Klipsch Custom-3 earphones review

Klipsch Custom-3 earphones Review

Reviewed by: Nate Lanxon

Reviewed on: 7 July 2008

Most earphones have a single driver inside each 'phone to pump sound into your ears; the new Klipsch Custom-3 earphones have two. This isn't a new idea -- Shure's SE420s and Jays' q-Jays each have two per ear and the Shure SE530s have three.

The Custom-3s are on sale now and at £150, are a high-end choice, exclusively aimed at audiophiles and people who truly value high-quality audio performance.

Design
What makes the Custom-3s 'custom' is the 60mm 'memory wire' that protrudes from the unusual, slightly triangular enclosures. It took us a long time to get these earphones to fit comfortably -- longer than any earphone ever -- but this stiff memory wire can be bent to fit around your ears uniquely, making future fittings faster and more secure.

The trouble is that it's a pain and we'd rather not have it at all. But we spend all our time sitting in chairs, offices, testing labs and lounges, essentially in a state of perpetual stillness. It's when you start jogging, for example, that this wire helps keep the 'phones in place and it's something you can't do with the Shure SE420s.

But it has to be said that the Custom-3s are not, by any means, the most comfortable or discreet pair of earphones we've worn. If comfort is absolutely essential to you in a high-end earphone, look at the Klipsch Images.

The 3.5mm plug is gold-plated and the fairly thin cabling is encased in cloth. In the box is a range of silicone tips of varying sizes. We found that while these Klipsch- patented tips were insanely comfortable on the Klipsch Images, they didn't fit us well on the Custom-3s. After a lengthy telephone conversation with Klipsch, we tried fitting, ironically, Shure's foam tips and they were a perfect fit. This isn't an ideal solution to an unusual situation, but it certainly enabled us to more fully enjoy the Custom-3s.

Features
Each enclosure plays host to two drivers: one woofer, handling low-end frequencies up to 1,500Hz, and a tweeter handling everything above 1,500Hz. In order to correctly route the right frequencies to the right drivers, Klipsch employs a patented crossover system.

Of course, these are also sound-isolating earphones. The provided silicone tips isolate well, but anyone after significantly more effective passive blocking of ambient sounds -- keyboard tapping, chattering on the train -- should consider snapping up a pair of Shure's replacement foam tips, as mentioned earlier.