Has anyone turned their IE8 into IE8x3?
Apr 28, 2012 at 8:48 PM Thread Starter Post #1 of 21

truckdriver

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Has anyone done this using Unique Melody's reshelling or another reshelling upgrade service?
 
I'm also considering doing the upgrade to my old Shure E5cs with an added driver. Has anyone done that? If so, how did it (does it) sound? How was the customer service?
 
Apr 28, 2012 at 8:55 PM Post #2 of 21
 
Quote:
Has anyone done this using Unique Melody's reshelling or another reshelling upgrade service?
 
I'm also considering doing the upgrade to my old Shure E5cs with an added driver. Has anyone done that? If so, how did it (does it) sound? How was the customer service?

 

A while back i was planning to try doing this service since I had two IE8's. But i believe they only upgrade the drivers. they don't add crossovers and such to fine tune each speaker. Like they don't give the senn's Dynamic Driver a low pass filter so it only feeds low frequencys. This is just my speculation. so don't take my word for it.
 
Apr 28, 2012 at 9:18 PM Post #3 of 21
 
Quote:
 
 

A while back i was planning to try doing this service since I had two IE8's. But i believe they only upgrade the drivers. they don't add crossovers and such to fine tune each speaker. Like they don't give the senn's Dynamic Driver a low pass filter so it only feeds low frequencys. This is just my speculation. so don't take my word for it.

 

Thanks for the reply, Shoulon. Geez, that's a scary notion that they wouldn't add crossovers and tune the product. I was trying to get back to the site http://www.custom-iem.com/sennheiser-ie8-reshell-upgrade-to-3-drivers-p-662.html to see if I read that the dynamic driver would be used for low frequencies. I can't get the site to load which may be a warning for me.
 
If I decide to pursue the matter further, I will definitely ask if they use crossovers and tune the finished product. I'd love to have one dynamic for the lows and two BA's for mids and highs.
 
Apr 29, 2012 at 12:31 AM Post #4 of 21
I think they would? I believe they made that product while researching for their Merlins (which has a dynamic driver in it). Well, that what it sounded like in their email to me.
 
Apr 29, 2012 at 3:30 PM Post #5 of 21
Yeah, shureThing, UM gave it the name IE8x3. It's a product they make. It's just apparently hard to find someone who has it.
 
First,  I think I'm going to experiment with my mint pair of UE Superfi 5 EB (with the 13.5mm driver). The Unique Melody site suggest they will turn that big driver into a single low and add mid/high drivers with a two-way crossover for $279. I haven't used the 5 EB (at all) because I can't get that huge nozzle in my little ears comfortably. I think I bought them in 2004 (or so) and they've been a paperweight on my computer desk for years.
 
I guess I'll cross my fingers that UM uses good drivers tuned really well for mids and highs. I like the idea of a 13.5 mm woofer for HIP/HOP and whatnot.
 
Apr 29, 2012 at 4:16 PM Post #6 of 21
 
Quote:
Yeah, shureThing, UM gave it the name IE8x3. It's a product they make. It's just apparently hard to find someone who has it.
 
First,  I think I'm going to experiment with my mint pair of UE Superfi 5 EB (with the 13.5mm driver). The Unique Melody site suggest they will turn that big driver into a single low and add mid/high drivers with a two-way crossover for $279. I haven't used the 5 EB (at all) because I can't get that huge nozzle in my little ears comfortably. I think I bought them in 2004 (or so) and they've been a paperweight on my computer desk for years.
 
I guess I'll cross my fingers that UM uses good drivers tuned really well for mids and highs. I like the idea of a 13.5 mm woofer for HIP/HOP and whatnot.

Besides my speculation on cross overs. UM uses the best of quality. Dont worry about what speakers they use. UM always Delivers.
 
Going at 369$ i would imagine they must sound 2nd to non behind the Merlins.
 
Apr 30, 2012 at 4:53 AM Post #8 of 21
 
Quote:
I sent my 3 year old IE8 to have the upgrade done over a week ago. I'll report here once I get them back.
 

 
Looking forward to some impressions. While I don't have an IE8 to reshell, I've always been curious about this. 
 
Apr 30, 2012 at 5:04 AM Post #9 of 21
You'll be pleasantly surprised, we absolutely do change the crossover and the TWFK is quite an amazing little dual.
 
A bit more V shaped than the Merlin, the highs aren't as smooth and the mids on the Merlin are much much better.  But fun and energetic, with dynamic bass impact...pretty good combo if you ask us!
 
EDIT: in response to the OP's actual question, the E5C re-shelled will sound nothing like an IE8x3.
 
Apr 30, 2012 at 1:24 PM Post #10 of 21
Thanks, for all the feedback. I too look forward to the IE8x3 impressions as well.
 
Thanks, for the assurances UM rep. I love a V-shaped sound for certain types of music.
 
I take it the Merlin doesn't use the TWFK driver, eh? Or, is it just tuned differently? Or, is it that four drivers are better than two?
 

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