Custom headphones are probably on your wish list when picking a new set of ear-fillers, and likely to stay there thanks to their hefty price tags and the awkwardness of needing a fitting appointment. But Minerva Hearing Protection just changed that with its Minerva Mi-1 headphones. They’re custom-fitted to your ear canal, but come in cheaper than an iPod touch. Want to upgrade your audio? Read on.
It’s impossible to pass judgement on custom cans without having your ears moulded for the occasion, and that’s exactly what we did. Minerva custom headphones can be fitted at a range of locations around the UK. We had our shell-likes examined at Hidden Hearing in London’s Mayfair.
It’s a strange experience, not unlike plunging your head underwater, as gel is squirted into your ear and left to set. After around ten minutes, you’re left with a perfect replica of your ears’ interior, ready to be turned into a pair of uniquely fitting, custom headphones.
We opted for the Mi-1 with a transparent finish, although you can choose to have yours in different colours, with pictures laser etched on the sides and it takes just over a week for them to arrive at your door, handily marked red for right and blue for left. The result of wedging them in is an incredibly snug fit that blocks the vast majority of the outside world. Inserting the slightly bulky buds takes a little getting used to, but after a while they are very comfortable, even after long periods.
In some environments, on the Tube for instance, they performed better than any active noise cancellation we’ve ever used too, and in quiet environments, there’s almost no noise leak. You’re able to listen at lower volumes too, since very little audio escapes.
And the sound quality? The Minerva Mi-1s pumped out impressive bass and middle range but the treble was slightly over-pronounced at times. We treated the Mi-1s to every audio source we could find, from MP3s to CDs, and at times had to tweak our EQ to trim the treble down.
On the move, the Mi-1s can be a tad unweildy too, with a Kevlar-reinforced cable over a metre long tending to become tangled. We’d prefer a shorter cable with a slightly longer extension, to avoid copious wires, but perhaps we’re being picky. The extra length meant we could use the at our desk, to enjoy a spot of jazz without enduring the tutting of the Electricpig team at large.
And to store our Minerava Mi-1 headphones, we opted for a Peli case, a £20 optional upgrade with Mi-1 or free with Mi-2 or Mi-3. As if our egos needed stoking any more, the Peli case is custom engraved, to match the custom headphones it contains.
All this, and Minerva have a £50 discount on Mi-1 custom headphones until August. Colour us audiophiles impressed.
Out now | £149.99 | Minerva
