Spyro... What tips are you using with the w4r?..cause I can not find a decent tip from the tips provided?
I have REALLY messed around in every regard with tips. Comments below are strictly regarding W4R only!
With any IEM that has sharp treble or is siblance prone (W3) I am a huge fan of comply tips even though I hate using them. At this price point, you have to throw away convenience and go with whatever sounds best. With W4 here is what I find......
Comply or foam tip: W4 is already very smooth with no sharp spikes anywhere and the comply basically makes it overly smooth where the presentation lacks any bite or real articulateness and makes it a little boring. Not bad....just a little boring. Don't really like it.
"Old" style Westone grey flex tip: Not bad but because it is a "bulb" round type of tip there is a specific sweet spot and if you move or are active, this tip is not good. Since I exercise while listening this tip is a problem for me.
White tri-flange modded to a bi-flange with stalk cut down flush to bottom of largest flange: Certainly best most secure fitting after comply but for some strange reason I am hearing more siblance than I would expect or more than I hear with star tips. Not sure why this is?
Star Tips: This is certainly my favorite tip but there is too much variation between medium and small tips where on one of my ears....the medium is too snug and tight and the next one down is almost too loose. It's a shame because I think these are the best tips for W4R. Despite this I have been using some variation of star tips. Don't be afraid to use different sizes in each ear if that's what it takes. If bass sounds unbalanced your tip selection may be wrong. Try to achieve total balance regardless of tip size.
Two (2) observations.....
1) I own UM56 custom tips. They fit perfect, they aren't uncomfortable, but I do not like the sound from them. Bass is weak and it is a very closed in claustrophobic presentation. This is my experience so beware. May be different for others.
2) I am not sure whether or not I hear any difference between tips with larger openings (star and comply) versus the smaller exit hole of a tri-bi-flange or a grey flex tip. I would love to know or understand the science behind this. I guess no matter how large or expansive any tip opening is....you are still limited by the size of the exit hole of the nozzle itself.