Disclaimer: The Cosmic Ears CE5P was sent to me free of charge. All I had to do was pay for my set of impressions and send them off to CE in Manchester, United Kingdom.This is the 3rd monitor of the 5-driver series I’m reviewing.
Cosmic Ears
CE doesn’t really need an introduction anymore, we’ve reviewed the BA4F and CE6E before and Cosmic has really become one of the “to go to” places for monitors. Not only in the European Union but all over the world, CE is now seen as one of the established brands. Over the last few years I’ve been following CE, I’ve seen them grow from a “new” and smaller player to a very professional and international creator of budget monitors.
It’s true that their monitors have gotten a tad more expensive over the years but at the same time their quality, which already was really good, has increased as well. They have launched quite a few new products and they have moved to a new, bigger and more professional lab in the UK. When I think of Cosmic Ears, I think of affordable and top quality monitors. Other USP’s (still) are the personal approach (you’re not just a client) and the willingness to personalize the monitors completely to your liking.
CE hasn’t stayed unnoticed and quite a few bands are now using the CE monitors on stage, check out the list and I’m sure you’ll know several ones of them like Rudimental in example. I do hope I’ll finally get to visit Cosmic Ears at their new shop soon. For some reason it always keeps getting postponed. I personally have owned/own the one driver CE1, the discontinued hybrid HY3, the first 4 driver BA4F, its update the CE4P and the 6 driver CE6E. This time CE is back on Headfonia with a new 5 driver. The CE5P, together with the Rhines Stage 5, the Jomo5, the Vision Ears VE5 and the Lime Ears Aether, is part of the 5 driver CIEM shoot out we’ll be doing later once we have reviewed each and every one of them.
The CE5P
Cosmic Ear’s latest 5 driver configuration is a dual low, dual mids and single high BA monitor with a 3 way crossover and a 3 bore tube system. All CE monitors are made to deliver great sound with a wide range of sources. While using amps isn’t really needed, it will result in a better sound (see later). The new 5 driver does sound pretty darn good straight from a lot of my DAPs. They’re sensitive but only pick up a very little bit of hiss with very few of my sources. The CE5P certainly isn’t the most sensitive monitor in my collection and if it picks up hiss at all it certainly isn’t audible when listening to music.
The 5 driver monitor is available in two different versions, the P(rofessional) and the B(ass) version. We will be looking at the P version in this review.
Breakdown
Just like I do with all my other custom monitor reviews, I will be going over the next topics:
- Build quality & Comfort
- Personalization
- Cables
- Price & Accessories
- Customer Service
- Driveability & Sources
- Sound
- Comparisons
- Conclusion
Let’s get started after the click!
Alexander
Amazing review! I wonder how they compare to the Jomo 5.
Headfonia_L.
Thanks. check back in a month or 2 😉
Headfonia_L.
January!
digitldlnkwnt
I lost one of my BA4F’s on the bus coming home from work – fell right off my Plus Sound cable (grrrrr! pissed!), but as we say in the car tuner world, breaks are just chances for better fixes, so I am considering coming back to CE for a 5 driver model. Needless to say I will NOT be using a Plus Sound cable this time around.
Headfonia_L.
Wow! Did you have recessed sockets? Scary story, did you tell plussound?
digitldlnkwnt
here’s the thing, they gave me the wrong ends once, and the second time they gave me these long flush mount ones and said they were “better” and that they didn’t have the rec. sockets – i even sent a picture of the CE factory ends. Horse crap. Never again, i’ll go back to Effect. Don’t wanna be a thread jacker – great review – i think i’ll consider these or the Campfire Audio Lyra as my next purchase.
Headfonia_L.
What did you and up with?
digitldlnkwnt
I ended up with Lyra. I thought it would be nice to have set of good dynamic drivers in my quiver and the Lyra provide to be just the ticket. I almost like them better than all of my full size head phones mostly beause of the bass response. They’re so natural sounding, not overly articulate like my BA CIEMS
digitldlnkwnt
I ended up with Lyra. I thought it would be nice to have set of good dynamic drivers in my quiver and the Lyra provide to be just the ticket. I almost like them better than all of my full size head phones mostly beause of the bass response. They’re so natural sounding, not overly articulate like my BA CIEMS
barbafet
Saying the monitors start from £425 is misleading, they cost 25% more than that… With £89 VAT and £20 Delivery the cheapest you can get them is £534.
Headfonia_L.
That’s not really correct as it depends on where you are. so prices do start at 425 seeing some don’t pay taxes…
barbafet
So registered businesses picking up from the store can get it for £425… Does your readership mostly come from that background? Just think it’s bad practice to list some prices ex VAT (from sponsored brands no less) and draw comparisons on price to other manufacturers. They are not £400 monitors, they’re £500 monitors, which puts them in the arena of a lot more serious competition.
Headfonia_L.
No, all non EU citizens don’t pay taxes. For them the price actually is 425. Not fair, I know, blame the EU government. Sucks being an EU citizen for these kind of things, but for a lot of people prices are 425. I have mentioned this so many times before, but it won’t change anything. Long story short: Price is 425 for most readers.