Best IEM tips?

[Hypops]

You might be right. I always thought that it should be inserted as deeply as possible. usually, when I slide it into my ear canal, I push it in from the side very hard to make it as deep as possible. so you think that was the problem? I always used S,SS size. then do you recommend that I switch to M and not press so much into my ear canal? But how do I know how long to press? what is your routine for this?

I would never push "very hard." Gently. Sometimes you might need to (gently) screw it in a bit to secure a seal. You can also try pulling on the back part of your pinna (the "helix") to open your canal a bit to get a slightly deeper fit. But again, I would never push. And I would definitely never, ever push hard.

Different IEMs fit different people's ears differently, so sometimes an IEM will be hanging out a bit from your concha. For me, a deep fit is one in which the faceplate of the IEM is flush with the "tragus." A more typical fit means that the faceplate will stick out a couple of millimeters from the tragus. A shallow fit means the faceplate is like 4-5mm out from the tragus. I use the tragus as a reference point because I don't always have a mirror handy so I can just feel how deeply a set is inserted. But I never get a fit so deep that the faceplate goes beyond the tragus, and for me, a deep fit is pretty rare. Also keep in mind that everyone's ear anatomy is different and IEMs are all over the place in terms of size, nozzle length, etc., so your tragus may not always be a good reference in the way that it is for me.

If you're not clear on how to insert an IEM, I'd watch the way that someone like Mark Ryan on Super* Reviews does it. He always does a fitting in his review videos, so you can see how he puts one in. It's pretty quick and gentle. There's not really any "pushing" involved. And you'll see that on his ears, different IEMs fit at different insertion depths. Look for that gap between the faceplate and his tragus.

I'm sure other folks around here have all kinds of different insertion methods and references, but the above is what works for me.

 

[BS5711]

Overall, I think the most important thing about tips are fit, comfort or seal which are always subjective. They are capable of changing the frequency response and therefore the sound of IEMs, but these changes often fall into the area of marging of error, unit variance or (acceptable) channel imbalance.

Completely agree.

I think that, like many parts of this hobby, sometimes too much is made if the sonic differences tips create. Generally the changes are subtle and fine tuning so that, as you said, fit and comfort are far more important.

However, something the coupler testing wont show is sonic differences caused by fit differences or problems that result from the tip and ear canal shape/anatomy interaction. Sometimes such incompatibilities can cause dramatic changes in sound.

For example, I have tips that on the face of it are the right size and shape to seal well for me but the material used doesn’t agree and they end up folding or partially collapsing upon insertion. I obviously can’t see that or feel it but the problem causes a poor seal which of course ruins the sound.

I do agree tip rolling for sonic improvements is often overstated but tip rolling for compatibility with ear anatomy is critical for comfort and sometimes for sound as a result of situations as indicated above.

 

[dpeterfy32]

I would never push "very hard." Gently. Sometimes you might need to (gently) screw it in a bit to secure a seal. You can also try pulling on the back part of your pinna (the "helix") to open your canal a bit to get a slightly deeper fit. But again, I would never push. And I would definitely never, ever push hard.

Different IEMs fit different people's ears differently, so sometimes an IEM will be hanging out a bit from your concha. For me, a deep fit is one in which the faceplate of the IEM is flush with the "tragus." A more typical fit means that the faceplate will stick out a couple of millimeters from the tragus. A shallow fit means the faceplate is like 4-5mm out from the tragus. I use the tragus as a reference point because I don't always have a mirror handy so I can just feel how deeply a set is inserted. But I never get a fit so deep that the faceplate goes beyond the tragus, and for me, a deep fit is pretty rare. Also keep in mind that everyone's ear anatomy is different and IEMs are all over the place in terms of size, nozzle length, etc., so your tragus may not always be a good reference in the way that it is for me.

If you're not clear on how to insert an IEM, I'd watch the way that someone like Mark Ryan on Super* Reviews does it. He always does a fitting in his review videos, so you can see how he puts one in. It's pretty quick and gentle. There's not really any "pushing" involved. And you'll see that on his ears, different IEMs fit at different insertion depths. Look for that gap between the faceplate and his tragus.

I'm sure other folks around here have all kinds of different insertion methods and references, but the above is what works for me.

I tried pushing the eartips into the ear canal just enough so that they don't fall out immediately. I adjusted it to the entrance of the ear canal and pressed it in very slightly, weakly. maybe this way it will be better than when I always pushed very hard as long as I could. For 2 hours there was no penetrating pain. I used Eletech baroque M. I am curious to see if this will work even during 6 hours of continuous use in the next few days. What are the top 3 eartips for you anyway?

 

[Hypops]

I tried pushing the eartips into the ear canal just enough so that they don't fall out immediately. I adjusted it to the entrance of the ear canal and pressed it in very slightly, weakly. maybe this way it will be better than when I always pushed very hard as long as I could. For 2 hours there was no penetrating pain. I used Eletech baroque M. I am curious to see if this will work even during 6 hours of continuous use in the next few days. What are the top 3 eartips for you anyway?

For me, it completely depends on the IEM. The only set of tips I have that work with more than one set of IEMs are the Final Type E tips. But the rest of my IEMs all have different tips. I own waaaay more sets of tips than I do IEMs because finding a good fit is not easy. Lots and lots of trial and error.

 

[baskingshark]

I have a question for everyone. my problem is that all kinds of eartips work well in my left ear, without irritation. and my right ear irritates me with everything.. only the degree is different. there is a strong stinging sensation that lasts for about 5 seconds and repeats every half hour. The 10-11 mm earplugs work best, this is where the pain is the least. this stabbing pain appears after 2-3 hours of continuous iem use, it doesn't do it until then. is this normal? does the ear get tired after 2-3 hours due to the continuous stretching of the ear canal? but then why not my left ear? so far the cp100+ is the best but i have 2 tons of eartips and my right ear has problems with all of them. has anyone else had this experience? if so what was the solution?

If you can do custom IEMs, that's an option for those with asymmetrical or awkward ear anatomy.

There's even custom eartips to plug onto the stem of the IEM.

Have you tried foam tips? They are generally not as hard as silicone types, though some may not like the sensation or sonic changes of foams.

Failing which, go for headphones or flathead earbuds, which do not require any insertion inside the ear canal.

 

[mastermnd]

Hey @RazorItoh, glad you like them! Nice pic btw! I hope I can try the Aurs some day. Cable match is also great. [EDIT: I was somehow looking at page 201 instead of the last page 244, sorry for the ping after such a long time].
About the tips, I'll share my updated experience in case you or anybody else finds it useful.

A few months ago, when I was new to IEMs and tip rolling, I also reached the same conclusion. I thought the Divinus Velvet were endgame and they were my favorite amongst a few well known brands and models.
However, I have found that the material is a bit hard, so after hours of listening they make my left ear sore with the Monarch MK3.
I tried going from size M to MS to S to SS and... same thing. I also found that the SS size does not seal in my right ear. Didn't try going ML because the M is already quite big for my ear.

I switched to Spinfit W1s (size SS) and absolutely loved them. Granted, they are not as detailed, especially in the bass, but sound is good and comfort is supreme.
With them I can wear the MK3s for over 5 hours straight with no issue.

A few days ago I decided to switch back to the Divinus just for fun. It was also educational.
I immediately noticed that the MK3s are forward in the 4-6Khz area. I never noticed that at first, but after months of using the W1s which seem to be doing a great job at taming that region, it is now obvious with the Divinus.
I simply cannot "unhear" it, so while I like the Divinus and they might still be a perfect match for other IEMs, they are a no for me with the MK3s.

Having such a change of heart, I decided to start trying the tips I bought but didn't like back then.
To my surprise, one of the tips I did not like, the Final type Es, is now my favorite with this IEM.
Back then I didn't like how they "altered" the sound, but now I find that it is that alteration that best corrects the MK3's characteristics. I get bass, reduced 4-6khz and the treble is all there, just slightly reduced.
Basically, the same I was doing with EQ!

So... I suggest you don't throw away your other 25 pairs and try again in the future. You may never know.

 

[dpeterfy32]

For me, it completely depends on the IEM. The only set of tips I have that work with more than one set of IEMs are the Final Type E tips. But the rest of my IEMs all have different tips. I own waaaay more sets of tips than I do IEMs because finding a good fit is not easy. Lots and lots of trial and error.

on what basis do you decide which eartips are perfect for which iem? I never understood that. for example, if one size of type E suits you, the material doesn't irritate, and the shape fits comfortably, why would it behave differently on different IEMs?

 

[LFC_SL]

IEM come in different shapes and dimensions so different sizes of tips might come into it. Tips also have a different sound. So different IEM models might pair 'better' to the listener with different model tips. While fit is obviously important, this thread would never have exceeded 200 pages if it was a discussion limited to fit only. Read through the thread for "how and why".

 

[dpeterfy32]

IEM come in different shapes and dimensions so different sizes of tips might come into it. Tips also have a different sound. So different IEM models might pair 'better' to the listener with different model tips. While fit is obviously important, this thread would never have exceeded 200 pages if it was a discussion limited to fit only. Read through the thread for "how and why".

the eartips change the FR of the iem very little, I don't care about that part. I have a comfort and irritation problem now, which I want to solve.

 

[pk4425]

on what basis do you decide which eartips are perfect for which iem? I never understood that. for example, if one size of type E suits you, the material doesn't irritate, and the shape fits comfortably, why would it behave differently on different IEMs?

The bore width and shape of tips can shape the sound. For example, wide-bore tips accentuate treble and soundstage on many IEMs. Narrow-bore tips accentuate bass.

So, while fit and comfort still are No. 1 in the choice of tips, tweaking the sound signature also can be a desired result of tip-rolling. Another, subtle form of EQ.

 

[Hypops]

on what basis do you decide which eartips are perfect for which iem? I never understood that. for example, if one size of type E suits you, the material doesn't irritate, and the shape fits comfortably, why would it behave differently on different IEMs?

No two IEMs are the same size or have the same nozzle dimensions. So the same tips will expand and conform differently on different IEMs. Even subtle differences can have big impacts on fit once they get in your ear.

I don’t choose tips for sound. My ear anatomy is apparently funky enough that I don’t get that privilege. I’m guessing you’re in the same boat. Finding good fitting tips for an IEM can be a time consuming (and expensive) process. I’d strongly suggest buying a bunch of different tips of different materials, shapes, sizes, and designs.

To illustrate, I have about 30 sets of tips (not counting all of my stock tips), but only 7 sets of IEMs. Most of those IEMs only work with one of those 30. That’s what tip rolling looks like for me.

EDIT: It’s also possible that the set of IEMs you’re currently trying to fit won’t fit you. That happens. There are IEMs that simply don’t fit certain people’s ears. And as was mentioned above, some people discover that they can’t wear IEMs at all, and need to use earbuds and full-size headphones instead.

 

[dpeterfy32]

No two IEMs are the same size or have the same nozzle dimensions. So the same tips will expand and conform differently on different IEMs. Even subtle differences can have big impacts on fit once they get in your ear.

I don’t choose tips for sound. My ear anatomy is apparently funky enough that I don’t get that privilege. I’m guessing you’re in the same boat. Finding good fitting tips for an IEM can be a time consuming (and expensive) process. I’d strongly suggest buying a bunch of different tips of different materials, shapes, sizes, and designs.

To illustrate, I have about 30 sets of tips (not counting all of my stock tips), but only 7 sets of IEMs. Most of those IEMs only work with one of those 30. That’s what tip rolling looks like for me.

EDIT: It’s also possible that the set of IEMs you’re currently trying to fit won’t fit you. That happens. There are IEMs that simply don’t fit certain people’s ears. And as was mentioned above, some people discover that they can’t wear IEMs at all, and need to use earbuds and full-size headphones instead.

I have many types of eartips, 20+. w1,omni,100+, velvet,velvet wide bore, baroque, s&s, sencai, fh18, xelastec, vivid, etc etcmy problem is that with my right ear they are all problematic due to irritation, they only differ in degree. it's just that this constant changing and testing is boring, it's been going on for months... I have a high-end stereo system and a headphone system, I just turn it on and it works without any anomalies, irritations or frustrating feelings... I think my iem system should receive less attention because it's simply not worth it..

 

[Hypops]

I have many types of eartips, 20+. w1,omni,100+, velvet,velvet wide bore, baroque, s&s, sencai, fh18, xelastec, vivid, etc etcmy problem is that with my right ear they are all problematic due to irritation, they only differ in degree. it's just that this constant changing and testing is boring, it's been going on for months... I have a high-end stereo system and a headphone system, I just turn it on and it works without any anomalies, irritations or frustrating feelings... I think my iem system should receive less attention because it's simply not worth it..

Up to you, but IMO, getting a good fit with IEM tips is just as involved as speaker positioning. Just as frustrating at times, but also just as rewarding when you finally get it right.

 

[AndreRitter]

I have many types of eartips, 20+. w1,omni,100+, velvet,velvet wide bore, baroque, s&s, sencai, fh18, xelastec, vivid, etc etcmy problem is that with my right ear they are all problematic due to irritation, they only differ in degree. it's just that this constant changing and testing is boring, it's been going on for months... I have a high-end stereo system and a headphone system, I just turn it on and it works without any anomalies, irritations or frustrating feelings... I think my iem system should receive less attention because it's simply not worth it..

Have you tried a different size for each ear?

 

[dpeterfy32]

Have you tried a different size for each ear?

Above size M, nothing works, I feel that it is too big and I can hardly push it into my ear canal. the maximum size that is still suitable is around 12.5 mm. and below that, between 10mm and 12.5mm, I tried all sizes with different shapes and materials. My left ear tolerates almost everything, and the right almost nothing, because everything irritates it, and the extent depends on the size of the eartips in it. The bigger it is, the sooner the irritation and stabbing pain come, which first appear after 2 hours of continuous use and last for 5 seconds every half hour. It's very confusing and I'm totally out of the mood to use IEM. I can't pay attention to the content I'm currently consuming.