[medex]

I recently got a pair of etymotic hf5's.  I have been a shure user for a long time, so I am not new to iems. I returned a new paid of se215's due to the lead content. With both included sets of triple flange I cannot get a seal no matter what I try.  I have a humidifier on and can ear it fine no matter how I orientate nor how deep.  The glider and foam do a bit better but they are widly inconsistent.  I really have to go super deep, so deep I get headaches for me to get any form of seal.The best seal I have gotten so far is with the gliders, but I had to go very deep to get it.  So much so the butt end of the iem went below the tragus.  The foam doesn't go that deep (they are too wide) but I can get ok isolation.  It's not magical.  For both glider and foam the isolation is very inconsistent. Any little move opens up the isolation.  I can't go any deeper.  My ear canal is not even all that big.  I get great isolation with shure medium olives.  The hf5 does have supurb sound compared to the se215/210 though.  any ideas?

 

[Techno Kid]

You need to pull your ear up then insert the IEM and the gray triple-flange are the best to use with the large foam tips being the second best.  I don't see how you can't get the large foam to seal, you just role them up in your finger then put them in and let them expand and they should seal perfectly not matter what size ears you have.

 

[medex]

Quote:

You need to pull your ear up then insert the IEM and the gray triple-flange are the best to use with the large foam tips being the second best.  I don't see how you can't get the large foam to seal, you just role them up in your finger then put them in and let them expand and they should seal perfectly not matter what size ears you have.

 
I do pull my ear up, that's how the etymotic video shows us how to do it and it's how I've always done it even with shures.

I have done the same with the grey triple flange and have gone as deep as I can go.  It does not seal.  I can hear everything fine.  Yes the flange is on the iem correctly and all the way.
 
The included grey foam tips also can seal but it's not great.  I apply them exactly as you mentioned.


Just a note, the iem is going all the way in.  Further out and it's worse.

 

[Techno Kid]

Well I don't know what to tell you because the grey tri-flange work great but even the foam should completely seal your ears unless you just have a huge ear canal.
 
Have you ever used Comply tips because they have some that fit the HF5 and you can get a assorted pack with different sizes to see which one fits the best other than that I have no clue what to do.