[cone]

Long story short, I'm a light sleeper moving to NYC to attend NYU next year and I'm used to sleeping in a silent room, but I'll be in Manhattan with a roomate. 
 
I am looking at custom fit iems, particularly the ultimate ears custom, and am wondering if anyone who owns them has tried sleeping in them. I cant sleep with normal IEM's or headphones on because I sleep on my side and can't stand the pressure. 

 

[Radio_head]

Customs can be a slightly uncomfortable but are miles ahead of normal IEM's.  The discomfort is caused by the protrusion - it causes the IEM to be pushed further into the canal than is comfortable.
 
 I contacted JH about this 2.5 years ago about my JH13 order and they said they can construct it with a "low profile" so as not to protrude far enough as to cause any discomfort while sleeping on your side.  It is possible UE has a similar option - I would contact them in any case with your question.

 

[lilkoolaidman]

I don't have any customs, so I can't say for sure, but I think that they would still stick out enough or be solid enough that they wouldn't really work comfortably. Although, the issue for me is not wanting to roll all over the cable, but customs all have removable cables. But in that case, just get some custom earplugs. It would be cheaper too.
 
They're about $50, but keep in mind you need to see an audiologist and get impressions done which cost around $50-$100ish

 

[SteveKiwi]

I have UERM's and although I don't try sleep with them in,  I do regularly listen to music before I go to sleep and inevitably sometimes I do fall asleep.
 
So to answer your question, it is certainly possible without any discomfort

 

[PANGES]

I've accidentally fallen asleep with my customs before, and I can tell you it was very uncomfortable for me. The entire customs are made of hard acrylic, and when my head moved a certain way, the canal tip of the IEM jammed into the side of my ear canal, which hurts.
 
I've slept in Sennheiser IE8's and Shure SE535's with no problem though. I would actually say I felt the most comfortable sleeping in the Shures, because the cable was so thick, I didn't worry about damaging it. Also, with enough pulling force, the cable will detach, which is nice since I roll around alot when I sleep, so it's nice to know I wont be strangled to death by my IEM's.

 

[Sinocelt]

I can fall asleep with mine, no problem; I can't even feel them, after a while. But I turn in my sleep and my customs aren't comfortable when I lie on my side or stomach (the pillow presses them too hard).
 
 

I contacted JH about this 2.5 years ago about my JH13 order and they said they can construct it with a "low profile" so as not to protrude far enough as to cause any discomfort while sleeping on your side. 

 
I wonder if that's really possible. My own customs only protrude enough for the cable socket, yet they're definitely not comfy enough to sleep on the side. Even shaving off one whole millimeter, if that were even possible, wouldn't change that fact. A really lower profile would require another type of cable attachment -- such as the LiveWires ones. But a canal-only silicone CIEM (e.g. ACS T3) would probably work best.
 

 

[e19650826]

I can even sleep with TF10 in my ears, just need to find the right position to not put any pressure on the protruding part... 

 

 

[SolidVictory]

I would never recommend sleeping with customs. They are made of hard acrylic and can hurt if you tug on the cable and the tip of the IEM pushes against your canal in a way that it was not designed for.
 
Customs are not designed to be worn while sleeping, people. They are made for live performers and reference. Don't sleep with something that is designed for a totally different purpose.

 

[Uruha]

Get a universal Westone 1/2/3! I sleep with mine in all the time. I have the W3 specifically.

 

[phntmsmshr]

Quote:

Get a universal Westone 1/2/3! I sleep with mine in all the time. I have the W3 specifically.

Westone 4 also works for this purpose 

 

 

[Sinocelt]

http://www.head-fi.org/t/598838/review-earproof-atom-custom-iems

 

[roadcykler]

Do you want to sleep with things in your ears that may prevent you from possibly hearing a fire alarm or someone unwanted coming into your room?
 
Also, I'm guessing you'll adapt to the new sounds and will be able to sleep without the aid of IEM's or other ear plugs.

 

[Sinocelt]

Quote:

Also, I'm guessing you'll adapt to the new sounds and will be able to sleep without the aid of IEM's or other ear plugs.

I spent 6 or 7 years in New York and never got used to the noise. Thank God for earplugs!

 

[LFF]

I can sleep perfectly well with my customs in.

 

[KimChee]

Yes, but how will you hear your alarm