[KimChee]

Hey guys, I'm basically looking for an IEM to replace my TF. I'm looking for a top tier IEM that sounds like the Triple Fi 10. The TF offers to me the perfect IEM sonically, but I am starting to get frustrated with them either falling out or losing a good seal. I have experimented with different tips including the Sony Hybrid tips and while they're an improvement they still come out easier than what I'd like.

 I've thought about the Fisher reshell, but I've read too many people say that the sound signature changed dramatically. What top tier IEM has a similar sound signature? I have done some research but am not quite satisfied with what I've read so far. The replacement IEM has to have sparkling highs and I do like the authoritative bass of the Triple Fis as well. I think I prefer this sound to a really balanced IEM like an RE252. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
 
I forgot to mention I like the wide airy soundstage of the TFs and would like a fairly big soundstage.  

 

[mvw2]

Nothing sounds like the Triple.Fi 10.  Sorry.  You just won't find anything close to the sound.  Now if you want a change in sound, there may be options for you.
 
I think there are a couple options out there that will still impress you even if the sound signature is different.  You may end up favoring one of them.
 
I agree, something like the RE252 can become boring at times when the music just isn't as vivid and dynamic on its own right.  Some of these earphones scale with the music and will not make something better if it isn't there in the first place.  It sounds like you want an earphone that will help make a wide variety of music just plain fun to listen to.  The Triple.Fi 10 does this quite well.  I could suggest a v1 Eterna as something else to play with, but it's not really on the same level as the Triple.Fi 10.  The Custom 3 is a good mix of balance and something a little extra that keeps music entertaining.  For the $99 price tag the Custom 3 is going for on eBay, it's one of those products you just buy to play with.  The sound stage is very good on it, and it offers a thicker, textured not that is uncommon for a lot of BA earphones.  It also carries some of that note energy that makes the Triple.Fi 10 fun, but it's a little more natural than the Triple.Fi 10.  It might be a half step down in overall sound quality, mainly the thickness hiding finer details, but it's a solid product in its own right, as long as you can overlook the cord.  I would also suggest the IE8 if you haven't ever used a pair.  If you like bass, it's an excellent product, and the mid and treble is very well balanced and actually extended.  The bass is a little overwhelming though only because it is broad up to 1kHz which becomes a bit intrusive into the midrange.  The bass knob is worthless since it only affects the bottom half of the peak.  I don't feel bass is a problem with it, it's something that just a little bit of EQing can completely fix.  The treble on the other hand is its limitation.  The driver just becomes a tad sluggish on the top end and starts blurring finer details together.  It is well extended though and doesn't even drop off up to the limits of my hearing (15-16kHz).  While I'm just suggesting options, I'm not sure if any of them are really great fits for you.  All of them just aren't quite the same, and while they may offer different benefits, I think you are looking for something a little different.  You sound like you want that fun factor, something that can put energy into any music it plays.  You like the treble and the bass and want solid energy and entertainment value for the presentation.  There are a variety of products that I have not used yet, so there might be something worth looking at.  The Radius DMM is one, though you might still be in the same boat with fitment.  There's apparently an oem version available (no accessories) for just $99, and the sound quality is supposed to be quite good.
 
Hey if you're getting bored with the RE252, I might buy them back from ya, lol.  I'm kind of missing them.  Actually I'm curious how the RE262 will be when it comes out.  The RE252 has been one of the best "reference" IEMs I've used, and I have hopes for the RE262.

 

[rangerid]

hey man have you tried the flip flop them along with decored shure olives? i have a perfect seal and my tf10s are very comfortable set up like that

 

[Ypoknons]

From my limited experience JH13 is quite similar to triple.fi in sound signature, just better in all respects. Well, it probably has less treble/bass emphasis, so I'm not sure about sparkly.

 

[jyle_t]

The only real upgrade to TF10pro is a custom IEM, most obviously JH IEMs. There're other universals that may sound "better", but they're not real upgrades, as the sound is different.
 
You may consider the SM3, i think its one of the best universals around now, and you could like it more than TF10pro because it brings out the mids, and the treble is not too rolled off compared to the TF10pro. But don't take my word for it, read up a bit more on that rather than taking the plunge.

 

[KimChee]

Ive tried the flip flop mod I think it stayed in better in stock configuration.  I was close to ordering some SM3s, but I kept reading people say the highs were a bit recessed.  I think I'm going to mess with some Complys before giving up.  I should probably not change tips very much the nozzles seem fragile.
 
I just tried some leftover foams I had from an old set of UE MetroFi 170s, and they fit perfect.  They also tame the bass quite a bit, which is a plus, especially the midbass which I find to be a bit too much a good bit of the time.
 
Hopefully Comply TX-500s will be the ticket

 

[tensaichen]

Have you considered getting custom tips for your TF?  Even the Comply TX-500s couldn't give me a proper seal, so I found ListenHear (essentially Starkey Lab) to make custom tips for my TF 10s.

 

[ZARIM]

JVC FX700 are close in soundsignature to TF10Pro with rich, deep reverbing bass, clear, detailed mids and clean, extended highs with really wide soundstage. I think FX700 are more detailed than TF10Pro with more clean rich bass.

 

[mvw2]

T-500 is a main way to go.  Another option is to decore a Shure Olive tip and toss it onto the stock Triple.Fi 10 foam core.  You could probably not even use any core at all if you don't want.  I prefer the Shure foams because they don't soak up the highs or damp the lows.  The Olive tips are a little firmer foam, so they hold better, plus they're a closed cell foam that also has a solid surface that does not change the sound signature of the earphone.  The Comply has ultimate comfort because they're so soft, but Shure is pretty much always the best option and well loved for a reason.
 
I've actually put a cored, stock core, Shure Olive tip on my Triple.Fi 10.  It's a bitch though.  Hot water and a lot of time stretching out the plastic core.  It's pretty much a day endevour.  You also have to cut it off if you ever want it removed, as in take out the finger nail clippers and clipping off the core which is a very tightly bound, hard plastic when cool and stretched like that..  It's just a lot easier to decore them and run without or plop it on the Triple.Fi 10 foam core since the stock foam tip is kind of a stupid design.
 
I never really found the Triple.Fi 10 to be a problem once I stepped to a good tip.  It took a while toying with the memory wire to get the earphone positioned well, a lot of trial and error.  It also took a tip that either was long enough or fit shallow enough to have the wide body not be a factor at all to where the tip was the only thing actually in the ear or even near any ear surface.
 
I did like wearing mine down though, no flip mod, just down.  They're not as secure, but the presentation was more coherent.  For some reason with the placement of the ports on the Triple.Fi 10 and my ear canal shape, there was a minor problem with distancing, time domain, and the the slight lack of coherence between the drivers.  Having the earphone turned 180 degress with the cord facing down positioned the drivers better relative to my ear drum and made the presentation more coherent.
 
I've showed this in a couple other threads, but it's worth noting as an option to wear them.  It also puts them more flush with the ear, so you don't have these things sticking funnily out of your ears.  I'll repeat, I don't flip the wires here.  Right is still right, left still left.
 

 

[KimChee]

Just to update this thread the Tx500's fit perfectly and stay in while working out or exercising, sound degradation is minimal, to my ears it's not noticeable at all.  They fit better than the Hybrids, with no significant change in sound (I also trimmed them down a little).  The wear is not too bad I bought a 3 pack which seems like it will last a while.  I'm happy I can keep my Triple Fi's now to find the perfect over the head portable..

 

[mvw2]

Yes, the Comply tips save a lot of earphones from getting sold, the Triple.Fi 10 probably one of the main ones.