[PretentiousFood]

Quote:

OK, put on some crap mastering like most of todays pop music.  Plug the DBA or any phone into your desktop receiver.  Press play and crank the knob to max volume and let the clipping and distortion do its work.  Comeback in a day or two and see how it sounds.  Better yet, plug your sensitive IEMs into the jack on your airplane seat and listen to in-flight music at max volume and wait for the Captain to make a few announcements.  Enjoy.

 
Good to know! Seems a Cowon J3 at max volume doesn't hit the max power rating for the DBA but I could definitely imagine non-portable rigs blowing it up. Hadn't thought about clipping either but that makes sense. But really, I can't imagine anyone with a DBA lsitening to airplane musc, especially at max volume.

 

[ichbinder]

Quote:

Filters may be dirty. If the tips fit is different than his sm3s, he may have waxed yours. The filters may be clogged and that's what folks mean by checking them. From your description, it shouldn't be the drivers but stuff happens. Weren't people having moisture issues with these where drying them out helped?
 
 

Quote:

You, my good sir, are a genius. I thank you for clarifying, cleaned em out and they sound great now.
 

Again as new noob when it comes to IEMs: is there maybe a thread where it is explained how to clean such tiny things like IEMs?
 

 

[tomscy2000]

I've discovered that the flexure in my left ear canal is more pronounced as it courses dorsoposteriorly to the tympanic membrane. As a result, I find the the fit with the DBAs on the left ear isn't as snug. The housing tends to pop out from the antihelix because the nozzle angle doesn't mirror the flexure in my left ear canal.
 
So my question is, if I get custom sleeves, how do they assume fitment of the nozzle holes? If the angle isn't right, wouldn't the DBAs (or any other IEM housing, for that matter) fit strangely? Currently, the housing for my right ear fits perfectly as the end of the DBAs butts up against antihelix, sits easily in the groove of the antitragus, and has centralized insertion into the ext. acoustic meatus. However, the left ear is a different story...

 

[ahmadmfz]

Just found the perfect tips for me when using the DBAs. I used UE bi-flanges, with the stalk of a shure trip flange as a  spacer. The treble is so shiny now, whilst retaining the good quality bass & mids.

 

[shane55]

Quote:

I've discovered that the flexure in my left ear canal is more pronounced as it courses dorsoposteriorly to the tympanic membrane. As a result, I find the the fit with the DBAs on the left ear isn't as snug. The housing tends to pop out from the antihelix because the nozzle angle doesn't mirror the flexure in my left ear canal.
 
So my question is, if I get custom sleeves, how do they assume fitment of the nozzle holes? If the angle isn't right, wouldn't the DBAs (or any other IEM housing, for that matter) fit strangely? Currently, the housing for my right ear fits perfectly as the end of the DBAs butts up against antihelix, sits easily in the groove of the antitragus, and has centralized insertion into the ext. acoustic meatus. However, the left ear is a different story...

Have you consiered 'foamies', like Comply P-series? Just a thought.
 
 

 

[svyr]

I've discovered that the flexure in my left ear canal is more pronounced as it courses dorsoposteriorly to the tympanic membrane. As a result, I find the the fit with the DBAs on the left ear isn't as snug. The housing tends to pop out from the antihelix because the nozzle angle doesn't mirror the flexure in my left ear canal.
 
So my question is, if I get custom sleeves, how do they assume fitment of the nozzle holes? If the angle isn't right, wouldn't the DBAs (or any other IEM housing, for that matter) fit strangely? Currently, the housing for my right ear fits perfectly as the end of the DBAs butts up against antihelix, sits easily in the groove of the antitragus, and has centralized insertion into the ext. acoustic meatus. However, the left ear is a different story...

heh, I think I'm having the same problem. Left ear fits fine, right one doesn't seal properly and falls out all the time (refuses to go in as deeply as well with the sensorcom tips or the white silicon ones). Because of the difference in seal the hp are pretty much useless for me (effectively a different FR for each ear).


>Have you consiered 'foamies', like Comply P-series? Just a thought.

That works fine. I tried the foamies that come with ER-6i and they seal properly. You end up looking like a bit of a dolt with them though. Since the earpieces stick out of the ears. Plus 'squishing' them before inserting doesn't feel particularly hygenic when you take out the earpiece to pay for coffee or something.... (doesn't quite go to the same depth in both ears, so still a bit strange though).

 

[tomscy2000]

It's not about the tips; when I use Comply, the housing on my left ear, post-expansion, flares out because that's the natural curvature of my ear canal on the left side. The right side fits great, flush with the ear. When I use silicone tips, I can get both sides to fit flush with the ear, but the isolation is sub-par, because I have to use a shallow insertion.
 
That's why I'm asking to see if custom sleeves can be specified to have differential nozzle insertion angles, so that both sides can fit flush with the ears AND have good, deep isolating insertion.
 
Quote:

Have you consiered 'foamies', like Comply P-series? Just a thought.

 

 

[Nightslayer]

Just killed the trebles on my DBAs by removing the filters which were obscuring the sound, they are now overpoweringly sibilant. Anyone knows of something I can stuff down the nozzle to stop gunk from going in as well as tame the highs? Thanks! If possible it shouldn't detract from the other frequencies haha.

 

[MaxwellDemon]

Maybe a bit of cotton?

 

[8xOverMsOctober]

 
Quote:

Just killed the trebles on my DBAs by removing the filters which were obscuring the sound, they are now overpoweringly sibilant. Anyone knows of something I can stuff down the nozzle to stop gunk from going in as well as tame the highs? Thanks! If possible it shouldn't detract from the other frequencies haha.

 
Use a small amount of cotton from a Q-tip in each nozzle  

 

[RADI0HEAD]

Maybe a bit of cotton?

+1

Experiment

 

[dogears]

You may have to play with other tips again

 

[malalol]

Woohoooo my DBA-02 just arrived
 
I'm so happy with its sound, and these aren't even burned in! I'm listening through an unamped Clip+ (I need to rockbox this little fella soon) and it's on par with my amped HD595, it's incredible!
 
At first I used the stock medium tips and got a lot, I mean LOADS of painful sibilance. I started with Hiromi - Spiral on FLAC and the snare sounded like a cymbal at times lol.
 
Then I switched to the smaller tips, with a deeper insertion, and the sibilance reduced 90%. Now these are still sibilant, which can be distracting on some albums, but the overall impression is superb, I can't take these out of my ears even to try the tri-flanges!
 
I'll believe in someone who told the sibilance reduced a bit after some burn-in before buying some Foams or Gels or Olives. There isn't a consensus on the best tips so I'm a bit reluctant on spending money on something that might not work for my ears-headphones combination.
 
Anyway, these are fantastic little cans, and I couldn't be more happy with them. Totally recommended!
 
 

 

[shane55]

Well congrats on your acquisition. Yeah, the DBA's are pretty darn special.
 
Good luck with the tip / fit thing. Tight seal and deep insertion will be the key. Keep experimenting. It's worth it.

 

[Redmetal1897]

Quote:

Woohoooo my DBA-02 just arrived
 
I'm so happy with its sound, and these aren't even burned in! I'm listening through an unamped Clip+ (I need to rockbox this little fella soon) and it's on par with my amped HD595, it's incredible!
 
At first I used the stock medium tips and got a lot, I mean LOADS of painful sibilance. I started with Hiromi - Spiral on FLAC and the snare sounded like a cymbal at times lol.
 
Then I switched to the smaller tips, with a deeper insertion, and the sibilance reduced 90%. Now these are still sibilant, which can be distracting on some albums, but the overall impression is superb, I can't take these out of my ears even to try the tri-flanges!
 
I'll believe in someone who told the sibilance reduced a bit after some burn-in before buying some Foams or Gels or Olives. There isn't a consensus on the best tips so I'm a bit reluctant on spending money on something that might not work for my ears-headphones combination.
 
Anyway, these are fantastic little cans, and I couldn't be more happy with them. Totally recommended!
 
 

 
The stock triple flanges work best for me, best combination of deep fit+seal