The Official 64 Audio Thread | apex & tia Technologies
Apr 11, 2018 at 12:37 AM Post #3,602 of 23,496
Apr 11, 2018 at 12:41 AM Post #3,603 of 23,496
Spinfit came out with a new model: CP-145 (4.5 mm vs 3.8 mm on the CP-100). Looks like this will fit as well.

I've tried CP-100 before, I think the Symbios or the Final Audio E-types are much better options.

I think I might give CP-145 another shot since I live in Taiwan and it's easy to get them here anyways.
 
Apr 12, 2018 at 7:41 AM Post #3,605 of 23,496
A brief review – against the grain

I’ve been auditioning the U18t, Fourte and A6.

Background: I’m a musicphile, marveling at the technology, but never shunning good music if its reproduction isn’t perfect.

U18t – way, way too revealing. Every little sibilance or recoding imperfection is fleshed out to the point of harshness. If you’re blessed with a sensitive ear, the experience will quickly turn unpleasant. Perhaps those IEMs are superb for mixing or stage monitoring or listening to impeccably mixed high-res files; but a poor choice for any other application.

Fourte – at first impression, stunning! Round and warm and harmonious. Listening further on brings moments of utter brilliance; hidden background riffs that are brought to the fore and induce a smile of revelation. It tackles sudden frequency change with aplomb…However, after a while it becomes obvious the rendition deviates from the original intent of the producer. Not by much; not drastically; but it’s there. Something a tad too “round”.

I’m in the market for CIEM so I wouldn’t purchase the Fourte. But my suggestion for a potential buyer is to spend long hours in their company and firmly establish whether its unique sound signature would suite you in the long-run.

A6 – the true surprise here. No, it doesn’t daze at first blush, nor is its soundstage the widest or deepest, although not a weakling on either. But a moment later, it all clicks together: a supremely balanced and rich sound reproduction that immediately hits the sweet spot and never lets go. Nothing was “too much”; nothing stuck out; just an enjoyable, warm and occasionally wonderful, experience.

Interestingly enough, I concurrently sampled the entire JH line. The A6 trumped the Layla, Roxanne and anything below.

The only question I’m left with is how it stacks against the A12t. 64 Audio maintains the latter is the big brother, delivering a similar sound signature but even more competently.
Anyone mind commenting?
 
Apr 12, 2018 at 7:44 AM Post #3,606 of 23,496
A brief review – against the grain

I’ve been auditioning the U18t, Fourte and A6.

Background: I’m a musicphile, marveling at the technology, but never shunning good music if its reproduction isn’t perfect.

U18t – way, way too revealing. Every little sibilance or recoding imperfection is fleshed out to the point of harshness. If you’re blessed with a sensitive ear, the experience will quickly turn unpleasant. Perhaps those IEMs are superb for mixing or stage monitoring or listening to impeccably mixed high-res files; but a poor choice for any other application.

Fourte – at first impression, stunning! Round and warm and harmonious. Listening further on brings moments of utter brilliance; hidden background riffs that are brought to the fore and induce a smile of revelation. It tackles sudden frequency change with aplomb…However, after a while it becomes obvious the rendition deviates from the original intent of the producer. Not by much; not drastically; but it’s there. Something a tad too “round”.

I’m in the market for CIEM so I wouldn’t purchase the Fourte. But my suggestion for a potential buyer is to spend long hours in their company and firmly establish whether its unique sound signature would suite you in the long-run.

A6 – the true surprise here. No, it doesn’t daze at first blush, nor is its soundstage the widest or deepest, although not a weakling on either. But a moment later, it all clicks together: a supremely balanced and rich sound reproduction that immediately hits the sweet spot and never lets go. Nothing was “too much”; nothing stuck out; just an enjoyable, warm and occasionally wonderful, experience.

Interestingly enough, I concurrently sampled the entire JH line. The A6 trumped the Layla, Roxanne and anything below.

The only question I’m left with is how it stacks against the A12t. 64 Audio maintains the latter is the big brother, delivering a similar sound signature but even more competently.
Anyone mind commenting?

The U12t I auditioned has more in common with the U18t or Fourte than the U6. It has a prominent, textured sub-bass and a bump on the presence region of the midrange, but its Tia high driver introduces the cleanliness, clarity and air present in the two higher-end models. It's not as bright as the U18t, though. There's a similar amount of sparkle, but not as much presence in the air frequencies as a whole.
 
Apr 12, 2018 at 8:29 AM Post #3,607 of 23,496
A brief review – against the grain

I’ve been auditioning the U18t, Fourte and A6.

Background: I’m a musicphile, marveling at the technology, but never shunning good music if its reproduction isn’t perfect.

U18t – way, way too revealing. Every little sibilance or recoding imperfection is fleshed out to the point of harshness. If you’re blessed with a sensitive ear, the experience will quickly turn unpleasant. Perhaps those IEMs are superb for mixing or stage monitoring or listening to impeccably mixed high-res files; but a poor choice for any other application.

Fourte – at first impression, stunning! Round and warm and harmonious. Listening further on brings moments of utter brilliance; hidden background riffs that are brought to the fore and induce a smile of revelation. It tackles sudden frequency change with aplomb…However, after a while it becomes obvious the rendition deviates from the original intent of the producer. Not by much; not drastically; but it’s there. Something a tad too “round”.

I’m in the market for CIEM so I wouldn’t purchase the Fourte. But my suggestion for a potential buyer is to spend long hours in their company and firmly establish whether its unique sound signature would suite you in the long-run.

A6 – the true surprise here. No, it doesn’t daze at first blush, nor is its soundstage the widest or deepest, although not a weakling on either. But a moment later, it all clicks together: a supremely balanced and rich sound reproduction that immediately hits the sweet spot and never lets go. Nothing was “too much”; nothing stuck out; just an enjoyable, warm and occasionally wonderful, experience.

Interestingly enough, I concurrently sampled the entire JH line. The A6 trumped the Layla, Roxanne and anything below.

The only question I’m left with is how it stacks against the A12t. 64 Audio maintains the latter is the big brother, delivering a similar sound signature but even more competently.
Anyone mind commenting?

I agree with @Deezel177, I own the A12t and I love it. If the U18 is too revealing you may want to consider the A12t/U12t. I have tried a lot of nice IEMs and I consider the A12t to be one of my favorites.
 
Apr 12, 2018 at 8:45 AM Post #3,608 of 23,496
A brief review – against the grain

I’ve been auditioning the U18t, Fourte and A6.

Background: I’m a musicphile, marveling at the technology, but never shunning good music if its reproduction isn’t perfect.

U18t – way, way too revealing. Every little sibilance or recoding imperfection is fleshed out to the point of harshness. If you’re blessed with a sensitive ear, the experience will quickly turn unpleasant. Perhaps those IEMs are superb for mixing or stage monitoring or listening to impeccably mixed high-res files; but a poor choice for any other application.

Fourte – at first impression, stunning! Round and warm and harmonious. Listening further on brings moments of utter brilliance; hidden background riffs that are brought to the fore and induce a smile of revelation. It tackles sudden frequency change with aplomb…However, after a while it becomes obvious the rendition deviates from the original intent of the producer. Not by much; not drastically; but it’s there. Something a tad too “round”.

I’m in the market for CIEM so I wouldn’t purchase the Fourte. But my suggestion for a potential buyer is to spend long hours in their company and firmly establish whether its unique sound signature would suite you in the long-run.

A6 – the true surprise here. No, it doesn’t daze at first blush, nor is its soundstage the widest or deepest, although not a weakling on either. But a moment later, it all clicks together: a supremely balanced and rich sound reproduction that immediately hits the sweet spot and never lets go. Nothing was “too much”; nothing stuck out; just an enjoyable, warm and occasionally wonderful, experience.

Interestingly enough, I concurrently sampled the entire JH line. The A6 trumped the Layla, Roxanne and anything below.

The only question I’m left with is how it stacks against the A12t. 64 Audio maintains the latter is the big brother, delivering a similar sound signature but even more competently.
Anyone mind commenting?

+2 on what's been said before me. I'm also an A12T owner and I came to that decision after spending 5-6 hours comparing the U12t and U18t. I'm not that good at describing the difference, but as I've said elsewhere, the 18t felt like I was in a lab where everything is clinical, reference, and dialed in 100% perfect. But, as you said, it was a little too clean and open. The 12T was like I was sitting on a couch in front of a live band playing right in front of me. I'd say the 12T is still very revealing, but it's more musical than clinical like the U18T. Though, between the m15 and m20 apex modules, I've been able to enjoy 99% of genres/productions by swapping between the two. If you've already heard and passed on the U18T, I HIGHLY recommend listening to the 12t. A little background - this is coming from a listener who comes from an Etymotic ER4/Sennheiser HD600 background (though I've been in love with my Campfire Andromeda and Vega as well). To be honest, I thought I had a perfect IEM trinity in my A12T, Andromeda, and Vega, but every time I put on the Andromeda or Vega, within minutes I'm back to my A12T. It feels like the best of both of those CA worlds with the 3D resolution and soundstage 64 Audio has been known for.
 
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Apr 12, 2018 at 1:58 PM Post #3,609 of 23,496
A brief review – against the grain

I’ve been auditioning the U18t, Fourte and A6.

Background: I’m a musicphile, marveling at the technology, but never shunning good music if its reproduction isn’t perfect.

U18t – way, way too revealing. Every little sibilance or recoding imperfection is fleshed out to the point of harshness. If you’re blessed with a sensitive ear, the experience will quickly turn unpleasant. Perhaps those IEMs are superb for mixing or stage monitoring or listening to impeccably mixed high-res files; but a poor choice for any other application.

Fourte – at first impression, stunning! Round and warm and harmonious. Listening further on brings moments of utter brilliance; hidden background riffs that are brought to the fore and induce a smile of revelation. It tackles sudden frequency change with aplomb…However, after a while it becomes obvious the rendition deviates from the original intent of the producer. Not by much; not drastically; but it’s there. Something a tad too “round”.

I’m in the market for CIEM so I wouldn’t purchase the Fourte. But my suggestion for a potential buyer is to spend long hours in their company and firmly establish whether its unique sound signature would suite you in the long-run.

A6 – the true surprise here. No, it doesn’t daze at first blush, nor is its soundstage the widest or deepest, although not a weakling on either. But a moment later, it all clicks together: a supremely balanced and rich sound reproduction that immediately hits the sweet spot and never lets go. Nothing was “too much”; nothing stuck out; just an enjoyable, warm and occasionally wonderful, experience.

Interestingly enough, I concurrently sampled the entire JH line. The A6 trumped the Layla, Roxanne and anything below.

The only question I’m left with is how it stacks against the A12t. 64 Audio maintains the latter is the big brother, delivering a similar sound signature but even more competently.
Anyone mind commenting?
Well this isn't what I wanted to hear. I asked around in different threads here and most said the fourte ie more revealing and maybe brighter than the u18t. I have very sensitive ears and can pick up sibilance pretty quickly as I'm about to buy the 18t I'm quite lost here. I cant audition them so relying solely on reviews can cost me a lot of cash. Maybe I'll just stick to my Westone w80 hoping to find a great TOTL that wins most. This is an audio64 thread after so I expect some bias but, most described the u18t as musically enjoyable , not harsh or bright.
 
Apr 12, 2018 at 2:07 PM Post #3,610 of 23,496
Well this isn't what I wanted to hear. I asked around in different threads here and most said the fourte ie more revealing and maybe brighter than the u18t. I have very sensitive ears and can pick up sibilance pretty quickly as I'm about to buy the 18t I'm quite lost here. I cant audition them so relying solely on reviews can cost me a lot of cash. Maybe I'll just stick to my Westone w80 hoping to find a great TOTL that wins most. This is an audio64 thread after so I expect some bias but, most described the u18t as musically enjoyable , not harsh or bright.
I also get confused with comments about Fourte is brighter than U18t. I own both and use them daily. Both of them don't present harsh trebles or sibilance to my ears. But I do know that ear tips make a huge difference. With any silicone tips including SpinFit, both Fourte and U18t sound very bright with too much/powerful trebles, which I cannot bear. To my ears, the stock foam tips are the best. I tried various Comply tips but I found that they did not fit well. The stock foam tips look very similar to Comply but they are different. I bought a bunch from 64 Audio.
 
Apr 12, 2018 at 2:08 PM Post #3,611 of 23,496
I remember the U18t being very musical, and although it was on the brighter side, I didn't find it harsh. I prefer smoother signatures, because I'm also sensitive to bright signatures. But compared to the Fourte w/ comply's the fourte was much brighter than the U18t for my taste. You should check out the U12t as well.
 
Apr 12, 2018 at 2:10 PM Post #3,612 of 23,496
Well this isn't what I wanted to hear. I asked around in different threads here and most said the fourte ie more revealing and maybe brighter than the u18t. I have very sensitive ears and can pick up sibilance pretty quickly as I'm about to buy the 18t I'm quite lost here. I cant audition them so relying solely on reviews can cost me a lot of cash. Maybe I'll just stick to my Westone w80 hoping to find a great TOTL that wins most. This is an audio64 thread after so I expect some bias but, most described the u18t as musically enjoyable , not harsh or bright.

Honestly, to me, the Fourte is thinner-sounding compared to the U18t because of its lighter mid-bass. The Fourte was much richer, warmer, bassier and smoother when I auditioned a pre-production unit at CanJam SG 2016, but many (myself included) have reported that the final production tuning abandons this completely. I may have to listen again to make sure. Though, regardless of the Fourte, I can confirm that the U18t is indeed musically enjoyable without harshness or sibilance. It would be unwise to equate brightness to harshness, because many bright IEMs can avoid sharpness through mindful tuning, esp. in the lower-treble and upper-midrange. The U18t is tonally bright due to a relaxed lower-midrange, a raised upper-midrange and a generously accentuated upper-treble. It's this upper-treble lift that introduces the U18t's sense of openness and air, as well as the open-backed nature of the Tia driver. But, because of its controlled upper-midrange rise and a neutral lower-treble, the U18t is airy yet teeming in headroom. The mid-bass energy it has also prevents it from sounding too thin. Harshness of course can be introduced through tip or source selection - foam tips are best for subduing treble - but even silicone ones like the Final Audio tips work brilliantly with the U18t; zero harshness.
 
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Apr 12, 2018 at 2:12 PM Post #3,613 of 23,496
U18 are supposed to be in use with foam tips. Silicone tips artificially rise the higher mids / lower highs to the 'harsh' level. This is common for every universal IEM. Some IEMs are tuned to use with silicone tips - for example Prophile-8, so they are supposed to be in use with silicone tips. Foam tips makes them 'darker', than manufacturer intended.

U18 are very reference / neutral sounding.
 
Apr 12, 2018 at 2:13 PM Post #3,614 of 23,496
It is interesting that many people find Fourte being brighter than U18t. Maybe I need to check my ears, but to my ears U18t is slightly brighter than Fourte. Again I use stock foam tips on both.
 
Apr 12, 2018 at 2:16 PM Post #3,615 of 23,496
Honestly, to me, the Fourte is thinner-sounding compared to the U18t because of its lighter mid-bass. The Fourte was much richer, warmer, bassier and smoother when I auditioned a pre-production unit at CanJam SG 2016, but many (myself included) have reported that the final production tuning abandons this completely. I may have to listen again to make sure. Though, regardless of the Fourte, I can confirm that the U18t is indeed musically enjoyable without harshness or sibilance. It would be unwise to equate brightness to harshness, because many bright IEMs can avoid sharpness through mindful tuning, esp. in the lower-treble and upper-midrange. The U18t is tonally bright due to a relaxed lower-midrange, a raised upper-midrange and a generously accentuated upper-treble. It's this upper-treble lift that introduces the U18t's sense of openness and air, as well as the open-backed nature of the Tia driver. But, because of its controlled upper-midrange rise and a neutral lower-treble, the U18t is airy yet teeming in headroom. The mid-bass energy it has also prevents it from sounding too thin. Harshness of course can be introduced through tip or source selection - foam tips are best for subduing treble - but even silicone ones like the Final Audio tips work brilliantly with the U18t; zero harshness.
I fully agree. I'm sure that my Fourte is a production version. To my ears, Fourte is richer, warmer, bassier and smoother than U18t. Both are quite enjoyable and musical. That's why I ended up owning both. They are not competing but complementing each other. Depending on players, tracks, and my mood, I choose which one to use.
 

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