[Rlynn]

I have finally gotten a pair of ER4s, but I'm not finding they have the isolation I'd hoped for. When the music is in a quiet phase or only a single instrument, I can still hear the drone of my co-workers voices underneath the music. This afternoon I've been listening to some string quartets and using the foamies. The volume is as high as I believe is "realistic", the foamies are in as far as I can get them without hitting bone. They do a good job of cutting out computer and HVAC noise, but not the voice drone. Has any one else had this experience?

 

[sillz10]

with foam i get pretty amazing isolation, enough so that i cant hear my tv or my cell phone.

 

[vberch]

I don't hear the phone, don't hear my coworkers in the cube next to mine, don't hear people coming to my cube standing behind me... So, it could be good and could be bad.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rlynn /img/forum/go_quote.gif I have finally gotten a pair of ER4s, but I'm not finding they have the isolation I'd hoped for. When the music is in a quiet phase or only a single instrument, I can still hear the drone of my co-workers voices underneath the music. This afternoon I've been listening to some string quartets and using the foamies. The volume is as high as I believe is "realistic", the foamies are in as far as I can get them without hitting bone. They do a good job of cutting out computer and HVAC noise, but not the voice drone. Has any one else had this experience?

 

[RasmusseN]

maybe try tri-flanges do those isolate more?

 

[Nebby]

are the foamies loose in your ear? with properly sized foamies it is actually a pretty tight fit, you may need larger sized ones. Have you tried the tri-flange tips? With only the tri-flanges I literally can't hear my phone ring even though it's right in front of me...good thing it has a flashing LED

 

[Thelonious Monk]

with foamies, they should be like an anechoic chamber.

ok, maybe not THAT extreme, but still, you're probably just using the wrong size foamies.

 

[arnoldsoccer4]

Try the triflanges, when I use them and have music on, I can't hear anything, for emample a fire alarm in a school drill one day.

 

[Rlynn]

Thanks for the comments. The triflanges don't work for me. I can't get the pressure equalized and they give me a headache. The foamies feel quite tight, I can feel them pressing in my ears and they're not particularly comfortable. I can't imagine getting larger ones. When listening to orchestral music, I can't hear anything but the music, but sound comes through when there is no music and with solo instruments.

What are people's experiences with very quiet music and noisy co-workers? These guys are way noiser than a TV! Especially on Friday afternoons when I'm working to a deadline.

 

[SiBurning]

It cuold be that you don't have them in properly. You should feel the isolation from the outside air as a kind of pressure difference, the same way you feel when you shove your finger in your ear canal, only less so. If you have that sensation when you put them in, then it's a matter of sound pressure. Noisy coworkers might give off 50 or more dB of sou... noise. None of the other tips reduce noise as well as foam. Foam tips reduce sound by about 30dB. Triflanges and other plastic tips do 20dB max. Nothing you can do about it until someone designs a better tip.

A possible alternative is to find out about noise cancelling headphones. From what I've heard about them, they each work better at different types of sound. For example, one might be good on an airplane, and a different set might be better in the office.

Just for kicks, have you tried comparing the isolation you get with the foam tips with sticking your fingers in your ears?

If all else fails, you could try passing up Mozart for the Ramones.

 

[Cakbar]

You could try making these:

http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...r/100_0151.jpg

http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...r/100_0149.jpg

http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...r/100_0148.jpg

http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...r/100_0147.jpg


and the thread explaining how to make them:

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=226191


They give a great fit and excellent isolation.

 

[ken36]

I had the same problem with the foamies. Tri-langes were difficult to seat properly. Finally had success. Keep working with the tri-s. It's worth it.