[cr3ativ3]

Two shiny IEMs.

 

[cytoSiN]

A friend suggested to get MEST as the top.

Several have said this, and there's a very good, very thorough review on HF comparing MEST to Solaris SE, but I can't find anything comparing MEST to OG Solaris, and I don't want to extrapolate from comparisons of OG to SE...at least not when there's $1500 on the line.

 

[orys]

Several have said this, and there's a very good, very thorough review on HF comparing MEST to Solaris SE, but I can't find anything comparing MEST to OG Solaris, and I don't want to extrapolate from comparisons of OG to SE...at least not when there's $1500 on the line.

Hmm. I will search for you as I have the OG too.

 

[Myshkin]

My Paw S1 came and the sound is great, it does many things better than my mojo did and there is no hiss but I haven't decided if it sounds better than the mojo yet. Does anyone know a specific usb-c cable that works with it that's longer than the one provided? I tried several longer usb-c cables for desktop usage but only the small one it came with worked.

 

[pbui44]

My Paw S1 came and the sound is great, it does many things better than my mojo did and there is no hiss but I haven't decided if it sounds better than the mojo yet. Does anyone know a specific usb-c cable that works with it that's longer than the one provided? I tried several longer usb-c cables for desktop usage but only the small one it came with worked.

USB-C is very complicated with thunderbolt protocols and such, so here is a USB-C 3.2 extension cable compatible with thunderbolt:

https://www.amazon.com/Extension-St...s=usb+c+extension+cable&qid=1601932606&sr=8-9

 

[Myshkin]

USB-C is very complicated with thunderbolt protocols and such, so here is a USB-C 3.2 extension cable compatible with thunderbolt:

https://www.amazon.com/Extension-St...s=usb+c+extension+cable&qid=1601932606&sr=8-9

Thanks, that's exactly what I needed!

 

[pbui44]

Thanks, that's exactly what I needed!

You're very welcome.

After many hours listening to my OG Solaris (1st gen), I really am thinking about keeping it to complement my other IEMs and over-ears. Does it make me want to buy the expensive, but synergistic, DAPs that you folks have mentioned on this thread? No...but I am always thinking about how the portability, sound signature, expansive acoustics, and overall unique feel that the hermitic seal provides really narrows that gap that the law of diminishing value creates after fitting them into my ears. I constantly try to think about what piece of audio equipment made me rethink about how I listen to my other gear...and the closest piece of gear that I can remember is the Stax SR-Lambda Pro that a family-friend's-brother owned from more than three decades ago. Really...it is still not even close. Yes...the Solaris series is much newer than the Lambda series...but I still own a SR-L500 for almost four years and the rethinking really has come out of the woodwork as I am using the OG Solaris' sound structure as framework. My Klipsch HP-3 sounded too harsh with my plug-in dedicated DACs and amps...but it sounds great with my HP onboard sound...and hump EQing.

Even without my OG Solaris on my ears, they just seem to find new ways of making me reimagine how I am using my other audio gear. Not to mention appreciating it even more with my other audio gear.

 

[cytoSiN]

Hey guys, quick question regarding custom tips. I have narrow ear canals, and while I love my Solaris I've been struggling with comfort since day one. I finally settled on the Symbio W Peel as the most comfortable tips, but I MUCH prefer the triple flange tips I used for years with my Etymotic ER4s. The difference, of course, is that the Etys have a tony bore diameter and the Solaris is 4mm. So the triple flange isn't really a thing for Solaris, and the cheap triple flange tips you can get on Amazon with the wider bore are horribly uncomfortable. I just can't seem to find the right balance of width and depth that I love with my Etys. So I'm very seriously considering getting impressions taken at a local audiologist and having custom tips made. Is it even possible to use custom tips on Solaris? If anyone's done it, can you speak to the experience? What was the process like? Who made the tips and do you recommend them? Also, my audiologist is telling me that they will give me the physical impressions, not a digitized file, so I guess I'd have to have the tip maker create the file and then continue to use that manufacturer for all tips going forward? Or do you get to keep the digitized file used to make the tips? Thanks everyone!

 

[mashuto]

Hey guys, quick question regarding custom tips. I have narrow ear canals, and while I love my Solaris I've been struggling with comfort since day one. I finally settled on the Symbio W Peel as the most comfortable tips, but I MUCH prefer the triple flange tips I used for years with my Etymotic ER4s. The difference, of course, is that the Etys have a tony bore diameter and the Solaris is 4mm. So the triple flange isn't really a thing for Solaris, and the cheap triple flange tips you can get on Amazon with the wider bore are horribly uncomfortable. I just can't seem to find the right balance of width and depth that I love with my Etys. So I'm very seriously considering getting impressions taken at a local audiologist and having custom tips made. Is it even possible to use custom tips on Solaris? If anyone's done it, can you speak to the experience? What was the process like? Who made the tips and do you recommend them? Also, my audiologist is telling me that they will give me the physical impressions, not a digitized file, so I guess I'd have to have the tip maker create the file and then continue to use that manufacturer for all tips going forward? Or do you get to keep the digitized file used to make the tips? Thanks everyone!

I went down this route for the z1r and now for my 64 nio.

First answer, yes, you can get custom tips made specifically for the solaris.

They should likely help with comfort, but it's still possible that they won't completely solve the issue. Depending on the tip you get, you may still have some pressure points. The weight may still be an issue, and depending on the tip you get, your iem may stick out quite far from your ear which will mostly just look silly, but could also play a part in comfort.

Most audiologists will likely only give you physical impressions. But depending on where you send them, they may just scan them, so you can potentially have the scan available after that.

I originally went with advanced sound based out of california for my first set of custom tips for my z1r. They do large custom tips, canal and concha fit, custom made for the iem you specify. This should hopefully avoid pressure points, but they are big and bulky and will stick out and add to the overall weight in your ears. I had to send them my impressions, but they scanned them and gave me the scanned files on request.

I then got custom art in Poland to make tips for my 64 nio. They do canal only custom tips so they are much smaller. They also accepted the scanned files so I didn't have to physically send them impressions since I already had the scans.

Hope that's helpful.

 

[cytoSiN]

I went down this route for the z1r and now for my 64 nio.

First answer, yes, you can get custom tips made specifically for the solaris.

They should likely help with comfort, but it's still possible that they won't completely solve the issue. Depending on the tip you get, you may still have some pressure points. The weight may still be an issue, and depending on the tip you get, your iem may stick out quite far from your ear which will mostly just look silly, but could also play a part in comfort.

Most audiologists will likely only give you physical impressions. But depending on where you send them, they may just scan them, so you can potentially have the scan available after that.

I originally went with advanced sound based out of california for my first set of custom tips for my z1r. They do large custom tips, canal and concha fit, custom made for the iem you specify. This should hopefully avoid pressure points, but they are big and bulky and will stick out and add to the overall weight in your ears. I had to send them my impressions, but they scanned them and gave me the scanned files on request.

I then got custom art in Poland to make tips for my 64 nio. They do canal only custom tips so they are much smaller. They also accepted the scanned files so I didn't have to physically send them impressions since I already had the scans.

Hope that's helpful.

Thanks, very helpful! Did the custom tips noticeably impact sound quality? Which was more comfortable for you, Advanced or Custom Art?

 

[Deferenz]

USB-C is very complicated with thunderbolt protocols and such, so here is a USB-C 3.2 extension cable compatible with thunderbolt:

https://www.amazon.com/Extension-St...s=usb+c+extension+cable&qid=1601932606&sr=8-9

Nice find. Thanks!

 

[Lookout57]

Thanks, very helpful! Did the custom tips noticeably impact sound quality? Which was more comfortable for you, Advanced or Custom Art?

I have the ADV tips and it did improve the sound by bringing the bass out more. I tried the SednaEarfit XELASTEC and the sound change was drastic and I give up after a couple of hours, much thinner sound and too much highs.

 

[mashuto]

Thanks, very helpful! Did the custom tips noticeably impact sound quality? Which was more comfortable for you, Advanced or Custom Art?

You'll likely get a better seal than other tips. So that will probably be the biggest impact on sound quality. Bass should likely be more full and emphasized, and you'll get better isolation. Won't likely be any drastic changes though unless the seal you currently get is not good.

I wasn't a huge fan of the advanced tips, but I think that's likely because I was pairing them with the z1r which is already huge and unweildy. Adding on a huge pair of eartips just make them more awkward to wear and while it cut down on pressure points from the z1r, it was just so bit and heavy that it's still not what I would call comfortable. More comfortable than before though.

The custom art tips are small and are kind of worn like regular tips, they just seal the canal. This means if things aren't perfect you may still end up with the iem touching your ear and causing pressure points which can lead to discomfort. I had to have a second pair made to try and fix some of those issues. Though custom art was super responsive and helpful to try and make them better. They didn't require me to send the originals back and did the replacement pair for free.

I know that's kind of a non answer to which I prefer. But I would likely choose the custom art tips since you get a bit of that custom feel without significantly changing how the iem sits in your ear. Though I likely wouldn't have chosen them initially just because I wouldn't have wanted to deal with physically shipping my impressions from the US to Poland.

 

[cytoSiN]

You'll likely get a better seal than other tips. So that will probably be the biggest impact on sound quality. Bass should likely be more full and emphasized, and you'll get better isolation. Won't likely be any drastic changes though unless the seal you currently get is not good.

I wasn't a huge fan of the advanced tips, but I think that's likely because I was pairing them with the z1r which is already huge and unweildy. Adding on a huge pair of eartips just make them more awkward to wear and while it cut down on pressure points from the z1r, it was just so bit and heavy that it's still not what I would call comfortable. More comfortable than before though.

The custom art tips are small and are kind of worn like regular tips, they just seal the canal. This means if things aren't perfect you may still end up with the iem touching your ear and causing pressure points which can lead to discomfort. I had to have a second pair made to try and fix some of those issues. Though custom art was super responsive and helpful to try and make them better. They didn't require me to send the originals back and did the replacement pair for free.

I know that's kind of a non answer to which I prefer. But I would likely choose the custom art tips since you get a bit of that custom feel without significantly changing how the iem sits in your ear. Though I likely wouldn't have chosen them initially just because I wouldn't have wanted to deal with physically shipping my impressions from the US to Poland.

Thanks. I will likely go ADV the first time to see how it feels and to get the 3D file. Then consider Custom Art moving forward. I don't mind the Solaris touching my outer ear, but the width of the available tips and lack of what I find to be a perfect ratio of width:depth has been a constant struggle with Solaris, and the only one that's really hindered my experience with what, to my ears, has been the best pair of IEMs I've tried.

 

[mashuto]

Thanks. I will likely go ADV the first time to see how it feels and to get the 3D file. Then consider Custom Art moving forward. I don't mind the Solaris touching my outer ear, but the width of the available tips and lack of what I find to be a perfect ratio of width:depth has been a constant struggle with Solaris, and the only one that's really hindered my experience with what, to my ears, has been the best pair of IEMs I've tried.

Well keep in mind that custom tips will almost certainly change the insertion depth and how far out the iem sits. You will likely get a deeper insertion on the custom tips and the iem will also be farther away.

But the custom tips will obviously fit your ear perfectly and seal very well.

There are I think one or two other companies out there that offer custom tips, but I had good experiences with both advanced and custom art, and I definitely liked that with advanced they will scan your impressions and you can use those scans elsewhere.