ER-4P filter replacement went wrong!!!

[guyverl]

Ahhh!

I've had my Etys for half a year now and I noticed the sound getting muffled so decided to change the filters. I changed the right filter without a hitch but when I changed the left filter the green part fell out from the metal part and is now stuck in the black barrel. Subsequent very very careful usage of a pin to try to extract the green filter has proved in vain.

Anybody got any suggestions or had this problem before? i emailed Etymotic yesterday but still not received a response.

I live in UK too, so if I have to send them in to be fixed, it's going to be an international shipping job

 

[iamdone]

Quote:

Originally Posted by guyverl Ahhh! I've had my Etys for half a year now and I noticed the sound getting muffled so decided to change the filters. I changed the right filter without a hitch but when I changed the left filter the green part fell out from the metal part and is now stuck in the black barrel. Subsequent very very careful usage of a pin to try to extract the green filter has proved in vain. Anybody got any suggestions or had this problem before? i emailed Etymotic yesterday but still not received a response. I live in UK too, so if I have to send them in to be fixed, it's going to be an international shipping job

Maybe a needle-point tweaser will get it out.

 

[JohnRich]

nightmare. is the green filter loose in the black barrel? does it move if you (gently) shake the barrel? is the metal rim of the filter still in place? If the metal part is removed i'd have assumed the green filter would just fall out

I suspect that etymotic's advice would be to return it and get it repaired properly under their warranty - I assume you've registered your 4Ps at their website?

The international shipping probably isn't too much hassle and is only £10 or so for Airsure at the post office; being without the ER4s whilst they are off getting repaired might be more of a trauma.

 

[TWIFOSP]

Hrm, I can envision what happened, but not sure what to recommend.

Call Etymotic, they have bad ass cust support.

 

[guyverl]

They're not loose in the barrel - first thing I tried was just to shake them out but didn't work. They seem quite snug down in the barrels so a tweezer wouldn't work. The metal part has been removed but when it came out the green part was stuck in the barrel

and they don't move if I shake them, I can't really understand myself how they got so well fitted down there...

Yeah, I registered the Etys as soon as I got them... I emailed Etymotic but they haven't replied yet... will have to use my Portapros while they are dead - can't say i'm a fan of the bloaty bass now i've got used to the ultra clean sound of the Etys.

 

[Spankypoo]

Play a bunch of Bone Thugs or 2Pac or something at high volumes until it's loose.

Ugh - sorry to hear about that.

 

[JohnRich]

you could perhaps try a spot of superglue and a matchstick to try and grip the green bit enough to drag it loose; the risk being that you could glue it in place forever

Have experimented with my old/broken er4s and think you ought to be able to crush the green mesh with a pin etc and eventually change its shape enough to dislodge it - or have another go with the filter changing tool as it might dig in enough to grip the green mesh. I also reckon the wax removal loop from my musician's earplugs would shift it as it fits the hole in the barrel nicely and is an ideal shape, but doubt this helps information helps very much.

As a stopgap headphone you could have a look at the philips SBC HN060
http://www.press.ce.philips.com/apps...9?opendocument which does a creditable imitation of the ety sound for £29.99, although the supplied eartips were useless for my ears ( ER6 foamies or the EX51/71 tips fit nicely though ) decentish bass when you get a good seal; not sure how helpful the active noise suppression circuit is, but i guess it doesn't hurt to have the option there.

 

[guyverl]

Still no reply from Etymotic...

maybe I should email them again...

 

[JohnRich]

I'd either wait for a reply or phone them; it seems to take a while for them to reply via email (ie a day or two), but they're generally pretty helpful when the answer comes back.

 

[matt8268]

I had this exact same problem happen. I unfolded a paperclip and used that to dislodge the filters. A word of caution...when I put in the filters, they completely muffled the sound. I'm now waiting for replacement filters from Etymotic. It is unlikely, though possible, that using the paperclip caused this problem, but I had the problem on all 4 filters, so unlikely the paperclip was able to harm 4 filters at once. More likely my 6 month world trip affected them (extreme heat/humidity?).

 

[wakked1]

In theory I suppose if you screwed in a really fine wood screw you could then just pull it out, corkscrew-like. Be careful that it doesn't expand and split the barrel though.

 

[Jahn]

put your lips to the barrel and suck it out!

 

[fureshi]

if you have access to a pick that dentist use, they generally have a small enough point and might help pull it out. works great for electronics and SMT devices. you should be able to find small gauge picks at electronics stores.

 

[chrisfromalbany]

I guess, I would be of the view to try anything and everything listed above. If at worst you break them you are going to have to send them back anyways. I had to send them back and the customers service was great. Sorry to hear about the problem. I once put one in backwards.. that was a nightmare. I was able to use the screw tool to still get it out. Needless to say, I was alittle more careful the next time.


-Chris