J. Dan Posted October 17, 2009 Share Posted October 17, 2009 I recently started having problems with my IEM's (one side cutting out). I'm using what was originally the Shure E3, now SCL3, and I really like them, but I'm on my 3rd pair in 3-1/2 years (probably almost 400 shows). It's always the same, one side or the other will start crackling. They do not have replacable wires like the M-Audio or Ultimate Ears. I tried M-Audio in a pinch because GC didn't have the SCL3's in stock and I had a gig - I hated them and ended up using my SCL3's with one crackling. Well I had all these with bad chords, so I figured I'd splice some new chords on them and give em a try. The first ones I did, one side was still cutting out, and by wiggling it, it seemed the cord was bad right where it goes into the molded part going into the IEM. So I tried another one, I wore them around home for quite a while listening to an MP3 player with no issues. Got out on stage tonight, and immediately one side cutting out. So I concluded my jack on the beltpack must be bad. Anyway, I plan on buying a new beltpack and try to fix the jack on the other one for a backup. I also want to buy some more SCL3's. But looking online, on Shure's personal earphone (commercial version), I see an SE210 that looks like it has identical specs to the SCL3, but with REMOVABLE cords. So if I had a cord failure, I could replace it. Hell, I could keep a spare in case. Has anybody tried these and/or compared to the pro versions? Dan Acoustic/Electric stringed instruments ranging from 4 to 230 strings, hammered, picked, fingered, slapped, and plucked. Analog and Digital Electronic instruments, reeds, and throat/mouth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J. Dan Posted October 17, 2009 Author Share Posted October 17, 2009 Actually, looking a bit closer, what they are calling a Modular Detachable cable isn't quite what I thought it was. It has a permanent 18" cable, with a bunch of extentions and accesories that you can plug into (like volume, push to talk, extension, 1/4" end, etc.). I suppose as long as it's not the 18" permanently connected section of the cable that fails, you could still replace it. Dan Acoustic/Electric stringed instruments ranging from 4 to 230 strings, hammered, picked, fingered, slapped, and plucked. Analog and Digital Electronic instruments, reeds, and throat/mouth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillWelcome Home Studios Posted October 17, 2009 Share Posted October 17, 2009 The best connections are no connections. Barring that, then as few as possible. If you keep having the same problem of destroying the same part int he same place, then there is a solution. Like the old joke, "Doc, it hurts when I do this!" and the doctor replies "Don't DO that!" . Look at the ergonomics. Somehow, someway, you are putting inordinate stress on the product at a given place. Something needs to move, or a stress loop needs to be left, or whatever... surely you can figure out what is causing the problem and alleviate it? "I believe that entertainment can aspire to be art, and can become art, but if you set out to make art you're an idiot." Steve Martin Show business: we're all here because we're not all there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kanker. Posted October 17, 2009 Share Posted October 17, 2009 Alternatively, it's an 80's band. Wear some big ass headphones. A ROMpler is just a polyphonic turntable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J. Dan Posted October 17, 2009 Author Share Posted October 17, 2009 The best connections are no connections. Barring that, then as few as possible. If you keep having the same problem of destroying the same part int he same place, then there is a solution. Like the old joke, "Doc, it hurts when I do this!" and the doctor replies "Don't DO that!" . Look at the ergonomics. Somehow, someway, you are putting inordinate stress on the product at a given place. Something needs to move, or a stress loop needs to be left, or whatever... surely you can figure out what is causing the problem and alleviate it? Well, one failed right at the 1/8" plug, another one failed up at the ear piece, not sure on the third. So I don't know that it's at the same place. My original idea was to make my own cords and solder directly to the elements in the ears and reinforce the parts that bend with heat shrink tubing, etc. But unfortunately, if you try to solder on the elements themselves, the little miniscule wires that go into them come off and their ruined. So the only way to do it is to splice, which means you're stuck with at least some section of thin chinsy wire. They do take a lot of wear and tear. You figure average about 100 shows apiece I guess isn't too horrible of a life. I definitely verified the bad jack on the belt pack though. I was hoping it might be a bad solder joint (broken away from the board or something). But I opened it up last night and the solder joints are good - meaning it's probably the jack itself. And it's one of those enclosed low-profile PC mount jacks. So it'll be hard to find an exact replacement with the same pin spacing, etc. I'm going to order a new belt pack. Luckily we're off next weekend which will give me some time. Dan Acoustic/Electric stringed instruments ranging from 4 to 230 strings, hammered, picked, fingered, slapped, and plucked. Analog and Digital Electronic instruments, reeds, and throat/mouth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillWelcome Home Studios Posted October 17, 2009 Share Posted October 17, 2009 "I definitely verified the bad jack on the belt pack though. I was hoping it might be a bad solder joint (broken away from the board or something). But I opened it up last night and the solder joints are good - meaning it's probably the jack itself. " While you were in there, did you re-heat the solder joints? Just a suggestion. "I believe that entertainment can aspire to be art, and can become art, but if you set out to make art you're an idiot." Steve Martin Show business: we're all here because we're not all there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J. Dan Posted October 17, 2009 Author Share Posted October 17, 2009 No, it's pretty tight - a lot of surface mount components, etc. I want to get a spare before I mess with it. If I lost it altogether I'd be screwed for tonight. Dan Acoustic/Electric stringed instruments ranging from 4 to 230 strings, hammered, picked, fingered, slapped, and plucked. Analog and Digital Electronic instruments, reeds, and throat/mouth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J. Dan Posted October 18, 2009 Author Share Posted October 18, 2009 Kinda weird... The SCL3's I had fixed worked fine with MP3 players, but crackled out whenever plugged into my belt pack (so I figured the belt pack jack). But the M-Audio E130's that I hate, work fine with it - no crack. The plugs are quite a bit different - straight and skinny as opposed to fat and right angle. I'm wondering if it's more a function of plugging in properly. So anyway, in a pinch, tonight I used the E130's. I hate them because 1) they are all bass and sizzle, no mid, so you can't hear anything on stage - singing sounds like when you stick your fingers in your ears and sing, and 2) I have small ear canals and they just don't fit - if I cram them in hard enough to actually stay and somewhat seal, it hurts. So I dealt with the size issue, but I brought a Boss Guitar EQ pedal that I had at home and ran it inline to the transmitter. I managed to EQ it well enough to have a decent sound. Of course when you have to EQ heavily, it still meant that occasionally a sound would jump out if it happen to hit a frequency that was boosted or whatever - it's only 7 band. But I made it through the night OK. Still going to buy a new beltpack and maybe a couple SCL-3's, then I'll mess with maybe trying to clean the jack on the old one and see if I can get it to be a reliable spare with the SCL-3's. I'd like to sell the E130's. Dan Acoustic/Electric stringed instruments ranging from 4 to 230 strings, hammered, picked, fingered, slapped, and plucked. Analog and Digital Electronic instruments, reeds, and throat/mouth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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