[Kaorichi]

Hello everyone,

I've only registered here after years of lurking, but I have a story to tell. So here I am.

I've always wanted to get CIEM as universal iem never really fitted well.
It all started when I got BGGAR suggested to me by YT back at the BGVP DM6 era. I ordered those as universal and liked them, was much more confortable than my UE900 I used for years!

Fast forward a little, the Fearless audio Roland was praised. And I thought at the time, ok it's time for CIEM!
I ordered the Roland early September 2019, I got my ear impression done, and sent them of to Linsoul and waited 2 month and got my first CIEM.

All is good right, eh?

Not so much. I've read that if it's only to listen to music, doing closed mouth/relaxed jaw ear impression would be the way to go. Unfortunately, not in my case. I was losing seal when slightly opening my mouth, I pretty much needed to clench on my teeth to have a proper seal.

Alright then, re-fit time. Talked to Linsoul, first refit is free, good.

I got new ear impression made, this time with open mouth and bite block. Sent the CIEM and new ear impression early December 2019 and things started to go wrong from there.
As I sent them of by myself, I used the carrier of my choice (equal to USPS, but in France it's LaPoste). It wasn't sent as express of anything, so it took a while, but also, COVID hit hard at the time.
So the package was locked in customs, then Chinese new year happened.. tldr, they didn't get the package April 9th 2020, huh.

In the meantime, I was also talking with Lillian on Discord if Fearless could tweak the sound signature of the IEM as the Roland is in fact quite dark and missing a lot in the treble area without EQ.
In the end, they could not and I got my CIEM back only on August 5th 2020

Because of all the delay and all, I was offered a discount of 50% on my next order, nice.

Since the signature of the Fearless Roland wasn't of my taste and needed heavy EQ, I was looking at what new CIEM I could get.
The ThieAudio Monarch picked my interest and this time I didn't rush and waited for review to get released. Crinacle rated it really well so here we go again.
New ear impression done, was picky with my audiologist to have them perfect. And ordered the Monarch on September 1st 2020. Received them mid November.

And this time, they messed up.
They cut the tip too short and I have no bass response. And also really bulky, like really! But they sure are pretty
Here they are compared to the Roland:

In my ear:

Alright then, refit time again.

This time, Linsoul gave me a DHL express return label to not have issues with customs and the package being stuck for ages. That's the best move there.
And I dare to ask if they could make them "smaller" (as in not going out of my ear so much, most definitely possible seeing all the empty space in the shell).
Oh boi, what a big mistake.

After weeks of waiting, on January 21th, I'm being told that the new ear impression are too small for the refit. wat?!
Here on the left are the one that came back with the CIEM Monarch and on the right the new ones:

Looks pretty good to me, the part that goes in the ear canal is long enough, and it cover all the part needed to fit all the hardware.
And they claim again "It can be used, but your new impression is too small to fit it".

Maybe some stuff was lost in translation, but after a chat with Lillian on Discord and exchange of few picture, I'm told on the 28th:
"Hi just update you: Your item is working but it cannot be finished before the Chinese Holiday. The safe time is to delivery to yours after the Chinese holiday."
Ok then...

Early March, I asked what's up. on the 17th, I'm told they are working on it, and on April 5th I get an email saying that:

Oh god, back to Discord and I'm asking if they are just going to send me back the CIEM as is?
That was the reply

followed by:
"If you check the photo, it is hard to make the drivers in
We have two experienced engineers to try making it. However, both of them could not succeed despite trying for a very long time"

I don't know what the red square is suppose to be. The red circle on the Purple CIEM (the Fearless Roland) was me, from previous chat telling them that it's this part the is needed to seal in the ear canal properly. and the 2 next photos are just snap of the CIEM I had, I guess.

But anyway, I replied

At this point it was already too late, now I figured that my request to make the overall shell smaller, which I told them was a secondary request dozens and dozens of times was what they struggled with.

On the 16th I didn't had any tracking or refund, and on the 19th I get the refund (it was out of the refund window so I was sent money by PayPal like I sold them something... so Paypal took some fee)

And that last sentence, ahahah. Yeah, today (April 21th 2021) I received only the ear impression, that was completely untouched.
Needless to say, I went back to say What (in polite terms), how could they do the refit without cutting the new ear impression like the ones that was sent back to me with the CIEM, right?!

I was replied with some pictures again with the old ear impression and the CIEM next to each other and some excuses and finally
"You can google to search for details that how factory make CIEM. Thank you. Have a nice day".

That finish my journey to get good CIEM that I don't need to EQ to use on any device, to this day.
So far, I'm very disappointed. I cannot recommend to get CIEM from a Chinese company.

I'm looking at US or German made company that have CIEM with signature I could like, but they are all very expensive, so for now, I'll stick to the Fearless Roland I have, using them with my iBasso DX160 daily.
Alas, I cannot really use them on my laptop or desktop while playing because I don't have a way to PEQ them.

(I'm still eyeing the 64Audio A12t, but ouch $$)

Cheers,

 

[ThanatosVI]

Not so much. I've read that if it's only to listen to music, doing closed mouth/relaxed jaw ear impression would be the way to go. Unfortunately, not in my case. I was losing seal when slightly opening my mouth, I pretty much needed to clench on my teeth to have a proper seal.

This sounds like overall the CIEM was slightly too small.
In that case they probably didn't even **** up, but the ear Print material is shrinking slightly over time.
Since it took so long until they started, the ear print probably was already slightly too small.

Personally I only get custom ear tips for Universal IEMs. I wonder how those will fit in the end.

May I ask what these Chinese ciems would have cost in total?

 

[Kaorichi]

The Roland was over 1k€ and the Monarch, since I had a discount it was about 400€. Including the ear impression I'd say.
If I had paid full price on the Monarch, the total would have been a wee bit less that the A12t I'd say.

 

[silent-circuit]

The Roland was over 1k€ and the Monarch, since I had a discount it was about 400€. Including the ear impression I'd say.
If I had paid full price on the Monarch, the total would have been a wee bit less that the A12t I'd say.

Look in to Equalizer APO for use on desktop and laptop.

 

[Tiax]

I'm looking at US or German made company that have CIEM with signature I could like

64 Audio and Vision Ears come to mind first, both are known for the very high quality and great customer support.
With VE, shipping back and forth in case of any issues should be easy. VE8 was fantastic when i've tried it, but it is expensive, and they also have cheaper models.
You could maybe ask them to send you a demo, don't know if they do it internationally, but it's worth asking i think.

64 Audio accept impressions in a digital form, so at least this step can be done fast.
They also occasionally have 15% discounts, so wait for the next one if you decide to go with them.

Personally I only get custom ear tips for Universal IEMs. I wonder how those will fit in the end.

In my very limited experience they could change the sound of iem quite a lot, and some become way too dark.

 

[ThanatosVI]

In my very limited experience they could change the sound of iem quite a lot, and some become way too dark.

Intwresting, can you share some more details.
Which Universal IEMs did you try custom Eartips on?
And where did you get them?

 

[Tiax]

I have a pair from Custom Art. Well, 2 pairs actually, since first one didn't fit well, so they made another one, which is better, but still not perfect.
They worked great with U12t, making sound a bit smoother, and i liked it quite a bit. Tried briefly with VE8, and it was terrible, with dark, muddy and less resolving sound.
I have them on my cheap Final E1000 now, and actually sound is almost the same, changes are minimal.

So if your iems are already on a darker side, i wouldn't recommend it. But as i understand it, there are many variables here, including the length of the tip, the output diameter, the material, ear canal shape etc. Kaorichi has very narrow canals, and for him changes in the sound would be much bigger i think.

 

[Kaorichi]

Look in to Equalizer APO for use on desktop and laptop.

I just tried that on my Laptop, works very well, thanks!
Too bad I can't use it at work (no admin right to install it there lol)

64 Audio and Vision Ears come to mind first, both are known for the very high quality and great customer support.
With VE, shipping back and forth in case of any issues should be easy. VE8 was fantastic when i've tried it, but it is expensive, and they also have cheaper models.
You could maybe ask them to send you a demo, don't know if they do it internationally, but it's worth asking i think.

64 Audio accept impressions in a digital form, so at least this step can be done fast.
They also occasionally have 15% discounts, so wait for the next one if you decide to go with them.


In my very limited experience they could change the sound of iem quite a lot, and some become way too dark.

Those are the 2 brands I had in mind when I wrote that. Yeah, for such pricey IEM, I'd prefer to have a listen to the uni before jumping in. But with COVID now, it's not really a thing right now.
The VE are way too expensive for me.
Digital ear impression is cool, but I can't have that be done by my audiologist. I was sent some when I purchased the Roland, but they aren't mine lmao

I have a pair from Custom Art. Well, 2 pairs actually, since first one didn't fit well, so they made another one, which is better, but still not perfect.
They worked great with U12t, making sound a bit smoother, and i liked it quite a bit. Tried briefly with VE8, and it was terrible, with dark, muddy and less resolving sound.
I have them on my cheap Final E1000 now, and actually sound is almost the same, changes are minimal.

So if your iems are already on a darker side, i wouldn't recommend it. But as i understand it, there are many variables here, including the length of the tip, the output diameter, the material, ear canal shape etc. Kaorichi has very narrow canals, and for him changes in the sound would be much bigger i think.

Indeed, I have very narrow canals, that's why universal are a pain even with the smallest tips.

 

[Tiax]

Alambic Ears then maybe?
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/ala...-bali-jaws-ii-noosa-mundaka-mavericks.954667/
I know nothing about them, but since they are also in France, i think it makes sense for you to at least talk to them and try some demo versions.

Custom Art in Poland is another option, their prices are reasonable, and you can try it before buying:
https://thecustomart.com/demo/

 

[Spie1904]

64 Audio and Vision Ears come to mind first, both are known for the very high quality and great customer support.
With VE, shipping back and forth in case of any issues should be easy. VE8 was fantastic when i've tried it, but it is expensive, and they also have cheaper models.
You could maybe ask them to send you a demo, don't know if they do it internationally, but it's worth asking i think.

64 Audio accept impressions in a digital form, so at least this step can be done fast.
They also occasionally have 15% discounts, so wait for the next one if you decide to go with them.


In my very limited experience they could change the sound of iem quite a lot, and some become way too dark.

I can vouch for Vision Ears.
I have extremely finnicky ears (very tiny) and westone for example refused to build me anything over 3 BA.
Vision Ears initially thought a VE8 would not be do-able but Marcel went above and beyond to make it work and was very clear about it being possible but it would stick out 1-2mm further than they usually aim for. Having received mine, I can say they are extremely comfortable and well built!

TL;DR:
Vision Ears surpassed my expectations and I think they are excellent in both build quality, sound and overall customer service / experience.
Mind you that the ve8 is also smooth in treble so if you want forward treble I’m not sure they’d suit you! I absolutely adore mine!

 

[Kaorichi]

Alambic Ears then maybe?
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/ala...-bali-jaws-ii-noosa-mundaka-mavericks.954667/
I know nothing about them, but since they are also in France, i think it makes sense for you to at least talk to them and try some demo versions.

Custom Art in Poland is another option, their prices are reasonable, and you can try it before buying:
https://thecustomart.com/demo/

Oh, I didn't know that French brand, the only one I knew is Earsonics. I'll look into it.

I can vouch for Vision Ears.

I'm not surprised, German quality is top-notch.

 

[Kaorichi]

So, my journey to CIEM continues.
This time, I'm going north, to Hidition. Or is it south? Pun intended.

I reached out to Hidition on August 30th, 2023, saying I was interested in the Viento and if they accepted orders from overseas customers, what's their process, and what is the cost.
Yeah, because their website is trash and there are no prices on it.
They got back to me the same day (night technically, time difference and all) with the details like you can get Viento-R with switches or no switches version of the version I'd like.
As for the price, it was only the base price without customization.
They asked for my information, name, address, etc... They also told me I could only pay via bank transfer, alright.
They also include their ear impression guide page (which is terrible, but I'm familiar with that now so no biggie) and the processing time of 3-4 weeks.

I get back to them with my choices (not knowing the final price at this point, still)
- Viento-B, custom
- T1 (clear) shell and MP1 (delight) faceplates and no logo
https://hidition.co.kr/index.php?mid=COLOR
And on their website, I read that I could choose the cable color, wasn't sure so I asked that I wanted a "clear" one.
I add all my info requested and tell them I can get my ear impression quickly. I'm also asking for a quote for the choice I made.

They got back to me and asked for the ear impressions already, and when they arrive to them they can send me a detailed invoice.
As for the cable, if it's not the Viento-R, the default cable is black. Period, not even asking if I wanted their clear option for a fee.
And they told me to send them some pictures of the ear impressions before sending them, standard procedure.

I replied with the pictures (as I got them done, 40€) and also asked about the payment method, as I checked with my bank and could only send Won to Korea, not Dollars US.

They told me I could only pay in Dollars, and that the price from their first reply was the base product. They go on that the price changes when art is added and some, I believe,
translation weirdness about when I listen to their product it will change my mind about earphones. Okay...

At this point, I'm asking again for their invoice, as I want to know the final price with shipping and I'll let them know when the impressions are sent.

They replied with their shipping address and asked that I send the impression as a sample with a value of no more than $30. "Otherwise, you have to pay expensive taxes."
And they need to confirm my details again. lol

I ship the impressions (30€ shipping), send them pictures and the tracking number, and confirm my info.

4 days later, I saw on the tracking that they received them. We are September 8th at this point.
On the 11th they replied that the impression arrived and finally they sent me the invoice with a price including my "customization" and shipping. $1180
they also add "Please note that the exchange fee is the customer's responsibility."

As I mentioned before, I couldn't pay in dollars using my bank, so I used an external service, XE. Payment was made and I replied to them the same day. from
On the 15th, they replied and told me "$7.53 is missing." What the actual F. I'm losing it at this point.
I'm sending them a first mail with a screenshot of the payment I sent and when I got back home a 2nd mail with the pdf of Transaction Confirmation from XE.
They are telling me that the exchange fee has been excluded and tell me to check the invoice that says "Exchange charge is on you".
I did my research and turns out, I was right and my payment had no fee I needed to pay.
However, since I know their bank name from their IBAN, it looks like they have some remittance fee when they receive over $1000. I linked them to the page from their bank and ranted at this point.
They should know this and adjust their price accordingly. On the 16Th they go on and tell me they will start the production.

TL;DR: As Crinacle mentioned in the comments of his video about the Viento-B, reach out to Zeppelinandco.
Don't go to them directly, It's a pain.

 

[Kaorichi]

Fast forward to October, 17th. It's been a month, so I'm asking for an update. Got a reply the same day, stating that the production is complete.
We go back and forth, I'm asking for the tracking number and they gave it to me on the 23rd.
After a small hiccup with FedEx (not sending me a mail for the tax+import fee, which was 254€), I got them on the 27th. I hate FedEx.

Timeline recap, start of manufacture on the 18th of September. Shipped on the 23rd of October. That's 5 weeks. Not unusual to have up to 6 weeks. No complaints there.

Picture right at the unboxing (the shipped cable is the tiny black one on the right):

I started using them right away.
Fit/seal: 5/5 perfect
Sound: 5/5 god damn good to me.
But, right out of the box, I noticed a problem, so on the 30th, I sent them pictures and a video.
It was the left faceplate peeling off.



We go back and forth again, more pictures and a video. Welp, I have to send them back. Back they go on November 1st (30€ shipping, and sent as repair for a value of 25€, as they asked). I did not enjoy them for long.
November 7th I see that the package was delivered, so I reached out to make sure.
Whoever was answering was not having a good day on the 9th when I got a reply, as I got that: "너무 바빠서 늦었네요."
We go back and forth again, I try to be as cordial as I can, even replying with Google translation in Korean. I'm asking for an update on the 19th. On the 21st, they told me they should ship that week.
I just waited at this point and got a tracking on the 29th. They sent it as a sample with a value of $30, welp FedEx is gonna f me up for sure. (when the value is higher than 20-25€, you get custom on you here in France).
Annnd they did, asking me for 15€, not sending an email again but an SMS, what the hell. Did I mention I hate FedEx?
-November 7th to 29th, 4 weeks for the repair of one faceplate. That's longer than I expected.

Anyway, I got them in my hand on December 6, all good, right? Oh No.

Yesterday, on the 7th, I sent them my rant about the value they declared it for and asked them, "Did you only redo the faceplates?"
This morning, on the 8th, they replied
"Did you receive the goods?
It is difficult to understand what you sent."

I'm going to reply to them at the same time I'm posting this. Here is the issue: The right shell clear coat/lacquer has cracks all over, and the faceplate is also "peeling off". And the left earpiece is not perfect either.
What the hell is going on?! Am I this unlucky to only get problems with CIEM?
The fit/seal and sound are still perfect, but the build quality is just not there. 0/5.
Unless it's a transport issue (temperature difference perhaps?), as the IEM went from South Korea, SHANGHAI - China, GUANGZHOU - China, DUBAI CITY - AE, and finally reached France.

here is what it looks like, completely different from the first time, the mother of pearl does not have a white underlayer this time:

That looks good, right? It's not.



I also made some videos to show them. here is one of them:

I'll see what they tell me, but I'm really not keen on sending them back again, sure they are under warranty, but if I have to pay 45€ again (shipping and customs fees when they get back),
perhaps I should just find an alternative way to fix them.

So far I'm 1490€ deep, right now, I'm very disappointed. Things have gone south indeed.

On the bright side, I got the 7Hz Zero:2 yesterday, 20€ shipped with no custom assle ahah. Sounding pretty good for the cost. That's the extent I'm willing to pay for non-custom.
Oh, and I found a way to get an ok seal with Universal, with those kinds of tips. Definitely not as good nor comfortable as a CIEM, but it seals and stays put.

 

[Kaorichi]

I got a reply this morning, which was quick as always, but... I'm stunned.

Dear Christophe

I enjoyed the photo you sent.

We took a picture before sending it out.
There is no gold in that picture.
As you know, no company sends customers' items damaged.

If you want to exchange another cable, send that cable as well.
We'll plug it in and send it to you.

There were signs of damage when it arrived before.
This time I sent it with special reinforcement.

It's a shame that our product was damaged even more severely again.

It was initially available as a service, but
Second, service is difficult anymore.

The repair cost is $100 per side, excluding coating and repairing damage.

It's $200 for both sides.
Shipping costs are separate, and if you send it in, we will repair it and send it to you as soon as possible.

As mentioned before, the material is weak, so excessive force should not be applied.
Please refer to it


Thank you.
Best regards.

Seriously? I'm absolutely baffled right now.
First, they start with the cable, because they see the gold/silver cable that I use, in 4.4mm. Not related to the issue at all, they should know that, as they shipped it with a wimpy black cable note worth $2, moving on.

"No sign of damage when it arrived", yes absolutely right for the right earpiece, as it was the left faceplate that was the issue, they still re-did both. Special reinforcement, what does that even mean, ticker clear coat? If they didn't prep the surface right, it won't stick. That sentence doesn't make sense.

So now they won't honor their warranty. $200+ $60 shipping + I have to ship them at my cost, plus import taxes when they come back, that will end up for what, $300-350?!
No way I'm sending them back.

"the material is weak"
What??! It's the freaking clear coat, not the shell being damaged. I'm always taking good care of my gear, my Fearless Roland that I purchased in 2019 are still in perfect condition, with not a single scratch.

Oh, and they are getting worse now:


My Roland (that are used every day for an hour on my break) for comparison:


Needless to say, I cannot recommend anyone to ever purchase from Hidition .

 

[Kaorichi]

So, after that debacle with Hidition. I looked for an alternative way to get them repaired.
I contacted Aldo40 from Alambic-Ears and he fixed them in 2 days, for the cost I would have paid for shipping them back to Hidition alone.