[auee]

During the entire flight, I experience pressure in my ears and would prefer not to waste my money on inner ear canal phones if their use with my ipod will make this condition worse. To all of you frequent fliers who suffer from the same condition, I would appreciate your advise.

 

[western120]

Used WEstone UM1 on a 4 hr flight, comfortable for first 1-2 hrs then had to pull them out cause they started to hurt.
Probably some open cans should be good for flight.
IMO all IEMs will cause discomfort after some time. May be senn CX series won't cause they don't make a perfect seal and so there is not much pressure build-up so they will be more comfortable.

 

[nnotis]

I find that it's Ok as long as I don't have them on during take off and landing, when the pressure is changing a lot.

 

[LaBreaHead]

For me (your mileage may vary), using IEMs with foamy ear pieces provides good comfort, fit and sound -- in a truly ultra-portable package. The foamies seem to "breathe" more/better than the flanged tips do.

I originally got IEMs for airplane use, and I will say that the Etymotics ER6 and ER6i with bi-flanges isolate excellently. The tiny Etys with bi-flanges insert so deeply that they create a seal that provides much-needed isolation on planes and enable you to play music at saner volumes. However, especially when the plane starts its descent from high altitude, I do notice pressure issues. Several times it took me about five minutes to extract the earphone from my right ear -- that's how small the Ety is and how strong the vacuum got during the change in altitude.

So I switched to foamies (short Complys or small black Shure foamies for the ER6i's and Complys or Shure foamies for the Future Sonics Atrio M5s -- no pressure issues with the Atrios, by the way ... maybe because they're bigger).

IEMs with foamies should do the job for you. I doubt that open headphones would work in the loud plane -- maybe some closed headphones, which block out noise passively. I'd avoid active noise cancelling headphones, unless you're really into carrying around extra gadgets -- plus, some of those don't block out high-pitched human voices, just the jet roar.

 

[dura]

I use IEM for 12-hours flight continously without problems; of course, when landing you have to clear your ears (blow your nose gently with your nostrils closed) because otherwise the higher outer pressures might push them a little more in; not a serious problem though.
F.i. my Shure e4s with olives give excellent isolation on planes, and for me there is no reason at all to go into avctive NC.

 

[Febs]

Quote:

Originally Posted by western120 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Probably some open cans should be good for flight.

For the sake of others who may not want to share your music, please don't use open cans on the plane.

 

[PixelSquish]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Febs /img/forum/go_quote.gif For the sake of others who may not want to share your music, please don't use open cans on the plane.

amen brotha

 

[appophylite]

I've always had a problem with airline cabin pressure, ever since I was 8-9 and I actually found that IEMs helped my ears cope better with the pressure than anything else I've tried in 15 years.

 

[Yoloni]

I should try this on my IEM for a 13 hour flight to Japan. But pressure always does bother my ears. You gotta pop them. It hurt one time when I did it.

 

[edhamgtr]

I too have difficulty flying. My ears just do not handle the pressure changes well.
That said - I find my Er4s cause me no additional problems as long as I remember to wait until cruising altitude to put them in and to take them out as soon as the plane begins its decent.

The isolation the ERs provide makes flying more pleasant and I never fly without them.

 

[bbird1927]

Using ER-4S most of my trips.
Found foamies are the most comfortable for long period use but isolation not as good as Tri-flange in my opinion.
Tri/ Bi-flanges provide better isolation but the changes in pressure are way too annoying.

 

[Tridacnid]

Don't you have a tube that connects the inner ear to your throat, which helps equalize you ears pressure with the outside air? Seems like it wouldn't matter what you wear, you are going to get pressure changes.

 

[LaBreaHead]

Seems like it wouldn't matter what you wear, you are going to get pressure changes.

_________________________


Yeah, true -- but with some flanges, where there's a really effective seal, "normalization" doesn't occur. So you might notice any problems more.

I find that while foamies don't isolate quite as much cabin noise, they tend to handle the pressure better, so to speak. And as people have mentioned above, it's a good idea to take IEMs out when the plane starts its descent (and cabin crew often instruct passengers to turn off their electronic devices disappointingly soon, anyway).

 

[auee]

I am very grateful to all of you for the advise. The bottom line appears to be that I will not experience increased discomfort from cabin pressure if I use foam tips and not wear the phones during ascent and descent.