[Spyro]

While they are unique to most other IEM's are are delightful to listen to, the biggest deal breaker or reason many people get rid of the Etys are;

1) they truly sound like IEM's. Pretty small headstage, small sound...like bookshelf speakers.

2) lack of a "fullness of sound" which so may other IEM's offer which makes these other IEM's sound "headphone'ish" and less like IEM's which would seem more desireable.

 

[DeTrun]

Well, I was thinking of buying the UM3X or ER4P, but I ended up buying a HF5. I bought one, 1 hour ago.

 

[jleewach]

Glad to see so many people are loving the hf5's. Ety is truly my favorite iem-maker out there. The best!

 

[Bina]

I quite like mine. They have good isolation and sound quite nice. I prefer them over Q-Jays, UE 5 pro, Shure SE420 and so on, but Phonaks for me is better. And for me, between top iems like IE8, SE530 and triple fi and HF5 is quite big difference.

 

[CENTRAL]

Quote:

Originally Posted by timmyGCSE /img/forum/go_quote.gif ...They feel very romantic, they are soft and incredibly inviting into the music but at the same time ridiculously detailed, its not immediately obvious but with each song I felt more and more taken by what I was hearing. The only other IEM to achieve this effect was the UM3x's (for different reasons). There is just a distinct balance and 'rightness' to everything, they aren't too cold, not too warm, not too bassy, not by any means harsh, the mids aren't forward, they are there in check with everything else. Its a very pleasing sound signature that grows on you, one I could listen to all day and feel the music as it was intended.

You express my own thoughts really well!!!

The HF5s grow slowly on their user. Try the olives as well. I did a short test of them against the Klipsch gels and found the olives better overall. I am not going to take them off again for any reason other than cleaning...

The HF5 and the olives were certainly made for each other!

 

[Sinocelt]

Quote:

Originally Posted by CENTRAL /img/forum/go_quote.gif You express my own thoughts really well!!! The HF5s grow slowly on their user. Try the olives as well. I did a short test of them against the Klipsch gels and found the olives better overall. I am not going to take them off again for any reason other than cleaning... The HF5 and the olives were certainly made for each other!

That would explain why it's so hard to separate them.

 

[Bina]

I too use Olives. Yes, they are little problem with taking them out, but with patience I'm able to put them down.

 

[bcpk]

Are the Olives foam? I avoid foams as I can't afford to replace them weekly

 

[rawrster]

well they are labeled foam by shure but not really like the comply foam. you dont have to roll them and wait for them to form back to their original shape in your ear. they last months and not weekly so its not too expensive to purchase considering how long they last.

 

[Sinocelt]

You can even wash the olives. I've dipped them in soap water and let them dry overnight. The problem, though, is that to do that you need to remove them from the HF5, and it can be... tricky. Time-consuming. And nerve-wrecking, as you keep wondering if the stem won't break.

 

[CENTRAL]

I too wash them using soap (antibacterial) and let them dry well before putting them back. I find it fairly easy to take them off (not too easy though).

 

[Bina]

I use one pair now for something like two months and they are still in good condition. Not like my Complies, which turn yelow after two weeks.

 

[ssk786]

so I received my hf5s last week. coming from a pair of pfes, i was really disappointed in these. well i just got my shure black sleeves today....put them on the hf5s and WOW! such a huge improvement. the sound is more 'full' now and the bass is much, much better. cant believe that sleeves make such a big impact in sq. so right now im pretty satisfied. will keep on using them for another week or so and see if im really keeping these! thanks OP for recommending the black sleeves because without them the hf5s sound just so-so.

 

[Spyro]

Shure black flex sleeves or the olives?

 

[busstonedfx]

i'm pretty sure hes talking about olives