[i_don't_know]

Quote:

Originally Posted by qusp /img/forum/go_quote.gif yes but at this rate how long can they keep being profitable?? and therefore how long can that CS continue to mean something? with a 100% failure rate with a model that is continuing to ship I would be avoiding it altogether.

Then looks like you don't have to avoid it. It's probably not even 40% in reality. The situation is just getting blown up on Head-Fi as far as I'm concerned, which makes sense in this case because to most people on here $125 for an IEM is dirt cheap, and even though people here claim they've taken excellent care of them, it's probably not up to par with how a less audio-hypnotized person would take care of them. I truly have taken incredibly good care of mine, and so far, there are no issues.

 

[tstarn06]

While certainly the cracking issue is not good, where is there a 100 percent return rate? No one knows the actual rate, but the white pair I got in December are still fine. Also, making IEMs is a small part of Phonaks business (judging by the price of their hearing aids), and I am sure they are charging back the losses to the manufacturer who messed up the batch in question (unless the manufacturer is blaming the original specs, etc.). So I don't think it's good, but certainly not going to drive them out of business or anything. I expect the next iteration will not have the same issues, I hope. And a better cable as well.

If they can't get it straightened out, then who knows? But I doubt this is gonna put them in the out of business mode as long as it gets put to rest soon.

Quote:

Originally Posted by qusp /img/forum/go_quote.gif yes but at this rate how long can they keep being profitable?? and therefore how long can that CS continue to mean something? with a 100% failure rate with a model that is continuing to ship I would be avoiding it altogether.

 

[cn11]

Quote:

Originally Posted by i_don't_know /img/forum/go_quote.gif Then looks like you don't have to avoid it. It's probably not even 40% in reality. The situation is just getting blown up on Head-Fi as far as I'm concerned, which makes sense in this case because to most people on here $125 for an IEM is dirt cheap, and even though people here claim they've taken excellent care of them, it's probably not up to par with how a less audio-hypnotized person would take care of them. I truly have taken incredibly good care of mine, and so far, there are no issues.

I wouldn't say the situation is getting blown up at all. It's just getting reported matter of factly so that the issue can be addressed, and so that hopefully prospective owners are more informed. If anything, this thread is more of a slice of reality than if the issues went unreported at all, and a smaller percentage knew about the problems.

If this thread, and Head-Fi in general, help motivate Phonak to resolve the problem going forward and new owners wind up with better product because of it, then this thread and the site have been a huge help, not a blown up distortion.

 

[jleewach]

just got the replacements & they look flawless. Phonak's made this customer extremely happy, and honestly, that's all that matters to me. I think alot of people, including myself are bringing up the minor defects because everything else about these earphones is quite revolutionary, and we only want to make sure these guys succeed, and make people rank the pfe's right up there w/ the triple.fi's, se530's, um3's, etc.. because honestly, that's right where they belong, and with the HUGE price difference, I'd say they have the potential to be the best of the bunch. I've been trying out ALOT of different iem's over the past few months from Shure, UE and the likes, and quite honestly, Phonak's price/performance ratio is making the competitors look quite ridiculous. That's my opinion anyway.

 

[kloan]

So is it safe to order these? I've recommended them to my mom since she has such sensitive hearing, I figured the filter adjustments would be great for her... but I don't want her to end up getting a defective set.

 

[jleewach]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kloan /img/forum/go_quote.gif So is it safe to order these? I've recommended them to my mom since she has such sensitive hearing, I figured the filter adjustments would be great for her... but I don't want her to end up getting a defective set.

oh yeah, you're safe. As far as I know, the defects have only been minor cosmetic (in my case anyway) and Phonak went out of their way to replace them every time. It's just a bit of growing pains for the company, that's all. If you're concerned about your mom's hearing, I'd very safely recommend these. They're honestly the best low-volume performing headphones I've heard. One can really tell that Phonak's hearing-aid experience influenced much of the sound quality.

Do I sound like a fanboy yet? I promise, I don't work for Phonak, just read my earlier posts...

 

[soozieq]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kloan /img/forum/go_quote.gif So is it safe to order these? I've recommended them to my mom since she has such sensitive hearing, I figured the filter adjustments would be great for her... but I don't want her to end up getting a defective set.

If you want to be 'safer', just make sure you don't buy them from the suspect batch, 16.10.08 (10.16.08). Ask what the date of manufacture is first. I think the current stock is dated 17.11.08 (11.17.08).

 

[Ctrl_Alt]

After less than a month of intermittent use the right earpiece of my black PFEs developed a crack (see below). The local Phonak distributor agreed to replace the defective pair without any hassle. I decided to go for white ones.

 

[cn11]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ctrl_Alt /img/forum/go_quote.gif After less than a month of intermittent use the right earpiece of my black PFEs developed a crack (see below). The local Phonak distributor agreed to replace the defective pair without any hassle. I decided to go for white ones.

Probably a good call going for the white ones. The percentages seem much much lower on defects with white. Please update once you receive them. Hope they work out better for you.

 

[necropimp]

well i've had mine a couple weeks and... well see for yourself

 

[charlie0904]

hi guys, my pfe cables are getting stiff after contacting my body oil, any solution? can the cables be change?

 

[active]

Bought recently at revEAR-shop.de, received less than 2 weeks ago, used for ~ 7 hours, treated with care. Batch: 2008-10-16, made in Vietnam.

Left earpiece: 2 cracked chips about to fall off the body, micro-crack on the leg.
Right earpiece: cracked chip on the leg, holds there well.

See attached pictures.

E-mailed the seller and Phonak.
In an hour revear-shop.de replied: "I´m very sorry that the earphones are defect. We looked at your pictures and were helpless how this could happen!?[..]Please send the Audéo back to us. We will recompense the cost of postage and the money for the Audéo[..]".
I've sent earphones back on the next morning.
6 days after e-mailing received an answer from Phonak: "We are aware that about 3% of the products of the first badge have this
problem whit the shell. Please contact seller, send your product back and they will replace the product as a warranty case".
A week after sending defected earphones back to the seller I received and a full refund [even including my shipping expenses]. Happy End.

Ignored this thread being sure that mine are not gonna be bad (naïve). Now I, personally, don't recommend risking to buy PFE's, no matter, how good people say they sound. This is a joke (noone's loughing tho).
Avoid stress, wait or get something else.

 

[Jazz9]

So are the defects really limited to the PFE 112?
Has any owner of 111, 121 or 122 had these problems?
I've been interested in the Phonak for a long time but this issue is making me doubt about an eventual purchase...

 

[soozieq]

-Ctrl Alt, necropimp and active
Thanks for the updates and photos. I'll add them to the front page when I get a moment.

-active
thanks for posting the date of manufacture. That's definitely the 'suspect' batch. If you're going to get a replacement, see if you can get a pair from the 2008-11-17 stock.

-jazz
The white ones seem to be less prone to cracking, but I'm not sure whether the black ones with the mic have problems, because not everyone has stated which version they have.

EDIT: necropimp, which earpiece is cracked, left or right?

 

[mierenneuker]

I have mailed Hören mit Fiebing and asked for a refund instead of a replacement, should they refuse, I will ask Wbrownie for a replacement