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Review: Audeze Euclid in-ear headphones – expensive, but nearly perfect

I think I’ve found my perfect IEM.

Audeze euclid planar iems
Image: Joe Rice-Jones / KnowTechie

We’ve been big fans of Audeze since the beginning here at KT, and now it’s time for their latest (and smallest) set of earbuds. The company is known for its planar magnetic driver technology, which usually comes in huge, over-ear headphone format.

To fit the tech into IEMs previously, they had to do some trickery with dimensions, but now they’ve figured out how to shrink that even further.

Now their smallest planar drivers are only 18mm across, so they can be stuffed into average-sized IEM housings. Of course, average isn’t a word we’re used to using for anything Audeze makes, so let’s dive in to see how the $1,299 Euclid fares.

So, what are they all about?

Audeze euclid planar iems
Image: Joe Rice-Jones / KnowTechie

If you saw the Euclid without knowing anything about it, would you think anything other than that it was a fancy pair of IEMs, like every other IEM in its price range?

I mean, milled aluminum housings are common at this price, so are carbon-fiber accents. It’s okay, we’d think the same thing too, even after recognizing the Audeze logo, a company known only for its planar magnetic driver technology.

Well, inside those housings are 18mm custom planar magnetic drivers, with a ridiculous 10Hz to 50kHz frequency range, an 12-ohm impedance, and 105dB SPL. Lots of numbers, but all you need to know is they can be driven by pretty much anything. As with any planars, they’ll really sing when given more power, but you don’t need it.

Audeze euclid planar iems
Image: Joe Rice-Jones / KnowTechie

Audeze ships the Euclid inside a clear Pelican case, with custom-cut interior foam to stop them rattling around. That’s good, as shaking would potentially destroy the drivers over time. Inside is also a decent assortment of Comply foam tips and SpinFit’s silicone tips. That should give you enough options to find the seal for your ears.

Audeze also includes an earwax cleaning tip and a shirt clip for the cable. You also get a mesh drawstring bag in case you don’t want to cart the heavy-duty waterproof Pelican case around.

You might want to grab an extender cable for desktop use, however. The included cable is around three feet long; that’s only really long enough if your music player is in your jeans pocket. You do get a quarter-inch adapter as well.

So, how do they sound?

Audeze euclid planar iems
Image: Joe Rice-Jones / KnowTechie

It’s no hyperbole to say I think I’ve found my forever pair of IEMs. Before this, the closest I’ve gotten was the Meze Rai Solo. Like the Euclids, the Rai Solo uses one driver to create sound, just a dynamic one.

Let’s start with the fit; because that’s always a big consideration with any IEM. Euclid slid right on into my ear canal while nestling into my outer ear. No chance of these sliding out, even while jogging, especially with the well-constructed over-ear hook on the cables.

All of the usual benefits of large planar drivers are evident here. Tight, controlled bass, and an insane feel of space and separation of instruments. There’s no bleed from any part of the music; whether it’s drum kicks, snares, strings, electric guitars, or literally anything else.

Usually, in IEMs, there’s something that either sounds mushy or unclear, or even harsh. Not here, possibly because of the tuning Audeze decided on; with a peak around the 1.8kHz point, another around 5kHz, and one at 8kHz.

Planar iems
Image: Joe Rice-Jones / KnowTechie

Now, our ears are imperfect. We perceive different loudness levels for frequencies, at different dB levels. The Fletcher Munson Curve actually shows that perception of the lower frequencies increases more as the volume goes up.

The effect that has on Euclid? You can crank the source for extra effective bass, while not increasing the mids or highs, which are what end up fatiguing you over time.

Even volumes I’d never use for extended listening couldn’t create distortion on Euclid’s drivers. Sure, they’re not tuned to have an extended bass response, but you get enough grunt low down when you turn up that dial.

Yes, there are some minor, weird quirks on the top end of the frequency range, but those all seem to help with instrument and vocal separation so perhaps that was Audeze’s aim. Whatever, it doesn’t detract at all from the overall amazingness.

So, should I buy them?

For $1,299 (either from Amazon or the company’s website), the Audeze Euclid breaks new ground for the company, as its first closed-back IEMs. They’re breaking new ground for us as well, as our highest-ever scoring piece of audio equipment. I had to really hold myself back from giving them a perfect score, not because they’re technically deficient but they’re not perfect.

That said, they’re the closest to perfect that any planar driver of this size could aspire to. I’ve heard more rounded IEMs in the higher frequencies, but those all needed multiple pairs of balanced armatures to achieve. Let’s not forget that Audeze is using just one driver in each of these.

If your pockets are deep enough, I can’t recommend the Audeze Euclid enough. They might just replace your entire headphone collection.

Editors’ Recommendations:

Just a heads up, if you buy something through our links, we may get a small share of the sale. It’s one of the ways we keep the lights on here. Click here for more.

The Good
Gorgeous
Solidly built
Incredibly detailed sound
No distortion at any volume level
The Bad
Your wallet is gonna hurt
Cable could be longer
9.6
Overall

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Maker, meme-r, and unabashed geek with nearly half a decade of blogging experience. If it runs on electricity (or even if it doesn't), Joe probably has one around his office somewhere. His hobbies include photography, animation, and hoarding Reddit gold.

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