[milkpowder]

They look gorgeous!

 

[audiomagnate]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Veggie_Musician /img/forum/go_quote.gif Ugggg.... Still dont like how far those customs go into your ears - my tips on my UM2 are half that lenth!

These are nothing. Look at the first pair they sent me:

And then side by side:

Now I know what it's like to be violated.

 

[milkpowder]

Holy moley... Those are so long! Are they both UM56?

 

[Chef Medeski]

And the same tip fits both on the Etymotic ER-4 and Westone UM-2, correct?

 

[audiomagnate]

Quote:

Originally Posted by milkpowder /img/forum/go_quote.gif Holy moley... Those are so long! Are they both UM56?

Yes, they're both UM56. Not only are the clear ones longer, they are larger in diameter also. Even though I tested them with sine wave tones out to 16kHz (the upper limit of my hearing these days), they incredibly dull, like AM radio. Dale at Westone had never heard of customs that killed the highs, but when he saw how huge they were he offered to make a new, smaller pair from the original impressions. The difference is night and day between the two pairs. The smaller tips seal as well as the huge ones, but the perceived high end roll off is gone. My guess is that the overly long sound bore in the first pair was setting up standing waves at certain high frequencies which caused a perceived roll off.

BTW, with the big Complys I couln't hear 16kHz at all, so there's (amature) clinical proof that Complys tend to roll off the highs.

 

[breseler]

Quote:

Originally Posted by probedb /img/forum/go_quote.gif Yep It's a bit pricey if you go the official way. I got in touch with pjbox@mistral.co.uk (UAS Enterprises) through Variphone.com through Westone. Had to get molds of my ears taken to send to them though. I got my earmolds done by a guy in Sheffield who does them for bikers etc. Some might be willing to attempt to make the plugs for you which would be cheaper.

PJBox is where I am getting the UM56s for my pair of E500s - I sent the impressions off last week - how long did they take to get the tips back to you?

While they haven't done them before for a pair of E500s as these use the universal tips for other Shure phones I can't see any problems.

 

[Britbonic]

... for a set of UM56's yesterday for my UM2s. Can't wait. The only inserts that really worked for me were the foam ones (I actually used the Shure one). I really wanted to like the Complys but the bass just wasn't there.

Glad to hear they worked out in the with the smaller plugs. Which inserts were you using prior to the UM56s and how do they compare?

 

[Britbonic]

I just got my custom UM56's back yesterday after a long wait with the holidays and such. I think I have the same problem as Audiomagnate. They are very long, and incredibly uncomfortable! Jeez, for this I paid $165!! There is no way I can get these all the way into my ears so that that UM2 sits flush in my ear. Plus the tip is not really going into my eardrum since it is too large to fit but instead is sitting out side of it.

Seems to me the material they use is pretty hard. Are there options for other material types?

Also, when they made you new ones, were they actually a different shape in addition to being shorter. I'm sure these can be fixed but they need to be a whole lot better to justify the expense. I was expecting them to slide right in and feel great.

 

[audiomagnate]

I'm guessing you're asking me so I'll reply/comment.

1. I got mine back in about a week, maybe all the snow around here slowed things up for you.
2. You should be able to get them in with Oto-ease (KY for your ear canal!) and it gets easier the more you do it.
3. I paid $100 total, and that included a fitting session. Did you have the audiologist show you how to put them in? That's supposed to be included.
4. If they're not all the way in, then they can't sound right, you have the handle at the bottom I'm assuming.
5. How big are they? They shouldn't be right up against your eardrum, just past the "second corner". You can feel when they "seat".
6. If you still can't get them in after a week or so and some Oto-ease you should call Doug or Dale at Westone. The guy that helped me is the guy who DOESN"T post here as Powderhound.
7. My new shorter ones seal perfectly, sound great and they pop right in and out without Oto-ease. I wouldn't go back to that first pair of monsters if you paid me.
8. Good luck! I love the new ones.

 

[Britbonic]

Quote:

Originally Posted by audiomagnate /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm guessing you're asking me so I'll reply/comment.

Well I guess I was. Thanks for responding.

Mine took awhile due to the holidays more than anything. I got a set of musicians earplugs at the same time which was my primary reason for getting the impressions done so decided to tack on the UM56s. there were only about $100 since I already had the impressions from the musicians plugs.Those seem to fit OK.

I had help from the audiologist in fitting them and yes the little stick is at the bottom where it should be. I haven't tried Oto-ease - I hope this isn't necessary for regular use. These are not my first IEMs - I've had ER4Ps for a couple of years - but first customs.

Sizewise, they do look long like the first ones you have in the photo. After playing with them a bit yesterday, I've concluded they are either too long or not tapered enough to fit in my ear canal. They will only go so far before it's simply too painful to go any deeper. The SQ is only slightly better in the bass than foamies and worse in the highs with a rolloff similar to what you described. When I push on the phones a bit, I can hear the level of bass and SQ that I expect but it really hurts when I do this. Also, the phones don't sit flush in my other ear like they do with Complys or foamies. Overall they are just really uncomfortable and pretty much unwearable.

When you had the new ones made, did you work with the audiologist or directly with Westone? The audiologist I'm working with is very good and has a large clientele of well known muscians that she fits with earplugs and IEMs for performing. I know she'll want to get them right but she mentioned she was more familiar with the Sensaphonics than the Westone products. Seems like that shouldn' make a difference for the fit.

Glad to hear that the smaller ones fit and are comfortable I really want these to work since I have an idea now how they would should if they did.

 

[audiomagnate]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Britbonic /img/forum/go_quote.gif When you had the new ones made, did you work with the audiologist or directly with Westone?

Read post number 20 of this thread. My audiologist didn't have much musician or audiophile experience, so I worked with Dale at Westone, he's the guy that works with musicians and he's one himself. BTW Westone has a band that performs at audiologist functions that is totally silent to anyone who isn't using a special receiver and IEMs. How cool is that? Anyway they keep your impressions on file for at least a month, so if you describe the problem and send him the old ones he should be able to fix you up.

 

[JeffS]

I'd suggest going back to your audiologist, and having new impressions made. When I got my 56s done back in June, the first pair seemed to fit at first, but just didn't feel right after about an hour and a half. the audiologist tried reshaping them a bit himself to alleviate the pressure, but it didn't do enough. We redid the impressions, and shot them back to Westone. The new ones made a huge difference. much more comfortable, better seal, and therefore better sound.

There were no additional charges for the refit, even though I did it in two sittings. Once for the right ear, and another visit for the left ear. The ear that had pain was the one I had refit. When I discovered how much better the seal was, I realized that I had to get the left one redone to fit the way it should. I had originally paid extra for the express shipping to and from Westone. With my two refits, Westone ate the charge, so I never had to pull my wallet out again.


-Jeff

 

[Demonsblood]

does the um56 work on other iems like phonak PFE?

 

[stang]

Why do Junior Head-Fi'ers always bump old, old threads?

 

[Landis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by stang /img/forum/go_quote.gif Why do Junior Head-Fi'ers always bump old, old threads?

I find this post racist!

We were all junior members at one point or another and new to forum mechanics at another point... Or just drunk.