Moisture and BA/Dynamic driver IEMs?

[average_joe]

Check out this thread for some answers.

 

[JackKontney]

Quote:

this doesn't feed into my compulsions aaat all... heh. never quite pictured spending an unspecified amount of money on a disinfecting/deodorizing/moisture removing AC powered IEM home 'storage box'. before this post that is.. I take the UV light version is at least $150

? How much is the extra desiccant?

re: re-evaporate and re-condense . I take it you mean compared to no desiccant, or non-ventilated closed system (e.g. portable storage box that's more or less sealed)?

 
The Dry & Store Zephyr is $75; replacement desiccant is $10 for a 3-pack (6 month supply).
The Global II (with germicidal UV light) runs $108.
 
If there's no air movement to carry moisture away, the desiccation process is less effective.

 

[svyr]

still not sure if I want to UV the acrylic shell, but the warm air seren product sounds more interesting than having to buy supplies .

average_joe, is the UV light optional (as in, is there a switch?)

 

[rroseperry]

I washed my GR8s with no effect on the sound quality. It was very stupid, but showed that some of these iems are less delicate than we think.

 

[navmau]

Quote:

According to Future Sonics, dynamic drivers are more resistant to moisture than BAs are. That could factor into a purchase.

That is also the info I got from FS when I enquired 4yrs ago. I have been using my set for over 4 years and they are still going strong. In the gym, doing the lawn mowing...even got caught in the rain a few times with them on and they are still perfect. Plus they have the most awesome sound sig I have ever heard so it's a win-win.
 
You will need to invest in some other tips though as the Atrio bi-flange are the devil's tips. The FS foamies are excellent but wear out in about a week. If you get them, I would recommend the Klipsch eargels.
 



 
 

 

[average_joe]

Quote:

still not sure if I want to UV the acrylic shell, but the warm air seren product sounds more interesting than having to buy supplies

.

average_joe, is the UV light optional (as in, is there a switch?)

Yes, the UV light is optional and I actually haven't used it yet.  There are two buttons, one to turn the unit on and the other for the UV light.
 
Quote:

I washed my GR8s with no effect on the sound quality. It was very stupid, but showed that some of these iems are less delicate than we think.

I don't think the issue is a one time event, it seems more like a consistent moisture and/or humidity.  I do believe BAs are more susceptible due to the sound tube diameter and the wicking of water and left over deposits.
 
I did have sound degredation with my IE8 over about a year of use and I don't think that is the only dynamic I have had issues with.  For me and the cost of my IEMs I think it is better to be overly cautious.  
 

 

[svyr]

Yes, the UV light is optional and I actually haven't used it yet.  There are two buttons, one to turn the unit on and the other for the UV light.
I don't think the issue is a one time event, it seems more like a consistent moisture and/or humidity.  I do believe BAs are more susceptible due to the sound tube diameter and the wicking of water and left over deposits.
 
I did have sound degredation with my IE8 over about a year of use and I don't think that is the only dynamic I have had issues with.  For me and the cost of my IEMs I think it is better to be overly cautious.  
 

yes, i'm mostly referring to continuous exposure to moist air and operating the IEM while it's partially moist.
Sure washing isn't good, but if you dry them out properly (assuming it's possible to do that without taking them apart ) then I don't see why it wouldn't still work. (it's not like the IEM has an internal power source and corrodes everything inside while being washed )

 

[Exarch]

I will preface this by stating up front that I'm not the most experienced kid on this block...
 
My primary IEM's currently are a 2 year old set of UE Metrofi 220's which use dynamic drivers.
 
They have survived a tremendous amount of aqueous abuse.  Two trips through the washer, getting blasted in the face with a hose while washing the car, getting stuck in rain on the motorcycle, hiking in the rain...  Right now they are currently stuck in my head and still soldiering along.
 
While I can't comment on BA durability, I can vouch for the durability of DD in excessive circumstances.
 
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$0.02
 
If I were looking for a storage solution involving a desiccant, I would use a small sealing box as the storage container (such as a $15 pelican case from the local gun store).  I would poke some holes in the lid of a film canister and then cover those holes with Tyvek (think FedEx shipping envelope) and fill it with a 50/50 mix of rice and salt and then place that in the sealing container as well.  The salt should clump when the canister as a whole can absorb no more moisture, in which case you dispose of it, reload and call it good.
 
A possible bonus to this storage idea is that folks who wish to maintain the rest of their audio items (portable source, amp, multiple IEM devices) would have plenty of room.
 
For those more curious, the salt provides a two-fold action.  Salt absorbs moisture very quickly and will clump when saturated.  Rice absorbs moisture very slowly and swells as it saturates, but [more importantly] has the ability to absorb moisture out of salt.  Secondly the salt presents an environment in which parasites that would eat the rice are unable to live.
 
The biggest benefit to this whole idea it's far less expensive than a "professional" storage solution.  If you really wanted to go on the cheap, sub the pelican case for any sort of Tupperware like container, in which case you could probably pull this off for just a few dollars.
 
/$0.02
 
 
Edit: Corrected a moment of being grammatically challenged.

 

[svyr]

heh, the shipping for the pods/tube from Westone and livewire are $25-30 to Australia.... That's a bit expensive. (1.5x the price of the actual tube )

 

[svyr]

wow, the westone container is a bit annoying .the desiccant pod is not fixed at the bottom in any way and keeps moving./bumping into the iems. i don't know how they have the indecency to advertise it as 'ideal for travel'. i might as well be storing my iems in a vitamin container (which is kinda what this is)....what a rip-off