Hey guys! As you may or may not have known, I just spent four days with my family on the beautiful island of Bali, Indonesia. T’was a brief (but
immensely pleasant) vacation, and now that I’m home, I should have a couple write-ups to deliver within the next few weeks. Funnily enough, the most noteworthy development surely occurred during my very last day in Bali: My 64Audio A6t’s finally arrived! At least a couple people were fortunately home to receive the package and I’ve been listening to the IEMs for the past few days now. So, without further adieu, here are my first impressions on 64Audio’s latest mid-tier beast.
64Audio A6t (with M20 modules) - First Impressions
Before I delve into sound, I must first highlight 64Audio’s outstanding turnaround, fit and finish. I ordered these IEMs as a retail purchase (not as a review unit) through Music Sanctuary on the 15th of June and they arrived in Singapore on the 7th of July. That’s just a day over three weeks! This is the second or third shortest wait I’ve had to endure for a pair of custom IEMs - the victors in this regard being Ultimate Ears and Avara Custom - and I think it’s no coincidence that all three companies employ 3D-printing techniques. Despite limitations in fancy bespoke designs, 3D-printing represents unquestionable progress for the industry in commerciality and practicality. Now, all we have to do is wait for the day they can print out six-colour swirls and wood inlays without a hitch.
Photo courtesy of Music Sanctuary
Another benefit of this technology is fit and finish. Having owned 15 custom IEMs prior to the A6t’s, I can confidently say that these are the best-built I’ve ever had. The acrylic bodies feel immensely dense and robust, and boast some of the most outstanding lustre, transparency and polish. Additionally, the A6t’s are the most detailed in shape. Every contour of the ear is preserved, such that there are zero air gaps within the canal at all times. There’s no need to push the monitors in every now and again or to wag at the lobes, neither is there any sliding or sloshing when I flex my ears. The disadvantage of this minimal smoothing is that it’s not the most relaxed or vanishingly comfortable in-ear I’ve ever worn. They're among the tightest in my collection, but it's essentially as accurate and secure as fit could possibly get without discomfort or pain. Plus, they boast some of the best isolation despite the APEX module. This is something stage musicians in particular would love and something I could strongly appreciate too.
Sound
Sonically, the A6t’s carry a unique approach towards neutral-natural. What struck me immediately was its clever balance between linearity, tone and dynamic contrast. Although the poster boys for IEMs that juggle those very attributes have been the Aether, Gemini, etc., the A6t is the first I’ve heard that emphasises vocal roundedness. While the former two boast
louder presentations as a result of thick notes, vibrant upper-mids and massive energy, the A6t is more laid-back and refined; focusing its merits on a natural vocal timbre
first, then building a detailed, open stage around it (rather than the other way around as has become the norm). A characteristic 1-2kHz rise adds great solidity to voices and instruments alike - apparent and appreciated on every track I heard - while the rest of the frequency response is built to complement that in several ways. Peaks along 7kHz and 10-12kHz add healthy amounts of articulation, as well as open up the stage. 64Audio's APEX and Tia technologies continue to contribute great spaciousness and headroom. As a result, the centre-midrange isn't overtly chesty. Rather, it's dense and realistic in structure, placement and tone. I wished there was more energy around 3kHz for more vibrancy and
power, but that's something we'll get into further in the Phantom comparisons.
The bass is full-bodied, impactful and expertly controlled despite its accentuation. The majority of its energy sits somewhere between the mid- and sub-bass, which allows it to punch without congestion. This also means great clarity and separation in conjunction with the upper-treble peak. A significant dip along the upper-bass and lower-midrange segregates the low-end from the rest of the frequency response, but the fall is linear enough that coherency is absolutely maintained. What you get in the end is a punchy low-end that’s sufficiently cut for technical performance, but still musical in body and admirably life-like in tone. Also, the low-end's specific tuning makes it entertainingly sneaky on many occasions. Because there's minimal bloom coming from the bass, you almost forget it's there with tracks that start off slow or build to a drop. Then, when the bass does kick in, it punches
beautifully; adding an almost theatrical experience to the track as a whole. It's definitely icing on the cake, but
man is that icing delicious!
vs. the Empire Ears Phantom
Aside from the almost obvious difference that the Phantom is a warmer IEM, the clearest contrast between the two is in vocal forwardness and size. The Phantom posits larger notes that almost fill up the stage, while the A6t's instruments are slightly smaller. Much of this has to do with the Phantom's calmer treble, as well as the A6t's emphasis on the centre-midrange vs. the upper-mids. Instruments on the Phantom sound more vibrant, lively and rich, while the A6t has as great a focus on timbre as it does on precise imaging, clean transients and swift decay. One could call the Phantom more emotional, and the A6t cleaner. However, in terms of bodily resolution, the Phantom takes the cake for me. It's better at differentiating between the different hues, tones and textures that different instruments throw out, while the A6t has more of a set
flavour -
unquestionably a good one, but a slight flavour nonetheless. Conversely, the A6t's treble peaks give it greater refinement and finesse, as well as more apparent separation.
Like I teased previously, the Phantom is more capable in portraying vocal power. When singers belt, that force is immensely palpable. However, a key element to this quality - a 6kHz peak - has led to some complaints of stridence with certain pairings and/or tracks. On the other hand, the A6t's 6kHz
dip minimises this dynamic range for smoothness's sake. So, both have vocals that excel in construction, layering and tone, with a key differentiator being raw power vs. guaranteed smoothness. The A6t is also calmer around 3kHz, which makes it - again - a touch less vibrant, but it's less prone to honky-ness than the Phantom is with select tracks. Both in-ears punch very well down low, whilst maintaining balance with the midrange and treble. The Phantom slightly betters the A6t in extension, which leads to a more visceral
thump. But, they're within spitting distance in terms of physicality and robustness. The A6t's Tia driver once again gives it the edge in bass definition and separation, while the Phantom's is fuller, richer and truer in tone.
Treble is probably where they're most different, where the A6t's upper-treble peak gives it greater transient attack and crispness; sounding snappier with more
crackle and
pop compared to the Phantom. But, the Phantom's linearity here makes it a more natural and
easy listen. Although the difference in note size isn't large between the two, the A6t's neutral treble (and upper-bass) makes it sound
slightly leaner. Now thankfully, the Phantom is neither overtly thick nor is the A6t fatiguingly lean. Both are sides of the same coin, and it simply comes down to preference. If you'd like your instruments more precise and clear-cut, yet still natural in most respects, the A6t's your pick. Conversely, if you're after a more organic (but less forgiving) sonic palate, and you won't mind lesser articulation if it means hearing your favourite singers belt with full force, then the Phantom it is.
Conclusion... For Now
The 64Audio A6t with M20 modules is a beautiful all-rounder. Unlike most in the genre, it doesn't simply have a generally smooth, agreeable and sufficiently-bass-y signature. Rather, it has a unique emphasis on vocal construction and tone, which works just as magically on Charlie Puth as it does on Charlie Parker. Its midrange-first mentality provides an excellent foundation for the entire monitor to stand on, and the extremes do more than just finish the job. The bass is rounded, thick, organic and punchy, and the treble gives it more than enough space to be so whilst remaining open, airy, detailed and immovably smooth. All-in-all, it's a brilliantly balanced signature that's as natural as it is unique, and I can't wait to spend more time listening to and experimenting with one of my new favourite sub-$1500 IEMs in the industry today.
