CIEM Fit Advice Needed

At this point in my JH Audio Adventures, I’m sure CEE TEE is tired of me blowing up his phone, so I come here seeking advice...

I’ve been the owner of a Jerry Harvey JH13 since January 2011. When I got my IEM in 2011, the fit on both ears were perfect. In January of 2013 (I think), I had the left ear refit, which was perfect. The JH13 was not my first endeavor into CIEMs and I’d never had issues with CIEM fits before. In April of 2016, I had the left ear refit again. This has not gone well and down the rabbit hole we go…

The fit on my left ear had become troublesome early this year but I dealt with it. Then I cracked the shell of my left ear when it fell off the cable in a Starbucks this April! I decided to get the left ear refit at this point during the repair. I had my impressions done personally by Christine Russo-Mayer in Purchase, NY, who is on JH Audio’s recommended list of audiologists. Christine has done impressions for me for other CIEMs, too, with no issues. Following my service with JH Audio in April, I have yet to get my fit on the left ear correct after eight refits. Here’s how my journey’s gone:

1. Full reshell with new impression: Canal is too tight.
2. Still too tight in the canal.
3. Still too tight in the canal.
4. Still too tight in the canal, plus some other weird BS. This IEM doesn't even look my ear anymore.
5. Full reshell again with new impression from Christine: Still too tight in the canal, too much prominence in the crus of Helix.
6. Still too tight in the canal, still too much crus of helix prominence!
7. Still too tight in the canal, still too much crus of helix prominence!
8. Still too tight in the canal. Some crus of helix issues, but I could live with it.

I just got my IEMs back from refit number eight and they’re still not right. Way too tight in the left canal. The IEM actually rubs my canal raw and feels as if I’m wearing a universal with the next size too large of a tip. I’ve been marking the IEMs up with marker in the troublesome ares over the past few fits, too.

Do you guys have any suggestions on what I should do to get the fit right?

PS. I fully recommend Christine of CRM Audiology in Purchase NY if you’re in the Area. She charges $50 for both ears and is great to work with.

Edit: I probably should have just stuck this in the All Purpose Advice thread.

 

@k4rstar I have not been paying JH audio to fix this mess. I paid them them to repair my shell damage in April. The rest has been done by JH for free. I get decent shipping rates on UPS, and two day air costs me about $10 - $13. Overall, my costs have been: initial repair/ service/ refit ~$250. Shipping all together on my end: about $80. Not fun, for sure, but they have seemed receptive to my feedback despite their ability to get it right.

I'll look into Mike at Perfect Seal. Thanks!

 

I had a nice talk with JH on the phone earlier this week about my fit. Right now, it's occasionally bearable, but not ideal. Sometimes I can go a couple of hours and be okay, sometimes I want to rip the left IEM out my ear after about 15 to 30 minutes. The fit is very close but not quite there. I'm giving JH one more chance. Pat from JH gave me their current turn around time, and we agreed that I can keep them until past the first of the year. At that point, I'll ship them back and they'll expedite the turn around.

...if that doesn't work, I'll explore third parties. While some headphones, such as the HD600 in my opinion, hold their own after many years of release, the JH13 feels dated. They feel as if they're still great, but have seen their heyday. Though it's part of my profession to describe sensory evaluations on the taste and aroma side, I feel as if I fall short on describing sound (probably do to lack of experience). From this shortcoming, I feel as if the JH13 simply lacks cohesion across the spectrum when placed next to the best IEMs of today and yesterday. From this, I'll be at CanJam in NYC this February to explore possible successors for the JH13.

 

There are three versions of the JH13: the JH13 Pro, JH13 Pro freqphase, and the JH13v2 Pro. Mine is the original pre-freqphase JH13 Pro. I've listened to mine next to the freqphase version and the differences are more than subtle. The freqphase seems like it has a more cohesive signature across the spectrum and the imaging is better. I've yet to listen to the V2.

 

The JH13 is not a cheap piece of hardware, and fit is the one thing that can ruin the whole CIEM experience. It's not something one can "man the f**k up" on.