[moedawg140]

  Great info on the upgrades there.  If you haven't already, make sure it's update onto the main review!

 
It is.  Thank you for the suggestion though!  

 

[moses1258]

As you can see from my info, I live in Atlanta.
 
Will be heading down to Buford next week to take a factory tour and listen to the whole Earwerkz lineup.  I had called a couple times and had not received a callback.  Finally got a hold of Jack today.  He said he is so busy filling orders and making the IEMs that he has trouble keeping up.
 
Will report back after my tour.

 

[Spamateur]

  As you can see from my info, I live in Atlanta.
 
Will be heading down to Buford next week to take a factory tour and listen to the whole Earwerkz lineup.  I had called a couple times and had not received a callback.  Finally got a hold of Jack today.  He said he is so busy filling orders and making the IEMs that he has trouble keeping up.
 
Will report back after my tour.

You're in for a treat. Had a lot of fun when I went in to audition. I actually went in just to try a few of their models to see if anything struck my fancy as I was looking for a CIEM, but certainly wasn't prepared to throw down money. I ended up leaving with a Legend R purchase under my belt. The crazy part is the universal demo they had didn't nearly do the actual custom version justice. Keep in mind your customs will sound better than the universal demo you'll be auditioning.

 

[moses1258]

  You're in for a treat. Had a lot of fun when I went in to audition. I actually went in just to try a few of their models to see if anything struck my fancy as I was looking for a CIEM, but certainly wasn't prepared to throw down money. I ended up leaving with a Legend R purchase under my belt. The crazy part is the universal demo they had didn't nearly do the actual custom version justice. Keep in mind your customs will sound better than the universal demo you'll be auditioning.

So the universal demo sounded good, but the custom sounded better?  Nice

.

 

[Spamateur]

 
So the universal demo sounded good, but the demo sounded better?  Nice

.

Yeah, the universal demo sounded good enough that I basically threw my wallet at Jack. But my actual custom that arrived 2 weeks later blew it out of the water. The custom goes much deeper in your ear canal than they can manage with a universal demo with Comply foam tips, and it really makes a huge difference in sound quality. I'm very happy with my Legend R, which is saying a lot considering the IEM odyssey I went on (see my "past" section in my signature below). I'm even more excited to get my R upgraded to the Omega, not because I don't think the R has enough bass (it's fantastic as it is) but because I'm honestly just curious as to the difference.

 

[RedJohn456]

  Yeah, the universal demo sounded good enough that I basically threw my wallet at Jack. But my actual custom that arrived 2 weeks later blew it out of the water. The custom goes much deeper in your ear canal than they can manage with a universal demo with Comply foam tips, and it really makes a huge difference in sound quality. I'm very happy with my Legend R, which is saying a lot considering the IEM odyssey I went on (see my "past" section in my signature below). I'm even more excited to get my R upgraded to the Omega, not because I don't think the R has enough bass (it's fantastic as it is) but because I'm honestly just curious as to the difference.

Hey looks like you had the Z5 at some point. How do the two compare? You have an enviable list in the past Iems section as many are on my to buy one day list.
 
Would love to read your thoughts.

 

[Levanter]

I think you should give a disclaimer as well on any of your CIEMs impression if the demo listening on them is done in Can Jam festival/meets type noise fest. That has an impact on impressions IMO.

 

[moedawg140]

I think you should give a disclaimer as well on any of your CIEMs impression if the demo listening on them is done in Can Jam festival/meets type noise fest. That has an impact on impressions IMO.

 
Thanks for the suggestion.
 
There are other factors about impressions with regards to the possible differences of perceptions of sound and being able to listen optimally, such as:
 
What size tips and what material tips did I use?
 
Was I able to use the same type of tip for every IEM that I auditioned?
 
How far was I able to get the IEMs' canals into my ears?
 
Was I under the weather (sick)?
 
Was I tired, or fatigued?
 
Was I feeling great?
 
Did I eat something that may have affected or distracted me from certain nuances of the songs I was listening to?
 
Simply too many variables to consider.
 
With regards to my methods about how I deal with outside noise, I was able to obtain and utilize SpinFit tips on all of the IEMs that I auditioned and wrote about in the review, and I was able to use the small size of the SpinFit tips to get the nozzles as far/deeply as I could into my ears. 

I have listened to more IEMs that I haven't had much luck with regarding an optimal tight seal, but all of those IEMs were not considered for the comparisons.  All of the IEMs that were reviewed were sealed as well as they could seal, and as I turned up the volume to a comfortable listening level, I was able to hear very little to nothing at all of any part of the outside world. 
 
Thank you for reading the review, I appreciate it.

 

[Spamateur]

 
Hey looks like you had the Z5 at some point. How do the two compare? You have an enviable list in the past Iems section as many are on my to buy one day list.
 
Would love to read your thoughts.

Sure. I thought the Z5 weren't bad, but they really aren't even close to the Legend R or even remotely in the same tier, IMO. They were bassy to a fault and poorly executed. I like bass, but the Z5 were over the top and almost headache-inducing. The Legend R are a slightly warmer take on neutral, and have clean, punchy bass and can really thump when the song calls for it, but doesn't insert a ton of low-end into songs that don't call for it. The Legend provide an accurate reproduction of the track as opposed to making every song a club-thumping banger. The Z5 was also very heavy on the midbass, while the Legend is more linear and sub-bass notes are well executed and represented and can really rumble. Treble was surprisingly great on the Z5 with accurate timbre and tone, but the Legend R has better treble extension. They both provide some of the best treble timbre I've heard produced by balanced armature, but the Legend is still better here. Besides the bass, my other main problem with the Z5 was the fact that there was audible levels of distortion at medium-high volume levels which were most obvious in the mids. Oh, and Z5 can't touch the Legend in terms of detail retrieval. The Sony seemed to gloss over details heavily in every area except the treble, while the EarWerkz is beautifully detailed. It really is the best of both worlds: an IEM you can get lost in the music with, but also one that you can do a fair amount of analytical listening with.
 
Again, I don't think the Z5 were bad, but for the price Sony is asking I think the JVC woody series (FX750 and FX850, etc.) are a much better take on a similar sound at a lower price point. However, the Legend are in another class entirely.

 

[Jazzi]

Great review, Moedawg!  A question on the impressions -- could you use the impressions you used previously for the SCS, or are new/different impressions required?  

 

[moedawg140]

Great review, Moedawg!  A question on the impressions -- could you use the impressions you used previously for the SCS, or are new/different impressions required?  

Thanks for the compliment, Jazzi!

Usually it is advised to get new impressions for each CIEM (or in our case, SCS) purchased, especially if the time span for each purchase is lengthy. Also, you have to factor in each manufacturer's recommended impression instructions as well. By default Sensaphonics keeps the impressions, but I'm sure they could send them back to you if you requested. To be completely safe, my advice would be to get impressions done for every single CIEM/SCS you purchase, making sure to also use the manufacturer's recommended impression instructions as well - or follow the method that my audiologist used for me. As stated in the review, I'm not saying any technique is the correct method, but I have had exceptional seal and isolation with the method that I use.

Are you in the market for a CIEM?

 

[zephex]

How would these compare to the Fitear TG334? Am considering a foray into the CIEM world

 

[RedJohn456]

  Sure. I thought the Z5 weren't bad, but they really aren't even close to the Legend R or even remotely in the same tier, IMO. They were bassy to a fault and poorly executed. I like bass, but the Z5 were over the top and almost headache-inducing. The Legend R are a slightly warmer take on neutral, and have clean, punchy bass and can really thump when the song calls for it, but doesn't insert a ton of low-end into songs that don't call for it. The Legend provide an accurate reproduction of the track as opposed to making every song a club-thumping banger. The Z5 was also very heavy on the midbass, while the Legend is more linear and sub-bass notes are well executed and represented and can really rumble. Treble was surprisingly great on the Z5 with accurate timbre and tone, but the Legend R has better treble extension. They both provide some of the best treble timbre I've heard produced by balanced armature, but the Legend is still better here. Besides the bass, my other main problem with the Z5 was the fact that there was audible levels of distortion at medium-high volume levels which were most obvious in the mids. Oh, and Z5 can't touch the Legend in terms of detail retrieval. The Sony seemed to gloss over details heavily in every area except the treble, while the EarWerkz is beautifully detailed. It really is the best of both worlds: an IEM you can get lost in the music with, but also one that you can do a fair amount of analytical listening with.
 
Again, I don't think the Z5 were bad, but for the price Sony is asking I think the JVC woody series (FX750 and FX850, etc.) are a much better take on a similar sound at a lower price point. However, the Legend are in another class entirely.

Seems like this would be quite the step up from the Z5  Is the Legend R fatiguing? One of my favourite aspects of the Z5 is the non fatiguing nature of its sound and its comfortable to listen to for hours at a time.

 

[germanturkey]

i'd hardly call it fatiguing.  its a degree warm of neutral while maintaining smooth treble. then again, i didn't think the ATH-CK10s were fatiguing either.

 

[Jazzi]

Are you in the market for a CIEM?

 
After reading your review of the Legend Omega, how can I not be?