Reviewed October 2013
Details: Single BA model from Poland-based Custom Art, owned and operated by a long-time Head-Fi member piotrus-g
Base Price: €154 (approx. $170) from thecustomart.com
Specs: Driver: BA | Imp: 41Ω | Sens: 109 dB | Freq: 10-20k Hz | Cable: 4.2’ L-plug
Wear Style: Over-the-ear
Accessories (5/5) – Cleaning tool, Otterbox 1000 crushproof storage/carrying case, and compact clamshell carrying case
Build Quality (5/5) – The Music One is a full-shell silicone custom monitor with excellent shell quality. A fixed cable is standard, but detachable cabling is available as an option. The fixed cable lacks external strain relief but the silicone of the shells does the same job better. The cord itself is among my all-time favorites – very soft and slightly rubberized, it is resistant to both microphonics and tangling. There are also far more customization options available for the Music One than my other silicone customs, and Custom Art even offers themed visual designs dubbed “State of Art” at an extra cost. My unit has blue shells, clear tips, and color-coded nozzles, and came with a matching blue carrying case
Isolation (5/5) – Excellent, falling just behind my Spiral Ear 3-way Reference, which has a musician’s fit with longer canals
Microphonics (5/5) – None – the soft, rubbery cable is completely silent
Comfort (5/5) – The flexible, low-profile silicone shells of the Music One can be hard to grip and take slightly longer to insert and remove compared to more rigid acrylic customs, but are extremely comfortable and maintain seal better with changes to ear canal shape, such as while chewing or talking. Built around a single balanced armature driver, the Music One has the lowest profile of all my custom monitors and its soft cables are made more unobtrusive by the lack of a strain relief and memory wire. All in all, it is the most comfortable of all my earphones, custom-fit or otherwise
Sound (9.2/10) – From the first listen it was clear that the Custom Art Music One, which utilizes a vented balanced armature driver, is one of the best earphones in its class. It pursues a very coherent, natural sound that impresses with its weight and smoothness. The low end extends well and offers up good impact. It is tighter than the boomier, more mid-bassy 1964EARS 1964-V3 but, as with the other silicone customs I’ve reviewed thus far, there is a certain difficult-to-describe characteristic to the bass that makes the earphones seem more impactful while taking away slightly from the detail and texture, which I attribute to the silicone. This allows the Music One to maintain good bass control while providing ample presence – more than with the dynamic-driver HiFiMan RE-400 and the Ultimate Ears 600, for example – but also means it can’t quite keep up with the low-end resolution of, for example, the pricier EarSonics SM64.
The mids of the Music One are smooth and clear, with good note thickness and again a very natural presentation. The midrange is definitely one of the strengths of the earphone but doesn’t present as overly forward, likely due to the impactful bass. The HiFiMan RE-400 and Ultimate Ears 600 both seem a touch more mid-centric than the Music One, for example. Clarity is excellent as well, falling just a hair behind higher-priced sets such as the EarSonics SM64 and 1964EARS V3.
The treble of the Custom Art is a little less prominent but still remains in good balance with the overall sound, reminding me of the way recent HiFiMan releases have been tuned. It is not the most crisp-sounding, but tends to be natural and smooth. The same is true of the presentation – the Music One has a spacious sound, especially compared to the majority of other single-BA earphones. It also impresses with good soundstage depth and the ability to portray intimacy properly when necessary, further making it a great all-rounder.
Select Comparisons
The A161P is a single-armature earphone based on a Knowles ED transducer and tuned for a crisp and punchy sound. The A161P and Custom Art Music One are not exceedingly different in terms of balance, and on some tracks sound rather similar overall. With in-depth listening, however, it becomes clear that the Music One is a significantly more refined earphone.
While the A161P has good bass punch for a single-armature set, the Music One is more impactful and has a thicker, weightier note presentation. Its tone is warmer overall and it makes the A161P sound thin in comparison. The A161P tends to be brighter and, next to the rather smooth Music One, sounds somewhat harsh and grainy. The A161P is also more forward while the Music One offers a wider presentation with better depth and imaging.
One of the many reasons the dynamic-driver VSonic GR07 has maintained its popularity over the past few years is that it can go toe to toe with many higher-priced sets. Pitted against the Custom Art Music One, it loses out in midrange and treble quality but partly makes up for it with great bass. The main differences lie in the midrange, where the Music One offers better presence and clarity. The GR07, in comparison, sounds slightly mid-recessed. This, in turn, accentuates the bass of the VSonics, which appears a little more impactful but also quicker compared to the Music One. The Custom Art unit offers smoother treble while the more energetic GR07 is susceptible to sibilance. The presentation of the GR07 tends to have good width and little else, while the Music One is more well-rounded and offers depth and imaging to match.
Long-time industry leader and innovator Etymotic Research first released the ER4 in 1991, and its ER4S tuning remains one of my all-time favorite universal-fit earphones. The Custom Art Music One and ER4S each have advantages over the other and it’s difficult to pick a clear winner here. The Music One definitely sounds fuller and warmer overall, thanks in part to its weightier low end. Despite the bass, however, it appears a bit more mid-centric overall. Its treble is less prominent and more forgiving, and its midrange – thicker and more attention-grabbing. The leaner ER4S can at times sound a touch clearer and has a small advantage in overall balance, while the Music One oftentimes sounds more natural thanks to its thicker, fuller sound.
ClearTuneMonitors CT-200 ($350)
The ClearTuneMonitors CT-200 is a dual-driver acrylic custom priced higher than the Custom Art Music One. It is a neutral-sounding earphone that rolls off gently at either end of the frequency spectrum. Compared to the CT-200, the Music One has an advantage in bass depth and impact. Its low end is more extended and powerful, and grants the earphone a warmer overall tone. The CT-200 is brighter overall, presenting more forward upper mids in comparison. It also sounds a touch clearer and its treble is more crisp, appearing a little more detailed as a result. In terms of presentation, the CT-200 is more spacious and open-sounding while the Music One tends to be slightly more intimate. Nonetheless, the Music One again sounds very natural in this comparison – arguably more so than the CT-200 thanks to its warmer, thicker sound.
The triple-driver, acrylic-shelled Alclair Reference is an accurate-sounding earphone that offers good presence across the entire frequency spectrum. It has similar bass depth and impact to the Custom Art Music One but tends to be a little tighter and more detailed. As with the VSonic GR07, its midrange is more recessed compared to the Music One, which has rather prominent mids. The Reference is still clearer, however, and seems more resolving as well. In general, the Alclair monitor sounds better up to the upper midrange, where it starts to display some stridency. Its treble is more prominent overall and tends to be peakier and more sibilant. The Music One, on the other hand, is smooth and far more forgiving, and sounds more natural overall in the treble region. Finally, the Reference is overall more spacious and images a little better than the Music One.
Value (10/10) – The Custom Art Music One is an excellent value, combining the noise isolation of custom-fit silicone shells with a single balanced armature driver delivering an organic, coherent sound. The ultra-light low-profile silicone shells of the Music One put its fit and comfort above not only universal monitors, but other customs as well. Lastly, in addition to great attention to detail spanning everything from the cable to the accessory pack, the Music One offers more customization options compared to other silicone CIEMs, making it an even tougher earphone to fault on any front.
Pros: Great isolation & comfort; fantastic cable; great audio performance
Cons: Low-profile shells can be tough to remove from ears
For another perspective, see average_joe’s review of the Music One
126 Responses
That’s the first time I’ve seen someone describe their sound signature preferences that way, but I know exactly what you mean 🙂
With a $600 budget I’d consider the Custom Art Pro 330v2 – I compared it to the Music One here: https://theheadphonelist.com/brief-impressions-custom-art-harmony-8-pro-pro-330-v2/ . It sounds like you’re located outside the EU, so the pricing will be quite favorable without the VAT. They’re not miles apart in performance, but the PRO330v2 goes that extra step in ensuring its smoothness doesn’t tank the clarity.
The PRO330 is a little larger than the Music One and not as low profile in the ear, but comfort is comparable.
For a brighter, more VSonic-like sound I would recommend the Alclair Reference, but it is acrylic and not silicone (plus, I prefer the smoother treble of the PRO330 and with no VAT the price difference between them won’t be huge).
Thank you for the response!
Well, I’m thrilled to hear it still compares on comfort, but I must admit that warm and smooth aren’t things which appeal to me as much in audio as exacting detail (I consider myself an anti-Tyll, in terms of audio preference) and precision. Are there any sub-$600 options which are closer to the VC1000 (or ER4, actually, as I’m also quite fond of that) in tuning and not too far behind the Music One in comfort?
Ah, thank you for the comparison! I can definitely understand that it’s a bit apples-to-oranges (rather as with speakers to headphones). I suppose I shouldn’t have gotten my hopes up, there, but since I’ve got the HE-560, it’s become a bit of a reference point for me, and I was really impressed with how well my VC1000 kept up with it given the stark price difference.
The Music One is, if not the most comfortable IEM in my collection, then definitely on-par with the most comfortable. The sound does differ from the VC1000, though – the Music One is still nearly neutral, but overall tuned more warm and smooth than the VC1000. I wrote a short comparison of them elsewhere on the site, so I just copy/pasted it here:
“Overall, the VC1000 sounds leaner, a bit clearer as a result, and its bass is a little tighter. The Music One has more bass weight and warmer tone but both are pretty close to neutral. Note presentation is a little thicker and more natural with the Music One and it has more emphasis on its midrange and less on treble. It also sounds a little more forgiving as a result.”
There’s a couple of reasons I don’t like headphone vs IEM comparisons, one of them being that headphones and IEMs that are similarly balanced-sounding on paper may not actually sound all that similar in the ear. In this case, as much as I like the Music One, I can say that it doesn’t quite stack up to the HE-560. The smooth tuning and the fact that it’s single BA might have something to do with it. Compared to the HE-560 it just sounds like it runs out of steam at the limits, top and bottom, and the clarity and bass tightness aren’t quite there (your VC1000 will be closer to the HE-560 in this respect thanks to its leaner, brighter sound). To get those things at HE-560 level with a more full-bodied earphone, you’d need something like a Custom Art Harmony 8 or other top-tier IEM.
Howdy ljokerl. A while back, I bought a pair of VC1000s based on your review of them, and while I absolutely adore the sound (indeed, they’re the only sub-$200 headphone of any size I still listen to), I’m feeling the need for a bit more comfort and isolation on my commute. I reckon a pair of CIEMs will oblige in both regards (particularly comfort, honestly, the 35ish dB of isolation on the VC1000s is fine), and given how well the US dollar trades with the zloty these days, I was thinking about a pair of Music Ones. How do they compare to the VC1000s, both in quality and sound signature? Would you still rate it as the most comfortable IEM you’ve got? Lastly, while I know you’re not fond of headphone to IEM comparisons, could I get any sort of impression of how they stack up the HE-560? I know it’s a bit of an odd request, but they’re my favourite headphone by far, and I know that you’ve got one as well.
I prefer the Music One to the GR07 even though the sound somewhat different. The smoother treble of the Custom Art cinches it for me. I can’t say it’s better value though, with the GR07 now $99 for the “classic” version.
Neither one will sound as warm as the X10 so no need to worry about that. The GR07 has a little more bass punch so it will get you closer to the X10 in that regard, but the Klipsch is a bass-heavy earphone (mildly so, but still) while the PFE, GR07, and Music One can all be classified as “balanced”. If you want a little more punch, the GR07 Bass Edition can also be viable (treble smoothness again not being its strong suit).
Hi Joker,
First, thanks for the excellent reviews you’ve been doing for so long. I can’t even remember how long ago it was the first time I found the IEM review thread!
Anyway, I’m coming from some Phonak PFE 112s and (two pairs of) Klipsch X10s, and I told myself I’d splurge for customs (namely the Music One) when the most recent pair finally failed. I had used the black filters with the PFE 112s, and liked the bass of the X10s, although sometimes it was a little too warm. To get to the question, what would you recommend between any of those I’ve listed or even something like the GR07.
Thanks a bunch.
The bass is significantly lower on the Music One in comparison to the SE215. If you’ve never owned a less bass-heavy earphone, it’s hard to say whether or not you will get used to it (and how quickly). For me the bass is adequate, but I tend to like flatter sound signatures than that of the SE215. I guess we can call the DN-1000 the “safe” choice in this case, and the Music One the risk (but with potentially great reward if you do like this sort of sound signature).
Number of drivers is much less important than how well they are implemented and how the earphone is tuned. For instance, the Creative Aurvana In-Ear 3 and the StageDiver SD-2 have the same number and type of drivers (two BAs), but their performance is far apart (including detail level). There’s dozens of other examples like this as well. One other hand, the Sennheiser IE 800 has one dynamic driver and still puts out near top-tier performance, while there’s also plenty of single dynamic earphones that sound awful.
It depends on the cable break. Tuning is not really a consideration, but ease of replair definitely is. If the cable goes near the plug, just about anyone with a soldering iron can replace it. If it goes at one of the earpieces, that’s tougher. Probably would need to send it back to the manufacturer or a professional repair/recable service (unless the DN-1000 is somehow very easy to disassemble at the earpieces.. which I doubt).
Hi!
I’ve been thinking about making an upgrade from my Shure SE215’s, because I would something a bit more detailed, however, I would like to avoid losing out on the bass since I listen to rock (Joy Division, Brian Jonestown Massacre etc.) and also electronic (Bonobo, Chemical Brothers), where bass is quite important.
My choice currently has come down to the Custom Art Music One’s and the Dunu DN-1000’s. Now, I know that these are quite different IEM’s, but really can’t seem to decide which one to go for since each of them has their own pros and cons.
On one hand, the Music One’s would be much more comfortable and better built while having a great SQ (in addition to the excitement of my first CIEM’s!), but DN-1000’s will have the more prominent bass. Do you think that someone like me, who’s coming from SE215’s, is going to be disappointed with the bass of the Music One’s due to them being single BA? Or is the bass completely adequate?
Last question: does the number of drivers in each of these earphones (single BA of Music One’s and 2BA+1 dynamic of DN-1000’s) have any impact on the detail of the SQ, or is this quite irrelevant in this case?
And a bonus question: if, say, the cable of the DN-1000’s breaks, can it be replaced by anyone with a soldering iron and enough skill, or do they have to be shipped to the manufacturer due to a cable replacement possibly impacting the tuning and SQ?
By the way, thank you for your great reviews!
The OPPO looks awesome but is way too much for what I’m willing to spend on a portable amp, like around 100 is what I’m aiming for. The FiiO E11 is the new E7, or so I’ve read. Seems like a good candidate then. Also looking at the E12 and Soundmagic A10. I kinda like what I’m reading about the A10 since it does some good bass boosting along with some slight coloration but I don’t want too much coloration.. Ah decisions lol
This is a much more specific use case than the broad and generic “do I need to get an amp for headphones?”. In this case it’s safe to say the answer is yes, it is possible for an amp to do what you want – I don’t know about the Fiio E11 specifically but the bass boost on my OPPO HA-2 DAC/amp does a good job of boosting warmth slightly without causing any issues. With this purpose in mind you may want an amp that has more than 1 level of bass boost, but I don’t know how many of those are out there. My old Fiio E7 did this (3 levels I believe, the lowest two were quite alright).
Oh and one more quick question. Would my VC1000 benefit from an amp like the FiiO E11 if I’m looking for that slight warmth? I kow you mentioned before on how it doesn’t particularly need one but the EQ presets on my Ipod Classic aren’t to my liking and/or cause some type of distortion.
I did a little research on that AudioFly and I liked what I read. Price is a little up there and I’m not exactly sure how they would fair on the comfort front but thanks for recommendation it’s much appreciated 🙂
Funny you mention that type of treble setup. Was just listening to the AudioFly AF180 which does the same thing. Not exactly affordable, but definitely another strong performer for this type of sound with one of those “high up” treble peaks (which the SD-2 doesn’t have).
Agreed that the BA200 and VC1000 are both great earphones that hold their own in any price range 🙂
That one is a bit out of my budget but it does seem to fit the bill pretty decently for what I’m after signature wise. Another thing I admired about the BA200 was that it having a treble peak that is slightly higher up meant that there was a better sense of separation between sibilance and the sound of cymbals. Really a lot to like about it, I just couldn’t get a fit to my liking so I went with the VC1000 and combined with Sony Hybrids are the most comfortable earphones I’ve ever had. I just wished it had a tad more mid bass and occasionally similar note thickness of the TDK. Both are great headphones though.
In that regard the most similar high-end IEM I’ve tried is the StageDiver SD-2: https://theheadphonelist.com/headphone_review/inear-stagediver-2-sd-2-review/ . There’s a custom version of it as well but I believe it’s even pricier.
Dang, I really enjoyed the bass presentation on the BA200 and was hoping this would be just as good all around. Thanks for the reply, I think I’ll pass on this one.
Similar in the general sense of being balanced with slightly less than average (for a BA monitor) treble brightness. BA200 is a touch darker and has better bottom-end extension whereas the Music One is a bit more midrange-focused, and (to me) a hair more neutral overall.
How similar is this compared to the BA200?
Thanks for the answer! You helped me make the decision. Altough I finally decided to try the smoother music ones. I figured I wanted to try a more relaxing, smoother and forgiving iem for reading, studying etc.
I can’t commend on the Music Two from experience but the Music One has significantly smoother treble than the FXT90 and even grey-filtered PFEs. It’s quite forgiving for a BA earphone. If the Music Two does have a little more treble, I think it would be a better choice for you.
*meant to say grey filters. I really like the grey filters.
Hi, I’m going to buy either the music one or music two. Music two is supposed to have more bass and treble.
I have phonak 112 and love it with the green filters. I also have the fxt90 and while I really like the presentation and timbre, I feel like the treble and sibilance hurt my ears on many tracks.
I really like the smoothness and treble of the pfe 112. The treble is sparkly but I find it not fatiguing and not sibilant. I need to have similar treble than the pfe112. Any less and I feel like the music has no life. But I don’t want any sibilance there.
How does the music one compare with the phonak 112? or the fxt90?
I’m wondering if I should order the music two, which should have more treble and more everything.
Unfortunately I’ve never tried the JH5, not even a demo. I’ve heard good things about it but I couldn’t tell you how it compares to the Music One.
I’m contemplating between JH5’s and Custom Art Music Ones. I’m in no rush, but JHAudio seems to always have a Black Friday sale to drop the price of them down to $320. Should I pick up one over the other?
The Music One is an accuracy-oriented monitor with a slightly warm sound signature. As long as you’re not expecting a more neutral sound OR heavily enhanced bass, they’re an excellent choice.
I’ve been looking at getting some IEMs, and I listen to a lot of classical. Would Custom Art Ones be an alright match for me?
Appreciate the response, I think I’ll take the dive on the music one as my first pair of CIEMS and maybe scrape up enough to pick up either the VC1000’s or R-50’s at a future date. Really excited to try these and again sincerely grateful for your input.
Hmm… compared to CK10s these have a warmer and more full-bodied sound but won’t be as bright and clear. The Pros and Cons vs the CK10s will be quite similar to what I found for the ER4S in the comparison above.
If you want to try something still very balanced and quite clear but with a slightly warmer tilt, these are a great option. If you want to stick closer to the CK10’s sound, you might consider a VSonic VC1000 (https://theheadphonelist.com/headphone_review/vsonic-vc1000/) or Rock-It Sounds R-50 with a tip mod and impedance adapter (https://theheadphonelist.com/headphone_review/rock-it-sounds-r-50/).
A sad day, my CK10’s have just failed, have been doing some research on viable replacements and as I have great respect for your opinions (having originally picked up the CK10’s on your say so) wanted to check in and see if you feel this would be a suitable successor? My main concern would be losing too much of the clarity that I so adored in the transition.
Thanks in advance for continuing to be my guide in the audio world ^^
For me it would be a no-brainer, but then I’m quite used to customs. All silicone customs are very comfortable if they are made properly – I do prefer the low-profile design of the Music One but the differences are minute. I haven’t tried the Music Two but I wouldn’t skip it just because it might not be quite as low-profile.
I am going to somewhat reply to my own question here. Since I had a bad experience with bose before, and other reviews online confirm my suspicion, I will go for my first customs, with custom art.
The question still stands though, and maybe the previous poster is interested to know also, are the custom art 2s a straightforward upgrade, or do they lose that low profile comfort?
Thanks
Hi, I am interested in very comfortable iems. For universals I was thinking of choosing Bose quietcomfort 20i, but for a similar price there are theses custom art music ones.
This is a strange comparison, due to the quietcomfort’s noise cancelling (I imagine there is a hiss). Is it a no brainer to go with the music ones instead of the bose earphones?
And are the rest of the line just as comfortable as the music ones or is it because the music ones are so small (because of the single driver) that made them especially noticeably comfy?
Thanks
Will the Music Two be coming your way?
The advantage is that if you mess up the cable you can just replace the cable. I don’t know how Custom Art implements their detachable cables so it’s hard to say what the downsides might be. I love how low profile the cable entrance point is on my Music One, which may not be the case if there’s connector there for a detachable cable, but it’s hard to say with any certainty.
Hi Joker,
After some digging around I have actually decided on the Custom Art Music Two. But there is the option of getting it with detachable cables for an extra 10 dollars or so. What kind of a difference or advantage does this give me? Is it mainly for easier servicing and repairs?
Thanks!
The Custom Art.
They’re not super efficient but the last iPhone I tried (the 5) had a pretty good headphone output. I would think a good amp would not be worth the investment with the 5C, either, but you can see how you get on with them down the line.
Which of the two would be a better performer for metal or hard rock in your opinion. I have a pair of Phonak 022 with the grey filters in and I love those. And I have a pair of Etymotic MC2s and I find the treble on those to be a little fatiguing. Does that lean me toward the Etys or Custom Art Music One in terms of sound signature?
Entry-level customs would really be worth the trouble if you put great value on the isolation and build quality, or if you have trouble finding a comfortable fit with universals. In terms of sound I don’t think either the ER4S or the Custom One is better than the other. The TF10 has a different sound character – it’s not as neutral and tends to emphsize bass more than the Custom Art and Etymotics. I prefer the more neutral Etys and Custom Art to the TF10 but it really depends on your sound preferences.
I went ahead and ordered the Music Twos. I’ll be sure to post some impressions on Head-Fi once I receive them. I didnt see anything mentioned about an amp in your review, is there a particular portable amp you would recommend with my iPhone 5C? Or would these be fine with my iPhone 5C?
Hi joker,
I am considering the Custom Art Music One there are no audiologists near where I live for me to get ear impressions and I have never owned a pair of CIEMs so I am not sure if it is worth the trouble over getting a pair of universal IEMs. The universal IEMs that I am considering are the UE triplefi 10 and the Etymotic ER 4S mainly because I have read a lot of comments recommending these for hard rock and alternative metal music. I would really appreciate your thoughts on the matter. Thank you!
Thats exactly what I was looking for, thanks!
Not having heard it (obviously), the Music Two still seems the most promising to me in terms of what you’re after. The Reference, to my ears, does have some of that same “hot”/sibilant treble character that the VSonics have. It’s not as bad as with the GR07 but since you specifically mentioned that it is something you want to avoid, I would not recommend the Alclair. The 1964-V3 has a ton of bass in comparison to these – more than with the GR07 BE – so I think it will have too much low end for you.
Hope this helps!
Hi Joker
I had posted this on Average Joe’s Alclair Reference review but would greatly appreciate your feedback also.
I am not a musician and listen to almost every genre outside of rap, one day it can be Incubus, then Tool, then Gojira, then Third Eye Blind, I’m all over the place. I wouldn’t call myself a bass head but I like deep, controlled bass with some impact. Sound stage and clarity is something I miss from my HE-400 headphones, though they are too large to take outside the home (which I dont have a lot of time to sit and listen to them anymore).
I currently have a pair of GR07 BEs, Klipsch S4i, and HiFiman HE-400 Headphones. It seems that I have “picky” shaped ears and have a hard time finding a fit. Thus the reason I am leaning towards CIEMs (headphones would be great if they werent bulky). My HiFiman HE-400 are almost the perfect sound signature to me except for the treble issues (I do not know if I would describe it as too bright or sparkly, it just has an annoying “hot” sound to it that ruins some cymbals for me) and it lacks bass impact and speed, though I love how deep the base is and for the quantity it does have it is of a high quality. The clarity and sound stage are to my standards.
The GR07 BEs sound mid recessed to me. The bass is good, I would not enjoy any more bass than these give, though I would like for it to extend further down and not go so much into the mids. Sibilance is an issue at the high end on some of my tracks. I want more sound stage from them also.
The S4i’s bass is not controlled enough and comes off as bloated.
Knowing these things I have narrowed myself down to the Customart Music Twos (supposed to have more bass impact than the 1s), Alclair Reference, and 1964 V3. I cannot find any extensive reviews on the Music Twos to see how the bass has improved. The clarity and sound stage on the Alclair References sounds wonderful, but is the bass enough for me? Thank you again for your time! I hope this was all explained clearly.
The X10 is definitely bassier and darker than the Music One, so no problem there.
The FXT90 is one I rather like myself. It seemed there was a lot of variation with the driver flex. The treble on these was more peaky compared to the Music One – the Custom Art really is quite a lot smoother. It has less bass than the JVCs, too.
The VSD1S is easiest to compare to since I use it all the time. The Music One has less bass (the VSD1S actually has more than even the GR07 Bass Edition), the mids are not as recessed, and it’s a little more laid-back in the upper midrange and lower treble region. All of the VSonic IEMs exhibit very strong presence there, which can make them sibilant at times. The Music One is not darker than the ZX700, though. The Music One is a little quicker and has better separation than the VSD1S.
Sorry, no experience with NHT speakers. I use a pair of Emotivas at home and while I don’t think the Custom Art can (or should, really) compete, it definitely does well enough for when I’m the go.
Thanks. The list of IEMs that I’ve owned is a little sparse because I tend to have fit issues with universals. I’ll list out what I’ve though of everything I’ve had long enough to form an impression and just flood you with information.
I had the Klipsch Image X10 for a while, but I felt it was a bit dark and muddy. The cable noise was pretty bad, too especially since the cable would never cooperate with over-ear wear.
I had the JVC HA-FXT90 for a while and really enjoyed the sound as far as I can remember. The driver flex really bothered me, and I found it near impossible to get a good seal. I do remember them being hard to wear for more than a few minutes at a time, though I can’t remember if it was due to the sometimes strident sound or the fit.
I have the VSonic VSD1S, and the sound is pretty enjoyable when I get a good fit. When the seal is just right (rarely), the bass honestly feels a bit overdone, but nothing bothersome. The highs are nice (sometimes a little grainy, but usually just about right), and the only thing that stands out as bad is the occasional congestion of the sound. The thing that I can’t stand is having to switch L/R to put it over the ear.
I am a bit of a Grado Fan, mostly for the astonishing clarity and airiness. The sharp highs are bearable, but I find I don’t wear my tape-modded SR-80is for more than an album at a time because my ears get tired, even at low volumes. The bass texture is really nice and with fully taped bowls, it extends pretty far down with good impact, too.
I had some Sennheiser Amperiors, but never really fell in love with the sound. It was exciting and extended really well. I really enjoyed it, but I just stopped wearing them over time because there was no love.
Now for my favorite headphone, despite its shortcomings: the Sony MDR-ZX700. The music is so damn pretty, even if I feel there’s a bit of a plasticy resonance. The bass doesn’t really extend far enough for my taste but is in good proportion to the whole sound. I have no issues with the treble amount as I could wear them all day, but the quality is a little lacking. It’s a bit rough and uneven. The only real reason I moved on from these was comfort and build quality issues. My ears are too big for the shallow cups and any pad mods ruined the beautiful sweetness of the sound. Also the cord made lots of noise at the place where it connected to the cup.
My favorite sound system overall is my NHT SuperZeros + Super8 subwoofer. It’s smooth, open, clear, balanced, and textured from about 38Hz all the way to the top of my hearing range. It’s detailed and airy without being fatiguing in the least and the soundstage is a little bit shocking sometimes (like I can tell which direction a piano is angled or how a violinist moves the violin up and down as he plays different passages). I don’t expect that craziness from any IEMs, but I love it when I can close my eyes, point and say “the ukelele is right there.”
Thanks again for all your help |joker|! Your contributions to personal audio are fantastic!
Yeah, I find the bass more than sufficient. Other than that it sounds like it might be just a touch less aggressive than what you’re looking for. The Music One really tends to soften things up just a little compared to something like an Ety ER4S. If you list the IEMs you’ve tried and have liked or didn’t like, I can maybe be more specific.
Thanks for the reply! I gather that I wouldn’t be missing out on much in the bass department except on my albums with double bass (or organ music, of which I have none). My main stereo rig (NHT Super Stereo) rolls off at about the same place and I have no complaints. From your comments on the qualities of the bass (good impact and control), am I right to think that these would get my head bobbing on good rock groove?
Regarding the “presence” emphasis, I do like a ballsy sound, but only if the recording calls for it. Do the Music Ones oblige when the recording really digs in?
Of the common descriptors, I value “natural” and “clear” sound most which is why I was drawn to the Music One. Good dynamics in the treble and an ability to convey delicacy are more important to me than energy, but I definitely want energy when the music calls for it.
TL:DR – I love the idea of the naturalness and musicality (which are my two most important criteria) of the Music Ones, but are they truly good all-rounders? Can they sparkle when the recording really sparkles, thump when the recording really thumps, and crunch when the recording really crunches? Will a scorching guitar solo still melt my face?
Thanks again for all your help with this. CIEM reviews and expertise are so hard to find, and first-hand impressions of them are so valuable because of the non-returnable nature of the beast.
It seems to begin rolling off at about 40Hz, audible down to about 30.
The Music One pretty good with guitars but if you like a brighter sound it may not be the best option. It has less emphasis in that “presence” range for guitars than, say, and Etymotic ER4 or Philips Fidelio S2. I know what you mean about cymbals but it’s not either or, more of a continuum. The Music One is closer to what you call “shh” but definitely not in a way that impedes overall realism. It’s similar to the HiFiMan RE-400 in this regard.
Hey |joker|, seriously considering these Music Ones. When you say the bass extends well, where would you say it starts rolling off? 30Hz?
I’m also wondering about the treble. You say it’s not the most crisp, but is natural and smooth. Do cymbals still have that “tsss” sound instead of the “ssh” of some duller headphones? Does it have the bite necessary for aggressively distorted guitars?
Thanks for sharing your knowledge!