[kova4a]

 
Here is a victim of the hammer 
 

 
 

  Hi Guys... like me new togs? ... I think I'm pretty dapper...

So your job is to smash Noble prototypes? 

 

[matthewh133]

Is anyone able to tell me if these impressions are OK before I send them in? One canal definitely seems a bit longer, not sure if it matters?
 
http://i.imgur.com/ZiEBm6b.jpg
 
http://i.imgur.com/rnZJHaI.jpg

 

[OK-Guy]

I'm the nutcracker in truth... John's the one who loses the plot and smashes things up, I'm not allowed Boss's duties... yet.

 

[Mython]

  Is anyone able to tell me if these impressions are OK before I send them in? One canal definitely seems a bit longer, not sure if it matters?
 

 
 

 
I'm going to be honest with you.
 
I think you'd be better off getting a fresh set done.
 
 
 
 

---

---

 
Here's a past reply, of mine, I'm pasting in, from another thread:
 
 

Ready to be sent ....

 
 
Sorry to be the bearer of bad tidings, but those don't look deep enough past the 2nd bend to me.
 
I mean this respectfully, but honestly.
 
Those impressions are not (IMO) of sufficient quality to create a decent CIEM mould from.
 
 
Compare them with this:
 

 
Can you see how much detail is missing from the tips of your impressions in comparison to the impression in the above picture?
 
They don't need to be quite as deep as the above picture, but they do need to accurately include the shape of the 2nd bend, and yours only partially include that shape. If you want to get a decent seal and correct bass response, you need to have the 2nd bend accurately and crisply moulded on the impression. It's absolutely one of the most critical parts of the whole impression (and of the completed CIEM).
 
The impressions in your photograph are really 'borderline', and I strongly suggest you get some better ones done. It will save you lots of hassle and wasted time, in the longrun.
 
Again, please don't be personally offended; I am just trying to honestly help you and save you disappointment and hassle.
 
 
1) Were your impressions done by a professional audiologist..?
 
2) Did you specifically tell the audiologist you need the impressions to go past the 2nd bend?
 
If you did, you would (IMO) have the right to go back and get a new set done for free.
 
 
 
 
 
 

I hope you are wrong. .

I have used the same audiologist than I used 2 year ago for my blue westone here.

And for security sake I did 2 takes in a row, which look very similar, and I will send both ....

--> Please tell me exactly what seems to you wrong with those impressions ?
 

 
There is not enough definition at the place where the 2nd bend is. I have very crudely shown you with this Photoshopped version of your picture:
 

 
 
Can you see the 'kick' or tiny 'bulge' at the tip of your Westones? That part is absolutely vital to help get an effective seal, and to get the CIEM to lock into place and not lose it's seal when you move. Some of that vital moulding is missing from all of your impressions.
 
Please believe me - I am not being fussy or pedantic here. Even tiny details make a big difference at the 2nd bend, in terms of whether the CIEM will form a correct seal and sound correct. I am trying to save you a lot of hassle with sending your CIEMs back for a refit.
 
 
 
The impression in the picture I posted previously is a little longer than it needs to be, but the point is that you can see that it includes the essential detail at the 2nd bend:
 

 
 
 
 
 

OK, I will do it again before i send it ....
Thanks for warning me

 


Respectfully, I would recommend you find a different audiologist (unless your existing audiologist is willing to re-do your impressions, properly past the 2nd bend, and at no further charge. I am sure your audiologist is a sincere and professional person, but you need better impressions than those, so somehow you need to find someone who is willing and able to do better ones for you. Perhaps your existing audiologist will be able to do an improved job if you explain to them what you need). However, to be completely honest, ...before you told me they had been done by an audiologist, I actually thought you had done them yourself, using a DIY impressions kit. I say that because I am surprised that a professional audiologist would create impressions like those you have photographed. Although average_joe does do his own DIY impressions successfully (he's one of the most experienced CIEM buyers on the planet, as his extensive catalogue of reviews ably illustrates!), I generally strongly recommend that people never try to do DIY impressions. The reason is that because you can't actually see into your own ear canals, it is impossible to know for sure that the sponge/cotton dam is positioned correctly near the eardrum. Therefore, it is always a risk that silicone could creep past the dam and stick to the eardrum, and there are some horror stories of cured silicone impressions being removed from the ear canal, bringing the eardrum out with them! No gratuitous scaremongering intended with this - I'm simply pointing out that it's not something to be done yourself unless you really understand the risks and are willing to accept the awful consequences if you get it wrong.
 
 
 

-->. Can you Please post Some pictures of your ear impressions so that I can compare ?

These are 2 old photos of one of my past sets of impressions:
 


 
 
 
Perhaps another head-fier may be able to offer some further pictures or opinions.


My advice is based upon experience of having had 3 different CIEMs made (UM Miracle, SE-5, MG6Pro), during which time, I obtained 5 or 6 sets of impressions.
 
 
 
I don't wish to sound like a broken record, but there really is a lot of detailed helpful information and advice offered by head-fiers in this thread, which I've posted many times:
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/578855/things-to-consider-before-getting-your-custom-iem-impressions-done-the-perfect-fit


Also, if you watch the videos I (and average_joe & tomscy2000) posted there, you'll get a very good understanding of how everything is done by the CIEM vendor, right from the beginning of receiving your impressions in the mail. N.B.: In the video that shows the impressions being done, one can see that the audiologist actually checks the position of the dam within the ear canal, using an otoscope, before mixing the silicone impression material - that's something impossible to do if attempting to do DIY impressions at home. Not trying 'to teach you to suck eggs' - I'm posting all this info for anyone who might read this, weeks or months from now.
 
 
If you need any more info not covered therein, please just ask and I'll help in any way I can.
 

---

---

 
 
 
@ matthewh133
 
Yours are better than the bad impressions being discussed in the above thread, but I still feel yours are marginal and it would be less hassle to get your impressions redone now, rather than waste time shipping them and then having to ship another set, later, etc. etc.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

---

 

[Watagump]

   
I'm going to be honest with you.
 
I think you'd be better off getting a fresh set done.
 
Please also see:
 
http://tinyurl.com/mt99ukl
 
(yours are better than the bad impressions being discussed in the above thread, but I still feel yours are marginal and it would be less hassle to get your impressions redone now, rather than waste time shipping them and then having to ship another set, later, etc. etc.).
 
 
 

---

Not to mention, then dealing with potential refitting.

 

[Mython]

 
With refits being so common, he might end up in the same boat even with new impressions.

 
 
Yikes - no need to be that pessimistic!

 
 
I still think it'd be very much worthwhile matthewh133 making the effort to get a better set of impressions.
 
Ultimately, Dr M will have the last word, though!

 

[FullCircle]

So your job is to smash Noble prototypes? 

Those were made about 4-5 years ago, long before I started anything commercial

 

[Watagump]

   
 
Yikes - no need to be that pessimistic!

 
 
I still think it'd be very much worthwhile matthewh133 making the effort to get a better set of impressions.
 
Ultimately, Dr M will have the last word, though!

I keep it real, yo.

 

[FullCircle]

I'm going to be honest with you.

I think you'd be better off getting a fresh set done.

Please also see:

http://tinyurl.com/mt99ukl

(yours are better than the bad impressions being discussed in the above thread, but I still feel yours are marginal and it would be less hassle to get your impressions redone now, rather than waste time shipping them and then having to ship another set, later, etc. etc.).



[rule]

I'd certainly wish for better, needs more material, we need to know what the shape is outside of the ear as well, and the length is a little on the short side as well

 

[matthewh133]

I'd certainly wish for better, needs more material, we need to know what the shape is outside of the ear as well, and the length is a little on the short side as well

Damn.. I payed $55 for that and drove in a non-air conditioned car in 44 degree celcius (111 farenheit) heat for 45 minutes to get there. What a waste. I specifically asked for a senior audiologist as well, and these are the guys that Unique Melody recommend. I also wanted to send them in ASAP to beat Chinese New Year hold ups, but looks like I'll be waiting even longer. How do these people get their jobs when they can't do them correctly? She was an older women as well.. thought she'd know better by now.

 

[drm870]

Yeah, when I got my ear impressions done (from a local audiologist who up until recently was a Westone dealer), he filled my whole ear with goo and even pressed it to my outer ear to make sure it was properly making contact for the mold. I plan to go back to him if I ever get a CIEM. (I'm just getting custom tips/sleeves for now.)

 

[FullCircle]

 

Damn.. I payed $55 for that and drove in a non-air conditioned car in 44 degree celcius (111 farenheit) heat for 45 minutes to get there. What a waste. I specifically asked for a senior audiologist as well, and these are the guys that Unique Melody recommend. I also wanted to send them in ASAP to beat Chinese New Year hold ups, but looks like I'll be waiting even longer. How do these people get their jobs when they can't do them correctly? She was an older women as well.. thought she'd know better by now.

 
 
   Mathew, do you have any exsisting CIEMs that you like the fit, and if so I also need to know if it sits deep and low into the ear, maybe photos of them out and in the ear would be helpful as well.   We really don't like to accept CIEMs over ear mold impressions, but this may be a case where we can.
 
Use PMs if you can.
 
I have covered the topic of ear mold impressions , hearing aid specialist, and audiologist.   In short hearing aid technology has grown to the point that ear mold impression skills are becomming less essential. Unfortunatley a lot of folks don't understand that CIEMs require "A" grade ear mold impressions.

 

[Bluebear]

  Yeah, when I got my ear impressions done (from a local audiologist who up until recently was a Westone dealer), he filled my whole ear with goo and even pressed it to my outer ear to make sure it was properly making contact for the mold. I plan to go back to him if I ever get a CIEM. (I'm just getting custom tips/sleeves for now.)

 
I heard that our ear shapes changes over time as we grow. So how long can a CIEM last you before you will need a refit/reshell or get a new pair of CIEM made again? If it can last like 5-10 years then I think it's a good investment. But if it only lasts like 1-2 years and your ears grow out of the shape of the CIEM then I think I will prefer universal over custom.

 

[FullCircle]

   
I heard that our ear shapes changes over time as we grow. So how long can a CIEM last you before you will need a refit/reshell or get a new pair of CIEM made again? If it can last like 5-10 years then I think it's a good investment. But if it only lasts like 1-2 years and your ears grow out of the shape of the CIEM then I think I will prefer universal over custom.

 
 
I can't remember the exact years that the ear stops "growing" and by ear I mean concha, and shape of the ear canal, but I do belive it is around 18-19 Yrs old.
 
I built a set for my nephew when he was 14, and at around 16 he reported they did not fit any longer.
 
But for the normal adult, about the only time one expects a change in ear anatomy would be due to a massive weight gain or massive weight loss. A great percentage of the anatomy of the ear, outer ear and ear canal area contains fatty type tissue.
 
In my time, (almost 20 years now) I have really only had to rebuild 1 CIEM due to massive weight loss, and one hearing aid due to massive weight loss.

 

[DMinor]

Does the Nobel 4 sound anything similar to the 4.Ai or quite different?