It’s been so long, I can’t remember exactly what the T4s sound like besides very smooth and well controlled. I cannot wait to get them back in my ears… I rocked the same config my self in the beginning, but then I did both switches up because obviously, I’m a treble head apparently lol
Hope all is well on your end, brother
Sound signature and price to performance ratio (Storm slightly better but not by $4k).
Well, that makes sense lol I just thought you were saying you preferred the Crimson over the STORM, full stop. If we’re talking Price to performance than yes, the Crimson beats the STORM.
But in terms of pure SQ, the STORM is one of, if not the best IEM I have ever heard.
This article has taken me ages to write. Admittedly, I’ve been putting it off and just enjoying the Crimson’s lovely sound so that I don’t have to send them back! Before I go on rambling, I wanted to give a huge thank you and shoutout to the boys over at Symphonium Audio for being absolute studs. This pair of Crimsons, like the Meteors from a few weeks ago, are provided on loan so that I can take some pics and share some impressions with you fine people. I know most of us would normally see “In exchange for pics and review” but genuinely, they’ve asked me to say nothing specific, positive or negative, and given me as much time as I needed to write this review. It goes without saying but, all of these thoughts and opinions are my own.
Test Tracks, Sources and Disclaimer
Test tracks
Sources
Disclaimer
I am not a reviewer, don’t take anything I say as an objective stance, of course, this is just what I hear, y’all. This hobby should be fun! It’s purely my opinion.
I personally value timbre over everything. If a set has a strange tonality or timbre, it’s an immediate turn off.
TLDR;
The Crimson. Precise and Clean.
They provide one of the cleanest playbacks of any IEM I have heard to date in such an effortless way while still maintaining musicality. If tuning is no longer kept away from budget sets, the Crimsons prove the technicalities still are. Having this level of driver cohesion, resolution, stage width/depth, imaging and layering is simply incredible and obviously takes rigorous R&D, especially with the hardware being used here if we’re just talking about driver count. Regarding those techs I just listed, I wouldn’t be surprised if Crimson traded blows with even more expensive sets during a direct A/B test. The tuning is extremely mature and reminiscent of the legendary Subtonic STORM, with an emphasis to the Sub-bass, cleaner lower-mids presentation, a gentle upper-mids area, and an incredibly smooth and airy treble. However, it may not be for everyone. Tonality is on the thinner side and there is a lack of mid-bass and lower-mid presence. The treble could also come across as a little spicy for some as a few folks have noted. There is some serious tip and source rolling to be done whilst listening to the Crimson. They require proper amplification and the right fit for your ears to sound their best. I would not recommend an Apple dongle or even a higher-powered dongle. A desktop stack or a “portable” Desktop setup is highly recommended for these.
Fitment note; The shells are noticeably larger than the Meteors, but also smaller than your typical semi-custom IEM like the stuff from Thieaudio. I had no pressure build-up wearing the Crimsons, and I had no pain wearing them whatsoever. Disclaimer; the Monarch MK2 is the best fitting IEM I own… do with that info as you see fit lol.
Bass
As I mentioned above, the Crimsons pack a surpassingly punchy and satisfying sub-bass presentation in such a humble driver config, which is just 4 BAs. The rest of the custom tech made by Symphonium is really working overtime here and it shows. The level of tactility in the sub-bass is impressive, and the Mid-bass, while somewhat lacking on some songs, is very thumpy and punchy with plenty of texture on songs like GIVE LIFE BACK TO MUSIC, VOYAGER, WAVY MAZE, & THEY ARE GROWING. The Sub-bass rumbles nicely on my Sub-bass reference tracks, FRUITING BODY and DAYTIME. I don’t have much if anything bad to say about the bass quality, because it’s there. It has great elasticity in the notes that provide some awesome body and depth to each thump. I just wish there was more of it… that’s about it. It’s BA bass, yes, it’s of a softer impact with less of an emphasis on the initial transient, (somewhat similar to the Meteor but I think better transient attack here) but I think it’s very high-quality bass, period. BA or DD, doesn’t matter.
Mids
I think my favorite part of the tuning here on the Crimsons live within the mids, more specifically, the upper mids. I believe they are basically perfectly tuned relative to the rest of the tuning. Symphonium smartly decided to not follow up the tucked mid-bass with a crazy 9-10 dB pinna region like some other manufac. might. Instead, opting for a smoother shelf about 5-6 dBs above the rest of the mids and I love it. This IEM reminded me what vocals are all about… Emotional, weighty, and ultra textured. WAVES, TOGETHER, ONE AND ONLY, DECODE, THEY ARE GROWING… All of the songs that feature beautiful, forward vocals really shine. It’s a treat, really. Lots of texture and lots of airiness that allow for that breathy delivery that’s so important when listening to playlists and libraries like mine. These are some of the best vocals I’ve heard - Full stop.
Treble
In typical Symphonium fashion, the treble is done masterfully. Yet again, the boys from Singapore show that they know what they’re doing here. It’s airy, light, beautifully splashy, and lively, with so much detail that your brain almost gets fatigued by the bombardment of all of the micro and macro nuances. DAYS, my typical treble test, sounds fantastic and energetic in the best way possible. Cymbals sound perfectly placed in the mix, with a nice emphasis on snare hits. I did, however, feel a touch of spice with some recordings, in particular, I’d say with not-so-nicely recorded tracks. While not in my headphone test playlist, I did find that some older, classic rock by Zeppelin for example can sometimes come off as too thin with an emphasis on the crash cymbals causing some discomfort. The lack of a lower mids body can cause some balance issues. I don’t think it’s so off-putting to be a deal breaker, however. It would mostly present itself at higher volumes, so if you’re a higher-volume listener who also happens to be on the younger side, you may want to steer away. I’d also like to note that there is some harshness in the consonants, especially with female vocals. THE MARIAS stands out here. However, this is not because the treble is un-even or poorly tuned here, it’s boosted yes, but It’s overall very smooth and mostly extremely well done. The positives definitely outweigh the negatives here.
Technicalities
I mean, what can I say? The stage is absolutely wide open here, probably one of the most spacious playbacks out of an IEM I’ve experienced. Height, width, and depth are all top of their class. Detail retrieval and overall resolution is also befitting of a TOTL IEM. I’d even say that the Crimsons compete with higher-priced IEMs, like the U12t, Elysian Annihilator and some of the stuff from Noble. Those just immediately jump into my head comparing these to the rest of the market. I know $1,500 is a lot for an IEM, but these truly justify their price in my humble opinion. The timbre is also on point here. The tonality is on the lighter side, but I had no issues with it whatsoever. Imaging is also spot on.
Source Differences
This is an important one with the Crimsons because these do react to sources quite a bit, especially if you’re feeding them the power they need to really shine. On my portable setup, the BTR7, I found the bass to be lacking and the stage to close in noticeably. However, the desktop stack shocked me. My initial listen was done on the BTR7 and I was… disappointed. I even let my brothers know within my tour group. But I stuck with it, constantly tip-rolling and finding the right combo and I’m happy to say that once that magical combo is found, there’s some special sauce with these IEMs. My favorite source pairing was found on the desktop, but also, on the Dunu DTC 500 surprisingly. The Dunu is a warmer source and it really filled in the entire sound sig. for the Crimsons well. It added warmth to the lower mids and weight to the vocals I crave. The Desktop stack made the stage expansive and the sub-bass rumble, while also giving the overall experience a very nice separated presentation. I also landed on the Radius Deep Mount clears for my tip of choice. They were the best mix of fit and sound quality for my ears.
In Summary, the Crimsons are an IEM I have grown to love. At first, I wasn’t blown away, I would go as far as to say even a little disappointed. But now, after having them at home for nearly a month, I could see how these would be someone’s end game IEM, allowing them to step away from the hobby and be completely satisfied. While these aren’t my preferred tuning, I’d like some more sub-bass and mid-bass body, less upper mids (just a little), and a slightly less boosted mid-treble, I cannot deny the powerhouse that Symphonium has created here. If you are looking for an ultra-clean, sub-bass-boosted set with vocals to die for, these are for you.
Thank you all so much for reading and thank you to the crew over at Symphonium Audio for giving me another opportunity to experience their creations at home with no strings attached or time limit.
Now I have to send them back and I am sad 
But hey, Titan is incoming and I cannot wait.
Take care!
Amazing write up + photos! Looking forward to ur impressions of the Titan… perhaps the dd can help fix some of your bass quantity issues
Symphonium picked the right one, collaborating with you. You’re banging these out now. Looking forward to your growth, as you keep getting your feet under you. You’re doing amzaing, brother!
Thank you, @GooberBM and @wueer01 ! I appreciate you both. I am grateful for the chance the boys at Symphonium gave me.
@domq422 and group… I don’t know if this is the right place to ask this. If not, I apologize and will delete the post, but here goes…
I have never tried an IEM in my life, I have always been told my ear canals are too fucked up to use them. But life changes, and now all bets are off. If I wanted to finally try a set for the first time, what would the recommendation be? I don’t want to spend too much on them in case it doesn’t go well, but I don’t want garbage either! Let’s put the budget at say, 300 bucks. Maybe that is too much, I have no idea!
I thank you and the group in advance for your consideration. 
BTW @domq422 I have been enjoying your work here, which is what is kinda driving this decision to try an IEM in the first place. Just wanted you to know that.
I’d start small with a $20 cheapie. If that doesn’t work for you, no harm.
You don’t have to jump right into the ocean. Just dip your toes in first
Hey buddy we know you love your music 
but what HP’s are your go to/fav ie sound signature wise etc that’ll help alot 
Yo! @Raptor168 Thanks for dropping by, brother.
I love these questions, it’s fun exploring options and really trying to think back over the last year at which IEMs stood out from the rest. The first IEM that jumped into my mind was the Ziigaat Doscinco. The reason being is being the sound sig is just so easy to enjoy - It’s smooth as silk and the fit shouldn’t be too much of a hassle.
@GooberBM beat me to it though. With anyone first getting into the IEM space, buying 3 different budget options with 3 different sound sigs is the way to go imo. You get 3 different flavors to choose from and which ever resonates with you the most can be your jumping off point when you do decide to upgrade.
I would recommend these three;
KBear Rosefinch for basshead tuning
7hz Zero 2 for a more balanced tuning
Tangzu Wa’ner for vocals
Simgot EW200 is also another good option for vocals as well for a little more money.
That means a lot to me brother, thank you! All I want to do is help 
Oh right! I should have thought of that.
The HiFIMAN HE1000 V2 Stealth is my definite go-to as of today. Sitting at a VERY close second is the Focal Radiance. As for sound sig, I love resolution, clarity and depth in the stage. I like my bass, but am not a basshead. I like my bass to be strong but fast and well controlled. In other words, I don’t need a lot of thunder and rumble, I want to hear every note the bass player is playing. Well balanced is a word that comes to mind. Hope that helps!
That is a good point. Thank you! When I set the budget, I didn’t want to go too low and limit the possibilities!
The good news is that the sub-$50 bracket actually has a lot of solid options now and every bracket up has even more! Based on what you’re saying, I’m thinking maybe start with a Simgot EW200.
Is this a fit issue? That is, you never been able to properly wear any iems due to lack of seal?
This was my next question/IEM advice…getting a good seal is make or break for any IEM, with all ears being different it takes time and sometimes a lot of tip rolling to find what works for you and your chosen set but that’s half the fun
Really hope you enjoy your iem rabbit hole trip 
Yeah if iems simply havent been able to work from a fit/seal perspective (despite trying out stuff that should be pretty damn universal, like bullet style iems), then I was gonna suggest either the cheaper custom tips route or the more expensive custom iem route.
If NONE of that works, and they need something smaller than a headphone, earbuds are the only option left then.
Yo send me a dm and I’ll ship some IEMs for you to try out
I was lucky to have people who helped me out when I first got into the hobby, so just wanted to return the favor for a blooming audiophile
You can also check out my upgrade guide if it helps:
Sweet, spreading the love nice work brah 
@Rikudou_Goku @Ohmboy Thank you for your responses. This stems from a medical issue. I have had 7 major surgeries, 3 on the left ear and 4 on the right due to non-cancerous tumors. Because of all the tear-down and reconstruction, my ear canals have taken a beating and the doctors thought that it wouldn’t be good and to avoid putting things like IEMs in my ears.
But that was a long time ago. Things have changed and now they are talking about hearing aids for me (trying to avoid yet another surgery on the right ear), so if they are talking like that, I figure I am OK to go now! I did ask and he felt like it would not hurt anything at this point, so I feel like it’s time to give it a go and see what happens. Seal could well be a deal breaker if I can’t get them to stay inserted. But if I don’t at least try I will never know.
