Custom IEM Summary Chart - Quick info for a starting point in your custom IEM search sorted by price. This should be the first thing you read and try to match keywords with what you are looking for, as well as similar soundingheadphones. It is very important to know what sound signature you like will be getting from your CIEM as you will get used to the technical performance and the sound signature will determine your enjoyment of the CIEM. Also see my write-up on the Rooth lineup.
Manufacturer Model Price Keywords Similar Sounding* Quick Summary
Unique Melody Platoform Pure 6 | PP6 $2,280 spacious, transparent, u-shaped, bass power, enhanced bass, transparent Miracle The PP6 comes with an extrenal box that contains a DSP, DAC, active crossover, and amps. The sound is spacious, euphoric, and U-shaped with a boost in the bass and the treble.
Ultimate Ears Personal Reference Monitor $1999 organic, realistic, spacious, 3D, excellent imaging, transparent, tuning You tune the sound before getting your customized version Sound tuning enables people to choose their sound signature, which is very important for CIEMs. Technical performance is exceptional, with an organic, natural sound that is very spacious.
Spiral Ear SE 5-way Reference $1650 ultra-resolution, massive bass power, extended treble, rich, warm, liquid, organic, 3D, realistic, detailed, bass depth, transparent, chameleon Closest match: GR07; similar to LCD-2, SM3, To Go! 334 Silicone shelled custom IEM that conveys raw power and emotion through ultra-high resolution and 3D, realistic soundstage. Ultimate clarity in an organic way with exceptional technical ability. Not bright but not dark.
Fit Ear PS-5 $1650 sensitive, warm, enhanced bass, mid-forward, 3D, rich, layered, chameleon Similar but different than the SE5 Five driver with plentiful bass, a forward midrange, and relaxed treble presented with excellecent imaging, good space and detail, and extension on both ends of the spectrum. Adjusts a lot to each track and sources.
Hidition NT-6 pro $1250 extreme clarity, enhanced bass, enhanced treble, ultimate focus, high resolution, bass power, analytical, detailed, transparent, fast more exciting NT-6, colder but more 3D JH16 Supreme clarity and a very spacious soundstage that is both wide and deep with exceptional focus within the soundstage and impressive imaging. The presentation is more upfront than the SA-43 and on the analytical side, yet still musical.
Hidition NT-6 $1200 reference bass, dynamic range, bright, analytical, spacious 3D, transparent, realistic, extended bass and treble CK10 Very detailed, analytical reference sound that has some musicality to it with a very spacious and 3D presentation. Ultimate clarity in an analytical way. Exceptional technical ability.
ACS T1 Live! $1200 Warm, rich, organic, mid-forward, 3D, natural, non-fatiguing, stage use LCD-2, SM3, SE 5-way, Mi-3 Rich and organic silicone shelled custom IEM that presents in a realistic, natural way and makes many others sound a bit tonally off. Bass and mid-forward with relaxed treble.
Earsonics EM4 $1167 Exciting, warm, resolving, exciting, bass depth, mid-forward, very enhanced bass Brighter SM3, thicker JH16 Full acrylic shelled custom IEM with a fun, dynamic, warm presentation that has captivating vocals, plenty of bass, and very good treble extension presented in a spacious and airy, yet mid-forward way.
JH Audio JH16 $1149 fast, punchy, spacious, detailed, massive bass power, enhanced bass, bass depth, bright, analytical, sub-bass rumble LS8, TF10 with more miss Punchy and dynamic with great instrument detail and width to the presentation. Bass enhancement is always on and bass is fast yet reverberant.
M-Fidelity (formerly Starkey) SA-43 $1050 Natural, neutral, realistic, detailed, 3D, liquid, very spacious, 3D, ambiance, enhanced bass, neutral treble, natural tone, transparent SE535 (ambiance switch on), FABs (switches off) Extremely spacious and 3D presentation with an organic and natural presentation that is also neutral and options to adjust the amount of bass and forwardness of the midrange.
Rooth LS8 $1030 fast, punchy, liquid, extended treble, enhanced bass, bright, detailed JH16, warmer CK10, TF10 Warm and bright with a punchy, dynamic, and liquid presentation that has great detail and a spacious, 3D soundstage.
Earsonics EM3 Pro $1000 bass power, organic, liquid, warm, thick, natural, 3D SM3, darker LCD-2 Warm, thick, and rich presentation that gives
EarPower EP-10 Plus $1000 warm, thick, bass power, sub-bass rumble IE8 This open custom IEM uses a Sennheiser ear but for the bass driver in a special chamber and recreates a spacious and thick presentation that sounds like you are at a concert, but far in the back.
Ultimate Ears In-Ear Reference Monitor $999 analytical, bright, 3D, spacious, accurate, neutral bass, detailed, transparent DBA-02, warmerCK10, warmer NT-6 Bright and analytical with impressive imaging, the UERM doesn*t lack in many ways other than the harsh treble with less than perfect masters.
Lear LCM-5 $945 neutral, accurate, spacious, coherent, clear, transparent, 3D, bright CK10, ER4 with adapter Quite neutral with good capability and a somewhat laid back presentation. Treble isn*t as bright as most reference sound sigs. Needs a good source pairing for best performance.
Audio Earz (Dream Earz) AUD-8X $865 Mid-Forward, Dynamic, 3D, Spacious, Detailed, Resolving, Coherent, Thick, Warm, Balanced SE535 and Infinity X3 Performing at a high technical level, the aud-8X is very capable, with a mid-forward presentation that is enveloping and engaging. Dynamics are high and the avearge note is on the thicker side, which can affect clarity on a track by track basis.
Kozee Infinity X3 $620 punchy, dynamic, mid-forward, spacious, enhanced bass SE535 Very energetic presentation that has all areas of the frequency spectrum turned up with a spacious presentation that is good for bass heads.
Wan Xuan (Beat Audio) wx i9pro $619 warm, rich, liquid, enhanced spaciousness, enhanced bass, 3D, sub-bass ability, bass head IE8 or any bass head IEM, HD650 The FST technology adds an impressive spaciousness to the sound which uses the 14mm driver to appeal to bass heads with plenty of enhanced, reverberant bass and sub-bass. Very fluid presentation that has a nice balance and coherence across the frequency spectrum.
Minerva Mi-3 $615 rich, warm, forward projection, liquid, 3D, bass neutral IE8 projection and warmth/thickness, but not deep bass Housed in a silicone shell, the soundstage has very good forward projection with a the laid back and ultra smooth sound with good forward projection
Fabs Fabs Fabulous Earphones $600 natural, neutral, mid-forward, realistic, somewhat dry, relaxed bass, relaxed treble, 3D, spacious e-Q7 This half-shell custom IEM is neutral and natural with good space for acoustic/classical
M-Fidelity (formerly Starkey) SA-12 $600 Bright, extended, liquid, warm, bass neutral CK10, DBA-02 This canal sized custom IEM has an analytical yet liquid presentation that is fairly balanced with a warm and slightly bright presentation
Dream Earz aud-5X $565 bass power, bass depth, extended treble, 3D, liquid, transparent, enhanced bass, balanced, powerful, effortless, rich, extended frequency response, sub-bass ability Much higher quality and brighter SE535 Very well rounded sound with great imaging, transparency, extension on both ends, and technical ability for the price. Mids are a bit forward but still in great balance with the rest of the frequencies and the presentation is a nice balance between thick and thin allowing the 5X to recreate any note type.
Thousand Sound TS842 $540 bright, analytical, V shaped frequency response, sub-bass rumble, detailed TF10 Bright, analytical, and detailed with tight yet powerful and deep bass giving a V shaped response similar to a more refined and higher performing TF10.
DUNU DC4 $499 Mid-forward, liquid, warm, rich, powerful, coherent, transparent, balanced, forgiving, 3D, imaging, presentation depth SM3, EM4 Up-close and personal midrange that has excellent imaging and depth to go with a very coherent sound across the spectrum with a warm and powerful presentation. The DC4 is transparent to the song and source while the liquid presentation is never fatiguing but forgiving.
Ambient Monitors AM4 Pro $499 Balanced, 3D, coherent, transparent, bass capable, bright, natural Not quite as bright T1 Live! Natural and on the neutral side, but with a more mid-forward presentation than a typical reference monitor. Exceptional depth to the performance at this price point with excellent note attack and decay.
Alclair Reference $399 Neutral, natural, 3D, spacious, musical, extended, warm RE252 (with more bass) Natural and neutral sounding with a slightly warm and musical presentation. Bass is not overdone and the entire presentation is quite flat.
* These are the similar in sound in one way or another, but overall they are generally fairly different and don*t have the weaknesses of the lower end products. This should used as a starting point to figure out which custom IEMs fit the sound you are trying to find. Read the reviews for additional information of what you think fits your preferences.
** Discount price
Manufacturer Model Price Keywords Similar Sounding* Quick Summary
Unique Melody Platoform Pure 6 | PP6 $2,280 spacious, transparent, u-shaped, bass power, enhanced bass, transparent Miracle The PP6 comes with an extrenal box that contains a DSP, DAC, active crossover, and amps. The sound is spacious, euphoric, and U-shaped with a boost in the bass and the treble.
Ultimate Ears Personal Reference Monitor $1999 organic, realistic, spacious, 3D, excellent imaging, transparent, tuning You tune the sound before getting your customized version Sound tuning enables people to choose their sound signature, which is very important for CIEMs. Technical performance is exceptional, with an organic, natural sound that is very spacious.
Spiral Ear SE 5-way Reference $1650 ultra-resolution, massive bass power, extended treble, rich, warm, liquid, organic, 3D, realistic, detailed, bass depth, transparent, chameleon Closest match: GR07; similar to LCD-2, SM3, To Go! 334 Silicone shelled custom IEM that conveys raw power and emotion through ultra-high resolution and 3D, realistic soundstage. Ultimate clarity in an organic way with exceptional technical ability. Not bright but not dark.
Fit Ear PS-5 $1650 sensitive, warm, enhanced bass, mid-forward, 3D, rich, layered, chameleon Similar but different than the SE5 Five driver with plentiful bass, a forward midrange, and relaxed treble presented with excellecent imaging, good space and detail, and extension on both ends of the spectrum. Adjusts a lot to each track and sources.
Hidition NT-6 pro $1250 extreme clarity, enhanced bass, enhanced treble, ultimate focus, high resolution, bass power, analytical, detailed, transparent, fast more exciting NT-6, colder but more 3D JH16 Supreme clarity and a very spacious soundstage that is both wide and deep with exceptional focus within the soundstage and impressive imaging. The presentation is more upfront than the SA-43 and on the analytical side, yet still musical.
Hidition NT-6 $1200 reference bass, dynamic range, bright, analytical, spacious 3D, transparent, realistic, extended bass and treble CK10 Very detailed, analytical reference sound that has some musicality to it with a very spacious and 3D presentation. Ultimate clarity in an analytical way. Exceptional technical ability.
ACS T1 Live! $1200 Warm, rich, organic, mid-forward, 3D, natural, non-fatiguing, stage use LCD-2, SM3, SE 5-way, Mi-3 Rich and organic silicone shelled custom IEM that presents in a realistic, natural way and makes many others sound a bit tonally off. Bass and mid-forward with relaxed treble.
Earsonics EM4 $1167 Exciting, warm, resolving, exciting, bass depth, mid-forward, very enhanced bass Brighter SM3, thicker JH16 Full acrylic shelled custom IEM with a fun, dynamic, warm presentation that has captivating vocals, plenty of bass, and very good treble extension presented in a spacious and airy, yet mid-forward way.
JH Audio JH16 $1149 fast, punchy, spacious, detailed, massive bass power, enhanced bass, bass depth, bright, analytical, sub-bass rumble LS8, TF10 with more miss Punchy and dynamic with great instrument detail and width to the presentation. Bass enhancement is always on and bass is fast yet reverberant.
M-Fidelity (formerly Starkey) SA-43 $1050 Natural, neutral, realistic, detailed, 3D, liquid, very spacious, 3D, ambiance, enhanced bass, neutral treble, natural tone, transparent SE535 (ambiance switch on), FABs (switches off) Extremely spacious and 3D presentation with an organic and natural presentation that is also neutral and options to adjust the amount of bass and forwardness of the midrange.
Rooth LS8 $1030 fast, punchy, liquid, extended treble, enhanced bass, bright, detailed JH16, warmer CK10, TF10 Warm and bright with a punchy, dynamic, and liquid presentation that has great detail and a spacious, 3D soundstage.
Earsonics EM3 Pro $1000 bass power, organic, liquid, warm, thick, natural, 3D SM3, darker LCD-2 Warm, thick, and rich presentation that gives
EarPower EP-10 Plus $1000 warm, thick, bass power, sub-bass rumble IE8 This open custom IEM uses a Sennheiser ear but for the bass driver in a special chamber and recreates a spacious and thick presentation that sounds like you are at a concert, but far in the back.
Ultimate Ears In-Ear Reference Monitor $999 analytical, bright, 3D, spacious, accurate, neutral bass, detailed, transparent DBA-02, warmerCK10, warmer NT-6 Bright and analytical with impressive imaging, the UERM doesn*t lack in many ways other than the harsh treble with less than perfect masters.
Lear LCM-5 $945 neutral, accurate, spacious, coherent, clear, transparent, 3D, bright CK10, ER4 with adapter Quite neutral with good capability and a somewhat laid back presentation. Treble isn*t as bright as most reference sound sigs. Needs a good source pairing for best performance.
Audio Earz (Dream Earz) AUD-8X $865 Mid-Forward, Dynamic, 3D, Spacious, Detailed, Resolving, Coherent, Thick, Warm, Balanced SE535 and Infinity X3 Performing at a high technical level, the aud-8X is very capable, with a mid-forward presentation that is enveloping and engaging. Dynamics are high and the avearge note is on the thicker side, which can affect clarity on a track by track basis.
Kozee Infinity X3 $620 punchy, dynamic, mid-forward, spacious, enhanced bass SE535 Very energetic presentation that has all areas of the frequency spectrum turned up with a spacious presentation that is good for bass heads.
Wan Xuan (Beat Audio) wx i9pro $619 warm, rich, liquid, enhanced spaciousness, enhanced bass, 3D, sub-bass ability, bass head IE8 or any bass head IEM, HD650 The FST technology adds an impressive spaciousness to the sound which uses the 14mm driver to appeal to bass heads with plenty of enhanced, reverberant bass and sub-bass. Very fluid presentation that has a nice balance and coherence across the frequency spectrum.
Minerva Mi-3 $615 rich, warm, forward projection, liquid, 3D, bass neutral IE8 projection and warmth/thickness, but not deep bass Housed in a silicone shell, the soundstage has very good forward projection with a the laid back and ultra smooth sound with good forward projection
Fabs Fabs Fabulous Earphones $600 natural, neutral, mid-forward, realistic, somewhat dry, relaxed bass, relaxed treble, 3D, spacious e-Q7 This half-shell custom IEM is neutral and natural with good space for acoustic/classical
M-Fidelity (formerly Starkey) SA-12 $600 Bright, extended, liquid, warm, bass neutral CK10, DBA-02 This canal sized custom IEM has an analytical yet liquid presentation that is fairly balanced with a warm and slightly bright presentation
Dream Earz aud-5X $565 bass power, bass depth, extended treble, 3D, liquid, transparent, enhanced bass, balanced, powerful, effortless, rich, extended frequency response, sub-bass ability Much higher quality and brighter SE535 Very well rounded sound with great imaging, transparency, extension on both ends, and technical ability for the price. Mids are a bit forward but still in great balance with the rest of the frequencies and the presentation is a nice balance between thick and thin allowing the 5X to recreate any note type.
Thousand Sound TS842 $540 bright, analytical, V shaped frequency response, sub-bass rumble, detailed TF10 Bright, analytical, and detailed with tight yet powerful and deep bass giving a V shaped response similar to a more refined and higher performing TF10.
DUNU DC4 $499 Mid-forward, liquid, warm, rich, powerful, coherent, transparent, balanced, forgiving, 3D, imaging, presentation depth SM3, EM4 Up-close and personal midrange that has excellent imaging and depth to go with a very coherent sound across the spectrum with a warm and powerful presentation. The DC4 is transparent to the song and source while the liquid presentation is never fatiguing but forgiving.
Ambient Monitors AM4 Pro $499 Balanced, 3D, coherent, transparent, bass capable, bright, natural Not quite as bright T1 Live! Natural and on the neutral side, but with a more mid-forward presentation than a typical reference monitor. Exceptional depth to the performance at this price point with excellent note attack and decay.
Alclair Reference $399 Neutral, natural, 3D, spacious, musical, extended, warm RE252 (with more bass) Natural and neutral sounding with a slightly warm and musical presentation. Bass is not overdone and the entire presentation is quite flat.
* These are the similar in sound in one way or another, but overall they are generally fairly different and don*t have the weaknesses of the lower end products. This should used as a starting point to figure out which custom IEMs fit the sound you are trying to find. Read the reviews for additional information of what you think fits your preferences.
** Discount price
