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A Modest Proposal


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If I change doctors, lawyers, accountants, etc., I can instruct the old provider to send its files regarding the work done for me to the new provider.

 

If I want to buy a set of custom IEMs from, say, Noble, and Ultimate Ears has a set of impressions that are dead solid perfect, why shouldn't I be able to instruct UE to send them to Noble?

Office: MacBook Pro - Audirvana Plus - Resonessence Concero - Cavailli Liquid Carbon - Sennheiser HD 800.

Travel/Portable: iPhone 7 or iPad Pro - AudioQuest Dragonfly Red - Audeze SINE or Noble Savant

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If I change doctors, lawyers, accountants, etc., I can instruct the old provider to send its files regarding the work done for me to the new provider.

 

If I want to buy a set of custom IEMs from, say, Noble, and Ultimate Ears has a set of impressions that are dead solid perfect, why shouldn't I be able to instruct UE to send them to Noble?

 

A nice idea, but: Are the layouts/descriptions of the impressions standardized in the industry? IOW, can Noble make use of the files if IE sends them?

One never knows, do one? - Fats Waller

The fairest thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true science. - Einstein

Computer, Audirvana -> optical Ethernet to Fitlet3 -> Fibbr Alpha Optical USB -> iFi NEO iDSD DAC -> Apollon Audio 1ET400A Mini (Purifi based) -> Vandersteen 3A Signature.

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When you get custom fit IEMs the fitter makes an impression of your ear. I have no idea if this gets used directly to make a master, so that the IEM plug is cast from this, or if (and this would be a fairly recent process) a 3d scan is made and the part is printed from a file. If the former, there is nothing to send except the master patterns that are physical objects. If the latter, the file formats used (either STL or STP are most common) can be easily converted by anyone using modern software. However, the file may integrate the exterior shape (your ear impression) with the internal needs of their proprietary parts, so having that file would possibly mean a bit of CAD work to reuse it.

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If I change doctors, lawyers, accountants, etc., I can instruct the old provider to send its files regarding the work done for me to the new provider. If I want to buy a set of custom IEMs from, say, Noble, and Ultimate Ears has a set of impressions that are dead solid perfect, why shouldn't I be able to instruct UE to send them to Noble?

 

I've never had a doctor or dentist send a complete set of anything to another doctor or dentist, and I've had some of the best doctors and dentists in California and elsewhere. I've kept my own files and photos for decades now, and if I were getting custom IEMs, I'd make sure to have whatever it takes to replicate the thing at another service. Be sure to ask at the time the thing is created though, otherwise it could get "lost" later on.

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The way to find out would be to ask UE if they could make you another identical set, if they can then they have all the materials needed. However, I would bet they would not be able to do it unless they have been at the forefront of 3d printing for sometime now.

 

I don't know how audiologists work, but I am a dentist and there is some overlap in the use of materials. One issue that can come up is that the impression can only be used one time for ultimate accuracy. Sometimes the lab procedure to make the appliance/device/whatever may require consumption of the initial impression/record (again, I have no idea if this is the case of audiology.) Also, the new impression materials are very stable but they do distort over time and aren't useful beyond a specified duration. If you wanted to try to replicate something perfectly it would likely require you to submit whatever you have that fits perfectly. Even with this it still may not be quite perfect replication. With traditional techniques there is no totally simple way to push a button and say "replicate." With newer techniques which are still in early generations of implementation and not widespread (3D printing) that may become possible, but these are not standard procedures yet in custom biomedical appliance manufacture.

 

Edit: To put it in audio terms, a lot of dental/audiology/prosthetic devices are fabricated in "analog" style. The master tapes might deteriorate (quite rapidly) or be consumed/compromised when they are used to make the next step in the manufacture process meaning you can't just use them again and again. Newer digital technologies like CAD/CAM (which has been around in dentistry for sometime now) and 3D printing (quite new and still not quite ready for primetime) will mean you have digital master you can keep forever (but that doesn't mean your body won't change over the years!)

Roon ->UltraRendu + CI Audio 7v LPS-> Kii Control -> Kii Three

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