[leadenears]

Hey head-fi, looking to replace some custom IEMs, and I have some questions.

My first CIEMs were Alien Ears. I liked them, but I wasn't kind to them. I snagged the cable on things like door handles a few times and inadvertently broke them. After a few years and a few repairs of the self-inflicted damage, I opted to upgrade to some Sensaphonics. By comparison, I babied the Sensahonics, but despite handling them with care, both ears have failed. First the left ear high-frequency driver failed, got it repaired, and now the right ear low-frequency driver has failed. Repairs are fairly expensive, so I'm considering other options.

So how long do CIEMs last? I got 2.5 years out of the left ear, and just under 4 out of the right ear. Is that normal? Should they last longer?

Also, there seem to be so many more companies making custom IEMs these days. With the following criteria (in order of importance), what models would you recommend:
1. Sound isolation
2. Durability/longevity
3. Neutral response; decent fidelity

I'm an old guy with the typical losses of high frequency hearing associated with age. I'm not a golden ear, but I do appreciate high-quality sound. Most of my listening using IEMs is on-the-go via iPhone without a portable amp. I'd like to keep the budget under $1000 US.

 

[howdy]

I have Alclair RSM CIEMs and have had them for 4 years now and they work great. If you buy from a Company like this they will generally fix for free or very cheap if any issues arise. They should last indefinitely if taken care of.

 

[AllenWalker]

I think they last for quite a long time with casual usage. Over the years, you might need to re-shell as the fit has changed due to the shape of your ears. Try checking the crinnacle's IEM grade report in Head-fi.

 

[leadenears]

Thanks. That's a useful resource I didn't know about. I guess quality/durability data is pretty hard to come by. I was hoping the sensaphonics would be better in this regard, but not the case for me.

 

[beedee]

I bought the UE 10 PRO CIEM back in 2006 when it was UE's TOTL. I've used it recreationally and on stage for almost 12 years now with not a single issue. I'm still using my original cable, even though it's completely green, lol (still works!). I'm finally having seal issues because my ears have grown/changed in 12 years, I guess. That's a damn good run IMO, but I'm not done. I plan to have them reshelled. Good Luck!!

 

[Oscar-HiFi]

@piotrus-g are the silicone filled acrylic shells you do stronger than normal acrylic, and how do they compare to pure silicone CIEM's?

This might help the OP

 

[Oscar-HiFi]

@piotrus-g are the silicone filled acrylic shells you do stronger than normal acrylic, and how do they compare to pure silicone?

This might help the OP

 

[piotrus-g]

@piotrus-g are the silicone filled acrylic shells you do stronger than normal acrylic, and how do they compare to pure silicone CIEM's?

This might help the OP

Thanks for pinging me. Silicone filled acrylics are incomparably more durable to pure silicone. There's very little no difference compared with hollow acrylic.

That said answering OP's question - the answer is "it depends". Depends on how much you use them, how well you clean your ears, how much you sweat, how long you listen per day, how do you store the IEM. Basically there's no single answer here. I would say for acrylic 2,5years is just ok, 4 years is something to be expected with good care.