[REVIEW]: Sensaphonics 3MAX Silicone Shelled Custom-Fit Stage Monitor And Sensaphonics Appreciation Thread
Dec 5, 2012 at 2:21 AM Post #16 of 77
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Because current Sensaphonics customs and the Shure SE Series use the same coaxial connectors to the earpieces, the Shure cable with iPhone remote control should indeed be fully functional when used with the 2X-S, 2MAX, or 3MAX. (Please note that this hasn't been tested and Sensaphonics would welcome confirmation.)

Thanks Jack, if all goes well I should be able to find out in a month or so... lol :)
 
Dec 5, 2012 at 10:58 AM Post #18 of 77
I was just lazy when I typed "3X", I meant 3Max. I have the 2X-S for several years now myself and wondered if anyone had tried both 2X-S and 3Max. I never felt there was a lack of bass overall when using the 2X-S, Have you compared the 3Max with any other triple or quad driver IEMs? How does the bass extension fair?

I'm in the processing of having a new Sensa made, since my 2X-S's right side driver seems to be failing, I'm still deciding whether or not I want the 2X-S or get a 3Max.. hehehe.


I've compared the 3MAX with my 8-driver custom iem 8.A, how's that? While the 3MAX isn't tuned for the same level of bass as the bassy 8.A, I'd say it does very nicely and the bass extension should satisfy you. I think it's just what you are looking for-go for the 3MAX!
 
Dec 6, 2012 at 1:00 AM Post #19 of 77
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I've now confirmed with Sensaphonics that the Shure smartphone cables work like a charm with our earphones.
 
BTW, have you decided between the 2X-S and 3MAX?
 

LOL.. I got so excited that I ordered the Shure smartphone cable already, even before I had my appointment for impressions. I think I'm going to stick with the 2X-S... it's just the sound I like, there's really no reason to switch at this point. I've had them for so many years now, although the 3MAX probably has more bass extension, I don't necessarily need or want it.
 
Ever since my first 2X-S, I've pretty much identified "this is my favorite sound" and just kept with it. My next 2X-S is going to be my third. Hehehehe.
 
Dec 6, 2012 at 12:44 PM Post #20 of 77
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LOL.. I got so excited that I ordered the Shure smartphone cable already, even before I had my appointment for impressions. I think I'm going to stick with the 2X-S... it's just the sound I like, there's really no reason to switch at this point. I've had them for so many years now, although the 3MAX probably has more bass extension, I don't necessarily need or want it.
 
Ever since my first 2X-S, I've pretty much identified "this is my favorite sound" and just kept with it. My next 2X-S is going to be my third. Hehehehe.

Go with what you love!
 
Dec 7, 2012 at 11:30 AM Post #23 of 77
Quote:
Kunlun,
 
Are you still going to do a formal comparision of the Heir 8.A to the 3MAX? Please do it!


I'll have the comparison to the 8.A up tomorrow!
 
Dec 7, 2012 at 6:07 PM Post #24 of 77
I had given up on sensas some years back after breaking too many pairs after barely 2 years of usage. lindrone, you must be much more delicate than when pulling them out.
 
The new 3max has me interested again, the cable entry seems sturdier than my old 2xs. There's nothing like silicone molds, maybe hybrid silicon/acrylic would help though? (in particular to keep the drivers and cable entry stiff in a region not in contact with the ear canal.
 
Dec 7, 2012 at 7:20 PM Post #25 of 77
Interesting, arnaud. Historically, roughly 80% of Sensaphonics repairs have been directly cable-related, so it was a natural area to explore in terms of product improvement. For musicians on the road, a plug-in replacement cable is obviously infinitely preferable to requiring factory repairs or having a full spare IEM on hand. Sensaphonics began to offer field-replaceable cables in 2009, then went to the current plug-in coaxial connectors just under a year ago. BTW, we also fortify our coaxials with an internal rubber o-ring to help prevent moisture from reaching the drivers -- a critical upgrade for musicians who perspire a lot.
 
BTW, for those who prefer the lower profile of our permanently attached cable, we do still offer them.
 
Dec 8, 2012 at 9:06 PM Post #26 of 77
Quote:
I had given up on sensas some years back after breaking too many pairs after barely 2 years of usage. lindrone, you must be much more delicate than when pulling them out.
 
The new 3max has me interested again, the cable entry seems sturdier than my old 2xs. There's nothing like silicone molds, maybe hybrid silicon/acrylic would help though? (in particular to keep the drivers and cable entry stiff in a region not in contact with the ear canal.


I'd give the Sensaphonics a new look as their cable seems pretty sturdy now. Of course, treat any custom iem with a basic amount of care, but these are more sturdy than other ciems in terms of the cable now.
 
Dec 8, 2012 at 9:07 PM Post #27 of 77
Dec 9, 2012 at 12:26 PM Post #28 of 77
Wanted to weigh in on potential longevity. I have a pair of 2X-S from ~May '05 and they still fit perfectly and sound exceptional; have to agree with Lindrone  that the Sensas just sound so right. These CIEMS spent years in my business travel kit and were never treated that kindly (removed in haste with flight attendants hanging over me); have been on several camping trips as well. Only real care and maintenance was consistent ear wax removal.

Mine were the original version with the permanent cable (knotted inside the housing). The cable even suffered a candle-related accident (pulled off quickly and tossed on table during some family emergency); burned through all three wires. I soldered and shrinkwrapped back together. The cable is pretty much all green now (looks sorta cool).

Over the years, I'd moved more to full-size cans (PS1s, HE60, etc), then the surprisingly good Yuin earbuds (have owned most of them), and then to the JH13-Pro, so the Sensas have been more on the sidelines but only because of new stuff to try. Reading this thread prompted me to pull them out; have been enjoying them all morning out of a 4th gen Nano and Pico Slim. Tiny yet detailed little rig. Doing the ol' one-more-song routine; cannot seem to stop listening.

Lindrone, you old-timer, look forward to reading about your ultimate decision and impressions.
 
Dec 10, 2012 at 1:29 AM Post #29 of 77
For historical record purposes...
 
My first pair of 2X-S was in 2004, I sent that way back in a few months due to the cord oxidizing, and wanted to investigate to see if that's just something that happens with every 2X-S, or just the one I had. Turns out the clear wire just turns into a shade of green over time regardless, so that wasn't an issue. It wasn't broken or anything, it was just to see if this is something that happened normally with the clear cables.
 
My second pair lasted from 2004 to 2009, roughly full 5 years of usage out of it. This pair of 2X-S had the integrated wire w/ the "knot" inside the silicone casing, and I think what eventually happened is I tugged on the wire a bit too much, for some reason more on the right side. I can see a visible "space" I've created over the years of tugging, and there was a wire that was clearly broken leading from the knot into the circuit boards. So that pair finally broke after 5 years.
 
My third pair, with the field replaceable cables (with proprietary plug + nylon screw) was from the end of 2009 to now, 2012, so that was 3 years. The right-side driver died, to what I suspect is mostly moisture damage of some sort. This is probably also due to the fact that I don't have ear "wax" as much as ear "oil" and some bits seep in over time. This pair's construction had the deepest (also the straightest) tube out of all of the 2X-S I owned. So I'm guessing some oil actually made it through, of course I didn't realize that Sensaphonics had made new accessories to help deal with moisture issues, either with the dry & store system, or just the moisture wicks. I'll be sure to grab some of the accessories this time around.
 
So, really not counting the first pair, which was sent back in for investigative reasons only, I've had 2 pairs of Sensaphonics that lasted a total of 8 years. I think the silicone casing is more delicate than hard acrylic, because the casing is squeezable, and if you're rough with it when you put it into your ear and pull them out, there is a possibility that you could damaging them. On the other hand, soft silicone is very good at surviving against accidental drops, because they're soft and they'll absorb shock, they will almost never, ever break from a normal drop.
 
In terms of comfort, for me there's still nothing like soft silicone. With the hard acrylic IEMs, I always get some amount of seal breaking/separation if I moved my mouth while using them. No opening the mouth wide, no eating, and even laughing out loud will cause a temporary seal break. I think for some people, they probably don't think it's a big deal because they get used to it, and even hard acrylic molds are much more comfortable than universal IEMs. I have no idea how singers can deal with hard acrylic IEMs though, it's got to be annoying whenever they have to sing out loud. The opposite of that, for people who don't tend to sing with their music, hard acrylic IEM's fit is less "tight" in most cases, easier to put in and pull out, and maybe some people just don't like very snug feeling of the 2X-S.
 
As for mating hard acrylic w/ silicone to create some sort of a hybrid. I think the early UE's, and maybe even some companies now, made the "soft acrylic + hard acrylic" shells. In these shells, the outside half is hard acrylic, and the inside half is made from a heat-sensitive acrylic material that softens as it gets warmer, therefore it will be slightly softer and be just a little bit more comfortable. The problem was, the two halves can come apart at times because of the difference in the material's hardness. (On a side note, the UE5c I still have today, the soft acrylic part is a sticky, dirty mess... kinda nasty)
 
I would imagine if one were to make a acrylic + silicone hybrid, it will take quite a bit of work to make sure the two halves doesn't just separate over time due one half having flexibility, and the other half... not so much.
 
I got my impression done today, and my audiologist will be sending them in for me, I decided to stick to what I know; I love the 2X-S and will just be getting another one. I got to play with a 2X-S with the new Shure cable. The joint seems to be very stable, and the attachment point of the cable is much better than the old proprietary, field replaceable cable. If it wasn't for the ability to use Shure's iPhone cable, I would've still been tempted to get the integrated cable instead. The profile of of the ear piece is significantly reduced by the integrated cable, they fit almost completely flush with your ear with the old design. The new Shure cable is a very good compromise between aesthetics and usability.
 
Dec 10, 2012 at 1:38 AM Post #30 of 77
Quote:
The comparison between the 3MAX and the Heir Audio 8.A is up! (Link)
 
There are new pictures of the new cable up now as well in the main review. It's a nice cable and doesn't turn green (oxidize) over time.

Thanks for the comparions Kunlun, the warm & rich mids is really a signature of the Sensaphonics. When my audiologist asked me what else I've tried over the years, I told her that nothing else I've tried ever really captured the "warm fuzzy feeling" I got from Sensaphonics.
 

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