Great heaphone for the price. Almost of V shaped tune, but lesser treble. Not sure why some reviewer said it has the best mid range. Base is boosted though not excessively, it lacks clarify. When listening to big orchestration, the instrument separation is not very good. Also acoustic instruments lack the transient and live sound. Sound stage is average. Overall, its a good value for the price.
CrinEar
CrinEar Reference In-Ear Headphones
Regular price
$349.99
Sale price
$349.99
Regular price
$349.99
Unit price
per
CrinEar
CrinEar Reference In-Ear Headphones
CrinEar Reference In-Ear Headphones
Regular price
$349.99
Sale price
$349.99
Regular price
$349.99
Unit price
per
No Fee 365-Day Returns*
Don’t love it to start? Don't worry, you have 365-days to return with no fees*.
Wearing style
More information
Over-ear headphones sit over your ear and surround your ear with a ring of padding. On-ear headphones are padded but rest on top of your ear. In-ear monitors are worn inside your ear canal.
Over-ear headphones sit over your ear and surround your ear with a ring of padding. On-ear headphones are padded but rest on top of your ear. In-ear monitors are worn inside your ear canal.
In-ear
Driver type
More information
Speakers and headphones use a device called a 'driver' to create sound. Different types of drivers have different strengths and weaknesses, but can all produce great sound. Common varieties include dynamic, planar magnetic, and electrostatic.
Speakers and headphones use a device called a 'driver' to create sound. Different types of drivers have different strengths and weaknesses, but can all produce great sound. Common varieties include dynamic, planar magnetic, and electrostatic.
Balanced Armature, Dynamic
Connectivity
More information
Connectivity refers to the method in which the headphones connect to the audio source. Headphones can be either wired or wireless.
Connectivity refers to the method in which the headphones connect to the audio source. Headphones can be either wired or wireless.
Wired
Portability
More information
DACs and amplifiers can either be carried around or meant for static desktop use
DACs and amplifiers can either be carried around or meant for static desktop use
Portable
Description
The CrinEar Reference is the next step after the CrinEar Daybreak, but it is aimed at a different listener. Where Daybreak earned its following by being balanced, accessible, and easy to recommend, the Reference takes a more exacting approach. At $349.99, it is built around a neutrality-first target for listeners who want tonal accuracy, mix translation, and a more monitor-like presentation from an in-ear.
This is not a “Reference” in name only. CrinEar built it around a deliberately objective tuning target, then refined it so it still sounds believable in practice. The goal is simple: preserve the honesty and linearity you want from a real monitoring tool, while keeping enough physicality in the low end for music to sound complete and lifelike.
CrinEar Reference: We Have Arrived - Written review by Listener
CrinEar Reference: Nothing To Prove - Written review by FC-Construct
CrinEar Reference vs CrinEar Daybreak
The easiest way to understand the Reference is to place it next to the Daybreak. Daybreak was the broader all-rounder, the model that made Crinacle’s tuning philosophy easy to access at a lower price. The Reference moves upmarket and narrows the mission. It is the more specialized model, tuned for neutrality, consistency, and critical listening rather than broad crowd-pleasing warmth or extra excitement.
That does not make it sterile. It makes it focused. If Daybreak was designed to be easy to love, the Reference is designed to be easy to trust. For listeners who want an IEM that tells them what is in the recording rather than flattering it, that is the real appeal.
What the Measurements Suggest
The B&K 5128 measurements back up that goal. The CrinEar Reference tracks a very even overall slope from bass to treble, with both the short tips and standard tips landing in a range that should read as neutral to neutral-warm for most listeners. In practical terms, that points to an IEM with balanced bass, mids, and treble rather than one that leans obviously bright, thin, or bass-heavy.
*This shows the CrinEar Reference measurements for each set of tips done on the B&K 5128. These measurements show seatings for each tip size, which change the insertion depth of the IEM and change the sound. The shaded area shows the outer range of results while the bolded center line shows the more common result, but for any individual, depending on insertion depth, the sound could be anywhere within the shaded area. The bounded field marked by solid lines on top and bottom shows the range of preferences we know to exist from the Harman research, while the dotted center line shows a tilt of 10dB from bass to treble, which aligns with typical listener preferences in both headphones and speakers.
Just as importantly, these measurements show why tip choice matters. Because insertion depth changes the sound, an individual listener may hear something anywhere within that shaded range. IEMs tend to be sensitive to related to your ears and the Reference is no different. Dialing in the right tip can meaningfully affect how neutral, warm, or direct it sounds in your ears. Tips matter!
Objective Neutrality, Refined for Real Listening
CrinEar’s stated target is a population-averaged diffuse-field response with a gentle downward tilt, then a subtle low-frequency lift to restore the sense of physicality people expect from a good speaker system or studio monitor in a real room. That is an important choice. Plenty of products chase flatness on paper. Far fewer manage to sound natural once they are actually in your ears.
Here, the bass lift is there to preserve realism, not to turn the Reference into a bass-boosted set. The end result should be familiar to anyone who values accurate monitors: controlled, even-handed, and honest, with enough foundation down low to keep the sound grounded.
Tuned for the Studio, Built for Daily Use
The Reference is designed as a genuine monitoring tool. It is meant for critical listening, mix checks, and anyone who wants reliable tonal balance without constantly having to second-guess what the IEM is adding or taking away. Midrange clarity is central to that job. If vocals, instruments, and the body of the mix are not presented with the right balance and weight, nothing works as a true reference monitor.
That is also why the bass system matters so much here. A flat target is only useful if the low end stays disciplined. The Reference is built to keep bass extension and physicality without letting it blur into the rest of the mix, which makes it more useful for long-term listening and more credible as a tool.
HODWS Architecture and 3BA Driver System
Bass is handled by a custom Horizontally-Opposed Dual Woofer System, or HODWS, using two 10 mm dynamic drivers. By splitting the mechanical load across both woofers, the system is designed to reduce stress on each diaphragm, improve bass linearity, improve efficiency, and deliver tighter, more controlled low-end response. That is a smart way to approach bass on a neutrality-first IEM, because “flat bass” still needs to sound like real bass.
For the mids and highs, the Reference uses a three balanced armature array made up of twin Sonion midrange drivers and a Knowles supertweeter. That gives the Reference a clear division of labor across the frequency range, with the dual dynamic system handling foundation and weight while the BA array focuses on articulation, presence, and upper-end detail.
Tip Choice and Fit Matter
The included tip selection is not filler. It is part of how the Reference should be used. Between the standard bore, shorter bore, widebore, and foam options, listeners have multiple ways to tune fit, insertion depth, seal, and final tonal balance. The measurements show why that matters: seating changes the response, especially as you move through the upper mids and treble.
For most people, the Reference should land somewhere between neutral and neutral-warm once properly fitted. The best approach is to treat the included tips as part of the setup process, not just accessories in the box. The right tip will not only improve comfort and seal, it will help the Reference sound closer to the way it was intended.
Built to Last, Easy to Live With
The Reference uses a full aluminum shell precision-machined with a 5-axis CNC process. The pseudo-custom shape is designed to sit securely for longer sessions while helping control enclosure resonance. It feels purposeful, which suits a product aimed at both serious enthusiasts and professional users.
CrinEar also includes a premium silver-plated copper modular cable with interchangeable 3.5 mm single-ended and 4.4 mm balanced connectors. That makes the Reference easy to move between portable dongles, DAPs, desktop gear, and more serious source chains without needing to swap cables or give up connection flexibility.
Key Features
- Neutrality-first in-ear monitor designed for tonal accuracy and mix translation
- Follow-up to the CrinEar Daybreak with a more specialized reference tuning
- B&K 5128 measurements suggest a neutral to neutral-warm presentation for most listeners, depending on tip choice and insertion depth
- Perceptually flat tuning with a subtle low-frequency lift for realism and physicality
- Dual 10 mm dynamic driver HODWS bass system for tighter, more linear low-end response
- Three balanced armature drivers for midrange and treble reproduction
- Twin Sonion midrange drivers and one Knowles supertweeter
- 5-axis CNC-machined full aluminum shells
- Pseudo-custom shell geometry for comfort and stability
- Premium silver-plated copper modular cable included
- Interchangeable 3.5 mm single-ended and 4.4 mm balanced connectors
- Multiple tip styles included to optimize fit, insertion depth, and tonal balance
- Leatherette zip case included
Technical Specs
| Product Type | Wired in-ear headphones / in-ear monitor |
| Price | $349.99 |
| Driver Configuration | 2 x 10 mm dynamic drivers + 3 balanced armature drivers |
| Bass System | HODWS, Horizontally-Opposed Dual Woofer System |
| Balanced Armature Array | 2 x Sonion midrange drivers + 1 x Knowles supertweeter |
| Impedance | 16Ω @ 1 kHz |
| Sensitivity | 104 dB/mW @ 1 kHz |
| Frequency Response Range | 2 Hz to 44,000 Hz |
| Housing | 5-axis CNC-machined full aluminum shell |
| Nozzle Width | 6.0 mm lip |
| Cable Material | Silver-plated copper |
| Connectors Included | 3.5 mm single-ended and 4.4 mm balanced interchangeable terminations |
What’s in the Box
- CrinEar Reference in-ear headphones
- Silver-plated copper modular cable
- 3.5 mm single-ended interchangeable connector
- 4.4 mm balanced interchangeable connector
- S/M/L standard bore silicone eartips
- S/M/L shorter bore silicone eartips
- XS/S/M/L widebore silicone eartips
- M foam eartips
- Leatherette zip case
Our review
Video review
Reviews
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Customer Reviews
Overall rating: 4.8 / 5 from 31 reviews.
These sound great out of the box, but I actually bought them for a somewhat obscure reason. I actually don’t care about having a neutral/reference sound. I just wanted an IEM that matched that profile so that it would act as a blank canvas for flexible EQ. The Reference performs that job well. Using these with my Quedelix-5K (see picture) allows me to add a bass shelf along with a little bit of a treble spike. I’m actually a bit of a basshead. Some people might be wondering why I didn’t just buy an IEM tuned out of the box like that. What if I wanted something a little bit different than what the manufacturer tuned the IEM to be? What if my EQ preferences change over time or simply as I change the genre of music I’m listening to? I can bend the sound with EQ to get what I want in a few minutes without having to buy a new IEM. Do these blow away the $2k IEMs? Probably not, but they trade blows with some ~$1k IEMs I’ve heard. Get some proper EQ in and they punch above their price.
(For reference, some IEMs I like are the Hexa, Blessing 3, and Pure. I do tend to prefer a cleaner, bright-tilted sound.) Comfortable fit using the medium standard tips, and I usually wear medium with other tips. One of my ear canals is a bit smaller, but the medium tips still fit comfortably. The cable is just on the cusp of what I can tolerate for stiffness. It's a great quality cable, but I just prefer something lighter and more flexible (for example, I like Truthear's black cable and the one used for the Pure). The chin slider falls a lot though. Probably my biggest complaint. Sound is superb. I'd probably want a bit more mid to upper treble, but the treble here is super versatile and tolerable. Cymbals have a nice "splash" and aren't piercing. The midrange is honestly my favorite part of the Reference. A lot of vocals and instruments sound just right, how my brain expects them to. Notes have body and fullness to them, without being stuffy or too warm. In fact, the Reference is brighter than I anticipated (similar to the Hexa, but with less treble and no annoying peaks to my ears). The bass is nice too. It's enough to be felt, but not drown out the midrange. Most people are definitely going to want more though. Overall the Reference is satisfying and pleasing. It has hit many marks of what I've been looking for in an IEM for the past four years. Also, Headphone got the product to me quick. It arrived way sooner than the original estimated date, in just a few days versus a week (USA customer here). I appreciate it.
I enjoy the sound and they are very comfortable in my ear. Perfect fit. I have used them with the xsmall tips. Will keep posted on the rest. Thank you headphones.com for everything you do. Very happy customer with all my purchases.
It was a gift to my brother and he absolutely loves them! He say they fit amazing and they sound very detailed!
Balanced sound, but not the revelation that I thought it might be from one of the reviews. I own a number of IEMS in this price category and have been debating whether I need to stop buying them and bit the bullet for a ThieAudio Monarch MK IV or similar. I think I should have done that instead.
The Crinear Reference lets me hear the clear details of each instrument. I can now hear the subtle sounds that the artists intended. These IEMs put me in my happy place. No EQ necessary! Bravo Crinacle.
Excellent sounding for the price.
1st set arrived with dead low frequency drivers. Customer support quickly issued a replacement set. The replacements are perfect. The sound to me is clear and detailed. I'm very satisfied.
The CrinEar Reference IEMs are the best headphones I have ever owned. Love the flat response, especially for classical and jazz. They passively block sound very well when paired with memory foam ear pieces (I wouldn’t wear them while biking). I have weird shaped ear canals so regular silicon ear pieced don’t fit me. The cord is stiffer than I would like and the plug is a little large due to the interchangeable tips. These are nitpicks. Overall, this is an excellent IEM and I am pleased with them. The case however is a stiff, bright white, fake leather hemi-circle that is too big for the pocket and too small to easily add the DAC with the IEMs and cord. Luckily, I have other options from previous IEMs. I paired it with the CrinEar Protocol Max for use with my iPhone. Great sound but hard on battery life since the Protocol Max is powered by the iPhone. Protocol Max gets warm in the pocket but t uncomfortably so. Shout out to the customer service team. I had a rough start with my first purchase at Headphones.com. The first IEMs I ordered arrived late and then arrived broken. Alan was very responsive and quick about getting the problem resolved and making it possible to order the CrinEar Reference IEMs.
The CrinEar Reference earphones are amazingly balanced, not fatiguing, and very detailed. I have several earphones ranging up to $600 and these are the best ones I've heard. They find a way to balance detail without being fatiguing. The bass, will not as in-your-face as some other earphones with V-shaped tunings, provides a high level of detail and texture. It's tight in the best way, not bloated. The separation of instruments is great. Maybe not HD800s levels, but better than expected. The sound stage is good. Maybe not HD800s levels, but better than expected. These are a versatile set of earphones that can pair well with any genre of music. A song with lots of bass (hip-hop or Hans Zimmer) will let the bass come through. If you like quality bass over quantity, you'll likely enjoy these earphones a great deal. At the same time, more delicate music (classical, Slowdive) will be equally at home. These can easily be a one-and-done set of earphones. I can't recommend these enough.
This review is based on a comparrison of the Crinear Daybreak versus the Crinear Reference. The Reference instantly feels more premium in the hand thanks to its metal shell compared to the Daybreak's resin build. Sonicly, while the Daybreak is a blast for casual, bass-heavy listening, the Reference is the clear winner for technical performance. It is a highly resolving tool that lets the true audio mix shine through. I reach for the Reference when I want to listen critically, and the Daybreak when I just want a V-shaped good time.
Sorry,no rush reviews need to break in iems
The improvement in sound accuracy amazes me. Even though I am comparing the Reference to the Hisenior Mega5-EST, the sound improvement is easily heard. At first, the Reference just sounds 'different', and different eartips can also change the sound. (I wasn't happy with the Mega5-EST until I used Softears UC tips.) I tried a variety of tips - all longer tube, which typically work better for me - Softears UC, SednaEarfit, and Divinus Velvet - in addition to the Reference tips. Of the non-Reference tips, the Divinus Velvet were best, taming some of the high-end frequencies (for those thinking that the Reference is too 'hot'). But the Reference's standard or short wide worked best for me. I was surprised that the deciding difference was the better 'openness' rather than simply frequency response. My observation is that it can take some time to adjust to the 'flat/reference' frequency response. I was expecting (as Listener describes) 'my music' to sound like 'my music', but it didn't. 'My music' sounded 'different' - but better - with the Reference. So even though the Reference sounded better out of the box, it took some listening to accept 'flat/reference' as my new listening yardstick. Overall, the Reference is a wonderful new definition of great/accurate sound and is, therefore, also a good value. With some adjustment to accurate sound, you should be be thrilled with the Reference.
Best IEMs on the market today.
The reviews were spot on! My last IEMs that I purchased from Headphones.com were the Dunu Mirai and they sounded great at first, but their druability wasn't so good over the past couple of years (the little pins keep slipping out of the actual ear pieces) .. Also for around a thousand dollars, they really actually paled in comparison to these new CrinEar Reference IEMs as far as the sound was concerned .. These sound like perfection when I play the new Boards of Canada record which is the most important music I can think to play with them. Great product and great site! Been a huge fan for many years now.
Very comfortable with good isolation and bass response with the medium shorter bore tips. Build quality is excellent. The neutral sound is a perfect match for my giant classical music library. I will still use my AirPods Pro 3 for workouts, but for home listening these are tough to beat.
Awesome IEMs with ONE downside. I love the premium metal build, and the leather "taco" feels nice. I'm enjoying the sound too, even though it doesn't fit my preference EXACTLY, I like hearing my music the way it's supposed to sound. My one complaint is the width of the nozzle, it barely fits in my ears and it's a little uncomfortable. And I can't seem to insert them as deep as I want. Otherwise great product.
It was backed ordered and a bit slow in coming. For the price this great IEM. It is. Very neutral. What it lacks in color is more the made up with amazing detail and clarity. It’s bass is a little lean, very accurate. I have pair of 64 Audio U12T they have the same level of clarity and detail. The U12T wins out for me. The CrinEar Reference are different. They have thiet own signature. They are one of favorites. The difference in price makes the Reference a super deal.
As I said before , these guys are wonderful. Thank\n You for your service.
I tell you, it surely seems that Crinnacle has been on quite a role lately with collaborations and products from his own brand. These things sound great straight out of the box to me. I think I'm going to be enjoying these. I.e. m's for quite some time.
I gave this set a chance even when I favor over the earhead phones, I was really surprised, they are excellent! I do trust my ears more than graphics specially when considering a purchase, listening to my favorite instruments and recordings and hear if it is a good decision without any external influences . Thank you Headphones.com for your suggestions.
I bought this IEM on a whim and out of curiosity. I have many IEMs at this point (64 Audio TWELVE Ti (U12t limited edition), Volur, Empire Ears Odin) but the many reviews extolling the neutrality of the Crinear Reference intrigued me. At this price point, I didn't consider it much of a risk. I am stunned at how good this sounds. The neutrality, or lack of coloration, allows the full spectrum to come through in a balanced way that yields a very revealing sound signature that does not allow any one frequency band to predominate or obscure the rest. I am surprised at how well these compete with the much more expensive IEMs in my collection. Vocals are not recessed, bass is tight, texture comes through crisply, and instrument separation is excellent. Initially, the soundstage presentation seemed compressed or overly intimate, but after a few days of burn-in this became much more expansive and natural. That is not to say these are perfect, especially ergonomically. I wouldn't say that the nozzle is too big (it is only slightly wider than ones on the typical 64 Audio chassis, but it is somewhat short and squat looking with slight a flange or lip at the tip. At least with my particular anatomy, I think the short barrel translates to a need to more aggressively insert the IEM into my ear canal. I'm still experimenting with tip rolling (currently using the SpinFit W1, size SS), but the end result is that extended listening does cause some discomfort. On the plus side (because of a slight bulge anterior of the nozzle), the IEM only sits comfortably and optimally in exactly one orientation so I can find that position the most quickly of any of the IEMs in my stable. The cable is somewhat stiff, but there are no microphonics and it is supple enough that it doesn't have any significant memory. What I strongly dislike though is the use of a right-angle jack (the cable has a swappable 3.5mm and 4.4mm head that attaches to the cable and secured by a threaded ring). At least with my DAPs and their 4.4mm ports, it's more difficult to get a good grip to remove the headphone cable. The 64 Audio U12t is still my favorite IEM, but at a fifth the cost the $350 Crinear Reference offers amazing value while still performing competitively with the best in my collection. When compared to IEMs in its own price range, it's a clear price/performance winner. (Caveat: I'm over 60 years old and have some hearing loss above 11khz, so that may skew my perception of sound quality versus others.)
Favorite IEM of the approx 50 that I have.
Sounds great and is comfortable. Works with the Fiio UTWS5. Loving it so far.
Love the sound of these, not “boring” at all in my opinion as some reviews have stated. I have small ears so I had to go with the XS tip size and even then they tend to get a little uncomfortable after long listening sessions. The sound is worth this trade off for me though. Overall, really loving them.
Headphones.com was great with this purchase, as usual, and this product is actually amazing. I initially rated low because I tried them with the Divinus Velvet wide bore tips. After swapping to the type e tips from Final Audio the music actually became coherent. For lack of a better way to put it - the Divinus Velvet wide bore tips really smeared the sound of this IEM badly. It's definitely worth tip rolling if you don't like it at first - this thing is worth the trouble. Calling this neutral is true, but "neutral" just doesn't do justice to how musical this is. Yes, this is neutral, but it's neutral in the same way your ears are neutral to you. Do you go to a concert or a music faire and think "gosh, that performance would have just been so much better if my ears were more musical"? This is what I mean by neutral, if I had to describe the sound of the CrinEar reference, I'd say it is going to basically be sound response your ears/brain have. It'd be like describing how you hear audio when you're reading a book - it's just neutral. At less than $400, CrinEar released the most agreeable pair of high fidelity IEM's there are. Even comparing this to the Monarch MK2, U12T or IER-Z1R, I couldn't rely on a pair of IEM's to be so likeable more than the reference. For all of that, honestly I could see the argument that these are the best IEM's on the market - just full stop. The best advice the headphones team has ever given is first try to start with a pair of headphones/IEM's where the treble works for you - these IEM's really tick that box off where you probably won't need to EQ the treble, if anything at all.
Wonderful sound. Excellent quality of materials and craftsmanship.
Love at first sound❤️
After seeing several very positive reviews of the new Crinear Reference IEMs, I decided to give them a try. In my opinion the reviews are spot on - I am REALLY enjoying them. Lows, mids, or highs - my ears are hearing musical subtleties in a exciting new way. And even though I will not be returning them, it's very good knowing that I could thanks to the great folks and service at Headphones.com.
When powered by Select Ray tubes in the Apos Gremlin amp and paired with the Merlin DAC, the Reference are easily my new fave iems. The accuracy of tonal balance and microdetail in the Reference are to my knowledge unparalleled at its price, and I'd even venture to generalize under $500. Yet I'm still using my $60 Moondrop May w/ DSP for traveling and non-audio work because they fit me better while moving and punch way above their weight with less amping. So your mileage may vary depending on your individual fit and the audio chain you use, but yeah the Reference are legit.