[chocky900]

I'm currently using Sennheiser IE8s with ACS custom tips and I'm just not that happy with them. I really miss the Westone 3s which I got rid of for two main reasons. The first was that ACS could not get their custom sleeves to fit. The second was that the cable started to disconnect after 18 months. So after getting a refund I jumped straight in to the world of the IE8 which ACS happily custom sleeved for me after several unsuccessful attempts with the Westone 3. And I felt better about the replaceable IE8 cables.
 
Anyway, I am unhappy with the sound and the isolation of my IE8s. The isolation is surprising to me because even with the customs it struggles to block out as much noise as the Westones with foam tips. The sound has never wowed me and the bass levels are ridiculous so I have the screw set to minimum, I think it may be the customs that bring the bass up even more but I have had to set up new presets on my Cowon S9 because even the flat setting is too bassy for me. It just seems all too crowded together compared to the clarity and seperation of the Westones. Maybe I'm remembering them with rose tinted ears but I'm almost certain I want to get rid of the IE8s and get something closer to the Westones.
 
It's a shame because I love the custom sleeves and this has lead me to looking at custom IEMs or at least IEMs that can be used with custom tips. As I'm based in the UK I used ACS who currently do sleeves for these earphones but I think they can do others on request. They have taken the Westones off that list recently.
 
I hear lots of good things about the Monster Turbines and Davis Tributes but they are dynamic like the IE8s so I have a feeling I wouldn't be as impressed. Would that be likely? I could get ACS to do customs for them. Has anyone got ACS customs for Monster IEMs?
 
So, I'm really asking for which IEMs I might like given my experiences so far. I really want good isolation and low microphonics as I use the phones on public transport every day. I want strong, replacable cables because I tend to stuff the phones into my bag quite haphazardly. Most of all I want something that sounds like or better than the Westone 3. I'd love to be able to go out and order a pair of JH13s but I really shouldn't spend that much on my wages. I would be open to custom IEMs but only around the £500 mark. I notice JH is doing the JH 11s for $850 which is around £530. How do these compare to the Westone 3s?
 
Last question! Do you think the price of custom IEMs will tumble over the next couple of years ow will we still be expected to shell out $800+?
 
Any advice or comments would be extremely appreciated.

 

[buffalowings]

Quote:

I'm currently using Sennheiser IE8s with ACS custom tips and I'm just not that happy with them. I really miss the Westone 3s which I got rid of for two main reasons. The first was that ACS could not get their custom sleeves to fit. The second was that the cable started to disconnect after 18 months. So after getting a refund I jumped straight in to the world of the IE8 which ACS happily custom sleeved for me after several unsuccessful attempts with the Westone 3. And I felt better about the replaceable IE8 cables.
 
Anyway, I am unhappy with the sound and the isolation of my IE8s. The isolation is surprising to me because even with the customs it struggles to block out as much noise as the Westones with foam tips. The sound has never wowed me and the bass levels are ridiculous so I have the screw set to minimum, I think it may be the customs that bring the bass up even more but I have had to set up new presets on my Cowon S9 because even the flat setting is too bassy for me. It just seems all too crowded together compared to the clarity and seperation of the Westones. Maybe I'm remembering them with rose tinted ears but I'm almost certain I want to get rid of the IE8s and get something closer to the Westones.
 
It's a shame because I love the custom sleeves and this has lead me to looking at custom IEMs or at least IEMs that can be used with custom tips. As I'm based in the UK I used ACS who currently do sleeves for these earphones but I think they can do others on request. They have taken the Westones off that list recently.
 
I hear lots of good things about the Monster Turbines and Davis Tributes but they are dynamic like the IE8s so I have a feeling I wouldn't be as impressed. Would that be likely? I could get ACS to do customs for them. Has anyone got ACS customs for Monster IEMs?
 
So, I'm really asking for which IEMs I might like given my experiences so far. I really want good isolation and low microphonics as I use the phones on public transport every day. I want strong, replacable cables because I tend to stuff the phones into my bag quite haphazardly. Most of all I want something that sounds like or better than the Westone 3. I'd love to be able to go out and order a pair of JH13s but I really shouldn't spend that much on my wages. I would be open to custom IEMs but only around the £500 mark. I notice JH is doing the JH 11s for $850 which is around £530. How do these compare to the Westone 3s?
 
Last question! Do you think the price of custom IEMs will tumble over the next couple of years ow will we still be expected to shell out $800+?
 
Any advice or comments would be extremely appreciated.

you can get custom IEMs for as low as $200 plus a bit more for impressions...though the phone in question for that price is a single armature. and a triple driver custom for the same price as a westone.

 

[chocky900]

I've been looking at 1964 Ears and it does seem to be more my price range. But being based in the UK I think it could get very awkward and time consuming if I get any problems. I only know of ACS that does custom IEMs in the UK but they're not highly rated AFAIK. Plus their triples are £650 compared to about £250 for the 1964 triples.
 
Any UK Headfiers bought from 1964 Ears?

 

[goodvibes]

Has anyone tried completely blocking the ie8 vent? A bit of putty may be worth a try.

 

[TCD1975]

Quote:

I only know of ACS that does custom IEMs in the UK but they're not highly rated AFAIK. Plus their triples are £650 compared to about £250 for the 1964 triples.
 

I think ACS customs are fairly well regarded by those that have heard them but they are expensive and they don't have replaceabale cables yet.
 
Like you I've got a pair of IE8s with ACS custom sleeves but I very rarely use them. I've also got some UM3x with ACS sleeves and they are a better combination in all respects (fit, siolation, sound quality). It's a shame ACS stopped doing the sleeves for Weston earphones as when they get it right they are a superb match.
 
I only keep hold of the IE8s as an emergency backup and don't really want to part with them having spent £100 getting custom sleeves made. One thing that did cross my mind though is that it's possible that some other dynamic driver IEMs may well fit in the IE8 sleeves if they share the same kind of nozzle.

 

[davidcotton]

Quote:

I'm currently using Sennheiser IE8s with ACS custom tips and I'm just not that happy with them. I really miss the Westone 3s which I got rid of for two main reasons. The first was that ACS could not get their custom sleeves to fit. The second was that the cable started to disconnect after 18 months. So after getting a refund I jumped straight in to the world of the IE8 which ACS happily custom sleeved for me after several unsuccessful attempts with the Westone 3. And I felt better about the replaceable IE8 cables.
 
Anyway, I am unhappy with the sound and the isolation of my IE8s. The isolation is surprising to me because even with the customs it struggles to block out as much noise as the Westones with foam tips. The sound has never wowed me and the bass levels are ridiculous so I have the screw set to minimum, I think it may be the customs that bring the bass up even more but I have had to set up new presets on my Cowon S9 because even the flat setting is too bassy for me. It just seems all too crowded together compared to the clarity and seperation of the Westones. Maybe I'm remembering them with rose tinted ears but I'm almost certain I want to get rid of the IE8s and get something closer to the Westones.
 
It's a shame because I love the custom sleeves and this has lead me to looking at custom IEMs or at least IEMs that can be used with custom tips. As I'm based in the UK I used ACS who currently do sleeves for these earphones but I think they can do others on request. They have taken the Westones off that list recently.
 
I hear lots of good things about the Monster Turbines and Davis Tributes but they are dynamic like the IE8s so I have a feeling I wouldn't be as impressed. Would that be likely? I could get ACS to do customs for them. Has anyone got ACS customs for Monster IEMs?
 
So, I'm really asking for which IEMs I might like given my experiences so far. I really want good isolation and low microphonics as I use the phones on public transport every day. I want strong, replacable cables because I tend to stuff the phones into my bag quite haphazardly. Most of all I want something that sounds like or better than the Westone 3. I'd love to be able to go out and order a pair of JH13s but I really shouldn't spend that much on my wages. I would be open to custom IEMs but only around the £500 mark. I notice JH is doing the JH 11s for $850 which is around £530. How do these compare to the Westone 3s?
 
Last question! Do you think the price of custom IEMs will tumble over the next couple of years ow will we still be expected to shell out $800+?
 
Any advice or comments would be extremely appreciated.

Hi
 
Well thats pretty much decided me against getting sleeves done for the ie7 then.  Main reason would be for comfort and more importantly isolation. 
 
With regards to monster, having both the turbines (oh all right they were an impulse purchase from play when on offer!)and westone 2's I think that you'd be dissapointed in the turbines (though I haven't heard the miles davies).  Although the turbines have a "fun" type of bass, I prefer the clarity of the westones (though that ironically, could do with a little more punch).  The other option you do have is to re purchase the westone 3's and see if inearz would do the tips for you.  They did say in the big thread about them that they have done eartips for westones in the past with success (I wonder how they solved the sliding off the nozzle issue).  Mind you if you are sending them in for the tips to be done, then you could think about a reshell anyway.
 
Fwiw I've just spent the weekend pondering whether to make the jump from westone 2's to customs and decided that for right now it's probably not a good idea, much as I like the idea.  I'm lucky in that I'm able to listen to music for most of the working day but still need to talk to people occasionally.  So I can see that getting customs in and out would become annoying.
 
If you want detachable cables have you looked at the um3x?
 
Good luck anyway.

 

[IpodHappy]

The lack of isolation on the IE8 comes from the tunable bass port.  If you block the port screw with your finger tips, the IE8s will sound tiny and compressed.
 
The Monster Turbine Pros, both Gold and Copper, are a step down from the W3s and UM3Xs in my opinion.  They just don't have the clarity and discrimination of the W3s.
 
I'm currently looking forward to hearing the W4s.
 
I don't think the price of the IEMs is closely matched to their build cost, so I don't think the prices will fall much.  For example, the complexity of a W3 IEM pales compared to the complexity of a iPod or iPad or netbook.  But the market for IEMs is smaller.  Research is amortized over a much smaller volume, driving up the cost.

 

[chromatic]

Personally i finally bought the Westone 3 and iam thinking about reselling them because for me there is too much bass... so i cant imagine how much bass the iE8 have... lol 

 

[jleewach]

Let me know if u do sell them. I'll buy in a heartbeat given the price is decent.

 

[chromatic]

Well in fact i decided to keep them and to buy another set of earphones for a different purpose.
The W3 have many qualities...