[unicron]

     Hi, I am new to the forums and also new to buying quality IEMs. I had a pair of Klipsch Custom 3s that I purchased a few weeks ago that recently got stolen. While the cord design was one of the worst I have ever seen I did enjoy the way they sounded. (Being that this was my first decent pair of IEMs I am not sure how they compare to other phones, most anything I could have purchased as an upgrade to my Zune earbuds probably wouldve sounded amazing to me at this point) So after just shelling out money a few weeks ago on phones I did not want to shell out much more cash and hesitantly bought the Superfi 4s at a great price.
   
     Problem is that none of the included ear tips fit my ears very well and they are one of the most uncomfortable pair of phones I have ever used. ( I have pretty small ear canals with my left being smaller than my right which makes for a nightmare fitting phones) I was all set to buy some Comply tips but read somewhere on here (cant find the posting again) that they muddy the bass with these pretty badly. As for the sound quality of the phones they sound absolutely horrible to me, I realize this is because I am probably not getting a really good seal but no amount of pressing or adjusting (even with the best fitting included tips) helps the sound at all, the highs are piercing, the mids seem awfully recessed and the bass woeful. I know I am going from a dual driver with my last set to a single now but should the sound quality have dropped off this much? What tips (if any) bring these to life and offer decent comfort? I dont mind modding something if thats the only answer. If this has been asked before I apologize, I did search for an answer on here but could not find what I was looking for.
 
    Thanks for the help!

 

[aconteceu]

All the included silicone tips didn't work for me either. I found great relief with Sony Hybrids or Soundmagic Foam tips (from PL50). Comply tips were much better than stock still. I also used Shure E2C orange foam and the sound was good for me, though not very isolating.

 

[unicron]

   Thanks for the info aconteceu, guess I will have to do some experimenting. Did the new tips improve the sound of the phones dramatically? With the way mine sound now the only way I am keeping them is if the answer to that is yes. If you had to rank those that you mentioned according to sound quality vs comfort how would they pan out? 

 

[aconteceu]

I really like SF4 for everything but microphinics when worn straight down (but that is also tip dependent). They are resolving, well balanced, have sparkly treble and nice bass for me. The bass is better than on my RE0. The mids are not the best ever, SF5 does them better, but still they are decent on SF4. Not forward, but not as recessed as my M6. SF4 also have huge soundstage, I can almost hear the room acoustics of the recordings with these. They are very comfortable, noise isolating and very efficient to drive, they sometimes take just one point on the volume scale, making the battery last longer. I like SF4 better than ADDIEM, Eterna, Meelec M6, and probably place them rather equal to RE0, though this is just my opinion, as they are different sounding phones. PL50 would win for the mids, but SF4 has fuller sound overall.

 

[unicron]

   Sounds like they will be worth experimenting with then. I was getting worried as it seems like these phones get alot of hate from the various sites/forums/reviews I have been checking out for tip recommendations. Do you have any listening time with the NuForce NE-6s? If I dont have any success with my fit/seal issues with the SF4s I was thinking of going with those. Thanks again for your time and advice  aconteceau.  Oh, one other thing... I just ordered a cheap amp (Fiio E5) for them as well, how much of a difference will adding this amp really make? (just using these as everyday phones with my Zune , had a Cowon player that sounded so much better but that got stolen along with my old phones and $450 in textbooks, quite a haul for the person that snagged my pack)

 

[mark2410]

ooh if your adding the E5 id say grab and impedance adapter too.  not only will that remove any hiss issues as with may single driver IEM's the sf4 clean up with a bit more impedance in the mix.
 
oh and thieves should be stocked and pilloried as was the way in days gone past, teach the buggers to not do so again

 

[unicron]

   Very good to know Mark, I had read about the hiss issues with adding the amp. I just borrowed a friends Fiio and checked it out with my set-up and did not notice any discernible hiss although this could be due to me not getting a good seal with the tips I have now and am just not hearing it. I guess once the new tips get here I will know for sure. I know nothing about impedance adapters, anything you recommend for a broke student on a strict budget? Is this something I can cobble together myself at the local Radio Shack? 

 

[aconteceu]

My guess is that the dynamic driver NE-6s won't completely satisfy after Custom 3s. Nuforce is bassier, but also less detailed and the highs are somewhat rolled off. I don't quite understand the hate of SF4, but then all the included silicone tips were really microphonic and very uncomfortable for me. SF4 is so efficient that it is hard to imagine what an amp alone would do, but an impedance adapter with an amp combo sounds like a good idea.

 

[unicron]

          Hi again Aconteceu, the main reason I primarily bought the amp was due to my worries after reading all of the reviews saying how bass shy these were. Alot of various forums were saying that the Fiio added a nice noticeable punch to the bass without making it overly sloppy. For $20 bucks I figured it would not be much of an investment regardless of whether it helped or not. I am by no means a basshead but the negativity surrounding the bass on these phones had me a bit worried and I probably got a bit spoiled with the 3s. Thanks for the info on the Nuforces, I will keep all of that in mind. 

 

[mark2410]

Quote:

   Very good to know Mark, I had read about the hiss issues with adding the amp. I just borrowed a friends Fiio and checked it out with my set-up and did not notice any discernible hiss although this could be due to me not getting a good seal with the tips I have now and am just not hearing it. I guess once the new tips get here I will know for sure. I know nothing about impedance adapters, anything you recommend for a broke student on a strict budget? Is this something I can cobble together myself at the local Radio Shack? 

http://shop.ebay.co.uk/?_from=R40&_trksid=p3907.m570.l1313&_nkw=etymotic+adapter&_sacat=See-All-Categories
 
im sure you could make one but for the bother i wouldnt unless doing so is your thing. 

 

[unicron]

Quote:

http://shop.ebay.co.uk/?_from=R40&_trksid=p3907.m570.l1313&_nkw=etymotic+adapter&_sacat=See-All-Categories
 
im sure you could make one but for the bother i wouldnt unless doing so is your thing. 
 
 
   Thanks Mark, exactly what I was looking for. 

 

[unicron]

   Just went out and picked up a set of Complys and the results are very encouraging. (could not wait for the mail ordered set) Got some of the e2c foams coming also so I will compare once they arrive. I am getting just the slightest hint of hiss using the Fiio but not so bad that I need to rush out for the adapter. I will still pick one up for optimum listening in due time. Thanks for the help guys, glad I held on to these instead of just selling them right away as I had planned after my initial disappointment. (always tend to jump the gun as I am a very impatient person) 

 

[aconteceu]

Yeah, Comply's are so much better than the stock silicone, they bring out the bass and the mids, but they do roll off highs just a bit. Fortunately SF4 has enough sparkle to endure the effect on the highs without changing the overall balance much. E2C orange foam tips gave me the most impressive airy sound. The downfall is that they are not as comfortable as the Comply's and that they don't isolate much (but probably are more durable). I remember a thread in the past where some other people really liked E2C tips with SF4 best.

 

[unicron]

 Well, the e2c foams arrived today and everything you said about the sound quality improving was spot on aconteceu....I am very happy with the sound after messing around with the new tips but the problem is that neither of the foams, (small or medium) complys or the e2cs (medium) stay put in my ears for longer than 10 minutes without having to be pushed back in to create a seal. I think the design/barrel of these phones just wont work with my ear shape. By the time I keep shelling out cash for different size tips I probably could have moved up a price point and just got some phones that were more fit friendly. I just do not have the loot to keep experimenting with these. When you got your set did they include the double flange tips? (mine did not) That would be a last resort as I found them very cheap but do not know if they will be as bad as the rest of the silicone tips. Hate to say it but I think these are going up for sale. If you know anyone that wants this pair for $50 bucks (including shipping) with an unopened set of Medium Comply tips let me know. (would also take a comparable trade). Thanks again for all of your help.

 

[lebomb]

I listen to a lot of bass heavy music, hip-hop and R&B........much of this music has boomy bass period.  The superfi 4s just could not reproduce the sound that I wanted.  I listened to them for several days.........got a good seal, but I still didnt get that bass.  They are very, very clear sounding.........with great highs/mids.  That is what I really loved about them.