[Cazten]

So im thinking about going for gusto and jumping into a "entry level" custom IEM. My budget it about 450ish maybe.
My top considerations:
 
JH-5 Pro
Heir audio 3.a or 4.a
Clear Tune Monitor CTM-200
1964-T
These are in no particular order.
 
Im wondering what your opinions are for your tops picks. As really the only piece well reviewed in threads seems to be the jh-5
 
The sound I'd be after is more on the analytical side, yet still smooth/liquid, airy, non-fatiguing. Not basshead level bass, but still good. True to source type or better. With good low end extension and impact. Very articulate and accurate everywhere. Plenty of top end extension, sparkle. Non-sibilant (unless the recording is so). Not thin hollow or cold sounding, nor overly warm, muffled, conjested. A more natural/live sound would suit me best. Dynamic, good separation and sound stage.
Lots of adjectives in there but sound is always hard to describe. Shortly summarized- Balanced, more true to source with analytical leanings, but not so much so as to be harsh. Keeps musicality.
 
 
To help with an idea of what I was looking at previously (though these don't all meet the above standards in every category)-
GR07
Phonak PFE
DBA-2/Brainwavz B2
Ortofon E-Q5
Most of the above had me slightly concerned in the bass impact and extension category, with the exception of the GR07
 
The only real comparative base i have so far is according the ljokerl's opinion ranking where he based the UM Miracle a 10.0, CTM-200 a 9.6, 1964-T 9.5, as well as judging how I might similarly rank them according to preffered sound signatures.

 

[Kib]

I just got a pair of the CTM-200's and so far I'm pretty pleased.  I put down a few thoughts on the ljokerl review you mentioned.  One reason I'm replying to your post is it appears we're both looking for the same kind of signature, so your request kind of resonated with me.  After listening to them for a couple of weeks now, I will say I discovered a few things. First, I've had to re-rip some of my music collection because flaws became very noticeable.  I also ended up springing for a Clip Zip player w/Rockbox since I just couldn't get my iPod Classic to dial in EQ compensation for some of the hurt I've done to my hearing over the years.  In the process of getting the EQ right, I'm also finding that a little goes a long way with the Clear Tunes, so much so that I was initially a bit concerned something wasn't right with things.  As I'm finding out, a light touch is all that's needed.  They are just a well balanced IEM.
 
Hope this helps, be sure and put up a post on what you decide on.  Good luck!

 

[Fizz]

Quote:

So im thinking about going for gusto and jumping into a "entry level" custom IEM. My budget it about 450ish maybe.
My top considerations:
 
JH-5 Pro
Heir audio 3.a or 4.a
Clear Tune Monitor CTM-200
1964-T
These are in no particular order.
 
Im wondering what your opinions are for your tops picks. As really the only piece well reviewed in threads seems to be the jh-5
 
The sound I'd be after is more on the analytical side, yet still smooth/liquid, airy, non-fatiguing. Not basshead level bass, but still good. True to source type or better. With good low end extension and impact. Very articulate and accurate everywhere. Plenty of top end extension, sparkle. Non-sibilant (unless the recording is so). Not thin hollow or cold sounding, nor overly warm, muffled, conjested. A more natural/live sound would suit me best. Dynamic, good separation and sound stage.
Lots of adjectives in there but sound is always hard to describe. Shortly summarized- Balanced, more true to source with analytical leanings, but not so much so as to be harsh. Keeps musicality.
 
 
To help with an idea of what I was looking at previously (though these don't all meet the above standards in every category)-
GR07
Phonak PFE
DBA-2/Brainwavz B2
Ortofon E-Q5
Most of the above had me slightly concerned in the bass impact and extension category, with the exception of the GR07
 
The only real comparative base i have so far is according the ljokerl's opinion ranking where he based the UM Miracle a 10.0, CTM-200 a 9.6, 1964-T 9.5, as well as judging how I might similarly rank them according to preffered sound signatures.

After my own extensive research into the world of entry level custom IEM's I'll tell you only what I've found out through my own investigations and interrogations of the Head-fi community.
 
Bear in mind the following is based strictly on hearsay, being that I've owned none of them. This is just the general consensus I was able to gather from many users of ear set.
Also based on what I've read and been told, Jokers listing won't do you much/any good here. No offense to the great guru, just that this is different territory.
 
JH5 Pro/
The JH5 is one of the best places to start into customs, and with good reason. They extend to the highs and lows quite well, and generally  perform in every area pretty well. They lack a little in the mids due to not having a dedicated driver for just the mid range, they still are up to pretty much any genre you can throw at them. They lack some of the sparkle of some of the BA universals (TF.10, UM3X) they cover the lower end of the spectrum with better detail and reach.
The build quality isn't bad, but isn't the greatest either. There's a lot of users who have reported plenty of bubbles and fingerprints on their shells, and that they can look oddly cloudy on some spots. The appearance issues I can vouch for, as the 10X3's in my possession are quite cloudy, and look to be of lower quality. The customer service is usually good, but has apparently been waning as of the last little while due to the volume of orders they seem to be getting. Also the turn around time isn't anything to write home about, and they don't offer rush build service either. Or a reshelling service for that matter.
95% of buyers here will report nothing but positive things, but ones like Kunlun will give you examples as to why they won't deal with Jerry.
None of this will effect the sound of course, as I've never seen anything negative said about the JH5's sound quality.
Art options are plentiful, but are pricier than most.
A great entrant.
 
Heir 3.A/4.A
New to the game, but definitely a great starter. The Wizard has more so built each monitor around appealing to a different sound, as opposed to adding to the previous models signature.
The 3.A covers High, Medium, and Low with a dedicated driver for each. The result is a great texture, and presence from each one. While the soundstage can be a little closed in for some, it's ultimately a pretty satisfying experience.
Reports on these have been few, as they are VERY new. As a result, the customer service is great (The Wizard was a member of the community before starting Heir Audio), and the build quality is the best out there.
The down side? Long turn around time due to being shipped to China to be worked on.
4.A is more of a neutral sound set up, with good detail but lacks the same warmth that the 3.A offers. More for monitoring than for personal audio near as I can figure. The Wizard would be able to direct you better on this issue.
Offers rush build, has resale value (a transfer of ownership program is in place), THE BEST options for customizing your monitors, and does reshelling.
 
CTM-200
I'm not even going to try with this one. I've read/heard nothing about it.
 
1964-T
Balanced, dry, detailed, and mid-centric. Only caught half of that the first time I was told that. It doesn't represent any particular part of the spectrum more than the others. Everything is very balanced. The bass doesn't extend super low, and the highs reach quite as high as most others. Again, this one is really designed for stage monitoring. I haven't seen anything bad about the build quality, and the customer service is nothing short of great.
They offer rush build, reshell services, and have a decent level of customization. 
 
 
Hope this helps to some degree.

 

[Cazten]

Thanks for both the reply's guys. I am leaning towards the ctm-200 a bit here. Most notably because it has actually been directly compared to a couple different IEM's and sound signatures I was looking at before CIEM's so it gives me a good idea that it's a signature I want.
 
JH-5 seems like a good performer but not many of the reviews are comparing to IEM's that match my signature or are just IEM's I don't know enough about.  May require further prodding on my part.
 
1964 I'll drop outa the running as I think the ctm-200 is a better candidate based on ljokerl's comparison and a couple others.
 
As far as the 3.a and 4.a The build does look exceptional, maybe the best I've seen picture wise. But the one and only 3.a review I've found was from someone near opposite of my sound signature lol. So its hard to take that review to heart in some sense. Also seems to lack the higher end detail. Not sure if that's going to be the one for me.
4.a seems very intriguing, and could be an excellent candidate but it really pushes my budget beyond what I would like. Mostly over international shipping. Question of the day in that regard is 1.) how long does the special last as seems it will go up to $699 and 2.) Being a $699 ciem is it sonically in a different league than the others or are you paying for the masterful build quality.
Id love to pick Heir Audios brain about it but every email i send get caught in a spam filter and undelivered! This from multiple and fresh emails too lol. I may try and hunt down some opinions and the appreciation thread indicated alot of 4.a purchases with almost no comments/reviews.
 
 
 

Also based on what I've read and been told, Jokers listing won't do you much/any good here. No offense to the great guru, just that this is different territory.

Mind elaborating on that as well? For me some of the best information I've come across is directly from ljokerl's comparisons on the ctm-200 and 1964-T

 

[KimChee]

I saw a used JH5 selling for $200 or so in the FS forums a while back..

 

[Cazten]

I saw a used JH5 selling for $200 or so in the FS forums a while back..

Considering reshelling costs I don't know if that would be much of a saving vs brand new . Could be wrong I thought it was in the realm Of 150ish to reshell.

 

[alphaphoenix]

The Livewires Trips for $375 is also worth considering.  I highly enjoy mine.

 

[DougofTheAbaci]

Just a little word of warning. The cost of CIEM's doesn't end at the advertised price-tag. There's shipping, impressions, shipping of said impressions...
 
I did a set of Heir Audio 4.A CIEM's and the final cost was about of $590. That included the $505 for the CIEM (with shipping) and another $85 for impressions (plus shipping). So you should factor in $150 or so for the cost of actually being able to get your CIEM's.
 
That being said, one reason to go for Heir is they're not really budget. Yes, they currently cost less than JH Audio or Ultimate Ears, but they won't forever. The 4.A, for example, will be closer to the JH7 when it finally loses it's introductory rates. And, from what I've heard, the build quality is as good or better. I can't comment myself as I haven't received mine yet but I'm waiting with great expectation.