[plakat]

It took me some time since I don't frequent head-fi as often as I did on the past, but at last...
I did hear the N5005 at our last meet in Vienna. The cable (I only used the single-ended one) is really nice, especially that it comes without memory wire but is elastic in the part going over the ear. It looks nice, the connectors seem to be solid. The N5005 themselves look like being made out of high quality materials and feel good. Interesting that there's so much discussion around ear tips with this one, I had the feeling of a good seal with the standard tips in medium size.

Soundwise I'm split on these. To me they exhibit a rather strong V-shaped tuning, with (quite) strong bass and treble, but making voices feel rather bodyless. Treble was not aggressive or unclean though, and the full bass was fun. I would not necessarily consider this a tuning in step with its asking price, but I can understand that one can like it. I'll have another opportunity to listen to them in the near future and maybe I can try them out in the setting I'd see as the most interesting for the N5005: on the go, in the underground etc.

While I did not directly compare them, to me the K3003 still is the more balanced option. Nevertheless, since they were developed by completely different teams, coming back to a comparable level in sound quality is no small feat. And as I've heard Samsung invests real money to get AKG products back into the top -- which kind of surprised me, but in a positive way. Lets see what they accomplish...

I only tried the reference filters btw, source was either an AK380SS or an AK SP1000. I did not try the Bluetooth cable, which, to me, is a really interesting accessory to have in the standard package.

 

[bbfoto]

It took me some time since I don't frequent head-fi as often as I did on the past, but at last...
I did hear the N5005 at our last meet in Vienna. The cable (I only used the single-ended one) is really nice, especially that it comes without memory wire but is elastic in the part going over the ear. It looks nice, the connectors seem to be solid. The N5005 themselves look like being made out of high quality materials and feel good. Interesting that there's so much discussion around ear tips with this one, I had the feeling of a good seal with the standard tips in medium size.

Soundwise I'm split on these. To me they exhibit a rather strong V-shaped tuning, with (quite) strong bass and treble, but making voices feel rather bodyless. Treble was not aggressive or unclean though, and the full bass was fun. I would not necessarily consider this a tuning in step with its asking price, but I can understand that one can like it. I'll have another opportunity to listen to them in the near future and maybe I can try them out in the setting I'd see as the most interesting for the N5005: on the go, in the underground etc.

While I did not directly compare them, to me the K3003 still is the more balanced option. Nevertheless, since they were developed by completely different teams, coming back to a comparable level in sound quality is no small feat. And as I've heard Samsung invests real money to get AKG products back into the top -- which kind of surprised me, but in a positive way. Lets see what they accomplish...

I only tried the reference filters btw, source was either an AK380SS or an AK SP1000. I did not try the Bluetooth cable, which, to me, is a really interesting accessory to have in the standard package.

Comfort, Fit, & Seal with the included ear tips is one thing, but none of them gave me a satisfactory/pleasing frequency response, soundstage, or tonal balance. They didn't sound any better than standard Apple earbuds to me while using any of the included ear tips. BUT, the N5005 were COMPLETELY Transformed when I tried the Sony Medium White Silicone ear tips...

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001RB24V4/

Unfortunately, these particular ear tips aren't as comfortable as I'd like them to be, but they do provide truly reference sound IMO. The only thing that was just slightly lacking (for my preferences) was that I'd like a very slight increase in the extreme upper treble "air" frequencies. All of my listening was done using the Reference Filters so I may try the high-end boost filters.

If you have a chance to listen to the N5005 again, I would highly recommend that you try different ear tips that have a smaller opening at the tip compared to the included ear tips...about a 1/16" or 1.6mm diameter has worked best for me, and maybe just slightly larger...

The MEE clear silicone medium double-flange replacement tips gave me the best seal, fit, and comfort overall, but the frequency response and especially the soundstage couldn't quite match the Sony ear tips.

The Comply foam tips also provided a great seal and equal comfort, but sounded way inferior to the Sony tips. With the Sony ear tips, I was able to hear the micro-details and soundstage that I'm used to when listening using my Neumann KH 120 studio monitors and Sonarworks calibrated Beyerdynamic T1 headphones. That's impressive.

The N5005 with the Sony ear tips we're extremely revealing and pleasant to listen to for long hours without any of the frequency ranges being offensive, exaggerated, or fatiguing.

I think that it's really unfortunate that AKG did not supply a better range of ear tips with the N5005, because I'm sure that A LOT of people are going to be very unimpressed with these IEMs and will return them.

For whatever reason, these IEMs are extremely sensitive to the choice of ear tips, and I promise you that if you find the right one you will be greatly rewarded.

 

[plakat]

(...)

For whatever reason, these IEMs are extremely sensitive to the choice of ear tips, and I promise you that if you find the right one you will be greatly rewarded.

I'm absolutely sure that the signature can be changed significantly by changing the tips. Nevertheless I only use the default tips (in adequate size of course to get a good, comfortable seal) because I see them as an integral part of the voicing... if that does not fit my taste, I'll move on. I don't use EQ either, with similar reasoning: I'm interested in the developers take on sound signature. I can understand people tweaking a headphone or InEar to their liking, but I have to admit that I lack time and inclination to do so...

Normally I don't like foam tips, so on the Vega I switched to the (included) silicone tips. Unfortunately treble got quite harsh, making the default foam tips the better choice. That was my last excursion so to say

 

[bbfoto]

I'm absolutely sure that the signature can be changed significantly by changing the tips. Nevertheless I only use the default tips (in adequate size of course to get a good, comfortable seal) because I see them as an integral part of the voicing... if that does not fit my taste, I'll move on. I don't use EQ either, with similar reasoning: I'm interested in the developers take on sound signature. I can understand people tweaking a headphone or InEar to their liking, but I have to admit that I lack time and inclination to do so...

Normally I don't like foam tips, so on the Vega I switched to the (included) silicone tips. Unfortunately treble got quite harsh, making the default foam tips the better choice. That was my last excursion so to say

I could see your logic if applied to using or buying a particular loudspeaker set and perhaps Custom-Molded IEMs, but certainly not to Universal IEMs. For "tuning" purposes, the designers/creaters of the different IEMs in all likelyhood do not have the same physical inner ear canal as you do, irregardless of his/her personal preferences in tonal balance. And each ear tip changes the internal volume or size of your sealed ear canal, so that also changes the FR, just like a changing the internal volume or port length/diameter of a loudspeaker enclosure.

So that's at least one reason that different ear tips matter so much when using Universal IEMs. You absolutely cannot expect the included ear tips to provide the exact sound signature or FR that the designer intended you to hear. It's impossible.

All I can say is that your "lack of time or inclination to do so" will ultimately be your great loss in experiencing some fantastic IEMs. I'd imagine that you've spent infinitely more "time and inclination" to make your 2,698 posts here on Head-Fi. :shruggs:

I'm a musician and part-time home studio recording enthusiast. "Tweaking" the sound is essential in achieving a desirable, balanced outcome. And that does not always include using active or passive EQ, etc. It may be as simple as moving the microphone to a better position which provides a better "naturally EQ'd" response at the point of capture, while at the same time maintaining good phase coherence. ...Just an example of nothing being perfect or even usable unless you spend at least a bit of time and energy to "make it better".

If you're simply that lazy and not willing to take at least a little bit of time to experiment and fine tune, then you can expect to only experience mediocrity, and be comfortable with that, or spend even more wasted time and money chasing "that perfect IEM". Seems @ss backwards to me.

With the included ear tips, the AKG N5005's went from mediocre at best, to nearly perfect and "reference class" by using the aftermarket/replacement Sony silicone tips. For me, trying the Sony ear tips was a small, but very worthwhile investment in time and money for that result.

 

[jude]

I could see your logic if applied to using or buying a particular loudspeaker set and perhaps Custom-Molded IEMs, but certainly not to Universal IEMs. For "tuning" purposes, the designers/creaters of the different IEMs in all likelyhood do not have the same physical inner ear canal as you do, irregardless of his/her personal preferences in tonal balance. And each ear tip changes the internal volume or size of your sealed ear canal, so that also changes the FR, just like a changing the internal volume or port length/diameter of a loudspeaker enclosure.

So that's at least one reason that different ear tips matter so much when using Universal IEMs. You absolutely cannot expect the included ear tips to provide the exact sound signature or FR that the designer intended you to hear. It's impossible.

All I can say is that your "lack of time or inclination to do so" will ultimately be your great loss in experiencing some fantastic IEMs. I'd imagine that you've spent infinitely more "time and inclination" to make your 2,698 posts here on Head-Fi. :shruggs:

I'm a musician and part-time home studio recording enthusiast. "Tweaking" the sound is essential in achieving a desirable, balanced outcome. And that does not always include using active or passive EQ, etc. It may be as simple as moving the microphone to a better position which provides a better "naturally EQ'd" response at the point of capture, while at the same time maintaining good phase coherence. ...Just an example of nothing being perfect or even usable unless you spend at least a bit of time and energy to "make it better".

If you're simply that lazy and not willing to take at least a little bit of time to experiment and fine tune, then you can expect to only experience mediocrity, and be comfortable with that, or spend even more wasted time and money chasing "that perfect IEM". Seems @ss backwards to me.

With the included ear tips, the AKG N5005's went from mediocre at best, to nearly perfect and "reference class" by using the aftermarket/replacement Sony silicone tips. For me, trying the Sony ear tips was a small, but very worthwhile investment in time and money for that result.

Easy, tiger. I can understand where he's coming from. Finding the right tips for the N5005 has been a bit of a hunt, and if the tips that come with it don't work, I can understand why one might not pursue it any further.

It took me some time since I don't frequent head-fi as often as I did on the past, but at last...
I did hear the N5005 at our last meet in Vienna. The cable (I only used the single-ended one) is really nice, especially that it comes without memory wire but is elastic in the part going over the ear. It looks nice, the connectors seem to be solid. The N5005 themselves look like being made out of high quality materials and feel good. Interesting that there's so much discussion around ear tips with this one, I had the feeling of a good seal with the standard tips in medium size.

Soundwise I'm split on these. To me they exhibit a rather strong V-shaped tuning, with (quite) strong bass and treble, but making voices feel rather bodyless. Treble was not aggressive or unclean though, and the full bass was fun. I would not necessarily consider this a tuning in step with its asking price, but I can understand that one can like it. I'll have another opportunity to listen to them in the near future and maybe I can try them out in the setting I'd see as the most interesting for the N5005: on the go, in the underground etc.

While I did not directly compare them, to me the K3003 still is the more balanced option. Nevertheless, since they were developed by completely different teams, coming back to a comparable level in sound quality is no small feat. And as I've heard Samsung invests real money to get AKG products back into the top -- which kind of surprised me, but in a positive way. Lets see what they accomplish...

I only tried the reference filters btw, source was either an AK380SS or an AK SP1000. I did not try the Bluetooth cable, which, to me, is a really interesting accessory to have in the standard package.

The AKG N5005 is (for my tastes) outstanding -- but it's definitely tip-picky. None of the eartips that came with it work well for me, not in terms of fit or sound. I had better luck with the SpinFit TwinBlade CP240 than any of the included tips. I still felt like there was more to squeeze out of it, though, and Sean Olive suggested I try the Comply TX500, so I did. It worked. Very well. This is the best fit and sound I've yet coaxed out of the N5005.

Like you, I'm not a big fan of foam eartips, in terms of the routine of rolling/squeezing them, and then inserting them and waiting for them to expand. That said, I've had to learn to get used to it. Some of the best earphones I've heard (like the KSE1500, the 64 Audio Tia Fourte, and others) seem at their best with foam eartips.

If you look at Harman's target curve for IEMs, it's not surprising that the bass has some emphasis for most, but it's personally right up my alley. As for a V-shape frequency response, I'm not getting the treble emphasis, so I wouldn't describe it that way.

I'll keep experimenting with different tips (and yet understand why you wouldn't want to do that yourself). If you get a chance, though, do try the N5005 with the Comply TX500 tips. Just make sure to pull them all the way down the nozzle so you don't get the squeezed-shut tips.

 

[plakat]

So that's at least one reason that different ear tips matter so much when using Universal IEMs. You absolutely cannot expect the included ear tips to provide the exact sound signature or FR that the designer intended you to hear. It's impossible.

All I can say is that your "lack of time or inclination to do so" will ultimately be your great loss in experiencing some fantastic IEMs. I'd imagine that you've spent infinitely more "time and inclination" to make your 2,698 posts here on Head-Fi. :shruggs:

I'm a musician and part-time home studio recording enthusiast. "Tweaking" the sound is essential in achieving a desirable, balanced outcome. And that does not always include using active or passive EQ, etc. It may be as simple as moving the microphone to a better position which provides a better "naturally EQ'd" response at the point of capture, while at the same time maintaining good phase coherence. ...Just an example of nothing being perfect or even usable unless you spend at least a bit of time and energy to "make it better".

If you're simply that lazy and not willing to take at least a little bit of time to experiment and fine tune, then you can expect to only experience mediocrity, and be comfortable with that, or spend even more wasted time and money chasing "that perfect IEM". Seems @ss backwards to me.

With the included ear tips, the AKG N5005's went from mediocre at best, to nearly perfect and "reference class" by using the aftermarket/replacement Sony silicone tips. For me, trying the Sony ear tips was a small, but very worthwhile investment in time and money for that result.

Yes, I did spend a lot of time here, especially since I try to add some value when posting, i.e. describing my experiences or answering questions. Many of my views stem from my time as a live sound engineer, so we have some common ground. Which is to say that I spent even more (actually *much* more) time tweaking PA systems, microphones, monitors, large and small consoles, digital and analog. There my intention was different: get the best sound with the given equipment (which sometimes was not selected by me) and in the venue we were at (which was obviously not selected by me).

I share your view that especially in-ears won't sound the same on different persons. Nevertheless none of these were developed by a single person, but a team. So they came to a conclusion regarding what it sounds like, and which tips to include (which is unfortunately sometimes driven by commercial interests, not engineering). I'm not on a hunt for the perfect IEM: I share Jude's preference, enjoying the KSE1500, but would like to have a set for easy use on the go (therefore my mentioning of the included Bluetooth cable). So my interests are maybe different from yours, and my willingness to invest much time depends on these targets of course.

And as noted: it's interesting that tip rolling is so much of a theme with the N5005. If the consensus is that none of the included tips work well, I really question Harmans decisions. And that's my point: outside of an enthusiast community people won't start switching tips I think.

Easy, tiger. I can understand where he's coming from. Finding the right tips for the N5005 has been a bit of a hunt, and if the tips that come with it don't work, I can understand why one might not pursue it any further.

The AKG N5005 is (for my tastes) outstanding -- but it's definitely tip-picky. None of the eartips that came with it work well for me, not in terms of fit or sound. I had better luck with the SpinFit TwinBlade CP240 than any of the included tips. I still felt like there was more to squeeze out of it, though, and Sean Olive suggested I try the Comply TX500, so I did. It worked. Very well. This is the best fit and sound I've yet coaxed out of the N5005.

Like you, I'm not a big fan of foam eartips, in terms of the routine of rolling/squeezing them, and then inserting them and waiting for them to expand. That said, I've had to learn to get used to it. Some of the best earphones I've heard (like the KSE1500, the 64 Audio Tia Fourte, and others) seem at their best with foam eartips.

If you look at Harman's target curve for IEMs, it's not surprising that the bass has some emphasis for most, but it's personally right up my alley. As for a V-shape frequency response, I'm not getting the treble emphasis, so I wouldn't describe it that way.

I'll keep experimenting with different tips (and yet understand why you wouldn't want to do that yourself). If you get a chance, though, do try the N5005 with the Comply TX500 tips. Just make sure to pull them all the way down the nozzle so you don't get the squeezed-shut tips.

Yes, foam tips are a bit of a hassle. I came to respect them for their isolation with the SE846 and never used anything else with my KSE1500. Which is the best in-ear I've heard so far.

I will have another opportunity to listen to the N5005 and will try to get my hands on the TX500 tips. It's interesting that Sean Olive suggests these tips, but they are not included with the package (which is not short on accessories in any way).

To me a Bass boost is welcome as well, I listen primarily to addierend kinds of electronic music where a slight emphasis down low is normally welcome (as long as it leaves the rest of the spectrum intact of course, but the Harman target curve takes that into account).

 

[james444]

BUT, the N5005 were COMPLETELY Transformed when I tried the Sony Medium White Silicone ear tips...

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001RB24V4/

Unfortunately, these particular ear tips aren't as comfortable as I'd like them to be, but they do provide truly reference sound IMO. The only thing that was just slightly lacking (for my preferences) was that I'd like a very slight increase in the extreme upper treble "air" frequencies.

Normally I don't like foam tips, so on the Vega I switched to the (included) silicone tips. Unfortunately treble got quite harsh, making the default foam tips the better choice.

With the included ear tips, the AKG N5005's went from mediocre at best, to nearly perfect and "reference class" by using the aftermarket/replacement Sony silicone tips. For me, trying the Sony ear tips was a small, but very worthwhile investment in time and money for that result.

I had better luck with the SpinFit TwinBlade CP240 than any of the included tips. I still felt like there was more to squeeze out of it, though, and Sean Olive suggested I try the Comply TX500, so I did. It worked. Very well. This is the best fit and sound I've yet coaxed out of the N5005.

Being in the IEM hobby for a long time has learned me a few rules of thumb. One of them being, the sooner the discussion starts revolving around tip choice, the higher the chance that the IEMs in question are quite treble happy.

One thing these recommended tips for the N5005 have in common is that they dissipate high frequency energy, either due to their material (in case of foam), or due to their design. The SpinFits' inner bore represents a slight reverse horn, and if you stretch narrow-bore Sony silicone tips onto the N5005's wider nozzle, you create an even stronger reverse horn. The latter is the reason why the Sonys tend to kill the "air" (extreme high frequencies), because a reverse horn doesn't just cut down on treble amplitude, it also cuts down on treble extension.

Personally, I believe the N5005 are about as treble happy as the K3003, but a shallow seal with stock tips didn't work as well for me as with the K3003. Unfortunately, due to their housing design and angled short-ish nozzle, it's almost impossible to achieve a comfy deep seal either (which might push treble peaks to higher frequencies), so I think it's definitely the best option to use tips that cut down on treble energy a bit, one way or the other...

 

[McCol]

The Comply 500 are the tips that I’ve settled with for the N5005, not because of the treble though more because of the fit. It’s the tip I find I get the best seal with and the right earphone doesn’t slip out, I’ve got a troublesome right ear with some earphones in regards to fit!

 

[plakat]

Being in the IEM hobby for a long time has learned me a few rules of thumb. One of them being, the sooner the discussion starts revolving around tip choice, the higher the chance that the IEMs in question are quite treble happy.

One thing these recommended tips for the N5005 have in common is that they dissipate high frequency energy, either due to their material (in case of foam), or due to their design. The SpinFits' inner bore represents a slight reverse horn, and if you stretch narrow-bore Sony silicone tips onto the N5005's wider nozzle, you create an even stronger reverse horn. The latter is the reason why the Sonys tend to kill the "air" (extreme high frequencies), because a reverse horn doesn't just cut down on treble amplitude, it also cuts down on treble extension.

Personally, I believe the N5005 are about as treble happy as the K3003, but a shallow seal with stock tips didn't work as well for me as with the K3003. Unfortunately, due to their housing design and angled short-ish nozzle, it's almost impossible to achieve a comfy deep seal either (which might push treble peaks to higher frequencies), so I think it's definitely the best option to use tips that cut down on treble energy a bit, one way or the other...

Thats an interesting observation, but it sounds convincing since treble response is affected most by the choice of tip I guess.

My general skepticism regarding foam tips is the attenuation of the treble region, and I suspect some models more prone to this than others. Over time I came to like the Shure foam tips however, and I use them with the Shure in-ears I own (SE215, SE846, KSE1500). I've never used them on other in-ears though, despite their good isolation and comfort.

Yes, the K3003 works well without deep insertion. The N5005 has a different shape and weight distribution, so that might be more difficult. I did not try them while on the move, but the K3003 at least had some tendency to fall out while walking. Currently they are one of those pairs I use while working at a cafe, in that situation its not much of a problem. I'd use the N5005 for walking around, though... so the Comply tips might be worth trying.

The N5005 is actually one model I wanted to check out before committing to a CIEM... the new UE Live is the one I'm eyeing, also offering a Bluetooth option.

 

[ericp10]

Interesting discussion, because I can't barely think of one earphone I've owned (okay, maybe one of the high-end Sony iems and that first Shure triple BA) where the tips that came with it produced the best sound. And as you can see from my signature, I have or owned a lot of them (many not listed....but never can compete with the guru Jude lol).

None of those stock tips worked for me and the N5005. And If I had of stopped there, I would have thought that the N5005 wasn't worth its price. But I didn't stop and found a few tips that work well for me (including the UE900 and the JVC Spiral Dots). None of these tips make the earphone sound v-shaped to my ears. But the silicone tips are almost hybrid-like with some foam in them, so the highs are tamed for my ears. I find tip-rolling (and burn-in ... which I know is a whole different can of worms to open up here) highly necessary in determining if an earphone is right for you or not. On the other hand, sometimes it easy not to like a product right away, especially if one is shaky about the price from the beginning. It probably also helps me that like different sound signatures instead of being bonded to just one.

 

[plakat]

Just for the record: I would never dispute the fact, that tips change the sound. Just like pads I see them as part of the tuning. So much so, that I have the feeling one can spend significant time trying out tips. People have spent much time optimizing the Fostex TR50P, sometimes with amazing results. I'm just not one of them... actually I've never owned a tube amp to spare me the troubles of tube rolling But with a hint to a readily available tip like the TX500 I'm going to try that out. Why not?

Overall I still think the N5005 is an interesting product with a very nice and complete package. Still my main question is, why does Harman not include a tip that more people can agree upon to show the real potential of their new flagship IEM? But maybe are the ear canal shape just too wide spread and the option of including enough tips just not realistic...

As @ericp10 says, if someone is shaky about the price -- not finding a suitable tip included will result in them returning the product. Which is normally not what the manufacturer intends.

 

[Dobrescu George]

Easy, tiger. I can understand where he's coming from. Finding the right tips for the N5005 has been a bit of a hunt, and if the tips that come with it don't work, I can understand why one might not pursue it any further.

The AKG N5005 is (for my tastes) outstanding -- but it's definitely tip-picky. None of the eartips that came with it work well for me, not in terms of fit or sound. I had better luck with the SpinFit TwinBlade CP240 than any of the included tips. I still felt like there was more to squeeze out of it, though, and Sean Olive suggested I try the Comply TX500, so I did. It worked. Very well. This is the best fit and sound I've yet coaxed out of the N5005.

Like you, I'm not a big fan of foam eartips, in terms of the routine of rolling/squeezing them, and then inserting them and waiting for them to expand. That said, I've had to learn to get used to it. Some of the best earphones I've heard (like the KSE1500, the 64 Audio Tia Fourte, and others) seem at their best with foam eartips.

If you look at Harman's target curve for IEMs, it's not surprising that the bass has some emphasis for most, but it's personally right up my alley. As for a V-shape frequency response, I'm not getting the treble emphasis, so I wouldn't describe it that way.

I'll keep experimenting with different tips (and yet understand why you wouldn't want to do that yourself). If you get a chance, though, do try the N5005 with the Comply TX500 tips. Just make sure to pull them all the way down the nozzle so you don't get the squeezed-shut tips.

I actually recommend spinfit over anything else as well, especially above foam tips

 

[hon9033]

New to the game but I find the t500s inserted the wrong way round best so far..

 

[Signal2Noise]

...

Picked up two packs of Comply tips from... My LOCAL BEST BUY??? I had no idea they were sold locally in Canada!

They are the new Comply Audio Pro and Sport Pro "Smartcore" one-size-fits-all core... not planning on trying them for a while as the above solution work great but will let you all know how they work out, when I do.



[edit] I tried the new Comply smartcore - they are AWESOME!!! The core is flexible rubber and stretches easily over the IEM nozzle BUT they can also be removed easily without damaging the foam, by pushing it out from the core on the IEM side. The core is much thicker than before, but also much more flexible

[edit2] I hate to say it but like others in this thread, I've come to the conclusion that Comply tips are the best for the AKG N5005 - I'm loving the "Audio Pro SmartCore" model

Based on this post I ordered a set of the Comply Audio Pro tips to try out for myself which arrived today. I could only find them in medium size which normally, for other tips, fit well for my ear canals. However with these the right ear doesn't fit or seal as well as the left. I would need to try a small (if they do exist?) on the right I think. With the built in wax guard and wide-bore nozzle of the N5005 it''s a bit of a chore to roll the tips small enough for insertion. I will experiment more with these but for now I'm still finding the Mee Audio double-flange the perfect fit for me.

I like reading about new discoveries so thanks for that post nonetheless.

 

[bbfoto]

Based on this post I ordered a set of the Comply Audio Pro tips to try out for myself which arrived today. I could only find them in medium size which normally, for other tips, fit well for my ear canals. However with these the right ear doesn't fit or seal as well as the left. I would need to try a small (if they do exist?) on the right I think. With the built in wax guard and wide-bore nozzle of the N5005 it''s a bit of a chore to roll the tips small enough for insertion. I will experiment more with these but for now I'm still finding the Mee Audio double-flange the perfect fit for me.

I like reading about new discoveries so thanks for that post nonetheless.

Thanks for posting your findings. I basically had the same experience regarding the somewhat large diameter of the N5005 tubes and not being able to compress the Comply tips small enough to make insertion easy when trying the S/M/L Comply TSX-500.

Overall the Medium size fit best to provide a good seal, but they were not comfortable for me...I think it's due to the combination of the N5005's larger tube diameter + the mass/thickness of the foam tips put too much pressure on my inner ear canal. It was moot anyway because the large openings on all of these S/M/L Comply tips resulted in severely lacking lower mids and bass (in my ears. YMMV).

I also still find those frosted white Medium Double-Flange MEE Audio soft silicone tips to provide the best Seal AND Comfort. However, the FR and Soundstage is not quite as good as when using the medium Sony silicone tips in my ears.

With the Sony tips the N5005 sound AMAZEBALLS, but unfortunately are too uncomfortable for extended listening (can barely get me through a full album).

I'm waiting to receive a few other tips that were suggested here and will report back when I try them.

Thanks again.