EarWerkz Supra

Earwerkz currently has two IEMs in their lineup with the name “Supra.” This is a summary and review of the original Supra, the 2 BA Supra 2, not to be confused with the Supra 1 that was later developed by Earwerkz.
 
Earwerkz is a company located in Buford, Georgia, just outside of Atlanta. Earwerkz’s rise in popularity has been quite stunning, in part due to some overwhelmingly positive reviews, and in part due to their launch of their universal (and custom) two driver IEM, the Supra 2, on Kickstarter gaining attention.
 
As backer number 3, I was lucky to obtain 1 of the 10 spots available to purchase the Supra 2 at the phenomenal price of 240 dollars. At this price, the Supra 2 is undoubtedly the best sounding and most sonically impressive IEM that I have ever experienced, and I’m pretty certain that it will take quite a few years until technology allows an IEM of this caliber to be priced at a mere 240 dollars. With that in mind and assuming that Earwerkz will not be offering the Supra 2 at that price again, I’ll be discussing the Supra 2 from the perspective of them being priced at their MSRP of 390 for a universal pair, and 430 for a custom fit pair, as I find little value in discussing these IEMs relative to a price in which the majority of people won’t receive for them. I will also simply refer to them as Supras.
 
            Those that have funded a Kickstarter campaign before know that it’s almost unheard of for a campaign to deliver on time. It’s just not something that happens. There always seems to be some problem with production or quality control that pops up. Earwerkz, despite having problems of their own (they had some issues with their engraver), fought hard and succeeded in fulfilling their promise of shipping the first batches of the Supra in February. On top of that, Jack Vang of Earwerkz was always on Kickstarter or his email to answer questions, and constantly updated his backers on the status of their IEMs. Jack was more than happy to answer any question that anyone had, and in a timely manner. Talk about customer service!
 
            Even more good news for Earwerkz’s customers is that Earwerkz promises to ship the finished product to you within 10 days of receiving your ear molds (assuming you are getting a CIEM), and it doesn’t seem like anyone has been let down by Earwerkz yet.
 
            Excellent, excellent, customer service. Nothing more to say about it.
 
            Upon receiving my Supras, I was a bit surprised to find that it wasn’t packaged in a box, but instead, in a padded envelope. Ripping open the package, I was a bit disappointed to find only a softshell case with Earwerkz’s logo on it. Where’s the pelican or otterbox case?
 
            Inside the softshell case were the Supras along with an Earwerkz cleaning cloth and cleaning tool (universal owners will also receive comply tips). So to put it simply, accessories were simple and the bare bone necessities. Would really have loved to get a hard carrying case along with my IEM, but it seems that they’re not included in with the Kickstarter Supras but are standard with a purchase from them.
 
            While the lack of a hard case was certainly disappointing, I must, however, comment on the softshell case that Earwerkz provided, as I see it as softshell cases done right. Earwerkz clearly didn’t design them to fit in your pockets. They’re larger than your average clam shell cases that are offered from companies like Shure. I’ve never liked small softshell cases that force you to jam your IEMs into. The cables tend to get tangled or retain its wound up shape after pulling the IEM out. Ugh! I want my cable STRAIGHT when I use them! Not only that, but most cases still don’t fit in your pockets all that well. So why make them that size? Maybe it’s just me, but I found Earwerkz’s softshell case much better. It’s still small enough that you can comfortably use them as protection for your IEM when you’re on the go, but it’s also large enough that your IEMs and rest in them comfortably as well. Thumbs up to Earwerkz for their softshell case.
 
            As one of the final stretch goals, Earwerkz opened up the option of purchasing the Supra 2 as a custom IEM along with the original option of purchasing them as universal IEMs. While I’ve demoed countless demo units of CIEMs, ranging from larger companies like UE to smaller companies like CustomArt and Clear Tune Monitors, I’ve never actually owned a pair of CIEMs myself, mostly due to the fear of them not fitting properly as I have very small ears. Seeing that the Supras aren’t a particularly big investment in the realm of CIEMs, I took this opportunity to test the waters of custom monitors. I think it’s important to note that Earwerkz offers their custom version for only 40 dollars more than the universal, which is a much more generous offer than most other CIEM makers.
 
            As a first timer in the realm of custom monitors, the initial fit was pretty disastrous and uncomfortable. I knew I was putting them in my ears the right way, but it always seemed uncomfortable after a while. It took me a few days to get it down, but once I got the hang of it, fit is fantastic and the Supras simply disappear. I’m very happy with my first CIEM experience, and also very relieved that I got a good fit on my first try.
 
Edit: Added thoughts between custom and universal Supras.
 
Got a chance to meet up with a bud, backer #49, to compare universal vs custom Supras.
 
The universal Supra honestly have the best universal shell I've ever experienced, beating out the Stagediver and Aurisonics shells which were the two best universal shells in my opinion in terms of comfort.
 
A heads up or warning to universal supra users! Make sure you have a tip that gives you a deep insertion. It makes ALL the difference. I listened to my friend's Supra and they sounded awful, no where near the level of detail or naturalness that the customs had. In comparison, the universals sounded veil and fake. It wasn't until we tried using a smaller set of tips that the universals started sounding better. Don't be afraid to try tips a size smaller than you may usually like to use! If the Supra stick out of your ears at all, YOURE NOT GETTING THE FULL EXPERIENCE OF THE SUPRAS.
 
 
            The acrylic shells of the Supras are beautifully built, with no signs of bubbles or inconsistencies. The 2 pin jack is also slightly recessed and very tight. Cables will stay firmly connected to the Supras. Absolutely no problems with loose connectors or signals cutting out with the Supras. Having own and tried a fair share of acrylic IEMs, I can most certainly say that the build quality from Earwerkz is top notch.
 
            Inside the shells, the two drivers are cleanly oriented and with very minimal amount of wires showing. Given that a two driver CIEM isn’t a particularly complex driver configuration in this day and age, Earwerkz nonetheless prides themselves in creating a clean and well-built IEM, both inside and out. All the wires of the Supras are neatly packed in a heatshrink tube (or maybe just plastic?) that connects the drivers to the 2 pin connectors.
            As a bonus for Kickstarter backers, Earwerkz allowed us to customize our engraving. I designed my Supras with the theme of my a cappella group, The Stereotypes, in mind, using our group’s colors and engraving our logo, “(stereotypes.)” as well as my embodied stereotype stage name, “Mr. Boy Wonder” (I’m a grown man that looks like I’m still 15 years old) onto each side of the Supras. The final product most definitely exceeded my expectations and I now have in my possession a gorgeous set of custom fitted and designed IEMs. Awesome!
 
            The significance of cables and their effects on sound may be forever debated. Regardless of various people’s opinions, I would still like to bring the topic of cable up, as Earwerkz does offer an upgrade cable with the Supras and all of their IEMs.
 
            The Supras came with Estron Linum’s BaX cable, an incredibly ergonomic, soft, and low profile cable. Seriously… this is an experience it yourself to believe it kind of deal. I know very well how it’s practically revolutionized cable ergonomics and started a new age of ergonomics, but damn I was still not prepared for just how ridiculously thin and comfortable this cable is. Experience it yourself, or you may never understand.
 
            Linum also heavily markets their cables for how they upgrade the sound of the IEM. So do these cables change the sound, or is this more voodoo magic with fanatics willing to defend it to the death? The answer is a most definite and confident YES that it does indeed change the sound of the Supras.
 
            So this is the part where half of you are ready to jump at me with pitch forks, while the other half are ready to embrace me with open arms. Well that’s not quite where I’m headed with this either. Does the BaX cable improve the sonic qualities of the Supras? Do I hear details that I’ve never heard before? Well hell I don’t know. I don’t think so? I’ve never tried a 1000 dollar cable that promises to bring your audio gear to new heights, and the BaX certainly doesn’t do that to the Supras.
 
            On the other hand, the BaX undoubtedly changes the sound signature of the Supras to some extent. Compared to the Supras with my plusSound X Series cable, the BaX cable adds more treble air to the Supras, giving it an overall thinner, but more open sound, while the copper X Series cable undoubtedly has more fullness to its sound compared to the BaX cable. The difference is enough that I can hear it when I switch between the cables, and takes some time for my brain to get use to the change. Perhaps the extra added air from the BaX gives the Supra better imaging or treble detail. I don’t know, I didn’t really bother to try to find out. I like the fullness of the sound that the plusSound cable offers so I stuck with them. While not as ergonomic as the BaX cables, the X Series cable were also designed with comfort in mind, and it’s plenty comfortable for me that I’m willing to sacrifice a tiny bit of comfort for a sound I enjoy more. At the end of the day, I was honestly surprised at the amount of difference two cables that differ in price by about 30 dollars made.
 
Having talked briefly about the changes in the sound of the cable earlier, I thought I’d continue with a more in depth impression of the Supra’s sound. All listening was done with my trusty portable rig consisting of my iBasso DX90, plusSound X Series Copper cable, and, of course, the Supra 2 themselves. Something to note is that the Supras are very sensitive IEMs. While I had no problems with hiss out of my DX90, using my desktop amp (which is overkill anyways) as a test did result in quite a bit of hiss. The Supras are one of the most sensitive IEMs I’ve heard, and the most sensitive IEM out of the IEMs I’ve personally owned.
 
The Supras are a very natural sounding IEM with a very slight U shape that gives the sound a bit of fun while remaining within the bounds of neutrality. The bass is well textured with a good balance between the mid and sub bass, as well as a surprisingly good bass extension coming out of a two driver IEM. Bass attack is very fast and very clean, with a fairly short decay that also has a good amount of rumble to it. Any sort of bleed or muddying of the midrange due to the bass is non-existent. Overall bass quality is fantastic with great dynamics, however, for those looking for some hard hitting bass will most likely find the bass lacking in quantity.
 
            The midrange of the Supra is most certainly the star of the show. The midrange is smooth, well balanced, detailed, and oh so natural. Instruments are realistic and accurate, while vocals have great clarity and are incredibly engaging to listen to. Transparency is the name of the game for the Supra. Not just the midrange, but the entire spectrum. The Supra offers some of the most enjoyable midrange out of any IEM at any price bracket.
 
            The treble of the Supra can be described as airy, detailed, but inoffensive. The treble response of the Supra is fairly smooth without any peaks that may lead to sibilance or create an unnatural timbre. As a person who enjoys a little more treble energy than most, I would personally ask for just a tad more sparkle to the treble, but the Supra’s treble are excellent as is in terms of treble energy and air thanks to a great extension up top.
 
            The soundstage of the Supra may be the one point that I find that doesn’t quite punch above its price as much in the Supra. While having a nice open and airy sound to it, the soundstage is quite lacking in width and depth, although it does have a good amount of overall height. Considering the Aurisonics ASG 1Plus, priced at about 100 dollars more, you get a much more expansive soundstage, although I’ve always found Aurisonics IEMs excel in terms of having a good sense of space and dimensionality. Despite having a more intimate soundstage, the Supra makes use of the space available to it with excellent instrument separation and imaging. Each instrument is presented with accuracy and precision.
 
            Overall, the Supra's sound presentation can come off as being slightly on the analytical and dry side but I find that it remains engaging and energetic despite that.
 
 
CustomArt Ei.3 and Earwerkz Supra 2 (CIEM)
I consider the supra 2 to be the king of value as the supra is fantastically detailed and natural sounding for a 430 dollar CIEM (or 390 for the universals). So being about 100 dollars less, how do the two compare?
 
In terms of sound signature, the supra and the Ei.3 are more similar than they are different. However, the way in which the music is presented is quite different. For me personally, the past year or so has been fantastic, as more and more companies seem to be nailing the sound signature which I consider to be “natural” – which is generally a very slight V-shape with just a tad of extra energy in the upper mids. I would consider both of these IEMs to be close to my ideal sound signature. This sort of signature can often come forth as being fairly dry or boring, but the Ei.3, in particular, is a very musical sounding IEM.
 
Directly comparing the supra and Ei.3, the supra has a punchier and lower extending bass, a more aggressive upper range, and an overall more forward sound. The overall sound of the supra are crisper but dryer with better detail and overall texture as the presentation of the music from the supra are fairly analytical. Compared to the supra, the Ei.3 can feel as if it has a softer attack on the music as it’s not as sharp sounding as the supra (not to say they’re harsh sounding). While the supra are more detailed than the Ei.3, I think many will prefer the musical and smooth sound of the Ei.3 over the supra’s sound. The Ei.3 also has the benefit of having a better soundstage than the supra, particularly in terms of depth and width. The supra’s one big weakness to me is its very underwhelming soundstage.
 
In summary, I find those who enjoy a more analytical but energetic sound will like the supra, while those who enjoy a smoother, more musical, but slightly less textured and detailed sound will find the Ei.3 much more appealing.
 
            Earwerkz created a fantastic IEM in the Supra 2, an IEM which I would happily recommend to anyone looking for a balanced yet fun sound. My experience with Earwerkz from the very first moment that I chose to back their project on Kickstarter to this very moment has been nothing short of being overwhelmingly positive. After quite a few conversations with Jack about his company and products, to keep things short, I can say that Earwerkz has great business practice and they’ve really got their acts together. Every step is planned very carefully. Even the release dates of new products to come were mapped out with each detail carefully planned out. From customer service, to build quality, and most importantly to sound, Earwerkz has got everything covered, and they manage to do it in all in a friendly, efficient, and professional manner!

My main review is here: http://www.head-fi.org/t/752588/review-earwerkz-supra-the-universal-custom-in-ear-monitor.
 
This will house the TL;DR version:
 
From the comfort, custom-like fit, music that is utterly engaging, and stellar customer service, EarWerkz literally knocks it out of the ballpark with their Supra IEM.  The Supra can also be created as a full custom version, so customers will be able to have the option to experience the custom version of an awesome sounding IEM, many for the first time.  It is definitely worth it to go custom, or universal like I did so I can allow everyone to experience the light-as-a-feather feeling and simply awesome sounding Supra.  That is, if I can get the Supra away from my fiancé's ears! 
 
The EarWerkz Supra is definitely worth the price, and then some.
 
Take care, and Happy Listening!

The Supra reviewed below is a production sample from the Kickstarter campaign and further details on the specs and configuration can be found there. This review consists of some comparisons and tip recommendations.

Manufacturer specifications:

Driver Configuration: Single High, Single Low. 2-Way, Passive Crossover Network.
Frequency Response: 20 Hz - 18 kHz
Impedance: 23 ohms @ 1 kHz
Sensitivity: 126 dB @ 1 kHz
Noise Isolation: 28 dB, +/-2 dB
Input Connector: 1/8" (3.5 mm) Gold Plated



EarWerkz Supra vs Aurisonics Rockets

Tips: Comply T series on Supra and Sennheiser biflanges on Rockets.
Sensitivity: Supra is more sensitive and Rockets require about 5 more clicks on the iPhone for similar volume.
Source: iPhone 5S

Bass quantity isn’t too far off, with the Rockets seemingly having a hair more, but focus of bass is a little different. The Supra bass seems more linear without any roll off in sub bass, whereas the Rockets bass seem to have a bit more mid and upper bass presence, and slight roll off under 50hz. The Supra bass feels lighter on its feet, quicker, with better deep bass rumble. The Rocket bass feel fuller with more punch and with a bit more decay in direct comparison.

The midrange of the Supra immediately strikes you with its clarity and airy nature. There is absolutely no masking from bass or treble, just pure, innocent clarity. In contrast, the Rockets bring the midrange slightly forward of neutral and vocal intimacy is its bread and butter. Here the Rockets carry a slightly thicker note, which accentuates the lovely vocal intimacy but it doesn’t have the clarity, airiness of the Supra. The Rocket note through the midrange is softer in character, with rolled, smoothed edges. In direct comparison the Supra’s midrange is sharper in character (not to be confused with harsh), like someone who enunciates every syllable perfectly or perhaps etched in space.

While the midrange is the first focus for me, it’s treble that makes or breaks an iem for me over the long haul. Odd peaks or dips really grate on my nerves. The Supra treble is super airy and sparkly but never sounds harsh or piercing to me. It takes what I loved about the K3003 treble but tones it down a bit, making sure to never cross the line to shrill and annoying. The airiness, the sparkle, the brassy tone, all without any of the nasties that can easily be found in many iems. The Rockets also have that fantastically realistic, brassy tone but do not possess the soaring air of the Supra. This is part of what gives the Supra its wide open feel and what I instantly fell in love with and raved about during the EP-2 demo.

As many of you may know, distortion guitar crunch and texture is something I pay very close attention to, as most of library consist of guitar driven rock. The Supra’s clear and bright nature produce superb distortion guitars. Grit and crunch are abundantly clear with razor sharp definition. Even though the Rockets are softer and thicker through the midrange, it also has a rawness to its upper midrange, producing very believable distortion guitars with excellent sustain but grit and crunch lag a little behind the Supra here.

Following my focus on distortion guitars, next up are acoustic guitars. The Rockets really shine here in note weight, sustain of string vibrations and realism of fingers sliding over the fretboard. The airier nature of the Supra produces these same sounds just a bit thinner and sharper, falling just short of the Rockets realism.

I chose to do my first comparison with the Rockets because it’s one of my favorite iems I’ve ever heard in all my time on Head-Fi. It’s a serious bang for buck offering that competes well above its point in my opinion. Well, I feel the same way about the Supra. Very few iem I’ve heard in any price bracket offer the sense of clarity, air and openness the Supra possess. When it comes to much pricier models and offerings, sure those will possess some technical proficiencies in resolution, layering or imaging but when it comes to value and performance, as well as some of the best tonality on the market, it just doesn’t get any better than the Rockets, and now the Supra.



Supra vs TDK BA200

Tips: Vsonic GR07 silicone on the Supra and MH1 silicone on the BA200
Source: iPhone 5S
Sensitivity: The Supra is more sensitive than the BA200 by about 3 volume clicks of the iPhone.

I chose the BA200 to test against since it is not only another dual BA universal (using different drivers) but also has a pretty linear and neutral signature. Instant impressions are that these two share a lot of similarities in overall signature but with some fairly wide gaps in overall performance.

Bass levels are very similar with the Supra having more overall weight that packs a better punch and deep bass grunt. The Supra bass also seems noticeably faster and cleaner next to the BA200’s warmer and softer, perhaps polite, feeling bass. The Supra just seems more precise and clean here with better bass texturing.

The BA200 midrange is ever so slightly more forward than the Supra. Its vocals come across with a touch more intimacy and a kind of ethereal warmness. In contrast the Supra’s midrange is a little more laid back but noticeably clearer, more resolving and better defined with feeling of crispness- Supra distortion guitars have more bite and crunch; toms and snares have more snap.

The treble on the BA200 is smooth, even and pretty well extended but next to to the Supra treble, it seems a bit dull and closed in. The Supra treble adds a sense of air and extra sparkle missing from the BA200 and as a consequence sounds more open, articulate and resolving.

Where the Supra really separates itself from the BA200 is in imaging, layering and staging. The Supra is just simply better at creating a mental image with more precision to instrument placement and space between the instruments than the BA200. Not only does it sound more open but depth is significantly better on the Supra.

The TDK BA200 is one of the better dual BA universals I’ve tried or owned and is a considerable value, especially when compared to similar offerings from Westone and Earsonics. The EarWerkz Supra however is clearly on another performance level.



Supra vs UERM

Tips: Vsonic GR07 silicone on Supra. UERM is a full custom.
Source: iPhone 5S
Sensitivity: The Supra is more sensitive than the UERM by about 2 clicks of volume on the iPhone

As suspected these two have a lot of similarities and referring to the Supra as baby UERM or perhaps a little brother to the UERM is not far off the mark at all. What was somewhat surprising was how much larger in scope the UERM sounds. For all the openness and air I’ve mentioned of the Supra, the UERM is somehow even more open and larger sounding, adding another dimension of realism.

The second thing I noticed was the exquisite balance of frequencies the UERM possesses. While having just a little less bass and treble emphasis as the Supra, the UERM is yet more dynamic, displays a more delicate nature and a greater sense of effortlessness. All this adds up to the next step in resolution, layering and staging. Next to the UERM the Supra shows itself as the enthusiastic little brother, quite capable but perhaps a more brash and unpolished version of its older sibling.

The Supra makes a great back up to the UERM, especially for say travel or other activities where you might not want to take your more expensive purchases, and still maintain somewhat similar signatures and approaches to neutrality. Obviously the Supra would be a much cheaper way of getting a taste of what the UERM brings to the table as well.


Supra Ear-tips Roundup


Choose your favorite lure from the tackle box

I spent the morning perusing my ear-tip collection and thought I'd share the results, since many were wondering about using other tips than Comply. There were many that fit but didn't sound good enough to include in the details below. There were also many that just have too big a bore to use without a make-shift adapter of some sort. I found those to not really gain any substantive improvement over the tips that fit without modification, so I've not included those as well. What I have included are 12 pair of the best performing tips, for me, that fit the Supra nozzle without modification.

The Supra come with Comply T400 foam tips. I find the Compy tips to sound excellent. Some may be concerned about treble attenuation due to foam overhang but that is not the case here. The tips slide all the way down the nozzle and there is very, very little foam remaining past the nozzle opening. I will refer to these as the stock tips in the roundup and all other tip sound changes will be based upon how the stock Comply tips sound. The blue foam tips pictured above are the large version of the T400 and they will be separately covered below.

In general the main difference I find, across all iems, between silicone and foam are as follows:
Foam bass has a softer edged note with no extra reverb or bounce to the sound. I find this is due to their more porous and absorbing nature, whereas silicone tends to seal tighter with the least air leakage for me (assuming perfect fit/seal). Silicone bass tends to sound ever so slightly harder hitting, with harder edged bass notes that can at times have a bounce or reverb to the bass. It's subtle, most noticeable in direct a/b with foam, and I don't always detect it. Treble can also be affected the same way to my ears. Treble can sound cleaner and smoother with foam, IF there is no foam overhang affecting attenuation. If an iem treble is naturally hot or tizzy, silicone can at times exacerbate this for me. Though at the end of the day I tend to prefer silicone tips, due to better ease of quick fit, more bore width choices and more length/depth of fit choices, which can help me taylor the overall sound with a bit more precision.

Exhibit #1


Top Row: Phonak Audeo PFE silicone, Spin-fit silicone, Sony MH1 silicone
Bottom Row: Earsonics Bi-flange silicone, Meelec Bi-flange silicone, Sony Hybrid silicone

Starting on the top row with the Phonak Audeo PFE silicone tips, I found these to produce the most U shaped frequency response of the bunch. They gave perhaps the most suction like seal of all the tips with the strongest, hardest hitting bass and treble emphasis. While fun sounding for some songs, they would not be my tip of choice for the Supra, especially for longer listening sessions.

Second on the top row are the Spin-fit tips. Unfortunately the Spin-fits run a little on the small size, so these medium tips were a little too loose in my ear, requiring the deepest fit of all the tips in order to get a decent seal. I suspect if I had large Spin-fits they might indeed be winners as comfort level match Ortofon tips (Ortofon tips are not included in the roundup due to too loose a fit on the Supra nozzle). Treble was just ever so slightly attenuated compared to the stock tips but not as attenuated as the Sony or Earsonic tips. Bass was somewhat lighter due to the less than ideal seal; again, I think larges would have made all the difference in the world here.

Last on the top row are the Sony MH1 tips. These are very, very similar to the Sony Hybrids with a slightly more rigid silicone structure. The smaller bore attenuates treble a bit more from the Spin-fits over stock tips and some may prefer this. Bass hits harder than stock and fit is easily one of the more comfortable fits. I can see these being a community favorite.

Starting on the bottom row are the Earsonics Bi-flange tips. These give the most treble attenuation of the roundup due to having the smallest bore and the deepest fit. Due to the attenuated treble, these also sound more on the bassy side. I found these too dark for my preferences, robbing some of the Supra's magical air, but if one is adverse to treble brightness, they would be worth looking into.

Second on the bottom are what I believe to be Meelec Bi-flanges. I seem to have two kinds of Meelec Bi-flanges- some that the bore is too wide to fit on the Supra nozzle, and this pair which seems to fit perfectly. I'm unsure which model this particular pair fits in the Meelec product range. These tips provide a very comfortable fit for bi-flanges and are one of my favorites on the Supra. Overall sound is balanced with similar bass emphasis as stock tips and perhaps just a hair less treble emphasis due to slightly deeper fit.

Last on the bottom are the Sony Hybrids. See above for MH1 sound, as the Hybrid sound is identical. The only difference is the softer silicone, providing a more comfortable fit that rivals the comfort of foam.

Exhibit #2


Top Row: Jays Foam (discontinued), HiFiman Bi-flange silicone
Bottom Row: Comply T400 foam (stock tips), Jays Silicone

Starting on the top row are the Jays Foam. Unfortunately these appear to be discontinued, as I haven't seen them available anywhere for the last year. They have a fairly dense foam and provide a slightly bigger bass presence over stock and treble sounds pretty similar, but due to their blunt shape, I find them a hassle to get proper fit.

Last on the top are the HiFiman Bi-flange tips. These are probably overkill for the Supra, unless you have very large ear canals, as their bulk will push the Supra out a little further from the ear. Bass was similar to the Sony tips but with similar treble levels to the stock tips. As just mentioned, these should probably only be considered if you have really large canals and most tips are too small for you.

Starting on the bottom row are the stock Comply T400. As mentioned before, these sound excellent to my ears. Bass is clean and fast without any extra ear reverb. Treble is also clean, precise and airy. There is no foam interference across the top of the nozzle to cause treble attenuation issues.

Last on the bottom are the Jays silicone tips, which are still readily available. The Jays tips have the widest bore of all the single flange tips used, therefore they have the brightest treble reproduction, while having similar bass to the Sony tips. Jays silicone tips tend to run on the large size. The large pictured are more like an XL. Jays silicone is one of the thicker, more firmer tips. If you find Sony's too supple and leak too easy, then Jays may be a good choice.

Exhibit #3


Left: Comply TS400 Foam
Right: Vsonic GR07 Silicone

On the left are Comply TS400 foam tips. I tend to prefer this shape of Comply on the Supra, as I can get a better seal and tighter fit with the rounded shape of the TS series. Sound is identical to the stock tips and one of my top 2 choices for the Supra.

On the right are the original Vsonic GR07 silicone tips. These are not Sony knock-offs but Vsonic's own unique tip. The bore is halfway between the Jays silicone and Sony tips, which gives me the most similar treble presence to the stock tips. Bass is similar to the Jays and Sony tips as well. The Vsonic silicone is firmer, like the Jays silicone, but gives me a comfortable and tight seal. Currently these tips are the other of my top 2 choices for the Supra.

So to conclude, I find Comply TS400 and the original Vsonic GR07 silicone tips to be my favorites, with stock tips, Sony MH1 and Hybrids, Meelec Bi-flange as well as Jays silicone all coming close but just shy of my top two.