I just had my UERR's connectors changed out to the MMCX type. There were several reasons which prompted me to do this. Firstly, I experienced some durability issues with the original connectors, where the little protruding piece from the iem itself where the cable attaches. The acrylic on that little part, on both iems, fractured and began to split. The first time this happened, I was able to get my iems repaired under warranty for no charge. This was a little less than a year ago. Again, recently, I saw that this little piece on both monitors was beginning to fracture again. I probably could have continued using them for many more months, but it was evident to me that this is the weak link in regards to the physical integrity of my iems.
I'm happy to report that this connector swap has largely been a success, and I'm very pleased with the function and sound with this setup. This connector type, at least in regards to the issues that I dealt with previously, appears to be VERY robust on the iem itself, and I do not foresee encountering this type of issue again.
A couple of concerns that I do have now though, is that this connector type appears to be much more vulnerable to sweat and contaminates in general, in regards to maintaining a proper connection. It is frustrating to be only a couple days into using this new setup to discover intermittent sound in one of the channels. This is quickly resolved using a good contact cleaner such as Caigs DeOxit though, so at least there is a fix.
Another thing too, is that I have read that the connectors on the MMCX type are vulnerable to wearing out somewhat with use. Such as when you swap cables often, as I plan to do now, which brings me to another reason why I made the switch.
I picked up a couple of the Jaybird Bluetooth cables from UE for wireless use. This is very appealing to me for use when I want to listen to audio books and podcasts on the go. Sound quality via wireless is a noticeable step down from wired listening, so I'm not really using the Jaybirds for music.
On that note, I can report that the Jaybirds, for some reason, don't work well at all with my phone. At least when using for calls, as the device repeatedly cut into my conversation to inform me that the 'device is now connected'. This happened repeatedly, and is surely a deal breaker for use with making calls. Using the Jaybird cable for making phone calls was going to be an added bonus for my intended use, but in no way near my main reason for getting them. I'm happy to report that using my ZX2 with bluetooth, the connection is very solid, with very good, clear sound (ok with music, but I'm speaking in reference to podcasts, etc.).
These are very preliminary findings, as I have only attempted one phone call with the Jaybird cable so far, and am curious to see if using it with my phone for other purposes besides phone calls will produce similar or better performance. In other words, I am curious to find out if the connectivity issues I experienced are restricted to phone calls, or if it's just a compatibility issue with my phone, etc. (Nexus 6p).
Also of note, after waiting for 10 years (!), my wife finally joined me as a CIEM user (10.5 years since first purchasing UE10s)! She has her own set of UERRs, and she is digging them. So nice to, of course enjoy the great clear sound, but the form factor of isolation, and having iems stay in your ears and not losing seal/falling out constantly. Her new set came with the MMCX connector as well, and sadly, she has experienced audio cutout from having exercised with them as well. Quickly fixed with the Caigs, so still worth it to me, but people should be aware.
Awesome customer service, too. Got some free t-shirts (soft) and some little dehumidifiers and special cleaning cloths.
Still loving my UERR's, and have actually really grown to appreciate the UERMs. Though being a seeker of new discoveries, I also hope to reach for another CIEM for variety. I'm curious to hear the A18 for instance (the reference monitor that isn't).
