Stereo Mojo - Sleek Awarded for Innovation

 

- Most Innovative New In-Ear Phone -

“[The SA6] in-ear phone was the first that has ever even worked for me.”

Sleek audio was named Most Innovative New In-Ear Phone by StereoMojo at this year’s CanJam in Fort Lauderdale Florida. CanJam is an international meeting for Head-fi members (world’s largest online community of audiophiles) and high-end audio enthusiasts.

Mark Krywko has been in the hearing aid business for many years, so he knows something about hearing and in ear devices. Now he has started a new company dubbed Sleek Audio. His first product is billed as the first in-ear phone that has an adjustable frequency response. It is not accomplished by some kind of electronic EQ, but rather tiny plug-ins that acoustically boost or reduce bass and/or treble by different levels of decibels.

For me however, his in-ear phone was the first that has ever even worked for me. I have spent a couple of frustrating (and rather embarrassing) hours at various audio shows with reps from Shure and Sennheiser among others, just trying to get a proper fit and seal so that the sound does not resemble a bad AM radio. I was sure that the world of in-ear devices was forever closed for me. When he offered a demo of his product, I told him my experiences. That’s when he told me about his hearing aid business and encouraged me to try his. He took a quick look at my ear canal and fitted a seal to his phones and -surprise- I heard real music!

I told him that there was a bit too much bass, so he removed a small black piece of plastic and replaced it with a different one from a pack labeled “-6 db.” I listened and the bass was reduced to a more livable level. Pretty cool! He showed me other little plastic bags that were labeled with several different plus or minus variables for both treble and bass. There things really were tunable!

“The shape of the ear canal varies from person to person. The length and diameter of the ear canal changes the acoustics of the sound environment. For the same reason a bell rings at a certain tone based on its size and shape, the ear canal can increase or resonate certain tones more than others. This is why some people hear a tone as light and shimmery while others hear it as tinny and harsh. The only solution is to make an earphone that is tunable to every individual’s ear canal.” (Mark Krywko, CEO, Sleek Audio) - Makes sense to me.

The price is a pretty reasonable $249 that includes multiple ear tips, tip cleaner, treble & bass tuning ports and carrying case. He also pointed out that the cables were free-turning as well so you can put them behind your ears or wear them however works for you. They are easily replaceable too, so you don’t have to scrap the whole earphone if the cable dies. He also said he had talked to other custom cable makers and they are very interested in making upscale cables for his designs.

As I was about to leave, he pointed to three artificial ears with plugs in them. He said he will also fit his product to a custom ear form if you supply him with one from an audiologist. He said it normally costs about $50 to get the custom made, so you can have a totally custom pair of phones for about $300 or so.

 Review by: StereoMojo, http://www.stereomojo.com/