[AnyDave]

Just had a very disappointing experience with ordering eartips from Etymotics website.

I finally bit the bullet, I have been using and enjoying my ER4XR with the large clear triple flange tips for about 1 year now. Out of all the tips I've tried (2 flange, foam, frosted of various sizes) these are the only ones that feel good in my ears and sound amazing.

My single pair finally ripped at the smallest flange after much use. I'd been procrastinating ordering backup sets but this forced my hand. I can't find them anywhere in my country (Canada). Shipping costs direct from Etymotic's website are insanely high, but I had no other choice so I ordered 3 sets and used a 3rd party re-shipping company to try and make the costs more tolerable. I got them today and they are not the same as the ones I ordered. I ordered large clear triple flange and instead got

ER38-18CL For use with ETY•Kids, HD5 Safety, mc3, mc2, mc5 and Home Hearing Test.​

As you can see from the attached photos these stems are quite a bit longer, the flanges are a bit smaller, and the ER4XR does not extend nearly as far into my ear with this. It seems this would affect the sound greatly. I feel they don't have the same sound or feel as the previous large clear triple flange I was using.

I reached out to support informing them they had sent me the wrong ones, and they responded:


Is this true that you can't get large triple flange clears any more?!
I ordered from this URL: https://www.etymotic.com/product/tr...triple-flange-eartips-large-fit-clear-10-pack
I received these, however: https://www.etymotic.com/product/er38-18cl/

No, those are the wrong eartips and yes it will significantly affect the sound. Please shoot me a DM and I'll get this sorted.

If you're in a hurry, you can cut the extra stem down with a sharp razor blade or a pair of scissors. For decades, the 3-flange have always had their stems cut down prior to use, so it's standard. But if you want to get them pre-cut (which is what you ordered), I can help arrange that.

 

[highway11]

No, those are the wrong eartips and yes it will significantly affect the sound. Please shoot me a DM and I'll get this sorted.

If you're in a hurry, you can cut the extra stem down with a sharp razor blade or a pair of scissors. For decades, the 3-flange have always had their stems cut down prior to use, so it's standard. But if you want to get them pre-cut (which is what you ordered), I can help arrange that.

Ah, that's what I suspected. Thanks so much for the quick reply. I can't believe this would be a direct replacement product if the stem is so different. I really enjoy the sound signature and detail of my ER4XR and don't want it changed in any way. Thanks for looking into this for me!

 

[AnyDave]

Ah, that's what I suspected. Thanks so much for the quick reply. I can't believe this would be a direct replacement product if the stem is so different. I really enjoy the sound signature and detail of my ER4XR and don't want it changed in any way. Thanks for looking into this for me!

Yeah, we'll get it sorted.

In the meantime, feel free to cut some down and use those while we resolve this. At least that way you can enjoy some music while I clean this up.

Leave roughly 1mm (0.040") of stem proud of the surface. The process is this:

1.) Fold back the third (largest flange)
2.) Cut straight down against a hard surface with a sharp razor blade. Scissors work fine as well, but won't give as clean of a cut.
3.) That's it.

If you mess any up, just pitch them and try again. Don't worry about messing up the tips.

 

[InvisibleInk]

Just had a very disappointing experience with ordering eartips from Etymotics website.

I finally bit the bullet, I have been using and enjoying my ER4XR with the large clear triple flange tips for about 1 year now. Out of all the tips I've tried (2 flange, foam, frosted of various sizes) these are the only ones that feel good in my ears and sound amazing.

My single pair finally ripped at the smallest flange after much use. I'd been procrastinating ordering backup sets but this forced my hand. I can't find them anywhere in my country (Canada). Shipping costs direct from Etymotic's website are insanely high, but I had no other choice so I ordered 3 sets and used a 3rd party re-shipping company to try and make the costs more tolerable. I got them today and they are not the same as the ones I ordered. I ordered large clear triple flange and instead got

ER38-18CL For use with ETY•Kids, HD5 Safety, mc3, mc2, mc5 and Home Hearing Test.​

As you can see from the attached photos these stems are quite a bit longer, the flanges are a bit smaller, and the ER4XR does not extend nearly as far into my ear with this. It seems this would affect the sound greatly. I feel they don't have the same sound or feel as the previous large clear triple flange I was using.

I reached out to support informing them they had sent me the wrong ones, and they responded:


Is this true that you can't get large triple flange clears any more?!
I ordered from this URL: https://www.etymotic.com/product/tr...triple-flange-eartips-large-fit-clear-10-pack
I received these, however: https://www.etymotic.com/product/er38-18cl/

That sucks! Just awful, man.

 

[Sinocelt]

But I understand that it’s a single BA and that you can’t expect powerful sub-bass like a good dynamic driver and I accept that.

Yeah, I was kidding, of course. I miss the bass feel of my Atrios. I also have a Wizard-made 4-driver CIEM that is overall superior to the ER4SR. (Sorry, Dave!)

Also, for the people who say that Etymotic IEM’s have an “in your head” sound with no soundstage, I don’t totally agree, but soundstage is the last thing I prioritize in an IEM anyway.

There's a trade-off involved, I think: deeper insertion means that more of the ear canal gets bypassed, and the ear canals (and outer folds) shape the sound and our perception of distance and position. Then again, my spatial hearing sucks, even in real life. Still, the TOPlay earphones I tried at Computex long ago did surprise me by making me think a sound came from some distance away, making me reflexively turn and look -- they sit outside the ear canals, though.


All that said, Jason, I fear we still have to 2% lynch you. So sorry. Would you please stay still? My aim sucks.

 

[Chaz1952]

I'm glad you like the ER4SRs so much. That's always rewarding to hear. As an answer to your other questions:

1.) I'd like to tool up a 4.4mm balanced cable, it just depends on how much interest there is in it. We tooled up a 2.5mm balanced cable, but most people just stick with the 3.5mm cable. If there's enough demand, I'm all for it.

2.) I've thought about this and I don't have a definitive answer yet. It's not impossible.

3.) The xMEMS tech is interesting. I've played around with it a bit, but I've been too busy to dig in hard. Those drivers have quite a lot of high frequency energy and are pretty flat at 2.7kHz, where I would prefer to see a bit more of a bump. I haven't dug in enough to see how far I can shape it acoustically, so I won't speak out of turn. It is intriguing, however. I think there are likely to be a lot of TWS Bluetooth designs in the near future that just correct the response in DSP. Ideally, I'd like to see how far I could push it acoustically and mechanically first, particularly if it's not in a TWS Bluetooth headset. Then, of course, there's the issue of it requiring a bias circuit, and, in a wired earphone, that would have to either be integrated into a headphone amp, or require a separate bias box.

Hi, EtyDave.
I'm one that bought the Ety 2.5mm balanced cable for my ER4SR's pretty much as soon as it was on the market. I'd gladly do the same for an Ety 4.4mm balanced. (I've actually sent in a couple of emails to customer support inquiring about the possibility.) I have a couple of 4.4 balanced cables purchased from LunaShop on AliExpress, but I'm not satisfied with their quality (microphonic cords, sketchy connectors/wiring) Consider me in for one made by Etymotic!

 

[lesale08]

Hi, EtyDave.
I'm one that bought the Ety 2.5mm balanced cable for my ER4SR's pretty much as soon as it was on the market. I'd gladly do the same for an Ety 4.4mm balanced. (I've actually sent in a couple of emails to customer support inquiring about the possibility.) I have a couple of 4.4 balanced cables purchased from LunaShop on AliExpress, but I'm not satisfied with their quality (microphonic cords, sketchy connectors/wiring) Consider me in for one made by Etymotic!

Not sure if this has been confirmed before but can the stock 3.5mm plug be reterminated to 4.4mm instead?

 

[Oscarilbo]

Just had a very disappointing experience with ordering eartips from Etymotics website.

I finally bit the bullet, I have been using and enjoying my ER4XR with the large clear triple flange tips for about 1 year now. Out of all the tips I've tried (2 flange, foam, frosted of various sizes) these are the only ones that feel good in my ears and sound amazing.

My single pair finally ripped at the smallest flange after much use. I'd been procrastinating ordering backup sets but this forced my hand. I can't find them anywhere in my country (Canada). Shipping costs direct from Etymotic's website are insanely high, but I had no other choice so I ordered 3 sets and used a 3rd party re-shipping company to try and make the costs more tolerable. I got them today and they are not the same as the ones I ordered. I ordered large clear triple flange and instead got

ER38-18CL For use with ETY•Kids, HD5 Safety, mc3, mc2, mc5 and Home Hearing Test.​

As you can see from the attached photos these stems are quite a bit longer, the flanges are a bit smaller, and the ER4XR does not extend nearly as far into my ear with this. It seems this would affect the sound greatly. I feel they don't have the same sound or feel as the previous large clear triple flange I was using.

I reached out to support informing them they had sent me the wrong ones, and they responded:


Is this true that you can't get large triple flange clears any more?!
I ordered from this URL: https://www.etymotic.com/product/tr...triple-flange-eartips-large-fit-clear-10-pack
I received these, however: https://www.etymotic.com/product/er38-18cl/

Yo know... something very similar happened to me. I was pretty sure I bought the right tips back in december, but then I accepted I made a mistake, but now I'm not so sure.
I ordered the Large tips but instead received the ER38-18CL For use with ETY•Kids, HD5 Safety, mc3, mc2, mc5 and Home Hearing Test exactly the same as yours, but even weirder is mine are from the hard material and the steem is shorter than yours but larger than the standard Large tips steem.

This is what my original order says:

Triple Flange Eartips | 10 Pack - Triple Flange Eartips| Large Fit | Clear | 10 Pack × 1

• Size:
  Triple Flange Eartips| Large Fit | Clear | 10 Pack

I think I didn't actually made a mistake, but someone at Etymotic store did

 

[AnyDave]

Not sure if this has been confirmed before but can the stock 3.5mm plug be reterminated to 4.4mm instead?

It's a 4-wire cable, so you could indeed cut off the 3.5mm plug and reterminate. You wouldn't want to connect the ground connection on the 4.4mm plug, however.

 

[AnyDave]

Yo know... something very similar happened to me. I was pretty sure I bought the right tips back in december, but then I accepted I made a mistake, but now I'm not so sure.
I ordered the Large tips but instead received the ER38-18CL For use with ETY•Kids, HD5 Safety, mc3, mc2, mc5 and Home Hearing Test exactly the same as yours, but even weirder is mine are from the hard material and the steem is shorter than yours but larger than the standard Large tips steem.

This is what my original order says:

Triple Flange Eartips | 10 Pack - Triple Flange Eartips| Large Fit | Clear | 10 Pack × 1

• Size:
  Triple Flange Eartips| Large Fit | Clear | 10 Pack

I think I didn't actually made a mistake, but someone at Etymotic store did

I dug into this yesterday and it's an issue with the website pointing to the wrong part (ER38-18CL) is not actually the part that you want.

I'm in the process of getting that fixed.

 

[highway11]

Yo know... something very similar happened to me. I was pretty sure I bought the right tips back in december, but then I accepted I made a mistake, but now I'm not so sure.
I ordered the Large tips but instead received the ER38-18CL For use with ETY•Kids, HD5 Safety, mc3, mc2, mc5 and Home Hearing Test exactly the same as yours, but even weirder is mine are from the hard material and the steem is shorter than yours but larger than the standard Large tips steem.

This is what my original order says:

Triple Flange Eartips | 10 Pack - Triple Flange Eartips| Large Fit | Clear | 10 Pack × 1

• Size:
  Triple Flange Eartips| Large Fit | Clear | 10 Pack

I think I didn't actually made a mistake, but someone at Etymotic store did

That is unfortunate to hear. I wonder what's going on at etymotic.com? The large clear are the only ones I like specifically due to the soft material they use. They feel much more comfortable in my ears than the harder material in the 2 flange tips. I also feel that they seal better. I'm waiting to hear back from EtyDave, who's currently looking into it for me. I'm hoping the right tips exist and I can get my hands on them, as my enjoyment of the ER4XR depends on them!

 

[AnyDave]

That is unfortunate to hear. I wonder what's going on at etymotic.com? The large clear are the only ones I like specifically due to the soft material they use. They feel much more comfortable in my ears than the harder material in the 2 flange tips. I also feel that they seal better. I'm waiting to hear back from EtyDave, who's currently looking into it for me. I'm hoping the right tips exist and I can get my hands on them, as my enjoyment of the ER4XR depends on them!

I just sent you a DM. The correct stem length eartips do exist.

That said, the 3-flange and the 2-flange use the exact same material.

 

[lesale08]

It's a 4-wire cable, so you could indeed cut off the 3.5mm plug and reterminate. You wouldn't want to connect the ground connection on the 4.4mm plug, however.

Thanks for confirming. I might have the stock cable reterminated by a local cable maker.

Initially thought of buying an aftermarket cable but I haven't seen any that looks as flushed as the stock mmcx to the earpieces. I kind of dislike the 90 degree angled mmcx connector as well.

 

[highway11]

I just sent you a DM. The correct stem length eartips do exist.

That said, the 3-flange and the 2-flange use the exact same material.

Oh, interesting. Maybe my 3 flange are so old the material just softened up with all the ear wax they've come in contact with, hah.

 

[AnyDave]

Oh, interesting. Maybe my 3 flange are so old the material just softened up with all the ear wax they've come in contact with, hah.

Yeah, the old 3-flange material definitely did get softer with time.