[DrEsquire]

About a week and a half ago I got a pair of SoundMAGIC E10 IEMs and I love the immersive sound. But I keep having discomfort while wearing them.
 
My main audio player is a Droid RAZR MAXX phone running the PlayerPro app, with the volume almost always set to the lowest or second-to-lowest level possible. I worried if it was the volume level that was casing my discomfort but it's so low I don't know if that could be the cause (the type of the music that causes the most discomfort are bands like the Smashing Pumpkins, Tool, Deftones, and funk). I also changed the eartips from the standard mediums to the smalls, which fit better but still cause discomfort.
 
I'm only really concerned if the "louder" recordings (despite the freakishly low volume level on the phone) could be damaging my hearing (hence the discomfort).

 

[H20Fidelity]

General rule is to use as low a volume possible, the lowest comfortable listening level. As for the discomfort try boiling the tips for a few minutes in a pot of boiling water, sometimes the new factory rubber can become irritating.

 

[DrEsquire]

But see, I already have it at a very low level of volume and it's still uncomfortable.

 

[conkerman]

In what way are you uncomfortable.
 
- Outer ear pain? I can only wear certain IEMs as they just don't fit my ears properly.
 
- Pain inside the ear like you have had overexposure to loud noise.
 
- Not sure, my ears just hurt.
 
Will help us work out whats going on.
 
I suspect you discomfort is due to poor fit. Start with the smallest tips and increase size until you get some bass from your IEMS. 

 

[DrEsquire]

In what way are you uncomfortable.

- Outer ear pain? I can only wear certain IEMs as they just don't fit my ears properly.

- Pain inside the ear like you have had overexposure to loud noise.

- Not sure, my ears just hurt.

Will help us work out whats going on.

I suspect you discomfort is due to poor fit. Start with the smallest tips and increase size until you get some bass from your IEMS. 

After using my IEMs today I would describe the discomfort as emanating from inside my ear, maybe partway through the canal. But what's strange is not only how low my volume is but also the fact that the EQ is completely flat. The discomfort also comes from playing "louder" styles of music...folk music doesn't, for instance, seem to cause discomfort.