64Audio U3 In-ear Earphone Review

Introduction –

1964 have a rich and immensely interesting heritage as an audio manufacturer. Their very name, now just 64 Audio, denotes the year when the first in-ear monitor was released onto the market. And while I mostly knew of the company’s professional experience and affordable custom earphones, it was a fine day when I first heard 64Audio’s universal in-ear line-up at my local retailer. And I think a large part of my enjoyment can be attributed to the U3, their low-middle priced in-ear that pursues a balanced but vibrant sound.

But looking online revealed zero reviews in addition to a vast lack of discussion with only 64Audio’s multi-thousand dollar flagship universals and customs getting all the attention. And on that note, the U3 isn’t a cheap earphone, retailing for $850 here in Australia, but it is an earphone that provides much of the experience offered by these higher end products at a vastly more accessible price. It’s also interesting to see the innovations pioneered by 64Audio’s flagships filter down to these more affordable offerings. The U3 resultantly demonstrates that you don’t need to spend thousands of dollars to find an engaging and nuanced listen.

Disclaimer –

I would like to thank Roman from 64Audio very much for his quick communication and for providing me with the U3 for the purpose of review. All words are my own and there is no monetary incentive for a positive review. Despite receiving the earphones free of cost, I will attempt to be as objective as possible in my evaluation.

Accessories –

While 64Audio’s products have plenty of value to the audiophile and audio enthusiast communities, their earphones are really targeted towards music professionals for use on stage and during practice and production. The unboxing of the U3 embodies these values with a more practical, no-frills approach that doesn’t flatter the buyer like extravagantly packaged consumer products such as those from 1More. But of course, it’s what’s inside that counts and 64Audio provide a very comprehensive and thoughtful set of accessories. Removing the outer sheath reveals the large hard case with extra ear tips and desiccant just above. While hardly portable or pocketable, the case is a fabulous all in one solution.

At the top, the case holds the shirt clip, cleaning tool and 2 pairs of apex modules. The case also has an integrated cable winder on the bottom accompanied by ear tip holders and an inlet for the desiccant pod which removes moisture, great after a live performance or run.

64Audio include genuine Comply foams with medium T500’s preinstalled and additional small and large tips in sealed bags. The U3’s also come with a pair of dual flange silicone tips. Of note, since the nozzles on the earphones are quite long, only dual flange tips fit on the earphones without using some sort of spacer.

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