Phonak Audeo (PFE) Thread
Dec 10, 2009 at 4:07 AM Post #1,936 of 3,305
I also have both PFEs and UM3Xs
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. Both are GREAT IEMs. I do really need UM3X's mid+bass and PFE's treble+clarity. At the end I got Unique Melody Mage custom IEMs which have sound signature that almost similar when UM3X + PFE combined.

Here are some equations.
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Sound Signature (Mage) = UM3X (bass, 0.9 * mid) + PFE (treble, clarity) ; Note: amped with D10
Drivers count (Mage) = 4 = 3 (UM3X) + 1 (PFE)
Price (Mage) = MSRP UM3X + MSRP PFE


Thank you.
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Dec 10, 2009 at 5:01 AM Post #1,937 of 3,305
I just wonder what the heck Phonak has up its sleeve...multi-drivers? I mean, think of a two-driver set up with the current one for mids and highs and a bass-oriented one? As long as they got the crossover right...
 
Dec 10, 2009 at 6:57 AM Post #1,938 of 3,305
Quote:

Originally Posted by schneller /img/forum/go_quote.gif
I just wonder what the heck Phonak has up its sleeve...multi-drivers? I mean, think of a two-driver set up with the current one for mids and highs and a bass-oriented one? As long as they got the crossover right...


What are you referring to? I haven't seen any news about new IEMs from Phonak in this thread.
 
Dec 10, 2009 at 12:23 PM Post #1,939 of 3,305
Quote:

Originally Posted by Rpg2 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
What are you referring to? I haven't seen any news about new IEMs from Phonak in this thread.


Not referring to anything specific. Just being curious.
 
Dec 10, 2009 at 1:29 PM Post #1,940 of 3,305
Quote:

Originally Posted by schneller /img/forum/go_quote.gif
I just wonder what the heck Phonak has up its sleeve...multi-drivers? I mean, think of a two-driver set up with the current one for mids and highs and a bass-oriented one? As long as they got the crossover right...


If you take a look at the frequency response i think they could rather improve the mids and the treble actually. Not that they sound bad of course, but the mids/treble curve is not flat at all and has this huge peak at 2.5 Khz which brings a lot of brightness and hides the bass and the low mids. That's why they use filters. The bass on the other hand is very neutral and extends deep. It just needs more volume.
 
Dec 10, 2009 at 2:53 PM Post #1,941 of 3,305
Quote:

Originally Posted by mobbaddict /img/forum/go_quote.gif
If you take a look at the frequency response i think they could rather improve the mids and the treble actually. Not that they sound bad of course, but the mids/treble curve is not flat at all and has this huge peak at 2.5 Khz which brings a lot of brightness and hides the bass and the low mids. That's why they use filters. The bass on the other hand is very neutral and extends deep. It just needs more volume.


The Phonaks are designed to sound "flat." Since earphones (and headphones) do not interact with your head a earphone or headphone that measures flat will sound terrible. That peak at 2.5 khz is actually compensating for your own hearing which actually dips at 2.5 khz.

More information here. HeadWize - Article: A Quick Guide To Headphones (A HeadWize Headphone Guide) and http://gilmore2.chem.northwestern.ed...udging_art.htm
 
Dec 10, 2009 at 4:41 PM Post #1,942 of 3,305
Yeah i see what you mean (Etymotic also gives this explanation about the ER4 on its website) but i can't really agree, this upper mids peak doesn't sound flat or natural to my ears (with the grey filters). I guess it can be a good solution if you want to listen to acoustic music from an audience point of view (at least that's how i understand what Etymotic calls "perceived response"). But there are as well many so-called neutral headphones that don't have this kind of peak.

(thanks for the link BTW, very instructive)
 
Dec 10, 2009 at 5:22 PM Post #1,943 of 3,305
I've been asking for a replacement of my PFE112's and Bill has forwarded my question to phonak Switserland and they forwarded to Phonak Netherlands so it's getting close
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.
Thanks Phonak and Bill in particular!
 
Dec 11, 2009 at 1:10 PM Post #1,945 of 3,305
I will get my PFE v1 on next-next Monday
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. So, by then, I have good time to familiarize my custom IEMs, the UM Mages
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Dec 11, 2009 at 10:20 PM Post #1,946 of 3,305
Quote:

Originally Posted by schneller /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Not referring to anything specific. Just being curious.


Oh, from the way you were staying it, it sounded as if it was announced or something.

I wonder if they will decide to create new filters for the PFE. It'd be interesting to see them come out with new filters like the SA6 with its ports and tubes.
 
Dec 12, 2009 at 1:57 AM Post #1,947 of 3,305
My PFE finally landed here. Package says Audéo PFE 112 V1 - 2009-10-09
Earpiece feels solid and no cracks to find. First impression of sound: very nice airy soundstage with good balance in both low and high freqs. A mile ahead of the SA6 I exchanged them, in that is just great. Maybe I would say it's still below my TF10 but time will tell before I make any decisions. also I will start doing some burn-in later today.
For now I am real happy with my replacement.
 
Dec 12, 2009 at 3:20 AM Post #1,948 of 3,305
I don't know if this has been mentioned before, but I noticed that with my new V1 the smaller eartips is slightly larger than the small tips from V0. I get a better fit and seal with these, I was before using the medium tips with V0. Did anybody else find the same change in size of tips with the new version or is mine just an artifact?
 
Dec 13, 2009 at 10:08 PM Post #1,949 of 3,305
Finally got my Phonaks. No Umpf! No Wow! Just crystal clear sound. And lot's of stuff in the music I never had heard before
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. So far I prefer the gray filters, so I seem to belong to a minority.

There's one question I have for experienced Phonak owners: How often should I change the sound filters? I found one source where they recommend changing the filters every 4-6 weeks! That would make the Phonaks pretty expensive in the long run. So - how often did you really see a need for new filters?

FRAC
 

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