Custom Art FIBAE 2

Custom Art FIBAE 2 Review


Introduction:

Hello Everyone! I’m Binsterrrrr, an aspiring reviewer based in Singapore. I’ve been in this audio hobby for the past 2 years. I first got a chance to hear the FIBAE 2 at CanJam Singapore 2017 and subsequently at Music Sanctuary Singapore. I was impressed with the sound and was more interested in the technology behind this IEM. I then contacted Piotr of Custom Art and expressed interest in reviewing his new FIBAE IEMs.


Disclaimer:

Piotr agreed to send me a sample of a custom FIBAE 2 in exchange for my honest opinion on the IEM. I paid for the cost of my ear impressions.
Despite receiving this monitor free of charge, I will try to be as honest and objective as I can for this review. I do not need to return this review sample back to Custom Art.


Flat Impedance Balanced Armature Earphone (FIBAE) Technology:

The FIBAE technology is a brand new technology developed by Custom Art and it promises that FIBAE In-Ear Monitors will retain the same sound signature regardless of the audio source it is connected to.

Below is a description of the FIBAE technology taken from Custom Art’s website:

“Flat Impedance Balanced Armature Earphone (FIBAE™) technology is world’s first, revolutionary, In-Ear Monitor design providing flat impedance and phase. By changing Balanced Armature driver character from inductive to resistive we solved one of the oldest problem in the industry – dependence on output impedance of sound source for correct earphone output. With FIBAE™ technology your earphones will always perform best from any DAP.”






Specifications:

2 Balanced Armature Drivers (Single Low/Mid, Single Proprietary High)

113dB @1kHz @0.1V

7.1 Ohm @1kHz (+-0.5 Ohm 10Hz-20kHz)

10Hz-16500Hz (+-10dB into IEC 60318-4 coupler)


Unboxing and Accessories:

The FIBAE 2 is packaged inside a small black box.





The package comes with:

• FIBAE 2 Custom In-Ear Monitors
• 1 Black transparent Pelican 1010 case
• An instruction manual (Which also acts as a warranty card)
• Cleaning Tool
• Desiccant Pellet
• Small blue soft carrying case

Build Quality & Design:

I left the final design of the IEM up to Piotr and his talented design team. What I received in the end is an absolutely well built and beautiful end product. It is dark blue with a nebula design and I absolutely love how the IEM looks. There are no signs of glue residue and the faceplate and shells are joined seamlessly together. The shells are smooth and there are no signs of bubbles in the shell of the IEM. This CIEM has one of the best build quality among the CIEMs in my collection. I have seen many complex designs coming out from the Custom Art design and I am confident that they would be able to create a custom product with a design that you will be satisfied with.


Absolutely stunning nebula design.


Unique design of both faceplates.


Fit:

Fit of my FIBAE 2 is just nice in my opinion. It is not too tight and I could not really feel that it was in my ears after prolonged periods of listening and I did not experience much fatigue even after listening for hours. They sit nice and snug in my ears and it does not feel like there is anything inside my ears.


Shells are translucent and allows the drivers inside to be seen.


Size of the IEM:

I specially included this section to point out that the FIBAE 2 is actually smaller and more compact than most other custom IEMs out there in the market. It is the smallest custom IEM that I own and it manages to sit flushed with my ears and does not protrude much out of my ears. Attached are some images of the FIBAE 2 IEM compared with another custom IEM from another Polish company, Lime Ears Aether.




Sound:

For the purpose of the review, listening was done on an Astell&Kern AK380 Copper.

Summary

The FIBAE 2 is a balanced sounding monitor. It has a warm and rich sound with a forward midrange. Vocals sound sweet and it is very musical. Resolution of this monitor is definitely more than what you would expect at this price range. Extension on both ends is also superb. This is one IEM that is extremely easy to listen to and would definitely not disappoint.



Bass

The bass on the FIBAE2 is full sounding with good bass presence. It does not have the most bass quantity, but it extends deep down low and has sufficient kick to it. This is quality bass on the FIBAE2. Bass is not boomy and it is well controlled and never bleeds into the mids. There is sufficient rumble in the bass which manages to get my toes tapping and my body grooving with the music. The bass on the FIBAE 2 is not the fastest, but it is definitely quick enough and deliver ever bass note with just enough punch.

Mids

The midrange of the FIBAE2 is smooth and musical sounding. The midrange is slightly forward, but not too much. It allows the vocals to nicely shine through which gives an intimate feeling. I really enjoy my mids and that was the first thing that struck me when I auditioned the FIBAE 2 for the first time and it got me really interested in the FIBAE 2. The resolution of the midrange coupled with the intimacy of the midrange makes the mids on the FIBAE 2 extremely engaging and an absolute pleasure to listen to.



Highs

The biggest strength of the highs on the FIBAE 2 is that it has very good treble extension. The treble on the FIBAE 2 never sounds sibilant but it is detailed with good extension but is never harsh or fatiguing to listen to. It is smooth and provides the sparkle on the top end. The treble actually provides a perfect balance between other frequencies to give the FIBAE 2 the warm sound that is ever so enjoyable to listen to.

Soundstage & Separation

When listening to recordings of live music, there is a very good sense of space and layering between the different instruments. Layering on this IEM is very good with good definition between the layers. Instrument positioning is accurate on the FIBAE 2. Soundstage is not the widest I have heard, but it is sufficient for me with just enough air and never sounds congested.




Verdict on FIBAE technology:

For many of you reading this review, you might have 1 lingering question in your head. “Does the FIBAE technology really work?”

The one short answer would be “YES!”. The FIBAE technology in fact does work better than I expected. I tested the FIBAE 2 with my iPhone X and also my xDuoo x10 DAP and I am glad to say that the sound signature that I hear from the FIBAE 2 coming out of the various different sources is largely the same. This means that even though the source I used for this review is an AK380CU, the sound signature described above should be similar to what you would be hearing regardless of what source you are using.

However, please take note that the FIBAE technology makes the monitors have more or less the same sound signature regardless of the source BUT it does not mean that the sound quality also remains the same. The sound quality of the FIBAE 2 still scales depending on the quality of the source. For example, when I switch from my iPhone X to the AK380Cu as the source, the resolution increases significantly with better extension on both ends but the IEM still retains the same warm, slightly mid-forward signature.

I find that the FIBAE technology is definitely a success for Piotr and his team and it would definitely benefit people who want the same sound signature from the IEM regardless of that the source is. However, the FIBAE technology also means that one would not be able to tweak the sound signature of their audio setup significantly by changing the source components.


Conclusion:

The FIBAE 2 is a warm, slightly mid-centric IEM that is very musical and smooth. It has good treble extension without ever sounding sibilant, intimate and sweet sounding midrange and also quality bass that is controlled and packs a punch without ever sounding boomy. If the above description sounds like something you would enjoy, I would highly recommend the FIBAE 2 as it is one of the best custom IEMs around in the market now at this price range.

The FIBAE 2 is an absolute joy to listen to and I must say that the Custom Art team has succeed in coming up with a product that is very technically capable at a relatively affordable price. The FIBAE 2 definitely punches way above its price tag and has successfully proven that more drivers does not mean better sound quality but instead it is the tuning of the drivers that determines the sound quality of an IEM. The customer service provided by Piotr from Custom Art is top notch and it definitely one of the best I have seen. He is patient and is extremely passionate and proud of his work. Build quality of the IEM is also very good with no major flaws and the talented design team from Custom Art would definitely be able to create a design that you are happy with.

Before starting this review, I would like to thank to Piotr for this great IEM.


Here is the technical aspects and package details.




Specifications:

Single Low/Mid, Single proprietary High

113dB @1kHz @0.1V

7.1 Ohm @1kHz (+-0.5 Ohm 10Hz-20kHz)

10Hz-16500Hz (+-10dB into IEC 60318-4 coupler)

Silicone or Hollow Acrylic body

UIEM or CIEM options


Package Details:

Fibae 2 Earphone

Pelican 1010 Case

Blue Soft Case

6 Pair Silicon Tips

1 Pair Comply Foam

Cleaning Tool


Test Equipments:

Lotoo Paw Gold Titanium

iBasso DX200

Opus #1

Astell Kern AK120

Astell Kern AK70






Design & Isolation;

Magnificent. That was the first word when I took Fibae 2 in my hand. Design is actually amazing. Piotr and his team had created incredibly successful design. This is the best-looking earphones I have ever had with my Atlantis. The color tone of the body changing under different lights which is very nice. When I showed my earphones to the people around me, they gave the same reaction. Spectacular. The workmanship of F2 (Fibae-2) is extremely high. There are no bubble, flaws or blemish on the body. Also, fit is extremely comfortable. Thanks to the long nozzle. Even though it was in my ear like four hours, I have never felt uncomfortable pressure in any part of my ear. CustomArt used very good mold for their universal earphone. I think most of the people will be comfortable with the small shape of body.

F2’s isolation is also very successful. It manages to block the noise out there. It generally provided adequate insulation with silicon tips which I like. With Comply tips the isolation is a bit better but I prefer to use it with silicon tips. In general, I am assigning really high score for the F2 in terms of design, workmanship and fit.



Sound Type:

The F2 has warm, thick sound character and it has slightly forward midrange. Low frequencies are quite strong. Trebles are very separable although strong bass and forward midrange. I wasn’t hoping so much technical capacity for the F2 because of general opinion, I thought that the resolution and technical capacity with few drivers would be unsatisfying, but it is not. The F2 is more capable and better than many multi-driver earphones I've heard. The impressive things about sound quality is, even though it has strong bass and slightly forward mid, it has clear and prominent trebles response.

Some headphones seem not much impressive and doesn’t make you ‘wow’ at first glance but your ears get used to and like it while listening. However, there are some earphones make you fall in love at first second of listening. I feel the second one for F2. I love this earphone since I start to listen. I played my best playlist and listened with pleasure. I am very impressed by the sound and the musical quality of Fibae-2.



Trebles:

The trebles are not very bright in general and certainly not behind in the overall spectrum. Trebles are natural and it has quite high resolution. The general energy of the trebles is very dynamic and vibrant without harshness. The prominent tops add clarity to the F2 and increase the details. The quantity and resolution level are very high than I expected. I have not heard from any 2-driver earphones at this price level. The trebles are not hot and it doesn’t disturb. It reaches very clean presentation at any of instrumental percussion. Thus, the trebles of the songs you listen to are becoming joyous and very musical. The control of the treble is also quite good. They don’t lose control, even in quick passages.

I tested it on many genres like metal music to electronic music, and I still think it doesn’t lose control. There is absolutely no sharpness or sibilance in trebles. It is the same quality with any sources I have. However, I liked it the most with the AK120 and Opus #1. The separation of the instrument is quite good. I can hear every instrument between enough air and space. The sound of all the instruments played is clearly audible, even if it is in the back. I tried some SPC, silver and copper cable and I liked it the most with SPC cable.



Mids:

Mid is clean, spacious and it has good level of detail which is very easily layering. Although the toning is not very accurate, I found the presentation amusing and musical due to the lower mid’s rich presence. Of course, it makes a bit concession of speed, but it is still hard to call it slow. I can say that its toning is a bit forward, warm and slightly thick note in overall. It plays the strings noticeably warm tone. The interesting part is some thick note details that cannot in distinguished in some other earphones are quite distinguishable of F2. Most of the warm playing earphones make the details barely audible but F2 is really successful in this area. It keeps the detail and resolution level quite good.

The vocal presentation of earphones is a bit forward. It is possible to feel instruments voices is front. Vocals are front of the instruments but its not dominating the instruments. My personal preference is a bit forward vocal and that’s why I really like F2. Vocals are smooth and clear. I listened to Rebecca Pidgeon – Spanish Harlem that comes with the AK120 and I liked very much. It’s smooth and mellow. I like the both female and male vocals. It is really joyous to listen to the vocals with F2. Its vocal presentation is emotional due to the forward mid, velvet tone and textured presence. Lower mid are more dominant as quantity. So, I recommend to use it with SPC or silver cables because of the condensation in the mid area.



Bass:

F2 has fun signature and you can feel this with the bass frequencies. Low frequencies are natural, restrained and tight. It can go deep when it is necessary. If you listen to music at high volume, it doesn’t lose control and dominate the other frequencies. Some of the earphones can be muddy at this amount of bass. The lower frequencies are sufficiently detailed. The bass intensity is slightly at the mid-bass side.

There is a little bit roll-off on the sub-bass area, but you wouldn’t feel any weak or thin presence. if the bass presentation would be deeper it loses its clarity and speed. if it would hit shorter it can lose the body in overall presentation. So, the current tuning is substantially great. The separation and resolution level are quite good, they do not interfere with, even if recording is fast. It doesn’t become muddy or swallow the details. Some of the armature-type earphones I've heard are lacking in impact and It has relatively dry in the bass area. Bass is not on bass-head level, but it Is enough to satisfy for listeners who like bass.



Soundstage:

Soundstage is not one of the widest or tallest one, but it is quite good both in width and depth. At first listening you don’t realise the soundstage width well, but it is actually quite wide after couple of hours listening. It is airy and there is an enough space between instruments. It is quite easy to make distinction between the instruments while listening to music. I listened mostly EDM but I also tried with the classical music which F2 feels airy. Vocal presence is forward than the instruments in the soundstage. The background is very clean and dark, so it doesn’t mess up.


COMPARING

Fibae 2 & Atlantis

They are in the same price range but their sound characters are totally different. The Atlantis is flat and slightly warm side, while the F2 is more musical and it has more mid-centric presentation. The body qualities are very similar and both their design are beautiful. They are almost same in terms of comfort and fit. But Atlantis is a little bit more isolated.

F2 has a slightly darker tone and narrower soundstage. Atlantis has better resolution but the difference is not so significant. F2 has more authoritative bass presence than the Atlantis but Atlantis is one step ahead of speed and control. In the trebles Atlantis is doing a better job in terms of quantity and resolution, but it doesn’t mean that F2 be destitute of resolution. While the Atlantis has flatter and technical sound character, the F2 is much more musical and has fun sound signature. In Mid frequencies, F2 is more satisfying with its textured and emotional presentation.


Fibae 2 & Noble X

F2 has better isolation than Noble X and it is also more comfortable than the X. Some users might have trouble with the Noble X due to its untraditional fit.

Noble-X is a very good earphone with its price tag, but when compared to the F2, the F2 is a better earphone than the Noble X in every sense. The lower frequencies of the Noble-X are larger, darker and deeper, but compare to F2, Noble-X sound has veiled and lower-resolution. F2 is much more successful in overall control of the bass. In Mid frequencies, Noble X has a laid back and slightly veiled presentation than the F2. Mid’s resolution, clarity and vocal presence are one step ahead. Also, vocal performance is better and more emotional than the Noble-X. In the treble region, F2 is better than the Noble-X in terms of separation, resolution and quantity of treble. Both Noble-X, F2 soundstage are similar but F2 has better depth.



Verdict:

F2, earphone that I enjoyed very much when I listened first. I played it with all of my daps and it harmonized quite well. From the lower to the upper frequencies, they are extremely good at this price range. I would prefer it compare to the higher cost multi-driver earphones that I have ever listened. There is a driver war these days and don’t be mistaken about F2. The F2 is a masterfully tuned earphone that offers high technical and musical quality with only its 2 drivers without concession. Quality of material, workmanship and wide choice of personalization definitely should not be ignored in this price range.

Introduction

Custom Art was founded in 2012 in Poland by a fervent audiophile, Piotr Granicki. They specialise in making handcrafted iems, be it in universal or custom form. For custom iems, Custom Art is one of the few that offers the option of crafting them either in silicone or regular acrylic. Their product line ranges from the entry level Music One to their flagship Harmony 8.2. Recently, they released the FIBAE 1 and FIBAE 2. FIBAE is also known as Flat Impedance Balanced Armature Earphone. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Piotr from Custom Art for the review unit of FIBAE 2. FIBAE 2 is a dual driver iem that features 1 driver for low frequency and 1 driver for high frequency. At the moment, you can purchase the FIBAE 2 at https://thecustomart.com/fibae-2/ .



Specifications

• Type: Universal-fit In-ear
• Impedance: 7.1 Ohm @1kHz (+-0.5 Ohm 10Hz-20kHz)
• Sensitivity: 113dB @1kHz @0.1V
• Frequency Range: 10Hz-16500Hz (+-10dB into IEC 60318-4 coupler)
• Detachable Cable Type: 2 Pin (0.78mm)

Unboxing & Accessories

The FIBAE 2 comes in a smooth matte black package like a gift box. After removing the lid, you can see the contents in the package. There is a transparent Pelican 1010 case. Inside the case, there is the iem, instruction manual, cleaning tool, pack of eartips and silica gel. The accessories are quite sufficient. It is a nice touch by Custom Art to provide the Pelican case for storage of iem as it has a strong build.





IEM Build & Design

The FIBAE 2 shell is made up of acrylic and it has a smooth surface. On each of the faceplate, there is a white CA logo. The faceplate has nice green and blue highlights on it. There are some glitters on it with a shimmery feel to it. On the inside of each iem side, there are the model name in blue and red colour to differentiate between left and right respectively. The nozzle is slightly angled with 2 bores. The shell is turquoise in colour. I find the fit very good as it sits in my ears comfortably. The housing is rather light weight and the build is exceptionally good. In terms of visual appeal, this has to be one of the most beautiful iems I come across.









Cable Build & Design

The cable is a detachable 4 core cable with 2 pin 0.78mm connectors. On the connectors, there are blue and red dot on the left and right side respectively so users can differentiate. The connectors has a transparent housing. The cable has a memory wire section that is enclosed in a transparent heat shrink tube. It is not very flexible due to the metal inside that helps to form the shape. The chin slider is made is made up of a transparent tube and the y splitter is made of a soft rubber material with strain relief. The jack is 3.5mm gold plated right angled with strain relief. It is basically your ordinary stock cable.



Sound Analysis

Lows

The FIBAE 2 has a good sub-bass extension and it extends with a moderate rumble. The depth is there to provide the impact. I find the quantity to be sufficient and each bass note is delivered with finesse. It may not be the most punchy type of approach but the smoothness is just excellent. Bass texture is being rendered with ease. The decay is rather moderate and the attack is existent. Moving on to the mid-bass, there is a laid back approach to the way it presents itself. The quantity is good but some would prefer a bigger slam. The bass is just silky smooth and I find it to be very alluring. The smooth and creamy nature of the bass makes the FIBAE 2 a delight to listen.

Mids

The midrange operates in a smooth approach. The lower mids has sufficient quantity so male vocals will not sound hollow. It is presented with such a smooth approach that vocals benefit as such. I feel that it is very natural. There is no nasal feeling. The upper mids is controlled nicely. It is still forward but the mastery allows it to be presented in a mature manner. The details are there and the definition is clear. I find the vocals presented on the FIBAE 2 is simply amazing. The intimacy is good coupled with the space being rendered. Resolution is good for a dual drivers iem. To sum it up, it is smooth, polite and detailed.

Highs

The treble is extended greatly. There is no sibilance and harshness. The depth in which the FIBAE 2 treble reaches is good and I find the treble to have a very good control. The smooth nature helps to keep the treble soothing and relaxing for long listening. There is not much of sparkle but the fatigue-free listening is a strong positive. There is a good amount of air for space and it helps to lighten the overall presentation so the sound will not be very weighted and dense. Overall, the treble has a good extension and operates in a smooth approach with air.

Soundstage

The FIBAE 2 has quite a good width in its stage and this allows the sound to not be congested. It is open and the stage expansion helps to give a good open feel. The depth is not very close in and there is space. Positioning of vocals and instruments are quite accurate coupled with the imaging. Layering and separation is at a high level. Resolution is great.





Comparisons

Custom Art FIBAE 2 vs InEar StageDiver 2

The FIBAE 2 has more sub-bass quantity than the SD2 and SD2 has a slight edge in the extension. The sub-bass on both is rather clean without any muddiness. I find the FIBAE 2 to approach it in a smoother manner while SD2 tackles it in a clinical approach. SD2 has a quicker decay. Both present the bass rather tightly. There is a good rumble on the FIBAE 2 and this helps to improve the dynamics. The bass note on the FIBAE 2 has slightly more weight than the SD2 but it is still agile. The mid-bass on the FIBAE 2 has more body and the slam is quite addictive to listen to. SD2 is rather dry here. The lower mids on the FIBAE 2 has more body than the SD2 and male vocals are presented in a more organic manner. The upper mids on the SD2 is slightly more forward but it commands less control. FIBAE 2 is able to master the upper mids smoothly yet retaining a slight crisp. The midrange of FIBAE 2 is not congested and is similar to the SD2 but it definitely has more body. Treble on the SD2 is slightly extended with more definition. Articulation on both is precise. I find the clarity rendered to be similar too. There is more air on the FIBAE 2 and there is more space. In terms of soundstage, SD2 and FIBAE 2 has approximately the same width but the depth of FIBAE 2 is more close in for vocals intimacy. Resolution on the FIBAE 2 is slightly better.

Custom Art FIBAE 2 vs Campfire Audio Nova

The sub-bass on the Nova has slightly more quantity than the FIBAE 2 but FIBAE 2 wins in the clinical aspect as it is being presented more cleanly. The extra level of refinement helps in aiding the bass control and tightness. Decay on the FIBAE 2 is significantly faster and that the impact is greater as such. Nova has more body and its rumble is slightly slower. The mid-bass on the Nova has more quantity but it is more laid-back than the FIBAE 2. FIBAE 2 has a quicker mid-bass presentation and is able to keep up with busier tracks. The lower mids on the Nova is slightly thicker due to is quantity and male vocals are rendered better. However, FIBAE 2 takes a different approach to the reproduction of vocals as it is more balanced. The upper mids on the FIBAE 2 is forward and has more definition. In this aspect, the FIBAE 2 is superior to the Nova and there is more crisp with an organic feel to it. Moving on to the treble, FIBAE 2 has the edge in the extension and details. There is no sibilance and harshness on both. The definition on the FIBAE 2 is more clear. The Nova is more congested than the FIBAE 2 as FIBAE 2 excels in its stage width. The depth is very similar. I find the FIBAE 2 to have a better resolution than the Nova.

Custom Art FIBAE 2 vs Noble Sage

The FIBAE 2 has less sub-bass quantity than the Sage. It has similar extension as the Sage. The FIBAE 2 presents itself in a smooth approach while the Sage operates in a more clinical approach. Decay on FIBAE 2 is slightly tighter with more rumble. The pace of FIBAE 2 is quicker due to less weight. The mid-bass on the Sage has more body and it is able to deliver the slam in a more punchy manner. Bass texture is smoother on the FIBAE 2. Each bass note on the Sage is articulated with a cleaner hit and it has more attack. The lower mids is slightly thicker on the Sage and it is able to benefit male vocals. The upper mids on both is equally forward and there is definition. Intimacy is maintained for the female vocals reproduction on both. In the treble section, the FIBAE 2 and Sage have similar extension. There is slightly more air on the Sage and there is no sibilance and harshness on both. The FIBAE 2 is much smoother in its treble. There is additional sparkle on the Sage to provide liveliness. Both iems have similar width and depth. The expansion of stage is natural. Resolution of the FIBAE 2 is same as the Sage.

Custom Art FIBAE 2 vs CTM VS-2

The sub-bass on the FIBAE 2 has more quantity and extension than the VS-2. FIBAE 2 presents itself in a warm and smooth manner. It is more musical. Decay on the FIBAE 2 is similar to the VS-2. Bass impact on both is good. Rumble on the FIBAE 2 is more addictive to listen to as it has slightly more speed. The body on both is very similar with the VS-2 being more weighted in its approach. The mid-bass on the FIBAE 2 is presented with more finesse and control. It is present at the right moment. The slam on the VS-2 is slightly greater. The lower mids on the FIBAE 2 is more balanced than the VS-2. Both are not thick in their presentation and each presents itself in a rather polite way. The upper mids on the FIBAE 2 is more intimate and female vocals shine as such. There is more definition and crisp on the FIBAE 2. For stage wise, the FIBAE 2 has a great expansion in its stage and the depth is not too close in for more space in all directions. The FIBAE 2 has the slight edge in its resolution.



Conclusion

The FIBAE 2 is a smooth sounding dual BA drivers iem that is capable of tackling vocals with ease. The non-offensive approach is a soothing listen and details are in abundance. Resolution is at a high standard. The sound signature of FIBAE 2 is quite spot on. The overall package is very good with a Pelican 1010 case. The build quality of the FIBAE 2 is excellent and it is handcrafted with a beautiful design. In market now, there are many dual BA drivers iem and I have to say that the Custom Art FIBAE 2 is easily one of the top dual BA drivers iem.



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