[Kapazza]

Hi Kapazza, Apologies in advance for my lack of photography skills. I hope you can make out the two Dremel bits in the photo below.

 
Interesting!  I'll be crossing my fingers that the bores arrive wide enough.  It looks like a 1/8" burr, but that seems too wide.

 

[JackKontney]

Hi Kapazza, Apologies in advance for my lack of photography skills. I hope you can make out the two Dremel bits in the photo below.


The bit on the left has a series of sharp, rounded cutter blades around the shaft; the bit on the right is actually a tile cutter. The folks at Sensaphonics are probably already laughing at my choice of equipment. (It would be interesting to know what tools/bits you Sensaphonics folks use to machine these shells?) Step 1 was to use the bit on the left. I used a Dremel 4000, keeping the RPMs pretty low (certainly below 10,000), because it will get a bit hot and you don't want anything to melt or catch fire. Step 2 was to use the tile cutter bit on the right to smooth and remove any little nubs of silicon left behind in step 1 (a good lens or magnifying glasses can help inspect for this). For both steps you'll need to bend the eartip slightly with one hand to hold the bore hole nice and straight (it'll be angled, on account of the bend in your ear canal). I applied a little pressure to widen the bore more on one side, where my IEM nozzle tips were partially blocked.

It really wasn't that difficult. As long as you take it slow and stop periodically to check your progress (and flush the debris out with water), I think it would be hard to mess up. All you really want to do is make sure the tip of the nozzle is fully exposed to that canal bore. You don't need to go down any further than the tip of the SE846 nozzle, so you're not in any way loosening the grip that the shell has on the SE846 or its nozzle. Hopefully you have clear silicon molds like mine? If yours are opaque/colored, you're just going to have to use the force

P.S. This is probably obvious, but make sure the SE846 is not in the shell when you start drilling!

 
Before end-user drilling gains any more DIY traction, I would like to point out that it should not be necessary. At all.
 
Sensaphonics has been making Shure (and Etymotic) sleeves for over a decade, and AFAIK, this issue has never come up before. (BTW, the lab also points out that a Dremel does not generate the RPMs necessary to get reliably clean results with silicone. Obviously, csglinux found a workaround, but low RPMs can result in the drill bit catching and chewing up the silicone.)
 
So before you pull out a drill and start mucking about, please make sure your IEMs are properly aligned within the sleeves. Just as proper fit and seal are required within the ear canal, so too must the IEM be accurately seated within the SCS.
 
In no way am I suggesting that this solution is invalid. The full-shell SCS is relatively new to us, and definitely more challenging to build. It's entirely possible that the issue was inaccurate bore hole placement or incomplete drilling in our lab. We are, after all, human. But neither Shure's nozzle dimension nor our bore diameter has changed in many years.
 
Thus, I would urge our customers to remember two things:
 
1. As moedawg mentioned, we offer free re-fit (including full re-make if necesssary) on all custom products (both SCS and IEMs) for 30 days.
2. If you alter your new product, you void your warranty.
 
So if there's an issue with your SCS, please contact us. We are happy to help. Thanks.

 

[csglinux]

Item 1 was entirely my fault. I simply didn't notice within the time I had to request a remake. My bad. As a result, I completely understand item 2.

 

[JackKontney]

Understood, csglinux. We (Sensaphonics) just don't want to see alterations to the SCS ports becoming part of DIY audio mythology.
 
After all, the SCS itself is an after-market product improvement -- albeit one endorsed by Shure.

 

[csglinux]

  Understood, csglinux. We (Sensaphonics) just don't want to see alterations to the SCS ports becoming part of DIY audio mythology.

 
Hi Jack, I would respectfully argue that myth = something we don't believe in. For me, that would be unicorns and silver cables. Having seen and heard the effect of partially-blocked nozzles, I am a firm believer that wider bore holes, or at least properly-aligned nozzle/bore holes, made a huge difference to the sound from my SE846.
 
One of the key advantages of the SCS should be the consistent fit, without the risk of ever partially occluding the nozzles (which happens with foam tips, leading to well-known issues with the sound). You can lessen or eliminate that risk without any harm to the acoustics by slightly widening the bore holes on those SCS. (IMHO.)  Sorry if I'm repeating myself. The intent of my suggestion is to help, rather than harm, your future business with these custom shells.
 
Of course, people need to respect your 30-day re-make window. It's very generous that you offer a re-make service at all as I'm sure these aren't super high-profit margin sales for you. But outside of the return window - surely that's fair game?!? I don't think I've ever owned a device that (outside of the warranty period) wasn't dismantled, soldered, drilled, repaired, modified or destroyed in some way. That's how we learn.
 
Stopping audio myths?  Good luck with that one!

 

[JackKontney]

The search for audio truth is a worthy one. That's why most of us are here. I salute your hands-on approach.
 
Some myths generate a new, better-sounding reality.
Some myths generate unwarranted sales of green sharpies.
 
At Sensaphonics, we think the SCS stands proudly on its own. Many agree with us.
 
YMMV.

 

[Kapazza]

I received my 2nd attempt SCSs on Friday. Sensaphonics recommended that I go with the full shells this time around. I'll start by saying they nailed the fit. I can move my head around, talk, and make all the weird faces I make while drumming and the fit remains true. The full shells don't appear larger than the regular shells when looking face to face. When looking at the side of the head, they are only appear slightly larger.

Unfortunately, I'm still hearing something I'll call "sonic distortion". It basically sounds like I'm listening down a tunnel. I tried lining up the nozzle to the bore many different ways and I can't get it to go away. Maybe I just have weird ear canals. Like Jack said, YMMV. At this point, I'm going to assume SCSs are not for me. I don't think getting another set of sleeves would fix the problem, just like I wouldn't think sending my steak back to the chef for the third time would make it taste any better.

I do love the fit, so I ordered the custom musicians earplugs, but these SCS will probably collect dust while I stick with the Shure olive tips.

 

[csglinux]

I received my 2nd attempt SCSs on Friday. Sensaphonics recommended that I go with the full shells this time around. I'll start by saying they nailed the fit. I can move my head around, talk, and make all the weird faces I make while drumming and the fit remains true. The full shells don't appear larger than the regular shells when looking face to face. When looking at the side of the head, they are only appear slightly larger.

Unfortunately, I'm still hearing something I'll call "sonic distortion". It basically sounds like I'm listening down a tunnel. I tried lining up the nozzle to the bore many different ways and I can't get it to go away. Maybe I just have weird ear canals. Like Jack said, YMMV. At this point, I'm going to assume SCSs are not for me. I don't think getting another set of sleeves would fix the problem, just like I wouldn't think sending my steak back to the chef for the third time would make it taste any better.

I do love the fit, so I ordered the custom musicians earplugs, but these SCS will probably collect dust while I stick with the Shure olive tips.

What's the diameter of your bore holes on this re-make? Does it look like the IEM nozzle tips are completely clear of any blockage? Mine really sound good now, so I don't think there's any fundamental problem. Can Sensaphonics widen the bore hole any further?

Worst case scenario, if you've exhausted all attempts with Sensaphonics and you intend to leave them in a drawer to gather dust, it might be time to get your Dremel out... Nothing to lose at that stage.

P.S. Their custom musician plugs are really awesome!

 

[olddude]

 

[fzman]

I received my 2nd attempt SCSs on Friday. Sensaphonics recommended that I go with the full shells this time around. I'll start by saying they nailed the fit. I can move my head around, talk, and make all the weird faces I make while drumming and the fit remains true. The full shells don't appear larger than the regular shells when looking face to face. When looking at the side of the head, they are only appear slightly larger.

Unfortunately, I'm still hearing something I'll call "sonic distortion". It basically sounds like I'm listening down a tunnel. I tried lining up the nozzle to the bore many different ways and I can't get it to go away. Maybe I just have weird ear canals. Like Jack said, YMMV. At this point, I'm going to assume SCSs are not for me. I don't think getting another set of sleeves would fix the problem, just like I wouldn't think sending my steak back to the chef for the third time would make it taste any better.

I do love the fit, so I ordered the custom musicians earplugs, but these SCS will probably collect dust while I stick with the Shure olive tips.

 
Step back for a bit and answer (to yourself, if nothing else) the following questions:
 
1. Look at your impressions- do your canals look pretty similar to each other?
 
2. do the SCSs match the impressions they were made from?
 
3. does the channel you are having trouble with sound right with a regular tip?
 
 
When I picked mine up (I live in Chicago) one channel was virtaully dead- and I thought I had blown up my music player or damaged my 846s.  Turns out, there was lacquer blocking the sound tube- they fixed it quickly and on the spot.  I wouyld have been pretty pissed off if I had waited for them to arrive and then had to send them back, then wait for them to return to me.....
 
 
I love mine and am glad I have them (in fact tI wish they could do them for a few other of my universals).  Sounds like one of yours is just blacked

 

[csglinux]

Hi Kapazza, Quick P.S. There's something puzzling me. Jack mentioned the following: "before you pull out a drill and start mucking about, please make sure your IEMs are properly aligned within the sleeves."

You also mentioned about "trying to line up the bore holes all kinds of different ways". Can you really do that with your SCSs? With mine, I have zero wiggle room. The IEMs are either fully inserted or they're not. It would be impossible for me to seat the IEMs in anything but the one position in which they fit in the shells. I'm just curious on this point. Maybe not all SCSs are like mine?

Olddude - as always, nice contribution to the thread. Love the humor.

 

[olddude]

Thanks.  I'd love to see his impressions/sleeves to see if they have a crimp in them.  "Sounds like a tunnel" to me sounds like something is wrong somewhere.  

 

[Kapazza]

What's the diameter of your bore holes on this re-make? Does it look like the IEM nozzle tips are completely clear of any blockage? Can Sensaphonics widen the bore hole any further?

 
Just shy of 1/8", maybe 3/32" (if we're limited ourselves to the imperial system).  Yes, they're completely clear and sound fantastic with stock tips.  I don't think that's the problem (see below).
 

   
Step back for a bit and answer (to yourself, if nothing else) the following questions:
 
1. Look at your impressions- do your canals look pretty similar to each other?
 
2. do the SCSs match the impressions they were made from?
 
3. does the channel you are having trouble with sound right with a regular tip?

 
1.  No, they are pretty different actually (darn genetics!  see below).
2.  That would've been great to check while at the doctor's office.  I didn't think much of it because the fit is great.
3.  I'm having trouble in both channels.  But with stock tips they sound great.
 

You also mentioned about "trying to line up the bore holes all kinds of different ways". Can you really do that with your SCSs?

 
They only fit in one direction, however I was experimenting with nozzle placement in the bore (full/as far as it'll go, pulled back a bit, pulled back a bit more).  However, once they're being placed in the ear, who knows if the nozzle re-positions itself anyway.
 

  Thanks.  I'd love to see his impressions/sleeves to see if they have a crimp in them.  "Sounds like a tunnel" to me sounds like something is wrong somewhere.  

 
Looks like my ear canals are too curvy.  I placed a metal rod through the bore to see if my eyes were playing tricks on me or not.  It did not go through smoothly...there was a lot of resistance about halfway through the bore (the bend of the canal).  Click to zoom.
 

 

 

 

[csglinux]

It's hard to see it clearly, but those bore holes look fairly straight. Any chance you could post a couple more photos with the IEMs inserted? (And maybe one or two of the tips, showing the position of the opening?)

 

[Kapazza]

  It's hard to see it clearly, but those bore holes look fairly straight. Any chance you could post a couple more photos with the IEMs inserted? (And maybe one or two of the tips, showing the position of the opening?)