Stoney
500+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Sep 15, 2003
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Your first point is the more plausible, although I checked and determined they weren't measurably further out. I bet they were by roughly 1 mm. Furthermore, the angle at which they sit and aim clearly has made a difference as I have experimented in the past with these and other IEMs. Bigger tip probably changes the angle.
The second point doesn't ring true, though. First, speed of sound doesn't depend appreciably on pressure. Second, once settled, the air pressure is actually equalized on both sides. The eustachian tube due this -- unless you actively resist allowing it (I'm a free diver and know the feeling), but the seal is not that strong to hold much pressure. I find on airplanes taking off that, if I actively resist equalizing the pressure, it does it by itself by leaking, albeing in fits and starts. Temperature rise after inserting them are much more likley to produce a drift in velocity. But that effect has never been noticeable to me.
But I do still maintain the possibility that, with larger tips (they aren't longer though), it is possible to expose more tip to the outer ear volume. And, it might pinch inward a tad more, cutting of a bit of sound coming directly from the drivers.
And in-ear vs circumaural vs speakers vs live -- there are tons of reasons that we would judge "equal" the response of each, if we could select from an infinite range of ideal transducers. Most notably, the pinnae. Also, subjective or psychological effects of many types, such as the feeling that bass is louder if you can feel it also.
In any case, bottom line is to experiment with tips at length! Don't think you've sized up the drivers -- it is also the tips, and your anatomy, interaction of the three, expectations and acclimation, that make considerable differences.
The second point doesn't ring true, though. First, speed of sound doesn't depend appreciably on pressure. Second, once settled, the air pressure is actually equalized on both sides. The eustachian tube due this -- unless you actively resist allowing it (I'm a free diver and know the feeling), but the seal is not that strong to hold much pressure. I find on airplanes taking off that, if I actively resist equalizing the pressure, it does it by itself by leaking, albeing in fits and starts. Temperature rise after inserting them are much more likley to produce a drift in velocity. But that effect has never been noticeable to me.
But I do still maintain the possibility that, with larger tips (they aren't longer though), it is possible to expose more tip to the outer ear volume. And, it might pinch inward a tad more, cutting of a bit of sound coming directly from the drivers.
And in-ear vs circumaural vs speakers vs live -- there are tons of reasons that we would judge "equal" the response of each, if we could select from an infinite range of ideal transducers. Most notably, the pinnae. Also, subjective or psychological effects of many types, such as the feeling that bass is louder if you can feel it also.
In any case, bottom line is to experiment with tips at length! Don't think you've sized up the drivers -- it is also the tips, and your anatomy, interaction of the three, expectations and acclimation, that make considerable differences.