[dnullify]

I changed my mind. Now i'm trying to decide between alien ears and fidelity... comments appreciated (page 3). thanks.




I have decided to order a pair of duel driver customs from either livewire or fidelity.

Having gone through, i have read about many issues people have had with livewires, which is based out of CA. Issues with CS.

I was wondering if there was any real quality difference in the sound components or crossover between the two companies.
As i understand it, Fidelity has been more true to their word with production time.

the thing is, i'm local to the CA office, just 20 minutes away, so it would be most convenient (shipping times) to order from there. I won't though, if the time it takes to get done is longer, or the sound quality is inferior!


Can anyone help me with this dilemma?

OH, and fidelity is $10 more expensive, plus $10 shipping. $20 more expensive than livewire is.

 

[barleyguy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dnullify /img/forum/go_quote.gif I have decided to order a pair of duel driver customs from either livewire or fidelity. Having gone through, i have read about many issues people have had with livewires, which is based out of CA. Issues with CS. I was wondering if there was any real quality difference in the sound components or crossover between the two companies. As i understand it, Fidelity has been more true to their word with production time. the thing is, i'm local to the CA office, just 20 minutes away, so it would be most convenient (shipping times) to order from there. I won't though, if the time it takes to get done is longer, or the sound quality is inferior! Can anyone help me with this dilemma? OH, and fidelity is $10 more expensive, plus $10 shipping. $20 more expensive than livewire is.

After reading the thread about the California office, you are still considering going through them? I guess if they don't treat you well, you can go pay them a visit in person.

Several of your posts I have read so far have discussed pricing. Is that a big issue for you? IMO, customs are a long term investment, and small differences in pricing shouldn't even be an issue. I'd personally pay an extra $30 for better customer service. Or even pay $150 more for the JH5's. That's just my opinion though.

 

[dnullify]

Thanks for the advice.

The $30 wasn't much of an issue. What really is drawing me to the CA office, is that they're local. Speed is what i'm aiming for, really.

Which means, i might be able to avoid the $100 charge at the audiologist's for impressions, if livewire will do it themselves. Though this is just a possibility, as i'm waiting for a reply to an email i sent yesterday.

but if i have to pay for the impression, and wait for shipping (opposed to picking them up myself), i'm leaning towards the TN office, as they've got the majority of positive experiences. Granted even Fidelity has had some issues, or so i've read.

 

[barleyguy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dnullify /img/forum/go_quote.gif Thanks for the advice. The $30 wasn't much of an issue. What really is drawing me to the CA office, is that they're local. Speed is what i'm aiming for, really. Which means, i might be able to avoid the $100 charge at the audiologist's for impressions, if livewire will do it themselves. Though this is just a possibility, as i'm waiting for a reply to an email i sent yesterday. but if i have to pay for the impression, and wait for shipping (opposed to picking them up myself), i'm leaning towards the TN office, as they've got the majority of positive experiences. Granted even Fidelity has had some issues, or so i've read.

The way I would would deal with the California office, if I was going to, is by saying "I would like you to take my impressions. I would like to pick up the customs in person. Otherwise, I am going to go through the Tennessee office." I would also be totally straight with them about the fact that they have bad feedback and they have a chance to redeem themselves. I seriously wouldn't take any crap or spend time asking permission. That is for when somebody is on good terms. Maybe that's a big edgy, but that's the way I see it.

 

[dnullify]

The way you say it, it makes sense. basically, don't take crap from them, and press them from the get-go for on time production?

I dunno. If they can't/wont do impressions for me, and i'm forced to go to an audiologist, i am not taking the risk of getting stuck with poor quality, and an extremely long timeframe.


this is all assuming the quality of both are the same! When they split, i'm not sure who got the better end of the skills it takes to make earphones! Has the crossover tech, or drivers changed at all since the split?

Customer service and time set aside, i don't want to get stuck with poor quality components, because i believe both companies are capable of getting a good fit either way.


Can anyone who's bought them recently from the CA office chime in on the quality?

or someone who's had a pair from both?

 

[FYJX]

Livewires is dead, they had to renamed themselves Fidelity Monitors. So you're comparing the same company, however there's two office for the company, and the one you want to stay away from is the California one.

 

[dnullify]

Well, now they're officially two companies. The california one is the one with the bad reputation for customer service.

the only reason i'm considering the CA livewire over the TN fidelity, is that there's a chance that livewire would be able to take the impressions for my ears.

the alternative is to get the impressions done at an audiologist, which the cheapest i've been able to find in the bay area is $100 so far (going to call a few more locations monday when things are open).

if Livewires can fit me, and get it done in 2 weeks, which is a lot to say, the question i now have, is the quality of sound different between the two makers? build quality set aside, can anyone tell me if both livewires and fidelity are using the EXACT same drivers, crossover, and separated driver design?


for example i found this:
Quote:

Phase Coherent The way Fidelity Custom Earphones present audio to your ears via a single tube for each of our dual drivers, solves many phase coherency issues that occur in other in-ear headphones. When out of phase issues occur, certain frequencies may be cancelled out. Our headphones do not suffer from these issues.

on the fidelity site, but no word of phase coherence on the livewire site!

 

[barleyguy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dnullify /img/forum/go_quote.gif for example i found this: on the fidelity site, but no word of phase coherence on the livewire site!

That's just fancy marketing talk for "two tubes".

EDIT: BTW, why are you reading hype on their website instead of trusting the feedback of former customers? That's kind of a rhetorical question, but maybe one you should ponder.

 

[dnullify]

Well, i have read feedback from customers. problem is, i can't find a decent review of livewire's from after the split.

I can't find mention on the Livewire site of "two tubes" or the separation of channels, or in any other way phrased.

the only reason i want to know the difference between the two monitors, is because of the possibility that I might be able to drive down to Liveears for impressions, thus saving $100 for impressions.

To talk prices, if i can get impressions at LiveWire, the overall price is $250

Getting monitors at Fidelity will cost me:
-$100 impressions
-$260+ $10 shipping

The potential $120 difference is what is making me want to know the actual difference in SQ, and design, as i've already read the two companies use the same drivers.


this is all moot point, if they get back to me and tell me they are unable to take impressions themselves. In which case, i'll likely bite the bullet and purchase Fidelity 2 drivers (even though the overall cost will likely be $370 0_o)

 

[FYJX]

By the sounds of things, no more Livewires, go with Fidelity. Fidelity was the old Livewires that everyone was familiar with on hear, of which has superb performance. So the new Livewires from Earpiece Technologies is not what everyone had bought before, and had praised about.

Yes there is a big price difference here dnullify, but there's been waaaay too many complaints about build quality, sound quality, and customer service over at the Livewire California thread.

 

[barleyguy]

I would guess you could find ear impressions for less than $100. In Denver they go for $20 or so. Maybe post a question "Where to get ear impressions in California?" and see if anyone around here knows.

 

[dnullify]

Im going to call around on Monday when they're open.
Still.

I suppose I'll just bit the bullet and go for the fidelity. I might even get a faster turn around time. A nice case too.

I wish someone who got theirs from livewires could comment. they must have done at least one set right

 

[shrisha]

Well. I would say if you can personally go there and talk to them, I mean CA office. It should be everything all-right. CA Office have a lot of clients all over the US, mostly musicians, and they always tide busy. As I know Jaben store has long relationship with them and everybody ordering LW duals and trips through uncle Wilson. And people waiting for 2-3 months for trips there already. IEMs the same in a both offices. And I think for you if you could come personally for order they will not ignore you like if you in an other state or country. If I can go there myself I definitely will go for CA office. In business like this they always make priorities for whom is here and now. And cash is the king!

 

[shrisha]

And quite a few complains about TN Fidelity quality. check this thread:
http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f103/a...light=fidelity

 

[dnullify]

heh, thanks.

My main concern is if the phones are the same. all the specs are the same, but is the "modular design" the same? or the "two tubes" the same? Livewire's site has less technical details.

I'm pretty certain i'm going to go with Fidelity's deuls, should Livewire not take Impressions themselves.

There's probably some advantage to living locally. If not, it's not worth the hassle, especially if i'm going to have to wait for shipping (which still takes 2-3 days priority, even if it's only a 30 minute drive)