Canalphone maintenance?

[feddup]

This is my first post. These are excellent forums. Finding massive amounts of information about what I thought was an obscure topic is what the internet is about. Head-Fi is a stellar example. You guys are passionate! Anyway on to my question. After reading here and elsewhere I purchased the Shure E4s and now have a new "most prized possesion". I work in a machine shop that's extremely noisy and filthy. What sort of maintenance procedures do you use to care for your headphones. I'll be wearing them forty hours a week until they die. At head-fi's recommendations I tried the foamies and find them vastly superior to the other inserts. Since my hands are often oily and filthy I'm nutty about not touching the E4s until washing fanatically. My past Sony 71something (junk) headphones all fell apart because of wire degradation. Does anyone use anything to clean or condition the wires? How about extending the life of the foamies? I definitely use the case that came with the E4s but that won't help when it's on my head. Thanks for any tips and thanks to Head-fi for inspiring me to chance the purchase. It's the best investment I've ever made. In the midst of chaos I can achieve peaceful nirvana thanks to the isolation and musical accuracy of the E4s. I'd just like to protect my investment. I doubt many people are going 8 hours straight with canal phones day after day but I'm never going back.

[-Paolo-]

If tri-flanges are comfortable I'd use them, but since you're in a shop you could try to make your own foamies.Example

Or if you want to go the custom mold route, that would last you longer. I'm not sure how well they isolate, but I speculate very well since it's a custom mold to your ear so it blocks more of your ear's surface area towards the canal.

[jSatch]

The silicon flange tips are easiest to insert and remove, if you need that option at work. They will also last the longest.

Foamies, for me anyway, sound better than the flanges with my Ety clone, the Altec iM716. Here I much prefer the urethane tips to the PVC tips. FYI- PVC is dense and open cell, that is, rather spongy looking. The urethane is smoother and squishier. The urethanes, again for me, isolate better, giving much better bass. They also last longer than the PVCs.

If you care to roll your own, and it is really cheap and simple, check out the link -Paolo- gave in his post. Besides the cost advantage, where you won’t care if you ruin a pair or two in the shop, you can see which flavor suites your own personal ear canal the best. My current favs for my elephant sized canals are the Red-Hot (literally) Howard Leight Maxs. I hope to post on these soon. Too busy lovin' em at the moment.

[feddup]

I've tried all the tips that came with the e4s and I also ordered the Westone Comply tips and nothing even comes close to the foamies. I've been reading the "make your own" thread and a DIY attempt is inevitable. I thought the foamies would be my last choice. The other tip options look "higher tech" but the results speak for themselves. With the foamies I'm totally free of the screaming machines and my co-workers drivel. I'll still be watching for more tip alternatives in the head-fi forums. The E4s provide an experience I thought wasn't possible from portable audio. Comfort become more of a non-issue every day. They just take getting used to. It would still be nice to achieve more comfort and still maintain the foamie level isolation. Nothing's perfect! YET!

[jSatch]

Originally Posted by feddup

I've been reading the "make your own" thread and a DIY attempt is inevitable.

Please keep us posted on your experience and results.

Originally Posted by feddup

Comfort become more of a non-issue every day. They just take getting used to. It would still be nice to achieve more comfort and still maintain the foamie level isolation. Nothing's perfect! YET!

The nice part of the DIY project is that you may find an earplug that is more comfortable than those commercially available. There certainly are many more options than the phone manufacturers are capable of offering.

Besides, it’s good fun. It is, after all, a hobby.

Good luck!

[timmins]

when cleaning foam tips (I had etymotic ER-6Is) don't use a harsh soap and handle them gently when they are soaked, they may separate from the plactic tip that they are attached to if you are too rough. I used mine in welding shop and believe me If you don't stick to that rigorous hand washing routine, they will get dirty very quickly (you ear wax acts as an adhesive to every particle of dist and dirt) And you don't want to be putting bacteria dirt and bacteria covered eartips in your ear.

Hope this helps

[LaBreaHead]

Congratulations on getting right down to business and moving from the Sony's (which I actually like, for what they are, but I don't expose them to day-to-day wear and tear) to the Shure E4's (which I would like to have -- I'm pretty happy with my Etymotics ER-6's and Shure E3's at present, though). I've read many times that Head-Fiers should do something like that, since the upgrade is coming, anyway.

I agree with you about the foamies -- I didn't think I'd like them, but I prefer them over all the others. I would botch any job in which I tried to make my own, though.

I hope you get excellent use out of your prized possession.

[AlienPyro]

Just get custom molds. They should at least rival the foamies in sound and isolation. As for comfort and convenience, comfies are (according to review) far and away the better inserts. They fit perfectly to your ear (if done correctly) and are easier to use than the foamies (most eartips are).

The caveat here is their price and the fuss in getting them made. Then again, DIY could take a similar amount of resources and return something less polished...

Westone and Sensaphonics do custom molds for Shures, I believe. Check out their websites.

[creyc]

...as for the wires.

From what I have seen and heard of the Shure's wires, their main fault is not build quality but perhaps material choice. The rubber on the cables has the tendency to dry out and crack apart.

I'm wondering if being in a oily environment might actually prevent dry-out. Granted, the dirt and grime might just offset that in the long run, I don't know. One thing is for certain, a black cable would be best.

[BushGuy]

Yes, it's either custom molds or foamies for you. EarphoneSolutions.com carries an aftermarket brand that will fit those Shures and cost less than Shures. The best answer is the custom molds that will cost aprox. $150, which could end up being cheaper than maintaining a constant supply of foamies. Obviously all you can do about the cable is keeping as much as possible between a T shirt and outside shirt. Though I've never tried it - possibly a regular wipe-down of the cable with ArmorAll may help.

[jSatch]

Originally Posted by LaBreaHead

I agree with you about the foamies -- I didn't think I'd like them, but I prefer them over all the others. I would botch any job in which I tried to make my own, though.

No, it's nearly impossible to botch the DIY foamies. It's really very easy to make these things. The trick is just to freeze the earplug so it’s solid when you drill it. Then just put it over the old stock tube from the worn out foamies. That’s really about it.

Originally Posted by BushGuy

The best answer is the custom molds that will cost aprox. $150, which could end up being cheaper than maintaining a constant supply of foamies.

It seems to be pretty common consensus hereabouts that custom molds are alway$ better. But then again, I just bought 10 pairs of Howard Leight Max earplugs for 99 cents on eBay that I’ll convert to foamies. So, let’s see, I wonder what can I do with the $149 dollars I just saved? Hmmm......

Just trying to hold onto my wallet guys!



BTW- the DIY (urethane) foamies blow the socks off the stock (PVC) foamies, at least for me and my grande ears.

[p0wderh0und23]

Westone and Sensaphonics do custom molds for Shures, I believe. Check out their websites.

Yes we do. The E1-E5 series.

[feddup]

So what's the lifespan of the custom molds? At the price of a custom mold it seems mainenance would be paramount! I considered armorall or clear guard for the cables but wondered if it might result in softening and thus vulnerability and damage. You'de think the manufacturers might recommend some maintenance procedures. Working in a filthy oily environment I've become a compulsive hand washer. I've also discovered that itches do go away if you ignore them. I won't touch the E4s with dirty hands. I'm watching close on the DIY foamies but it seems like getting the perfect tubing is critical. I'm going to measure the tips of the E4s with micrometers tomorrow to see what their diameter actually is. I don't want to damage the E4s and I'd also prefer not digging foamies out of my ear with a scratch awl! Everything we're talking about is delicate! Two years ago I owned a cassette walkman and regular crappy headphones. If you had told me that I'd be owning my second DAP and a nearly as expensive set of IEMs I'd have asked what language you're speaking, what are you smoking and can you get me some. I'm hooked on the IEMs! there's no going back!

[jSatch]

Originally Posted by feddup

I considered armorall or clear guard for the cables but wondered if it might result in softening and thus vulnerability and damage.

I think the problem with the wire coating was primarily due to the formulation by Sony. Take a look at Amazon.com. Lots of complaints by people with this problem.

Yes, I'd be careful with cleaners, etc. Anything with an inorganic solvent may tend to dry out the rubber and cause it to age faster.

Like I said, Sony has a big problem with their wires degenerating, sometimes within months. I doubt Shure would ever allow such a problem to persist, and if it did happen, they would likely offer repair or replacement.

They have an excellent rep. In this case, you get what you pay for.