Custom Headphones – Types And Best Models

Custom Headphones – Types And Best Models

 

Compared to earbuds, headphones are a sizeable upgrade that offers endless benefits for audiophiles and other people who love listening to audios and videos through headsets. Custom headphones combine world-class noise-canceling technology and other features that makes listening to music much better.

For sure, good headphones come with more bass, are more comfortable and many more audiophile-exciting features. Modern headphones offer intriguing features including the freedom of wireless listening and Bluetooth features. Well, the latest addition is the feature that allows making your distinct style, the unique color combination as well as your favorite theme. These are the customized headphones.

What is the Difference Between Regular and Custom Headphones?

Even as the name suggests, there are several differentiating factors between regular and custom headphones. However, of worth noting is that regular headphones are a normal pair of headsets, as any other person would go to the shop or online store and buy. They are also called universal fit headphones. They can be used by everybody, with some people finding them comfortable and others not.

What Is the Difference Between Regular and Custom Headphones

On the other hand, custom headphones are specifically made to suit the listeners' ears. They take the shape of the owner, expanding into every nook and cranny to provide quality sound. They are ideal headphones of choice for anyone who likes engaging in various exercises while listening to music. Daily runners, for example, find this product a great investment. With it, you can focus solely on running instead of figuring out how to stuff headphone wires down your attire to maximize movement.

Types of Custom Headphones

Types of Custom Headphones

Custom headphones can be divided into two broad categories. The first category is those that appear like regular headphones but with a special look. The look, which is determined by its theme is often chosen by the customer or manufacturer. Besides, the company may release limited editions of a specific headphone model. There is nothing so special about these models.

The second category is the custom fit headphones. As the name suggests, these are personalized fit headphones that are specifically made to fit in the users' ears perfectly. They don’t compromise on comfort as the earbuds are specifically made to suit the shape of the ear, completely blocking out the outside noise. As a result, you will be able to hear whatever you are listening to at its best, even at lower volumes.

Custom In-Ear Monitors

As the name implies, custom in-ear monitors are headphones that provide an overall improved sound quality, comfort, and noise isolation. Audiophiles, musicians and audio engineers who need bespoke levels of sound quality prefer these headphones. They come in handy during live performances by artists and studio mixing sessions, perhaps the reason why they are custom fitted to provide utmost comfort and high level of noise reduction.

Some of the custom in-ear monitors available on the market currently include the following.

1. The Spiral Ear SE 5-Way

1. The Spiral Ear SE 5-Way

Key features

  • Driver type – balanced armature
  • Cable – recessed/detachable
  • Number of drivers – 5
  • Number of ways – 5

The Spiral Ear SE 5-Way is the flagship product and the first ever Spiral Ears 5-way product. It is made with medical grade silicone that incorporates five entirely independent and high fidelity balanced transducers. This makes it a dedicated product for people who need clear highs, organic mids and powerful, deep and extremely controlled low ends.

Besides the customizable feature, its super extended resolution, instrument separation, multi-dimensional soundstage, and frequency response will make you realize what you have been missing before. The headphone’s bass goes down to unimaginable levels. The mids come with extended quality, liquidity and clarity as the lows reach bone-conducting levels.

Apart from the features, you will like the extra accessories accompanying The Spiral Ear SE 5-Way. Some love the semi-hard yet unique zipper case, the cleaning tool, and the instruction manual.

2. Hidition NT-6 Custom IEM

2. Hidition NT-6 Custom IEM

Key features

  • Driver type – balanced armature
  • Shell type – acrylic
  • Cable – detachable/protruding
  • Number of drivers – 6
  • Number of ways – 5

Ever since its inception, the Hidition NT-6 Custom IEM has been the king of clarity. Despite being in the market for quite some time, it still rivals the best with its combined exciting sound and exceptional technical performance.

Perhaps its feature highlight is the customizable fit ability. Besides this, it features standard plastic 3-wire OFC cable with a warm tonality. This primarily results from its rolled off upper treble and a lightly enhanced bass. The mids are linear resulting in a neutral note size.

The design of Hidition NT-6 Custom IEM makes it an impeccable model with one of the best custom headphone finish. It has a clear shell that is hard to see where the silicone stops and acrylic starts on the canal. Accessories accompanying this model include a metal carrying case, soft wipe cloth, instructions manual, cleaning tool, and a frequency response chart.

3. Ultimate Ears Personal Reference Custom IEM

https://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Ears-Pro-Ear-Monitors/dp/B06XPRDTBQ

Key features

  • Driver type – balanced armature
  • Shell type – acrylic
  • Cable – detachable/protruding
  • Number of drivers – 5
  • Number of ways – 3

Logitech Ultimate Ears were among the pioneers in the manufacture of custom in-ear monitors. They succeeded in making one of the best musician’s ears speakers. These customized headphones are made of durable plastic, giving them a robust feel and heavy-duty appeal.

Ultimate Ears Personal Reference Custom IEM feature detachable connector cable with a cleaning tool that easily fits in its hard case for easy storage and transportation. The case will have your name printed on it, a unique ID number and initials for easy tracking in case you misplace them.

As for sound quality, this model is not to doubt. It delivers in spades with great confidence. There is a lot of headroom in the sound with natural quality, far-reaching dynamics delivered in subtleties and nuances in mid and high-frequency ranges. This makes them a perfect choice for music making, audiophile music-listening, and live performance.  

4. Weston W10 Custom IEM

4. Weston W10 Custom IEM

If you are thinking of entering the world of custom in-ear monitors without breaking the bank, the Weston W10 Custom IEM should be your headphones of choice. These monitors certainly won’t win a styling award. They are simple looking earpieces with customizable ability.

With its adjustable nature, the comfort levels cannot be doubted. It comes with an over-ear cable design, which ensures that they never fell out. They are also lightweight with excellent ergonomics that allows you to listen all day with no discomforts. Designed for music aficionados, these entry-level audiophile headphones feature specially tuned single balanced armature driver that delivers extreme detail and clarity.

Its clear, articulate and precise sound helps unlock the potential of your music and audio devices, allowing you to experience music in a whole new way. Regardless of whether you are exercising, traveling or just relaxing, these true-fit earphones will give you the much-needed comfort and priceless sound quality. 

5. Shure P2TR215CL-H2 Custom IEM

5. Shure P2TR215CL-H2 Custom IEM

Musicians looking for high-quality but entry-level in-ear monitors can try the Shure P2TR215CL-H2 Custom IEM. This package comes as a complete kit, inclusive of dual-function P2T transmitter, P2R receiver and the headphones themselves.

The Shure P2TR215CL-H2 Custom IEM’s sound isolating design is one of its own. Adding to the customizable feature, it is an ergonomic, lightweight, low profile and professionally designed headphone with an optimized nozzle angle. All these contribute in its ability to rest comfortably over the ear. The over-the-ear design keeps the cables out of your way.

The headphones come with sound isolating sleeves that block ambient noise besides adding to a comfortable, customized fit. Since everyone’s ear is different, the fit kit is available in three sizes, small, medium and large. You can always experiment with a style that creates the best fit for you.

Perhaps the selling point of this product is the PSM200 monitor system that helps in overcoming difficulties with stage monitoring for musicians. The P2R functions as a wired and a wireless receiver.  

6. Sennheiser IE 800 IEM

https://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-800-Audiophile-Canal-Headphones/dp/B00A34TU7W

The Sennheiser IE 800 IEM is a ceramic in-ear headphone that features dynamic linear-phase driver with a modern look and exceptional comfort. It comes with the latest extra wide band transducer of 7mm diameter, which is currently the smallest transducer used in dynamic ear canal headsets.

Its overall construction is solid with impressive attention to details. It offers average sound isolation and above average microphonics. Unlike other high-end customized headphones, the Sennheiser IE 800 IEM has non-detachable cables. Instead of this, its cord can break apart at the Y-split.

As for the sound, it pursues a heavy bass with crisp and prominent treble. Its mid-range is surprisingly clear even at low volumes with impressive lows. Being a German product, the Sennheiser IE 800 IEM boasts of innovative technology packed in a modern, attractive and elegant design. It is a perfect custom headphone of choice for any portable device capable of producing high-resolution sound. 

Custom/Molded Ear Plugs

Unlike custom in-ear monitors, the process of getting custom earplugs is quite complicated. This is because they ought to undergo some steps before being fully customized. To avoid this hall process, there are custom molded earplugs that are designed in a way that lets you to easily adjust the shape of the headphones to suit your unique ears at home. This can be done in a few minutes using simple equipment.

Some of the headphones that allow for custom molding include the following.

CustomMolded Ear Plugs

1. Decibullz Custom Ear Plugs

One of the best models that allow users to mold their headphones is the Decibullz Custom Ear Plugs. They are the best headphones in terms of sound quality. Unlike the first category, they can be easily adjusted to fit the exact shapes of your ear. This not only creates a perfect fitting but also brings about a low-profile earplug that never hurts or falls out while providing superior noise isolation.

How can it be mold? You may ask. Well, for starters, the outer part of the Decibullz Custom Ear Plugs is moldable. You simply need to heat the molds in boiling water and give them some time to cool. You can then shape them to fit your ears. With this feature, this makes the Decibullz Custom Ear Plugs best for shooting, swimming, musicians, loud concerts and traveling.

Pros

  • Multiple tips for all ear sizes
  • Perfect fit – doesn’t fall out
  • Includes carrying couch

Cons

  • Silicone tips can be uncomfortable 

2. Decibullz Con-BLK

Custom Headphones

if you find our previous model quite expensive due to the Bluetooth feature, consider this wired Decibullz Con-BLK. It offers exactly the same features, only that it is a wired version. Like the other model, you can easily mold these earphones to suit the exact shape of your ears.

They also provide exceptional noise isolation and sound quality, thanks to its double seal technology. This ensures that no noise infiltrates the earplugs. Molding these earphones is quite similar to the previous model.

You only need to heat the thermoplastic molds in water, let them cool and shape them to your ears. You can always keep changing the size until you find a perfect size for your ears. 

3. Radians Custom Ear Plugs

The Radians Custom Ear Plugs are a good choice of headphones for those not willing to spend a lot on custom headphones. Despite being cheap, this product doesn’t compromise on its comfort and noise isolation.

These models provide an easy, do-it-yourself way of getting overly comfortable headphones. Radians Custom Ear Plugs are the best choice of headphones for sporting events, lawn care activities, auto races, flying, factories, shooting and much more.

Molding them is quite a breeze. Begin by separating the colored and white materials of the earplugs into halves. Mix the colored halves until both are of a consistent color. You should then gently press the material into one year, directly to the center of the silicone. Leave it in the ear for approximately 10 minutes before removing the plug.

Final Thoughts

If you have been having problems with headphones not staying put in your ears, water leaking into the ear or muffling sound, custom headphones are for you. The surge in demand is a clear indication that these products will eliminate any hassle with headphone use so that you can focus on your music, sport or any other activity. These products are based on the user’s ear impression and provide a 100% fit.


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