"Most of the uber-pricey in-canal
audiophile earphones we review are custom-molded models with multiple drivers. Unlike competing pairs in this price range, such as the
JH Audio Roxanne, the $1,299 Audeze Euclid earphones aren't custom-molded, and each earpiece offers a single driver. That said, it's a planar magnetic driver, which you won't find in the Roxanne, and the sonic performance is impressive. If you have the budget and are looking for reference-level in-ears, either for critical listening in a studio or at home, the Euclid earphones deliver a mids- and highs-focused sound signature that highlights the details in mixes. "
"The Euclid’s black earpieces look very much like custom-molded in-ear monitors, except for the custom molding part—they terminate in eartips that feel every bit the same as those found in $60 earphones. The nozzle leading to the canal seems at least somewhat wider than some in-ears provide, and this can help with fit and audio performance. The outer panels have carbon fiber surfaces with the Audeze logo emblazoned over it, which creates an interesting floating A visual effect."
"The earphones ship with a solid haul of accessories, starting with a detachable MMCX-braided cable. There’s also a generous array of Comply foam and SpinFit silicone eartips in various sizes, as well as an earwax cleaning tool and a shirt clip for the cable. The clamp-shut hard-shell Pelican 1010 travel case is on the heavy-duty end of the case spectrum, with a carabiner attached for good measure. A mesh fabric drawstring bag for more casual toting is also included. "
"The audio testing discussed in this section was conducted with high-resolution files on an iMac playing through a Universal Audio Apollo interface feeding a McIntosh C31V Audio/Video Control Center (which has a headphone jack), but we also used the earphones with a variety of sound sources during testing."
"On tracks with intense sub-bass content, like The Knife’s “Silent Shout,” the earphones deliver powerful, articulate low-frequency response paired with clean high-frequency response. It’s possible to distort the drivers on this track without necessarily creeping into uncomfortably high volume levels, but it’s close enough to levels you shouldn’t be listening at that we’ll say it’s not a deal breaker."
"There’s no denying the audio quality of the Audeze Euclid—these earphones sound excellent. The pricing and the design decisions, however, are a bit perplexing. Planar magnetic technology is wonderful, and there are plenty of advanced materials in play inside these earpieces, but these are the most expensive planar magnetic earphones or headphones we’ve tested in recent memory, by a wide margin. In the planar magnetic realm, we’ve also enjoyed the $600
Audeze iSine20 in-ears and the the $700
HiFiMan Ananda over-ears. While we truly enjoy the Euclid’s sound signature and think other audiophiles will, too, we wish there was a custom-molded option at this price, or that this non-custom model was less expensive."
