Going fully Wireless IEMs. Too soon? Or are we there yet?

[miserybeforethemusic]

How are the crystals different to the Xelastec tips? I've ordered some Mifo foam tips which are compatible with the Jabra's, because the Xelastec are getting stuck in my ears when removing the earphones. Easy enough to remove, but not something I want to keep doing.

I was planning on buying the new Sony XM4's, but I'm damn happy with the sound change.

The Crystal are made out of LSR (liquid silicone rubber?) vice PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene...it's a plastic), so it doesn't have the same forming properties of the XELASTEC tips, but they do retain the same amount of grip. Additionally, the shroud on the XELASTEC tips surround the outer perimeter of the nozzle a bit more. They'd be a better bet if you're looking for something with good deep insertion properties; the Crystal seems better suited to just block the ear canal vice fill it.

Pretty sure I have the same Mifo 85t tips. Word of caution: careful when you're stretching the tips around the nozzle; that foam tends to tear pretty easily. Luckily, the seller was willing to replace the foams I tore during application, but can't say that'll be the case every time.

Additionally, the XELASTEC are a standard 5mm ID bore vs the Crystal TWS' more, well, TWS-friendly 3mm (I think...it's skinny enough to work with the original Noble Falcon and Jabra EA75t).

Crystal:



XELASTEC:

 

[Knightsfan11]

The Crystal are made out of silicone vice PTFE, so it doesn't have the same forming properties of the XELASTEC tips. Additionally, the shroud on the XELASTEC tips surround the outer perimeter of the nozzle a bit more. They'd be a better bet if you're looking for something with good deep insertion properties; the Crystal seems better suited to just block the ear canal vice fill it.

Pretty sure I have the same Mifo 85t tips. Word of caution: careful when you're stretching the tips around the nozzle; that foam tends to tear pretty easily. Luckily, the seller was willing to replace the foams I tore during application, but can't say that'll be the case every time.

Thanks for the info.
I ordered the Upgraded Memory Foam Ear Tips for True Wireless Earbuds. I was going to buy Comply tips for the Jabra's, but doesn't seem the Australian site sells them, so would have to buy from the US.

 

[miserybeforethemusic]

Thanks for the info.
I ordered the Upgraded Memory Foam Ear Tips for True Wireless Earbuds. I was going to buy Comply tips for the Jabra's, but doesn't seem the Australian site sells them, so would have to buy from the US.

The ones that come with a bunch of clear plastic rings, right? If so, I have those, but ended up going back to the stock ones pretty quickly. Didn't like that you basically have to tear off an earbud foam, use that plastic ring as a baffle, and stretch a core-less foam tip over all of that. It's really awkward to do on the 85t, but thankfully the seller did provide a link to an install video that helped a ton.

Still good out there, by the way? Some of our media's starting to talk about how things are going down under.

 

[Knightsfan11]

The ones that come with a bunch of clear plastic rings, right? If so, I have those, but ended up going back to the stock ones pretty quickly. Didn't like that you basically have to tear off an earbud foam, use that plastic ring as a baffle, and stretch a core-less foam tip over all of that. It's really awkward to do on the 85t, but thankfully the seller did provide a link to an install video that helped a ton.

Still good out there, by the way? Some of our media's starting to talk about how things are going down under.

I only ordered them yesterday, so yet to receive them.

I'm in Sydney, we have been under lockdown for 5 weeks now. Only essential shops are open, such as Supermarkets, restaurants for take away, cafes etc. The government didn't have a sense of urgency in getting the population vaccinated, until now that the current Delta strain outbreak can't be maintained.

We are up to the 200 new cases a day mark in Sydney, have only had a few deaths, all older people.

 

[miserybeforethemusic]

I only ordered them yesterday, so yet to receive them.

I'm in Sydney, we have been under lockdown for 5 weeks now. Only essential shops are open, such as Supermarkets, restaurants for take away, cafes etc. The government didn't have a sense of urgency in getting the population vaccinated, until now that the current Delta strain outbreak can't be maintained.

We are up to the 200 new cases a day mark in Sydney, have only had a few deaths, all older people.

Sadly, I don't think any ramp-up of administering that mRNA treatment is going to help do anything at this point but promote further mutations. If Delta is this bad, I'd rather not have a gamma, delta, epsilon, or zeta strain, either. Have to let my science nerd colors fly a little bit, but just about everything regarding this rollout has been botched and it really makes me regret the industry I chose to be in, but helps me understand that it'd be far worse off if there weren't people like me in it. That's not meant to be a humble brag; I take my responsibilities with quality assurance very seriously. That being said, I'm nobody's doctor and I don't know your medical history, so please don't listen to me without doing your own homework and certainly don't take my medical advice prima facie. Some of us still care about the scientific method more than peer review, which means we have to be open to criticism, too.

Gosh, I'm sorry to hear that's going on. Truth be told, I usually look to see what happens there as a weathervane for what will eventually happen here; history tends to indicate we follow you (to an extent). I hope that, at the very least, the post keeps moving for you so those tips can come in. They're definitely comfortable; just not my thing.

 

[Knightsfan11]

Sadly, I don't think any ramp-up of administering that mRNA treatment is going to help do anything at this point but promote further mutations. If Delta is this bad, I'd rather not have a gamma, delta, epsilon, or zeta strain, either. Have to let my science nerd colors fly a little bit, but just about everything regarding this rollout has been botched and it really makes me regret the industry I chose to be in, but helps me understand that it'd be far worse off if there weren't people like me in it. That's not meant to be a humble brag; I take my responsibilities with quality assurance very seriously. That being said, I'm nobody's doctor and I don't know your medical history, so please don't listen to me without doing your own homework and certainly don't take my medical advice prima facie. Some of us still care about the scientific method more than peer review, which means we have to be open to criticism, too.

Gosh, I'm sorry to hear that's going on. Truth be told, I usually look to see what happens there as a weathervane for what will eventually happen here; history tends to indicate we follow you (to an extent). I hope that, at the very least, the post keeps moving for you so those tips can come in. They're definitely comfortable; just not my thing.

The government provided a road map out of lockdown last week, with the big one being 80% of the population vaccinated before we can begin to travel freely & overseas. 70% vaccinated before we can basically lift restrictions. I fully expect government to continue implementing restrictions as new strains become apparent. It really is a crap show & has shown government up for being as incompetent as they are.

We did well last year in controlling the initial outbreak & got lucky a few times through the year in avoiding any major outbreaks, though Melbourne went through a tough period.

 

[miserybeforethemusic]

The government provided a road map out of lockdown last week, with the big one being 80% of the population vaccinated before we can begin to travel freely & overseas. 70% vaccinated before we can basically lift restrictions. I fully expect government to continue implementing restrictions as new strains become apparent. It really is a crap show & has shown government up for being as incompetent as they are.

We did well last year in controlling the initial outbreak & got lucky a few times through the year in avoiding any major outbreaks, though Melbourne went through a tough period.

Yeah! You and NZ were doing great last year. Singapore, too. I think we're just too reactionary at this point and fail to think about the long-term. Maybe it's a could vs should argument, I don't know.

What I do know is we've got each other, despite whatever physical barriers pop up in between. Really believe that sense of community is going to be what keeps us all together in the end, especially since trust just seems to be eroding everywhere. Even if it doesn't always come across, or someone wants me to just shut it after the 40th thread post in one day, understand I'm grateful for all of you (even the trolls). A lot of us might have been much worse off if we didn't at least have the ability to socialize here.

 

[miserybeforethemusic]

I am positively smitten with these dang tips! The way they tighten up that bass is just so nice and it feels like the isolation puts the stock EPro tips to shame, but this is a quiet house, so not the best environment to verify that.

Regardless, new favorite combo and enough so for me to willingly...willingly say that they help push the Falcon Pro up to the top spot for SQ, potentially over the FITS...depends on what signature I'm after.

They finally sound like a $300 earphone.

 

[jsmiller58]

I am positively smitten with these dang tips! The way they tighten up that bass is just so nice and it feels like the isolation puts the stock EPro tips to shame, but this is a quiet house, so not the best environment to verify that.

Regardless, new favorite combo and enough so for me to willingly...willingly say that they help push the Falcon Pro up to the top spot for SQ, potentially over the FITS...depends on what signature I'm after.

They finally sound like a $300 earphone.

Really nice sentiment, and I agree - socializing here is a (mental) life saver, even if most of the time I just lurk… Work video conference calls and emails are not cutting it for me.

So, the Falcons and the Fits are all that? Hmmm…. I have that itch…. Which for SQ? Do they have apps? ANC would be nice, but I have XM4 and Amazon v2s for that…

 

[miserybeforethemusic]

Really nice sentiment, and I agree - socializing here is a (mental) life saver, even if most of the time I just lurk… Work video conference calls and emails are not cutting it for me.

So, the Falcons and the Fits are all that? Hmmm…. I have that itch…. Which for SQ? Do they have apps? ANC would be nice, but I have XM4 and Amazon v2s for that…

Honest answer? What are you after?

They're both really good. If you want more isolation, go Falcon Pro + XELASTEC. That feels like a soundbooth when you're indoors (in a good way). The UEs give you a bit more environment awareness, but also means more unwanted stuff can leak in, too. The FITS lock into place, single-handed, and effortlessly. The Falcon Pro take a bit more work and two hands. Probably means I need to try a half-size down. Sonically, the FITS feel way more open and diffused. Sounds have razor-sharp focus on the FP, but more out in space ("over there") on the FITS.

Both have apps with about an equal amount of usability. The Falcon app on my phone (running Android 11) is pretty frustrating to use. It doesn't always connect at first; usually takes me multiple attempts, but the app isn't needed for sound output, so I usually just don't mess with it. EQ is graphic and there's a manually-adjustable preamp, but it's meant to give you more range of volume control, so reductive only. FITS' app is more iFriendly (if that makes sense). Not every menu is intuitively located, but you can figure out where everything is after a couple days. EQ isn't as easy to use as Noble's, but I also don't feel it needs any adjustment. Neither do, at this point.

They're both great, imo, just differently so.

 

[jsmiller58]

Honest answer? What are you after?

They're both really good. If you want more isolation, go Falcon Pro + XELASTEC. That feels like a soundbooth when you're indoors (in a good way). The UEs give you a bit more environment awareness, but also means more unwanted stuff can leak in, too. The FITS lock into place, single-handed, and effortlessly. The Falcon Pro take a bit more work and two hands. Probably means I need to try a half-size down. Sonically, the FITS feel way more open and diffused. Sounds have razor-sharp focus on the FP, but more out in space ("over there") on the FITS.

Both have apps with about an equal amount of usability. The Falcon app on my phone (running Android 11) is pretty frustrating to use. It doesn't always connect at first; usually takes me multiple attempts, but the app isn't needed for sound output, so I usually just don't mess with it. EQ is graphic and there's a manually-adjustable preamp, but it's meant to give you more range of volume control, so reductive only. FITS' app is more iFriendly (if that makes sense). Not every menu is intuitively located, but you can figure out where everything is after a couple days. EQ isn't as easy to use as Noble's, but I also don't feel it needs any adjustment. Neither do, at this point.

They're both great, imo, just differently so.

Thanks!

 

[SynaestheticA]

Well this is interesting...

That eartip fabric and shape give me ptsd.

 

[miserybeforethemusic]

That eartip fabric and shape give me ptsd.

Why?

 

[webvan]

Still happy with my Sabbat X12s for running (ZERO thump) after 2+ years but the Samsung Galaxy Buds Live have dropped in price (70€ on Amazon.de) so I'm...tempted. Is there any advantage to using them for running over the X12s ? If not fur running would they be better for cycling thanks to their ANC ? The X12s are ok when climbing but as soon as the speed picks up the music is really drowned by wind noise Thanks !

 

[Aevum]

isnt the live the "beans" ?

The ANC dosnt work and they have zero isolation, i would avoid them.