[Bazirker]

So here's a question or two for ya.  Obviously the sound quality of many (most?) IEM's improves substantially as they break in.  However, does it start to degrade over time?  Improve?  Do the drivers "burn out?"  I imagine the answer is also different depending on the type of driver (my phones are dynamic drivers).
 
What made me wonder is I just got a Fiio E7 USB DAC (which I'm greatly enjoying), and it's equipped with two outputs.  I could be lazy and leave the two pairs of IEM's I've been listening to plugged in, or I could just only use the pair I have in my ears.
 
Any thoughts?

 

[SoSpecial]

The cable will fail before the driver, so don't worry about it.

 

[Bazirker]

 
Quote:

The cable will fail before the driver, so don't worry about it.

Some IEm's (like my HJE900's) have replaceable cables.

 

[SoSpecial]

That's true, but the vast majority do not.

 

[FearSC549]

Yes, I would say the cable would fall apart first. The next thing I'd assume would be the diaphragm. (Assuming no abuse such as overpowering, dropping it, etc.)

 

[jbluzb86]

yes, I think it will take 3 to 5 years for this

 

[buffalowings]

I read that BA's (balanced armatures) have a life expectancy of 7 years, makes me wonder if pricier customs are worth the price of admission...

 

[IpodHappy]

I use my IEMs for exercise outdoors, winter or summer.  I had one pair of Sony IEMs start shedding green from the inside and the high frequency response degraded.  I also wore a pair of UE Super.Fi 5s on a very cold and windy day for 4-5 hours and ended up condensing moisture in one of the drivers.  Again, the high frequency was shot, but this was only temporary.  The IEMs self healed when they dried out.
 
These are the only problems I've had with any of my IEMs.

 

[Jubei]

I've not used anything high end, but none of the earbuds or IEMs I've used have last more than 3 years. Mostly, it is the cables (actually where the cables meet the drivers and plugs) that got kaput. Don't recall having a driver fail on me.

 

[DJGeorgeT]

My ER4P and ER4S are going on 8 years. I think the etymotic ones can last 20 years or longer easily with proper care and storage. My pair or SPF5P going for 4 years now. I am really carefull with my IEMs.

 

[3X0]

Quote:

I read that BA's (balanced armatures) have a life expectancy of 7 years, makes me wonder if pricier customs are worth the price of admission...

I read the same thing, but my dad's ER4S have been going strong since they were bought back at launch, which was maybe two decades ago.
 
For customs, $130-200/year is a bargain if you listen to them 3-4x as much as you listen to anything else.

 

[DJGeorgeT]

the key is proper maintenance and care. And it costs money to care for a pair of ER4S. But the 7 year estimate might be true for a product without user replaceable filters, but it has more to do with the filters than with the BA drivers.