Packaging

From the moment you unwrap the NuForce HEM8 earphones there is an unmistakeable feel of quality to them. The box and carrying case they come in is not only well built, but is an excellent value for protecting your purchase. The box comes with about six really nice ear tips, and some comply foam tips as well. They come in a waterproof hard case that is large and bulky, and includes a smaller, softer rigid carry case.

Design Philosophy

First of all, this is a quadruple balanced armature headphone, which means there are four little speakers on the inside. Each one is handling a little bit of the sound on its own, so that together, they form a cohesive unit. NuForce designed a proper crossover for these, and by taking steps to eliminate resonance within the casing itself, and design the crossover around such resonance. By paying attention to the casing, which many multi driver IEM's leave out, NuForce achieved a crossover that results in a far better balanced armature headphone than I've heard before. I would say overall, that this design results in a clean and cohesive sound that is as detailed as it is immersive.

Accessories/build quality/comfort

The headphones comes with a hard case, a soft case, and six(!) different pairs of ear tips, meaning no one should have any problem finding ones that fit. And NuForce even went out of their way to include two separate cables - one with a mic, and a second one without the mic, both braided to reduce cable sounds. The cables are replaceable, and due to their quality it’s unlikely they’ll break or be damaged. but you have a replacement if you really need it. It’s a fantastic added value, and really makes a headphone that already feels better than its $500 price tag an even better value.

The materials are exceedingly carefully chosen, and the entire package, from headphones to accessories, feels sturdy and high quality. When I first saw these, their small size surprised me. One of the unexpected side effects of designing these headphones like a larger speaker, with taking case resonance into account, is that you get a smaller speaker body than you would otherwise. The resulting package fits really comfortably into the ears.