[ianmedium]

Stick with the ety. I have tried a number of other so called top tier IEM's and still come back to the ety. They make triple.fi10s sound muddy and lifeless, in comparison to Jh16's admittedly with universal tips there really was not an $800 improvement in sound quality with the JH's.
I was asked recently did they pale in comparison to my LCD2's and my reply was they far from pale they both compliment each other splendidly.

I had no idea the shure olives fitted, do they need modification? Though I must say I have had no problem with the triple flanges.

 

[wacomme]

By glider, do you mean the Shure foam tips?
Quote:

If you like the Ety sound, you might want to search for the ACS customs. Before going down the custom route, you should try the glider foams, which IMO are the best tips for the Ety (about $15-18 for 3 pairs).

 
 

 

[kiteki]

 
I wonder how ER-4S sounds with the O2

 

[ianmedium]

By glider, do you mean the Shure foam tips?


 
 

They are grey foam mushrooms that Etymotic sell, mine came with some but I must admit I did not like them and they are very fragile and tear easily. Etymotic are very good at sending out free samples, I would email them and ask them to send you a pair to try.

 

[wacomme]

Thank you. I will email Etymotic about sample gliders. I also think I'll try the Shure tips before investing in customs. It seems tthat people have different opinions about which customs to buy; and customs may not be necessary for a good comfortable fit.
Quote:

Quote:

By glider, do you mean the Shure foam tips?


 
 

They are grey foam mushrooms that Etymotic sell, mine came with some but I must admit I did not like them and they are very fragile and tear easily. Etymotic are very good at sending out free samples, I would email them and ask them to send you a pair to try.
 

 
 

 

[wacomme]

I'm now reconsidering using the Ety Custom program. I'm a little nonplussed by so many people not liking the Microsonic ear molds (bad fit, affects sound). It seems that the customs from Westone and Sensaphonics are better. Same silicone material?
 
Anyhow, the reason I'm considering the Ety program is that in addition to the $100 cost, I can use the same impression for Microsonic to make a set of custom sleeping ear plugs for an additional $67. This seems like a good deal. I currently using foamies for night sleeping (my wife snores), but my ears hurt a little each morning. I'm hoping custom plugs fix this problem. And for $170 I can have custom plugs for sleeping and my ear phones.
 
I was heading down the Shure Olives route; seems simpler than the custom. But customs for sleeping could be the cat's meow. Is there anything "wrong" with custom IEMs?

 

[wuwhere]

I love my Etys 4S and P. If you want more bass, you can get a Headstage Arrow portable amp which has a bass boost. Another portable amp I like with it is the TTVJ hybrid.

 

[firev1]

Quote:

 
I wonder how ER-4S sounds with the O2

Looking forward to try that combi out next month when my distributor stocks them Etys. I find ER-4S with its high impedance, is alot less source picky then other BAs which make them better for use on the go. I use the E11 with my iphone 3G(the HO on my phone is broken) and the ER-4S makes a very fine match to it compared to a lot of other BA which will require very quiet 0 ohm sources.

 

[ianmedium]

As far as amps go both of the ones I have used are really good, the Stepdance was great with them and the SR71-B even more so due to their slightly smoother American Amp sound, think Krell type sound, I really love the sound of American amps, they deliver power but music that is delicate is conveyed in a more realistic way with all that power behind them.

 

[Zanth]

Gotta love the acclaim for the Etys  I've been listening to them a lot lately with various amps/front-ends and I'm continually impressed at how well they compete with custom IEMS like the Westone ES3Xs etc.  For the cost, they are likely the best value in all of headphones outside of Grado SR60's.  I'm actually in the process of having custom molds made for my Etys.  10 years later they impress, but there is no way they are as comfortable as my various customs.  I like the idea of getting some customs for sleeping too.  I use foam plugs every night as well, my wife sounds like a broken lawnmower on roids.  

 

[kiteki]

 
Hmm... that's odd, a mystery moderator that plays Go.
 

 

[wacomme]

Are you ordering your Ety customs through Microsonic or ACS? I called Microsonic and they'll make sleeping plugs for an additional $67. I have yet to call ACS about their sleeping custom plug.
 
Quote:

Gotta love the acclaim for the Etys  I've been listening to them a lot lately with various amps/front-ends and I'm continually impressed at how well they compete with custom IEMS like the Westone ES3Xs etc.  For the cost, they are likely the best value in all of headphones outside of Grado SR60's.  I'm actually in the process of having custom molds made for my Etys.  10 years later they impress, but there is no way they are as comfortable as my various customs.  I like the idea of getting some customs for sleeping too.  I use foam plugs every night as well, my wife sounds like a broken lawnmower on roids.  

 

 

[mchang]

I recently picked up a pair of Ety hf3 and am moving up the tips ladder:
 
- small stock tri-flanges didn't seal enough
- large stock tri-flanges sealed better
- but the stock grey gliders sealed the best and have most isolation for me
- never tried the stock foamies
- just ordered a set of small black Shure foam tips (aka. "olives"). Hope to get them next week
- am scheduled to visit an audiologist next week to get custom impressions made. Followed the instructions and used the North America audiologist finder on Ety's site to locate a local doc. When I called to make the appointment, the receptionist knew what I was talking about in regards to custom Etymotic molds. Not sure what company the impressions will be sent to for manufacture.
 
Will report back with learnings.

 

[kmhaynes]

I've had my ER-4P nearly a year now, and at first the Ety 3-flange was uncomfortable for me.  I have fairly small ear canals, and the sense of pressure was hard to take.  But after only about 2 weeks of daily use, starting at 10 minutes, building up to multiple hours per day of putting in the 3-flange, I became much more accostomed to them -- you are not required to insert them as deep as they CAN go -- just deep enuf to get a decent seal.
 
I have also tried the Shure Olives and they are a very good alternative for comfort.  But I try to keep mine clean from wax and stuff and the Olives started to get bloated after a short while and would pinch in my ear canal, cutting off the sound.
 
In the end, I truly love the 3-flange tips, inserted just a bit.  While thinking about other options, you should keep trying them and see if you don't get used to and appreciate them.

 

[ianmedium]

I agree with the three flanges being the best. A trick I am sure most of us know is first moisten the tips. I just put the tip lightly between my lips that is enough moisture (and if you think that not nice remember saliva is a natural antiseptic and being your body fluids the most comparable with your body chemistry!) and then insert them fully then pull them out a bit. When you get used to this it becomes second nature and you hear the perfect amount of external noise suppression before playing the music.

I used to wet them a little with water but found it irritated my ears, since using my own saliva I have never had comfort issues and can and do wear them for hours on end. Only the other day I took a thirteen hour bus ride and listened to music for around ten hours of that and experienced no discomfort whatsoever.

To someone new to these earphones it seems like a lot of phaffing around to get the right seal but as I say it becomes second nature very quickly!