[tomscy2000]

"!=" means "not equal" when "≠" can't be used.

 

[truckdriver]

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"!=" means "not equal" when "≠" can't be used.

I wasn't confused about what you meant. I was referring to Spyro.

 

[tomscy2000]

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  I wasn't confused about what you meant. I was referring to Spyro.

Me too.

 

[FullCircle]

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I don't consider Heir's phones treble oriented.

 
     The Wizard, primary founder and designer of all Heir Audio CIEM/IEMs, is not Asian. Although I speak Chinese, and eat rice every day, to the best of my knowledge, I don't have a drop of Asain blood in me. My family line comes from Europe, my mother is second generation American, with her family being from Germany.   My last name is French....   so I think it is safe to say....   I'm not Asian.
 
As for my audio designs/flavor, I have a mix bag from hard hitting bass (8.A CIEM) (5.0 IEM) to crisp IEMs (Tzar 350).  I really don't think my designs can be "pidgeon holed" as I try to make every design unique and hit a certain genre well.
 
I like to say, my designs are much like shoes....     sneakers, boots, to sandals.....   every one has the same purpose, but every one reaches that purpose in its own way.
 
I rely on my ears to make the designs, a calculator, and also I reflect on different periods of my life.  Interestingly enough, my music tastes shifted through out my life, and with those changes came the way I wanted my music to be presented.
 
IE:  Flat, V Shape, bass heavy, crystal clear highs etc etc
 
 
Wizard
 

 

[16253]

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Also, 98% or so of all IEMs are designed by Asian ODM/OEM plants, and I don't mean just the molds and the transducers --- the signatures themselves are rarely ever modified much from the original. Skullcandy used to just slap a logo on those products. They now have a Japanese guy who's the head of acoustic design. The CX300 was a Japanese Fostex ODM design that had very little to do with Sennheiser.

 
Sorry but I believe you are way off with your figure of 98%. I can't comment on the models you mention specifically, but the better US IEM designs are fully designed here in the US. And I mean designed as in the mechanical design (molds??) as well as the signature. I doubt if any of the top 10 US IEMS here on headfi fall into the category you mention.
 
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If you're referring specifically to CIEM companies, it's that all of the non-Chinese CIEM companies started off designing earpieces for musicians. Most musicians want a warm sound that enables them to wear their earphones for long periods. It's the recent trend of "audiophile" CIEMs from companies like UM that have sent the trend toward brightness.

 
This comment does not make sense either. UE created its entire line of generic fit products to meet the needs of audiophiles. Even at that time audiophiles and non-musicians in general made up a lot of the custom market. It was well after that time that the Chinese companies jumped into the market.

 

[Spyro]

At least with Westone, Shure and Etymotic (which comprise a huge segment of the consumer IEM market)  100% of their designs are done in the USA.

 

[tomscy2000]

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At least with Westone, Shure and Etymotic (which comprise a huge segment of the consumer IEM market)  100% of their designs are done in the USA.

 
You're confusing market share with the number of different designs. It was you who posed the question why Asian IEM designers were trebleheads. Audio designers make specific models, they don't amount to the sales that accumulate.
 
So how many products does Shure have? Counting legacy, probably 12, not counting the two special edition models (SE535LTD-J and SE215SE) that were tweaked by Shure Japan and Shure Asia, respectively. It's interesting to note that the SE215SE actually has less treble presence and more bass. How many products does Etymotic have? Effectively, three (ER, HF, MC), plus one from legacy (ER6 series). Westone also has about 12 or so products, counting legacy. Only UE has a ton, because of their recent (last four years) forays into the lower end. Now, think about all of the other models designed and produced in Asia. I think there are a lot more than 40 models.
 
If you want to count market share in, then my assumption is that the best selling in-ear of all time is the CX300-esque series (I may be wrong, but when it comes to in-ears, they seem to be everywhere), and I already mentioned that they were a Fostex Japan design.
 
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Sorry but I believe you are way off with your figure of 98%. I can't comment on the models you mention specifically, but the better US IEM designs are fully designed here in the US. And I mean designed as in the mechanical design (molds??) as well as the signature. I doubt if any of the top 10 US IEMS here on headfi fall into the category you mention.
 
This comment does not make sense either. UE created its entire line of generic fit products to meet the needs of audiophiles. Even at that time audiophiles and non-musicians in general made up a lot of the custom market. It was well after that time that the Chinese companies jumped into the market.

 
Fine. I was exaggerating about the 98% figure. See the explanation above.
 
Think about all the different in-ear models designed and produced. How many of those models are wholly developed in the US, by US citizens? If you want to quibble about numbers...
 
The second post you responded to was referring specifically to custom-molded in-ear models and their respective companies. So, yes, it does make sense.
 

---

 
This is stupid. You guys are clearly not interested in others' opinions and were fishing for an answer from the beginning. I'm out.

 

[FullCircle]

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At least with Westone, Shure and Etymotic (which comprise a huge segment of the consumer IEM market)  100% of their designs are done in the USA.

 
      I think only someone very deep in the inside could make such a statement.  In today's world, designs are often done in conjunction with supliers located all over the world via cyber space.

 

[Spyro]

tomscy2000 - You are reading WAAAY to much into this and almost taking it as an attack or a slight on my part.
 
Not at all the intention.  Just a general observation and making conversation for a thread.  I was obviously way wrong.  Asians make just as many warm, bassy IEM's as American designers...but that is not even really relevant because none of it is designed here anyway, etc.   blah, blah, blah....   Let's forget I started the thread.
 
MODERATORS:  PLEASE CLOSE THIS THREAD.  It is useless.  My bad.