[sxr71]

I did a search here and I found a couple of post alluding to a source where they are sold in bulk and through some internet research I found that Etymotic used to sell them in a pack of 100 for around $90 (not that much of a savings if you ask me).

I also found a company that sells these:

http://www.e-a-r.com/e-a-r.com/audit...um=420-2032001

However they come in OEM packs of 10,000 only. Their other sizes come in much smaller packs.

I'm desperately looking for a source to get my foamie fix, the best so far is the usual idealsound/discountheadphones place (at $12 for 14).

I mean, do these things really have to cost a dollar each? I hate running low and having to conserve the last few pairs and then getting around to ordering them. Actually I wouldn't mind paying a full dollar each if I could buy them retail in NYC and not have to plan these purchases.

I wouldn't mind some kind of bulk discount maybe $70 for 100.

Has anyone had any luck with maybe a local audiologist or any website selling these in 100 packs?

 

[kin0kin]

discountheadphones sell them in bulk

 

[sxr71]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kin0kin discountheadphones sell them in bulk

Thanks for the info, I couldn't find it on their website in quantities greater than 14, but I guess an e-mail to them will help.

Thanks again!

EDIT: I just called them and they told me I'd need to buy 50 packs of 14 foamies to get them for $11 a pack. So I'd need to buy 700 of them for $550. Etymotic used to have a bulk package of 100 called the ER4-14FB (as opposed to the regular 14 pack called the ER4-14F) for about $90 but even discountheadphones doesn't have that anymore. There has to be a source that has these for a price just a little closer to cost which I doubt exceeds $30 for 100. People need to make a profit so even $70-75 for 100 is fine by me.

 

[busta]

The foamies really shouldn't be more than $5 per pair at most! I mean, they're just little pieces of foam with a tiny inserted rubber tube (at least for the 6i's).

Ah well, let me know if they give you a discount sxr71.

 

[sxr71]

Quote:

Originally Posted by busta The foamies really shouldn't be more than $5 per pair at most! I mean, they're just little pieces of foam with a tiny inserted rubber tube (at least for the 6i's). Ah well, let me know if they give you a discount sxr71.

You mean $5 for pack right? Because they are roughly $2 a pair now, but they really should be, like you pointed out, about $5 for a pack of 10 or something like that.


BTW: Look at these foamies that Etymotic themselves sell to professionals:

http://www.etymotic.com/pro/er3a-acc.aspx

The only problem is that they look like they have much narrower center tubes than those that would fit the ER4s. Why can't we get ours for $21 for a pack of 50? I'd order 2 packs in a heartbeat.

 

[sxr71]

Okay I did some more digging and I really have a strong feeling that these are it:

http://www.etymotic.com/pro/er10c-acc.aspx

Look at the ER10C-14A

What do you guys think?

They look like they have the wider opening that would fit our ER4s.


If so then they are $19 for 25 here (scroll down for the yellow highlight):

http://64.233.187.104/search?q=cache...ient=firefox-a

Hey they might be yellow but I don't care. I'd order two packs of the adult and one pack of the jumbo to try out if they really are the right ones.

 

[LaBreaHead]

If it helps, some people wash them in a mixture of water and mild detergent. Supposedly, that way you can oberve basic hygiene while extending the usage out of them, but I can't vouch for that. (I do know the yellow Shure foamies look worse after awhile than the dark Ety foamies do.)

 

[sxr71]

Quote:

Originally Posted by LaBreaHead If it helps, some people wash them in a mixture of water and mild detergent. Supposedly, that way you can oberve basic hygiene while extending the usage out of them, but I can't vouch for that. (I do know the yellow Shure foamies look worse after awhile than the dark Ety foamies do.)

I heard about that method, but I also heard that they never fit the same after a wash. Thanks for the advice though.

You what I am beginning to realize? I think I'm just wasting my time on this quest. I found a couple of professional eartips that seem to be the right size but they literally cost $100 for a pack of 100.

Even if I bought those slightly cheaper ones on the Etymotic website, I'd barely save $5 over 25 pairs and I'd be taking a risk.

I think I should just cut my losses and order a couple of packs over at www.discountheadphone.com and call it a day. Maybe one day I'll raid the factory that makes these things and I'll fill a Hefty bag full of them, but I don't think that will happen. I'd love to use these like audiologists do - a new pair for each use, but with the prices I'm seeing I guess I'll have to stick to one change every week or two.

 

[busta]

I did indeed mean pack, thanks for the correction.

 

[kin0kin]

discountheadphones used to carry the 100pack IIRC, I've seen it sometime back then....guess they ran out of stock

 

[cheechoz]

That first company you gave the link to, in your first post, doesn't have any stems in their foamies. I don't think they will fit correctly!

 

[sxr71]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cheechoz That first company you gave the link to, in your first post, doesn't have any stems in their foamies. I don't think they will fit correctly!

Yeah, you're right. No stems. I completely overlooked that.

Oh well, I guess we won't be getting a break on these. The concept of popping in a new foamie each time won't work for me until I win a lottery.

 

[afbug]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sxr71 Yeah, you're right. No stems. I completely overlooked that. Oh well, I guess we won't be getting a break on these. The concept of popping in a new foamie each time won't work for me until I win a lottery.

With a little bit of effort, you can recycle your old stems. Add some glue and i guess it will be as good as new.

 

[greenback]

Wouldn't it be cheaper in the long run just to get custom molds instead of buying new foam pieces all the time?

 

[raisin]

It's not a good idea to stock up on this item, as they begin to oxidize and stiffen the minute they are manufactured. The Ety foam formula drys out faster than the Shure foamies. Two or three months is the maximum time you would want to hold onto these, if you really cherish that new foam fit!