[High_Q]

Do they tune the frequency response?

 

[alphaphoenix]

Suppose too, but not guaranteed.  I had to return my Klipsch C3 because the sound was way off.   The best guarantee is to have a stock IEM to compare and sell it once the reshell sounds very close or identical to the stock sound signature. 

 

[High_Q]

If that's the case, I wouldn't trust them to reshell anything.
 
Quote:

Suppose too, but not guaranteed.  I had to return my Klipsch C3 because the sound was way off.   The best guarantee is to have a stock IEM to compare and sell it once the reshell sounds very close or identical to the stock sound signature. 

 

 

[kurosuto]

Ive remolded my UM3X through fisher and lets just say it is one of the most regretful thing i've ever done. I mean the company is great in terms of customer service, Kaysen has a lot of patience and they're willing to work with you but that still doesn't change the fact that I now have an almost $500 paperweight that I cannot stand. There's also a durability and quality issue with them as well. i hear ringing and gong sounds from my earpieces and my apple earbuds sound better than my custom um3x. this is just my 2cent. 

 

[shotgunshane]

Unless your universal is broken, I would never recommend reshelling.  Tuned or not tuned, it will never sound exactly the same again.  There are just too many factors involved; but maybe you'll get lucky and it will sound better to you.

 

[FullCircle]

Yes, I would not expect them to sound the same, too many factors influencing the sound. (Tube length, tube ID and OD etc etc etc)
 
I don't see how one would Re-tune a product they don't make and the speakers are propriatery, they could not buy new ones to replace them....  Balance Armature Drivers are not bullet proof, in fact they are rather fragile in my opinion.
 
For 80$ Fisher takes on a lot of liability, and has any one considered how long it takes to build a set of IEM's?  Seriously, what is the expected margin for re-shell at 80$.
 
UM charges 150+- and they are located in China with lower business costs.....
 
I am not being critical of Fisher, but I don't think "working for free, inspires quality."

 

[High_Q]

Yup, I agree whole heartedly.  I would like to see their reshelling process to see how they keep cost down.  Although I think their price is most reasonable.  
 
Quote:

Yes, I would not expect them to sound the same, too many factors influencing the sound. (Tube length, tube ID and OD etc etc etc)
 
I don't see how one would Re-tune a product they don't make and the speakers are propriatery, they could not buy new ones to replace them....  Balance Armature Drivers are not bullet proof, in fact they are rather fragile in my opinion.
 
For 80$ Fisher takes on a lot of liability, and has any one considered how long it takes to build a set of IEM's?  Seriously, what is the expected margin for re-shell at 80$.
 
UM charges 150+- and they are located in China with lower business costs.....
 
I am not being critical of Fisher, but I don't think "working for free, inspires quality."

 

 

[FullCircle]

I'm an audiologist, I have access to all the equipment, materials, supplies, tools etc etc needed to build IEMs. In fact, building IEMs is my hobby.
 
That said, it takes me about 16 full hrs to build a pair of IEMs, and if one has to open up a set of non-customs, salvage the parts etc etc...  looking at another hr.
 
My point is, 16 hrs would run at least 200$ in employment costs, so if that is the case 80$ is peanuts.
 
Now, I do not doubt Fisher has better equipment, and time saving techniques, but still, 80$ means he has to have a set built within less than 8 hrs. a feat that I sure could not do.

 

[High_Q]

Here are a couple of excellent vids on how UE does it
 

 

[High_Q]

You think Fisher and other labs that offer reshelling service capable of turning the sound to match the original signature universal such as the TF10?  Do you tune IEMs?  How is the tuning process done?  What type of equipment do you use?  Is there a mini loudness meter there to measure dB at all hearing frequency ranges?
 
Quote:

I'm an audiologist, I have access to all the equipment, materials, supplies, tools etc etc needed to build IEMs. In fact, building IEMs is my hobby.
 
That said, it takes me about 16 full hrs to build a pair of IEMs, and if one has to open up a set of non-customs, salvage the parts etc etc...  looking at another hr.
 
My point is, 16 hrs would run at least 200$ in employment costs, so if that is the case 80$ is peanuts.
 
Now, I do not doubt Fisher has better equipment, and time saving techniques, but still, 80$ means he has to have a set built within less than 8 hrs. a feat that I sure could not do.

 

 

[FullCircle]

That particular UV light machine they use in the video is not available any longer. I have used Argon gas before, but I can't say it really removes "all the greasses" as the technician tries to say. (but it could be because my argon system was/is inferior to theirs)
 
What happens is, any area that is exposed to oxygen is tacky and frankly messy to touch. One can take a shell and lay it in a bath of glysol, expose it to UV light again, and pretty much take care of the greasses...
 
That said, for me, shell preperation is about a 3 hr process. Can that UV light machine in the video cut it down to a 5 minute process?  I don't know, like I said, it is no longer on the market any more, I would guess due to a lack of demand. Hearing aids are mostly made by SLA machines these days. That said, from what little I know, SLA machines can not make multi-color shells, such as purple, green, black, light reds, etc etc.
 
They can do clear, blue, red, tan and I read where Phonak has a machine that will do white. So for the most part, I would venture to say IEMs are not made by SLA machines, they are still "hand poured"
 
Regarding "Tunning sound"
 
No I do not think one can "tune the sound" to match an original TF10...   the reason for this is because there are SO MANY parameters that influence sound. For example, how deep the TF10 sits in the ear canal, versus how long the ear canal is, how deep the impression is, how long the lenght of Tube is used to make the IEM on and on.  Tube diameters also influence the sound, I use an extremely small tube for bass, smaller than any one, it takes more time to build them this way, but I like the sound better.
 
Honestly, the only feasable way to tune a custom IEM to match the output (to a high degree of accuracy) of its original TF10, Westone 3 etc etc, would be to use DSP.
 
But again, ear canal length and volume would pretty much disrupt any chance of matching the sound quality that U the original owner experienced. Theoritically, it could be matched at the "Sound source level" but because every ear canal is different, the sound is going to be different. (I hope you can comprehend my point)
 
In other words, one could take a device called a "2cc coupler" and connect it to a TF10, take a measurement, and then take the IEM connect it to the 2cc coupler and match the curve. A 2cc coupler is a "fake" ear canal. Meaning that the average ear canal volume is 2cc, but again the 2cc coupler is NOT YOU, it is just a "vanilla" one size fits all ear canal....  and the truth be known, every one's ear canal is diffeerent.
 
For all practical purposes, match tunning is impossible. That said, one should always ask for new filters to be placed in the IEM and if it costs more, ask for it any ways. Other wise, you have a preety custom IEM with plugged filters, and replacing filters requires the IEM to be opened up....  which is a process that essentially leads to a re-build.
 
That section of the UE video regarding "setting the curve" is rather misleading. I don't doubt they use that equipment for developing an IEM model line....  but they could not use that equimpment for EVERY IEM....   I say this because the cross over PCB are pre-loaded with their perspective resistors & capacitors for each model or product line, this and the speakers used, determine the sound of the IEM.
 
They may use that equipment for QC, and that would be logical.
 
Cheers
 
(The photo is a set that I just built for myself last week, green lantern carbon)

 

[Sarthak117]

I was interested in reshelling my Shure SE-530 with Fisher Hearing. Has anyone done this before with good results? Also, does the 90 dollar reshell fee just cover the reshelling, or does it also cover the cabling and the case?

 

[FullCircle]

I dont know that answer, but look at the math, average cost for a cable = 30$, now u r down to 70$...  how much labor does 70$ get, including employment taxes, benifits etc?
 
Something my dad always said....  "If it aint broke, don't fix it."

 

[Wildcard30]

Quote:

I was interested in reshelling my Shure SE-530 with Fisher Hearing. Has anyone done this before with good results? Also, does the 90 dollar reshell fee just cover the reshelling, or does it also cover the cabling and the case?

No case or cable included you need to provide your own.  You can also purchase a cable from them.
 

 

[matbhuvi]

Quote:

I was interested in reshelling my Shure SE-530 with Fisher Hearing. Has anyone done this before with good results? Also, does the 90 dollar reshell fee just cover the reshelling, or does it also cover the cabling and the case?

It is a mixed result for me with SE530.
It is really comfortable fit, extended the life of my 3 year old iem. It became bit airy giving the sense of more details but slightly sibilant. Given a choice, i wouldn't have reshelled it if my cable was not broken.