Buyer’s Guide – In-Ear Headphones Part II: Custom Fits

When we did our first Buyer’s Guide that included custom-fitted earphones, some of the comments we received implied that we were a bit nuts to recommend spending $500 and up on headphones.

Times have clearly changed.

And though the product line-up in this high-end market has largely remained the same, there have been enough notable changes in the last three years that make this a topic worth revisiting (and revising!).

We also decided to add something this time around, as well. Though all of these custom-fit products sound fantastic for the discerning music listener — hence our decision to cover this here at iPO as part of our earphone shootouts — they are built first and foremost for use by musicians on stage (with one lone exception). As such — and being a (weekender) stage musician myself — we decided to add a bit about that to each set of earphones reviewed below.

Volume warning
Remember that though all of these are built for musicians to both hear themselves better on stage and reduce their exposure to loud sounds, any sort of in-ear headphone could potentially cause permanent hearing damage. Trust us when we say this is not something you want to experiment with. If you’re not aware of how loud you can go without damage, please consult your audiologist when you go in for your fitting.

Custom Fit Process
As all of the options discussed here are custom-fitted to your ears, they require at least one visit to an audiologist. The fit process is odd, for sure — with some stranger pouring goop in your ears and having you sit there for 5 minutes with your mouth hanging agape — but it’s critical you get it done right. A wrong fit can drive you, your doctor, and the earphone manufacturer crazy. Please be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions exactly, and don’t assume that the audiologist will know what they need. Familiarize yourself with the manufactuer’s guidelines — especially with regards to whether your mouth should be open, closed, or both — and insist that your audiologist follow them, as well.

Once you get your earphones, you’ll need to make sure they fit and seal well in your ears. The latter is best confirmed with an audible seal test. Thankfully, Sensaphonics has a set of MP3 files that you can use. They employ two test tones, one at 500 Hz and one at 50 Hz. If you can hear the former but not the latter, you don’t have a good seal and will need to have the earphones re-fitted to your ears.

Important Factors

Sound: All of the earphones reviewed below sound fantastic. In fact, you’ll find that we have no overall favorite, just different models preferred for different applications. Choosing a set of custom-fitted earphones is akin to choosing a fine wine or a high-end automobile: there are subtle nuances that separate each apart, and we’re here to help you make heads-or-tails of that.

Cord: After getting a good fit and seal, the cord design is the biggest comfort-related issue here. While all of the custom fit products reviewed have an “over the ear” style cable, not all cords are built equally, and we’ve detailed that below.

Ambience/Stage Use: As we indicated, this is a new bit of focus for this series, and we’ll discuss the best use for each of these in the live music environment.

Listening List:

These are the songs we primarily used to evaluate the earphones below.

• Above & Below – The Brecker Brothers
• Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 – Allegro (Bach) – J.S. Bach
• Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D Major, BWV 1050: I. Allegro – J.S. Bach
• Brian Wilson – Barenaked Ladies – Rock Spectacle
• Brown Sugar – The Rolling Stones – Sticky Fingers
• Character Zero – Phish: Billy Breathes
• Coverville (podcast) – Brian Ibbott
• Escape (The Pina Colada Song) – Rupert Holmes: ’70s Pop #1’s
• Evil Genius Chronicles (podcast) – Dave Slusher
• Kid Gloves – Rush: Grace Under Pressure
• Ramblin’ – David Sanborn: Upfront
• Red Baron – Billy Cobham: Spectrum
• Waltz in C Sharp Minor – Fr�d�ric Chopin: Andrea Immer Presents Champagne, Chocolate & Chopin
• Zoot Suit Riot – Cherry Poppin’ Daddies: The Swingin’ Hits of the Cherry Poppin’ Daddies

  Products are listed alphabetically by manufacturer reviewed.

  Model: Future Sonics Ear Monitors

  This veteran product was omitted from our first Buyer’s Guide, and we’re not sure why. These are hard acrylic earpieces with one single dynamic driver in each ear and a small porthole tuned to enhance bass resonance.

  Sound: Future Sonics has one sound signature, and they do it well. Like I said in my review of their universal-fit Atrios, their lone dynamic driver-based sound instantly brings back memories from childhood of being curled up next to the stereo speakers at home. With the Ear Monitors, you really do feel the music as though you’re there in the room with it. The high-end is present and clear, but not too crisp. The most present are the lows and mid-highs. If you’re someone that likes to listen to music loud enough to feel it (but not too loud!), these might be for you. Turn it up and it never gets too shrill. The bass guitar is present and close, but not boomy, making these great for rock and roll, fusion, anything with drive. Songs from the listening list that sound great on these: Kid Gloves, Red Baron, Brown Sugar, Character Zero… drums and guitars sound alive and real. On the Bach Allegro, Zoot Suit Riot, and Above & Below, the trumpets tended to blare a little. This goes to that whole “right up next to the speaker” thing… trumpets are not exactly warm sounding, and, well, you don’t want to be right next to them in real life, either. The saxophones on Ramblin’ and the piano on the Waltz in C Sharp Minor sound amazing and true. Lots of space, and still that “right there” feeling. Speech in podcasts like Coverville and Evil Genius Chronicles is a little biting, too… again, as though you’re next to someone’s ear.

  For me, these are my favorite earphones when it comes to music-listening.

  Cord: Fitted with a removable, thin, silky, braided cable that just falls loosely around the ear and down the back. Very comfortable to wear, and introduces little or no additional noise (microphonics).

  Ambience/Stage: Though these have a small “port” in each earpiece that brings out the lower-mids, there’s not a whole lot of ambient sound that gets through them, so I consider these “closed” earphones. If all instruments are being mic’ed (or at least employing some ambeint mics for stage “wash” and crowd noise) these are fantastic. The full low-end from the dynamic driver adds a lot of warmth to the sound, and the bump in the high-mids brings vocals through.

  Due to the stellar low-end delivered by these earphones, Future Sonics Ear Monitors are my favorite to use on stage when a full monitor mix is available to me.

  Price: US$798.00

  Model: Sensaphonics ProPhonic 2X-S

  I reviewed these earphones three years ago, and still feel much the same way about them. They are dual-driver balanced armature earpieces encased in a soft, clear silicone. One of my initial thoughts was, “how will this soft silicone hold up over time?” The answer is now apparent: amazingly well. To this day, they’re still soft and supple. My only complaint with the silicone is something I’ve experienced with other silicone earpieces, and that’s ear irritation. Repeated insertion and removal over a short period of time caused the skin in my ear to get a bit raw. If you’re someone who puts earphones in and leaves them in for a half-hour or more, don’t sweat it. But if you’re in situations where you’re regularly inserting and removing them, this is a consideration.

  Sound: The Sensaphonics ProPhonic 2X-S sport a clear, full sound. Though the highs are present and crisp, the low-end of these is quite stellar. Part of that could be attributed to the tight seal provided by the soft silicone. Bone conduction inside your ear is the mechanism responsible for truly reproducing that low-end sound, and with these perfectly snug into every nook and cranny, that bounce is right there. For me, these were perfect for songs like Red Baron and Above & Below: Fusion stuff that’s dense and yet requires plenty of low end to compliment and support the instruments dancing above it. Drums, too, sounded the best here compared to all the other balanced armature-based systems, with the intros to Zoot Suit Riot and Escape being especially delightful.

  Cable: With these, the silky, braided cable is permanently attached to the earpieces. Like the silicone it, too, has held up just fine with almost 3 years of regular use (including some not-so-pleasant tugs while moving around the drumkit over the years).

  Ambience/Stage: As I indicated, I used these on stage as my primary source of monitors for almost 3 years, and they worked great. These are a completely sealed system, so I had to employ some ambient mics in those “less than perfect” (albeit very frequent!) situations, but they worked great and delivered a true sound.

  Price: US$750.00

  Model: Sensaphonics 2MAX

  These earphones look exactly like the 2X-S described above. Same soft silicone earpieces, same permanently attached, braided cable, same great fit. And while the casual (and perhaps even not-so-causual) observer would think they were the same, that would end as soon as they music was turned on. The (relatively) new 2MAX sports a MUCH more robust low-end than it’s older sibling, and that’s immediately present. Songs like Brown Sugar, Kid Gloves, Red Baron and Character Zero jumped out of the speakers and really drove. The sound, however, remains clear and pure, as is the signature of the Sensaphonics brand. The mid-range, too, had a bit more growl to it, and vocals stood out a bit. Highs, of course, still have that same sparkle evident in the 2X-S. With the new drivers on the low-end, I was able to turn these up way past the point I’d ever listen to them and still got no distortion (so I quickly turned them down!). For a fit-comfort that can’t be beat and exceptional low-end, these are worth checking out.

  Price: US$850.00

  Model: Sensaphonics 3D Active Ambient

  Sensaphonics foray into the world of “ambient” monitoring is their 3D Active Ambient system. This system, as the name implies, uses active technology — microphones — built right into the earpieces themselves, and everything runs through a dedicated beltpak. That means the earpieces each have three elements in them: two speakers (for you to hear through) and one micrphone (feeding the beltpak). The beltpak is then used to blend the ambient sounds entering the microphones back into the signal you’re getting from your music (i.e. iPod) or the soundboard (if on stage). The beltpak has a switch that lets you quickly flip between “no reduction” on the microphones (meaning you hear ambient sound as though you had no earpieces in), and “reduced” sound, pulling down to an adjustable reduction level. Remembering that like the rest of the products here, these were designed for stage use, the idea is that between songs the artist can flip to the “no reduction” setting and converse with everyone on stage comfortably, then flip to the reduced volume setting during songs. Unfortunately, the review system Sensaphonics provided us with was a universal-fit “test only” system, and as such we were unable to test on stage.

  That said, I have to say… this system impressed the heck out of me. It almost reminded me of an Apple product in the way that it was clearly engineered by people who had over-researched and tested this concept. The microphones are so well placed that everything feels and sounds very natural. With the system in “no reduction” mode, conversations (including speaking) were quite comfortable. Environmental audible clues were also very present, and the stereo field was perfectly tuned to what I am used to without anything in. Making it feel and sound that natural is a pretty astonishing feat. Additionally, turning my head quickly side-to-side resulted in none of that “wind across the microphone” sound that I half-expected to hear.

  Though priced at a premium, this system helps negate the need to regularly remove and reinsert the earpieces. Obviously it’s built for musicians on stage, but would also be perfect for people sitting on airplanes needing to talk to flight attendants; anyone working landscaping or other jobs where conversation is occasionally necessary but noise levels can otherwise reach dangerous or at least uncomfortable levels. Also good for joggers and cyclists who want to listen to music but still let in a controlled amount of ambient sound for safety.

  Price: US$2,000.00 for single driver, US$2,500.00 dual driver.

  Model: Ultimate Ears UE-7Pro (Ambient)

  Ultimate Ears employs the “more speakers is better” philosophy and the UE-7Pro uses three (3!) speakers in each ear, one for the low-lows, one for the mids, and one to really deliver the highs. The theory — like that with regular loudspeakers — is that by using multiple speakers/drivers for different sonic ranges, each is able to be more efficient in its range, delivering a cleaner and (if desirable) louder sound without distorting.

  Sound: The one word that kept coming through in my listening notes was “clarity.” The balanced armature removes you from the music a bit, which may or may not suit your preference, but gives you a spacial distance from the music with the clarity of an otherwise quiet room. The timbre (tone) of each instrument comes through very clearly, with that third driver really bringing out the highest highs, making everything VERY crisp and sparkly. Of course this is noticeable with cymbals, but that extra high end also adds a warm sibilance to vocals and the nylon-stringed guitar on a song like Brian Wilson. Live recordings, too, sound fantastic, as the enhanced high-end makes things breathe a bit more. Overall, a very balanced sound. Low-end’s not overly-present, but is definitely there. Clarity of dense music comes through, making Zoot Suit Riot, Above & Below, and the Bach Allegos clear and enjoyable. The sound reminds me of a warm recording studio, especially on songs like Kid Gloves and Escape which sound somewhat distant and sweet. Classical music, too, is fantastic in these, with the sound of a quiet, well-tuned concert hall. Speech in podcasts like Coverville and Evil Genius Chronicles is clear and pleasant, as well.

  The “Ambient” option added to this model means that the earpieces each have a (carefully placed) porthole in them, allowing some outside sound back in. They come with “rubber stopper” filters to plug these holes, as well. Note that this is a passive system — there’s no processing or anything done — it’s just a hole allowing some air to move back into your ear. With the holes open, the earpieces block approximately 12dB of sound whereas with them plugged they block about 25dB — a significant difference. With the holes open there is a slight reduction in the VERY low-end sound. The punch is still there, it’s just that the round low end falls off slightly and is noticeable with bass drum sounds. The benefit is that you can clearly hear what’s going on around you (so long as the volume isn’t too high), potentially making these work in situations where you need some auditory cues as to your environment (still… be carefull! Headphones while bike-riding are a dangerous combination!).

  Cord: Ultimate Ears custom fit products now sport a new, thick, plastic-sleeved cable. While very durable, it felt to me like wrapping rope around my ear and isn’t the most comfortable cable I’ve used.

  Ambience/Stage: These have become my trusty sidekick on stage, and are the earphones I use there most often. Given that most of my playing takes the form of being a “weekend warrior,” I don’t often have the benefit of using a dedicated monitor engineer where everything can be mic’ed perfectly. A typical setup is a mic on the bass drum, snare drum, and vocals, with the rest of the sound just coming from “stage wash.”

  With the Ambient option, the UE-7Pro are my favorite for earphones to use on stage in typical gig environments where there is only a partial monitor mix available. I end the show with no ringing in my ears, and yet I can hear everything well all night long. The ease of setup is well worth the slightly reduced low-end I hear (and heck, i can always bring a bit back in with a 63Hz bump on the monitor EQ!).

  Price: US$900.00 (includes $50 surcharge for Ambient option)

  Model: Ultimate Ears UE-5c

  The “c” in UE-5c stands for “consumer”, and these are the only custom-fit earphones we reviewed that aren’t engineered for use on stage. You could certainly use them there if you like, but the EQ pattern is engineered for mastered music, and it shows.

  Sound: As would be expected, the UE-5c’s have a very balanced sound. Highs aren’t overly sparkly, but are present and likely right where most folks would like. The same is true of the low-end. The overall character of these is that they are very warm, smooth… and creamy. Like a good quality car-stereo system, these are general purpose earphones. They’re comfortable and deliver an excellent sound. Dense music, including rock and fusion, sound great in these, with cymbals coming through clearly along with horns and vocals. The EQ provides a very warm sound for songs like Kid Gloves and Escape, delivering a very “studio-type” sound. Classical music, especially the piano stuff (Chopin Waltz), sounds fantastic. And, as expected, the warmth lends itself well to speech in podcasts (Evil Genius Chronicles, Coverville).

  Cable: Same cable as the UE-7Pro. Some may like it, some may not.

  On Stage: Due to their EQ, they lack the high-mid EQ boost necessary to cut through and function as a stage monitor on their own. THis, of course, is not their purpose. I have used them, and with a tweak to the EQ, they serve their purpose, albeit in a situation where everything is mic’ed (or, again, ambient mics at the very least).

  Price: US$550.00

  Model: Ultimate Ears UE-Hybrid

  Combining a low-end dynamic driver with a high-end balanced armature driver, these Hybrids also have a bass port in them to further increase the low-end. Their construction, too, is hybrid, with a hard outer acrylic shell and a softer, silicone portion that fits into your ear canal. Note that I’ve had a pair of these for three years, and the soft silicone portion is as supple today as it was when they were new.

  Sound: As expected, the low-end is very present. If you’re someone who likes or needs a lot of low end, these are for you. Because of the dynamic driver, these have some of that “ear to the speaker” feeling, especially on the low end side of things, though not so much with the guitars and vocals. The resulting sound is very warm, though some folks may find these muddy, depending on your preference for bass. Simply put, unless you really like a lot more low-end than high, you may find yourself turning the volume up to hear the high-end only to find the bass is too loud. Dense rock and roll (Character Zero, Brown Sugar) for me, was a little muddy. “Easier listening” though (Brian Wilson, Escape, Ramblin’) was quite pleasing. If you like the low-end cranked on your stereo, these are for you. They affect the EQ more than any other earphone I’ve tested. Though classical music sounded surprisingly good on these, it did lack some of the high-end definition (again, overshadowed by the low-end). Podcasts/speech (Coverville, Evil Genius Chronicles) sounded good. The enhanced low-end brings out the smoothness in vocals.

  If these had a way of closing the port slightly, they would find many more applications, as putting my fingers over the ports and sealing them entirely reduced the low-end TOO much, so perhaps there is a “happy middle” here.

  Cable: All Ultimate Ears custom fitted products employ the same cable described above in the UE-7Pro.

  Ambient/Live: I find myself reaching for these on some loud gigs… the bass ports let enough sound through such that an ambient microphone isn’t necessary, and they add enough low-end definition to the sound. Not something for all the time, but occasionally makes a lot of sense.

  Price: US$800.00

  Model: Westone ES2

  These custom fits are made of a combination of materials, employing a hard acrylic outer shell with a softer, body-heat activated, portion that fits into your ear canal. The result is a snug and comfortable fit that, after 3 years of use, is still as soft today as it was on day one.

  Sound: Crisp, balanced sound, presenting bouncy lows and clear highs, evened out with a subtle boost to the midrage. Highs aren’t sparkly, but are very present. These earphones provide a very clear distinction on dense recordings (Zoot Suit Riot, Above & Below). The low-end is round and warm, but there’s no loss of defintion, as the attack of the bass guitar comes through well on songs like Red Baron and Brown Sugar. On thick rock and roll (Character Zero, Brown Sugar), cymbals and bass are more present than guitars. Overall a very warm sound.

  When mixing in the studio, and especially when podcasting, I use these almost exclusively due to their well-suited EQ range.

  Cable: Westone uses a removable, coated cable that wraps comfortable around the ear. It’s not uber-thin, but it’s not thick, either, and is quite comfortable.

  Ambient/Stage: On stage, vocals are clear and present, though since these are a fully closed system, they require least ambient mics to work in most situations.

  Price: US$650.00

  Wrap-up

  As you can see, the options here are plentiful, and we only reviewed a handful-and-a-half of the many products available out there. The good news is that you really can’t go wrong with products of this calibre. There’s just different degrees of right and they depend on your tastes and listening habits. Get a feel for what you like, talk to the product manufacturers, and you’ll be headed down the right path. Of course, if you have any questions… just ask us!

  One final note: Take Care

  Remember, you’re spending a lot of money here, and these products can deliver you many years of comfortable, high-quality sound. But you are putting them in your ears and, well, there is other stuff in your ears that’s not so good for tiny, sensitive speakers. As indicated, I used (and abused!) the Sensaphonics 2X-S set for almost 3 years, and at that point both high-end drivers stopped working. In working with the folks at Sensaphonics to repair them, I was informed that though it’s impossible to tell what caused the malfunction there are two factors to consider. It could, of course, have been high volumes, though I tend to be quite careful in that regard. Another possibility that Michael Santucci, founder of Sensaphonics, pointed out is cerumen build-up (that’s earwax to you and me). Earwax can be solid, liquid, or vapor. And while it’s very easy (and highly advisable!) to clean the first two incarnations out of the earphones regularly, the vapor is nearly impossible to control, and if that got all over the high-end drivers, that could easily have rendered them useless. Honestly, this experience wouldn’t stop me from recommending (or purchasing) them, though, but it is worth mentioning… for all users of all models of canal/in-ear phones. Clean your earpieces regularly (all of the earphones mentioned come with a cleaning tool), and you’ll be in good shape.