[headdict]

depending on the tips, I find that most shure and westone products have a very ok isolation. but I don't know if there are any products that can give the isolation of the er4+triflange in non custom.

SE425 with stock tri-flange works very well for me, isolation-wise. Both isolation and comfort are ety grade. However, I use them with star tips, because isolation is still ok, but comfort is much better.

 

[GN-0015]

SE425 with stock tri-flange works very well for me, isolation-wise. Both isolation and comfort are ety grade. However, I use them with star tips, because isolation is still ok, but comfort is much better.

How do they sound with the star tips? I'm planning to get some of those after I replace my ER4P cable.

 

[headdict]

  How do they sound with the star tips? I'm planning to get some of those after I replace my ER4P cable.

I sometimes tried them with the HF5, but didn't see how these would be any better than the tri-flange tips. Try for yourself, your ear canals may be different.
They work quite well for me with the Shure (orange = largest size) and BA200 (smaller sizes for deeper insertion).

 

[imackler]

Star tips, ftw! 
 
Its honestly been so long since I've listened to an etymotic product without them, I couldn't comment on the changes... but they're awesome. 

 

[sphones19]

I did a bit more research, and from what I could find, properly amped people have a good experience with the ER4S iems for busier classical music. They're on sale at headphone.com, which is also offering a discount for head-fi-ers. I was able to pick them up for a good price. They ERPTs were sold out. In a way, I'm not so sorry about that. I'm quite happy with my HF5s for use with my iPod. They're a lot cheaper to replace if I damage or lose them while travelling.

At any rate, I'm looking forward to the new earphones. They'll be joining a discounted refurbished Oppo PM-2 for circumaurals. I've been enjoying reading this thread. I'll offer a little report if I think that I have anything useful to add.

 

[VeXun]

I purchased the Westone tips and they are comfortable and worked good on my ba-200's but on my hf5's and er4s nothing sounds as good as the stock tri flang and stock gliders tips but both aren't comfortable at all.. Quite the conundrum being as I use them for hours a day in discomfort but ignore it due to amazing sound.

 

[uzi2]

I purchased the Westone tips and they are comfortable and worked good on my ba-200's but on my hf5's and er4s nothing sounds as good as the stock tri flang and stock gliders tips but both aren't comfortable at all.. Quite the conundrum being as I use them for hours a day in discomfort but ignore it due to amazing sound.

There is an issue with fit with the triflanges and I wish Ety would produce a medium for the many who find the small too small and the large too large. I find the gliders to be very comfortable. The problem with those is longevity, it can work out quite expensive to run.
 
One thing to try with the small triflange is to cut off the small tip and put that on before the remaining biflange. This will push the larger flages deeper into your ear, effectively producing a medium biflange.

 

[VeXun]

You know what that's a great idea. I tried that with the large ones but not the small. Thank you. I'll post back my results.

 

[Antihawk]

Received the Zero Audio Carbon Tenores today after I saw all the hype and comparison to the ER4S, yet for a fraction of the price.
 
Been listening to them for four hours non-stop. Safe to say I think the hype is justified. 
 
The Carbon Tenores have the sub-bass that the un-EQ'd ER4S lacks. It also seems to have more treble extension. I'm not sure it has quite the level of analytical detail of the ER4S. That's something I'd have to decide after many more hours of listening.
 
I have to say at the moment that I'm actually enjoying the sound more than the ER4S, mainly because the sub-bass is there and it still doesn't intrude on the mids relative to the ER4S. 
 
I'm well aware of the potential cable issues people have had after a while. I'd imagine I'll run into such issues, given that I won't be treating these IEMs like a delicate flower, since they're not worth that much. Still, I hope I can get some good hours out of them before any issues kick in. 
 
Echoing luidiscent's praises (everyone should watch his YouTube video on it by the way), this is either my first or second favourite IEM right now. Either way, I'd recommend anyone who's a fan of the Ety sound to get a pair of these. They're pretty cheap, so can be used as on-the-go IEMs if you're not okay with taking your ER4S out and about. And who knows: you may find yourself enjoying them even more than the ER4S -- before they break, that is.

 

[uzi2]

Please correct me if I'm wrong, because I haven't heard these Zero Audio Carbon, but being a dynamic driver, it is going to require to be vented. There will be no comparison to the Etys in terms of isolation. Personally, I don't see the point of IEMs unless they can do a good job of shutting out the ouside world.
 
 
Has anyone tried Spinfit tips with their Etys?
I can't see that they would enhance isolation for the Ety as they would for shallower nozzles, but the comfort factor might be there.

 

[GN-0015]

  Please correct me if I'm wrong, because I haven't heard these Zero Audio Carbon, but being a dynamic driver, it is going to require to be vented. There will be no comparison to the Etys in terms of isolation. Personally, I don't see the point of IEMs unless they can do a good job of shutting out the ouside world.
 
 
Has anyone tried Spinfit tips with their Etys?
I can't see that they would enhance isolation for the Ety as they would for shallower nozzles, but the comfort factor might be there.

I don't think Spinfit tips can fit on Ety's small nozzles. Unless if they have new tips for small nozzle IEMs, which I don't think they have.

 

[Antihawk]

  Please correct me if I'm wrong, because I haven't heard these Zero Audio Carbon, but being a dynamic driver, it is going to require to be vented. There will be no comparison to the Etys in terms of isolation. Personally, I don't see the point of IEMs unless they can do a good job of shutting out the ouside world.

You'd be right. The isolation is about average, but can get pretty decent if you get a deep fit, which I managed to do. I found that provided the best bass response for me. 
 
The isolation for me isn't so much an issue. Given that these are cheap and easier to put in that the Etys, I'm going to use them out-and-about, in which case I'd need to be able to hear cars and such. I don't fancy getting run over. I'd of course save the ER4S for plane journeys where isolation is key.
 
I just like these because they're cheaper and a lot less hassle.

 

[Antihawk]

So I would emphasise they by no means replace the ER4S. It's just that they both have their separate utilities.

 

[HiFiChris]

Please correct me if I'm wrong, because I haven't heard these Zero Audio Carbon, but being a dynamic driver, it is going to require to be vented. There will be no comparison to the Etys in terms of isolation. Personally, I don't see the point of IEMs unless they can do a good job of shutting out the ouside world.


Has anyone tried Spinfit tips with their Etys?
I can't see that they would enhance isolation for the Ety as they would for shallower nozzles, but the comfort factor might be there.

IEMs with dynamic driver don't necessarily need to have a vent in the housing, though many have, which mainly expands the sounstage. Some IEMs with dynamic drivers like the UE200 or Shure SE215 have got completely closed shells with out any vent and therefore a good isolation.
Though the Carbo Tenore is vented, to me its isolation is above average but below closed IEMs. In my ears, soundstage is rather on the small side.
An interesting thing I have noticed about the Carbo Tenore is that their tonality varies with insertion depth from a v-shaped sound (with a good amount of sub bass that doesn't affect upper bass, ground tone or mids wherefore the lows remind me somehow of the SE846 which sounds kind of similar in the lower regions) at regular insertion, to a darkish sound signature with recessed highs, warm mids and more emphasised ground tone when inserted deeply.
Though it may offer a good value for its price, in my honest opinion it can't really compete against the ER-4S which is on another level in terms of resolution, soundstage and instrument separation, what you will especially notice when playing more complex music with many instruments/sounds and fast attack in the bass. But that's just my perception.

 

[uzi2]

  I don't think Spinfit tips can fit on Ety's small nozzles. Unless if they have new tips for small nozzle IEMs, which I don't think they have.

If you read the link I provided, you will see that there are two models and Etymotic is quoted as being compatible with one of them.