Ears-on with the Klipsch Custom-3 earphones

The sound-isolating Klipsch Images were last pair of earphones we reviewed from the company and they were probably the most comfortable earphones we've ever worn. When we received news of the Klipsch Custom-3 earphones in January, we couldn't wait to get our ears on a pair.

But we've got the Custom-3s in-house now and we lodging them deeply into our King Lears to form some opinions. These are £200 'phones, driven by twin drivers in each ear. In that respect, they're on par with Shure's SE420s and the teeny tiny Jays' q-Jays, reviewed last October.

Initially, the Custom-3s gave us a lot of problems with fitting. This is possibly the result of an incompatibility with our ears as other Crave ears had no problem with them. Once fitted into our unique canals, we heard a very similar sound to the Images -- a warm voice and excellent bass, but a high end that lacked the shimmer and sparkle that make instruments like cymbals sound bright and crisp.

Ideally, the Custom-3s are best suited to acoustic music, female voices and to a certain degree, rock. But if a sparkling treble is what gets you excited, you may want to try out a pair before you buy them.

Expect the full low-down in our review, due very soon. -Nate Lanxon

Update: Read our full Klipsch Custom-3 earphones review.