[timmyGCSE]

righty pending a sale on my 530's I have either the option of Livewire trips which have recently received a glowing report, or UM3X's + some custom ACS tips. Both all in all come in at £340 including shipping, impressions, taxes if need be, the whole caboodle.

Livewires:
+ fully custom therefore driver placement and comfort should be spot on
+ based on the review posted here a little while back the sound is almost on par with an ES3X
+ they look the nuts and have a nice detachable swivel cable
+ you get a pelican case man!
- in the States..could take a long time, a month or so
- if remoulds need to be done I will have to ship them back at a cost of £27 a time..thats alot
- not sure on the hard acrylic
- very little impressions of these to go on, especially with long term usage

UM3X + tips
+ I've heard the UM3X's, I like them
+ ACS use silicone which sounds more appealing
+ based in the UK, remoulding if needed will be alot cheaper
+ also being based in the UK it will take less time overall
+ still retains resale value
- still a universal and the driver placement etc. is one size fits all
- I would have to send my UM3X's to ACS since they don't currently cater for them (though if I went for livewires I would be without IEM's anyway)

opinions pl0x?

 

[3X0]

Acrylic isn't as horrifying as so many people make it out to be. It disappears.

 

[timmyGCSE]

hmmmmz..
the reviewer of the livewires says the trips offer about 10% more over the UM3X's but comfort was an issue with the UM3X's..which of course would be sorted by custom sleeves.
I have been extremely impressed so far by livewires CS though, I've asked a few questions and response time has been brilliant and I've been offered $25 off the cost to offset import taxes

 

[digivate]

Quote:

Originally Posted by timmyGCSE /img/forum/go_quote.gif - I would have to send my UM3X's to ACS since they don't currently cater for them

There's no need to send ACS your UM3x earphones. I got some custom tips made for my UM3x by ACS and I didn't send my earphones in. I simply told them I wanted tips made for the UM2 which they already have a rig for, and seeing as the UM3x uses exactly the same shell they turned out perfect.

I can't comment on Livewires, but my ACS tips have been well worth the investment and I throughly recommend them.

I had a slight problem with the first pair of tips I received as the fit wasn't very good, but ACS bent over backwards to arrange for me to visit a different audiologist closer to where I live and get some new impressions done. They also sent me a pre-paid and addressed envelope so that I could get the impressions back to them as soon as possible.

The second set of tips were an excellent fit and the sound of the UM3x has certainly improved, which I wasn't really expecting. I just wanted some tips that would be comfortable, isolate well and wouldn't get dirty like foam tips, but the bass is now deeper and fuller sounding, and I think there's extra clarity in the mids.

 

[Hi-fi Wigwammer]

Hi, as another UM3X user living in the UK i've been reading this thread with great interest. I've just discovered there is a local audiologist that will sort the impressions for me that deals with ACS. Booked in next Thursday!

 

[timmyGCSE]

Quote:

Originally Posted by digivate /img/forum/go_quote.gif There's no need to send ACS your UM3x earphones. I got some custom tips made for my UM3x by ACS and I didn't send my earphones in. I simply told them I wanted tips made for the UM2 which they already have a rig for, and seeing as the UM3x uses exactly the same shell they turned out perfect. I can't comment on Livewires, but my ACS tips have been well worth the investment and I throughly recommend them. I had a slight problem with the first pair of tips I received as the fit wasn't very good, but ACS bent over backwards to arrange for me to visit a different audiologist closer to where I live and get some new impressions done. They also sent me a pre-paid and addressed envelope so that I could get the impressions back to them as soon as possible. The second set of tips were an excellent fit and the sound of the UM3x has certainly improved, which I wasn't really expecting. I just wanted some tips that would be comfortable, isolate well and wouldn't get dirty like foam tips, but the bass is now deeper and fuller sounding, and I think there's extra clarity in the mids.

ah great cheers for the info.
I have decided to order the UM3X's from the states and wait a few weeks and get the ACS tips. Should be a gooden

but I can't praise livewires CS enough..John was getting back to me on my questions instantly

 

[iponderous]

timmyGCSE, haven't you only had the SE530's for five minutes? What caused you to change your mind about them and decide to go for the UM3X's?

 

[timmyGCSE]

Quote:

Originally Posted by iponderous /img/forum/go_quote.gif timmyGCSE, haven't you only had the SE530's for five minutes? What caused you to change your mind about them and decide to go for the UM3X's?

there is nothing wrong with the 530's per say, infact I love them and the insane midrange. I haven't sold them yet, I may do I've got an interested buyer atm.
Initially I was all excited about getting some livewire trips but then I thought about it and thought well naa not at this stage, get some custom sleeves instead. Then I sorta thought well if I get custom sleeves they gotta be for the IEM I'm gonna keep and love and be happy with, the SE530's like I say are wonderful but when I listened to the UM3X there was just that little something more, the Je ne sais quoi..when I first listened to them I wasn't overly taken but I had a 10 minute blast with them after listening to all the other IEM's (530's, triple 10's, W3's etc) and I didn't want to take them out, they just pulled me into the music and I began to enjoy them very much.
But at the time I was suitably impressed with the SE530's and since they were £70 odd quid cheaper I thought yea go with them, and I have been very happy indeed. The cable does irritate the top of my ear a little bit and I have had to use the klipsch ovals for comfort but still they are to me a phenomenal IEM. However I've since found a place to get the UM3X's for cheaper than I originally paid for the 530's and if I was getting custom sleeves done I would want them to be done for the UM3X's because they just gave me that tiny bit more. Plus the cable of the Westone's is beautiful (apart from the W3's chin strap)

I had a sale fall through for the 530's yesterday and I was like whatever keep the 530's and get some UM3X's then get sleeves at a later date but I've had another interest in the 530's so if I sell them I'll get sleeves done for the UM3X's.

 

[Samius]

ACS are good, custom service is fantastic. Had some problems with my custom sleeves (not down to ACS themselves, down the audiologist at my local Boots not being very good) and they bend over backwards to help you, e-mail customer service and you get an e-mail back within an hour usually. The sleeves themselves are very comfortable.

 

[timmyGCSE]

yea I've spoken to ACS on the phone a few times and they always seem incredibly helpful. I mentioned the audiologist that I have chosen to the lady on the phone at ACS and she said 'ooh yes we deal with Ratesh* on a daily basis..trust me he knows what he's doing'

*I think thats his name

 

[mark2410]

btw you realise you could get tips done that would fit on both the 530 and um3x?

i forget what they called it but ACS can do them in the same style as the um56

 

[iponderous]

Apologies for cross-examining you about this timmyGCSE but can you be any more specific about which aspects of the UM3X's sound signature you prefer over the SE530's? I'm obsessing again about these things.

 

[timmyGCSE]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mark2410 /img/forum/go_quote.gif btw you realise you could get tips done that would fit on both the 530 and um3x? i forget what they called it but ACS can do them in the same style as the um56

yea some guy had them done for his W3's (I think it was in a thread about IE8's and ACS customs) and was rather unhappy with them

Quote:

Originally Posted by iponderous /img/forum/go_quote.gif Apologies for cross-examining you about this timmyGCSE but can you be any more specific about which aspects of the UM3X's sound signature you prefer over the SE530's? I'm obsessing again about these things.

slightly less treble roll off but less sibilance, I know some people don't find the 530's sibilant but I notice it on quite a few of my songs, I imagine it to be due to the sheer amount of mid-high energy. Bass also extends a bit deeper.
Don't get me wrong I actually love the 530 sound signature but the UM3X just provides me personally with something a bit more satisfactory

 

[iponderous]

I hope they do better than "slightly less treble roll off" compared to the SE530's because I've finally pulled the trigger on a pair. I think I always knew it was inevitable.

 

[timmyGCSE]

Quote:

Originally Posted by iponderous /img/forum/go_quote.gif I hope they do better than "slightly less treble roll off" compared to the SE530's because I've finally pulled the trigger on a pair. I think I always knew it was inevitable.

noice! I'm going to be ordering this morning as well

bahhhhhhhhhhhh then again I've just got myself stuck in two minds..do I get the UM3x's and be done with it or get the custom sleeves done for the SE530's and get myself some Ety HF5's

been wanting to try some etys for a while now