[Huxley]

Has anyone ever thought of making a custom iem shell in acrylic, then fit replaceable silicon tips.
 
Means the durability of a hard shell, with the long term comfort of silicone and the choice of resired length to find your sweet spot.
 
Any thoughts?

 

[mp3]

How about an acrylic shell, that is slightly smaller than the impression, covered in a silicone layer, that brings the combined size to that of the impression?

 

[Huxley]

Interesting idea, though i still like the idea of replaceable tips, as they do wear out plus it could mean trying out different iem's that use the same fitment.
 
Or how about both our ideas. acrylic inside, silicone outside yet still have replaceable tips.
 
Could be on to something here

 

[mp3]

Should be possible, wonder why no one has come up with such a custom?

 

[JackKontney]

Medical grade silicone is very difficult to bond to any other material. The big attraction of acrylic (to manufacturers) is that it's fairly easy to work with. Silicone, OTOH, is a slippery little devil.
 
Acrylic shells with silicone coating? Probably going to happen ...someday. Makes more sense than figuring out how to jam a couple more drivers into the shell.

 

[illwafer]

i made some.
 
westone um2 with custom um56. then i bought some of that 2 part silicone ear impression stuff and created the mold around the iems with them in my ears. they look just like custom headphones...except they fit perfectly. they are durable enough that i'll probably get a year's use out of the impression material, then i'll make them again (material is probably $1/ear).

 

[rfield00]

http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/542359/homemade-custom-sleeves-for-westone-1#post_7313281

 

[JackKontney]

Putting silicone tips on acrylic customs has been done in the past, but not with great success. Silicone doesn't bond well with other substances and if the joint fails, the tip is almost inevitably left deep in the ear. This would also negate one of the advantages of a custom design, as any two-piece design is inherently less mechanically sound than a unibody approach.

 

[melomaniac]

my experience testing soft silicone points to the benefits of acrylic - more durable, and should give you a comfy fit if it is shaped correctly

 

[JackKontney]

No one disputes the ability of acrylic to be properly formed into a good-fitting earpiece. I find silicone to be significantly more comfortable, however, and and its pliable nature helps it maintain its seal during jaw movement.
 
Not sure what you mean by durability. Neither acrylic nor silicone earpieces degrade over time. Failure tends to be related to cable and driver issues, not shell failure.

 

[melomaniac]

Quote:

No one disputes the ability of acrylic to be properly formed into a good-fitting earpiece. I find silicone to be significantly more comfortable, however, and and its pliable nature helps it maintain its seal during jaw movement.
 
Not sure what you mean by durability. Neither acrylic nor silicone earpieces degrade over time. Failure tends to be related to cable and driver issues, not shell failure.

- yes but I've also seen soft IEM tips deteriorate to the point where they rip or break, and for that reason I'd advise using more durable material for customs

 

[JackKontney]

It's important to differentiate between silicone-tipped acrylics and full silicone earpieces.
 
Quote:

- yes but I've also seen soft IEM tips deteriorate to the point where they rip or break, and for that reason I'd advise using more durable material for customs

 
Because silicone does not bond reliably with acrylic (nor, indeed, with any substance), a silicone-tipped acrylic shell may indeed have durability issues. In terms of reliability/durability, an all-acrylic design is better.
 
Full silicone earpieces, OTOH, are totally stable, and I would put them up against full acrylics for durability anytime. They do not lose their shape over time, and their pliable consistency actually protects internal components.