Hi All , 

I'm  planning to buy an IEM and my budget is 150 $. I read alot good reviews  abt the sound that custom-3 produce.

But at the same time , i also heard abt the cable problems. . 

I can see B&H is selling custom - 3 for around 150,I live in India and i asked one of my frnd to get from US  . 

My question is 

Is the warranty void in India if i get from US? Wat should i do  if the cable has some kinking problem ?? 

Or should i stick with the current popular  one from Klipsch Image S4 

As i don't have a chance to try them , Please tell me , Is it worth to spend 70 $ more and go for a custom 3 ???

I will be using this with my Samsung P3 , I hear boh lossless and compressioned audio.

Thanks in Advance..

Harsha

Hi Harsha & welcome.

I own the C-3's and have heard some of the others although today, I do not remember which others I heard.

I use mine weekly when I'm on the tractor cutting fields, I have it on when I'm working on my backhoe, I travelled with it for 3 weeks when I went to Europe/Turkey, use it at the Dr's office, use them just about any (and every) time I'm going to have my over ear hearing protection on.

I've snagged the cable on my shirt or on a lever on the tractor.  I now tuck the cable inside my shirt for safety if nothing else.  The fact that this helps guard it from being snagged/kinked is only a bonus.

do I have little 'kinks' in my cable?  yes, I'll admit I do.  The cable however, has stood up to 2 years of this type of use and is working fine.  I'll point out that I try to be quite dilligent with it BUT, I do take it into a working arena and do not treat it with velvet gloves like some people might.

I'm not saying it will take rough use...maybe I'm just careful enough (and lucky?) that thus far, I've not experienced any real 'kinking problem'. 

I'll say this too....  I like like the sound of mine enough that knowing that someday, I MIGHT rip my unit to pieces (or run over it with the mower ) I went ahead and bought a second Custom-3 as a backup so I'd be able to be up & running immediately while I figured out how to deal with the first one.

So far, my backup unit is sitting in a drawer, in its Klipsch sealed box, feeling unloved and unwanted!!  My first pair is still toughing through what I give it.

Not to say others might have a different experience, just that mine has thus far, been a very good one with the Custom 3's.

Added:  Another comment....  I'd suggest that regardless of which one you get, you will love the sound.  Only if you get them both and try side by side, will you really know your answer.

I've had no problems with Custom 2 cables having gotten the Custom 2 when they first came out but pretty much pampered listening while sitting at desk at work though occasionally get tugged and yanked on.  I've also used while repainting soccer fields.  Also used by youngest daughter on long road trips.  

Got some Image X10 in December and no problems though recently noticed the strain reliefs are starting to crack a small amount.  But everything works great.  These have been used while mowing under over the ear hearing protectors. 

I've heard both the Custom 3 and Image S4 about the same time though only for a couple of minutes with each.  Soundwise the Custom 3 are much better with significantly better highs but I think the bass of the Image S4 holds it's own pretty well but I'm sure it's not as accurate as the Custom 3. 

I think I read somewhere in the Headphone section the the S4 was designed with compressed music files in mind so it may be a bit more forgiving but also not as revealing. 

Best sound, go for the Custom 3.  Keeping the cost down or if no warranty in India you can almost get 2 S4's for the same cost.  The S4's will be easier to use.  It takes most people quite a while to learn how to use the Custom models correctly and correctly is probably a bit different for everyone.

There are many posts on use, select options on main Headphones page and set to shoe all posts as defaults and seems to get reset to only show must recent 2 months.

Personally I prefer the Image X5 but don't think you can go wrong with any of the Klipsch In Ear Monitors.

To quote Professor Thump:  "Stick It In Your Ear!"