[dweaver]

OK just tried this mod with the filters, I had the green filter piece come out but not the metal piece it was in. The filters just needed a bit of coaxing to come out. I think I will be able to put them back in at some point if I want to. But I have to say I probably won't bother. The filter was the veil, with it gone these are now adding that one thing missing for me in regards to sound. The upper midrange and lower treble now have the shimmer I love, cymbals now crash instead of just sizzle.
 
You know, I wonder, do you think they initially made these without the green filter? They have made other small revisions throughout the manufacture of these. If they originally did not have the green filter or it was slightly different it might explain why there is more talk of a veil with these now versus the original thread.
 
So since my fix of the nozzle has resolved that problem and the tips I got from Benny work so well, and this fix resolves my treble concerns, I won't be sending these in for customs unless they break again as I don't want to mess with the sound and I like how easy it is put them in my ears.
 
These have gone from near perfect to perfect for me. Now I just need to become religious about transporting them in a good case to protect my investment.
 
BTW I took a small piece of the foam that were part of the dams I used when I made ear impressions and put it into the nozzle to give them something to stop wax and it has ever so slightly changed the sound  but only very minimally which I suspect will eliminate any chances of sibilance.
 
Excellent mod and find photofan, now I don't have to bother EQing my files .

 

[Young Spade]

Quote:

OK just tried this mod with the filters, I had the green filter piece come out but not the metal piece it was in. The filters just needed a bit of coaxing to come out. I think I will be able to put them back in at some point if I want to. But I have to say I probably won't bother. The filter was the veil, with it gone these are now adding that one thing missing for me in regards to sound. The upper midrange and lower treble now have the shimmer I love, cymbals now crash instead of just sizzle.
 
You know, I wonder, do you think they initially made these without the green filter? They have made other small revisions throughout the manufacture of these. If they originally did not have the green filter or it was slightly different it might explain why there is more talk of a veil with these now versus the original thread.
 
So since my fix of the nozzle has resolved that problem and the tips I got from Benny work so well, and this fix resolves my treble concerns, I won't be sending these in for customs unless they break again as I don't want to mess with the sound and I like how easy it is put them in my ears.
 
These have gone from near perfect to perfect for me. Now I just need to become religious about transporting them in a good case to protect my investment.
 
BTW I took a small piece of the foam that were part of the dams I used when I made ear impressions and put it into the nozzle to give them something to stop wax and it has ever so slightly changed the sound  but only very minimally which I suspect will eliminate any chances of sibilance.
 
Excellent mod and find photofan, now I don't have to bother EQing my files .

That's awesome man, glad you like it. Things like this make it so hard to find the next "best" IEM. Thank God for choices right? 

 

[dweaver]

I have to admit I had moments when I wondered if I should be trying another IEM again as I did miss that shimmer, thank goodness we have such a good community of people willing to experiment and share their knowledge.

 

[Photofan1986]

Hehe! Dweaver, glad you like it!

Personally, I came back to the stock filters, but I might try to remove them again, just to be sure which config I'm gonna stick to.

 

[dweaver]

I may switch back and forth a bit as I did notice ear fatigue after listening to them. But they sure do have more upper midrange and lower treble response. Did you try anything as a different filter to find a happy medium between the original filter and no filter?

 

[Photofan1986]

Yep, as I wrote a few posts earlier, I finally put the small foamies that came with Head Direct headphones in the sensorcom tips. However, it should be possible to do the same by cutting just a small piece and putting it directly into the nozzle. Most (if not all) harshness went away, but retaining a much better clarity than with the stock filters.
 
You can read my impressions here if you missed them
 
http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/504607/the-all-new-earsonics-sm3-appreciation-discussion-and-review-thread/1080#post_6903131

 

[veracocha]

Quote:

OK! I've got some new, guys!
 
A few minutes ago, I put the original filters back ,after listening to my SM3 with Head Direct filters jammed into the Sensorcom tips for a few hours.
There are a few interesting observations I'd like to share with you.
 
First:
Filters affects the sound like no other device. Equalizer can change the frequency response but not the presentation. Adding an amp can make the synergy better, i.e. adding a warm amp to a cold phone etc.
But none have the same effect as changing the filters!
 
What did I notice?
Hmm, lots of things. First, of course, the tonal balance is different. With the filters off, the sound is harsh, sibilant and really not so nice. The details are exceptional but really, nothing is refined.
With the foam Head Direct filter, the harshness goes away and a new sonic balance is struck. However, they do not sound like the stock filters at all. Bass is lesser, does not have the same impact and reach, lower mids are less forward, too. Uppers mids gain quite a bit of clarity and highs are brought forward. The SM3 sound more like a RE-252 (that's the only phone I have that sounds alike).
That's for the sonic balance. But it's only the first part of the story.
Yes, there is a dramatic change in presentation! I thought I noticed it when I was listening to my favourite tracks, and now I put the stock filters back, I confirm, and it's pretty obvious.
Many of you have noticed the "in the face" presentation of the SM3. Well, with the foam filters, there is much more air in the music! As incredible as it may sound, it's true. The filters tailor the sound AND the presentation.
What's the explanation to this phenomenon? I'm not quite sure. Probably, as the volume is louder (than with stock filters), and some freq brought forward, the brain interprets the space cues differently. Sorry, but really, I have not much clue

.
 
What's my reaction?
Well, as you may have noticed, my first reaction was excitement. Of course, being able to change to sound so much just replacing the filters is quite amazing.
With the foam filters, there is something more balanced about the sound. But without being really able to explain it, the sound lost all its magic! Everything is dry and lifeless. Today, as I put the stock filters back, I was like "Ahh, yeah, that's the stuff'!
It's really obvious that Earsonics made a huge research concerning the filters they wanted to use. Without them, the SM3 sounds nothing like an SM3!
Now, I'm listening to the stock filters, and I can attest that the sound has so much more power, life, "feeling", soul (I'm running out of words). It's much sweeter, smoother, yet retains much more emotion...
So, after a short experimenting trip, I'm definitely back to the original, magic Earsonics sound. I have to be in love with it!

 
 
@Raff012: That's really strange! You should clearly see the green filters in the sound tube. Now, did you buy the SM3 new or second hand?
I can only wholeheartedly recommend you to contact Earsonics so they can send you a pair of filters. You can put them easily in the sound tube yourself.
But you really need those to enjoy the fantastic, magic SM3 sound! (Sorry if I sound like a fanboy, but right now, I'm listening to them with the stock filters, and geeze, I love this sound!).

 
Can you add some pics ?

 

[Hero Kid]

Quote:

Can you add some pics ?

All that a photo would show would be the loss of a tiny green cylinder from the inside of a black tube... nothing much to show really.

 

[Photofan1986]

http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/504607/the-all-new-earsonics-sm3-appreciation-discussion-and-review-thread/1020#post_6898936

 

[dweaver]

OK so I have played around with how much low density foam I want in the sound tube as a filter and have tweaked these to allow just the right amount of increased sound/treble without becoming fatiguing and the difference is amazing. These now sound quite similar to the original green filter with just that added touch in the upper midrange/lower treble. To get it to where I wanted I started with a larger piece of foam in each tube, listened cut it back, listened cut it back etc. until I found the right size. To remove it I used a straightened staple to hook the foam and pull it out of the tube and a narrow tip tool to tamp it back into the sound tube after resizing. The cool thing is you can tweak the foam until you get the sound your looking for and the mod is 100% reversible. Note when I started the sound was quite a bit more muffled and I had to go to 50% volume but now I use almost the exact same volume settings I used with the original filter, I just get more treble when I do. So before starting make a note of what volume levels you listen at and try to match that volume with the new foam material, if you match it and you have more treble you have achieved your goal .
 
Here is a picture of the type of foam I used as can be seen it is very porous so as not to block much sound.

Here is the size I put in the actual sound tube, when tamped into place this does get compressed quite a bit so a dab will do ya:

 

[BobMajor]

I've had the EarSonics SM3 for four days and have been burning them in continuously since receiving them with IsoTek software so I feel they're nearly completely burned in now.
Previously, I've only had the Etymotic ER6i but I've heard the ER4S. The SM3s are obviously way ahead of the Etymotic IEMs.
My main music listening is through the Sennheiser HD800 via an Eddie Current Zana Deux SE tube amp.
For the size and the price the SM3s are surprising good. I'm only using them on my computer for when I need isolation.
I'm writing primarily about the question of what tips to use with the SM3s. I followed the convoluted discussions and asked average_joe what tips he could recommend given the problem of getting Sensorcom tips in the USA.
The following combination seems to work well at preserving the most information, being comfortable and getting a reasonable frequency response.
Take a pair of the following foam tips and cut foam away to get at the plastic sleeve. Cut off about a third of the sleeve.
http://futuresonics.ypguides.net/store/item/7xp0/Accessories/ComfortFit_0153_Replacement_Foam_Sleeves_Large.html
Use the remaining two-thirds of the sleeve as a core for the following large triple flange tips (which come with a lot of other sizes).
http://www.meelec.com/MEElectronics_Original_Eartips_for_M6_Earphones_p/tipset4-m6bk-mee.htm
These tips have a very wide channel down the middle of them so that they wouldn't fit securely on the SM3s. Push the 2/3 length of sleeve into the large 3 flange tips above. This way they hold onto the SM3s but have a enlarged exit for the sound (particularly the treble) to bloom. The resulting sound seems to have a more realistic soundstage.
Good luck.

 

[clarinetman]

Yesterday I got shigzeo's SM3 from Korea, safe and sound. Today I'm having my first extensive listening session with them, and ergo these are my initial impressions.
 
As these only included the Comply tips, my views may be skewed. I also have my S9 EQ'd to "BBE Headphone" because it sounds much better than the regular "Normal" EQ. [Perhaps you have a suggestion for which one sounds most natural?]
 
To be honest, I'm not super impressed with them. Indeed, they have some great detail and have great timbre, but so far, the mids sound really really veiled and recessed to me, coming from my beloved SRH840 (I have no other IEMs to compare them to). I love soundstage and the rendering of synths, but WHERE IS THE DAMNED TRANSPARENCY!? With some tracks, the transparency is merely okay, namely with Beatles tracks; it also improves a lot when I set the EQ to "Crystal Clear". I also sense a great lack of treble extension. This is good because they're not harsh or fatiguing at all, but bad because the extension isn't very good.... The bass though, is very very good quality. Nice and textured, and lots of it... Although at this point, I feel like it's bleeding into the mids and making everything quite unnatural, especially with metal (Rammstein). The guitars sound horrifically smeared together. Oddly, the vocals still sound pretty good in spite of this. As a more disappointing side note, they seem to sound better in every way on my DAC, which usually sounds worse than my S9 because it's junk. Alessandro Carbonare is AMAZING on them though. Only since the LCD-2 have I heard a more realistic reproduction of the clarinet.
 
What about the SE535? I seem to love the Shure products I've heard. Maybe Shane can comment on the level of treble extension/transparency comparatively to the SM3?
 
In any case, I'm really hoping these improve over time, but I'm also guessing that they just need some time getting used to. Perhaps they will be better if I decided to get them customed? Again, these are just initial impressions, so I will post more later.

 

[dweaver]

Try flipping your comply tip upside down so the sound tube go all the way to the top and the exposed foam is on the nozzle as this will reduce sound being absorbed by the foam. Personally I tried the removal of the green filter in the nozzle and found it easy to remove and an unbelievable change to the sound as the entire midrange become open versus just the lower midrange and the lower treble also improved. I had to find another filter material for the nozzle though as discussed a couple posts up as I found unfiltered the treble and midrange was just to fatiguing. Right now I am pretty much 100% satified with my SM3 as configured and I can easily make them a standard configuration as the modification is 100% reversible. Also I am using the Sensorcom tips discussed throughout this thread.

 

[Hero Kid]

Yeah Comply tips are some of the worst tips you could use with the SM3. They suck the trebble right out of them... Try experimenting with some other tips and get hold of some Sensorcom double flange tips if you can.
And as abov, try the filter mod.

 

[clarinetman]

Thanks for your suggestions.
 
However, it seems like I spoke way too soon. After just 20 minutes of extensive listening,I have realized they absolutely kick the crap out of my 840s. It's funny how I thought they sounded  natural; I still like the extension of the Shures though. By similar comparison, I'm also show that my DAC actually really does suck and than my S9 sounds better.
 
I've looked hard for the Sensorcom tips but can never find them. Where are they?
 
EDIT: Oops, found them. I'm just wondering now if a reshell is worth it...