Sonomax eers Custom Earbuds: Changing the Game of Custom Personal Audio (Review)

Patrick Nosker January 24, 2012

Sonomax has changed a lot in the last year. Moving from proof of concept to production, they have optimized their Sonofit custom molded earphones technology to be more robust and easier to use. The best part, however, are the changes inside.

I wasn’t exactly impressed with their first attempt. I checked out their PCS-100 model last year and didn’t like the sound of them very much. It wasn’t that the sound was bad as much as it was not great for $200 and would only appeal to certain audiences. Two rebrands later (Originally Sonomax to Sculpted Eers and now finally Sonomax eers), their PCS-250 are fantastic.

Moving from the muddy bass driver coming out of their first version to a delectable combination of two balanced armature drivers in the PCS-250, the sound is no longer muddy and brain rattling. Instead it possesses the qualities I like to see out of a set of high end in-ear monitors. Rather than focusing on the Beats by Dre crowd, Sonomax has positioned the PCS-250 to be competitive with the $500+ custom in-ear monitors from the likes of Ultimate Ears and JH Audio. That isn’t to say Beats by Dre users won’t be impressed– because they will. The bass still kicks down low but no longer wrecks the other frequencies.

The other major change between the PCS-100 and PCS-250 is the fitment. The Sonofit system has improved its injection system greatly by allowing a larger mold to be created which ensures an even better seal. It goes slightly deeper creating the perfect air-tight seal that rivals and even beats out some of the customs I have.

Finally, the PCS-250 do a great job at covering the entire dynamic range. From the bassiest of trance and house music to the subtle voice of a violin bow across strings the PCS-250 accurately represents the entire spectrum of music. With incredibly fast and punchy response it can almost catch you off guard. You will understand your music library much better than using your standard iPod headphones or even many other earbuds near the PCS-250′s price range.

Add in the fact that you get a perfect fit, hours of lasting comfort, great noise isolation, and a really personalized product and the Sonomax eers PCS-250 are an insane bargain. And nobody will want to steal them from you because they will sound like crap in their ears.

Compared to more expensive in-ear monitors such as one of my personal favorites, Sleek Audio’s CT7, they still seem like a bargain. Keep in mind that full customs made with acrylic shells and all require an ear impression and potential month-long waits between when you first order and when you see your product. With the Sonomax Sonofit system, you have your very own, finger-print-like, custom in-ear monitors in just five minutes. On the other hand, you can’t customize the PCS-250 like you can customs. Still though, the price is right and choosing between the two I would go for the PCS-250 since the sound quality is comparable to the CT7 and the price is much more affordable.

So what are you waiting for? Don’t waste your time on Shure SE425-CL monitors. With the PCS-250 you get Ultimate Ears TripleFi 10vi sound quality with a perfect fit, everytime.

Check out the Gallery for some pictures of the Sonofit system and the PCS-250 compared to the Sleek Audio CT7.