Blackvoodoo
New Head-Fier
- Joined
- Jun 21, 2004
- Posts
- 3
- Likes
- 1
I'm looking for replacement recommendations for my Sensaphonic 2X-S IEMs.
I originally bought the 2X-S's in 2004. The drivers failed in 2007 due to moisture and were repaired/replaced for $300. Since 2007 I've kept them stored in a hearing-aid dehumidifier and used them very rarely on long-haul airline trips. On a recent flight I noticed the same right-shifted soundstage I'd noticed from them for as long as I can remember. After swapping ears around I realized the high frequency driver in the left ear was dead. Thinking back on it, that driver has likely been dead for a couple of years. Since I don't use them that much I hadn't really figured it out until last week.
I emailed the folks at Sensaphonics to determine the current pricing to have them once-again rebuilt. This time they came back with "they are beyond repair" and offered to "repair" them for $375 per ear. How they can be beyond repair yet still repairable for the full price of a new set speaks great volumes about Sensaphonics' customer service. If I had used these every day on a rock tour for hours on end I'd expect limited longevity. However, they have been used maybe a few dozen times since 2007. I can't even believe Sensaphonics IEMs stand up to professional road use given how incredibly fragile they are. In any case, rather than throw good money after bad again, I'm looking to replace them with another brand that will be more reliable and have customer service that doesn't completely suck.
I'm looking for audiophile quality sound and excellent noise isolation. Driver count is irrelevant as long as they are neutral and natural sounding. I primarily use them for international and long-haul domestic airline flights to protect my hearing while enjoying music/movies. It seems IEM pricing has come way down since 2004. It also seems that there are a lot more fly-by-night vendors out there.
I'm actually leaning towards acrylic IEMs since I attribute the fragility of the Sensaphonics largely to the soft-silicolne molds which flex and cause stress on the drivers and connections. So do Livewires, Alclair and the other lower-cost IEMs compare soundwise? I'm not looking to spend another $1000 on IEMs, been there, done that.
I originally bought the 2X-S's in 2004. The drivers failed in 2007 due to moisture and were repaired/replaced for $300. Since 2007 I've kept them stored in a hearing-aid dehumidifier and used them very rarely on long-haul airline trips. On a recent flight I noticed the same right-shifted soundstage I'd noticed from them for as long as I can remember. After swapping ears around I realized the high frequency driver in the left ear was dead. Thinking back on it, that driver has likely been dead for a couple of years. Since I don't use them that much I hadn't really figured it out until last week.
I emailed the folks at Sensaphonics to determine the current pricing to have them once-again rebuilt. This time they came back with "they are beyond repair" and offered to "repair" them for $375 per ear. How they can be beyond repair yet still repairable for the full price of a new set speaks great volumes about Sensaphonics' customer service. If I had used these every day on a rock tour for hours on end I'd expect limited longevity. However, they have been used maybe a few dozen times since 2007. I can't even believe Sensaphonics IEMs stand up to professional road use given how incredibly fragile they are. In any case, rather than throw good money after bad again, I'm looking to replace them with another brand that will be more reliable and have customer service that doesn't completely suck.
I'm looking for audiophile quality sound and excellent noise isolation. Driver count is irrelevant as long as they are neutral and natural sounding. I primarily use them for international and long-haul domestic airline flights to protect my hearing while enjoying music/movies. It seems IEM pricing has come way down since 2004. It also seems that there are a lot more fly-by-night vendors out there.
I'm actually leaning towards acrylic IEMs since I attribute the fragility of the Sensaphonics largely to the soft-silicolne molds which flex and cause stress on the drivers and connections. So do Livewires, Alclair and the other lower-cost IEMs compare soundwise? I'm not looking to spend another $1000 on IEMs, been there, done that.
