[kwudude]

So, I just got a pair of Turbine Coppers and I've experimented a bit with tips. I am a fan of sound quality, but spending ~1.5 hours on public transit each day makes isolation and comfort paramount.

What I tried:
Gel Supertips - Do not conform to ear canals. Achieved seals are temporary at best, broken easily by opening one's mouth.
Foam Supertips - Too rigid. The concept of a rubber core for durability with foam for comfort is good, but it seems to ruin the comfort of foam.
Tri-Flange - Imagine a miniature pine tree stuck in your ear canal. That's how itchy and uncomfortable tri-flanges are for me. YMMV.
Comply T400 - Fantastic fit, but long reinsertion time is annoying as I often talk to people for a bit then put my IEMS back in. Also bloats mid-bass and reduces treble sparkle.
Sony Hybrid - Tight bass and clear treble. Comfortable. Thinness kills isolation, and coupled with the shallow insertion of MTPC isolation approaches nil.

UE 700 tips - Fantastic! Comfortable, excellent isolation, and great sound!



My speculations as to just why they're so good...
1. Large amount of "empty space" - allows tips to conform well to ear canal, unlike the gel supertips
2. Soft, but thick silicone rubber - comfortable, but the thickness prevents isolation from being adversely affected
3. Structural design - Sony hybrids are easy to get a seal with because they have a rigid "stem" (coloured portion). These tips have a rigid stem too, but they also have a large rigid portion at the very end of the tip (the whiter part at the end). Essentially, the length of the tip can't deform much, so a deep insertion is easy and consistent, but the side walls are still allowed to move and conform to your ear as much as necessary.
4. Rounded shape - Similar to Shure "Grey Flex". Increases surface area, improving contact area with interior of ear canal. Improved seal and isolation.
5. Wide, shallow sound outlet - prevents treble loss from "bouncing" around in long tips (that "distant" sensation)

Thoughts?

 

[Selenium]

I personally always wear my MTPC over-the-ear with a deep fit, and Sony Hybrid foam-stuffed tips. I find the soundstage to be nice and big even with the deeper insertion, so no reason not to. Add to that the Hybrid foamies and I can't hear jack ****.

 

[kwudude]

I personally always wear my MTPC over-the-ear with a deep fit, and Sony Hybrid foam-stuffed tips. I find the soundstage to be nice and big even with the deeper insertion, so no reason not to. Add to that the Hybrid foamies and I can't hear jack ****.

Ah! Makes sense. I liked the Hybrids but for their lack of isolation, and stuffing foam in them probably helps.
"Deep" insertion for the MTPC still isn't very deep though - I find my UE700s go in a LOT further due to their tiny, tiny shells. When the MTPC housing touches the rim of one's ear canals they obviously can't go any further in.

 

[Selenium]

Well if you wear them over-the-ear you can get a slightly deeper fit. These are my go-to 'phones for isolation, being that I don't have any Etymotics. Can mow the lawn with this combo and barely hear the mower, can take them to the gym and not hear ANYTHING. According to Kunlun they're vented, don't know where though. Might have to try out my TF10 tips with them and see if I have success similar to yours.

 

[kwudude]

TF10 tips are very different from UE700 tips, entirely derivative in terms of structure. Also, I do wear my MTPC over-ear and at least for me they have a shallow-ish seal (even tested maximum insertion depth with no tips on!)