[DaeO]

Hi all

I realise that this situation is a bit random, and will only apply to a small minoirty of people, but as a current W2 owner, and a UM3X owner shortly, I am wanting to purchase some custom sleeves that fit both IEM's.

I asked the question in the UM3X thread, as while the nozzles are probably the same, the casing of the IEM is possibly slightly different. This being the case, I wonder if custom sleeves will fit both IEMs?

I have emailed ACS, who have advised sending both products off with the mould, or purchasing 2 sets of sleeves. Clearly, I want to avoid buying 2 sets if I can help it!!!!

So, has anyone ever had both IEMs with custom sleeves?

Thanks in advance

David

 

[Rip N' Burn]

I have the UM56 custom tips and they fit my W2, W3, and SE530 perfectly.

 

[DaeO]

How different is the casings of the Shure and W? I would imagine that the difference in the two can't be greater than the differences between the W2 and 530?

 

[lucozade]

@ daeo , hi there , i gess you went for the um3x instead of the monsters in the end daeo,ill be intrested in what you think of them when you get them.

 

[Rip N' Burn]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaeO /img/forum/go_quote.gif How different is the casings of the Shure and W? I would imagine that the difference in the two can't be greater than the differences between the W2 and 530?

The casing size of the SE530 and W3 are roughly the same. The W2 is much smaller.

 

[TCD1975]

Just because the Westone UM56 tips will fit on various IEMs doesn't mean that ACS custom sleeves will, as these companies take a different approach.

From what I've seen, UM56 tips only slide onto the nozzle of the IEM where as ACS sleeves are moulded to slide over the nozzle along with some of the body of the IEM.

This picture shows the difference in approach:

Westone UM56 on the left, ACS custom sleeves on the right.

It's easy to see that the with UM56 approach the tips can slide on to various IEMs as long as they share the same nozzle, but I am very doubtful that a full sleeve like those made by ACS will fit two IEMs of a different size and shape. If they aren't an exact fit the ACS sleeves won't stay on the IEM.

The only person who's opinion I would trust to change my mind on this is someone who has direct experience of ACS sleeves, the W2 and the UM3x (which is what the OP has asked for) otherwise your opinions are well meant, but possibly unhelpful.

The only approach I think will work is to ask ACS to produce canal tips in the same style as the Westone UM56. Otherwise you'll probably need to get separate sleeves made for the two different IEMs.

I thoroughly recommend ACS, and I've had a couple of pairs of sleeves made by them, but if I were you I'd be tempted to get just one pair of sleeves made first to see if I thought they justified the price. £180 (or £200 if you want coloured silicone) is a lot of money to shell out in one hit for something untried. If you're lucky you may find that the sleeves can be used on both pairs of IEMs. If not, ACS keep your ear impressions for a few months so you've got plenty of time to decide whether you want to get a second pair of sleeves made at a later date using the same ear impressions.

 

[DaeO]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lucozade /img/forum/go_quote.gif @ daeo , hi there , i gess you went for the um3x instead of the monsters in the end daeo,ill be intrested in what you think of them when you get them.

Hiya lucozade, will do mate, yeah I considered the MTPC for a while, but the UM3x with the detachable cables (coming out next month) seems to fit my bill perfectly (apart from the price!)

 

[DaeO]

TCD - thanks for that post - your pictures really help ta

Do you prefer the UM56s or the ACS?

 

[TCD1975]

The picture on the right is my pair of ACS sleeves but the picture on the left as one I found on Google images in order to illustrate my point.

I haven't got the UM56 so maybe my opinion isn't valid, but I prefer the ACS approach. They block more of the ear canal, so are liable to isolate even better, and I find them EXTREMELY comfortable.

However, if I wanted something that would fit on more than one pair of IEMs I think I'd have no choice other than to go for something like the UM56 or just accept that I need to get separate sleeves made for each different IEM.

In fact, I have got two pairs of ACS sleeves - one pair for my UM3x and one pair for my IE8s - but I wish I hadn't bothered with the IE8s as I've realised that I don't like them very much and never use them. I've compounded my error by splashing an extra £90 on a pair of sleeves which also don't get used. Moral of the story ... make sure that you like your earphones and will get plenty of use out of them before getting sleeves made for them.

 

[ethan961]

I think that if you're wanting to get something that fits both, you would want to go for the UM56 for sure. It's made by Westone for Westone IEMs, and the W2 and UM3X are their own creations designed around the UM56 and would be tried and true with them.
That's just what I would do with my money.
AFAIK the Westone 2 is a fair bit smaller than the W3 and UM3X, and the UM3X has a fairly different casing shape. I very highly doubt an ACS custom sleeve or the like would fit both, and I would just go for what I know would work.

 

[DaeO]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TCD1975 /img/forum/go_quote.gif The picture on the right is my pair of ACS sleeves but the picture on the left as one I found on Google images in order to illustrate my point. I haven't got the UM56 so maybe my opinion isn't valid, but I prefer the ACS approach. They block more of the ear canal, so are liable to isolate even better, and I find them EXTREMELY comfortable. However, if I wanted something that would fit on more than one pair of IEMs I think I'd have no choice other than to go for something like the UM56 or just accept that I need to get separate sleeves made for each different IEM. In fact, I have got two pairs of ACS sleeves - one pair for my UM3x and one pair for my IE8s - but I wish I hadn't bothered with the IE8s as I've realised that I don't like them very much and never use them. I've compounded my error by splashing an extra £90 on a pair of sleeves which also don't get used. Moral of the story ... make sure that you like your earphones and will get plenty of use out of them before getting sleeves made for them.

Ok, thanks for that. I did think it would be strange to have both types, but you never know

 

[DaeO]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ethan961 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I think that if you're wanting to get something that fits both, you would want to go for the UM56 for sure. It's made by Westone for Westone IEMs, and the W2 and UM3X are their own creations designed around the UM56 and would be tried and true with them. That's just what I would do with my money. AFAIK the Westone 2 is a fair bit smaller than the W3 and UM3X, and the UM3X has a fairly different casing shape. I very highly doubt an ACS custom sleeve or the like would fit both, and I would just go for what I know would work.

Cheers ethan961. TBH, this is now my default approach, but the UM56's aren't made in the UK, they are made in Belguim I think. IMO the ACS look more like they are what I'm after, following the other threads on the IE8's.

Interesting point you make about the size of the W2 incomparison to the W3 and UM3X - FWIR I had read that the W3 was larger than all the others, including the UM3X, but I don't know