Triple.fi users: do you like the silicone tips, but want better isolation? - Head-Fi: Covering Headphones, Earphones and Portable Audio

GN85 · #1 (**permalink**) 08-09-2008, 07:40 AM

Try this. It gives me a better seal, and of course, better noise isolation.

It's a used T500 foamie with the plastic part removed, and cut to the right size to fit inside the silicone tip. I also tried this with the olives, which isolate better, but are too hard and rather uncomfortable.

lewislink · #2 (**permalink**) 08-09-2008, 08:00 AM

I finally modded a couple olives to use with the UEs. I took the cores of a couple OEM foams and glued them into the olives backward where the flat side of the olive goes in first and they do a wonderful job of isolating and staying put as well as being comfy.

You have an excellent idea there, by the way.

Elluzion · #3 (**permalink**) 08-09-2008, 08:02 AM

yes i am looking for better isolation!!!!

lewislink · #4 (**permalink**) 08-09-2008, 08:17 AM

I used your mod and applied it to a set of large UE OEM silicone sleeves but used a couple OEM foams instead of the Complys. They are doing an excellent job of staying in my ears on the HD RE2s I have them on. I took a 2 inch piece of heatshrink large enough to go over the sleeve's center part, slid the foam onto the heatshrink and then squeezed the foam and put it into the sleeve, pulling the heatshrink out once the foam was fully inserted.

Thanks for the great idea.

idiotekniQues · #5 (**permalink**) 08-09-2008, 09:18 AM

this is sweet.

i took the core out of a pair of comply t500's and shoved em into a set of small UE silicones.

very quick first impressions are positive. ill give this a shot for a day or two and know for sure.

but definitely seems like a great idea! thanks!

isao2k8 · #6 (**permalink**) 08-09-2008, 10:00 AM

Interesting. I'll try this out.

lewislink · #7 (**permalink**) 08-09-2008, 11:28 AM

Guaranteed, a few companies that produce foams will employ your idea in the production of their own sleeves. This is something that should have already been done because it's such a great idea. It was just never thought of, probably, and now that the idea has been given the light of day, the many versions of your idea will follow.

Fortunately you have public record of your idea right here on Head Fi.

nsx_23 · #8 (**permalink**) 08-09-2008, 12:09 PM

I wish I had some spare tips to try this out right now

steviebee · #9 (**permalink**) 08-09-2008, 01:04 PM

Very neat mod, GN85! Also solves the yellowing gunk problem with grey Complys. Respect.

I remember a similar idea coming up a couple of years ago for another IEM (darned if I can remember which) & NavyBlue's Ety tri-flange mod a few months ago. If I can get hold of some T500 I'll give it a go.

Or, recore a T400 (have a bag of those lying around somewhere) - that may work.

Thx for the impetus!

ClieOS · #10 (**permalink**) 08-09-2008, 01:28 PM

I know Heady had done a similar mod on his IEM, but it was posted on Jaben's forum instead of here. Here is the link to Heady's site.

lewislink · #11 (**permalink**) 08-09-2008, 02:12 PM

Since I had some large olives, I decided to stuff one into a large OEM UE silicone.

Works about the same, only the shape of the olive causes it to fill the silicone more completely.

lewislink · #12 (**permalink**) 08-09-2008, 02:48 PM

channum · #13 (**permalink**) 08-09-2008, 02:56 PM

Heh, this is a great post. I'd been trying to figure how to do something analogous with my SA6 biflange: my right ear canal is pretty much exactly in the middle of the medium and large. As a result, large is a bit too stuffed and forces itself out of position, medium, once my ears get a bit greasy later on in the day, keeps losing the seal just a wee bit and I have to re-adjust it more often.

For some reason, the used Comply from my now gone UE products did not occur to me as the perfect solution, but it seems like they were. I just had to chop one tip in half, keeping the tube material in place. The foam ring fits loosely around the base of the SA6 driver and, so far, appears to do exactly what I wanted

The medium biflange sleeve is now fitting perfectly, the foam is just that little bit of support to maintain the seal without needing to resort to the stuffedness of the large tip.

musicmaker · #14 (**permalink**) 08-09-2008, 08:37 PM

What a great & simple mod ! I tried this with a couple of foamies and silicon tips. The isolation is great and it has taken the triples to another level in sound.

channum · #15 (**permalink**) 08-09-2008, 09:17 PM

If anyone is losing sleep wondering how SA6 looks modded:

Such a simple idea I'm kicking myself in the butt for not thinking of it. I've wondered if I could cut foam to fit or stuff batting into the end to do this, meanwhile, everything I needed to do it perfectly in less than a minute was sitting a foot from my keyboard.