[cooperpwc]

 
No problem. Now you know.
 
FYI do not make the mistake of microwaving for more than 30 seconds at a time. Let it cool before you microwave for another 30 seconds. Otherwise the plastic will melt (I learned the hard way once). I usually find that 90 seconds on high in total (spread over three 30 second sessions) is enough. 

 

[Girls Generation]

I recently bought a Double Helix Cables Symbiote IEM cable from Peter the other day. I'm pretty much blown away at how much the sound improved from stock's. Remember the muffledness that I've been complaining about? It got better with the reshell but the Symbiote was like wiping down a window that hasn't been cleaned for years.
 
That shimmer and clarity in the highs without it ever being hot or sibilant is amazing. I can also feel more body down in the bass region, not necessarily more bass quantity, but it hits harder and goes deeper. The mids need not to be touched, they're perfect as it is with the ES5. I can immediately tell the more detail and precision in every sound vs. the "tangled" and "messy" sound the stock makes. I can't comment on the soundstage because it's really hard to say with IEMs anyways, though it doesn't affect the stage in a negative way. The cable, all in all, is just plain neutral/transparent and will not ever color the sound in any way. Stock cable tangles easily, and the memory wire such a bother. Ergonomics is great - light, semi-memory wire that will curve around your ear, and non-intrusive. One negative point is that it's a pretty thick cable compared to the other cables out there, but it doesn't lack in flexibility. The strain relief extends out a little bit more than I would've liked but at this point, it's just nit picking.
 
Of all the IEM cables I've tried, which includes SD, TWag v1 + v2, Piccolino, TWcu, TWspc, and ALO, I can say with confidence that the Symbiote best matches the ES5 if you want ultimate transparency without messing up the glorious mids that the ES5 is so famed for.
 
PS. I'm writing this is a complete objective manner and no bias has been given whatsoever. I will not do very serious "comparisons" unless I have the other cable being compared with me at the time, though I can make some comments regarding the sound of important cables like the Piccolino (you'd need to bring a bag of salt with you).

 

[zeitfliesst]

Just a quick question guys, is it possible to order the ES5 directly through Westone? I asked them and the answer was basically a no, but I saw in another thread that someone DID place a direct order.

 

[Girls Generation]

If you have no other options.
 
Quote:

Just a quick question guys, is it possible to order the ES5 directly through Westone? I asked them and the answer was basically a no, but I saw in another thread that someone DID place a direct order.

 

 

[zeitfliesst]

Well I guess I do have one option in Calgary, and it's through a dealer called Sound West. I've contacted them and am waiting for a quote, but honestly I can only imagine the price being higher since that's what happens most of the time when US products cross the border. Hopefully I'm wrong though. How much did you end up paying for your ES5 GG? (BTW I'm Korean too...

)
 
Quote:

If you have no other options.
 


 

 

 

[option12]

I have also been looking at the ES5s. I think their sound signature matches what I'm looking for. Can anyone recommend any dealers in the Boston/Providence area? I haven't yet called the ones that Westone lists on their site. Are they typically $900 or $950 and does that include the ear impressions?

 

[cooperpwc]

Guys, the big issue is the quality of your ear impressions. So buying from an audiologist who does good work is the way to go. You might contact Westone and see if they have recommendations. Also check the JH-Audio site. Their recommended audooligists will generally also sell Westone IEMs.

 

[cooperpwc]

As I remember, the UE site also has recommended audooligists. I'm writing this on my iPhone so I can't easily check.

 

[zeitfliesst]

Yeah I realize that impressions are really important. When I went to get one done for my UE11 3 years ago I went to one of the recommended ones and they didn't even have a bite block! Not realizing that I had any other option, I did the impressions with mouth closed and I think that had to do with the less than optimal fit and isolation I got in the end. I have located a Sonus centre in my city, which is recommended by both UE and JH Audio. Has anyone done impressions at Sonus, and if so do you think they did a good job of it?
Quote:

Guys, the big issue is the quality of your ear impressions. So buying from an audiologist who does good work is the way to go. You might contact Westone and see if they have recommendations. Also check the JH-Audio site. Their recommended audooligists will generally also sell Westone IEMs.

 

 

[Girls Generation]

First, explain to them you're from Canada and you prefer to have it done directly with you because the audiologists/dealers here seem to be totally inexperienced. They'll say OK and you'll pay MSRP $950. The Westone dealers here quoted me $1100+.
 
Second, try not going to any "recommended" audiologists on anyone's pages; they're all full of crap, including Sonus. Just google maps audiologist near you and and call each one of them asking whether they have experience in musician's plugs, and that you need impressions of your ears to take home. If they seem to have trouble understand what you're saying, hang up. My audiologist is a small place 5 mins from my house, and when I inquired about the above, they answered right away, giving me more details and etc. You'll know when you find a good one. Also, I only paid $15 per side for impressions.
 
Also, with the bite block, you're not supposed to bite it with your front teeth. You're supposed to use two, and bite down with your molars at the back of your mouth, smaller side facing front, rounded side bitten on. Your mouth will open really.. really wide, but it'll give you a perfect fit unless you're really uncomfortable with a tight one, in which case you might as well bite down with your front teeth and not swallow once, nor mouth your mouth a mm; only then will you have even a small chance of getting a nice fit on the first try.
 
Quote:

Yeah I realize that impressions are really important. When I went to get one done for my UE11 3 years ago I went to one of the recommended ones and they didn't even have a bite block! Not realizing that I had any other option, I did the impressions with mouth closed and I think that had to do with the less than optimal fit and isolation I got in the end. I have located a Sonus centre in my city, which is recommended by both UE and JH Audio. Has anyone done impressions at Sonus, and if so do you think they did a good job of it?


 

 

 

[zeitfliesst]

Wow, thanks for the tips. I will then definitely be calling around to see which audiologist might have experience with doing these sort of impressions. I have no idea what bite blocks are supposed to look like so I have a bit of difficulty picturing the description you gave me, but the general idea is that two bite blocks are ideal to open your mouth as wide as possible right?
Quote:

First, explain to them you're from Canada and you prefer to have it done directly with you because the audiologists/dealers here seem to be totally inexperienced. They'll say OK and you'll pay MSRP $950. The Westone dealers here quoted me $1100+.
 
Second, try not going to any "recommended" audiologists on anyone's pages; they're all full of crap, including Sonus. Just google maps audiologist near you and and call each one of them asking whether they have experience in musician's plugs, and that you need impressions of your ears to take home. If they seem to have trouble understand what you're saying, hang up. My audiologist is a small place 5 mins from my house, and when I inquired about the above, they answered right away, giving me more details and etc. You'll know when you find a good one. Also, I only paid $15 per side for impressions.
 
Also, with the bite block, you're not supposed to bite it with your front teeth. You're supposed to use two, and bite down with your molars at the back of your mouth, smaller side facing front, rounded side bitten on. Your mouth will open really.. really wide, but it'll give you a perfect fit unless you're really uncomfortable with a tight one, in which case you might as well bite down with your front teeth and not swallow once, nor mouth your mouth a mm; only then will you have even a small chance of getting a nice fit on the first try.
 


 

 

 

[cooperpwc]

 

Second, try not going to any "recommended" audiologists on anyone's pages; they're all full of crap, 

 
GG, I know that you mean well but your advice is too extreme. It may just be your use of language. To be clear: They are not "all full of crap".
 
Some of the recommended audiologists can be poor (for example, the one that ThinkingGroup recommends in HK) and some are absolutely the best in class. If someone is close to one of the 'rock star' audiologists, they should seriously consider using them.
 
In other words, the recommended lists are one very good place to start. Then do additional research.
 
Not sure about the dual bite block - I never heard of this. Dual blocks does however seem to make some sense.

 

[Jwm48324]

You don't need a bite block to remain open. Just open your mouth, that is what I did and had no problems.

 

[Girls Generation]

Don't risk this.
 
Quote:

You don't need a bite block to remain open. Just open your mouth, that is what I did and had no problems.

Yeah, I meant most of them* but my experience with "recommended" audiologists from JHA, UE, and Westone is not so good. Some might be very good at making impressions, but $150 for mere impressions? It should never be above $50 for both ears, but most of those audiologists charge way too much. The one's that are not experienced have a hard time understanding what I need, but they charge a lower rate - my audiologist being an exception.


Quote:

 
 
GG, I know that you mean well but your advice is too extreme. It may just be your use of language. To be clear: They are not "all full of crap".
 
Some of the recommended audiologists can be poor (for example, the one that ThinkingGroup recommends in HK) and some are absolutely the best in class. If someone is close to one of the 'rock star' audiologists, they should seriously consider using them.
 
In other words, the recommended lists are one very good place to start. Then do additional research.
 
Not sure about the dual bite block - I never heard of this. Dual blocks does however seem to make some sense.

 

 

[cooperpwc]

Here is the list of preferred audiologists on the JHA site. If anyone is in a position to comment on "most of them" - quality or pricing - their experience is far greater than mine. (I think that it is a useful resource - at least as a starting point.)
 
This thread started by the exuberant Dave Derek is another useful resource.
 
Lastly searching the word "Audiologist" on here brings up a number of city-specific threads. Some of the recommendations could be useful.