Black Shure Foamies vs. Comply tips?
Sep 25, 2007 at 11:37 PM Thread Starter Post #1 of 31

jmpage2

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Just ordered a set of E500s from bobsound on eBay! This will be a substantial upgrade (I hope) from my E4Cs.

I've always liked the yellow foamies on my E4Cs the best, but they can get a little uncomfortable if worn for long periods of time.

I'm trying to decide if I should order some of the new silicone coated black Shure foamies, or if I should spring extra for the Comply tips.

Any advice welcome!

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Sep 25, 2007 at 11:48 PM Post #2 of 31
I should be receiving my used e530s (from Altoids) soon. I'm a big fan of comply tips but would love to try other alternatives that will be an improvement in comfort. Let us know how the silicone coated shure foamies feel if you do end getting them.
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Sep 25, 2007 at 11:53 PM Post #3 of 31
well, if you are getting E530s then you should be getting the black foamies with them.

I'm definitely interested in hearing from those who have tried both, then I can order some tips!
 
Sep 26, 2007 at 12:00 AM Post #4 of 31
The black foamies do not make a proper seal for me like the yeallow ones do. I guess even the large black ones are bit too small due to their shape.
 
Sep 26, 2007 at 12:16 AM Post #5 of 31
Quote:

Originally Posted by jmpage2 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Just ordered a set of E500s from bobsound on eBay! This will be a substantial upgrade (I hope) from my E4Cs.

I've always liked the yellow foamies on my E4Cs the best, but they can get a little uncomfortable if work for long periods of time.

I'm trying to decide if I should order some of the new silicone coated black Shure foamies, or if I should spring extra for the Comply tips.

Any advice welcome!

smily_headphones1.gif



I would recommend getting some black foam tips from Shure for your e4c. You may find you enjoy the e4c more than the e500.

I find the slightly bloated bass of the se530 (e500) fatiguing for long listening sessions when running unamped from a 5th generation ipod. I also find the e500/se530 picks up too much noise (hiss) from the ipod.

I use the black foams on e3c and find it a great match for the unamped ipod.
 
Sep 26, 2007 at 2:50 AM Post #6 of 31
I have the E500's and ordered both the black olives and the Comply sample pack. To my ears, the black olives were too bass heavy and made things a little muddier than with the Complys. I find I get my best sound with the triple flanges moded to double flanges (seems to help the treble a little bit). However, I prefer wearing the Complys as they are incredibly comfortable and easy to insert.
 
Sep 26, 2007 at 3:19 AM Post #7 of 31
Does the Comply Foams also come in three sizes, where are similar to the Shure foamies?
 
Sep 26, 2007 at 3:28 AM Post #8 of 31
I had a lot of fit issues with my e4s. I tried every size of comfy's that earphone solutions would send me. I tried cutting them to make them shorter, even different colors to see if there was a difference in the density of the foam...the soft flex tips that came with the shures didn't fit well to give the best sound. The silicon flex tips could only be endured for an hour or so.

In desperation I finally began to roll my own foamies from foam ear plugs over short pieces of silicon tubing.

They were the most comfortable and best sealing for long listening sessions.

Now i'm hooked on the black foamies from sure. They add just a bit more depth to my e4s and do a great job of isolating out the distractions. kids, wife, Motorists' horns and police sirens. Political speeches, etc.

i'm still on my first pair after months of use. Just a quick wash under some tap water and I leave them sit out all night before re-insertion.

Couldn't be happier. well I could, but thats not a topic for this forum!
 
Sep 26, 2007 at 4:02 AM Post #9 of 31
Quote:

Originally Posted by lhooq /img/forum/go_quote.gif
I would recommend getting some black foam tips from Shure for your e4c. You may find you enjoy the e4c more than the e500.

I find the slightly bloated bass of the se530 (e500) fatiguing for long listening sessions when running unamped from a 5th generation ipod. I also find the e500/se530 picks up too much noise (hiss) from the ipod.

I use the black foams on e3c and find it a great match for the unamped ipod.



I've read nothing but glowing reviews of the E500/SE530s including people proclaiming them the best IEMs produced for under $1000.

That's both press and people here at head fi.... I'm surprised to hear you report that you find the E4C more enjoyable.

I like my E4C but it sounds a bit thin at the lower volumes I listen at. I have moderate tinnitus so I no longer crank my headsets.
 
Sep 26, 2007 at 4:17 AM Post #10 of 31
The black foamies are several orders of magnitude more durable and last significantly longer than Comply tips. Plus, they're washable.
 
Sep 26, 2007 at 4:20 AM Post #11 of 31
Quote:

Originally Posted by PiccoloNamek /img/forum/go_quote.gif
The black foamies are several orders of magnitude more durable and last significantly longer than Comply tips. Plus, they're washable.


Ah, but are they as comfortable? I sometimes listen for long periods of time on airline flights, etc, and the yellow foamies get a bit scratchy after a couple of hours.
 
Sep 26, 2007 at 4:42 AM Post #12 of 31
If I had to pick one only, for one-time use, I'd pick the Complys for their very high degree of comfort. But the Shures are clearly going to stand up to a lot more wear per pair -- the composition and the color will work in their favor -- plus, they're quite comfortable too (just not as much as the Complys). I haven't seen yet how much longer the newer gray Complys hold up aesthetically, compared with the peach-colored Complys, but the color alone might help ... remember, just handling the foamies to compress them can make them dirty over time -- it's not just being in the ear.

The Complys come in Regular, Short and Narrow (all pretty much self-explanatory, comparing them to each other ... but then they're not directly comparable to other brands in size, particularly the Narrow).

The short Complys work well for me with the Ety ER6i's -- the tiny combination of earphone and ear tip fit inside my ears nicely and provide isolation with comfort. The Short Complys are just a bit larger than the Small Shures, but the Complys are softer and "compress" more. The Large Shures are quite large compared to the yellow foamies, in that they don't seem to compress as much, due to their denser composition. I use the Large Shures with the Atrio M5's, which are much larger than the Etys.

Both the Complys and the Shures are excellent, IMO. For everyday use, the Shures might make more sense. The Complys make a nice indulgence, though (I use mine when travelling, as opposed to every day).

PS: The shape of the Shures was mentioned in a post above. Note that in the long Atrio M5 thread, there is much discussion of installing the tips onto the post so that the flat end (not the tapered end) of the Shure goes in the ear first. I tried it, and to me, it seems to fill up the ear more -- it feels as though the tip is almost half a size larger when worn this way (I had already gotten the Larges, so I changed back after the experiment ... but if you get the smalls or mediums and think they're a bit too small, you can consider reversing them. The Future Sonics foamies are "barrel-shaped," like denser, more comfortable versions of the Shure yellow foamies, and I think that, once in the ear, the "squared-off" surface changes the fit and sound ... which people seem to notice when trying the Shures reversed.
 
Sep 26, 2007 at 4:46 AM Post #13 of 31
Quote:

Originally Posted by jmpage2 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Ah, but are they as comfortable? I sometimes listen for long periods of time on airline flights, etc, and the yellow foamies get a bit scratchy after a couple of hours.


They are perfectly smooth, like rubber, only softer.
 
Sep 26, 2007 at 4:51 AM Post #14 of 31
"They are perfectly smooth, like rubber, only softer."

Yeah -- the Complys and now the new Shures represent a great leap forward. Both are quite comfortable (no scratchiness), and the Shures seem to be really durable. (Of course, different people have different reactions to different substances, so YMMV.)
 
Sep 26, 2007 at 4:51 AM Post #15 of 31
Comply claims that the gray tips are good for about 3 months of regular use.

Based on this I've ordered two 5-packs of them from Earphonesolutions. I will order a 5 pack of the Shure tips too.

I guess at the end of the day there's nothing better than doing your own direct comparison.
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