Packaging and Accessories

64 Audio had just updated its product packaging last year in time for my review of the U18t and it makes for a similar unboxing experience across the board for all its UIEM models. The U4s is no different, with a decorative outer sleeve that is customized to the model and shows the company logo and product name on the front to go with a render of the IEMs in all their splendor. There's also a note confirming these are universal fit IEMs made in the USA with an exploded wireframe illustration on the back showing you what goes into the making of each of these units. The various patented technologies are also listed here along with contact information for the company, although I would have liked to see product specs as well as perhaps a factory frequency response curve—easier said than done on such products with Apex module support though. The brand slogan is seen on the side and the inner box also has a sticker with the specific unit's serial number on it. Slide it out to reveal a thick black cardboard box with the logo on top and the same slogan on the side.


A magnetic clasp keeps this box closed neatly from the side, and it opens up to reveal a printed welcome note from the founder of the company on the inner lining. The other side contains a thick foam sheet with machined cutouts to snugly fit and protect the contents. At the top we see the IEMs themselves with the cable pre-attached and wound around the cardboard insert to keep it concealed underneath. At the bottom is a larger circular cutout that hosts the carry case and other accessories inside, including a sticker for those who want to perhaps show off ownership of a 64 Audio product. The various ear tips come placed on a circular carry disc with the 64 Audio logo in the middle and this allows for the different ear tips to easily be identified and removed. We also get a cleaning tool, a clasp/clip to help secure the cable to your clothing, and the spare Apex modules we will get to shortly.


When it comes to ear tips, 64 Audio provides some wider bore, softer flange silicone tips that sell for $6 for a set of two, some Spinfit silicone tips with longer, colored bores and a stiffer outer flange, and the so-called TrueFidelity high-density foam tips that cost $15 for three pairs of your chosen size. This makes for some fairly expensive ear tips that themselves total more than some IEMs. These all come in sizes S, M, and L so try out what works best for you.


The carry/storage case that comes with the 64 Audio U4s adopts a cylindrical puck form factor which has been employed to good success before by many others and is the same case that we saw shipped with the U18t and Duo to where I can help verify to its durability over a longer period of time. This is good because it uses bonded leather, which is effectively a higher grade simulation leather with a blend of actual leather, and comes off more premium looking to where the $50 asking price for the case is not unreasonable in this wacky world of audio accessories. It has the company logo embossed on top with good quality stitching throughout and has plenty of felt-lined room inside for the IEMs, some spare ear tips, the Apex modules, and even the cleaning brush if you pack efficiently. On the flip side, the case is not the easiest to carry around in your pockets given its size and is best used inside another bag.


Remember those Apex modules from before? I went in expecting to see two sets provided in a separate carrier/holder with the third set pre-installed on the IEMs. This was indeed the case until I realized there was a separate accessory box that shipped with the U4s box itself. I am not sure if the retail version will have this be a separate box or have the contents included inside, especially when you realize inside is a second of those module holders that now contains the simultaneously releasing 64 Audio m12 Apex modules. These are gold-colored and complement the others provided in the product box by offering different levels of isolation—more on this shortly. The new m12 Apex modules will be available exclusively with the U4s IEMs for the foreseeable future and 64 Audio will eventually sell it separately as an accessory similar to the other modules. The company is also planning out the logistics of whether, and how best to, include the m12 modules with other compatible 64 Audio IEMs in the future.


The new m12 modules nicely fit into the module holder alongside the other two sets to where I do encourage 64 Audio to ship the retail U4s as so, to avoid extra packaging that will just be thrown away by customers. It also now helps get rid of those two spare slots in the holder seeing as how one set will always be installed on the IEMs anyway! Speaking of which, for a closer examination of the IEMs and the cables separately, I had to first remove the cable from the IEMs. A quick look here reveals the use of standard 0.78 mm 2-pin connectors so things are simple enough given this is a friction fit. Carefully dislodge the connectors by holding one of the IEM shells in one hand and applying outward pressure on the cable connector with the other, without wiggling things sideways or up/down. Repeat this with the other side and you are done!