[cray5656]

stuffing one of the supplied silicon sleeves with foam so that there is less leeway for the silicone to allow sound in. I also love that the cable is detachable and it seems high quality.

can someone please go into more detail about this? i dont find the IE8 closes enough sound our

 

[The Hawk]

Basically what is done is take the silicone tip and flip the part that goes into your ear over (turn it inside out) This exposes the stem. Then you take something like a Comply T-400, T-500 or a Shure Black Olive tip and remove the plastic core inside it.....this will allow it to fit over the stem of the silicone tip. Slide the foam tip up the stem of the silicone tip and then roll the flipped section of the silicone tip down over top of the foam.

 

[ChroniCali]

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Hawk /img/forum/go_quote.gif Basically what is done is take the silicone tip and flip the part that goes into your ear over (turn it inside out) This exposes the stem. Then you take something like a Comply T-400, T-500 or a Shure Black Olive tip and remove the plastic core inside it.....this will allow it to fit over the stem of the silicone tip. Slide the foam tip up the stem of the silicone tip and then roll the flipped section of the silicone tip down over top of the foam.

Sounds like something I need to try out once I get some IEMs in my hands again.

 

[average_joe]

Check out the link in my sig. Let me know if you have any questions.

 

[The Hawk]

I tried it today with my IE8s. I'm using the UE large silicone tip over a Comply T-500.....it helped isolation noticeably and in my case it helped the seal as well as I have a slightly hard time getting a good seal with the IE8 due to it's shallow insertion and my large openings to my ear canals. I easily got a strong seal with the UE large silicone on my old Super.fi Pros but I was able to jam them in further than the IE8.

 

[Edward Ng]

Quote:

Originally Posted by average_joe /img/forum/go_quote.gif Check out the link in my sig. Let me know if you have any questions.

If I use Comply foam in that spot, it darkens the sound too much.

-Ed

 

[PG21]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Edward Ng /img/forum/go_quote.gif If I use Comply foam in that spot, it darkens the sound too much. -Ed

I agree, too much isolation just doesn't work for me. The bass becomes overwhelming even at the minimum setting.

 

[average_joe]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Edward Ng /img/forum/go_quote.gif If I use Comply foam in that spot, it darkens the sound too much. -Ed

Quote:

Originally Posted by PG21 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I agree, too much isolation just doesn't work for me. The bass becomes overwhelming even at the minimum setting.

I guess I am lucky because they seem bright to me. Could it be the tip tube diameter? Ed, I think you said you measured your tip tube at 3mm, and mine is 7mm.

 

[Edward Ng]

Quote:

Originally Posted by average_joe /img/forum/go_quote.gif I guess I am lucky because they seem bright to me. Could it be the tip tube diameter? Ed, I think you said you measured your tip tube at 3mm, and mine is 7mm.

Doesn't matter, it's the foam; even if I use the T400 bare (not in combination with any flanged tip), it's much too dark.

-Ed

 

[average_joe]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Edward Ng /img/forum/go_quote.gif Doesn't matter, it's the foam; even if I use the T400 bare (not in combination with any flanged tip), it's much too dark. -Ed

When using a tip, the material of the tip will affect sound quality. For example, a Comply foam tip will absorb high frequency energy, reducing the amplitude at your ear drum (kinda like having speakers on carpet). A silicon tip, on the other hand, does not have sound absorbing properties, so it will not attenuate the high frequencies (kinda like speakers on a tile floor).

So, if you have foam under silicon the foam will increase isolation by contouring to your ear canal, but will not be in the sound path and will not affect sound (at least in my configuration). The material used for the tip that contacts your ear canal closest to your ear drum will determine the sound.

I have large/very large ear canals and this works great for me. People with smaller ear canals may have the foam compress the tip, which could reduce the treble. If there is reduced treble, try the foam further back on the nozzle, closer to the body of the IE8.

Also, angle of the tip and depth of insertion can affect the sound, so using foam under silicon might be resulting in a different angle or tip placement, changing the sound.

 

[theitchybeard]

People really need to try this idea, it totally saved the IE8's for me. I am using the small shure foams rather than the comply now but it worked really well with both.

Best way to do it is to first de-core the foam, then to put that straight on the IE8 and push it down as far as possible to expose the plastic stem of the IE8, then you can take the silicone single flange, flip the part that goes in your ear inside out, put it on the IE8 as normal, then pull the foam up and get it back to normal shape, then just flip the silicone flange over the top. Hey presto, much better isolation and for me a better sound with more comfort.

Not to be taking any credit for this great idea because it came from Average Joe

 

[Edward Ng]

Quote:

Originally Posted by average_joe /img/forum/go_quote.gif When using a tip, the material of the tip will affect sound quality. For example, a Comply foam tip will absorb high frequency energy, reducing the amplitude at your ear drum (kinda like having speakers on carpet). A silicon tip, on the other hand, does not have sound absorbing properties, so it will not attenuate the high frequencies (kinda like speakers on a tile floor). So, if you have foam under silicon the foam will increase isolation by contouring to your ear canal, but will not be in the sound path and will not affect sound (at least in my configuration). The material used for the tip that contacts your ear canal closest to your ear drum will determine the sound. I have large/very large ear canals and this works great for me. People with smaller ear canals may have the foam compress the tip, which could reduce the treble. If there is reduced treble, try the foam further back on the nozzle, closer to the body of the IE8. Also, angle of the tip and depth of insertion can affect the sound, so using foam under silicon might be resulting in a different angle or tip placement, changing the sound.

While you're right, the Shure black olives are working great for me under the Sony EP-EX10A tips, as the best configuration I've found so far, and the Comply T400 foam darkens the sound way too much, in exactly the same configuration (under the Sony EP-EX10A tips), which is what I meant by it didn't matter whether I used the Sony tip or not; I still had too much darkening with the T400s versus the Shure foams. I'm merely suggesting that in case it is still too dark when using the Sony EP-EX10A tips with the T400 foams, try the Sony tips with the Shure foams. It may or may not make a difference depending on the ears.

Perhaps this is not the case with the EP-EX1 tips, due to their wider opening? With the EP-EX10A tips, the Comply foam may be soft enough to go into the deepest part of the flange and close up the end, while the Shure foam can't reach that far in and doesn't pinch the tip shut, while with your tips, the opening is too wide to allow this to happen. On the other hand, perhaps this is why you feel they are a little too bright--opening is too wide.

-Ed

 

[average_joe]

Quote:

Originally Posted by theitchybeard /img/forum/go_quote.gif People really need to try this idea, it totally saved the IE8's for me. I am using the small shure foams rather than the comply now but it worked really well with both. Best way to do it is to first de-core the foam, then to put that straight on the IE8 and push it down as far as possible to expose the plastic stem of the IE8, then you can take the silicone single flange, flip the part that goes in your ear inside out, put it on the IE8 as normal, then pull the foam up and get it back to normal shape, then just flip the silicone flange over the top. Hey presto, much better isolation and for me a better sound with more comfort. Not to be taking any credit for this great idea because it came from Average Joe

I actually push and compress the Comply foam on the back of the tip (have to stretch it a little also) and put the Shure spaces on the body of the IE8 when I put the tips on. Then I adjust the placement. But your way would work also, especially if you are not using the Shure spacer! If using just Shure, it may be easier to just place them on the IE8 and install the tip, though. Thanks for your input and another way of getting it done!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Edward Ng /img/forum/go_quote.gif On the other hand, perhaps this is why you feel they are a little too bright--opening is too wide. -Ed

Did I say too bright? It is just right! Maybe on a few tracks it is almost too bright (a little peak at 15K-15.5K), but because the treble is very smooth yet detailed, I like it. That would have to do more with the recording than anything else IMO. I would rather have the treble energy of the IE8 than not have it!

 

[kobayashi]

Good looking mod. Still hoping to buy a set of IE8s myself and will try this mod. My ear canals are also large so this mod looks like it's the ticket.

 

[tstarn06]

Ya know, Ed, I was going to sell the IE8s until I tried your little mod. I squeezed a pair of small olives off their post and wrestled them underneath the large Sony EP-EX10A flanges, and it really does seem to work. Of course, I am not going to try to A/B the setup with a pair of large sans the olives (I do have two pair of large), because getting the Sonys over the olives requires some work. But I like the sound more than without the olives, I know that. Thanks. Now I may have to keep them too. Oh well. Nothing left to sell, it seems.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Edward Ng /img/forum/go_quote.gif While you're right, the Shure black olives are working great for me under the Sony EP-EX10A tips, as the best configuration I've found so far, and the Comply T400 foam darkens the sound way too much, in exactly the same configuration (under the Sony EP-EX10A tips), which is what I meant by it didn't matter whether I used the Sony tip or not; I still had too much darkening with the T400s versus the Shure foams. I'm merely suggesting that in case it is still too dark when using the Sony EP-EX10A tips with the T400 foams, try the Sony tips with the Shure foams. It may or may not make a difference depending on the ears. Perhaps this is not the case with the EP-EX1 tips, due to their wider opening? With the EP-EX10A tips, the Comply foam may be soft enough to go into the deepest part of the flange and close up the end, while the Shure foam can't reach that far in and doesn't pinch the tip shut, while with your tips, the opening is too wide to allow this to happen. On the other hand, perhaps this is why you feel they are a little too bright--opening is too wide. -Ed