[solvexyz]

The leaks is not like the earphone or headphone sorta leak, for me, you have to stand really really close to me and has to be quiet in order to hear it.

For me, it is not an issue.

 

[dan1son]

Barely heard a thing means they leak.

My ER-4s don't make a sound when they're in my ear... In fact my wife has mentioned to me she can hear them once. That one time it turned out one side wasn't sealed so some sound was leaking out (I probably didn't notice until she nudged me because I was falling asleep). I keep the volume very low but the IEMs are used in bed a lot for me and any leaking would be a definite problem.

 

[jtevol1]

This discussion is discouraging news (http://www4.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=156756), because I just received my E500's today, and was thrilled about them. I have not opened them yet, and I may not now with the news of leakage. My main complaints with commuters is that they wear headphones that leak so that everyone can hear their music. I know IEMs are much different, and people will almost certainly not hear the E500's during a commute, but I also don't want people to hear them while in a private, quiet setting.

I used to own the Shure E3C, and sold them mainly because their sleeves constantly slipped off the nozzle, and got stuck in my ear. Will I have the same problem with the E500?

If so, I'm returning these...

 

[PiccoloNamek]

I wonder how these tiny balanced armatures are leaking so much sound? You must have them turned up VERY loud for it to be noticable. I have never heard any sound from my 5 pros or my E4Cs or my Etys.

 

[crazyfrenchman27]

Quote:

Originally Posted by LFF That's odd for me as well. Then again, I only spent a few hours with them and people were talking both times. If this is true of all the E500's then that sucks as I wont be able to use them when I am in the library.

Are we sure he's getting a proper seal? They really don't leak, from what I have personally observed in my use of them.

-Matt

 

[ironman64]

Quote:

Originally Posted by solvexyz The leaks is not like the earphone or headphone sorta leak, for me, you have to stand really really close to me and has to be quiet in order to hear it. For me, it is not an issue.

Exactly. For those suddenly paranoid, please do not return an investment unless risking the slighest misplaced seal is somehow hazardous to your job. I found I could hear some, if any, detail of a noise only a very small length's away. But after trying out, I found I could hear the same with my Ety's. So, this is by no means a headphone's bleeding noise. Please use some understanding when reading this and all aforementioned statements. I don't want people worrying that canalphones somehow have a perpetual sound leakage problem.

 

[Tuarreg]

I had my wife stand right next to me while I was pumping out music through my E500 and she said she couldn't hear anything. I had the volume up pass my normal listening levels too. So, no "leakage" for the set I have.

Tuarreg

 

[Tuarreg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wakeride74 Another way to test it which is what I did is to make a fist and stuff the IEM/sleeve in the top of your fist, hold it tight to duplicate how it would be if sealed properly in the ear and play some music. When I did this you could easily hear the music... just the highs really but leakage was very obvious.

Curious, but did you try this with your ES2 as well? If so, did you hear anything?

 

[Blitzula]

I noticed that I didn't seem to get the same kind of seal with the various E500tips (no sound playing) as other IEMs. No completely underwater, detached from outside feeling. I could hear my fingers snapping more clearly then I could with other IEMS.

I wonder if this is part of what makes the soundstage wider....a sufficient, but still reduced, seal. It would explain the leakage also.

 

[TheMarchingMule]

I'm surprised nobody has offered the possibility that the ones that leak have a defect in it; maybe the two halves have a true gap in between somewhere where sound can get through?

 

[ComfyCan]

I have been unable to replicate this complaint with my E500's unless I crank them up to dangerous listening levels. I generally use IEM's with foam tips and listen at low volume.

If you use the standard size Comply tips, which are actually too long for the E500's but still work, you can slide the foamies completely over the entire nozzle(well past the barb). This seems to provide the best sound insulation, and isolation, of all configurations I have tried. This is my "tip of choice" for all listening environments except bed. In bed, I use the shorter foam tips so I can use them laying on my side (The standard length comply tips are too long to work in this setting; the ends of the foamies extend past the end of the nozzle into the ear canal, and will pinch off the sound if you lay on them).

 

[dan1son]

It could simply be that the people having some kind of sound leakage are not getting quite the same seal as though who are experiencing no noticable leakage.

The amount of isolation does very from ear to ear and tip to tip. I've seen so many variations on the depth people use IEMs as well... I've seen triflanges that are sealed with the first flange only with the rest sticking out. I've seen people using foamies that are not even in the ear canal yet but blocking it from the outside only. These variations probably cause less or more seal. Unless you're using a custom mold the amount of insertion will very extensively based on ignorance or preference.

I for one jam the things in so far you there is almost none of the third flange even sticking out. With foamies there is absolutely none.

After all there is sound coming out of those things... if any air is passing from inside to outside sound can definitely go with it quite easily... it could also go through one layer of silicone with some, but not complete, blockage.

 

[ya8282]

Sure, the drivers are inside the housing and the housing is not vibration-proof nor does it isolate all sound, so it is possible to get leakage in sound. I found it only occurs when listening at volume levels far beyond what I would ever consider comfortable, or even safe. There are no IEMs or tips for IEMs that completely prevent leakage of sound. The split housing seems to be sealed with glue, so I am not sure how that could be the culprit.

 

[xcodeguy]

As far as a good seal goes, I have the earbuds and sound tube as far down the ear canal as possible - would not surprise me if they were a mm. or two away from my eardrums - I dont think this is the issue with mine.

I emailed Shure and asked about this, since I brought it up. I'll post back when I hear something...

 

[DJ Jester]

I use the Westone Short Comply tips on my E500's and I can turn them up to blisteringly high sound levels and you can't hear a thing. So, as far as I can tell there is no leaking sound with mine.

I use mine in bed every night with my computer and if there was any sound leakage, trust me, my girlfriend would let me know about it. The only other sound in our bedroom is the ceiling fan, but that is only the slightest sound of moving air. My girlfriend is a very light sleeper and any noise would wake her up. She goes to sleep before I do and thats one reason why I quit using my full size cans in bed. The E500's are great, though, and I can't imagine how loud they would have to be turned up to make them leak sound.

I just tried turning them WAY up again and she leaned in really close to my head couldn't hear a thing.

Jester