[AmberOzL]

Westone uses vinyl tips, it is not silicone as far as I know. It is pretty hard in room temperature and gets softer in your ears. So pretty much the description of what Sony/Just Ear uses I guess.

 

[Mython]

More on shell materials here:
 
www.head-fi.org/t/589208/hidition-nt-6-custom-iem-review-the-ultimate-reference/195#post_9990709

 

[moedawg140]

  Westone uses vinyl tips, it is not silicone as far as I know. It is pretty hard in room temperature and gets softer in your ears. So pretty much the description of what Sony/Just Ear uses I guess.

 
Westone offers a multitude of tips they provide as they use acrylic, flex canal (e-Compound Additive can be added), silicone (OtoBlast, W-1, etc.) vinyl (Formula II, Superflex, RX) and polyethylene.  The full list with colors is here: http://www.westone.com/hhc/index.php/earpieces-and-the-ear/earpiece-materials-colors.  Not all materials will be 'compatible' with all Westone models, and the custom sleeves as well as the custom tips (UM56 Custom Adapter) they offer (for certain universal IEMs) are further limited with what materials they can offer.

 

[Mython]

   
Westone offers a multitude of tips they provide as they use acrylic, flex canal (e-Compound Additive can be added), silicone (OtoBlast, W-1, etc.) vinyl (Formula II, Superflex, RX) and Polyethylene.  The full list with colors is here: http://www.westone.com/hhc/index.php/earpieces-and-the-ear/earpiece-materials-colors

 
Thanks for the elaboration, but, as far as I can tell, many of the materials offered by Westone are available only if you opt for the entire earpiece to be made from the same material.
 
What we were discussing was a mostly-hard-acrylic shell, but with just the ear canal/tip portion being made from a softer material.

 

[moedawg140]

   
Thanks for the elaboration, but, as far as I can tell, many of the materials offered by Westone are available only if you opt for the entire earpiece to be made from the same material.
 
What we were discussing was a mostly-hard-acrylic shell, but with just the ear canal/tip portion being made from a softer material.

 
I edited my response as you were creating yours.  Regardless, Westone offers the softer material ear canal/tip portion with certain Westone models (ES series, called Flex Canal), but I was making a point that Westone creates more and different types of tips/adapters/full shells than only vinyl (which is what I was responding to in the first place).

 

[Mython]

It's cool. I still learned something from your post which I did not know before 

- I had been unaware of how many different shell materials Westone offer, and kudos to them for doing so - I guess it's largely because they are a major player in the industry and because they do the bulk of their work for the clinical sector (i.e. mostly hearing aids, which are worn more continuously than CIEMs, and ear allergies/sensitivities may thus be more of an issue).

 

[moedawg140]

  It's cool. I still learned something from your post which I did not know before 

- I had been unaware of how many different shell materials Westone offer, and kudos to them for doing so - I guess it's largely because they are a major player in the industry and because they do the bulk of their work for the clinical sector (i.e. mostly hearing aids, which are worn more continuously than CIEMs, and ear allergies/sensitivities may thus be more of an issue).

 
I use the Sensaphonics Custom Sleeves (medical grade silicone) with my SE846, and in my honest opinion, no matter what the material (acrylic, silicone or Westone's "Anti-Microbial Slick-Sil AM"), any tip/sleeve/custom adapter will get dirty if there is any dust/dander/cerumen/lint on the sound tubes/ear canal tubes.  Cleaning the tips (readers: do not use alcohol!) before each use will ensure sanitized earphones, no matter what material is used.  Edit:  Westone's response to me regarding exactly what the Flex Canal material is: "The flex canal is made of an acryllic base. It is activated by body heat, so it is firm when inserting into the ear and the heat of your body softens the material for a more comfortable fit/better seal."

 

[uli87]

I think it will be a huge success. People have no idea how far portable audio comes. I am a prime example. I never heard of this place and found it by accident on XDA. Someone was telling me about $500 headphones, I believe, sennheiser and I was shocked. I never knew such stuff existed. I am a big fan of anything electronic, I am typical middle class American. I had no idea.

A huge company like Sony, who has a fairly good reputation to the general public, will succeed in a big way. Yes it's expensive, but there are a ton of people that have money that do not know of this. I'm predicting a huge success and a very positive impact for the rest of us. I've been here for almost a year, now I'm fully addicted!!!

 
Yup! Unless people start investigating deeper and find out there are other A LOT of other companies that are already very established with excellent products for much less. Although we don't really know any final pricing so we have to wait and see. These things look absolutely delicious though *drool*

 

[fnkcow]

OMG.....MONEY

 

[mochill]

OMG......MY WALLET

 

[DisCHORDDubstep]

 

[audionewbi]

Did they made any more appearance?

 

[BlueInfinity]

Hmm looks like i will have to rob a bank!

 

[suman134]

  Hmm looks like i will have to rob a bank!

May i join you? i will buy the latest JH Audio Layla too. i will help big time.

 

[IEMman]

If this really costs USD3k, Sony has gone one up over JH. The pricing for TOTL iems has really gone through the roof nowadays. The manufacturers are really milking us for all we are worth. And the sad thing is people will still buy them (I am still convincing myself not to buy them).