[iluvvgwar]

foamy tips.

theres 2 sides to them, the foam side, and the side with the plastic coating. does it make a difference which end goes in your ear first?

 

[psyco1]

Plastic coating goes in.

 

[OriginalReaper]

The plastic coating side stays outside of your ear canal.

 

[joelongwood]

Quote:

Originally posted by OriginalReaper The plastic coating side stays outside of your ear canal.

Well, the plastic coating stays outside the canal, but it's the side that sits at the entrance to the canal. The non-plastic side slips on the stem first and faces the driver.

 

[george]

Okay, so I have not used the foam tips because the rubber tips work fine for me. So I had to go pull the owners manual that came with mine and it does not say which end you insert. So it seems we are left to our own devices on this one.

But after looking the foam tips over, I would have to agree with OriginalReaper that the end with the plastic goes outside the ear canal.

Who's Next?

edit - guess I was too late and got beat to the tie breaker. So now it is tied again. I ain't puttin' that plastic first into my ear canal. It would seem that the plastic would increase the stiffness and it should slide onto the ear phone more easily.

 

[joelongwood]

If my memory serves me (and that is questionable), I seem to recall e-mailing Todd at Headroom regarding this question when I first got my Etys. His response was that the plastic goes toward the ear.

 

[psyco1]

I thought it was there to keep the ear wax out of the foam.

 

[george]

You can clean your ears and keep that from happening.

 

[troublemaker]

email etymotic and ask?

 

[zeplin]

i think some people are confusing the side of the cylindar that has the tube sticking out with the side of the cylindar (the opposite side of that) that has the reflective looking coat over it.

the side of the cylindar with the foam material covered by a coat of smoother material goes into the ear first. psyco is right, that coating is there to keep the ear wax from mixing in too much with the foamies. besides, in the case of the smallest sized foamies, the ones that have the one end with the clear tube visable sticking out the end, have a plastic coating on the opposite side of the end with the tube sticking out. why would anyone put the part with the tube sticking out into an ear...i've actually tried it and it hurts

so, the side with the plastic coating (smoother, more reflective side) goes on the very end inserted into the ear first. also, it makes perfect sense because the coated side provides for better reflective purposes regarding sound quality. and this is what an Eymotic rep told me when i first bought mine.

 

[Guyferd]

I used the plastic and inserted it to the canal

 

[davidmiya]

The Etymotic foamies discussion has come up once before I believe. Here's a quote from an Etymotic rep:
Quote:

JMT is correct that the glossy side goes into your ear. The foam starts out as a sheet of closed cell foam(about the size of a football field). The outside of the foam has a skin. The 3/4" thick sheet is cut to 1/2" thick. Once the eartips are punched there is only one surface that still has a skin on it. The tube that is inserted fits flush on the glossy side and sticks out the unfinished side. Don Wilson Etymotic Research

The original thread can be found HERE

 

[john_jcb]

Well I need to give the foamies a try. I have hade my Etys for a long time and never tried the foam. At least I will no which way it goes.

 

[iluvvgwar]

no reason to bump this, but thnx for those who replied.

another newb saved. thnx to head-fi.