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Debate IE6-IE8: Isolate or Open IEMs? Yes or no?

post #1 of 8
12/14/08 at 12:57pm
Thread Starter 
Very simple question.

Do the IE6-IE8 IEMs isolate extremely well as advertised or are they open IEMs?

In your experience, with the stock tips, how much background noise can you hear with little to no volume?
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post #2 of 8
12/14/08 at 2:55pm
Had the ie8's and they didn't isolate well at all.
I used every single tip in the box and still no better.
Complys,ue foam nothing.
I have absolutely no idea where they get the 26db isolation from.
So to answer the question no they do not isolate as stated and with them in you can hear everything.
It was the claim of up to 26db that convinced me to get them.
The perfect sounding earphone but it's a complete con with the isolation.
Throw in the fact that the design is poor it's a waste of money and i will never buy that manufacturer again.
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post #3 of 8
12/14/08 at 4:03pm
I don't think there is such a thing as 'open IEM's'. But as Beyer said, they don't isolate very well. For me it's nowhere as bad as for him, I get a certain level of isolation with medium double flanges - nothing spectacular but bearable, decent. Before I got them I was using UE sf5pro, exactly like him if I'm not mistaken, and I can clearly hear the difference in isolation, sf5pro were more or less noiseproof. But what I can also hear is a difference in sound. IE8 sound beautiful, the more I listen to them the more I like them. They have very very rich, full mids and a nice deep bass - and a plenty of it
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post #4 of 8
12/14/08 at 4:41pm
Everyone's ears are shaped differently. Just because they didn't work for one person doesn't mean it won't work well with others. This applies not only for isolation but for fit and such.

Once I get my IE8 in the mail, I'll comment on fit and isolation for my ears.
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post #5 of 8
12/14/08 at 5:12pm
I use IE8 since about 40 days. To me isolation from outside noise is not as good as with my SE530 but also not bad. I would say it's mediocre and finally the isolation level is suitably for my needs. I always take SE530 with me but so far I never had to switch from IE8 to SE530 because of too much outside noise. Maybe that's because I do not use public transport.
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post #6 of 8
12/14/08 at 6:49pm
I just went to borrow back my old cx300 I gave away to my housemate. I tried to compare all the tips that give me a good fit (the sound is not tinny, there's all the bass there should be etc..), altogether 3 pairs (large foams, standard medium tips and medium double flanges), on both IE8 and cx300. cx300 and IE8 have almost identical nozzle so the same tips fit both. Long story short - I don't see much difference between isolation of cx300 and IE8. cx300 might be marginally bettter, but really, the difference is very small. I think it's because cx300 has a round driver housing that protects the back of the tips, where on IE8 there's just a tip on the nozzle and not much behind it. I like the sound of IE8 so I'm keeping them for now, the only option I need to elaborate is SE530. But I'm definitely not buying them unless I have a chance to try them on and hear them. I have already had one disappoitment with tf10 recently (decent sound, dreadfull fit).
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post #7 of 8
12/14/08 at 7:41pm
My ie8s isolate just fine when listening to my music, had someone behind me knocking on my thin bedroom door and shouting my name from 2 feet away and never heard a thing. I can hear plenty of outside noise when no music is playing but i bought them to listen to music not use as earplugs. Only comparison i can make is to the SoundMagic PL30 and i would say the IE8s isolate alot more for me and the fit is miles better.
How people are saying they have no isolation is a mystery to me, mine isolate perfectly well for me. Ive never used another high end pair so cant compare.
No idea about the 6 or 7
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post #8 of 8
12/14/08 at 11:05pm
If you put Comply foam tips on the IE8, they'll isolate the same as a Triple.Fi 10. They'll even feel like the TF10 in your ears, except without the extra pressure of the TF10 housing bulge pressing against your ears. With stock IE8 tips, the isolation is much worse.
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