[chrisadam]

   
Do yourself a favor and pair them with Shure Olive tips. They will sound like a new beast if you are still on stock grey tips. 

 

The Shure olive tips can fit? I tot it would be a little small and a tad bit too tight to fit? If they really do fit, I am gonna hunt them down coz I love them Shure Olive Tips.

 

[ozkan]

  The Shure olive tips can fit? I tot it would be a little small and a tad bit too tight to fit? If they really do fit, I am gonna hunt them down coz I love them Shure Olive Tips.

 
Yes, they do fit. 
 

 

[Soundsgoodtome]

 
I think @Soundsgoodtome is referring to isolation rather than a good seal. I think I have found a good seal with these using large Sony tips. Due to their very nature, they will never be able to provide the isolation you will get from a fully sealed BA IEM. Etymotic set the standard for isolation and I don't think they have ever been beaten.

Indeed, one of my end game criteria for IEMS (which is what a $200-$400 IEM is to me and what I want to spend on in ears) is being able to isolate exceptionally well as I'd be using it under a helmet to block out wind noise that gets to 100-120db on freeway speeds. Where is the port for the dynamic driver located? Anything outside facing away from your head is for sure hopeless in a helmet while inward pointing ports can be ok.

@Brooko Good to know, I have a set of Sony foam/silicone hybrids should I ever go down this road.

 

[Brooko]

@ozkan - the Shure Olives will fit the Phonaks, but they don't have a hope in fitting the Fidue A83.  I think that was what chisadam was asking.

 

[Brooko]

  Where is the port for the dynamic driver located? Anything outside facing away from your head is for sure hopeless in a helmet while inward pointing ports can be ok.

 
Hopefully you can see this - it's facing in, alongside the nozzle
 

 

 
Click for larger images.

 

[Soundsgoodtome]

   
Hopefully you can see this - it's facing in, alongside the nozzle
 

 

 
Click for larger images.

I think I see it, 2nd pic at about 9 o'clock of the R marking? If so that may have some hope for wind protection as it's a good ways in.

As for isolation what do you guys think it provides? -10db? -20db (UE900S rating)?

 

[Brooko]

  I think I see it, 2nd pic at about 9 o'clock of the R marking? If so that may have some hope for wind protection as it's a good ways in.

As for isolation what do you guys think it provides? -10db? -20db (UE900S rating)?

 
Yep - that's the port.
 
At a guess, I'd suggest isolation around -20 to -25 dB.  Really tip dependent though.

 

[Soundsgoodtome]

At -20 to -25db that's pretty good, just checked UE's website and the 900 showed -26db. I guess my interest is back to these, I'll probably buy new just in case they don't work out.

 

[chrisadam]

  @ozkan - the Shure Olives will fit the Phonaks, but they don't have a hope in fitting the Fidue A83.  I think that was what chisadam was asking.

Yeap, that was my question. Ah well, no Olives for me.

 

[Brooko]

  At -20 to -25db that's pretty good, just checked UE's website and the 900 showed -26db. I guess my interest is back to these, I'll probably buy new just in case they don't work out.

 
Just my estimate mate - and based on using Sony Isolation Tips. I'd also check with @H20Fidelity and @djvkool - as they'll both be able to chime in with their own impressions on isolation.

 

[H20Fidelity]

   
Do you have PFE grey tips H20? They may work well with the short nozzle of A83 and they are very comfy and elastic.

 
No, I don't have those tips. =)

Quote:

   
Just my estimate mate - and based on using Sony Isolation Tips. I'd also check with @H20Fidelity and @djvkool - as they'll both be able to chime in with their own impressions on isolation.

UE900 has more isolation than A83, but this is all relative to tip selection in my opinion. Sometimes I scratch my head when people say "what's the isolation like" on an IEM. While you can give an estimate on the housing and venting tip selection is the real decider on how much isolation you'll achieve.

For example, let me put my UE900 tips on A83 (which are great isolating tips btw) and I reach similar levels.

Then, put Heir tips on A83, I can hear birds chirping out my window with no music playing.

I'm sure this makes sense, more about tips variations than actual IEM design itself, (although that matters to a degree)
 

 

[olddude]

I get better isolation with silicon than with foam.

 

[Loquah]

Really? I can't get even close to foam isolation with silicones, but my ears are a bit tricky to fit well.

 

[jailhouselounge]

Sony tips gives me the most isolation at the moment  
 
Could any of you comment on these getting a bit sibilant to harsh on some tracks (hiss) or is this entirely source and audio file dependent? 

 

[olddude]

Never with the Fidues, as long as source was good.  I keep posting here and on the X5 thread that, when you get into the better ranges of players/iems, source matters more and more because everything is clearer to the ear.  I used to listen to the first Crowded House album a lot, then stopped.  Now, I just put it on my X5 and with the Fidues the treble is a bit much.  It's listenable but clearly recording and/or mastering the upper end of the drumset wasn't done as well as I would have hoped.  And yet I never noticed it with my C3 and C&C and TF10s.  I read somewhere that the A&K240 really needs good-sounding source material.  Now I get it.