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Ultimate Ears Custom Earplugs?
#295538 03/08/10 03:45 PM
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So I was thinking about getting a set of the Ultimate Ears Custom Earplugs. They supposedly reduce all sound frequencies by the same amount to maintain a flat response.

They cost about $170, plus you have to get an ear mold from an audiologist (have not got a quote on that yet).

Does anyone have any experience with these? IF they work as good as they claim I wouldn't mind forking over the cash.

I have buckets of industrial earplugs from my work but they don't do a good job of evenly reducing sound across all frequencies. They are great for construction environments but not so great with concerts, bars and other events with loud live music.
Anyone have some input?

link to UE website here:
http://www.ultimateears.com/_ultimateears/products/custom/custom_ear_plugs.php


-David
Re: Ultimate Ears Custom Earplugs?
terzaghi #295542 03/08/10 04:24 PM
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As an update it costs $25 per ear for the impressions.

Has anyone tried these before? (or used the monitor versions for musicians?)


-David
Re: Ultimate Ears Custom Earplugs?
terzaghi #295548 03/08/10 05:41 PM
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First off, I don't have a custom set. I do have a few over the ears (Shure 840, Grado HF2, Beyer DT770) and a pair of UE 5EB's. However, I did consider a pair of custom molds for a time.

For $170, I'd guess that'd be for the UE5. I wouldn't go custom w/o at least the UE10. Mold fitting can cost $25 to $50, depends on where you live.

First you need to decide on your goal. Are you going for total isolation or sound quality? If it's only isolation, I suppose any custom will do. If you want sound quality, choose the headphones first.

There are companies like Fisher Hearing or Unique Melody that will take your mold and make your existing IEMs into customs. Starts from about $80. Or go full custom like UE. Other vendors are:

Livewire
Westone
JH (Jerry Harvey who started UE IIRC before it was sold to Logitech)
Hearyourself.com

Go check the IEM section at headfi. Lots of threads on customs.

I decided to give up on customs, unless I sucked it up w/ the JH13's which are over $1K. I want the sound more than anything. I may end up w/ some IE8 or Shure530 or UE10, if I can justify the cost in my head. I'm losing that battle though...

Re: Ultimate Ears Custom Earplugs?
oldskoolboarder #295561 03/08/10 06:39 PM
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I'm just looking at the custom fit ear plugs for noise reduction at loud events with live music (no headphones, monitors, ect.). I've tried various industrial ear plugs that really just flatten the sound (they seem to kill the high end the most).

If someone can suggest an earplug that is not custom fit but still designed to reduce the db of all frequencies equally to preserve sound quality of live music I'd be open to suggestions.

Now that you mention it though, I would like to have a nice in ear earphone for use with my computer or iphone for daily music listening while at work. I am currently only using the earphones that came with the iphone and they suck...



-David
Re: Ultimate Ears Custom Earplugs?
terzaghi #295567 03/08/10 07:26 PM
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Ah, OK, that's a different thing and WAY cheaper than what I meant...

Interesting question.

Re: Ultimate Ears Custom Earplugs?
oldskoolboarder #295573 03/08/10 08:32 PM
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D
buff
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A couple of months back someone mentioned Etymotic earplugs. I was intrigued but have not tried them yet.

Previous thread on distortion

-Dave


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