[tinyman392]

Quote:

Anyone know if the PFE 232's require amping? How do they fare without?

 
I don't run my PFE232 without, they still sound stellar.  I haven't done too much with an amp though.

 

[undertable]

May I know your source?

 

[tinyman392]

Quote:

May I know your source?

 
I've used 2-3 total sources with it, all iPod Touches of different generations.  The 4G and 5G for sure, I don't remember if I tested it with my 2G before I gave it away.  It works well and can be driven fine out of each of those devices.  It is a larger MP3 player though. 

 

[5370H55V]

I normally run my 232's through a sony E465 and clip+ unamped. They do sound better with an amp, but they're good enough unamped that I don't bother with one while going out.

 

[undertable]

I think I'm about to pick up a PFE232 in the next week or so. Anyone who has listened to the PFE 112 and PFE 232, what do you think of the increase in performance coming from the lower ranged PFE 112? I somehow find myself unable to justify the increase in price over performance.

 

[planx]

Quote:

Anyone know if the PFE 232's require amping? How do they fare without?

 
They don't require amping, but with a lot of other IEMs, they do benefit. I either run my PFE232 with my iPhone 4 or Headstage Arrow 4G (with iPhone LOD or via DAC on Computer)
Quote:

I think I'm about to pick up a PFE232 in the next week or so. Anyone who has listened to the PFE 112 and PFE 232, what do you think of the increase in performance coming from the lower ranged PFE 112? I somehow find myself unable to justify the increase in price over performance.

 
Personally speaking, the PFE112 has a better midrange because there aren't any crossovers like the PFE232. Other than that, the PFE232 has deeper, tighter, and more impactfull bass, more sparkle and shimmer in the treble, and the better positioned soundstage with superb depth and layering for an IEM. That's solely the reason why the PFE232 is my favorite IEM.

 

[undertable]

They don't require amping, but with a lot of other IEMs, they do benefit. I either run my PFE232 with my iPhone 4 or Headstage Arrow 4G (with iPhone LOD or via DAC on Computer)

Personally speaking, the PFE112 has a better midrange because there aren't any crossovers like the PFE232. Other than that, the PFE232 has deeper, tighter, and more impactfull bass, more sparkle and shimmer in the treble, and the better positioned soundstage with superb depth and layering for an IEM. That's solely the reason why the PFE232 is my favorite IEM.

I see. May I know which filters you use w the PFE232? So far I've only heard the grey one, which sounded pretty good to me. But I'm curious as to how the black one sounds.

 

[planx]

Quote:

I see. May I know which filters you use w the PFE232? So far I've only heard the grey one, which sounded pretty good to me. But I'm curious as to how the black one sounds.

 
Usually, I stick with the Grey filters because it has the most balance for me. The black one is either recessed mids or boosted bass and treble; however you like to see it as

 

[NineToTheSky]

I don't know if this has been posted before - and I'm not reading 170 pages to find out, so apologies if it has - but Phonak are stopping making earphones, according to their site:
 
Closing of www.audeoworld.com webshop
Dear friends of Audéo PFE
Four years ago Phonak, as a manufacturer of hearing solutions, ventured into developing, producing and distributing the In-Ear Audéo Perfect Fit Earphones. With success, as the numerous awards and the positive press coverage about the excellent sound quality and wearing comfort prove.
However, the decision has recently been taken to terminate production and international distribution of Audéo PFE and to solely concentrate on the Phonak core business with our innovative hearing solutions.
Therefore, we sadly have to inform you that our webshop will be closed on 31 March 2013.
For warranty and other information please continue to contact the Audéo PFE team at: operations.audeoworld@phonak.com.
Many thanks for your understanding.
The Audéo PFE team

 

[inline79]

I also saw this last night as I have a trip to Switzerland next week and wanted to find a dealer.  Sad news as they were just starting to get traction... i guess it was too little too late.  Now, will prices go up or down as stock dwindles?
 

 

[NineToTheSky]

I have bought them today at £50/$78 from Amazon Marketplace. But everyone else is still selling them at the regular £119/185.
 

 

[Stoney]

I use smooth sources and amps with the PFE232 because the latter has a bit of graininess.  My source is an iPad 3rd gen, line out, which seems optimized to sound 3D and graceful, not flat and ultimate detail.  Then I route to an Arrow 4G amp.  Great combo with HD650 and good with the PFE232.  The Phonaks have a bit of v-shaped response, even with gray filters, so a source and amp that are a bit full in the midrange proper do help a lot.  A lean and detailed amp, even a good one (for the money) like the E17, is a worse combination.  
 
I would be interested in any aftermarket cables for the 232, and whether this grain is diminished.  I tried both my broken-in cable and a fresh one (both came with the units) -- no obvious difference.  

 

[HumanSaurusRex]

Lost the size L ears tips of my PFE012 and wanted to asked if you guys know any replacement tips. Someone told me shure tips offer more bass and better isolation
currently using black filters but want to change to gray ones.
 
any ideas? maybe some DIY foam tips?

 

[sirmasterboy]

Got some good news for PFE owners.
 
So I just ran into the problem of my grey filters becoming "worn out" or whatever seems to happen to them after awhile.  Basically where they seem to become muffled and huge channel imbalance.
 
This was my second and final pair of grey filters and thus I didn't have any more. So I went to the Audeo site to see about buying more filters. They were still in stock so I lucked out for now.
 
 
But then in the meantime I was just trying to figure out what happened to my filters and how they could possibly "wear out" or whatever.  It does say on the website that the filters do need replacing from time to time so I thought it to be normal. However since these filters were bad and needed to be tossed I figured I'd try to fix them while I wait for my new replacements.
 
I decided to try to wash them since the only way they could sound muffled and channel imbalance would have to mean there was something, some film or something was on them blocking the sound.
 
So I took them and let them soak in a bath of warm filtered water for 10 minutes.  After that I took them out and dried them on a super thin lint-free towel. I also used a fork (small tip yet quite blunt) and I poked it into the towel and then into the filter to dry it out manually before it air-dried possibly leaving some water-film or something.  Make sure the last side that you poke in is the front as the filter surface seems to be able to flex a bit and it can kind of pop up and down a bit.  Make sure it's popped down as that's how they come.
 
I then put them back into my PFE 112s and gave a listen.  To my surprise they sounded just like new again!  I'm pretty confident in saying they sound perfect once again. Here is how I determined it.  I have one filter that I believe to be just as good as new, never washed or anything like that.  I call that my control filter.  Before I washed the 2 worn out filters I would say that one was about 50% muffled and the other about 20% muffled.  After the washing, I cannot tell one filter from another.  The washing has seemed to bring both worn filters back to the same performance of the control filter.  I can also use both washed filters at once and both ears sound perfectly balanced and as clear as I ever remember these IEMs sounding.
 
Anyways just thought I would share my experience here in reinvigorating seemingly trashed filters.  I hope this helps you guys as your filters age and replacements become unavailable so you can continue using your PFEs for years to come.
 
Still love these IEMs!

 

[Stoney]

Quote:

Anyways just thought I would share my experience here in reinvigorating seemingly trashed filters.  I hope this helps you guys as your filters age and replacements become unavailable so you can continue using your PFEs for years to come.
 
Still love these IEMs!

 
That's great to know, thanks.  I had felt my phones were getting grainier and more v-shaped over time.  But I hadn't swapped for new filters or washed the existing ones to check.  In any case, this extends the life of these great EOL products.