DISCLAIMER: The VE ZEN was provided by Vision Ears in return for my honest opinion. I am not personally affiliated with the company in any way, nor do I receive any rewards – monetary or otherwise – for a positive evaluation. I’d like to thank Vision Ears for their kindness and support. The article is as follows.
Vision Ears is a German company renowned for making some of the world’s best custom IEMs. While recent years saw them shift focus toward universal in-ears, they came back with a vengeance earlier this year with a complete refresh of their custom line; available not just as custom-fit IEMs, but also universals with custom designs. Leading the pack is the long-awaited, custom version of their critically-acclaimed VE10, now dubbed the VE ZEN. Renamed and reformed, the ZEN is 10 drivers’ worth of soul in a fully-bespoke form factor.
Vision Ears VE ZEN
- Driver count: One dynamic and nine balanced-armature drivers
- Impedance: 8.4Ω @ 1kHz
- Sensitivity: 114.7dB @ 100mV @ 1kHz
- Key feature(s) (if any): Pressure Relief Valve
- Available form factor(s): Custom acrylic and universal aluminum IEMs
- Price: €3,000 (CIEM); €2,780 (UIEM)
- Website: www.vision-ears.de
Configurator
With this new custom line, Vision Ears have also debuted an all-new in-ear configurator, where you can preview your designs and see what your pair will look like. Remember: You can design universals here too, because all these models are available as UIEMs, which you can decorate to your heart’s content (except for the ZEN, which has its own aluminum shell). Now, VE’s previous 2D configurator was already one of the industry’s best, because of its high-res textures and accurate lighting. But, they have absolutely outdone themselves this time around:
Unlike designers of old, VE’s new configurator is entirely 3D. Your potential monitors are rendered as three-dimensional models, which you can rotate 360°, complete with sharp, life-like lighting that’s about as close as you can get to the real thing. It even goes as far as simulating what the internals (the drivers, nozzles and sound tubes) of each model will look like, so you’re not just staring at an empty shell. The cherry on top is that it’s well-optimized too; fast to load and snappy to use. I’d venture to say it’s objectively the best custom configurator in the industry today, and I’d love to see their competitors catch up.
Once you load up the configurator, the first step is selecting which model you’d like to configure. Again, this will change the internals shown in the 3D preview, as well as add whatever valves or modules each SKU may have on their faceplates. Next, you decide whether you want a custom or a universal fit (again, not applicable to the ZEN, as its aluminum, universal variant has its own product page).
Once that’s done, you pick your shells and faceplates, and you can obviously design the left and right earpieces separately. Then, you can add artwork, whether it be a metallic inlay of VE’s logo (available in five different colors) or an upload of your own image to be engraved. Keep in mind: Whatever file you upload has to be a shape in PNG form, because the configurator will draw over whatever image you upload in the selected color. So, if you upload, say, your logo inside a square JPG, what the configurator will show is a square, filled with whatever color you’ve selected. Once uploaded, you can manipulate its position, rotation and scale to show VE’s engineers precisely how you’d like the artwork placed.
After that’s settled, you can pick what color cable you want; black or transparent. Then, decide what name you want engraved on the inside of your IEMs, and, lastly, select your metal case. After this, you can either add your order straight to cart or click Share Configuration. This will generate a custom URL with your design and copy it to your clipboard, which you can then share with your friends, band members, clients (if you’re a dealer or distributor) or VE themselves, if you happen to have any questions about your design. You can also use it to store multiple design ideas and A/B to see which you like most.
For me, the only thing missing here is a way to upload digital ear impressions if you’re ordering a custom, or perhaps an auto-generated shipping label to help you mail your silicone moulds to VE. Amin (one of VE’s founders) is currently working on adding the former to the configurator in the future. Also, in the model selection screen, a small tooltip reminding you of the driver config and sound profile of each model could be useful too, so users don’t run the risk of forgetting the model they were going to order. Otherwise, I truly can’t fault VE’s new configurator. As far as I’m concerned, it’s the new standard, and, again, I’d love to see their peers match or (even) better it.
Packaging and Accessories
VE’s customs come in a sleek, black, foldover box, accented cleanly with glossy dots along the top and sides – all themed to form sound waves, which is a great touch – as well as the Vision Ears logo and text, embossed with a holographic finish. Wrapped around the box is a paper collar, on which is a personalized, hand-written message from the VE team – a tradition I’m very happy they’ve kept since their inception – which only adds to that bespoke, tailor-made feeling.
Lifting the magnetic lid open, you’ll see more dotted waves and May The Sound Be With You written on the inside of the flap. Then, beneath the signed certificate welcoming you to the VE family, you’ll see the package’s contents: On the left, your IEMs in your metal case of choice, and, on the right, the included accessories, including:
- 1x QR code linking you to their online manual
- 1x VE-stamped microfiber cloth
- 1x 6.35mm adapter
- 1x wax pick
- 1x cleaning solution spray
- 1x piece of desiccant
Interestingly, these items are all embedded in paper cutouts, instead of foam. I’m not sure if it’s an economic choice, an environmental one or a mix of both. I personally find foam more premium-feeling, but as long as the items are securely set, then either is realistically fine. As far as accessories go, I appreciate that the focus here is usability and maintenance. While they haven’t splurged on wooden boxes or metal badges, they’ve provided every single essential, which is more important in my book.
For the case, you get two options – square and round – and the latter is available in black, grey and gold. If you want to see what the square case looks like, you can check out my reviews of the VE6XC and the VE7 (now called the VE PURE). This time around, I opted for the round one, which is metal, puck-like and has a screw-on lid. The outside has a beautiful, anodized finish with VE laser-etched on top. And, its interior is foam-lined to protect its contents. The case is on the small side for me, personally. I have to wind the cable quite tight and almost stack the IEMs over each other to get them in. But, that aside, it’s a well-made case that I can picture musicians safely tossing in their bags with little to no concern.
The ZEN’s cable is the same one that comes with the aluminum universal, featuring the same hardware and 4.4mm connector. The conductors are the exact same too, with the Black option merely offering darker-colored insulation. Now, given the balanced termination, it does leave the 6.35mm adapter unusable. At the very least, you’d need a 4.4mm-to-3.5mm adapter to bridge the gap. So, for the ZEN in particular, I’d love to see VE either offer that in addition to the 6.35mm adapter, or offer an extra cable in the box with a single-ended plug. I’d call the cable average in flexibility. It certainly isn’t the best stock cable I’ve ever seen. But, at the very least, the conductors are substantial, evenly braided, and you’ll get a balanced plug right out the gate.
Aesthetics and Build
For my ZEN, I opted for Astral Storm faceplates and Midnight shells. I wanted to pay homage to the original universal design, and I felt this combo’s mix of grey, silver and black did exactly that. Then, as a nod to the ZEN being originally teased as the Red Prototype at CanJam SG 2023, I decided to give the right side a red VE logo.
As much as I enjoyed looking at this design on a computer screen, I think it’s safe to say the real thing looks even better:
The faceplates have a depth to them, especially in the greys. And, I was especially impressed by how unmuddled and untarnished each different color was; crisp, sharp and extremely-defined throughout. VE’s metallic logos, as always, have a 3D, polished look that contrasts brilliantly against all the gloss around it. And, the Midnight shells have the lightest hint of blue to them, which – luckily, in my case – makes them match the faceplates perfectly in tone.
As for build, I struggle to fault these earpieces. The shells, first and foremost, are silky smooth; clear and even in thickness throughout. I can’t tell whether or not they were 3D-printed, which is a testament to how pristine they are. They’re fully-filled with clear silicone too, which can get cloudy and bubbly. But, thankfully, neither are present here, which just goes to show the skillful VE’s engineers are. The filling also helps give the IEM heft, so they’re not as fragile-feeling as acrylic monitors tend to be, though you certainly will still need to look after them.
The machining and construction work are excellent too. The internals are tidily arranged, the PRV is seamlessly installed on the faceplate, and the same applies to the 2-pin connector and the monitor’s three bores. As someone who’s seen the worst of glue stains, print lines, pits and so on, I’m elated to see craftsmen like those at VE showing immense care for the work they put out. If I could fault anything, I’m not a fan of the flush 2-pin sockets. I much prefer recessed ones for the extra security they provide if a connector happens to come loose. So, I’d love to see VE use them in the future, and spring-loaded ones at that.
Finally, the finish is just pristine. The faceplates and shells are joined flawlessly, the logos are clean and centered, and they haven’t missed a morsel with the lacquer coat on top; smooth, glass-like and beautifully glossy. As far as the promise of a bespoke monitor goes, Vision Ears have absolutely delivered. It feels a grade beyond mass-produced IEMs (of any price), and I’m glad to see them continue to show this level of care this long into their run.
Wearing Comfort
These are the most comfortable customs VE have ever made for me. I was able to send them an updated, higher-res ear impression scan, and, whether it’s that, improvements in their process or some mix of both, they’ve achieved a more even-sealing, glove-like fit than ever. The ZEN fills my ear uniformly, so I don’t get any isolated pressure points anywhere in my inner or outer ear. And, this is further helped by their smooth contouring, which gives the in-ear rounder edges than, say, my Aroma Audio or 64 Audio customs. Like any good custom should, they isolate brilliantly too; more than any earphone I’ve used in recent memory.
While getting a good custom fit can very much be luck-of-the-draw because of all the variables at play – who took the impressions, how they were taken, how they’re processed, etc. – VE can at least guarantee that they won’t be the weak link in the chain. Of the three customs I’ve had made from this set of impressions, the ZEN is the most comfortable and glove-like of them all. So, while you still have to take great care in producing a good set of moulds, if you’ve done so, you can rest assured that VE won’t drop the baton when it’s passed to them.
Pressure Relief Valve
The Pressure Relief Valve (or PRV) is a necessary addition for all of VE’s DD-equipped models; the ONE, the PRO and the ZEN in this new custom line. Essentially, it’s a vent, which allows the pressure the DD builds up to escape. It’s placed at the very bottom of the IEM’s faceplates, and it’s connected only to the DD, so it won’t affect isolation whatsoever. This isn’t 64 Audio’s apex or FiR Audio’s ATOM, for example; different in both form and function. With the PRV set, VE’s DDs are allowed to function with no issues or impedances.
