ACS Custom Sleeves With Westone 3 - Page 2

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZimmerX 

You did, but this was primarily my fault. I was researching into what I just bought... and now I'm worried about the outcome.

 

My main problem is that my ears are pretty small, and with normal tips it can get pretty uncomfortable. I don't like Comply Tips because they have a poor seal when it comes to bassy tunes and they wear out, so I thought I'd try these guys out. I know ACS are meant to be quite amazing for their Custom IEMs, but I didn't really know how they fared up with these sleeves... I guess I'll find out soon enough. I've never gotten a proper seal with silicon eartips, so I have always had to use foam ones.

heh. that's alright. I hope it works out for you. I didn't like the Comply tips either myself.

Yeah, my last option if this doesn't work is custom IEMs. Either T1s or something similar. 
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by cravenz 

heh. that's alright. I hope it works out for you. I didn't like the Comply tips either myself.

Having the same problem as the OP with my sleeves for the UM2.  In fairness to ACS they couldn't be better about it, but the sleeves just refuse to stay on the earphones after a couple of months. 

Stacey at ACS has been good enough to send me some of the alcohol cleaning wipes they use, I've tried them and the benefits are very short.  Literally one wear before the sleeves and earphones resemble a bar of soap and wet hands. They just will not stay on.

The Westones have no "groove" or indent on the nozzle, so there really isn't anything for the sleeve to grip.  a) the earphones slide off whilst the tips remain in my ears [inconvenient] and b) if I have to pop the earphones out (i.e. someone talks to me at a shop counter or such like) then without gripping the sleeves I'll lose them.

I'm sending the sleeves back again this week (3rd time).  The past couple of times I've received them back within 48 hours so I can't fault ACS for their willingness.  I just have a feeling that they may just not have the Westone design quite right.  Something that covers more of the shell (over the top and round the back) just be required is there is no purchase on the nozzle.

Whilst they are working the UM2's with the sleeves some sensational and are comfortable as can be.  I've really noticed the difference in comfort and isolation when I have to use the Comply tips.  Isolation was one of my key reasons for getting the ACS custom tips in the first place (I hate hearing converations on the tube and train and I often am just listening to audiobooks, etc so the noise from the earphones isn't loud enough to drown out the chatter).  With the custom tips I can barely hear any outside noise, even on the Tube which is a fairly noisey environment.

Have you tried cleaning them occasionally?

I own ACS sleeves for both UM3x and IE8 earphones and I'll admit that after the first couple of months of owning them I found that the sleeves would occasionally just drop of the UM3x nozzle. I thought that maybe the silicon had stretched, and that they were beyond repair, but I decided to leave them in a glass of hot soapy water for 5 minutes and when I had dried them thoroughly and slipped them on to the nozzle of my UM3x again they stuck pretty solidly and stayed on tight again for another month or so.

I think that a mixture of moisture and earwax works it's way to the nozzle over time and effects the grip but if you give the sleeves a good clean they are as good as new. I now clean my sleeves in warm water every 3 or 4 weeks and have had no more problems with the sleeves droppng off of their own accord.

For the record, ACS is getting a bit of a bashing on this thread, but I found them excellent to deal with. I had fit issues with both sets of sleeves I've had made (UM3x and IE8s) but their customer service was really friendly and helpful and the issues were resolved pretty quickly. I've found great benefits in owning ACS sleeves and recommend them thoroughly.

Yep, I clean them fairly regularly. The last time I sent them back ACS just cleaned them themselves and sent them back, but no improvement.  I genuinely believe the nozzle just gets "stretched" whilst wearing them, and eventually they are big enough for the nozzle to slide off.

I'd defend ACS also.  They've been great to deal with as a company.  Appreciate that I'm having some issues with their product, but their customer service has been excellent in my view.
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by TCD1975 

Have you tried cleaning them occasionally?

 

I own ACS sleeves for both UM3x and IE8 earphones and I'll admit that after the first couple of months of owning them I found that the sleeves would occasionally just drop of the UM3x nozzle. I thought that maybe the silicon had stretched, and that they were beyond repair, but I decided to leave them in a glass of hot soapy water for 5 minutes and when I had dried them thoroughly and slipped them on to the nozzle of my UM3x again they stuck pretty solidly and stayed on tight again for another month or so.

 

I think that a mixture of moisture and earwax works it's way to the nozzle over time and effects the grip but if you give the sleeves a good clean they are as good as new. I now clean my sleeves in warm water every 3 or 4 weeks and have had no more problems with the sleeves droppng off of their own accord.

 

For the record, ACS is getting a bit of a bashing on this thread, but I found them excellent to deal with. I had fit issues with both sets of sleeves I've had made (UM3x and IE8s) but their customer service was really friendly and helpful and the issues were resolved pretty quickly. I've found great benefits in owning ACS sleeves and recommend them thoroughly.

Quote:

Originally Posted by LJ50 

Yep, I clean them fairly regularly. The last time I sent them back ACS just cleaned them themselves and sent them back, but no improvement.  I genuinely believe the nozzle just gets "stretched" whilst wearing them, and eventually they are big enough for the nozzle to slide off.

 

Strange! I definitely understand the problem you're having, as I had the same problem myself about a year ago several months after I got my sleeves, but since I started washing them in hot soapy water there's been no problem with them slipping off at all. I don't mean to keep banging on about this but how do you wash them? I really recommend trying this ...

Put the sleeves in a small glass or container. Cover them with a squirt of washing up liquid. Pour some boiling (or just hot) water over them, stir with a spoon, and leave for a 5 minutes. Empty the glass then thouroughly rinse the sleeves in cold running water. Dry them off with a towel then leave them in warm dry place for an hour or so.

I swear that it does the trick for me and my sleeves stay stuck on the nozzle of my UM3x for weeks or even months without any problem.

Quote:

Originally Posted by TCD1975 

Quote:

Originally Posted by LJ50 

Yep, I clean them fairly regularly. The last time I sent them back ACS just cleaned them themselves and sent them back, but no improvement.  I genuinely believe the nozzle just gets "stretched" whilst wearing them, and eventually they are big enough for the nozzle to slide off.

 

Strange! I definitely understand the problem you're having, as I had the same problem myself about a year ago several months after I got my sleeves, but since I started washing them in hot soapy water there's been no problem with them slipping off at all. I don't mean to keep banging on about this but how do you wash them? I really recommend trying this ...

 

Put the sleeves in a small glass or container. Cover them with a squirt of washing up liquid. Pour some boiling (or just hot) water over them, stir with a spoon, and leave for a 5 minutes. Empty the glass then thouroughly rinse the sleeves in cold running water. Dry them off with a towel then leave them in warm dry place for an hour or so.

 

I swear that it does the trick for me and my sleeves stay stuck on the nozzle of my UM3x for weeks or even months without any problem.

I took your advice and it has definitely improved things.  Not ideal, they still slide off occasionally, but nowhere near as easily, as frequently as they used to.

Do you really use boiling water?  I thought that might be bad for the sleeves so have just used fairly hot water from the tap.

Thanks for the advice.
 

Sorry to be such a thread-digger, but wonder if there are any newer updates on this?

I'm also looking around for a pair of custom sleeves for my Westone UM3X RC, and am looking between the UM56s and ACS. Sadly, there seem to be issues plaguing both solutions...