[Sovkiller]

Hope mine are good, I pray for that everyday!!!! But no hope, I'm the unluckiest guy on earth....

 

[slowth]

it is kinda worrying.. maybe someone should call Todd and ask him abit about the making process.

 

[CLum]

If I lived outside the states I would take my impressions with my mouth fully open; therefore, I could just polish them down to create a perfect fit. This way you don't have to add material and you don't have to pay an arm and a leg for shipping.

 

[Mazz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadphoneAddict /img/forum/go_quote.gif They are also going to study them and see if they can figure out what is happening with the lower mids that make my ears roar and ring if I don't EQ down 4-5 db between 250-1000Hz.

I'm most interested in the outcome of that study. I wouldn't have used the words "roar and ring", but I find some music hard to parse if I don't EQ down 250/500 and maybe 1000Hz by 3-5 dB. It can sound a bit like the music is being played in a box - or on a cheap old style system that doesn't handle highs and lows very well. The mids make it hard to hear what's going on in the rest of the music properly (sometimes almost making the experience alarming, which seems a weird response). I sometimes find the soundstage almost collapses too.

I've tried it on:

1. my iPod Classic (which sucks because the EQ presets aren't customizable - Electronic seems the best preset)
2. my PC sound card (which is quite noisy)
3. my laptop sound card (a bit of noise but bearable for now)
4. an iBasso D1 for a couple of days (no noise
   
   )
5. my MythTV box's Chaintech AV-710 via its Wolfson DAC (no noise, but last night when I tried it seemed to have problems driving the bottom end)

The experience is very similar on all of them, except that I have found a few tracks lately where I can tolerate flat EQ (and a couple where it even sounds reasonably alright). I had wondered if it was due to 10+ years of listening to Sennheiser HD465 and HD280 Pros, but I don't think it's just an accustomization effect.

I've been really busy, but I need to do some careful listening this weekend and write some notes. Maybe I should contact Todd with my current impressions of the sound too. I've had them 15 days so far...

 

[Mazz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by powertoold /img/forum/go_quote.gif Further, I've mentioned before about the time of day that you make your impressions. I don't know if you've noticed, but I definitely notice that my canals are smaller in the morning and after showers. I think my canal size also depends on the temperature.

I've certainly noticed what seems to be a different feel in the ear after a shower at night...

Quote:

Originally Posted by powertoold /img/forum/go_quote.gif Regarding your impressions for the LiveWires, I'm not surprised that they turned out to fit well. This is because you probably kept your face tense during the important part of the solidification process. Also, I've noticed that when I open my mouth and tense my face, my canal seems to open wider. The reason I advocate a relaxed face is because you can keep it consistent more easily. With a tense face, you might tense and relax and tense again when the silicone material is entering your ear, causing some distortion.

Todd did my impressions. I had my jaw open a centimeter or two and more or less relaxed. Shortly after he finished injecting the silicone he shut my mouth. I tried to keep it loosely closed and relaxed.

I also had a slow bubbling sound as the impressions set (IIRC more in the right ear than the left - the one that's not as good a fit). Don't know if it's significant or not.

 

[Mazz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by slowth /img/forum/go_quote.gif together with insurance and even with the cheapest shipping from Sg, it'd cost me about 60USD both ways.. I'm thinking I should just leave my nail polish there if i've a solid seal and save the 60USD for a headphone amp... even if there're so many coats of polish...

I've been wondering if I could iterate more rapidly to the right fit (seeing I'm in Australia) by paying a local audiologist who would presumably be used to tweaking the fit for hearing aids. Anyone tried this?

 

[powertoold]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mazz /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm most interested in the outcome of that study. I wouldn't have used the words "roar and ring", but I find some music hard to parse if I don't EQ down 250/500 and maybe 1000Hz by 3-5 dB. It can sound a bit like the music is being played in a box - or on a cheap old style system that doesn't handle highs and lows very well. The mids make it hard to hear what's going on in the rest of the music properly (sometimes almost making the experience alarming, which seems a weird response). I sometimes find the soundstage almost collapses too. I've tried it on: my iPod Classic (which sucks because the EQ presets aren't customizable - Electronic seems the best preset) my PC sound card (which is quite noisy) my laptop sound card (a bit of noise but bearable for now) an iBasso D1 for a couple of days (no noise ) my MythTV box's Chaintech AV-710 via its Wolfson DAC (no noise, but last night when I tried it seemed to have problems driving the bottom end) The experience is very similar on all of them, except that I have found a few tracks lately where I can tolerate flat EQ (and a couple where it even sounds reasonably alright). I had wondered if it was due to 10+ years of listening to Sennheiser HD465 and HD280 Pros, but I don't think it's just an accustomization effect. I've been really busy, but I need to do some careful listening this weekend and write some notes. Maybe I should contact Todd with my current impressions of the sound too. I've had them 15 days so far...

Do you hear any tinnitus type noise whatsoever when you use IEMs with no music on?

That ringing effect intensifies 10x when I switch from my iBasso D2 to my Audigy 2, so there is a source dependence too. I'm not sure how to interpret it other than my ears are whack

 

[slowth]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mazz /img/forum/go_quote.gif I've been wondering if I could iterate more rapidly to the right fit (seeing I'm in Australia) by paying a local audiologist who would presumably be used to tweaking the fit for hearing aids. Anyone tried this?

Yeah you'd have to research around. Make sure though that they have experience with IEMs.. and even know what they are....

Some know squat about it and it'd be rather new to them. For Hearing aids, the fit issues would be slightly different.. may not be such an issue compared to IEMs.. though of course excess loss of seal would create feedback for them.
Some hearing aids also don't use hard acrylic so it's best to check. =)

 

[faichiu]

I am thinking to return it for credit.......
1) left ear get good seal but painful after 10 minutes usage.
2) right ear is complete no seal, the canal seems to shift toward back and causing this problem.
3) the sound aren't that great. i got no surprise with the sound.
Bass is good on extend but sound muddy to me. I also experienced problem with the mid. Mid sounds weird and I don't know how to describe it.

At this point, i am completely unsatisfied.

 

[e_resolu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mazz /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm most interested in the outcome of that study. I wouldn't have used the words "roar and ring", but I find some music hard to parse if I don't EQ down 250/500 and maybe 1000Hz by 3-5 dB. It can sound a bit like the music is being played in a box - or on a cheap old style system that doesn't handle highs and lows very well. The mids make it hard to hear what's going on in the rest of the music properly (sometimes almost making the experience alarming, which seems a weird response). I sometimes find the soundstage almost collapses too.

I assume you have the superfreq with music lover crossover.
Right ?

Headphoneaddict has the issue with the freqshow and music maker crossover.

Probably the issue is not the same since the ML and MM crossover have a very different sound signature.

Are you sur you don't have also a fitting problrem issue like a lot of people have ? Does the sound change when you press them inside your ears ?

 

[doggiehowser]

Quote:

Originally Posted by e_resolu /img/forum/go_quote.gif I assume you have the superfreq with music lover crossover. Right ? Headphoneaddict has the issue with the freqshow and music maker crossover. Probably the issue is not the same since the ML and MM crossover have a very different sound signature. Are you sur you don't have also a fitting problrem issue like a lot of people have ? Does the sound change when you press them inside your ears ?

I have the SuperFREQ (hence ML crossover) and it is the same.

So it may not just be a crossover issue.

In fact, I have noticed that with my UM56 custom tips with tf10p, the mids do get emphasized than if I had been on some other universal tips (tho not to the same extent as on my SuperFREQ). It could very well be something to do with the way the sound pipes are designed.

 

[slowth]

sound pipes? the tubes in the canal?

 

[Hayduke]

Quote:

Originally Posted by powertoold /img/forum/go_quote.gif Is it just me or are the FreQs having a lot more fit problems now that they've changed the build technique?

Quote:

Originally Posted by fatman711 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Yeah sounds like everyone is having problems. Kinda worrying as mine are being built as we speak.

I wouldn't say everyone. It sounds like several members here are having some trouble, but it could be that only the folks having trouble are posting. Keep in mind that every so often we will have someone post that we've never heard from and they have had theirs for awhile.

It's that syndrome where people are more likely to complain for bad service then praise good service.

That being said, there do seem to be a lot of people with fit issues. I think a bigger concern is how quickly people are deciding to try and fix them for themselves. I really only see this as a good idea when you live overseas and shipping costs are prohibitive. If you live in the US, the only downside to sending them in is not having them.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mazz /img/forum/go_quote.gif I've been wondering if I could iterate more rapidly to the right fit (seeing I'm in Australia) by paying a local audiologist who would presumably be used to tweaking the fit for hearing aids. Anyone tried this?

I've been advocating this for awhile and it seems to get ignored

My audiologist fixed one spot on mine the second day I had them.

Quote:

Originally Posted by faichiu /img/forum/go_quote.gif I am thinking to return it for credit....... 1) left ear get good seal but painful after 10 minutes usage. 2) right ear is complete no seal, the canal seems to shift toward back and causing this problem. 3) the sound aren't that great. i got no surprise with the sound. Bass is good on extend but sound muddy to me. I also experienced problem with the mid. Mid sounds weird and I don't know how to describe it. At this point, i am completely unsatisfied.

If you don't have a decent seal, they will sound crappy. You can't really judge them as bad if they don't fit well. Todd has said that there is a very fine line between a good fit and a bad one, but it makes a huge difference.

Your #1 would concern me. What hurts? Is it poking your ear? Mine did when I got them and my audiologist was able to fix it in about 5 seconds

 

[Mazz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by powertoold /img/forum/go_quote.gif Do you hear any tinnitus type noise whatsoever when you use IEMs with no music on?

I occasionally get a ringing in my ears (without IEMs) like someone is playing a loud sine wave tone, usually reasonably high pitched - but it doesn't last long and has been infrequent enough that I've never mentioned it to my doctor.

When I put the IEMs in with no source I don't notice anything obvious like that. In a quiet house I can hear some quiet noise in the upper register (but nowhere near the 250-1000Hz range), and it doesn't sound like a pure tone.

However if I block my ears with my fingers (no IEMs) I get more of a roaring noise, maybe somewhere near that frequency range. With IEMs and no source I can get a similar noise but much quieter if I clench my jaw or deliberately move it away from a relaxed position.

I haven't tried any IEMs other than SuperFreqs.

 

[Mazz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hayduke /img/forum/go_quote.gif I wouldn't say everyone. It sounds like several members here are having some trouble, but it could be that only the folks having trouble are posting. Keep in mind that every so often we will have someone post that we've never heard from and they have had theirs for awhile.

And I've had occasions when I've enjoyed listening to them quite a lot, so it may not be black and white even for people like me who are working on issues. You do tend to post more about the issues than the positives until you get the things that bug you sorted out!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hayduke /img/forum/go_quote.gif My audiologist fixed one spot on mine the second day I had them.

Sounds like I should find an audiologist then I've been hanging back because
(a) I've very little spare time/energy (any recommendations in Sydney North Shore?)
(b) My fit seems close to right - I only lose the right seal if I move my jaw around and I think I have a few hot/sore spots with extended wear
(c) I've been more concerned with the sound

I've ordered a D2 Boa which will hopefully arrive in a few days and give me a clean lossless source, but my sound concerns are similar across all my current sources so I don't think this is the problem.