[Shlonglor]

I bought these (based on recommendations I gathered here) last year and got them in November. I've been very happy with them since, aside from their tendency to gather up wax.

I've recently noticed that one of the phones, the right one, is producing much weaker sound than the left one. I don't really know what to do...

I bought them (new) on ebay and I don't live in the US.

Could this be a result of anything but a hardware malfunction?

 

[Chrisboff]

Most likely the filters are clogged with wax. Try to clean them out as best you can (be careful not to damage them in the process).

 

[Shlonglor]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chrisboff /img/forum/go_quote.gif Most likely the filters are clogged with wax. Try to clean them out as best you can (be careful not to damage them in the process).

That's the first thing I did to the best of my ability...
How do I avoid damaging them?

They seem pretty wax free now, though.

 

[Chrisboff]

I had a similar problem with my shure E4's and I changed the filters which solved the problem. I don't know whether they are replaceable on Ultimate Ears' phones though.

 

[xand]

use the cleaner which comes with it to clear out the wax...

 

[Shlonglor]

Quote:

Originally Posted by xand /img/forum/go_quote.gif use the cleaner which comes with it to clear out the wax...

Didn't get one...

 

[xand]

it's a black plastic thing with a wire on the end.

no?

 

[Shlonglor]

Well, I don't have it. I don't think it's a problem with wax anyway since upon even closer inspection it looks pretty wax free. Unless it's somehow stuck beneath the two lower oval openings.

I've switched the phones around and the bad one is still weak, so I guess it's not a cable issue.

I registered the product when I bought it but don't have any physical proof/warranty. Is this enough, coupled with the ebay retailer's info? I hope they'll fix it, I love these things too much. :/

 

[Fud]

If it isn't wax clogging the filter, then switch the left cable to the right bud, and vice versa.

You need to figure out whether the problem lies in the cable or the bud. Have you tried it on a different DAP as well? If the problem is in the cable, that's a cheap fix, just get a new one. If the problem is in one of the buds, then that gets more complicated.

 

[Shlonglor]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fud /img/forum/go_quote.gif If it isn't wax clogging the filter, then switch the left cable to the right bud, and vice versa. You need to figure out whether the problem lies in the cable or the bud. Have you tried it on a different DAP as well? If the problem is in the cable, that's a cheap fix, just get a new one. If the problem is in one of the buds, then that gets more complicated.

Yeah, I just said that. Unfortunately, it's not the cable. I've tried both my portable and my computer's outputs... no go.

Which part is the filter? Should I attempt to probe deeper with a needle? I don't want to damage it further or revoke the warranty.

 

[gropo]

I dropped my first pair of 5EB's on a hard linoleum floor back in January and they developed a similar problem. I believe the treble driver got compromised in the process. Luckily they replaced them on warrantee.

More recently I thought my left channel was konking out, but I've come to realize that with a large diameter in-ear and a silicone nub, sometimes your ears can 'reject' the fit no matter what you do and mess up the seal, thereby diminishing different frequency ranges. A couple q-tips and some hand sanitizer helps to break down the wax in your ears and seal the nubs better. The best solution of course would be custom molded inserts.