[uzi2]

 

Are the customs reshelled Etys? The sleeves are yet another example which doesn't allow for correct insertion depth. With tri-flanges or gliders the tip of the Ety bore goes beyond the bend in the ear canal and so, should reach the end of the custom sleeve not halfway down it.
They will certainly be the most comfortable tips, though...

 

[ClieOS]

  What are those IEMs ? All are ER4p ? 

 
Of course not. That's Hifiman RE10000 on the left and Lear LCM-5 on the right.
 

 
Are the customs reshelled Etys? The sleeves are yet another example which doesn't allow for correct insertion depth. With tri-flanges or gliders the tip of the Ety bore goes beyond the bend in the ear canal and so, should reach the end of the custom sleeve not halfway down it.
They will certainly be the most comfortable tips, though...

 
Actually with this custom sleeve, the ER4 is sitting right about the same depth as it normally will in my ear canal, so there is no such problem as not having the 'correct' insertion depth for me. Everyone's ear canal will be different in size/shape and therefore I don't think you can just assume there is one correct depth that will be universally good for everyone, whether it is tri-flanges, glider or custom tips.
 
A good story to tell regarding this topic happened on the recent conference at Canjam Singapore - which Wizard @ Noble Audio (Dr. John Moulton, and he is an audiologist) commented on whether universal IEM should/will sounds as the same CIEM (of the same model of course). The basic idea of his comments is about the same as I have just said above - if the universal IEM just so happens to seal the ear canal the same as the CIEM (which results in about same volume and depth of seal, and therefore the same resonance), then it should in theory gives you the same, or very near the same SQ. It is about having the 'optimum seal' as opposite to having one absolute 'depth', and this can be different from person to person.

 

[uzi2]

   
Of course not. That's Hifiman RE10000 on the left and Lear LCM-5 on the right.
 
 
Actually with this custom sleeve, the ER4 is sitting right about the same depth as it normally will in my ear canal, so there is no such problem as not having the 'correct' insertion depth for me. Everyone's ear canal will be different in size/shape and therefore I don't think you can just assume there is one correct depth that will be universally good for everyone, whether it is tri-flanges, glider or custom tips.
 
A good story to tell regarding this topic happened on the recent conference at Canjam Singapore - which Wizard @ Noble Audio (Dr. John Moulton, and he is an audiologist) commented on whether universal IEM should/will sounds as the same CIEM (of the same model of course). The basic idea of his comments is about the same as I have just said above - if the universal IEM just so happens to seal the ear canal the same as the CIEM (which results in about same volume and depth of seal, and therefore the same resonance), then it should in theory gives you the same, or very near the same SQ. It is about having the 'optimum seal' as opposite to having one absolute 'depth', and this can be different from person to person.

From my personal experience, I have custom sleeves originally made by ACS for the HF5 (same size barrel as ER4) and the fit is similar to yours. Whilst the sound is not affected very much on the HF5, the ER4 sounds much better with a deeper insertion using a tri-flange or glider tip. I am still getting a good seal with the customs, despite the impressions being several years old.
 
I know John prefers universals, despite selling some of the most beautiful customs going.
 
Edit: I know this is an old post, but it was always in the back of my mind. Ii appears to support the need for a deeper insertion with the ER4.

 

[ClieOS]

 
From my personal experience, I have custom sleeves originally made by ACS for the HF5 (same size barrel as ER4) and the fit is similar to yours. Whilst the sound is not affected very much on the HF5, the ER4 sounds much better with a deeper insertion using a tri-flange or glider tip. I am still getting a good seal with the customs, despite the impressions being several years old.
 
I know John prefers universals, despite selling some of the most beautiful customs going.
 
Edit: I know this is an old post, but it was always in the back of my mind. Ii appears to support the need for a deeper insertion with the ER4.

 
Actually, if you read over Rin Choi's blog, especially over the comments, the issue isn't about the second bend or insertion depth but the resonance caused by the particular custom tips as well as the inconsistency of their build quality. If it is all about insertion depth than it will be more or less the same resonance for me regardless of tri-flanges or custom tips since they both sit roughly the same depth in my ears.

 

[alershka]

Quote:

 
I did not hear back fro Aawan (probably due to the holiday) so I got a bit more formal and started a return on ebay. I was then contacted and told a replacement set would be sent out.  I'm pretty sure the break is in a solder point because plugging and unplugging the cable does not always fix the problem but moving the cable around does. So in the mean time, I am using my spare connectors without the resistor from Lunashop and a P to S cable I picked up on Amazon (ZY Hifi Cable). It seems to be working well. 
 
Since I never heard the ER4S before, I put the Aawan adapters back on (I'm okay as long as I don't move my head) and used the P to S cable and I am super impressed with the increased clarity and depth in FLAC's. I'm pretty sure I'm going to keep using the S cable once I get the replacement Aawan adapters but I may invest in a small amp to go with my Fiio X3. The X3 can drive the 4S but the volume pretty high.

Regrettably, I never heard back again from Aawan and ebay said it has been too long for them to step in and help. This was difficult for me since they indicated they would send out another set but having to wait 3 weeks to see if they actually did put this outside of ebay's 30 day window. As in most cases, buyer beware and eBay has never really been a great place to get warranty support.
 
I know a few of you out here are good with troubleshooting this sort of thing. Any thoughts on how I could disassemble the adapter and trouble shoot this? At this point, I'm out the money and won't be getting a replacement set so if I torch them by accident, I'm not really out anymore. I think the problem is related to the connection from the resistor board (?) and the MMCX connector since  I can get sound if I wiggle or spin the cables. I see a small phillips head screw that I guess I need to remove to pull the adapter apart.  If there is a good wattage and tip size for this type of work, let me know. I have a soldering pencil and a high wattage gun. Both are probably too big for this job.
 
Thanks!

 

[Smugsie]

  ... but I may invest in a small amp to go with my Fiio X3. The X3 can drive the 4S but the volume pretty high.

So you're getting an amplifier for the X3 so you get lower volumes?  That's a first

Unless you're getting a more powerful amplifier so you can subdue the treble then that's different. If you want to save money then I would hold off on the amplifier, I've been using the X3 with the ER4S for 3 years and haven't found a need for an amplifier for the X3 and 4S combo.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[ClieOS]

Quote:
Regrettably, I never heard back again from Aawan and ebay said it has been too long for them to step in and help. This was difficult for me since they indicated they would send out another set but having to wait 3 weeks to see if they actually did put this outside of ebay's 30 day window. As in most cases, buyer beware and eBay has never really been a great place to get warranty support.

I know a few of you out here are good with troubleshooting this sort of thing. Any thoughts on how I could disassemble the adapter and trouble shoot this? At this point, I'm out the money and won't be getting a replacement set so if I torch them by accident, I'm not really out anymore. I think the problem is related to the connection from the resistor board (?) and the MMCX connector since  I can get sound if I wiggle or spin the cables. I see a small phillips head screw that I guess I need to remove to pull the adapter apart.  If there is a good wattage and tip size for this type of work, let me know. I have a soldering pencil and a high wattage gun. Both are probably too big for this job.

Thanks!

Actually that is sign that the MMCX connector inner pin socket is bend, which is a pretty common failure among MMCX connector. The only real fix for that is to replace the whole MMCX connector.

 

[alershka]

Actually that is sign that the MMCX connector inner pin socket is bend, which is a pretty common failure among MMCX connector. The only real fix for that is to replace the whole MMCX connector.

Visual inspection with 4x monocle shows the inner pin in the defective unit and the working unit appear identical, neither is showing a bend or out of round. Looking at the spec for the female parts, it looks like the tolerances are +/-  0.04 mm so I'm not sure if I'd be able to see something out of alignment enough for it not to work.
 
I'm going to take them a part and see if there is a solder break inside and how easy it would be to replace. Again, I'm at a very low skill level so this may be a challenge no matter what.
 
Edit: Upon further inspection, there is no visible screw. I thought there was a sticker covering a screw (similarly placed to the other adapters I bought on ebay from Lunashop) but there is only a sticker at the bottom to indicate right and left (by color) and that these are "P" adapters.  I'm not sure how these go together / come apart.

 

[ClieOS]

Visual inspection with 4x monocle shows the inner pin in the defective unit and the working unit appear identical, neither is showing a bend or out of round. Looking at the spec for the female parts, it looks like the tolerances are +/-  0.04 mm so I'm not sure if I'd be able to see something out of alignment enough for it not to work.

I'm going to take them a part and see if there is a solder break inside and how easy it would be to replace. Again, I'm at a very low skill level so this may be a challenge no matter what.

Edit: Upon further inspection, there is no visible screw. I thought there was a sticker covering a screw (similarly placed to the other adapters I bought on ebay from Lunashop) but there is only a sticker at the bottom to indicate right and left (by color) and that these are "P" adapters.  I'm not sure how these go together / come apart.

It isn't something you can tell by visual inspection. As I had said, it is a common problem for all MMCX connector. I actually had a pair of Shure sent back for warranty for the same exact problem, and it happened to many Shure owner as well.

 

[ClieOS]

 

 

 

 
 
The Linum cable adapters turn out to be much difficult to build than expected. My plan to build a 4B version totally didn't work out and I end up only able to build a 4S version. Still, it is not easy in anyway.

 

[audionewbi]

I have spent a over 6 weeks switching between my stock er4s cable and the er4b cable made by @ClieOS and I say for me ER4B is alot more enjoyable than ER4S. There is just no going back. To me this brings my er4 back to my top 4 IEM in my collection. Just you wondering the other three are KSE1500, Kaede II, CK100pro, fifth would be either dita truth or ex-1000. 

 

[HiFiChris]

  I have spent a over 6 weeks switching between my stock er4s cable and the er4b cable made by @ClieOS and I say for me ER4B is alot more enjoyable than ER4S. There is just no going back. To me this brings my er4 back to my top 4 IEM in my collection. Just you wondering the other three are KSE1500, Kaede II, CK100pro, fifth would be either dita truth or ex-1000. 

 
Could you share a few sonic differences between the ER•4S and ER•4B and why you are enjoying the 4B more?

 

[audionewbi]

   
Could you share a few sonic differences between the ER•4S and ER•4B and why you are enjoying the 4B more?

The main difference that I can say anyone who listens to this is more pronounce speech, your S becomes more sharpe, the guitar plugs sounds like the instrument is played front of you. 

The majority of the tuning remains the same, what is different and quiet substantially is how much better vocals and instruments are played back, I can say with confidence it is second to non, that includes the KSE1500. 
 
I honestly thought, and that is due to all the reading, that ER4S will be just bright and unmusical and require perfect recording, well to incharge that was a false statement that I kept reading online. Okay to be fair anything which has faint background noise (you know the hissing sound)becomes more noticeable but to me it adds more naturalness to those live musical recording.

I highly recommend it, to me Er4b is made for listerning where as perhaps Er4s made for monitoring. 

And I just cannot put them down, listening to TH900 I was craving for ER4B!

 

[Voyageur]

 
Timeless beauty. Can't get enough of these babies 

 

 

[audionewbi]

I dont know if anyone reported this but I saw a post on innerfidelity at the start of the year only to remember it literally right now thanks to listening to my er4 recently.
 
To quote exactly:
 

 I was happy to see Etymotic at the show. Nothing spanky new in the line...which is fine. Their ER4S is like the Sennheiser HD 600 of the IEM world: It remains a top performer and a solid offering even after nigh on 20 years. I did get a little off-the-record info on upcoming developments, so keep an eye out for a dandy announcement the course of the coming year
Read more at http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/ces-2016-day-three#EclqS1RL2lkAhyr5.99

source: http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/ces-2016-day-three#HJQBDKEkLRxiEurz.97
 
Anyone can tag tyll here, I dont know his username