[shotgunshane]

I've noticed that the way my silicones are now installed and the way they came installed is that they're flush with the end of the nozzle.

Just the way you guys created the same effect by cutting your foam tips in your photos. The silicones create zero overhang. No silicone exists beyone the nozzle.

Depending on the diameter of my earcanal there might be close to no silicone to reflection too, given that the nozzle is pretty wide with the three bores. The nozzle will take up 95% of the room and the silicone surrounding it might be very small depending on the ear canal size and insertion depth.

What I'm saying is that the effect of the silicone tip on sound can be minimal and might not be all that different from what you comply/shure foamy guys are trying to achieve because of my ear canal shape and size. We may be hearing very similar kind of sound.

But yeah... all of this is very interesting dicussion. I'm glad we can get a good taste of what the customs might sound like

Yeah the silicones definitely sit low on the nozzle; more so than most universals. I can see what you are saying, especially if you have narrower canals and don't need the larger silicones to fill canal width.

 

[akasoho]

I am one lucky b@st@rd to recently inherited a pair of these Layla from me dad.  I am not sure if I will ever listen to better reproduced sound through any other in ear headphones.  I like headphones that don't over-exaggerate any part of the spectrum which I find these pairs very true to the sound.  But as a an amateur DJ and my tastes oriented towards deep house, I can't resist to tweak the bass up to make things more fun and wow the result is stunning.....
 
One question to ask other Layla users, I am an oily ear person and I don't want the ear wax to pollute the canals, so how do you guys clean them regularly?

 

[Marat Sar]

 
One question to ask other Layla users, I am an oily ear person and I don't want the ear wax to pollute the canals, so how do you guys clean them regularly?

 
Yeah, that's one thing I've been worried about - wax getting into the bores. Wouldn't that affect the SQ and be quite hard to detect? And how do you clean the bores, with a needle? 

 

[piercer]

   
Yeah, that's one thing I've been worried about - wax getting into the bores. Wouldn't that affect the SQ and be quite hard to detect? And how do you clean the bores, with a needle? 

 
They come with a tool for picking the wax out of the bores 

 

[hardbop]

The wire end of the tool is too wide to fit in the two smaller bores. A combination of pinching the bent end and twisting allowed it to squeeze into the bore.
 
I've also use a small syringe with a long, narrow end to suck debris out of the holes.

 

[bflat]

From Wizard at Noble - hold each earpiece with the nozzle pointing down. Take the brush end of the cleaning tool and lightly brush across the bores. I do this on a regular basis and have not had problems with anything getting lodged deep in the bores. I also take everything apart and and clean all the components - ear piece, tips, and cable with a Lysol wipe once or twice per month. I use my Laylas about 50-100 hrs per month. Like most things, frequent minor maintenance is the way to go instead of major cleaning. Especially in the case with Laylas, I think most owners plan to keep for a very long time.

 

[dezispop]

Just ordered Layla Ciem n sent earmold out to JH lab, let see when will receive the final product.

 

[danielpsyd26]

Me too actually! Hopefully, our experience will be a good one.

 

[cantara256]

   
Yeah, that's one thing I've been worried about - wax getting into the bores. Wouldn't that affect the SQ and be quite hard to detect? And how do you clean the bores, with a needle? 

Use a pair of scissors and cut the loop end of the "wire tool" that comes with Layla, so you get two super thin wires. Bend one slightly out of the way and one of them will easily fit into the bore. I'll have to try the suggestion of twisting the loop too without cutting it.

 

[cantara256]

  Can you describe the differences in sound qualities between customs vs universal Laylas? Been debating about going the custom route, but would like more opinions before making a decision.

 
you can check the interviews with Jerry himself - they are both absolutely same earpieces, with same electronics, same tuning, no difference at all. What comes from bore of universal piece, comes also from the bore of custom piece.
Only difference makes the seal in your ear (bass amount) and the position where the bore ends in your ear. In case of customs, there is "vacuum" and bore shots directly to the empty space in your ear canal. In case of the universals - there is used silicone or foam tip, who drastically changes the perception of mids and highs - very same stuff like treating your listening room/studio. Foam tips are absorbing those mids and highs without any reflections, so they prevent the resonance and sibilance - so they are producing original, intended sound signature. Silicone tips can be long lasting without any daily wear defects (foams have to be replaced over time), but silicone tips reverberate higher mids and highs in your ear canal and artificially increase those frequencies.
Lot of users are tuning the universal Laylas and other IEMs in general with various silicone tips (different shape - different reflection), and telling about improvement of sound etc. This is complete ********, it doesn't improve anything - it just adds on top of the original signature another "equalisation' in form of added mid and higher frequencies. But sure this can be advantage - you can actually tune your universal IEMs to your liking, and disregard their original proposed signature.
The seal can be achieved absolutely same with careful size choice of silicone or foam tips. There is so many choices around.
But the go home point is - foam Comply tips with proper seal are the original signature and this case produce 100% same sound as the customs.

I currently have both custom and universal Layla; I've had extended fit issues, more than most, but plan to stick with the custom once it's settled, and I'll sell the universal.
 
The sound question to me is a little complicated. Overall they both sound fantastic; I love the Layla! But the "flat" bass level on the custom is at the 7am setting, and "flat" on the universal is 12pm. So when I first put on my custom, after first having the universal, I was really disappointed... but that went away once I called JH Audio and Astell & Kern separately to confirm the difference in the bass settings. Now they sound less different to me, because I change the bass setting depending on which one I'm listening to, but honestly I haven't done a full comparison between them because I've focused on getting the fit right on the custom.
 
Custom advantage is comfort, plain and simple. I use my Layla a lot; every day, and sometimes hours per day. I listened to the universal (before the custom) so much that eventually, no matter what tips I used, the inside of my ear would itch very quickly. While I've had fit issues with the custom, I have no doubt that once the final refit happens, they will be more comfortable, especially over long listening sessions and over time overall, than the universal, no matter what tips I use.
 
Custom disadvantage is the fit process. It's not for the impatient! You might luck out and get a perfect fit the first time; strangely the custom earplugs JH Audio did for me are fantastic and highly recommended, and came out perfect the first time. Not so for the Layla; it's been a frustrating and on-going process and now I'm getting another ear impression to hopefully settle the nagging, remaining fit issues.
 
However, based on the fit of the custom earplugs they made for me, it's going to be worth it. I can wear those earplugs for hours, even sleep with them on, and they are superbly comfortable, and I can even wear them sleeping on my side. You can't listen to a universal IEM (especially Layla!) with your head on the side of a pillow or leaning against an airplane seat.
 
I will try to post a full comparison once my custom is perfect, but that might be another month as it'll take a couple weeks to even see the audiologist again, plus sending them in, waiting, refit, waiting.... ay. But Layla is very special, she'll be worth it.

 

[raypin]

mmm......although I still  love the Layla (uni), I'm beginning to fall out of love. Compared to the KSE 1500, it sounds muddy, across the board. Is the custom version of Layla better/superior  (SQ-wise) to the Universal?

 

[b0ssMax]

I currently have both custom and universal Layla; I've had extended fit issues, more than most, but plan to stick with the custom once it's settled, and I'll sell the universal.

The sound question to me is a little complicated. Overall they both sound fantastic; I love the Layla! But the "flat" bass level on the custom is at the 7am setting, and "flat" on the universal is 12pm. So when I first put on my custom, after first having the universal, I was really disappointed... but that went away once I called JH Audio and Astell & Kern separately to confirm the difference in the bass settings. Now they sound less different to me, because I change the bass setting depending on which one I'm listening to, but honestly I haven't done a full comparison between them because I've focused on getting the fit right on the custom.

Custom advantage is comfort, plain and simple. I use my Layla a lot; every day, and sometimes hours per day. I listened to the universal (before the custom) so much that eventually, no matter what tips I used, the inside of my ear would itch very quickly. While I've had fit issues with the custom, I have no doubt that once the final refit happens, they will be more comfortable, especially over long listening sessions and over time overall, than the universal, no matter what tips I use.

Custom disadvantage is the fit process. It's not for the impatient! You might luck out and get a perfect fit the first time; strangely the custom earplugs JH Audio did for me are fantastic and highly recommended, and came out perfect the first time. Not so for the Layla; it's been a frustrating and on-going process and now I'm getting another ear impression to hopefully settle the nagging, remaining fit issues.

However, based on the fit of the custom earplugs they made for me, it's going to be worth it. I can wear those earplugs for hours, even sleep with them on, and they are superbly comfortable, and I can even wear them sleeping on my side. You can't listen to a universal IEM (especially Layla!) with your head on the side of a pillow or leaning against an airplane seat.

I will try to post a full comparison once my custom is perfect, but that might be another month as it'll take a couple weeks to even see the audiologist again, plus sending them in, waiting, refit, waiting.... ay. But Layla is very special, she'll be worth it.

Is sending your custom earplug an option to your fit issue with the ciem? (Not meaning to be condescending here)

 

[cantara256]

Is sending your custom earplug an option to your fit issue with the ciem? (Not meaning to be condescending here)

No worries, that's exactly what I did. They reshelled the Layla based on the earplugs, and that improved fit considerably, but I still get a noise in my ear when I turn my head or move my jaw, which indicates the fit isn't exact and they are moving in my ear when my head or jaw moves. Hence the new ear impressions.

 

[CareyPrice31]

Can you take a closeup picture of the 24-pin JH plugs with the plussound logos?
 
Quote:

  So I decided on the PlusSound X8 Gold Plated Silver in the end. I also liked the X6 (2 less cables / braids) for the more nimble and portable form factor but I did not want to have any regrets and upgraditis in the future. 
 
The sound is incredibly wide and huge, everything is lush and vocals are sweet and enchanting. Well recorded vocals, jazz and classical sound a lot better than pop / rock. For some reason the latter still sounds huge and arena-like, but lacks the visceral quality and impact (physical register) from stuff like the UM Merlin. Bass is dialed to 3'o clock and it's quite a hefty amount, it introduces a lot of mid-bass warmth and masked a lot of sharpness and brightness from recordings. Sometimes I go all the way to 4/5'o clock positions for heavy coloration and the immersiveness from all the warmth and the sound stage is addicting. Everything sounds euphoric and musical and I greatly love this sound. Everything else sounds tinny and thin and bright to me now even though I know they are not. I am deeply poisoned by this.  
 
It is interesting that the Layla is marketed as a reference / mastering tool, but with this cable, 380 + Amp (warm DAC), and the bass turned nearly to max this is hardly anything reference. Instead I get an incredibly melodic and musical and moving iem. KSE 1500 still renders details much accurately, Angie is still more clean and clear and some other dynamic iems are more dynamic and lively, but the texture and lushness from these Sirens are one of a kind. 
 

 

[Eroica4th]

  I currently have both custom and universal Layla; I've had extended fit issues, more than most, but plan to stick with the custom once it's settled, and I'll sell the universal.
 
The sound question to me is a little complicated. Overall they both sound fantastic; I love the Layla! But the "flat" bass level on the custom is at the 7am setting, and "flat" on the universal is 12pm. So when I first put on my custom, after first having the universal, I was really disappointed... but that went away once I called JH Audio and Astell & Kern separately to confirm the difference in the bass settings. Now they sound less different to me, because I change the bass setting depending on which one I'm listening to, but honestly I haven't done a full comparison between them because I've focused on getting the fit right on the custom.
 
Custom advantage is comfort, plain and simple. I use my Layla a lot; every day, and sometimes hours per day. I listened to the universal (before the custom) so much that eventually, no matter what tips I used, the inside of my ear would itch very quickly. While I've had fit issues with the custom, I have no doubt that once the final refit happens, they will be more comfortable, especially over long listening sessions and over time overall, than the universal, no matter what tips I use.
 
Custom disadvantage is the fit process. It's not for the impatient! You might luck out and get a perfect fit the first time; strangely the custom earplugs JH Audio did for me are fantastic and highly recommended, and came out perfect the first time. Not so for the Layla; it's been a frustrating and on-going process and now I'm getting another ear impression to hopefully settle the nagging, remaining fit issues.
 
However, based on the fit of the custom earplugs they made for me, it's going to be worth it. I can wear those earplugs for hours, even sleep with them on, and they are superbly comfortable, and I can even wear them sleeping on my side. You can't listen to a universal IEM (especially Layla!) with your head on the side of a pillow or leaning against an airplane seat.
 
I will try to post a full comparison once my custom is perfect, but that might be another month as it'll take a couple weeks to even see the audiologist again, plus sending them in, waiting, refit, waiting.... ay. But Layla is very special, she'll be worth it.

if 12 is the flat bass on the universal, then what is the 7 am on the universal?  minus ?