[chaiyuta]

Guys,
Have you heard if 64Audio team plans to develop more APEX modules in the future?
I'm just curious about that...
Thanks!

Me too. I wish there will be more APEX modules in the near future so as to fulfill various user's desire.

 

[tim0chan]

White balance was set to auto, then I added some temperature and contrast in post. That - in conjunction with the white beams from my light box - made them seem more golden as you mentioned. In real life under a duller light, they're less yellow (more brown) and less bright as well. So far, I only know of my Elm Burl and @ostewart's Redwood Burl, as well as Lion's Mane on some promo shots of the A12t. I'm not aware of any others yet. I highly doubt 64Audio would offer lacquer-less wood faceplates. These look like thin inlays rather than thick scales, though it wouldn't hurt to ask if they could do something bespoke, of course.

@pithyginger63 let me know if they can, thx

 

[ostewart]

@Deezel177 making me want to get my 50mm + macro tubes out... soon

 

[tgrosu]

Guys,

I was wondering, based on your experience, if the 64audio IEMs (and not only these) are prone to accumulating wax into their tubes.
If so, are the universals more prone to this than the customs?
I've recently bought a U18t IEM and I was trying to actually ponder how useful is the vacuum cleaner that 64audio is selling on their website.

In this context:

- do you have a preferred ear-tip for your own IEM that comes with a protection against the was going down the tube?
- do you use other solutions than the 64audio cleaner to remove the wax (assuming that it went down the tube)?

Thank you!

 

[Deezel177]

Guys,

I was wondering, based on your experience, if the 64audio IEMs (and not only these) are prone to accumulating wax into their tubes.
If so, are the universals more prone to this than the customs?
I've recently bought a U18t IEM and I was trying to actually ponder how useful is the vacuum cleaner that 64audio is selling on their website.

In this context:

- do you have a preferred ear-tip for your own IEM that comes with a protection against the was going down the tube?
- do you use other solutions than the 64audio cleaner to remove the wax (assuming that it went down the tube)?

Thank you!

64Audio's Tia-equipped IEMs have a wax guard to protect against wax and debris falling into the open Tia driver. It's as effective a solution as any against wax build-up, and it's the same for both universals and customs. The vacuum cleaner on 64Audio's website is a Jodi-Vac which works fine for IEMs with the typical 1-2mm sound bores. However, it may not work as well with the single Tia bore as you'll have to carefully glide along the wax guard to suck up the wax. I'd recommend getting the FiR Audio Vac which has a specific 3-5mm (I'm guessing) nozzle for use with these types of wax guards. It's very difficult for wax to go so far down the sound tube that it becomes unretrievable - especially considering the presence of a wax guard - so I wouldn't be too concerned about that.

 

[twister6]

Awesome! Very curious to see how they hold up in custom form. I bet before reading it that there's gonna be a Legend X comparison too in there.

Yes, I think there going to be some difference in sound, as expected, between CIEM version and universal demo versions of N8. Obviously, seal is not going to be the same due to variation between eartips of UIEM demo, and that's what going to affect the low end response. I already spoke with a few people who mentioned to me they hear a little less bass relative to what I have described (when referring to my comparison to other iems). I personally like more neutral bass, and going with M15 module (vs M20) and switching to No 5 cable (which reduces bass impact slightly and gives more sparkle to treble) is my ideal sound tuning for N8.

 

[twister6]

64Audio's Tia-equipped IEMs have a wax guard to protect against wax and debris falling into the open Tia driver. It's as effective a solution as any against wax build-up, and it's the same for both universals and customs. The vacuum cleaner on 64Audio's website is a Jodi-Vac which works fine for IEMs with the typical 1-2mm sound bores. However, it may not work as well with the single Tia bore as you'll have to carefully glide along the wax guard to suck up the wax. I'd recommend getting the FiR Audio Vac which has a specific 3-5mm (I'm guessing) nozzle for use with these types of wax guards. It's very difficult for wax to go so far down the sound tube that it becomes unretrievable - especially considering the presence of a wax guard - so I wouldn't be too concerned about that.

As they say, picture is worth a thousand words

 

[tgrosu]

64Audio's Tia-equipped IEMs have a wax guard to protect against wax and debris falling into the open Tia driver. It's as effective a solution as any against wax build-up, and it's the same for both universals and customs. The vacuum cleaner on 64Audio's website is a Jodi-Vac which works fine for IEMs with the typical 1-2mm sound bores. However, it may not work as well with the single Tia bore as you'll have to carefully glide along the wax guard to suck up the wax. I'd recommend getting the FiR Audio Vac which has a specific 3-5mm (I'm guessing) nozzle for use with these types of wax guards. It's very difficult for wax to go so far down the sound tube that it becomes unretrievable - especially considering the presence of a wax guard - so I wouldn't be too concerned about that.

Very good explanations, thank you, Deezel177!

 

[tgrosu]

As they say, picture is worth a thousand words

twister6, what exactly are you cleaning with this vacuum? Is it the wax that, let's say, floats above the wax guard? Because I cannot imagine how you would be able to extract the wax that already went beyond the guard...
Very good and indicative photo!

 

[shutterbox]

Full review of 64 Audio N8 9-driver hybrid CIEM is finished and available to read here. Will have it published on head-fi soon as well.

thank you for your review.
It was clearly written, to the point with simple descriptives, thus perfectly enjoyable to read.
In addition to brief background of the how N8 came about. Definitely interesting for a keen buyer as myself.

Can I also ask if:
1) what music did you use for the comparisons with other IEMs?
2) did you have the chance to audition it with desktop DAC/amps setups?

 

[twister6]

twister6, what exactly are you cleaning with this vacuum? Is it the wax that, let's say, floats above the wax guard? Because I cannot imagine how you would be able to extract the wax that already went beyond the guard...
Very good and indicative photo!

that's the point of the mesh guard, to keep the wax build up away; won't stop the sweat but should stop particles of wax If you use the needle vac tip, you can damage the mesh. At that point, better send it to 64 Audio if it went below the guard. But as the first line of defense, mesh guard should trap the wax, which otherwise would go into sound tubes (in other iems), and that plastic wide bore vac tip should safely clean it.

 

[eldss]

that's the point of the mesh guard, to keep the wax build up away; won't stop the sweat but should stop particles of wax If you use the needle vac tip, you can damage the mesh. At that point, better send it to 64 Audio if it went below the guard. But as the first line of defense, mesh guard should trap the wax, which otherwise would go into sound tubes (in other iems), and that plastic wide bore vac tip should safely clean it.

Yeah, but if one has that much wax building up on the nozzle, they may want want to clean their ears or iems more often. Bottom line is, the larger single bore on these iems, is a lot easier to clean than the traditional small tubes. Nice review by the way. Just curious is you're now a custom convert?

 

[twister6]

thank you for your review.
It was clearly written, to the point with simple descriptives, thus perfectly enjoyable to read.
In addition to brief background of the how N8 came about. Definitely interesting for a keen buyer as myself.

Can I also ask if:
1) what music did you use for the comparisons with other IEMs?
2) did you have the chance to audition it with desktop DAC/amps setups?

Thank you for the kind words! At the beginning of my Sound analysis section (in the middle of the second page of the review) I listed test tracks used during evaluation of N8. When I do comparison, I play the same tracks to draw a common denominator conclusion between iems under the comparison. Though, I probably spent more time playing MJ "Dirty Diana", Daft Punk "Get lucky", Nathan's own "Daft Funk", and Avicii's remix of "So much better" from his last EP (RIP).

With sources, I'm 99% portable with DAPs, sometimes use micro iDSD BL (which is not desktop), and lately been testing XIAudio Broadway S, but not in this case. N8 doesn't require extra power, this is an efficient and easy to drive CIEM, and its LID crossover design keeps the sound relatively the same and independent from output impedance of the source. So, a desktop amp setup will probably give you a different sound coloring, changing the tonality depending on pair up synergy.

 

[twister6]

Yeah, but if one has that much wax building up on the nozzle, they may want want to clean their ears or iems more often. Bottom line is, the larger single bore on these iems, is a lot easier to clean than the traditional small tubes. Nice review by the way. Just curious is you're now a custom convert?

Well, I didn't say I was actually cleaning wax in that picture LOL!!! It was a picture from my FIRaudio vac review, thank God my earwax is under control CIEM convert? Not quite. For some weird reason, when my seasonal allergies flare up, my ears can't handle CIEMs, I hate that. And it's a PITA when I'm testing and comparing and swapping cables, with a constant in and out of the ears, especially when you are comparing to another pair with a different sensitivity and forget to turn the volume down. Plus, wanted my wife and my kids to hear N8, but they can't. There are pros and cons to it, but there is no doubt that CIEM will give you the best fit and seal, to hear the sound exactly how it was intended to be.

 

[bogdan belonozhko]

twister6, what exactly are you cleaning with this vacuum? Is it the wax that, let's say, floats above the wax guard? Because I cannot imagine how you would be able to extract the wax that already went beyond the guard...
Very good and indicative photo!

Hi tgrosu, you pointed out a very good point. If wax gets beyond the mesh it can be very bad for the open tia driver. I’m intimately familiar with how tia works and it’s why the first product was the Vac. Keeping wax from going beyond the guard is your #1 priority since wax damage is not under warranty. If anyone had to pay for a tia driver replacement, I am going to guess it’s not a small bill. Without raising a panic, its one of the best investments you can make for tia. That’s my opinion from co-developing the tia products.