Recently, I got to fondle a couple of interesting earphones: the Earsonics S-EM6 and the InEar SD-3. Why? Because I thought that Musica Acoustics wouldn’t notice they were gone (tee hee!). I was wrong. Both earphones are headed back to MA today with all haste and profuse apology. If you’re keen for a proper review, Headfonia will be covering the SD-3 at length; and later at the same website, yours truly will give some love to the Earsonics S-EM6.

fit

After trying many custom-cum universal earphones, I’m left with a semi-bitter taste in my mouth. Quality of fit usually is sacrificed for bragging rights. Or the earphones are way too big. The SD-3 defies both bowls of porridge. It slides into the ear, fitting flush and flat, much like a custom. Its body is large, but both its sound bore and tube are narrow, and the earphone sits at a comfortable angle. If you’re strong like me, you may be able to mash a pair of overstretched Shure Olives onto the SD-3. If adventures aren’t your thing, try a pair of uber-comfortable ortofon or Spin-Fit ear pieces.

That’s all to say that fit is pretty good.

sound

SD-3 serves up the bass. It really does. And if you do end up siding with the Shures, or soft Comply foams, you wont’ get much else. Warm bass, no slam or detail in any frequency. So I say: secure fit be damned, try something, anything, else. When you do, SD-3 really opens up. Bass is always the main mover, but it melds beautifully with mids and highs. Highs are a bit soft up top, but not to their porridge.

All in all, I’d say SD-3 serves up performance that reminds one of standing very near the stage; it’s just that body slam from the massive subs goes straight for your eardrums. Note, I didn’t say the SD-3 gives a chaotic live performance. Chaotic live is what you get from scratchy-trebly earphones, or phones with smeared upper mid sections. SD-3’s frequencies meld perfectly. Mids up to and including high-pitched electric guitar riffs are crisp and forward.

Bite and rumble: that’s the SD-3. And it’s diggable. If you have a pair of SD-3s and want to feel it, check out Anodyne Industries’ Gateway EP (it’s free and in FLAC). Boom.

ohmage

These are sweet phones. Fit good. Sound good. Price good. I’m really looking forward to Lieven’s review.