[powline99]

Hi,
 
I found someone who makes hearing aids who can make custom molded IEMs. He is not familiar with in ear IEM audio for pro audio, though he knows alot about audio, and electronics. 
 
I have already in my old shells "2" woofer 33A007, Balance Armatures and "1" High Armature.   I listen to EDM and Hip Hop Music. MY biggest complaint is the armatures I have don't give me the full sound which I am used to with big earphones Something with some punchy bass and nice mids. 
 
I currently use Sennheiser HD25-1 II Closed-Back Headphones and wanted some custom mold .  Because of my issue with it sounding to tinty and high in the tweeter he flooded the tweeter with some additional internal resistance to cut down on the highs but it made it sound muddy and distort as you turn them up. 
 
What Additional armatures would you add or how would I tell him to configure them so they sound like a Westone or High End UE with multiple armatures. What Armatures or configurations would you add or change to that to make it sound better? Is there better Armatures to use than the 33A007? 
 
Thanks,
D

 

[squallkiercosa]

Welcome to head-fi
Sorry about your wallet. 
 
First: The whole thing about CIEMs is to get a perfect fit, without a proper seal all IEMs, even the best one will sound dull. 

 

[powline99]

@Squallkiercosa
 
They fit tight, In fact I don't like the fit he made them musician style which has a longer part that goes in the ear it starts to rub against the inside of the ear after extended use. I just want to know what I should do about the armatures, should I send it back to him and if so there will be a charge so which armatures should I purchase, he only seems to know how to do the shells not much about pro audio for IEMS

 

[squallkiercosa]

My apologies, I didn't read well the first post. You bought a triple armature driver from Earmax labs and you have issues with the sound. CIEMs are not meant to be bass heavy, quality over quantity. It takes some time to get used to, but you'll learn to appreciate all frequencies and sound in general. Again the fit is very important, a proper seal isolates from outside noise: you'll be listening your music at lower volumes and really enjoy the sound signature.
 
Unique melody used to add extra drivers but it's very expensive. Don't know if they keep doing it. 
 
The drivers mentioned are used by fitear japan monitors and other companies. Shouldn't worry that much about them. 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/604851/chart-balanced-armature-based-in-ear-monitors-technical-characteristics
 
CIEMs resale value is pretty low. The cheapest reshell cost no less than 150$ without shipping and mold impressions costs so selling them will be almost giving them for free. I suggest you to resend the monitors to Earmax explaining the situation and ask if they could check the sound signature. 
 
Post later the results. 

 

[powline99]

  CIEMs are not meant to be bass heavy, quality over quantity. It takes some time to get used to, but you'll learn to appreciate all frequencies and sound in general. Again the fit is very important, a proper seal isolates from outside noise: you'll be listening your music at lower volumes and really enjoy the sound signature.
 
Unique melody used to add extra drivers but it's very expensive. Not recommended. 
 
The drivers mentioned are used by fitear japan monitors and other companies. Shouldn't worry that much about them. 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/604851/chart-balanced-armature-based-in-ear-monitors-technical-characteristics
 
CIEMs resale value is pretty low. The cheapest reshell cost no less than 150$ without shipping and mold impressions costs so selling them will be almost giving them for free. I suggest you to resend the monitors to Earmax explaining the situation and ask if they could check the sound signature. 
 
Post later the results. 

What is a CIEM? Chinese In Ear Monitor?
 
I am a newbie when it comes to IEMs, I used full size headphones most of my career but wanted some custom shells
 
I want to know how to make them more punchy bass and mid heavy. You say its very expensive what other armatures by the same company could I add to make them sound better? I complained about the tinty screeching highs (remember I like hip hop and edm), the sound didn't have a full sound to it. He flooded the tweeter adding resistance to it. What else can be done by adding armatures or other crossovers and such? The man specializes in hearing aid, and while he knows his electronics I don't have a feeling he knows pro audio. I need help what to tell him or what to buy to make these sound like high end UE or Westones. Westone 4R sound so much better! I sent the buds twice to him and complained and he couldn't seem to fix them, it was a year ago and have been trying to find someone who could help me fix them. I am willing to send them back but not without telling him exactly what I need to be changed as he doesn't seem to be able to fix it without instruction. 
 
This is why I had the idea to buy used iems on ebay and have them reshelled, unless you can tell me how to configure them with the 33A007 drivers to make them sound better.
 
Thanks,
D
Thanks,
D.

 

[faithguy19]

CIEM = Custom In Ear Monitor

 

[squallkiercosa]

CIEM: Custom in ear monitor
 
The reason why they're expensive is because its not that easy to tune them. Send them first to Earmax for further testing, if you still don't like the conclusion I'll be happy receiving it. 
What other IEMs have you tried? 

 

[powline99]

  CIEM: Custom in ear monitor
 
The reason why they're expensive is because its not that easy to tune them. Send them first to Earmax for further testing, if you still don't like the conclusion I'll be happy receiving it. 
What other IEMs have you tried? 

You mentioned earlier "Unique melody used to add extra drivers but it's very expensive. Not recommended." ...Can you tell me the configuration of armatures of this with the 33A007 drivers? At least maybe he can duplicate that configuration. Its been a year and he wants to charge me to change them. Hes not a pro audio expert so I dont know if this would help and was relying on me for solutions.
 
When you say send the to you, can you fix them and do you have the parts?
 
I liked the Wooduo 2 for bass but the rest of the sound was lacking and artificial. I like the 1964 I tried at a tradeshow with extra bass. I am a producer for electronic music so I need that extra punch in the lows after years of djing cans. 
 
 
Thanks again for all your help! I'm just feeling stuck or I would have had him fix it already. 

 

[squallkiercosa]

Cjeck the link I posted, download the chart and have a look to Others ciems . unfortunately I couldn't find information about the earmax. Unique melody HQ are in mainland China and adding and extra driver cost about 400$. You could try with inearz bit I don't know what to say

 

[squallkiercosa]

Honestly try selling them or throw them away and don't look back. They could be damaged and fixing them might cost you even more than what you paid for them. Inearz is in FL and they might see what's going on

 

[powline99]

Honestly try selling them or throw them away and don't look back. They could be damaged and fixing them might cost you even more than what you paid for them. Inearz is in FL and they might see what's going on

 

[powline99]

Thanks

 

[powline99]

Cjeck the link I posted, download the chart and have a look to Others ciems . unfortunately I couldn't find information about the earmax. Unique melody HQ are in mainland China and adding and extra driver cost about 400$. You could try with inearz bit I don't know what to say

I don't know what drivers to ask to add to get the westone 4R
 
Is the ones I have closest to the custom art below since I have 2x 33A007(s) and a high. Maybe he didn't cross it over right. I wonder wich of the below configurations would give me the Westone 4R? I can't link but google earmax lab.
 
  
 
(brand) FitEar - Suyama (model) - MH335DW (discription)- Flagship, Slightly Dark, Spacious, Deep (number of drivers) - 4 (crossover)- 3-way (# of recievers)- 3 (low driver) - CI22955 (x2) (mid driver) - Sonion 33A007 (Sanitized) (high driver) - ED29689/2389 (?)  or TWFK.      
 
(brand) - CustomArt    (model) - Pro-Audio Series 330    (discription) - Two Variants: S and P    (number of drivers) - 3    (crossover)- 3-way    (# of recievers)- 2        (Sensitivity (dB) 1mW/1kHz) - 116    (Impedance 1kHz) - 25    (Low driver) - Sonion 33A007    (mid driver) - Sonion 33A007    (high driver) - Sonion 2354            
 
(brand) - CustomArt    (model) - Pro-Audio Series 330 V2    (discription) - Damperless for higher reliability    (number of drivers) -3    (crossover)- 2-way    (# of recievers)- 2    (Sensitivity (dB) 1mW/1kHz) - 116    (Impedance 1kHz) - 25    (Low Driver) -Sonion 33A007    (high Driver) - Sonion 2354    

 

[hadowight]

Wow,too many choices.

 

[tomscy2000]

As OP of the http://www.head-fi.org/t/604851/chart-balanced-armature-based-in-ear-monitors-technical-characteristics thread, I want to warn that the chart doesn't make it open season for anyone to poke around their IEMs and make changes on a whim. It takes a lot of reading and experience to know what goes on with crossovers and tubing resonances. I've read a lot, but because I have zero experience making CIEMs myself, I can't even say definitively whether something will sound one way or another.
 
Opening up a custom shell and changing stuff is actually pretty labor intensive, and is almost equal to doing a whole new CIEM. That's why it costs so much.

 ​

 ​

If you like the W4, get a W4.​

 
 
From what you have, I can suggest the following for a prototypical stage monitor response, but there will be no guarantees that it'll sound good to you:
 
High Driver (Sonion 2323, 2389, 2354, assuming you have one of these): 1 uF capacitor in series, 1500 ohm damper (green), 12mm x 2mm ID tubing
Low Driver (Sonion 33A007): parallel hookup (for the two drivers), 10 ohm resistor in series, 4700 ohm damper (yellow), 12mm x 2mm ID tubing