Custom-3 announcements and impressions

[Amy]

Originally Posted by OracleGuy

Amy, I was at a London Drugs yesterday and asked the manager of the photo dept. (where they sell iPods, Shure IEMs, etc.) if he knew anything about Klipsch earphones. He had no idea that Klipsch makes anything other than speakers (they are a Klipsch dealer for your home theatre gear as I'm sure you know). He looked at me like I was crazy actually.

So you've got a bit of education to do with your Canadian dealer network!

If they don't want to carry your IEMs then you should open up your web store to us head-fi'ers north of the border.

OracleGuy,
I sent your message along to our dealer rep in Canada, and because of limited quantity issues, these have not been made available to our Canadian dealers yet. They should be arriving very soon, however.
Thanks!

[OracleGuy]

Thanks for checking Amy.

If I were you, I'd be more concerned not with the lack of stock, but that your retailers [admittedly, a sample size of 1, but still] have no idea that Klipsch makes IEMs.

Maybe it's just a case that the limited supply has inhibited your distributor from getting the word out.

I look forward to you guys giving Shure some competition at the retail level here!

[Lifter59]

Originally Posted by antonyfirst

I would be very interested in your impressions vs Ultimate Ears 11.

OK - after several weeks of listening and evaluating, the Custom-3's have an RMA number and will be heading back to Klipsch. There were several reasons for the decision so I will try to elaborate:

While the sound characteristics of the C3's are very good, one thing stood out as I crossed back over to my UE11 and my Westones - the C3's don't provide a full spectrum sound - while there is a very tight bass response and a good midrange as well as an excellent upper range, the sound is disjointed (almost like 3 very different speakers with cross-over issues). As a result, the music is not as full and at times, difficult to listen to. While the C3's have a better sound component response than the Westone UM-2's the lack of an end-to-end soundstage takes a greater toll than the improved segment response. When compared to the UE-11's - there is NO question who is the king of the hill. Nothing has come close to the full integrated response that the UE-11's provide - but then again, they are customs.....

[gdpeck]

Originally Posted by Lifter59

OK - after several weeks of listening and evaluating, the Custom-3's have an RMA number and will be heading back to Klipsch. There were several reasons for the decision so I will try to elaborate:

While the sound characteristics of the C3's are very good, one thing stood out as I crossed back over to my UE11 and my Westones - the C3's don't provide a full spectrum sound - while there is a very tight bass response and a good midrange as well as an excellent upper range, the sound is disjointed (almost like 3 very different speakers with cross-over issues). As a result, the music is not as full and at times, difficult to listen to. While the C3's have a better sound component response than the Westone UM-2's the lack of an end-to-end soundstage takes a greater toll than the improved segment response. When compared to the UE-11's - there is NO question who is the king of the hill. Nothing has come close to the full integrated response that the UE-11'a provide - but then again, they are customs.....

So, do you find the C3's more or less musically involving than the UM-2's. I'm right at the end of my 30-days with the C3's and am trying to decide whether to keep them or try something else. The UM-2's would be a candidate. Custom IEMs would not.

[antonyfirst]

If you have a good fit, why don't stick with the Klipsch? Fit seems the most critical point to me.

[gdpeck]

Originally Posted by antonyfirst

If you have a good fit, why don't stick with the Klipsch? Fit seems the most critical point to me.

That's a really good point. It hasn't been quite that simple for me though. I can get a good fit only with third party foam tips (Shure Olives, Westone complys), and the over ear tubes actually seem to interfere with getting a good fit, more than they help. The included gel tips are worthless for me. I love the sound, but sometimes I wonder if these are just too fussy to be usable. I'm probably keeping them though.

[slwiser]

Originally Posted by Amy

I'm sorry, I'm not in customer service. Please call us at 888-554-5665, or email rma@klipsch.com. They will need your original order information. As long as you get the call or email into us before the 30 days, you'll be fine.

Thanks!

I have done was you suggested. The package went out on Feb 28 with RMA number on box. The same day I sent two package to Portland Or and they arrived at their location on Monday last per USPS tracking. USPS does not show that your package has been received yet. Could you check on this?

Thanks

follow-up: I called the 888 number and talked to a return guy and he said they got it in the warehouse on Mar 4th but have yet to "receive" it. Do you know what having it but not "received" it means?

[Amy]

A shipment can be delivered, but it will sit in the warehouse on a skid of shipments until it can be checked in--meaning inspected for damage, verification of RA number, etc--once that is done, the item is "received" into our system, meaning Customer Service in Indianapolis knows that the package in Hope, Ark is ok for credit or exchange (whatever the case may be). Turnaround time just depends on the # of shipments and # of employees inspecting them. Usually just a day or two.
Hope that helps!

[slwiser]

Originally Posted by Amy

A shipment can be delivered, but it will sit in the warehouse on a skid of shipments until it can be checked in--meaning inspected for damage, verification of RA number, etc--once that is done, the item is "received" into our system, meaning Customer Service in Indianapolis knows that the package in Hope, Ark is ok for credit or exchange (whatever the case may be). Turnaround time just depends on the # of shipments and # of employees inspecting them. Usually just a day or two.
Hope that helps!

Thanks

[EyeAmEye]

Originally Posted by slwiser

I have done was you suggested. The package went out on Feb 28 with RMA number on box. The same day I sent two package to Portland Or and they arrived at their location on Monday last per USPS tracking. USPS does not show that your package has been received yet. Could you check on this?

Thanks

follow-up: I called the 888 number and talked to a return guy and he said they got it in the warehouse on Mar 4th but have yet to "receive" it. Do you know what having it but not "received" it means?

I sent mine back on 2/21 and still haven't gotten the refund, so I wouldn't get too nervous just yet.

[Lifter59]

Originally Posted by gdpeck

So, do you find the C3's more or less musically involving than the UM-2's. I'm right at the end of my 30-days with the C3's and am trying to decide whether to keep them or try something else. The UM-2's would be a candidate. Custom IEMs would not.

I find them less involving - that is why I am returning them. I like the UM2's much better.

[gdpeck]

Originally Posted by Lifter59

I find them less involving - that is why I am returning them. I like the UM2's much better.

Could you possibly elaborate on this a little more? One specific question I have is around the extension, clarity, and texture of the bass notes. That is one of the things that has stood out as a big positive for me with the Custom 3s. A lot of what I read about the UM2's indicates that they have good bass extension, but maybe not as detailed or textured as some other earphones. Any other comments on your experience between the UM2's and Custom 3s would be very helpful to me.

Thanks!
George

[Lifter59]

Originally Posted by gdpeck

Could you possibly elaborate on this a little more? One specific question I have is around the extension, clarity, and texture of the bass notes. That is one of the things that has stood out as a big positive for me with the Custom 3s. A lot of what I read about the UM2's indicates that they have good bass extension, but maybe not as detailed or textured as some other earphones. Any other comments on your experience between the UM2's and Custom 3s would be very helpful to me.

Thanks!
George

There might be a bit more detail in the Custom3's but there wasn't enough of a difference to where buying them provided that much of a unique experience over what I already have. So, as an investment in another IEM, it wasn't worth it for me....

[TJ Max]

Ok, I would like to share with all of you my "initial" thoughts of the Customs 3 after owning them for a full day.

They are smaller than the pictures indicate, the stem is longer than what the pictures indicate. These were good things to me.

With my first listen with them I used the medium eartips. I listened to an MP3 encoded at 256kbps, "Anderdon's Great Escape" from the Minority Report soundtrack composed by John Williams. I listened to it with the EQ turned off. The first thing I noticed was the bass. John Williams usually uses a "booming" bass drum at key moments for dramatic effect in his music. The Bass really stuck out here, I mean it was startling. It recreates a very powerful Boom. But It felt out of place and disconnected from the rest of the music, and was somewhat startling when it poped up. I really don't understand how people say the bass is'nt that strong with the Custom 3s.

Everything else sounded full and detailed but it lacked the highs I was looking for somewhat. I had heard the Custom 3s were bright, but they were'nt bright enough for me. So I switched to the small eartips. They were a little better, but I had trouble getting a good seal, so I switched back to the medium tips, and enabled the EQ and bumped up the 4-13Khz ranges.
Then the sound was more to my liking.

What I realize too is the the left ear tip, seems like it slides and shifts in my ear, I can get a good seal, but it seemed to come unsealed very easily. Sometimes the sound would go out completely because the eartip shifted and was pointed at a wall in my ear canal. And suggestions with that?
I've put on the largest ear tip, but I loose more of my highs with them.
I never had this type of ear tip problem with the Shure E4 tips, or the Ultimate Ears tips.

Anyway with some EQ'ing of the highs I think they sound decent, but the bass may be a little too much.

Anyway these are just my First Impressions, are always the least critical.

[Lifter59]

OK - so I returned my Custom 3's under the 30 day return policy and they were received and signed for 2 weeks ago.... Does anybody have experience with how long it takes for Klipsch to actually return the money after the product is received??