Conclusion
If you’re looking to take the plunge on customs the ISN EBC80s are a terrific first choice.
At $799 for the CIEM version, they’ll trade blows for resolution & soundstage dimensions with earphones worth thousands, yet be more enjoyable in noisy environments thanks to the magic of customs.
Downsides? Upper mids & lower treble can be intense at times so I recommend pairing them with a pure copper cable to negate that, and do I wish they were tuned a bit warmer for my taste.
Overall they’re extremely resolving with a giant BCD-fuelled soundstage that offers an intoxicating sense of space, enhanced further by the superior background blackness of customs.
Many of my friends in the hobby have told me “I’ll get my ear impressions done one of these days…” but keep putting it off – don’t! Get them done this week, then decide which manufacturer to send them to.
The EBC80s are ideal because I recommend against spending too much on your first pair, but there’s other ISN or Penon models you could try and no shortage of other manufacturers offering customs.
CIEMs are like R2R sources – they make it easier to listen longer by lowering fatigue, which is priceless.
try zisin a01-apopis you’ll be shocked (i’ve to say that i leave it in the freezer 24 hours to have the best results you can trust me or not) , c2 and h2 are among the worst cables i’ve listened to. Zisin and cayin ru7 and i can’t ask for more… can’t still find the same excitement with the sibling est 80 that have more forward voices but too shy highs, too thin or delicate.