Over the last years, the custom in-ear market has been on the rise, emanating a growth of boutique manufacturers. As a result, it might seem as if more traditional manufacturers as Westone have taken a step back, but nothing is less true – Westone remains a powerhouse in the industry, and keeps working hard to improve themselves in the background. A short while back they launched their new universal flagship, the W80, tuned with the traditional Westone house-sound. But shortly after came the ES80, a more technical tuning, aimed at musicians and...

I would like to thank Max from EarSonics for providing me with the EM10 in return for my honest opinion. For many audiophiles that have come in touch with EarSonics at some point along their journey, the France-based manufacturer has become synonymous for a very special type of ‘musical’ sound; one that combines an emotional signature, with excellent technical performance. I’ve personally reviewed more EarSonics models than for any other company, for only one reason: when it comes to preference, Franck Lopez seems to understand my deepest desires –...

I would like to thank Joseph from Jomo Audio for providing the Flamenco in return for my honest opinion. Pics were provided by Jomo. Introduction The customised earphone industry is increasingly expanding - a few years back there were only a handful of TOTL ciems to choose from that grazed passed the $1K mark. The market has changed in many ways. Not only is the competition growing fiercer with the rise of new boutique manufacturers, even the options in the summit fi level passing $2K are numerous. Multi-BA iems as Layla and Zeus were initially...

I would like to thank Christian from plusSound for providing the X8 GPC in return for my honest opinion. Introduction PlusSound started making cables around 2012, and has consistently been growing since then. Ater rapidly making their name for high quality cables, they successfully collaborated with Unique Melody to provide upscale stock cables within a few months of their conception. PlusSound slowly started expanding there workforce, allowing them to reach a wider audience through a network of distributors. Not long after, they started looking...

I would like to thank Ken from Campfire Audio for providing me with a review sample in exchange for my honest opinion. Introduction ALO Audio has been an established name in the industry for quite a while, popular for their cables and especially amps. So it’s hard to imagine they only consist of a small team of 5 people fabricating all the items. With enough work on their hands, I bet those 5 people were really happy to hear Ken decided to launch a new iem line, which consequentially became one of the biggest hits of 2016. Pack your sleeping bags...

I would like to thank Joseph from Jomo Audio for providing me with a review sample in exchange for my honest opinion. Introduction Jomo Audio has swiftly started to depart from the label ‘startup’, to established manufacturer. Following the worldwide success of the Jomo 6R as a viable alternative for a reference monitor, it’s time for the next step: a flagship competing with iems at the highest level. The story of Jomo is becoming common knowledge: Joseph Mou is another hobbyist gone pro, next in the line in a tradition of manufacturers as Custom...

I would like to thank Michael from Fidue for providing me with a review sample of the Sirius in return for my honest opinion. Introduction Fidue is an established player with a loyal following, having made their mark in the entry level regions of the audiophile market with popular products like the A83 and A73. Now that they’ve conquered that market, it’s time for a step up. After years of intensive research, Fidue presents their new flagship: the A91 Sirius. I didn’t get wind of any mission statement from Fidue about their new flagship...

Audiominor lineup impressions:   -'Celestine' silver/gold ($375) -'Mahogany' copper ($260) -'Marquise' silver/gold & copper hybrid ($350)   I recently received Audiominor's lineup to share some impressions. I came in contact with Bogac when I need some connectors and jacks changed for cables I wanted to sell, and we ended up talking a bit. Bogac is a kind-hearted soul, a true gentleman and genuine person. When you hang around in this business long enough you get to deal with a lot of different types, so I'm always very pleased with the positive...

I would like to thank Lear for providing me with this cable in return for my honest opinion.   Lear C8 Libra modular cable Lear is a heavy weight in the iem world with an innovative approach to the industry. Perhaps best known for their flagship the LBD4.2, with an advanced hybrid configuration with four balanced armatures and two dynamic drivers; and more recently releasing an iem with their new natro-sound technology, utilizing a new crossover to achieve better frontal projection of sound. This should an ensure an out-of-the-head projection...

I would like to thank CCPH for providing me with this cable in return for my honest opinion.   Introduction CC PH is a Philippine-based cable manufacturing company run by Ren Lazibal. Ren is part-time cable-maker, full time audiophile – first and foremost an enthusiast who is very active on multiple fora and blogs. Ren has an impressive collection of iems and daps, that even I am partially jealous of. In fact, we first came in contact discussing the Plenue S after it was released. His personal preference is a neutral signature, which is partially...

This is an edited version of a Headfonics review, focusing on sound impressions. Full version is available here: http://headfonics.com/2016/02/the-s-em6-by-earsonics/   Introduction Released two years ago, the S-EM6 was the first universal iem with 6 BA drivers. Having owned the SM64, Velvet, EM32, S-EM9 and now S-EM6, I’ve had my fair share of experience with EarSonics’ products. So you can trust me when I say EarSonics has never had the ambition to create particularly neutral sound signatures. Their iems share a very recognizable house sound...

Introduction A while back, one of my closest friends @MikePortnoy and I participated in a winter exchange program for underprivileged cables that want to travel the world. My Rhapsodio 2.98 8-strand cable, born and raised in a warmer climate, missed the sun so I sent it off to Turkey. @MikePortnoy shipped over his SilverFi IEM2 cable to Amsterdam in return; today’s topic of review. As long as I’ve known my good friend he’d been going on about the special tone of SilverFi cables, so my expectations were high; although I wasn’t sure in which way they...

Introduction EarSonics (ES), a French company with their roots in custom monitors for the musician market, has been around for a while. They might not be as known as popular brands as Ultimate Ears, JH Audio or Westone, but they have made their mark and earned the respect of the audiophile community. Most seasoned Head-Fi’ers will know them and have come across one of their iems along the way.   One of ES’ midrange models happened to be my first step in the audiophile world. I’d been listening to iems for over 15 years myself in the $25-$200 price...

Introduction You know that feeling of waking up when you’re on holidays and opening up the window in the morning. Taking in a deep breath, and looking out over the countryside hills or the sea; some little sheep here and there, a couple of trees and in between: all that space.. That’s the AR6 in a nutshell. The soundstage might only be slightly above average in width - but the airiness between the instruments gives it a unique spacious feel.   Perfect Seal You know back in the day - I mean like way back, hundreds of years ago - men had honest...

This is a short review of a very special cable; the Rhapsodio “2.98” silver/gold OCC litz alloy 8-strand cable. The cable get its name from its relative high gold count of 2% (98% silver). This cable is without a doubt the most special cable I’ve ever heard – but just to be clear, I’m not saying it is by definition the best sounding cable; it just has a very different, and truly unique sound than a standard silver or silver/gold alloy cable. Most cables, especially silver cables, will generally speaking have a tighter bass providing a clear and open...

EarWerkz was already a flourishing company with a respected lineup. But after the merger with Savvitek, Earwerkz has reborn from the ashes as Empire Ears. Everything about the company screams grandeur and ambition, from their company name to the model line up - this is a company heading somewhere. After the launch we were kept in suspense for a grand revealing. It happened to be their proudest feat. One that mirrors that ambition, and puts their money where their mouth is: the world’s first monitor with 14 BA drivers. Specs Drivers: 14 BA...

. Scientific articles always start with an abstract, a brief summary of the content of the article. If I would have to write an abstract for this review, it would be this: . Holy cow, somebody call the Guinness book of records, I think I just wrote the worlds shortest abstract - word count 0. Dat bass.. The musical moderator of rhythm and pace, what’s not to love? And with the W500, there’s a whole lot to love. Introduction Every purchase starts with a story, and this one begins with Jelt2359’s “Fit For A Bat” flagship comparisons, where he...

I am a cable enthusiast, which is pretty much the Head-Fi equivalent of proclaiming I’m a Jehova’s witness or Scientologist. My hearing is decent, but by no means extremely sensitive. Which is why I am till this day baffled that cables remain such a controversy on the forum. Cables can sound midforward or V-shaped, slow or ‘analogue’ versus quick, have more or less controlled bass and vary between cold or warm. Each cable has its own personality – similar to iems or daps.   I recently purchased an Advanced AcousticWerkes W500 AHMorph via Null...

A short while back Rhapsodio launched two new flagships: the 10 BA, 5 way crossover Solar which I recently reviewed here, and more recently the RTi2; successor to their former flagship, the RTi1. “RTi” standing for ‘Reference Titanium’, referring to the 8mm titanium dynamic driver developed in-house by Rhapsodio. The ‘2’ however not only indicates it’s the sequel of the Rti1; it also sports a second dynamic driver built in the same driver shaft.   Specs -MRSP (custom): $1200 -Double dynamic driver design -Frequency response: 20 – 20,000 Hz...

Introduction Ever thought of what your perfect signature for an iem is, if you had to specify it as accurate as possible? I was once discussing a custom iem project with one of our local ciem makers, and he asked to list my preference for a sound. I told him I wanted bass that was as powerful as possible, while remaining fast and clean as it shouldn't distort the rest of the frequency. A full sounding midrange like the Heir 8.A was an absolute must, but with more sparkle and airiness up top. Unfortunately we did not proceed with the project, and a...