(crosspost from
http://www4.head-fi.org/forums/showp...7&postcount=11
I have written about how the E500 with standard tips (or silicone/clear versions too) sound splashy in the lower treble.
Trying the other tips, only the triflange fixed this, but it tipped the tonal balance down so much I needed the treble boost EQ in the iPod.
Now, I've tried modifying the triflange (I bought the three-pair pack for $9 from Amazon). First, I tried cutting off the last flange and its stem. This was good, but the upper treble was now emphasised too much and a bit forward in imaging (sign of a resonance).
Next, I cut off just the flange, leaving a bit more tip sticking out. Now the treble emphasis is so high in frequency that it doesn't bother me much. Adds a bit of top end sparkle.
I think removing the last flange changes the aim of the exit of the tube, allowing it to aim more at my eardrums, hence no more treble rolloff. I had found that the tips of the triflange would contact skin and be blocked as I worked them into my canals, a sure sign that the tips were at an angle. Without the flange, the tips seem to aim true.
So, don't give up and keep trying those tips....