[goodvibes]

  But variations in ear shapes and insertion success will affect any universal IEM as well, no? I tend to figure that such factors are responsible for claims that the KSE1500 has poor bass. Based on my experience with them, and the excellent bass I get, insertion issues are the only explanation that makes sense. 
 
Love my Sensaphonic sleeves. 

Not as much because tip length remains as you like it. In this case, it will be longer or shorter depending on the person. Tube length can vary a little in some customs as well but generally not nearly as much as would be common here. Yes, everyone's ears are different but they're describing a greater relative difference from standard tips for many individuals.

 

[audionewbi]

Mmm...the Shure yellow foams works for me on the SE 846 (reference filter) but not on the KSE 1500. Weaker bass. Disadvantage: the yellow ones gets discolored and dirty pretty quickly.

That is always the problem with them.

 

[bmichels]

  A few days ago bmichels wrote about the great SQ that he was getting from a set of triple-flange tips with a wide 4mm diameter and spacer.  I tried the same and unfortunately a bend in one ear canal meant that the soft triple-flange tip was pinched off at the end.  So, it was time to roll my own. 
 
The raw materials: Etymotic 2mm diameter triple-flange tips and foam tips (which had the longest tubes of any tips that I had on hand).  Note that the hole on the triple-flange tips is quite small.
 
 After removing the outer foam from the foam tips, the remaining spacer tube was inserted into the triple-flange tips.  Here's the end result placed on the KSE1500:
 

 
Note that the spacer tube extends through the entire triple-flange tip and is flush at the end inserted in the ear, providing a wide tube with enough stiffness to prevent bending or pinching off.  The tip is also quite a bit longer than most tips, extending deeper into the ear canal.
 
I have not yet tried the Sensaphonics but after a lot of trial and error these tips provide the best SQ of any that I have tried as well as superior isolation and reduced mechanical noise due to deep insertion in the ear.  The larger external diameter of the spacer tube plus triple-flange tip means that they may not be comfortable for those with smaller ear canals, but they are very comfortable for me.  Thanks to bmichels for kicking this off, and to roscoeiii for his insights on ear shape and insertion.  

 
I am happy to contribute to your listening nirvana.
 
 
The soft triple flange tips that I am searching have : 4mm inner diameter, 18 mm long, 14 mm base diameter.
 
If anyone can locate them....
 

 

[ouchia]

I'm concerned about the tip length as well, waiting to receive my sensaphonics shells as well. When they did my impressions, I noticed that there's a sharp turn into my canals at the end. I was hoping I'd be able to have the kse nozzle pretty close to the end of the tip but I don't think it's how it'll turn out. I've seen some like that and I'm guessing that'll sound the best. Long silicone tubes making sharp turns can't sound good, or can they? The wait continues...

 

[spook76]

I'm concerned about the tip length as well, waiting to receive my sensaphonics shells as well. When they did my impressions, I noticed that there's a sharp turn into my canals at the end. I was hoping I'd be able to have the kse nozzle pretty close to the end of the tip but I don't think it's how it'll turn out. I've seen some like that and I'm guessing that'll sound the best. Long silicone tubes making sharp turns can't sound good, or can they? The wait continues...

Assuming your ear impressions were done correctly, a long silicone tube like the Sensaphonics custom sleeve should not occlude the sound. Unlike a universal tip, the custom will not bend because of your inner ear anatomy but fit into it.

Looking at my Sensaphonics, the KSE1500 nozzle terminates with over an inch of the sleeve remaining. However, the sleeve does not bend and occlude the sound because it is molded to my exact inner ear anatomy.

My fellow traveler in the KSE odyssey, MCoupe, threatened me with endless Taylor Swift albums if I did not go to Sensaphonics' office while visiting Chicago. Before I received my Sensaphonics, I was using the Westone Star Tips as I had on my SE535 and SE846. I thought I had a great seal. Five minutes after I put in my sleeves, I discovered what a great seal was. My hope is when you receive your Sensaphonics you too will experience the same.

p.s. I should add when I received my initial Sensaphonics sleeves, I felt the right sleeve was too short. So I went back to Sensaphonics and had a new right ear impression done (at no extra cost) to lengthen my right sleeve by a couple of millimeters. Now both sleeve extend beyond the second bend in my ear. I had the second impression done solely for idiosyncratic reasons but the extra length did not change the sound because again the sleeve matches my exact inner ear dimensions.

 

[goodvibes]

It's not occlusion. It a bit of air mass resistive loading from longer tubes. It may be negligible but we all know different tips affect the sound of IEMs. There's a reason beyond occlusion. You may actually prefer the sound of custom sleeves but I would be very surprised if they sounded the same.
 
To the person that said the yellow foamies lost bass, I find that true of all open cell foam tips. The Shure olives with their smooth exterior seem to hold up well in this regard. 

 

[spook76]

It's not occlusion. It a bit of air mass resistive loading from longer tubes. It may be negligible but we all know different tips affect the sound of IEMs. There's a reason beyond occlusion. You may actually prefer the sound of custom sleeves but I would be very surprised if they sounded the same.

To the person that said the yellow foamies lost bass, I find that true of all open cell foam tips. The Shure olives with their smooth exterior seem to hold up well in this regard. 

I do prefer the sound with the custom sleeves.

However what does "I would be very surprised if they sounded the same" mean? The same from what? Do you own a set of Sensaphonics custom sleeves?

 

[ouchia]

Yeah, like goodvibes said, there are many reasons for the tip and tip length to affect sound. My main concern is actually if the tip bends past the kse nozzle you're actually hearing sound reflected off of a silicone wall.

 

[spook76]

Yeah, like goodvibes said, there are many reasons for the tip and tip length to affect sound. My main concern is actually if the tip bends past the kse nozzle you're actually hearing sound reflected off of a silicone wall.

A custom sleeve does not bend once it is settled into your ear it is just matching the anatomy of your inner ear. Spiral Ears, Westone and Sensaphonics (to name three companies) have the same issues as they make custom silicone in ear monitors. Is silicone somehow worse as a reflective surface than acrylic? Silicone is similar to the natural inner ear than a hard unyielding material like acrylic.

When I was over at Sensaphonics the audiologist mentioned their thinking of the driver war in IEMs was driven in part because in their opinion you cannot get a perfect seal with acrylic as you can with silicone.

Look I give up, do not buy custom sleeves, have fun tip rolling.

 

[ouchia]

Spook - I've been on this site for 11 years, I'm not new to this. I understand what tips are and what they're made of. What I think you're missing is that the "tip" (part of the custom sleeve that goes into the actual canal) can and often does - and I looked at your pics and in your case definitely does - can make a bend after the nozzle. Does that make sense to you? Some people in their customs can avoid having a bend after the nozzle - it's just straight and sometimes even very short - 1/4" at most. It all depends on your anatomy. Some peoples ear shapes are better for customs than others. Yes, both will fit perfect and seal perfect - but the part of the custom that extends past the nozzle makes a big impact on sound (usually).

 

[spook76]

Spook - I've been on this site for 11 years, I'm not new to this. I understand what tips are and what they're made of. What I think you're missing is that the "tip" (part of the custom sleeve that goes into the actual canal) can and often does - and I looked at your pics and in your case definitely does - can make a bend after the nozzle. Does that make sense to you? Some people in their customs can avoid having a bend after the nozzle - it's just straight and sometimes even very short - 1/4" at most. It all depends on your anatomy. Some peoples ear shapes are better for customs than others. Yes, both will fit perfect and seal perfect - but the part of the custom that extends past the nozzle makes a big impact on sound (usually).

And if you believe that you can have the custom sleeve made to the length you want and avoid that problem.

As for your time on Head-Fi and your implied expertise it is nice to know you disagree with the audiologists at Sensaphonics and the project manager of the KSE1500 at Shure. I personally claim no expertise but I do respect experts' opinions.

 

[ouchia]

I disagree with what exactly? And take it easy a little bit, no reason to get upset over iems.

 

[ouchia]

And now you're editing your posts? Weird stuff.

 

[spook76]

I disagree with what exactly? And take it easy a little bit, no reason to get upset over iems.

As I am no expert in insertion depth of an IEM effecting the sound, I relied upon the in house audiologist at Sensaphonics to correctly decide the proper depth of my sleeves.

I agree my tone of my previous post was caustic so let me apologize. I love a good argument as it is my profession but I do believe I went too far so again I apologize.

 

[spook76]

And now you're editing your posts? Weird stuff.

I only clarified not retracted.

My question still stands that if you are correct that a deep insertion alters the sound for some why do all the experts and companies continue to make them. And some go further and advise, as the audiologist at Sensaphonics, it is best to have a custom made past the second bend.

p.s. I edit my initial post because of a misspelling.