[sidewinder]

Sound quality of my ER4 was somewhat reduced.. replaced filters, and wham!

never realized it would have such a huge effect..

don't know if this is worth a thread, but wth it's usefull..

 

[cheechoz]

Beleive me, it's worth it!!

I just discovered something about my ER-4P's that's been under my eye's the whole time. I have been using the black foam tips the whole time, but I've been cutting them shorter, like the length of my Shure foamies. I have not been all that happy with the sound I was getting, and actually thinking of selling them!

About 10 minutes ago, I went to get some new foamies, because my other ones were dying. I decided to put them on untrimmed! Lord have mercy, what have I been doing all this time! What a huge difference in sound quality. The bass has improved, the treble just sparkles with life, plus there is more isolation then before. Stupid me!

It was the seel all along, that I wasn't getting right. Now all is fantastic, and I have found my perfect IEM!

 

[jacquer]

sidewinder,
how long had you used the filters before they got replaced?

 

[sidewinder]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jacquer sidewinder, how long had you used the filters before they got replaced?

about 1 month.. using them 3 to 4 hours a day..

 

[Jon L]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sidewinder about 1 month.. using them 3 to 4 hours a day..

Wow, Willie Wonka's Human Cerumen Factory!

Seriously, if you use Ety's regularly, to save on the costs of filters, I highly recommend the following procedure.

After shower/bath every day, lightly dip a Q-tip in rubbing alcohol and gently clean ear canals to the approximate depth the Ety's go. You will hardly ever need to replace Ety filters this way.

 

[JohnRich]

3-4 hours a day for a month seems reasonable usage before a filter change to me. Many E.N.T professionals recommend not cleaning your ears with cotton squabs/Q-Tips under any circumstances.

If you want to reduce earwax issues with ER4s then custom molds are a better option, as movement of the tri-flange tips/foamies will encourage greater production of earwax (by irritating the hairs within the ear canal that are associated with earwax production) whereas the custom fit pieces don't tend to move very much once they are in, are very comfortable and any wax they do collect can be removed by detaching from the drivers and washing with soap and water.

 

[smeggy]

Yes, my ear people have told me to never put cotton buds into your ears.

 

[Jon L]

Quote:

Originally Posted by smeggy Yes, my ear people have told me to never put cotton buds into your ears.

Well, that's what I tell my patients, too. You always have to give advice for the safety of the lowest common denominator, b/c the fact is many people cannot seem to perform seemingly simple tasks, like 'lightly' cleaning your ear canal with alcohol without poking a hole in your ear drum or leaving the cotton tip inside the ear!! I've fished out quite a few cotton tips (of unknown age) out of people's ears. How can you use a Q-tip and NOT notice the cotton tip has fallen off inside your ear? And leave it in there for weeks?

Anyway, that's the reason professionals tell you not to use anything "bigger than your fist" inside your ear. Me, I do it all the time

 

[AdamWill]

Several people in another thread on the issue were of the opinion that using a q-tip eventually just pushes a bunch of wax further down the canal where it ends up blocking up the ear after a few repetitions. Just for discussion.

 

[EdipisReks]

Quote:

Originally Posted by AdamWill Several people in another thread on the issue were of the opinion that using a q-tip eventually just pushes a bunch of wax further down the canal where it ends up blocking up the ear after a few repetitions. Just for discussion.

i think think that this is only a problem if you go too deep into your ear. definitly stop when hit resistance and start having seizures.

 

[sidewinder]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jon L Wow, Willie Wonka's Human Cerumen Factory! Seriously, if you use Ety's regularly, to save on the costs of filters, I highly recommend the following procedure. After shower/bath every day, lightly dip a Q-tip in rubbing alcohol and gently clean ear canals to the approximate depth the Ety's go. You will hardly ever need to replace Ety filters this way.

I do have very clean ears, no earwax build-up.. I won't use Q-tips (see previous sentence).. The filter wasn't dirty, you couldn't see a difference with the new one.. but I guess it's all about the sweat in my ears, especially when using foam eartips.. The little filter is like a sponge that keeps earwax or whatever small enough (like water) from entering the electronics in the IEM..