[navmau]

Don't know when this happened but Shure has increased the list price of their black foams from $15 to $20 for 5 pairs:

Shure - Black Foam Sleeves for Earphones

It is still a good price however idealsound on ebay (same as discountheadphones.com) is still selling them for $14/5pairs so stock up while you can!!!

 

[synaesthetic]

I think Shure just tumbled to the fact that everyone loves them.

 

[SonicDawg]

I am not sure I need more. I am still on my first pair...

 

[navmau]

Quote:

Originally Posted by synaesthetic /img/forum/go_quote.gif I think Shure just tumbled to the fact that everyone loves them.

Yep, plus the fact that they last a long, long time...Shure probably thought they are too cheap as it would take 1-2 years to get the customer back for more, whereas the same amount of money would have flown in within 6 months with the yellow foams.

 

[synaesthetic]

These are the first replacement sleeves I've purchased for my ER-6i since I stole the medium pair of grey flexsleeves from the fit kit I bought for my unlamented E5c. And that was like two months after I acquired the ER-6i.

The flex sleeves are dead now (hence the replacement) as a large tear developed in the body of one of them, preventing a seal from forming. Getting the olives to seal is a bit trickier than the gray sleeves, but the comfort is hugely increased and they don't muddy up the sound at all (while the grey ones did).

 

[JWFokker]

What a ripoff. People should complain to Shure about this. As if $15 for some bits of shaped foam wasn't highway robbery to begin with, this is just absurd.

 

[navmau]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JWFokker /img/forum/go_quote.gif What a ripoff. People should complain to Shure about this. As if $15 for some bits of shaped foam wasn't highway robbery to begin with, this is just absurd.

hmmmm that's an interesting comment and the first which strays away from general consensus that the black foams are the cheapest foams available as they last a long, long time. No other foam out there lasts for over 6 weeks (i.e. comply tips) and the shure black foams last about 6 months per pair and can be wiped down with a damp paper towel.

So, even though $20/5 pairs is not too bad, its even better at $14/5 pairs at idealsound.

 

[JWFokker]

Even if they are the "cheapest foams available", that doesn't change the fact that less than a couple dollars worth of foam is a ripoff at $15 and a bigger ripoff at $20. An increase of 33% is just price gouging, plain and simple. There's no justifiable reason for Shure to do it, they just do it because they can.

 

[Punnisher]

I just got mine today, and found out that once stretched onto my sf3's they were too big for my ears, and I snapped the cable on my driver trying to take the foams off. Sigh, not a good start for the foamies.

 

[KUNFUCHOPSTICKS]

Yeah i can't believe poeple didn't think 15$ was a total rip for foam tips. As if making a huge profit off so-so headphones wasn't good enough, they try to rip you with expensive tips. And now $20??? Obviously it's not only Shure, but it's more of a reason to not the company.

 

[ch28kid]

Anyone here actually replace their black olive tips because they use it too much? I'm just wondering how long do they last?

And about the stretching them to fit on UE, do you remove the stupid plastic from the middle?

 

[Assorted]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JWFokker /img/forum/go_quote.gif What a ripoff. People should complain to Shure about this. As if $15 for some bits of shaped foam wasn't highway robbery to begin with, this is just absurd.

If you are really serious about that, why don't you start a boycott campaign of Shure over a $5 difference; that would be far more effective than complaint letters. The power is in your hands as the consumer.

I personally think it's justified for them to increase the price. If they're selling a lot of the black foamies, it makes sense to increase the price to get more profit. It's a responsibility to the investors/stock holders to make more profit. On the other hand if people started boycotting (... a slim chance) Shure products, they might lower the prices.

 

[synaesthetic]

Consumable parts like these are almost always sold at an obscene markup. I'm not surprised, nor am I especially upset because I expect this sort of behavior from companies.

 

[pez]

This doesn't surprise me.

Company makes a product and retails it at an already "too high" price.

Company sells a lot of them.

Company gets greedy and starts charging people 33% more when it should cost 33% of the price in the first place.

BTW, Sorry to kind of go off topic, but anyone have large that needs medium, because I need large, and these mediums are too small. I was just about to buy some, but after seeing this, nevermind.

 

[mrdeadfolx]

The black foamies are the best tips out there, but 20 bucks for 5 pairs is a god damn ripoff. 2 bucks for a single tip? Id be surprised if they cost a nickel each to make. Nice goin Shure.