UE Customs Reviews: The Truth About Our In-Ears

· reviews · UE CUSTOMS
UE Customs deliver world-class performance for the studio, stage and beyond. Check out what real users are saying before you buy a pair of your own.

Since 1995, our custom in-ear monitors and earphones have been the trusted choice for musicians on stage and engineers behind the board. Our passionate customers are handing out 5-star reviews left and right, but UE Custom in-ears are more than just a popular alternative to regular earbuds or headphones—they’re a bespoke experience.


Our in-ears are handcrafted for you, whether you’re touring across the country or mixing in your home studio. But rather than telling you about all the benefits, like improved performances and hearing protection, we want you to see what like-minded people have to say. After all, getting an honest gear recommendation from a fellow musician or audiophile is worth its weight in gold.

“Astounded by the renewed clarity and depth”

This review from Brian J. hits a few points that we hear in a lot of our reviews—the immaculate sound quality of UE LIVE, the all-day comfort of the custom fit of UE PRO and the life-long investment of a pair of quality IEMs.


“This is my second set of earbuds from UE. I have had them for a month and I am still astounded by the renewed clarity and depth of music tracks that I have listened to for years. The fit is perfect. I don’t even know I am wearing them. The finish is beautiful. I even had the canal depth extended 2 mm. That was a good decision for me and customer service was so easy to work with. I see the price as irrelevant since I will listen to these for years and don’t need to buy anything else.” - Brian J.

“I’m hearing music again for the first time”

How many times have you listened to your favorite songs? By now, you probably think you’ve memorized every drum hit, every strum pattern and every audible breath the singer takes between lines. But if you’re like Scott T., listening on UE LIVE might open your ears to things you’ve never heard before in your favorite music.


“Instruments, chord progressions, intros, vocals, you name it, I'm hearing it all again for the first time and it sounds amazing. I could also go on about the noise canceling quality and amazing fit but I'm trying to keep this review brief (screaming children on your 5 hour flight? UEs take care of it). All-in-all if I could give these IEMs infinite stars I would.” - Scott T.


“Well-worth the investment”

You don’t have to already be performing on the world’s biggest stages to benefit from UE IEMs or earphones. LeeAnn C. decided to invest in herself by picking up a pair of UE 18+ CSX for listening and performing and is thrilled with the experience.


“I am definitely not a professional musician—probably closer to a hobby vocalist and a music lover, but also have not been all that picky about audio quality as long as it’s obviously awful. But as someone who used to dream of becoming a musician, I’ve been wanting to invest in a set of IEMs for myself to cherish my musical dreams from younger years.


And I AM SO GLAD I did! The music audio quality is AMAZING and so clear, I’m not sure if I can go back to anything else. The fit kit was easy to do and the IEMs were made in a pretty timely manner. The support team was extremely communicative and the [entire] process was very smooth. Overall, I’m very happy with my purchase and well-worth the investment!” - LeeAnn C.

“Amazingly clear and well-balanced”

Though UE was made with musicians in mind, music lovers around the world have turned to our CSX earphones for a best-in-class listening experience. With expertly-tuned drivers and a custom fit, anyone can listen to music with incredible detail and comfort wherever they go—whether that’s the stage or the gym. For Aaron, switching to UE 11 CSX earphones after years of using generic earphones made all the difference.


“Not only do these fit better than any off-the-shelf earbuds (as you would expect with custom IEMs), but they sound much, much better. I’m not an expert, but these sound amazingly clear and well-balanced. I’m very glad I took the leap and purchased these.” - Aaron A.


“Nothing short of incredible”

UE PRO IEMs are used on stages and in recording studios all over the world. Music professionals like Jefferson T. trust our custom IEMs to accurately hear everything in the mix, which is essential to their livelihoods.


“I have been a professional stage performer for over 25 years and my new UE Custom RRs are nothing short of incredible. Completely balanced frequencies that hold up with a mix of over 9 musicians. I absolutely LOVE these and I would highly recommend them to peers in the industry. 10/10! - Jefferson T.

“I don’t miss floor monitors at all!”

If you’ve ever used traditional wedge floor monitors during a performance, you know how frustrating the sound can be. UE PRO IEMs deliver a consistent, immersive monitoring experience wherever you stand on stage. Check out what Gary, a proud UE PRO user, has to say about his switch from wedges to UE 5 PRO IEMs.


“UE Custom IEMs are such a good investment! Great sound is imperative in today’s modern stages, and these are the best! The fit is incredible and super comfortable. I was concerned about how I would adapt to in-ears, but these made the transition seamless. I don’t miss floor monitors at all! - Gary P.

Your TechReport


“As expected, incredible sound,” says YourTechReport co-host Marc Aflalo. In their detailed overview of UE PRO IEMs, YourTechReport gives viewers a glimpse of the entire UE Custom experience, from choosing a model to receiving the final product. Marc wraps up his review with, “[UE PRO IEMs] are extremely comfortable, and they block out all exterior sound—wow.”

“The sound is top notch”

On a loud stage, there are a lot of sounds competing to be heard. It’s common for musicians to compensate by turning up their mixes, but with traditional wedge monitors, this doesn’t always provide the clarity they need. In some cases it makes things worse, causing bleed between instruments and screeching feedback loops. Instead, UE PRO IEMs deliver crystal-clear mixes without cranking the volume to the max. Our customer Mark can tell you all about it based on his experience with UE 11 PRO.


"The clarity is incredible, and the bass is perfect. My listening levels are half of what I usually need from other earphones, so I don’t need to turn the volume up as high to hear everything—the sound is top notch." - Mark W.

“A significant step up in quality”

Our UE 5 sound signature was the first model we introduced, and it remains popular among musicians and audiophiles. With a 2-way crossover and single balanced armature, you’ll have the perfect earphones for everyday listening. Sean loves his!


“I love the sound quality of the UE 5 CSX monitors. I previously had used some other earphones for casual listening, but these are a significant step up in quality. UE was also very helpful with the fitting process.” - Sean S.

“The clarity, depth and accuracy are amazing”

Our IEMs and earphones are known for their clarity and accuracy, but they’re also an effective way to prevent permanent hearing loss in a loud environment, like clubs or concert halls. Scott Simmons, a professional musician and former X Factor contestant, relies on his UE PRO IEMs to protect his hearing on stage.


“I was born with hearing loss and have worn hearing aids most of my life so I’m super-protective of my hearing. I knew pretty early on in my career playing live music that I should switch to in-ear monitors. I used many different styles, but I didn’t know what I was missing until I started using UE. The clarity, depth and accuracy are amazing. They help me perform and sing so much better while protecting my hearing from further loss." - Scott Simmons

Gear It First


Arnaldo Offerman, the host of Gear It First, answers the first question musicians and performers have—why should I switch to in-ear monitors?


As a professional DJ, Arnaldo stresses the importance of hearing protection, and his UE 11 PRO IEMs are perfect for the job. But his love for UE doesn’t stop there. He says, “[Ultimate Ears] isn’t just dedicated, they’re passionate about good sound and giving you a product that’s well worth its price.”


Ready to see what the fuss is about for yourself? We offer a 30-Day Custom Fit Guarantee to ensure a secure fit with unrivaled comfort and sound. Order yours today!

Quality and comfort you have to experience to believe.

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