Best IEM tips?

[Edric Li]

Hello guys. I'm looking for an eartips whose existence I doubt: I need a grippy, bassy eartips with a wide bore. The problems with all my current favourite eartips are:
DDHiFi ST35: Very deep and heavy bass, but very narrow soundstage and oily texture make them come out from the ear canal after some time.
Spinfit CP500: Nice and punchy bass, good soundstage, but even more oily texture, which ruins the comfort of using them. My IEMs are just hanging off the edges of my ear canal almost all the time with these. The pivoting cap design is making things even worse in this case I think.
JVC SpiralDot ++: an awesome soundstage, amazing clarity, nice fit, but the bass is not that punchy that I want it to be.
By the way, my IEMs are IMR New Aten.
Aside from all eartips mentioned above, I've got a lot of others too, which are mostly no name chinese eartips, and all of them does not satisfy me. I'm in need of your help guys.

Tanchjim T300T and Tennmak Whirlwind would be my suggestions. T300T is the most bassy eartip on the market today, to my ears and by measurements. Tennmak Whirlwind IMO is in a different league compared to other wide-bore tips, simply because it is wider than everything else. If you can manage to fit it between your ears and your IEM (the sizing of it sucks), possibly with the help with some o-rings, you are in for a treat. Make sure you buy the black-red color because the other colors actually are built cheaper. Between the two, T300T has a better grip on the umbrella. T300T is a pretty direct upgrade to Spiral Dot IMO.

But you are definitely on the right track: the wider the bore, the wider the soundstage; the more glossy the bore, the better the bass and treble extension.

 

[Surf Monkey]

Tanchjim T300T and Tennmak Whirlwind would be my suggestions. T300T is the most bassy eartip on the market today, to my ears and by measurements. Tennmak Whirlwind IMO is in a different league compared to other wide-bore tips, simply because it is wider than everything else. If you can manage to fit it between your ears and your IEM (the sizing of it sucks), possibly with the help with some o-rings, you are in for a treat. Make sure you buy the black-red color because the other colors actually are built cheaper. Between the two, T300T has a better grip on the umbrella. T300T is a pretty direct upgrade to Spiral Dot IMO.

But you are definitely on the right track: the wider the bore, the wider the soundstage; the more glossy the bore, the better the bass and treble extension.

I will say that for the right shaped ears the Whirlwind tips are quite good. The “fins” under the umbrella make them just rigid enough to seal nicely. At least if your ears are small enough. Mine are real big, so the L Whirlwinds are just barely big enough.

 

[Edric Li]

I will say that for the right shaped ears the Whirlwind tips are quite good. The “fins” under the umbrella make them just rigid enough to seal nicely. At least if your ears are small enough. Mine are real big, so the L Whirlwinds are just barely big enough.

Wow you got some huge ears! I don't think eartips larger than 14mm exist, do they?

 

[Surf Monkey]

Wow you got some huge ears! I don't think eartips larger than 14mm exist, do they?

They make ones that big? I’ll go look at them again…

 

[Carpet]

They make ones that big? I’ll go look at them again…

You mean your ears or the eartips?

 

[lushmelody]

A pause for my wide bore craze

NF Audio MS42... The smooth endgame for tips? Ordered 2 sizes, thanks ear canal assymetry! I hope it tames the sparkly TRN MT3

 

[Jaysound]

I find it amusing that close to 150 pages into this thread I'm seeing it pointed out that everyone's ear and ear canal is shaped differently. This is of course the most relevant consideration when making and receiving suggestions about ear tips. One must try things for themself. There's simply no way around that.

Having said that, here's my two cents.

I've spent over a hundred hours over the past five years researching and trying ear tips. It took a few years before I even "got it" that seal is everything, after which come tone and comfort. It was the experience of having gotten a good seal that opened my eyes (ears).

I'm not a fan of extremes. I'm using the Shure SE425 because they're touted as being neutral (and I haven't been able to afford the SE826 to try them out yet -- though I did try the SE525 and returned them right away because true to the reviews they were way too bass-heavy for my liking).

And I'm using the Shure TW2 BT. I had been using the FiiO BTR5 and loved it but the freedom and convenience/customizations of the TW2 more than justify using them, and SQ is darned close to the BTR5 (TW2 doesn't do LDAC, BTR5 does).

I don't have a lot of time for rolling up foam tips and waiting for them to expand but I was living with it when I thought it would be worth it.

Now, however, I'm using silicone tips.

I like my bass to be there. I like the mids and highs to be there, cleanly but smoothly, nothing too muffled or too imposing at any level. I seem to have found what I'm looking for now.

I found foams to be just a bit too muddying of SQ (Westone Audio, Comply Professional). I did determine that if I do use them I'll use a size large enough to seal and will simply slide them in, perhaps also pulling up the ear to open the canal. No more rolling them up first, and I ended up wondering why I ever did that or anyone suggests it.

Tried Shure foam and silicone (and may try them again -- it's been a while). Tried Westone Audio Star silicone and like them very much!

But now I may have found home. (Well, wandering neurotics will always do some tip rolling in search of the perfect sound and fit, I guess, but I'm happy right now.)

SpinFit!

For the Shure SE line, get the SpinFit "CP100 Plus." (It comes with adapters to fit the stem.)

The design and materials are remarkable. The silicone dome is thin and soft and that seems to lend itself to fitting to the ear shape and sealing in a way that others didn't come close to doing. It seals so well that the dome "reverses" when I pull it out of my right ear!

(Note: When trying sizes one must try and up and down size to get the best fit -- and that it's common for the left and right ears to be different enough to justify considering different sized tips for the left and right ears!)

The design of the SpinFit includes a "pivot" feature, allowing the dome to pivot off of the axis of the IEM stem so it fits the direction of the ear canal without being limited to the shape of the IEM and its stem! That seems to make a huge difference! One way I tested the different kinds of tips was to notice how readily the seal maintained when I smiled or opened my mouth/jaw. All others without exception lost bass/seal to varying degrees -- but son-of-gun the SpinFit maintained the seal/bass no matter what!

And overall SQ is just the right sweet spot for my liking, acknowledging that there are always tradeoffs along with the benefits when trying any given tips. It's my Goldilocks. Plenty of bass but not suffocating, good range through mids and highs, and no unpleasant sharpness in the highs. Everything is pretty balanced, clean, and smooth. (This is how a totally-NOT-an-audiophile explains things.)

Happy camper.

YMMV.

 

[Edric Li]

I find it amusing that close to 150 pages into this thread I'm seeing it pointed out that everyone's ear and ear canal is shaped differently. This is of course the most relevant consideration when making and receiving suggestions about ear tips. One must try things for themself. There's simply no way around that.

Having said that, here's my two cents.

I've spent over a hundred hours over the past five years researching and trying ear tips. It took a few years before I even "got it" that seal is everything, after which come tone and comfort. It was the experience of having gotten a good seal that opened my eyes (ears).

I'm not a fan of extremes. I'm using the Shure SE425 because they're touted as being neutral (and I haven't been able to afford the SE826 to try them out yet -- though I did try the SE525 and returned them right away because true to the reviews they were way too bass-heavy for my liking).

And I'm using the Shure TW2 BT. I had been using the FiiO BTR5 and loved it but the freedom and convenience/customizations of the TW2 more than justify using them, and SQ is darned close to the BTR5 (TW2 doesn't do LDAC, BTR5 does).

I don't have a lot of time for rolling up foam tips and waiting for them to expand but I was living with it when I thought it would be worth it.

Now, however, I'm using silicone tips.

I like my bass to be there. I like the mids and highs to be there, cleanly but smoothly, nothing too muffled or too imposing at any level. I seem to have found what I'm looking for now.

I found foams to be just a bit too muddying of SQ (Westone Audio, Comply Professional). I did determine that if I do use them I'll use a size large enough to seal and will simply slide them in, perhaps also pulling up the ear to open the canal. No more rolling them up first, and I ended up wondering why I ever did that or anyone suggests it.

Tried Shure foam and silicone (and may try them again -- it's been a while). Tried Westone Audio Star silicone and like them very much!

But now I may have found home. (Well, wandering neurotics will always do some tip rolling in search of the perfect sound and fit, I guess, but I'm happy right now.)

SpinFit!

For the Shure SE line, get the SpinFit "CP100 Plus." (It comes with adapters to fit the stem.)

The design and materials are remarkable. The silicone dome is thin and soft and that seems to lend itself to fitting to the ear shape and sealing in a way that others didn't come close to doing. It seals so well that the dome "reverses" when I pull it out of my right ear!

(Note: When trying sizes one must try and up and down size to get the best fit -- and that it's common for the left and right ears to be different enough to justify considering different sized tips for the left and right ears!)

The design of the SpinFit includes a "pivot" feature, allowing the dome to pivot off of the axis of the IEM stem so it fits the direction of the ear canal without being limited to the shape of the IEM and its stem! That seems to make a huge difference! One way I tested the different kinds of tips was to notice how readily the seal maintained when I smiled or opened my mouth/jaw. All others without exception lost bass/seal to varying degrees -- but son-of-gun the SpinFit maintained the seal/bass no matter what!

And overall SQ is just the right sweet spot for my liking, acknowledging that there are always tradeoffs along with the benefits when trying any given tips. It's my Goldilocks. Plenty of bass but not suffocating, good range through mids and highs, and no unpleasant sharpness in the highs. Everything is pretty balanced, clean, and smooth. (This is how a totally-NOT-an-audiophile explains things.)

Happy camper.

YMMV.

I wouldn't be surprised if Shure, Westone and Ety users find most of the eartip discussions unhelpful... You guys work with a different category of tips.

 

[Surf Monkey]

I wouldn't be surprised if Shure, Westone and Ety users find most of the eartip discussions unhelpful... You guys work with a different category of tips.

As far as Etys go, yeah. The options are: 1) fits and seals. 2) doesn’t fit and seal.

 

[SoundBlazter]

Not a particularly innovative opinion, but I haven't found a tip that suits me better than the Comply T-500. I feel like while these used to be the big box standard, many ChiFiers overlook them because of price.

 

[Carpet]

Not a particularly innovative opinion, but I haven't found a tip that suits me better than the Comply T-500. I feel like while these used to be the big box standard, many ChiFiers overlook them because of price.

Try TENNMAK foams, best I've tried. Cheap, tough, long lasting and free shipping from AE. I only ever bought one pair of comply eartips. That was for a smaller nozzle IEM that regular foams wouldn't stay on.

 

[Edric Li]

Not a particularly innovative opinion, but I haven't found a tip that suits me better than the Comply T-500. I feel like while these used to be the big box standard, many ChiFiers overlook them because of price.

Welcome to head-fi!!!

 

[Jaysound]

I have two sizes of AZLA SednaEarfitLight arriving from Amazon later today so I can try them, but I have Shure SE425 IEMs! I saw an eBay listing for some AZLAs that said they come with adapters for narrow stems like Shure but nothing like that was mentioned with this Amazon order, or even on the AZLA website anywhere as far as I could tell, so I doubt these will come with adapters.

Is AZLA just ignoring the Shure etc user base, or is there a proper adapter available somewhere?

I have a pair of SpinFit CP 100+ that came with adapters and am hoping I can use those adapters for now. Will know more when this delivery arrives shortly.

 

[User650]

Spinfits and customs!

 

[Jaysound]

Well, the AZLA arrived.

The adapters that came with the SpinFits barely work for putting the AZLA on the Shure SE's.

The wide "lip" at the bottom end of the adapter, which is supposed to be at the IEM end of the stem to "stop" the SpinFit from traveling down any further, is the only part that fits the opening of the AZLA and is only useful if I reverse the adapter so this wide lip is at the top and goes into the tip. So, I get a minuscule amount of adapter (lip only) contacting the inside of the AZLA. Obviously, trying to judge or comment on SQ is not relevant here, especially given the compromised fit.

What's up with getting a proper adapter?