Hey Guys,
@taronlissimore from headphone.com was kind enough to let me stop by the headphone.com office this morning to give the 64 Audio Universal IEMs a try. I have been considering a pair of IEMs for a while, and this was a great chance to give them a listen and see what I think. I listened to the U18Tzar, Tia Trio, and Tia Fourte.
I listened to the Tia Fourte first. I immediately noticed the amazing 3d like imaging and soundstage. Very impressive first impression. The Highs became a bit much on modern pop, brightly mastered stuff, and were a tiny bit sibilant with vocals…however with electronica and other genres, they really impressed me. The sub bass is lovely, and is more present than the Tia Trio. There is a tiny bit less mid bass than the U18Tzar. The mids are a bit pulled back, so if you like big lush mids these are not the IEMs for you. I value quality bass, and soundstage the most I think, so these were really up the alley. I tried doing a tiny bit EQ on the highs, and this improved them to my ears for the brightly mastered pop stuff. So, if you like big lush mids, don’t buy these, if you are particularly treble sensitive, don’t buy these.
I listened to the Tia Trio next. Compared to the Fourte, the first thing I noticed was a lack of air and space around the notes. You lose the amazing 3d like imaging and soundstage. However, the highs are smoother than the highs on the Fourte. I think I actually preferred the highs in general on the Trio vs. The Fourte. The mids are a bit more present on the Trio, which makes it work better with acoustic music (IMO anyhow.) There is less sub bass and bass in general. If you can get a deal on these, they make an argument for being the best I have heard for the price. Definitely a recommended listen.
I checked out the U18Tzar next and….man I was disappointed. My notes say “Kinda Boring, muffled sounding in comparison to the Fourte.” I could see these being the right IEMs for you if you like a more reference neutral tuning, but for me and my ears, combined with the astronomical price, I just couldn’t get on with these. They don’t have the 3d imaging and soundstage I mentioned, nor the airy treble. I don’t know, just not for me. Your mileage may vary.
I forgot the mention comfort. These 64 Audio IEMs are immensely comfortable as they all share the same basic shell design
So, to wrap up. This morning was an enlightening listening session. The Fourte was impressive enough for me to buy a pair, however I wouldn’t recommend purchasing a pair at retail price. I just can’t justify that much for an IEM, no matter how special they are. The Fourte really floated my boat, however, but I can see why people might not enjoy them at all and in fact, might actively dislike them. I think they are kinda like the Abyss, in that you will love them or hate them. The Trio is the most balanced, yet still involving sound signature out of the three. I would highly recommend them, especially if you can find a deal on them, bringing them into TOTL Campfire Audio type pricing. The U18Tzar….yeah not for me, but you might be different, so try to get your ears on a pair before purchasing, as they are not cheap IEMs.