[gixxerwimp]

I emailed Marco about @hop ham's cracked PP8s. Here's his reply.

We only had a problem with the very first ProPhile 8 we ever produced. (around 20pcs.)

There was a problem with the glue we used.

As soon as our Reseller (Musica Acoustics) informed us about the problem we fixed it.

Since this time we´ve got no cracked shells back from customers.

If a customer has such a problem with one of the very first ProPhile 8, we will repair them immediately.

 

[hop ham]

I've been in contact with Dimitri from Musica Acoustics to help me with repair since I purchased my PP8 from him a few short months ago. I purchased from him because of his social media and youtube postings on the PP8, and because I've been a long time customer and a very happy one. He's always been a straight shooter with me, offered me good advice, and goes the extra mile in making sure I'm a happy customer. I was shocked and confused to learn that InEars revoked his rights as a reseller/distributor. From what I've seen he (as a reseller) was their biggest advocate and I would not have bought these if it was not for him.

The whole situation with dropping Musica Acoustics seems shady, and my PP8 cracked so easily. I don't think I'll be buying any more InEar products. I'm currently seeing what my options are.

 

[siruspan]

Considering that he was an official reseller when you bought the headphones shouldn't the warranty still be valid? Maybe try to contact Inear directly. I must say that I'm very interested as to how this situation will be handled. You can send a 10 year old broken er4's to etymotic and they will repair them for a fee or they will just send you a new pair. I would expect that considering the prophiles are 4 times the price you should at least have an option to get them repaired without too much hassle.

 

[zerogorgor]

[...] and my PP8 cracked so easily. [...] I'm currently seeing what my options are.

[...]Maybe try to contact Inear directly. I must say that I'm very interested as to how this situation will be handled.[...] I would expect that considering the prophiles are 4 times the price you should at least have an option to get them repaired without too much hassle.

Same, same. I have been very interested in getting the PP8S, but have decided to wait and see how In Ear will handle this till I make a decision. This somehow is worrying as there have been a few reports of PP8 cracking, and my two of my friends have their SD2/SD3 cracked a few months into use. My friends perhaps were careless, but I have also dropped my some of my IEMs by accident but none cracked.

 

[goodvibes]

Considering that he was an official reseller when you bought the headphones shouldn't the warranty still be valid? Maybe try to contact Inear directly. I must say that I'm very interested as to how this situation will be handled. You can send a 10 year old broken er4's to etymotic and they will repair them for a fee or they will just send you a new pair. I would expect that considering the prophiles are 4 times the price you should at least have an option to get them repaired without too much hassle.

They should and I see no reason why Musica couldn't still help him. You don't need to be an official dealer to send in warranty service and still accommodate your clients if you were a dealer at time of purchase. The issue here is if you send them directly, it may be considered an out of region sale. Many companies rely on their dealer network to arrange service instead of direct and warranties are for region of purchase. Inear does not sell direct. Musica may have lost their franchise due to Inear frowning on them selling into other markets that may be at a disadvantage due to duties or taxes. It's also rather frustrating when a dealer or importer sees a problem like this come from a purchase not made through them often from consumers that tested at their facilities. We still don't know that Inear won't accommodate you here, only that Musica doesn't want to and there's really no reason they cannot.

These will definitely have a warranty and Musica should still be able to be in that loop. Regardless of the bad blood between them and Inear, if both are honorable as I expect they are, the customer shouldn't be caught in the middle. Normally you would send them back to where you bought them and let it get handled. Never expect a maker to accept service from a foreign market without prior arrangements being made from the seller. A receipt is easy to manufacture and they have actual dealers for a reason. Having to send them back to Musica is not asking too much here when one was willing to buy it this way in the 1st place.

 

[bartzky]

@goodvibes made some good points.

In Germany InEar is known for their good service, so I'd suggest to contact them directly. I'm sure they will take care of you. Of course a retailer should still take care of a problem regardless if there was bad blood between them and a manufacturer or not. But in this case I'd talk to InEar first.

Apparently only the very first batch of only a few PP8 were affected by the shell problem. As far as I know those models were meant to be returned to InEar before even selling them. It seems like some retailers have sold those models anyway.

 

[ustinj]

I'm looking for a cable that would fit the Prophile-8.

Any clues on which option I'd select on Null Audio's website?

https://www.null-audio.com/products/lune-series-mkiii-premium-upgrade-cable-for-earphones

 

[hop ham]

Let me clarify - Musica Acoustics (MA) can help me and assured me from the start that he would make sure my unit was taken care of. He never tried to pass the buck or leave me hanging. After understanding the situation between MA and InEars, I decided not to deal with InEars directly. InEars is now stating (told to me by MA) that I have no other option than to deal with them directly but why should I have to do that? I'd rather deal with the retailer whom I trust. Also, InEar told MA that I had already contacted them directly for service which is not true - I think I would know if I did.

I'm expecting more people will urge me to just deal with InEar directly and ask me why I even care. It doesn't matter anymore, looks like I have to.

Bartzky - I don't know if apparently only the very first batch of PP8 were affected by the shell problem or if they were meant to be returned to InEar before selling them. Since you/we are speculating here, isn't it fair to assume that retailers could have sold off their first stock immediately (assuming low unit counts in first batch and many pre-orders)? Or maybe you know that retailers were told about this defect well before they got it into their hands?

 

[goodvibes]

It will take less time to send them direct and if Inear will take them, there is absolutely nothing to make a fuss about. Shipping them to Musica to ship to inear to ship to musica and back to you seems like extra weeks of wait. Sort of a normal thing for overseas purchase but you should thrilled you can send them direct instead. Why worry about their spat and politics. You're covered! Whatever Musica says Inear told them is hearsay. Not saying it isn't true but not the sort of thing that can be verified and shouldn't be held against Inear either. I've read a few things Musica has said about this situation and they still have a mad at inear page on site. I never heard anything degrading from Inear.

 

[bartzky]

Let me clarify - Musica Acoustics (MA) can help me and assured me from the start that he would make sure my unit was taken care of. He never tried to pass the buck or leave me hanging.

Nice to hear that MA has got you covered

 

[siruspan]

PP8 came back in stock on thomann and i've pulled a trigger and ordered a pair Well we're gonna see if they will be replacing my favourites from etymotic as I still own both er4pt and er4xr.

 

[headwhacker]

I pulled the trigger on P8 soon as I saw cheaper getting on Thomann than buying from a local retailer. I prefer this over Andromeda and this sounds lovely on LPG and AK240SS.

 

[headwhacker]

Wow, Thomann is quick, my order already shipped a few hours after placing my order and already on it's way. UPS usually doesn't talk too long.

 

[phiemon]

Someone has compared this in-ear with the xelento? Any opinions would help, thanks!

 

[siruspan]

I've been using Prophile8 for a week now with my sony wm1a. I must say that there isn't as much difference between them and my er4xr in terms on pure sound quality that I was hoping for. Sure the resolution is slightly better, the sound is more refined, there is better frequency extension on both ends but that's about it. Er4 are brighter and I would say more analytical but still very smooth and enjoyable. The big difference is that er4 are way more in your face, with mediocre soundstage both in terms of width and almost no depth. When I'm applying PP8 just after er4xr they sound almost like headphones that are open back. Sound is bigger, wider, more spacious, very 3 dimensional, less intimate and less involving but more layered and rich. I must say I'm very impressed how it's sounds overall altough I kinda miss the 4,5khz bump from etymotics but there's plenty more to the sound to enjoy. You can add treble and bass with the switches that's great for more heavy music like metal and bass based electronics so you can enjoy these genres too. I would prefer however to have the switch that brings bass down instead of adding more of it. Also I would like that treble can be added not only from 8khz but also from 4khz.

As for comfort I can agree that they are suprisingly comfortable for their size but they are not the best fitting iems that I've owned. Phonak Audeos takes the cake in that regard. I'm using PP8 for a couple of hours a day and there's never a point that I can forget that I have them in my ears and after 4-5 hours my ears are a little sore. Nothing major but there are statements in reviews that these are the most comfortable iems on the market. and in my opinion that is exaggeration to say the least.

Overall I'm impressed both by PP8 sound quality and by how strongly ER4XR's hold up. They have only 1 driver and are over 3 times cheaper. I'm still on the fence If I should keep PP8 or if I should return them. Yes they are great and if someone wants neutral signature and best sound quality they are probably the best way to go hovewer price to quality ratio is just so so. ER4XR can be more involving and their price is just suberb.