[jhelsas]

Well, for some time now I have the HF5 and the Fiio e7, and about 2 months ago I purchased a set of comply foam tips. I have a lot of questions begining with the following:
 
1) The comply's felt ultra smooth and comfortable, but the first pair that I tried lasted about 3 weeks before beginning to tear itself apart. I thoght it was because I was beeing abusing and mistreating it, so I after disposing the first pair, I took the second pair, and it lasted about 1 month because getting in the exact same condition as the other. I still have this one and I'll try posting a picture of it latter on(I'm without my camera right now).
 
    Is this normal? that mean, it's normal to a set of foam tips only last about a month?
 
2) I purchased the fiio e7 to work as usb dac/amp for my laptop but I decided to try it as an amp along with my sansa fuze (L6 lod cable) and see what I could get. Beside getting a lot of looks and comments of people around me asking what alien device was that, I would like to ask this: Although I didn't sense a great overall improvement in SQ I did have the impression of a bigger soundstage. Also, is this normal? Is the soundstage dependant on the amp? The SQ didn't change much because of the low impedance of the iem?
 
Thanks everybody,

 

[Swimsonny]

1) it depends I course how much you use the tips on their longevity. Its is also reccomended that you don't use them for more than 3 months anyway because of hygiene reasons. If your that troubled then I'm sure comply will happily respond to an email.

2) although I have personally never used a e7 I have used a few other amps. Your right when you comment on the soundstage as the most noticeable effects of an amp are addition to the size of soundstage, more depth and texture to sound as well as transparency of the sound. You should also be able to hear differences in the frequencies but obviously with the e7 they are more sutle.

One thing I have tried with my HF5s that really adds to the sound quality Is adding my Ultimate ears airplane attenuator which adds a 100 impedance and then amping it! It really adds some detail and smoothens the sound! You can get resistors on eBay cheaply that add 100 impedance and you could find one a worthwhile purchase!

 

[tinyman392]

 
Quote:

Well, for some time now I have the HF5 and the Fiio e7, and about 2 months ago I purchased a set of comply foam tips. I have a lot of questions begining with the following:
 
1) The comply's felt ultra smooth and comfortable, but the first pair that I tried lasted about 3 weeks before beginning to tear itself apart. I thoght it was because I was beeing abusing and mistreating it, so I after disposing the first pair, I took the second pair, and it lasted about 1 month because getting in the exact same condition as the other. I still have this one and I'll try posting a picture of it latter on(I'm without my camera right now).
 
    Is this normal? that mean, it's normal to a set of foam tips only last about a month?
 
2) I purchased the fiio e7 to work as usb dac/amp for my laptop but I decided to try it as an amp along with my sansa fuze (L6 lod cable) and see what I could get. Beside getting a lot of looks and comments of people around me asking what alien device was that, I would like to ask this: Although I didn't sense a great overall improvement in SQ I did have the impression of a bigger soundstage. Also, is this normal? Is the soundstage dependant on the amp? The SQ didn't change much because of the low impedance of the iem?
 
Thanks everybody,

 

• The amount of time Complys (actually any tip) will last depends on usage.  The more you use it, the quicker it'll deteriorate.  Comply tips tend to not last as long simply due to the material that is used (it's not cheap material, it's great for comfort and isolation as well as providing a seal).  Many have stated that they don't last longer than a month.  Etymotic recommends replacing their foam tips each month as well.
• Amps will do different things for each and every pair of headphones it's paired with.  They normally are upgrades though.  What it does depends on the headphone though.  I don't have an E7, so I can't comment further.

 

[Shark]

It was said, but Comply lifespan lasts as long as you let them. If you constantly use them, don't clean your ears, treat them roughly, or constantly remove and reapply them to the earphones, they'll die QUICKLY.
If you're nice to them, keep you ears clean and wipe the gunk off, they should last quite a while... especially if you don't use them too often. They usually give out free tips if you send them an email.

 

[jhelsas]

I use my HF5 in daily comute, so, between 40 min to 2h daily 5 days a week, and  while walking on the streen, so let's put 1h20 up to 3h in weekday and < 1h in weekend day. One of the greatest thing they allowed me is to keep the volume confortably low even in a very unfriendly enviroment.
 
I clean with coton swab to clean my ears or daily or every two days max, but usualy everyday(I used to do this long before I used headphones, in-ears or any of the alike).
 
I think I was beeing nice to them, but I'm not sure and that's what I want to confirm when I upload the pictures. Right now I'm in a middle of a workshop far from home and didn't got the chance to take a picture of the tips before I leave. One curious thing is that I purchased the comply's because my foam tips that came with the HF5 started to get a little rough and it was about 1 and a half month of use too....
 
I'll try sending them a email, but still, if a month is the usual lifespan and 3 months is the longest recomended for higiene reasons, I'll rethink using foam tips, because it's kinda expensive keeping a supply of tips and changing them every month, US$ 60-80 a year in tips isn't exactly cheap. I originaly bought them because my ears were getting hurt by the triple flange and the foam's were simply amazing. After the 2nd pair of comply's started falling apart I returned to use triple flange, and I think that I finaly got the hang of it, also I'm cleaning them each 7-12 days.

 

[Swimsonny]

Honestly your ears become accustomed to the triple flange and they break in to your ears shape. At least that is what I've found. I eq talking about it to another member when I got my HF5s saying I was in huge discomfort and he said what I just put and as you can see he was dead right in my case. It may be a painful first week but they'll get there an although you joule steel clean them they will be a lot cheaper to maintain. Of course I'd reccomended to wait and see what comply have to say.

 

[jekostas]

Have you tried Shure foam tips?  They might be a little bit of a pain to get on and off because they're meant for a slightly smaller nozzle size, but they're closed cell foam rather than the open cell foam of the Comply tips.  They will last much longer.