[TrantaLocked]

Anyone notice the large grey tips sound a bit more anemic, bright and tiny than the stock clear tips? The difference is small but there for me. It seems the stock clear tips mainly have elevated mids with a bit more fullness compared to the large grey tips.
 
Now wondering if there's any single flange tips for Etys. Would probably change the response but I'm interested.

 

[AnyDave]

  Anyone notice the large grey tips sound a bit more anemic, bright and tiny than the stock clear tips? The difference is small but there for me.
 
Now wondering if there's any single flange tips for Etys. Would probably change the response but I'm interested.

 
While I can't say definitively what you are experiencing, this is consistent with what happens when there isn't a good seal.  Even with a tiny break in seal, the low frequency performance is affected, often resulting complaints from users with similar descriptions to yours.

 

[TrantaLocked]

I think the problem might be the reverse, as in too tight of a seal. Either pressuring against my ear canal negatively effects mid/bass reverberation, or the holes in the tips are being squeezed in from the force and allowing less sound through.
 
I've experienced something kind of similar before, where too tight of a seal over pressures something in my ear and hampers my ability to hear the music clearly, making it pretty much unlistenable. It might have something to do with suction, where too much suction causes a pressure imbalance to nearly the point of air tight, giving some frequencies less impact.
 
The clear tips fit me pretty much perfectly though. Good seal, but not overly tight. I'm still interested in what a more shallow, single flange tip would sound like, but I can't find any for Etymotic online.

 

[csglinux]

  I think the problem might be the reverse, as in too tight of a seal. Either pressuring against my ear canal negatively effects mid/bass reverberation, or the holes in the tips are being squeezed in from the force and allowing less sound through.
 
I've experienced something kind of similar before, where too tight of a seal over pressures something in my ear and hampers my ability to hear the music clearly, making it pretty much unlistenable. It might have something to do with suction, where too much suction causes a pressure imbalance to nearly the point of air tight, giving some frequencies less impact.

 
Everybody's ear canals are different, so there's no substitute for trying out every single eartip in existence for yourself
 
I have an unrelated question for the Ety faithful (or Etymotic themselves)... Does anybody know where one can purchase small, 90-degree (or close to 90-degree) mmcx connectors, like those on the ER4XR? I don't need the locking tabs, I'm just looking for some small, angled mmcx connectors. Anybody?

 

[AnyDave]

  I think the problem might be the reverse, as in too tight of a seal. Either pressuring against my ear canal negatively effects mid/bass reverberation, or the holes in the tips are being squeezed in from the force and allowing less sound through.
 
I've experienced something kind of similar before, where too tight of a seal over pressures something in my ear and hampers my ability to hear the music clearly, making it pretty much unlistenable. It might have something to do with suction, where too much suction causes a pressure imbalance to nearly the point of air tight, giving some frequencies less impact.
 
The clear tips fit me pretty much perfectly though. Good seal, but not overly tight. I'm still interested in what a more shallow, single flange tip would sound like, but I can't find any for Etymotic online.

 
I actually misread your original post.  I thought you were comparing the clear 3-flange tips to the smaller frost colored 3-flange tips.
 
It's interesting that you are finding the experience different between the clear 3-flange and the large gray 3-flange eartips.  They are the same size tip (made in the same mold).  I don't have a good explanation of what's going on.
 
Some folks that like a different configuration will buy the 3-flange tips with the longer stems and cut off the first (and sometimes the second) flange.  I'm not sure if that would work for you or not.

 

[TrantaLocked]

   
I actually misread your original post.  I thought you were comparing the clear 3-flange tips to the smaller frost colored 3-flange tips.
 
It's interesting that you are finding the experience different between the clear 3-flange and the large gray 3-flange eartips.  They are the same size tip (made in the same mold).  I don't have a good explanation of what's going on.
 
Some folks that like a different configuration will buy the 3-flange tips with the longer stems and cut off the first (and sometimes the second) flange.  I'm not sure if that would work for you or not.

This is a recent purchase of the ER4PT. It's possible older shipments or other ER4 models use the same mold for the tips, but in my case the grey tips are clearly larger than the default clear tips. I might try cutting the tips though, since I don't have much use for the grey tips.

 

[AnyDave]

  This is a recent purchase of the ER4PT. It's possible older shipments or other ER4 models use the same mold for the tips, but in my case the grey tips are clearly larger than the default clear tips. I might try cutting the tips though, since I don't have much use for the grey tips.

 
Have you used the grey tips for a while?  Sometimes they swell with use.
 
I'm not trying to be contrary, I just know that the large gray and the clear are the same size.  If you compare brand new tips, they should be very very close to each other.

 

[headdict]

   
Have you used the grey tips for a while?  Sometimes they swell with use.
 
I'm not trying to be contrary, I just know that the large gray and the clear are the same size.  If you compare brand new tips, they should be very very close to each other.

As he's got ER4PT I think with clear tips he actually means the frost ones, which are indeed smaller than the gray ones.

 

[AnyDave]

 
As he's got ER4PT I think with clear tips he actually means the frost ones, which are indeed smaller than the gray ones.

 
That was my initial thought as well, but his gray tips are larger than the clear.
 
Edit: Oh wait, maybe you are right.  Maybe he's referring to the frost as the clear tips.
 
TrantaLocked: would you be willing to post a picture of your eartips?  That might be helpful.

 

[TrantaLocked]

These are the tips I'm referring to as clear: http://etymoticdirect.co.uk/media/catalog/product/cache/4/image/364x/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/e/r/er4p_frost-eartips_curledcord_v1_rgb.jpg
 
There are 4 kinds of tips in the case: clear, solid grey (2 pairs), glider foam and cylinder foam (2 pairs each). I have only used the greys for a few minutes for testing purposes, and they are clearly larger than the clear tips. 
 
There is not a separate clear and frost tips in the box, whatever those names mean. There is literally only 1 pair of translucent tips in the box, and they came as default on the headphones. They also happen to be the only good fitting and good sounding tips.
 
So if those are the frost tips, then what are the clear tips?

 

[AnyDave]

  These are the tips I'm referring to as clear: http://etymoticdirect.co.uk/media/catalog/product/cache/4/image/364x/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/e/r/er4p_frost-eartips_curledcord_v1_rgb.jpg
 
There are 4 kinds of tips in the case: clear, solid grey (2 pairs), glider foam and cylinder foam (2 pairs each). I have only used the greys for a few minutes for testing purposes, and they are clearly larger than the clear tips. 
 
There is not a separate clear and frost tips in the box, whatever those names mean. There is literally only 1 pair of translucent tips in the box, and they came as default on the headphones. They also happen to be the only good fitting and good sounding tips.

 
Yep, those are the frost tips, which are indeed smaller.  Thanks for clarifying.
 
For what it's worth, the XR and SR ship with totally clear (not frosted) 3-flange tips that are the same size as the large gray tips.  That is what I thought you were referring to.

 

[BartSimpson1976]

  Does anybody know where one can purchase small, 90-degree (or close to 90-degree) mmcx connectors, like those on the ER4XR? I don't need the locking tabs, I'm just looking for some small, angled mmcx connectors. Anybody?

 
I just have a new cable made by Null Audio for my Final Audio F4100 which require a right-angled MMCX connection. No problem.
If you just need the connector pretty much any of these online stores selling electronic parts for DIY have it for few bucks.
 
https://www.pasternack.com/mmcx-plug-right-angle-connectors-category.aspx
Have a shop in Germany selling them from 1 Euro per piece...
 
 
Can you believe I asked the PlusSound guys for a right-angled MMCX cable and they seriously told me there is no such thing as right-angled MMCX available on the market?

 

[Figuto]

   
I actually misread your original post.  I thought you were comparing the clear 3-flange tips to the smaller frost colored 3-flange tips.
 
It's interesting that you are finding the experience different between the clear 3-flange and the large gray 3-flange eartips.  They are the same size tip (made in the same mold).  I don't have a good explanation of what's going on.
 
Some folks that like a different configuration will buy the 3-flange tips with the longer stems and cut off the first (and sometimes the second) flange.  I'm not sure if that would work for you or not.

Of course, there's a difference, because of a different material they are made from. Just a little, but if you aren't deaf, you can hear it . Comparing old grey and new clear same size tips.

 

[csglinux]

https://www.pasternack.com/mmcx-plug-right-angle-connectors-category.aspx

Just curious. Are these the connectors Null Audio used for your cable? I noticed all of these connectors have a built-in 50 ohm impedance.

 

[BartSimpson1976]

sorry, that I can't tell you. No clue about their source for connectors. But I could ask them.