the wooden faceplates for the VE8 was the right call, it attracts quite a bit of attention, never got that even with TOTL universal... still, Paris transportation is not an issue unless you’re on specific lines at specific times.

hey man , any update on your broken Phantom ? hope everything worked out for the best

 

[Mython]

I tried small-bore silicon but still couldn't get deep enough insertion ..

Yeah, that's what she said...

 

[davidmolliere]

hey man , any update on your broken Phantom ? hope everything worked out for the best

Hey, thanks for asking : yes I could only send them back when I was back in Paris from vacations where it happened so it only arrived at Empire begining of the week. Diagnostic was under cured shell on both sides, apparently quite unusual issue, so I’ll get a reshell of both sides courtesy of Empire. I should get them back sometime the week after next if all goes well.

I miss my Phantom big time, so in love with their tuning I’ll be so happy to have them back!

 

[San Man]

Good news indeed

 

[Mython]

Hey, thanks for asking : yes I could only send them back when I was back in Paris from vacations where it happened so it only arrived at Empire begining of the week. Diagnostic was under cured shell on both sides, apparently quite unusual issue, so I’ll get a reshell of both sides courtesy of Empire. I should get them back sometime the week after next if all goes well.

I miss my Phantom big time, so in love with their tuning I’ll be so happy to have them back!

I hope you get them back switly, without any delays!

BTW, undercured shells can sometimes happen with very dark or opaque acrylic colours, since it takes longer for UV light to penetrate these.




Are your shells a very dark or opaque colour, David?

 

[Mimouille]

Sir, I am in your debt and to top it off, regardless of what EE states, I believe these Phantoms wouldn't sound the way they do if not for you. So thank you or existing.


OK so that's now three of the quality daps that it won't play friendly with. Discouraging, considering the potential.

I figured these would be quite tip-sensitive so being forced to use tri-flanges during the audition didn't instill confidence that I was hearing them at their best. I - like many - am of the mindset that you should choose tips based on sound quality first and fit/isolation second, within respect. As in, all tips should seal adequately if the correct size is selected. Could I've changed the presentation for the better? I wish I could say.

One good and obvious source is the Mojo, put it "line out" mode and pad at - 20 (IIRC) and the pairing is very nice.

 

[Decreate]

Received my custom Phantom two days ago and am glad to report that I finally have a pair of ciems that don't have fit issues.