[caruga]

Got myself etymotic mc5 earbuds about 3 days back.  An air-tight seal is important, but out of all the ear-tips the only one I could attain a proper seal (and decent noise isolation) was with the foam tips.  However there are two problems:
 
1. They hurt like hell.
2. After about 2 days use they've lost the will to expand into their original shape, so they don't fill the ear-canal and are now as poor as the other tips for isolating noise.  They look all scrunched up and the plastic tube in the center now protudes from either end, causing the plastic to stab into my ears if I push too far.
 
Any advice, either for better ear-tips or restoring the foam to its original shape?  I'm wondering if they are of a standard size to use tips made by a different company.  I purchased some off of ebay a while back and they don't fit these earbuds, the hole is too wide.

 

[buffalowings]

Quote:

Got myself etymotic mc5 earbuds about 3 days back.  An air-tight seal is important, but out of all the ear-tips the only one I could attain a proper seal (and decent noise isolation) was with the foam tips.  However there are two problems:
 
1. They hurt like hell.
2. After about 2 days use they've lost the will to expand into their original shape, so they don't fill the ear-canal and are now as poor as the other tips for isolating noise.  They look all scrunched up and the plastic tube in the center now protudes from either end, causing the plastic to stab into my ears if I push too far.
 
Any advice, either for better ear-tips or restoring the foam to its original shape?  I'm wondering if they are of a standard size to use tips made by a different company.  I purchased some off of ebay a while back and they don't fit these earbuds, the hole is too wide.

that's the personality of foam tips, though comply foam tips seem to last a little longer

 

[caruga]

Quote:

Quote:

Got myself etymotic mc5 earbuds about 3 days back.  An air-tight seal is important, but out of all the ear-tips the only one I could attain a proper seal (and decent noise isolation) was with the foam tips.  However there are two problems:
 
1. They hurt like hell.
2. After about 2 days use they've lost the will to expand into their original shape, so they don't fill the ear-canal and are now as poor as the other tips for isolating noise.  They look all scrunched up and the plastic tube in the center now protudes from either end, causing the plastic to stab into my ears if I push too far.
 
Any advice, either for better ear-tips or restoring the foam to its original shape?  I'm wondering if they are of a standard size to use tips made by a different company.  I purchased some off of ebay a while back and they don't fit these earbuds, the hole is too wide.

that's the personality of foam tips, though comply foam tips seem to last a little longer

I know, but 2 days?  Little bit useless.  Short of getting tailor-made tips for my ear-canal what do you think is the best variety of ear-tip?

 

[buffalowings]

Quote:

Quote:

Quote:

Got myself etymotic mc5 earbuds about 3 days back.  An air-tight seal is important, but out of all the ear-tips the only one I could attain a proper seal (and decent noise isolation) was with the foam tips.  However there are two problems:
 
1. They hurt like hell.
2. After about 2 days use they've lost the will to expand into their original shape, so they don't fill the ear-canal and are now as poor as the other tips for isolating noise.  They look all scrunched up and the plastic tube in the center now protudes from either end, causing the plastic to stab into my ears if I push too far.
 
Any advice, either for better ear-tips or restoring the foam to its original shape?  I'm wondering if they are of a standard size to use tips made by a different company.  I purchased some off of ebay a while back and they don't fit these earbuds, the hole is too wide.

that's the personality of foam tips, though comply foam tips seem to last a little longer

I know, but 2 days?  Little bit useless.  Short of getting tailor-made tips for my ear-canal what do you think is the best variety of ear-tip?

I think the Mc5 comes with etymotics own foam tips, as I said, comply tips last a bit longer (2 weeks max for me) that's the thing about foam tips, the cost adds up quickly in the long term. with the stock tips (non silicone) when you fit them, do you pull your ears slightly up and out and relax your jaw while doing so? that might help with the fitment issue

 

[kmhaynes]

Be patient and try the 3-flange tips.  They will give you the best sound as you get used to inserting them deeply down the ear canal -- and I mean deep.  When you look in the mirror, you should only see the outer/back edge of the 3rd flange -- the rest of it is down inside the ear canal.  THEN you get the full MC5 sound.

 

[buffalowings]

Quote:

Be patient and try the 3-flange tips.  They will give you the best sound as you get used to inserting them deeply down the ear canal -- and I mean deep.  When you look in the mirror, you should only see the outer/back edge of the 3rd flange -- the rest of it is down inside the ear canal.  THEN you get the full MC5 sound.

try trimming one stalk off it they don't fit, flip the first one inside out, then cut it clean off

 

[caruga]

 
Quote:

Quote:

Quote:

Quote:

Got myself etymotic mc5 earbuds about 3 days back.  An air-tight seal is important, but out of all the ear-tips the only one I could attain a proper seal (and decent noise isolation) was with the foam tips.  However there are two problems:
 
1. They hurt like hell.
2. After about 2 days use they've lost the will to expand into their original shape, so they don't fill the ear-canal and are now as poor as the other tips for isolating noise.  They look all scrunched up and the plastic tube in the center now protudes from either end, causing the plastic to stab into my ears if I push too far.
 
Any advice, either for better ear-tips or restoring the foam to its original shape?  I'm wondering if they are of a standard size to use tips made by a different company.  I purchased some off of ebay a while back and they don't fit these earbuds, the hole is too wide.

that's the personality of foam tips, though comply foam tips seem to last a little longer

I know, but 2 days?  Little bit useless.  Short of getting tailor-made tips for my ear-canal what do you think is the best variety of ear-tip?

I think the Mc5 comes with etymotics own foam tips, as I said, comply tips last a bit longer (2 weeks max for me) that's the thing about foam tips, the cost adds up quickly in the long term. with the stock tips (non silicone) when you fit them, do you pull your ears slightly up and out and relax your jaw while doing so? that might help with the fitment issue

Yes.  I can get them in all the way.  Oddly, in the case of the glider ear-plug I _lose_ the seal if I push them in as far as they can go.  To get a decent seal from them I have to insert them all the way and then pull them back a notch (the sound of my computer vanishes if I've done it well enough).  But the seal breaks very easily with slight movements.  Also I get better seals from the flange and glider ear-plugs if I insert them _without_ trying to straighten the ear-canal; if I lower my jaw and lift my ear it seems to disturb the seating once I let go again and it breaks the seal.  But they're not very good at making a seal no matter how I do it.

 

[caruga]

Just tested to confirm.  The flange ear plugs when inserted all the way will lose the seal, although there's only barely one to begin with.  Sometimes by pulling them in and out I can make it air-tight but it's never more than a few seconds until I hear a *pop* and can hear the air moving beyond my head.

 

[kboe]

I used the yellow foam tips on my Shure SE420/530s and they lasted about 6-9 weeks a pair.  They eventually got all gross and greasy, but not after a few days.  You are right though, because they expand in the ear they do isolate the best.  Dang I miss those 420s.

 

[buffalowings]

I might actually try this out...
 
http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/383917/how-to-best-custom-tips-for-iems-ever-imho-with-pics/90

 

[goodvibes]

If you like foam, Shure olives are very durable and fit

 

[controlmajortom]

I use Shure olives with my MC5. Best fit and sound.

 

[kboe]

The olives hurt my inner ears after a few hours, the foam did not.

 

[caruga]

Just tried making the custom ones.  They sealed out the sound decently though not as good as the supplied foam ones, but that was before I trimmed them down enough to let the sound come through fully.  Now they let too much sound in from outside. (they can't get any deeper, the neck of the buds is pressed against the ridge of my ear).  I must have a weird ear canal or something as with the right ear it opens up more if I push it in as deep as it can go.