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Livewires - California Dreamin' - Page 20

post #286 of 3895
12/13/07 at 5:26am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by JoeB View Post
Guys has anyone else encountered a few problems with temperature and fit? It's getting really cold here, and in the mornings I struggle to get the right ear in (the one that fits well usually) its so tight, that my ear is really sore after getting them in, if I manage that is. Apart from putting them in before I get cold do you suggest something to try and stop this? What is a good way of warming your inner ear haha?

My left ear is fine even in the cold, as the fit is not 100% right (but kind of glad, I would end up with sore ears in cold weather for both if they fitted the same).
Ear canals do seem to expand and contract with the heat and cold, but I think the problem you're having with sore ears, as you did when you first got your Livewires, has to do with insertion technique.

When I first got my Livewires I just wanted them in my ears, so I shoved them straight in. The result was sore ears for three days. If you are ham fisted this is going to be a problem, because forcing them in straight bruises the canal.

The technique for pain free insertion is to hold the Livewires at an angle. Position the top tip first. You'll use this as your pivot point to swivel the canal end into your ear canal. It's a hooking motion rather than straight in one.

Anyway Joe you have alien ears and I would suggest ear-muffs to cover them!
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post #287 of 3895
12/13/07 at 1:14pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kosmic View Post

Anyway Joe you have alien ears and I would suggest ear-muffs to cover them!
LOL !!!
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post #288 of 3895
12/13/07 at 1:37pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Low Fidelity View Post
You let your livewires get cold?

is this like driving a ferrari in the snow?
Hey up here. It gets -40C in January. You think I'm not going to wear headphones as I wait 15 minutes in the wind for my bus? I better be able to or else I would not buy these headphones. I certainly can't wear my HF-1s outside when its snowing! These are supposed to be my commuter headphones. Sorry but some of us can't sacrifice not using headphones for the 5 months when its below 0 degrees.
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post #289 of 3895
12/13/07 at 1:39pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Low Fidelity View Post
You let your livewires get cold?

is this like driving a ferrari in the snow?
Oh also, it snowed half a meter last week, and I saw a Ferrari downtown. I guess I just live in a weird city. We don't stop nothing for the cold.
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post #290 of 3895
12/13/07 at 6:57pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chef Medeski View Post
Hey up here. It gets -40C in January. You think I'm not going to wear headphones as I wait 15 minutes in the wind for my bus? I better be able to or else I would not buy these headphones. I certainly can't wear my HF-1s outside when its snowing! These are supposed to be my commuter headphones. Sorry but some of us can't sacrifice not using headphones for the 5 months when its below 0 degrees.
The Livewires will be as snug as a bug in a rug.
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post #291 of 3895
12/13/07 at 7:51pm
Hmmm you hook the top part in first? I have been inserting the canal first with the top part rotated forward, then screwing them back into place. The left one goes in no problem but the right one has been hurting a little. Maybe i will try the top first way.
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post #292 of 3895
12/13/07 at 8:37pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by msfarley View Post
Hmmm you hook the top part in first? I have been inserting the canal first with the top part rotated forward, then screwing them back into place. The left one goes in no problem but the right one has been hurting a little. Maybe i will try the top first way.
If you hold your Livewires upright and take a look at them the canal piece bends up like a hook. Once you have the top in place it acts as a pivot. If you have a tight fit then you can help the insertion by pulling your earlobe down with your forefinger and thumb, while pushing on the faceplate with your middle finger.
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post #293 of 3895
12/13/07 at 11:28pm
So after about 24 hours of forum searching I decided these were the right IEM's for me. These will be my first IEM's too. I dealt with the company over the phone and they seemed really happy to do business with me. I called them Wednesday morning around 10 and got a few audiologist names. One of the places they gave me was literally two blocks away from my house so I went over there. Had my impressions in hand when I called them back at 1 and the guy (I believe his name was Art) was amazed that I had already gotten them done. I asked him if they got the impressions tomorrow (today) if I could get them back before December 28th and he said that since I seemed so enthusiastic about the whole thing that he'd make sure that I'd get them by then if not sooner.

So yeah...now the hard part, waiting.

There is one thing I'm concerned about now, source. My portable player of choice is a Zune (first gen) and it sounds amazing on my PX-100's. I have a sinking feeling though that those same Zune Marketplace files are going to sound like total crap when I plug the Livewires in. Is lossless absolutely necessary? What about high bitrate (256 or 320) MP3's?

Worse comes to worse I'll get a player that can do FLAC, maybe the Cowon D2.
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post #294 of 3895
12/14/07 at 1:04am
Hmm.. I listen to 192kbps -320 kbps on my ipod, they all sound the same to me. Don't worry too much, wait till you get it and listen for yourself. =D
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post #295 of 3895
12/14/07 at 2:46am
That's good to hear. I was definitely gonna wait and see.
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post #296 of 3895
12/14/07 at 5:22am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by meatflower View Post
So after about 24 hours of forum searching I decided these were the right IEM's for me. These will be my first IEM's too. I dealt with the company over the phone and they seemed really happy to do business with me. I called them Wednesday morning around 10 and got a few audiologist names. One of the places they gave me was literally two blocks away from my house so I went over there. Had my impressions in hand when I called them back at 1 and the guy (I believe his name was Art) was amazed that I had already gotten them done. I asked him if they got the impressions tomorrow (today) if I could get them back before December 28th and he said that since I seemed so enthusiastic about the whole thing that he'd make sure that I'd get them by then if not sooner.

So yeah...now the hard part, waiting.

There is one thing I'm concerned about now, source. My portable player of choice is a Zune (first gen) and it sounds amazing on my PX-100's. I have a sinking feeling though that those same Zune Marketplace files are going to sound like total crap when I plug the Livewires in. Is lossless absolutely necessary? What about high bitrate (256 or 320) MP3's?

Worse comes to worse I'll get a player that can do FLAC, maybe the Cowon D2.
Congrats on your choice, you won't be disappointed. Post here with your thoughts when you receive them.
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post #297 of 3895
12/14/07 at 8:57am
With Livewires the "rotating connectors" snap into each monitor... Is this a "permanent connection", or can they be separated / removed from each other?
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post #298 of 3895
12/14/07 at 9:35am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by oak3x View Post
With Livewires the "rotating connectors" snap into each monitor... Is this a "permanent connection", or can they be separated / removed from each other?
The beauty of this clip-on, swivel design, means that they can be separated...should you ever need to replace/upgrade your cables. Someone is already offering an upgrade. The cable itself is pretty good imo.
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post #299 of 3895
12/14/07 at 11:06am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kosmic View Post
The beauty of this clip-on, swivel design, means that they can be seperated...should you ever need to replace/upgrade your cables. Someone is already offering an upgrade. The cable itself is pretty good imo.
Have you thought about the cable upgrade for them?
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post #300 of 3895
12/14/07 at 11:34am
Quote:
Is lossless absolutely necessary? What about high bitrate (256 or 320) MP3's?
no, not absolutely necessary. Most of my stuff is 256 or 320. I don't have anything under 192 on my ipod. Honestly though, its really hard to discern the difference in quality. Even worse with older jazz recordings or mostly anything before the digital revolution.

The nice thing about the livewires, if you have quality rips, they do sound great. Its kinda nice to hear fingers whispering on guitar strings and the rustle of Sheetmusic that wasn't intended to make it in the recording.
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