[BenG]

After going through all the supplied foam tips, I believe that the sound quality, seal, and isolation degrades after just one use.

Even during the second use I can hear degradation from the first insertion. After several uses the sound and seal is more than just noticeably degraded. I made sure to keep my ears clean before I made my observations.

If I'm going to keep using the stock foams, I can only use the stock foams a couple of times (at the most) before I would have to discard them. And I use the earphones 2-3 times per week. I can't get a good enough seal with the plastic tips, either, especially in one ear, though I know many can.

Just thought I'd pass along this info to perspective buyers. In my case, it looks like I'm going to either experiment with making tips more (I unsuccesfully tried to make ones out of Howard Leight 33db ear plugs & the pastic tube from the stock foams) or get ear molds.

$91 for a package 100 stock foams is too steep for my use of these, otherwise, incredible sounding phones (If I thought deadly non-human robots were to rule the earth within the next few months I may reconsider)

 

[acs236]

I'm a loyal foam user as well, and I hear your pain. <resassuring fist clench>

I was also going to try to make new ear plugs using the tubes from the used Etymotic foamies. BTW, what was unsuccessful about your attempt?

I use my Etys every day for about 1.5 hours, maybe a bit longer. I find that I WANT to change the foamies after about a week, and that I pretty much have to after 2.5-3 weeks. I do think the quality of the seal degrades quickly.

Here's a blind suggestion that I think I will try in the near future. The foamies lose their sealing ability because they get dirty. This results in them not expanding enough to properly seal. I'm gotten so used to having them in my ears, that they don't really bother me at all anymore. Also, I think I have average sized years. I was going to try the larger size earplug. I figure, it's not too uncomfortable, perhaps it's size will allow you to use it even after it's gotten quite dirty and doesn't expand as much -- simply because it's bigger.

 

[BenG]

Quote:

Originally posted by acs236 I was also going to try to make new ear plugs using the tubes from the used Etymotic foamies. BTW, what was unsuccessful about your attempt? Here's a blind suggestion that I think I will try in the near future. The foamies lose their sealing ability because they get dirty. This results in them not expanding enough to properly seal. I'm gotten so used to having them in my ears, that they don't really bother me at all anymore. Also, I think I have average sized years. I was going to try the larger size earplug. I figure, it's not too uncomfortable, perhaps it's size will allow you to use it even after it's gotten quite dirty and doesn't expand as much -- simply because it's bigger.

I couldn't get much of any seal with the tube from the stock foams going through the ear plug, and the tubes irritated one of my ear canals. I was orginally inspired by the picture from the fixup guy's site, which seems to use the same plugs, though it dosen't seem to have tubes in the picture, just the plugs.
Maybe I will try without the tubes, but I originally wanted something that would get me more to the sound of the stock foams. I will try without tubes next.

I try to keep my ears clean and try to keep the foams clean, and still notice some degradation, even slightly after one use.

I thought about the same thing, about the larger foams possibly lasting longer, but I feel the same thing will happen, maybe just on a different scale, plus the bigger ones cost more, too. I still may try them. Do the foams really lose their ability to seal based soley on dirtiness, or do they wear out as well?

If my custom tip attempts fail (I've seen atleast a couple custom ear tips on this site), then I may have to go the ear mold route.

 

[acs236]

I've always just assumed the foam stopped expanding fully because of dirt/oil/wax, etc. I'm not sure, though, and I don't think it's worth an experiment (continuously compressing fresh foamies wearning rubber gloves) -- that is, unless I break down and order the $90 pack.

Do you know the lifespan of custom earmolds?