Our Take
The U18s is an incredible IEM which bends its studio reference nature just a little bit to create an engaging audiophile sound. Nothing is exaggerated, everything is in balance, and the realistic immersive space it creates helps transport you into the music. |
64 Audio revolutionized the IEM industry in 2016 with its world class reference level U18t, the world's first 18-driver earphone. Now, with the introduction of U18s, 64 Audio has taken the heritage of the 18 driver platform and further pushed the envelope of innovation in sound and design. U18s combines proprietary drivers, LID technology and a new electronic crossover network to deliver a uniquely exceptional listening experience.
U18s is handcrafted in the USA from aerospace-grade aluminum billet. CNC milled, hand blasted, fly cut, and twice anodized - the result is a striking fractal design that is inspired by nature itself.
U18t features the following unique technology:
The tia system is comprised of three major elements: open balanced armature tia drivers, the tia single-bore design, and tia acoustic chambers. All our Custom In-Ear Monitors with tia feature two major elements of the tia system: the tia driver and the tia single-bore design.
Tia Driver
An open balanced armature speaker design for realistic resolution and transparency. By opening a balanced armature, the diaphragm becomes fully unobstructed, reducing resonance in the IEM and allowing sound to travel more naturally to the ear.
Tia Single Bore
A huge advancement in eliminating unwanted tube resonance. The large bore itself serves as a sound-shaping chamber and aids the tia high driver in delivering a linear and coherent frequency response. The short sound path provides remarkable high-frequency extension and smoothness. The large single bore also allows for easier maintenance.
Apex, or Air Pressure Exchange, is a pneumatically interactive vent that releases air pressure in a sealed in the ear canal. Apex comes in two variations, m15 (-15dB) and m20 (-20dB).
Alleviate Listener Fatigue
When you seal a miniature speaker in an ear canal, the air inside becomes trapped. Apex relieves this air pressure, allowing the eardrum to move naturally, so you can comfortably listen longer.
Extend The Soundstage
Freely moving air extends the soundstage and provides a more natural listening experience. It also preserves bass frequencies and helps the listener distinguish individual instruments.
Hear Your Audience
Custom in-ear monitors provide amazing isolation and help you hear your mix more clearly and at lower volumes than a wedge monitor or earbuds. Apex lowers decibel levels while preserving the clarity of the sounds around you, so artists on stage can connect with their audience while protecting their hearing.
LID, or Linear Impedance Design, enables a consistent, reliable sound regardless of what source. This proprietary circuit corrects the non-linear impedances of the drivers, restoring proper interaction with the source and preserving the desired sound signature. Whether you're a musician plugging into a variety of gear at different gigs or studios, or an audiophile listening from low-impedance sources, LID ensures your IEMs are delivering the desired sound signature consistently. And like all our IEMs, this model can be used with a wide range of personal audio devices as well as all hard-wired and wireless monitor systems.
Driver Type/Count |
Eighteen precision balanced armature drivers
|
Driver Configuration |
1 tia high, 1 high-mid, 8 mid, 8 low |
Frequency Response |
10Hz – 20kHz |
Sensitivity |
106 dB/mW @ 1kHz @ 1mW (84mV) |
Impedance |
8Ω Nominal |
Crossover |
Integrated 4-way passive crossover |
Isolation |
-20dB w/ m20 module, -15dB w/ m15 module, -10db w/ mX module |
I have owned this pair since 2019, it definitely is a reference iem. I like that it does not color the sound in anyway. Just like the description on this page says nothing is exaggerated, everything sounds as it was recorded, as the artist intended it to sound like if you will. it sounds great with your daily typical mobile phone and easy to be driven, but it sounds excellent with any good DAP. I use them daily, they've gotten beaten up a lot and still holding up, very durable. I tried the EE Odin, compared them both. I prefer the U18T over the odins, I find the odin's low end is a bit exaggerated over the U18T. I've tried all sorts of different cables with these and found the difference was so meniscal and not worth the money for expensive cables. Overall excellent pair of iems if you're looking for non colored sound.