[efiniste]

Just ordered a pair from SoundEarphones.com after deliberating all day (I found this site about 5 minutes after I ordered them. I think the decision would have been a lot easier if I'd found this thread this morning!).

I've been using Shure e3c's with my iPod for the last 3 years but they only seem to last 12 months before giving up the ghost. Consequently I'm on my 3rd pair, all warranty replacements. Great service from Shure but to regularly fail like that is a bit poor imo.

Obviously now they're outside the 2 year warranty period Shure won't replace them again so I've been considering either:

Shure SE310
Ety ER4-P
UE Super.fi 5 pro
Sleek SA6

Hopefully I've made the right choice!

Steve

 

[ClieOS]

Quote:

Originally Posted by efiniste /img/forum/go_quote.gif Shure SE310 Ety ER4-P UE Super.fi 5 pro Sleek SA6 Hopefully I've made the right choice!

I'll say you have made the right choice. The only other option in the list I'll consider is the ER4P, and that is only because sometime I like my music to be analytical sounding.

Welcome and sorry about your wallet!!!

 

[pseudohippy]

I think you made the right choice. I just got mine a few weeks ago. Unfortunately though I have the fever and Im on my way out to pick up some Sure SE530's at lunch today. I didnt realise that Streamline Audio Video is litterally five minutes from where I work.

 

[efiniste]

Thanks guys. I'll post up my thoughts on them when I've had a good listen.

Thanks for the welcome ClieOS. You're right, I think finding this site could be expensive!

 

[Danosaurus]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pseudohippy /img/forum/go_quote.gif I didnt realise that Streamline Audio Video is litterally five minutes from where I work.

Uh oh....

 

[channum]

I wanted to post about what customer service is supposed to look like:

I've had my Sleek SA6 for about 2 months and the cord shorted out at the headphone jack this morning. I messaged JasonK and sent an email to the company hoping I'd be able to at least get a response before I left for out of town tomorrow...

Less than two hours later I got a call from Jason who was very nice and pleasant. He had not one but two replacement cables on their way to me overnight within 15 minutes of getting off the phone with him. Now, admittedly, a cable failure after just two months is not a good thing, and having it happen right before an airline flight where I'll have to use my Marshmallows instead of my Sleeks is even worse, but there is nothing I can fault them on for their support side. He even offered to send them to where I was going to be, which, although not possible in this case, was outstanding effort on Sleek-Audio's part. When I get back on Monday, I'll already have the replacement cable in hand and, because he sent a back up, I'll never find myself in this situation again, that's a lot more than I expected and reinforces why I returned my triple.fis to keep the Sleeks.

 

[BloodSugar00]

Quote:

Originally Posted by channum /img/forum/go_quote.gif I wanted to post about what customer service is supposed to look like: I've had my Sleek SA6 for about 2 months and the cord shorted out at the headphone jack this morning. I messaged JasonK and sent an email to the company hoping I'd be able to at least get a response before I left for out of town tomorrow... Less than two hours later I got a call from Jason who was very nice and pleasant. He had not one but two replacement cables on their way to me overnight within 15 minutes of getting off the phone with him. Now, admittedly, a cable failure after just two months is not a good thing, and having it happen right before an airline flight where I'll have to use my Marshmallows instead of my Sleeks is even worse, but there is nothing I can fault them on for their support side. He even offered to send them to where I was going to be, which, although not possible in this case, was outstanding effort on Sleek-Audio's part. When I get back on Monday, I'll already have the replacement cable in hand and, because he sent a back up, I'll never find myself in this situation again, that's a lot more than I expected and reinforces why I returned my triple.fis to keep the Sleeks.

They are fantastic to their customers plight. Possibly, overly, from their perspective, but hey, who's compaining!? Long may it continue!

 

[tstarn06]

No one is a bigger fan of the Sleek SA6s than me. I love their sound, and still favor them over the Klipsch X10s, even though it's pretty close. Recently, I noticed the right SA6 driver starting to cut out, but it oddly would work when I would press on the bass module. I tried a new treble tube and it started working again, but today, same thing. Tried several treble tubes and sleeves, and same problem. I also swapped out the cable, so it's not the cable shorting out.

My guess is that some contact point between the treble tube and the driver housing is not working. It sounds like a shorting type situation, since pressuire brings the sound back (sort of like when you move a bad cable, you can get sound, but you have to keep it in the same spot). I already have written Jason K and he is sending me replacements. This is my third pair of SA6s, as on the second pair, some small pieces of the black plastic ring around the driver plug chipped off. No effect on sound, but Sleek replaced those nevertheless.

I really hope the guys at Sleek nail down these types of issues. This is their first foray into IEMs, so they get some slack, especially since the SQ is so high and the customer service world-class. But at this rate, they are going to take a financial hit if they can't smooth over these types of issues.

Of course, Jason responded quickly and is sending new drivers. And, as always, I greatly appreciate the hassle-free service. Again, I just hope they can get some consistency in their manufacturing. I may just be unlucky, but I sure am glad they carry a two-year warranty.

And I am also glad I picked up those X10s, so I have some IEMs to listen to until the new SA6 drivers get here. I am sticking with Sleek, but I hope my streak ends with this new set of drivers.

 

[tadad1]

Wow, I thought I was having a run of bad luck and the only one experiencing multiple failures with the SA6. My first return after 5 days was the same or similar issue as you have described above, my second was a loose chrome boot and split treble tube housing, my third was the new replacement piece just up and died mid song after only an hour and a half of use and a cable replacement in there as well.

My first return email was handled by Mack quickly and new part arrived 3 days after it was dispatched which was very impressive from the States to New Zealand. My second took a couple of emails to Mack and then to Jason before I got a response but a new ear piece was shipped out promptly and again arrived 3 days later.

Sadly my third return has not gone so well. Emailed Mack and he informed me Jason would be in contact the following day but he must have been busy as I never heard from him. 2 earpieces were returned by courier to Sleek on the 2nd and tracking shows they arrived and were signed for on the 5th. Since then I have heard nada, not a peep, sent an email to Jason on the 9th but as yet no reply. Think I will make an international call this evening to find out what is going on.

I am also a fan of the SA6, if they weren't so damn good I would just bin them and move on to something else as at a cost of $382.00 (NZD) and $41.60 (NZD) every time I need to return a unit they are starting to becoming a costly investment.

 

[lewislink]

GOOD GRIEF! Sheesh, man! That is horrible! I am now officially paranoid about using my SA6

I love them so incredibly much for their sound quality but don't want to even touch them for fear they'll fail. I can't afford to be sending these things back so many times if that were to be the case with mine.

 

[kojebee]

I love these phones but quality seems to be a problem.

I have had to buy two new cables for them (split cable), and
now the third is on it's way out. I haven't had any other problems though.

I enquired about the Klipsch X5 with soundearphones but was emailed with the news that they don't ship to South Korea.

So it looks like I won't even be able to buy a replacement cable for the Sleeks anymore, although they served me a couple of months ago.

It sucks being an honest international customer, especially when I bought them from soundearphones in the first place, and the transaction went smoothly.

 

[lewislink]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kojebee /img/forum/go_quote.gif I love these phones but quality seems to be a problem. I have had to buy two new cables for them (split cable), and now the third is on it's way out. I haven't had any other problems though. I enquired about the Klipsch X5 with soundearphones but was emailed with the news that they don't ship to South Korea. So it looks like I won't even be able to buy a replacement cable for the Sleeks anymore, although they served me a couple of months ago. It sucks being an honest international customer, especially when I bought them from soundearphones in the first place, and the transaction went smoothly.

Never fear, check with the Sleek company. That's where most people are getting support.

 

[tstarn06]

Sux being in NZ, in terms of returning them. It only costs me $5 via USPS with tracking, so that's not the issue for me. But durability is, and I know that Jason is trying hard down there in Florida. I don't expect insta-responses. Two days ago Jason said he was going to send me new ones, and for all I know, they may be on their way. He suggested I try new treble tubes and I did, and at first, that seemed to work. So I emailed him and told him to hold off as it seemed the problem was solved. Today, the shorting was back, no matter which treble tube or sleeve combo I tried.

I emailed Jason right away this morning, and so far, no PM on the status. I also sent a follow-up asking for any updates. Nothing so far. I guess when you are sending some customers overnight DHL replacements, everyone expects the same. I don't. But I do expect to get replacements in a decent time frame, and I am sure I will.

But I am concerned about these issues as well. Maybe it's a matter of something with so many parts (for an IEM, at least) being more prone to failure. I sure hope not. But I for one don't want to be swapping new drivers every few months, even if I get new ones. I realize this is a very small sample, people posting here, but it matters little when you are on the receiving end of the SA6s failing more than once.

Again, I also would have asked for a refund at this point if I didn't love the SA6 sound so much. In the meantime, I am using the X10s and am very happy with them. But I want my Sleeks (and I want them to last this time).

Quote:

Originally Posted by tadad1 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Wow, I thought I was having a run of bad luck and the only one experiencing multiple failures with the SA6. My first return after 5 days was the same or similar issue as you have described above, my second was a loose chrome boot and split treble tube housing, my third was the new replacement piece just up and died mid song after only an hour and a half of use and a cable replacement in there as well. My first return email was handled by Mack quickly and new part arrived 3 days after it was dispatched which was very impressive from the States to New Zealand. My second took a couple of emails to Mack and then to Jason before I got a response but a new ear piece was shipped out promptly and again arrived 3 days later. Sadly my third return has not gone so well. Emailed Mack and he informed me Jason would be in contact the following day but he must have been busy as I never heard from him. 2 earpieces were returned by courier to Sleek on the 2nd and tracking shows they arrived and were signed for on the 5th. Since then I have heard nada, not a peep, sent an email to Jason on the 9th but as yet no reply. Think I will make an international call this evening to find out what is going on. I am also a fan of the SA6, if they weren't so damn good I would just bin them and move on to something else as at a cost of $382.00 (NZD) and $41.60 (NZD) every time I need to return a unit they are starting to becoming a costly investment.

 

[tstarn06]

Yes, ask Sleek directly for cable replacement, since they are the ones who must honor the warranty.

Quote:

Originally Posted by kojebee /img/forum/go_quote.gif I love these phones but quality seems to be a problem. I have had to buy two new cables for them (split cable), and now the third is on it's way out. I haven't had any other problems though. I enquired about the Klipsch X5 with soundearphones but was emailed with the news that they don't ship to South Korea. So it looks like I won't even be able to buy a replacement cable for the Sleeks anymore, although they served me a couple of months ago. It sucks being an honest international customer, especially when I bought them from soundearphones in the first place, and the transaction went smoothly.

 

[tadad1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tstarn06 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Sux being in NZ, in terms of returning them. It only costs me $5 via USPS with tracking, so that's not the issue for me.

Maybe a little more expensive but regardless of cost or where you are located not something anyone would want to be doing on a regular basis.

Quote:

Originally Posted by tstarn06 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I don't expect insta-responses.

And neither do I however this is not cheap kit and I do not think it is to much to expect a quick email acknowledging that the returned parts have arrived intact and that the matter is being looked into.

Quote:

Originally Posted by tstarn06 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I guess when you are sending some customers overnight DHL replacements, everyone expects the same. I don't.

Once again neither do I and as I stated I was pleasantly surprised that my last 2 replacements were dispatched via DHL Express and arrived in just on 3 days, as long as I were informed that replacements were on their way I could not care if they took 14 days via standard airmail as fortunately like yourself I have an alternate pair of quality phones to use in the interim.

Quote:

Originally Posted by tstarn06 /img/forum/go_quote.gif But I want my Sleeks (and I want them to last this time).

Amen to that, hopefully it is not too much to ask.