mnagali
100+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Feb 5, 2010
- Posts
- 340
- Likes
- 13
[2/18] - ear impressions made & mailed out via USPS priority
[2/22] - got a call from Kaysen to confirm my color/artwork customization, and that it'd be 10-15 business days
[3/9] - 12 business days later get a call for my credit card info, and they're now being shipped out via UPS 2-days!!!
[3/11] - They've arrived!!! It was more matte than I expected, but not nearly as much as these pictures make them out to be. They look a lot better & clearer in real life actually. UPS didn't deliver them til 7pm and I don't have the best lighting in my house... maybe I'll try taking some clearer pics during the day (also, perhaps with a clean camera lens lol). Overall fit is good? okay? They fit into place, I'm not sure what to expect yet... they definitely different from universals. My primary impetus for having them custom molded is for comfort over extended use (the stock TF10's were painfully horrible in my ears too long), and what better opportunity to assess that than during my study marathon this weekend for a final on Monday
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v223/khrystian/IMG_0168Large.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2..._0168Large.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v223/khrystian/IMG_0170Large.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2..._0170Large.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v223/khrystian/IMG_0175Large.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2..._0175Large.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v223/khrystian/IMG_0176Large.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2..._0176Large.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v223/khrystian/IMG_0178_2Large.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...178_2Large.jpg
[3/12] - quick mini-update about the fit: they fit pretty perfectly actually, and I've been able to wear them hours on end without any discomfort. The reason I guess I wasn't 100% sure about the fit last night--> I had on such a big smile it was changing the shape of my ear canals ^___^. When I got back into my regular study face today they fit much better actually
[3/18] - I'm getting really used to putting them on/off now quickly, and they've just been awesome! I was really planning on doing a proper impressions/review on them, but I don't think I can honestly comment on anything but the fit and SQ. For the fit and isolation I get from these tho, the price is already well worth it. Unless I am directly facing someone or they're tapping me, I'm not even aware anyone is around me or talking to me. I'm a full time med student and I can wear these hours on end while studying w/o any soreness at all; waayyyy better than the 1-2hrs stock.
These are my first and (so far) only "high end" IEMs, and it's honestly been so long since I've heard original TF10s I can't compare the two in a very meaningful way. In addition to the 12 business day (21 actual days) turnaround from Fisher, I was away from my TF10s another 11 days prior to that awaiting a brand new replacement from UE (since I was having cable issues)... total of about 4.5wks since I've heard my stock TF10s >.< They still sound quite high end to me, still worlds above my old sennheiser mm50s, and no disappointments whatsoever. Whenever I get a chance to listen to more high end IEMs though (or another stock TF10) I'll be sure to post a direct comparison
Other options I explored before hearing about UM/Fisher, were to just get custom tips, and those still looked bulky and were $150+, so Fisher's custom reshelling service is definitely worth it ^^
[3/21]
3:34am - So in a recent thread about low-profile IEMs, I challenged whether customs would be considered "low-profile" based on my experiences with mine, and the person after me got me questioning myself if my customs stuck out more than they should--and in fact the right one does protrude out more than the left (I guess it didn't jump out at me before because my hair is getting pretty long and I'm overdue for a haircut). It was in the back of my mind that they didn't feel 100% equal but part of me dismissed it because maybe I just wasn't used to my customs yet, and also because with a final exam to study for, they were already good enough & much better than before to complain about fit/comfort. I had always been really happy with my remolded TF10s since I could wear them hours and hours way more than stock, but since I could finally spend some quality time this past day assessing them more critically, I can really appreciate how the left/red one fits better than my right/purple one.
My customs match the impressions pretty well (albeit it's been over a month since I had them made so they've naturally shriveled a little bit), so I don't think Fisher did anything wrong--I'm more so ticked off at the audiologist who did my impressions. As you can see, the deeper portion that enters the ear canal is shorter on the right/purple IEM, and its second segment is longer which I guess predisposes it to sticking out more. Also, it's not completely obvious in the pictures, but the stem of right ear mold/IEM is also slightly thicker than that of the left. Compared to stock they still fit quite comfortably in my ears, but definitely not evenly & this is made more apparent when I invoke my smile muscles--more than just one side sticking out more, relative to each other, the left one feels more loose inside the ear canal and right one is more tight.
I'm sad to have to part with my customs, but considering how long I plan on keeping these, I guess it's for the better I do this now while its still within Fisher's free-refit time period. I appreciate how they've provided a free 2nd-day return label. I hope I'm not being too hasty blaming the audiologist if my ears really are that asymmetrical (altho that still wouldn't explain their how differently they fit).
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v223/khrystian/IMG_0189.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...h_IMG_0189.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v223/khrystian/IMG_0190.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...h_IMG_0190.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v223/khrystian/IMG_0233.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...h_IMG_0233.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v223/khrystian/IMG_0250.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...h_IMG_0250.jpg
okay question guys: should I just get my right ear re-impressioned and send just that earpiece back to Fisher, or go ahead get both re-impressioned and re-shelled?
10:28am -I had my mouth open w/o a bite block and my audiologist wasn't concerned that my jaw moved a bit during the procedure, insisting that for this sort of thing it wasn't really crucial to have an absolutely perfect fit vs the other hearing devices he normally makes. In hindsight I don't think he fully understood the concept of a reshell for my TF10s and assumed I was having custom tips made (despite the UE audiologist instruction form I brought)
I slept on the matter and I think I may get them both redone (if I go through with this) since I'm concerned that they'll feel asymmetrical in some other way if my jaw is opened a different amount or whatever. Anyways, I'll give it at least another week of thought since I'm having my wisdom teeth extracted this Monday and expecting major swelling--not sure if/how that may affect the shape of my ear canals, but I won't risk it o.o
1:18pm - I was having lunch with a friend and showed her my earpieces. She said instead of looking to blame the audiologist & sending a flaming email, to give them the benefit of the doubt and accept the possibility that the canal portion of the right mold might have just gotten smushed over in transit. I guess it's definitely a possibility that a force where the orange arrow is (pictured) could cause it to bend inwards like that, and cause the tip to end up thicker. I wonder if Fisher just assumed my ear canals were grossly asymmetrical because it wasn't mentioned to me and they just made me IEMs as per the molds that arrived. Oh blah, still not looking forward to parting with these
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v223/khrystian/IMG_0277.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...h_IMG_0277.jpg
[3/29] - I finally had new impressions made and shipped them back to Fisher using the return label that they provided along with my original order! It was a two-day air label, so they should be receiving it on Wednesday.
I went to a different audiologist this time to avoid any possible problems from the last. She confirmed what Kaysen from Fisher Hearing told me that the impressions shouldn't have been altered in transit. This new audiologist explained that the material once set, it is really pliable and showed me how it returns to its original shape if deformed. She reasoned that the only way my impressions could've ended up as they did, if the original audiologist either packed it in too much or removed them hastily. She also seemed much more caring and dispensed lots of listening advice & preserving the hearing I've got (most of her regular business is making hearing aids). She seemed more professional, and only charged $20 for both ears (half the price of the first guy I visited). If you live within reasonable distance of the Covina area, I very much recommend her (PM me)!
[useful links:]
Fisher Hearing main thread
Fisher Hearing owner's thread
[2/22] - got a call from Kaysen to confirm my color/artwork customization, and that it'd be 10-15 business days
[3/9] - 12 business days later get a call for my credit card info, and they're now being shipped out via UPS 2-days!!!
[3/11] - They've arrived!!! It was more matte than I expected, but not nearly as much as these pictures make them out to be. They look a lot better & clearer in real life actually. UPS didn't deliver them til 7pm and I don't have the best lighting in my house... maybe I'll try taking some clearer pics during the day (also, perhaps with a clean camera lens lol). Overall fit is good? okay? They fit into place, I'm not sure what to expect yet... they definitely different from universals. My primary impetus for having them custom molded is for comfort over extended use (the stock TF10's were painfully horrible in my ears too long), and what better opportunity to assess that than during my study marathon this weekend for a final on Monday
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v223/khrystian/IMG_0168Large.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2..._0168Large.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v223/khrystian/IMG_0170Large.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2..._0170Large.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v223/khrystian/IMG_0175Large.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2..._0175Large.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v223/khrystian/IMG_0176Large.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2..._0176Large.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v223/khrystian/IMG_0178_2Large.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...178_2Large.jpg
[3/12] - quick mini-update about the fit: they fit pretty perfectly actually, and I've been able to wear them hours on end without any discomfort. The reason I guess I wasn't 100% sure about the fit last night--> I had on such a big smile it was changing the shape of my ear canals ^___^. When I got back into my regular study face today they fit much better actually
[3/18] - I'm getting really used to putting them on/off now quickly, and they've just been awesome! I was really planning on doing a proper impressions/review on them, but I don't think I can honestly comment on anything but the fit and SQ. For the fit and isolation I get from these tho, the price is already well worth it. Unless I am directly facing someone or they're tapping me, I'm not even aware anyone is around me or talking to me. I'm a full time med student and I can wear these hours on end while studying w/o any soreness at all; waayyyy better than the 1-2hrs stock.
These are my first and (so far) only "high end" IEMs, and it's honestly been so long since I've heard original TF10s I can't compare the two in a very meaningful way. In addition to the 12 business day (21 actual days) turnaround from Fisher, I was away from my TF10s another 11 days prior to that awaiting a brand new replacement from UE (since I was having cable issues)... total of about 4.5wks since I've heard my stock TF10s >.< They still sound quite high end to me, still worlds above my old sennheiser mm50s, and no disappointments whatsoever. Whenever I get a chance to listen to more high end IEMs though (or another stock TF10) I'll be sure to post a direct comparison
Other options I explored before hearing about UM/Fisher, were to just get custom tips, and those still looked bulky and were $150+, so Fisher's custom reshelling service is definitely worth it ^^
[3/21]
3:34am - So in a recent thread about low-profile IEMs, I challenged whether customs would be considered "low-profile" based on my experiences with mine, and the person after me got me questioning myself if my customs stuck out more than they should--and in fact the right one does protrude out more than the left (I guess it didn't jump out at me before because my hair is getting pretty long and I'm overdue for a haircut). It was in the back of my mind that they didn't feel 100% equal but part of me dismissed it because maybe I just wasn't used to my customs yet, and also because with a final exam to study for, they were already good enough & much better than before to complain about fit/comfort. I had always been really happy with my remolded TF10s since I could wear them hours and hours way more than stock, but since I could finally spend some quality time this past day assessing them more critically, I can really appreciate how the left/red one fits better than my right/purple one.
My customs match the impressions pretty well (albeit it's been over a month since I had them made so they've naturally shriveled a little bit), so I don't think Fisher did anything wrong--
I'm sad to have to part with my customs, but considering how long I plan on keeping these, I guess it's for the better I do this now while its still within Fisher's free-refit time period. I appreciate how they've provided a free 2nd-day return label. I hope I'm not being too hasty blaming the audiologist if my ears really are that asymmetrical (altho that still wouldn't explain their how differently they fit).
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v223/khrystian/IMG_0189.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...h_IMG_0189.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v223/khrystian/IMG_0190.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...h_IMG_0190.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v223/khrystian/IMG_0233.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...h_IMG_0233.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v223/khrystian/IMG_0250.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...h_IMG_0250.jpg
okay question guys: should I just get my right ear re-impressioned and send just that earpiece back to Fisher, or go ahead get both re-impressioned and re-shelled?
10:28am -
I slept on the matter and I think I may get them both redone (if I go through with this) since I'm concerned that they'll feel asymmetrical in some other way if my jaw is opened a different amount or whatever. Anyways, I'll give it at least another week of thought since I'm having my wisdom teeth extracted this Monday and expecting major swelling--not sure if/how that may affect the shape of my ear canals, but I won't risk it o.o
1:18pm - I was having lunch with a friend and showed her my earpieces. She said instead of looking to blame the audiologist & sending a flaming email, to give them the benefit of the doubt and accept the possibility that the canal portion of the right mold might have just gotten smushed over in transit. I guess it's definitely a possibility that a force where the orange arrow is (pictured) could cause it to bend inwards like that, and cause the tip to end up thicker. I wonder if Fisher just assumed my ear canals were grossly asymmetrical because it wasn't mentioned to me and they just made me IEMs as per the molds that arrived. Oh blah, still not looking forward to parting with these
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v223/khrystian/IMG_0277.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...h_IMG_0277.jpg
[3/29] - I finally had new impressions made and shipped them back to Fisher using the return label that they provided along with my original order! It was a two-day air label, so they should be receiving it on Wednesday.
I went to a different audiologist this time to avoid any possible problems from the last. She confirmed what Kaysen from Fisher Hearing told me that the impressions shouldn't have been altered in transit. This new audiologist explained that the material once set, it is really pliable and showed me how it returns to its original shape if deformed. She reasoned that the only way my impressions could've ended up as they did, if the original audiologist either packed it in too much or removed them hastily. She also seemed much more caring and dispensed lots of listening advice & preserving the hearing I've got (most of her regular business is making hearing aids). She seemed more professional, and only charged $20 for both ears (half the price of the first guy I visited). If you live within reasonable distance of the Covina area, I very much recommend her (PM me)!
[useful links:]
Fisher Hearing main thread
Fisher Hearing owner's thread
