Bass (9.5/10): The bass on the CE-5 is phenomenal, and genuinely one of the best, if not the best set of IEMs I have encountered in that regard.

The name of the game for the CE-5 is summed up by the word “control”. It never ever sounds loose or bloated, even while possessing such amazing slam and impact. The decay of the bass is naturally DD, lingering on for the perfect amount of time.

Subbass on the CE-5 is second to none, extending to the depths of hell, complemented by thunderous rumble and detail. There’s nothing quite like it, with even the JH Roxannes and the Z1R bowing to the CE-5 in terms of subbass response, unable to achieve the glorious rumble capable by the latter. “Royals” by Lorde was an absolute experience on the CE-5.

Midbass, in comparison, can even be termed as “recessed”. When viewed in isolation, however, it is merely just average in quantity. The quality, however, still shines through in ease, with excellent speed, detail and texture. It’s a cleaner, no-nonsense presentation than its subbass brethren, but might be a little thin for some. The basslines in Lauv’s “Paris in the Rain”, for example, don’t quite have the lush, addictive attack that the Roxannes do so well.

“Endgame bass in an IEM and only a 9.5?”, I hear you say, “how can this be allow?” The rating could have easily been a 10/10, but unfortunately the site belongs to me, and my personal preferences lean towards more midbass body. But for most, bass doesn’t get any better than this.

Mids (8/10): I’m quite ambivalent to the midrange on the CE-5. On one hand, there’s such clarity, resolution and detail that’s apparent on first listen. On the other hand, the tonal balance on the midrange of the CE-5 is relatively poor.

Female vocals are far and away the star of the show here, sounding exceedingly sweet and airy. They stand out with a commanding presence, as you hear every breath, every detail in tracks as vocalists like Adele belt their lungs out in tracks like “When we were young”, as every note is delivered with surgical precision.

However, as fantastic as the upper mids are, the lower mids are recessed and scooped in similar magnitude. While still exhibiting great resolution, male vocalists like Frank Sinatra or Andrea Bocelli have their wings clipped, lacking the body, weight and velvety texture traditionally associated with these singers. The lower midrange scoop greatly thins the midrange, and the tonal imbalance can be jarring at times, with both male and female vocals tending to sound nasal.

In many ways, they remind me of the Sony IER-Z1R, though the Z1R’s lower mids are less recessed than the CE-5’s, and are still the benchmark in resolution and clarity, being a step up from the CE-5. They do get close, though.