Oscarilbo
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Oh so that's why! Thank you for the clarification Dave.
If you still love Etymotic ER4, this is the thread for you...
- Thread starter Pianist
- Start date
Technohabilis
New Head-Fier
Regarding struggles with Etymotic IEMs, all models: -- I wore the basic 3-flange for years. Fit well enough but for an extended listening session ny ear canals would begin to feel pressed upon. About 5 years in and having several models I experimented with the puffy foam tips but did not like the sound nor the fit ( YMMV ).
About two years ago I began experimenting with the 'extended range' & 'Studio..." models and I found that less power was needed to drive series 3 or series 4 extended range models.
Regardless of model, over the years I find that equalization is essential because 'burn-in' takes about a year if you listen for about 10 hours a week.
Getting fussy I noticed that my perception changes with weather and likely other factors I can't track.
THEN -- I ran into an Amazon offering on my feed regarding a two-part DIY hearing protector product that resembles dental mold casting material. 12 bucks so I sent for it. It was almost immediately clear that I could make personalized mountings for my Etys.
***Process: Wash your hands like you mean it!
*Without getting carried away clean your ears -- exterior flanges as well as more deeply that doctors say to do.
-- This matters because the casting material is not going to go in as far as, say, the typical 3-flange tips I used to wear all the time -- So, the grip the casting has on you will be limited to how well the casting snugly fits to the exterior of your ears ( which you will discover do not match each other ). You want a fitment that clasps and fills the convolutions of the external ear, rather like a ski-boot that was made for you. --
*So -- clean ears . . . Now open the package too review the contents -- EYES ONLY -- no touching yet! Some reviewers on Amazon conplained of failure to fully set ( this is a two-part compound ). Contaminants will frustrate any compound that sets; this casting material, or epoxies, or concrete/mortar -- so CLEAN COUNTS.
* Thoroughly clean all oils from your hands with a rubbing alcohol or equivalent. Mind the nails and folds in your skin.
* Using a bathroom tissue with damp with rubbing alcohol, remove the oil from your ears.
* Now identify the two parts to be mixed. Separate each one into two equal portions -- that gives you four blobs al together yet still in separate containers.
* Get comfortable on your couch or your bed where you can lay down on either side. Probe one ear you have chosen to cast first with your fingertips to see what kind of fitment you will need to fill. Note where your ear flange seems to be more firm and semi-closes-in over the vestibule of your ear. This is what you will be filling up.
*Mixed well, the casting putty has the consistency of chewing gum but does not stick when cured. Take one protion from each of the containers noting the two contrasting colors -- with cleaned hands quickly fold and knead until a uniform blend of the colors is achieved and immediately pack into the vestibule you had been investigating with attention paid to fitting the exteior of the ear -- pushing it DEEPLY into your ear canal is 'counter-productive' since most of this will be removed when the barrel of your ETYs are installed into it.
You should notice a very mild warming -- don't fuss with it! Sit on your side quietly for twenty minutes.
*Remove the cured casting from your ear noting the firmness. Using a 'no-click' barrel-type pen body such as is common for BIC brand office pens -- or similar . . . Note how the casting did extend into the ear canal. You should see that the ear canal angles up and towards your forehead -- this helps water to drain and other debris to find its way out naturally. NOTE the angle -- visualize the Ety barrel mounted along this axis. Using the barrel-pen body ( without the ink or ball point tip still installed ) visualize boring out an 'adit' by inserting the empty pen barrel into the casting from the outside 'that will always show' of your ear AT AN ANGLE. Now cut the adit with a slight twisting motion and gentle pressure.
The Adit so cut, will be smaller than the pen barrel when finished because of the flexibility of the cured putty -- this flex will clasp any of your Etymotic models interchangeably. DO NOT PULL ON YOUR CORDS.
I store my personal castings with Etys in place inside of a thicker than an Altoids tin -- something like a Sucrets tin works well. I note that this isolates me more completely than the 3-flange eartips with ( subjective ) improved bass response and no ear canal fatigue. I also found that my ears sweat inside -- thus I pulled the head from a cotton swab, twisted it into a very short length, inserted it into the Adit ( with Ety removed ) to extend out on both sides just a bit -- then carefully re-inserted the Ety . . . this wicks away accumulated moisture in the air deep inside the ear canal transporting it to outside room air to evaporate. It is most comfortable, even for many hours of listening ( I do a lot of remastering ) though I have found that I can not recline on my side with my head comfortably on a pillow.
Hey -- $12 when I bought them two years ago. Heavy street noise ( normal traffic, ten-minute bus schedule, big trucks over speed bumps, the guys next door banging on cars . . . my phone ringing ( had to use visual signaling or I miss calls ) are not noticeable . . . which is not always a good thing.
You still need to clean the wax out of your ears, though.
About two years ago I began experimenting with the 'extended range' & 'Studio..." models and I found that less power was needed to drive series 3 or series 4 extended range models.
Regardless of model, over the years I find that equalization is essential because 'burn-in' takes about a year if you listen for about 10 hours a week.
Getting fussy I noticed that my perception changes with weather and likely other factors I can't track.
THEN -- I ran into an Amazon offering on my feed regarding a two-part DIY hearing protector product that resembles dental mold casting material. 12 bucks so I sent for it. It was almost immediately clear that I could make personalized mountings for my Etys.
***Process: Wash your hands like you mean it!
*Without getting carried away clean your ears -- exterior flanges as well as more deeply that doctors say to do.
-- This matters because the casting material is not going to go in as far as, say, the typical 3-flange tips I used to wear all the time -- So, the grip the casting has on you will be limited to how well the casting snugly fits to the exterior of your ears ( which you will discover do not match each other ). You want a fitment that clasps and fills the convolutions of the external ear, rather like a ski-boot that was made for you. --
*So -- clean ears . . . Now open the package too review the contents -- EYES ONLY -- no touching yet! Some reviewers on Amazon conplained of failure to fully set ( this is a two-part compound ). Contaminants will frustrate any compound that sets; this casting material, or epoxies, or concrete/mortar -- so CLEAN COUNTS.
* Thoroughly clean all oils from your hands with a rubbing alcohol or equivalent. Mind the nails and folds in your skin.
* Using a bathroom tissue with damp with rubbing alcohol, remove the oil from your ears.
* Now identify the two parts to be mixed. Separate each one into two equal portions -- that gives you four blobs al together yet still in separate containers.
* Get comfortable on your couch or your bed where you can lay down on either side. Probe one ear you have chosen to cast first with your fingertips to see what kind of fitment you will need to fill. Note where your ear flange seems to be more firm and semi-closes-in over the vestibule of your ear. This is what you will be filling up.
*Mixed well, the casting putty has the consistency of chewing gum but does not stick when cured. Take one protion from each of the containers noting the two contrasting colors -- with cleaned hands quickly fold and knead until a uniform blend of the colors is achieved and immediately pack into the vestibule you had been investigating with attention paid to fitting the exteior of the ear -- pushing it DEEPLY into your ear canal is 'counter-productive' since most of this will be removed when the barrel of your ETYs are installed into it.
You should notice a very mild warming -- don't fuss with it! Sit on your side quietly for twenty minutes.
*Remove the cured casting from your ear noting the firmness. Using a 'no-click' barrel-type pen body such as is common for BIC brand office pens -- or similar . . . Note how the casting did extend into the ear canal. You should see that the ear canal angles up and towards your forehead -- this helps water to drain and other debris to find its way out naturally. NOTE the angle -- visualize the Ety barrel mounted along this axis. Using the barrel-pen body ( without the ink or ball point tip still installed ) visualize boring out an 'adit' by inserting the empty pen barrel into the casting from the outside 'that will always show' of your ear AT AN ANGLE. Now cut the adit with a slight twisting motion and gentle pressure.
The Adit so cut, will be smaller than the pen barrel when finished because of the flexibility of the cured putty -- this flex will clasp any of your Etymotic models interchangeably. DO NOT PULL ON YOUR CORDS.
I store my personal castings with Etys in place inside of a thicker than an Altoids tin -- something like a Sucrets tin works well. I note that this isolates me more completely than the 3-flange eartips with ( subjective ) improved bass response and no ear canal fatigue. I also found that my ears sweat inside -- thus I pulled the head from a cotton swab, twisted it into a very short length, inserted it into the Adit ( with Ety removed ) to extend out on both sides just a bit -- then carefully re-inserted the Ety . . . this wicks away accumulated moisture in the air deep inside the ear canal transporting it to outside room air to evaporate. It is most comfortable, even for many hours of listening ( I do a lot of remastering ) though I have found that I can not recline on my side with my head comfortably on a pillow.
Hey -- $12 when I bought them two years ago. Heavy street noise ( normal traffic, ten-minute bus schedule, big trucks over speed bumps, the guys next door banging on cars . . . my phone ringing ( had to use visual signaling or I miss calls ) are not noticeable . . . which is not always a good thing.
You still need to clean the wax out of your ears, though.
Joel S
New Head-Fier
Has this been sorted ??
I had the same issue, was sent the kids something.. was told I could send them back on my dime, I tossed them in the trash since they didn't fit.
This was back in May 2023.. I was trying to order more like what came with the er4xr. Large clear 3 flange I think it was....
I have been using some old Grey but they sorta pucker and deform, and don't seem to seal as well for me..
Thanks for your time, and thanks much for your participation here, greatly appreciate it
Last edited:
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They are the correct eartips, but with an incorrect stem length.
I'm working with our web devs to clean up the site.
Joel S
New Head-Fier
The 2 smaller flanges were definitely smaller, and did not seal at all, didn't notice the stem length difference.. I noticed they were smaller, and wouldn't seal, although they were marked large... Then like kids testing or something
katcho
New Head-Fier
Oh no, stem in MMCX connector of my ER3XR snaped. Its there any way how to repair, without cost me a leg? 
Knee Deep In Epoxy
500+ Head-Fier
I could be wrong, but that looks.... "terminal"Oh no, stem in MMCX connector of my ER3XR snaped. Its there any way how to repair, without cost me a leg?
Sorry... I know it's not a time for jokes... I couldn't help myself... I know the pain of having a broken sound making friend...
Hope someone here can help you and you can get it fixed... based on your description, I imagine my bad taste joke could also be true... But hopefully someone else can prove me wrong.
I just came here to see what people had said in the past about their preferences of tuning filters... I'll get back to it...
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Oh no, stem in MMCX connector of my ER3XR snaped. Its there any way how to repair, without cost me a leg?
Unfortunately, that's really can't be repaired. If the leaf springs break like that, there's not much that can be done.
lesale08
Headphoneus Supremus
Did this happen while pulling the cable or something else?Oh no, stem in MMCX connector of my ER3XR snaped. Its there any way how to repair, without cost me a leg?
jasonb
Headphoneus Supremus
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I've swapped back and forth between the stock cable and Ety's 2.5mm balanced cable a few times, and to me it's a very stressful thing and I always wonder if something is going to break. I have the 3.5 on it right now and it'll just be staying on. I don't use my Qudelix 5K anymore anyway.Yeah, just pull out a cable
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I can understand the concern (particularly when seeing the pic above). The key is to make sure to pull straight out. With the straight relief, it feels more natural to pull at an angle, but if you look at the body and pull straight out, you should be OK.
That leaf spring has very low retention force by design. It's something small like 200g. It doesn't hang tight on the pin, it just fits around it. Just make sure to align it carefully and push gently and it engages correctly (just like any MMCX).
castleofargh
Sound Science Forum Moderator
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From personal experience with Shure’s mmcx over the years, you indeed should never force mmcx plugs. It can be surprising to feel how much that thing can resist when pulled from the slightest angle, but almost pop out on its own when pulled in the exact direction.
When I had my old er4 that needed several horses and a tree to unplug at the driver, I handled my first Shure that way too after sensing a strong resistance... not for long
.
When I had my old er4 that needed several horses and a tree to unplug at the driver, I handled my first Shure that way too after sensing a strong resistance... not for long
.
Rackhour
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Source: https://www.digitaltrends.com/home-theater/etymotic-research-er4xr-review/
jasonb
Headphoneus Supremus
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Everyones ears are different, but mine definitely go in waaaaay more deep than that.Is this supposed to be how you’re meant to wear Ety IEMs? I thought these are meant for deep insertion?
Source: https://www.digitaltrends.com/home-theater/etymotic-research-er4xr-review/
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