[piotrus-g]

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As for isolation: It is pretty low compared to the usual custom IEM. I deliberately had my family talk to me while wearing them with no music playing - I could sort of make out words, or at least vowel sounds, but it was pretty muffled. If I cover the vent holes with my fingertips, isolation becomes more like my other customs. So these are a little different from normal customs in that they do not block out a ton of sound, but still offer much more isolation than say an open headphone. I keep thinking they will leak sound by my wife assures me they do not. But the isolation thing will certainly a factor for some people. I'll mostly use them at home so it won't bother me much.

Thanks for answering my questions
That's a pitty because I am using my IEM mostly outdoors and isolation is one of the most important factor to me. Seems like Merlins wouldn't suit me.
 

 

[project86]

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Interesting impressions. Have you given them any burn in time yet?
 

I left them going for 2 days straight, plus my own listening time, so they probably have 60 hours or so by now. I'm going to keep leaving them overnight for another week or so, just to satisfy the question of burn-in (which I don't particularly believe in myself). 

 
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Thanks for answering my questions
That's a pitty because I am using my IEM mostly outdoors and isolation is one of the most important factor to me. Seems like Merlins wouldn't suit me.
 

No problem. I have to be honest and say that the venting is both a blessing and a curse: for someone like me who will be using them indoors, it lets the dynamic driver breath and gives a real sense of three dimensionality. But as you said, it clearly won't be a perfect fit for all situations. 
 
To keep it in perspective, you still get as much or more isolation with the Merlin as you do with most "portable" type headphones like ESW9, Portapro, HD25, SR60, etc. Certain universal IEMs with single flange tips isolate about this well too. It is certainly enough for casual sound attenuation, just not for loud situations or extreme isolation. I wonder if UM will ever release a proper isolation rating.... their other models all say -26dB if I remember correctly. 
 
 

 

[Anouk]

Hi, even though i am still waiting to get my first custom iem delivered (westone es5) this one seems really really interesting. a pity about the making in China (shipping from europe is not fun) and the poorer isolation though

 

[FullCircle]

Quote:

I left them going for 2 days straight, plus my own listening time, so they probably have 60 hours or so by now. I'm going to keep leaving them overnight for another week or so, just to satisfy the question of burn-in (which I don't particularly believe in myself). 

 
No problem. I have to be honest and say that the venting is both a blessing and a curse: for someone like me who will be using them indoors, it lets the BA breath and gives a real sense of three dimensionality. But as you said, it clearly won't be a perfect fit for all situations. 
 
To keep it in perspective, you still get as much or more isolation with the Merlin as you do with most "portable" type headphones like ESW9, Portapro, HD25, SR60, etc. Certain universal IEMs with single flange tips isolate about this well too. It is certainly enough for casual sound attenuation, just not for loud situations or extreme isolation. I wonder if UM will ever release a proper isolation rating.... their other models all say -26dB if I remember correctly. 
 
 

     Honeslty, I can't understand why the "venting" could have any relationship with isolation....      That is unless the vent runs all the way through the end of the canal.   I think the vent on the Merlin just opens the interior of the Shell, but does not have an opening at the tip of the canal. If this is the case, I don't think there would be any impact on isolation.  
 
If the vent did run all the way through to the tip, you would have some major loss on bass too.
 
Just my opinion, I don't have any merlins, i'm just thinking logically they are not vented through out the ear canal.

 

[Saintkeat]

Thanks for keeping this thread alive Project86! And that is interesting. It would make sense to me that your isolation takes a dive with the vent. Its just like how a full acrylic custom can't beat a full silicon custom. Acrylic doesn't make things sound proof which is why with customs on we can still hear significant amount of sound till the music starts playing. A hole/vent in the custom would mean the integrity of the shell is broken and the isolation would fall from 26db to something like 13db. Like the difference between  a thin piece of felt to your ear and fluffs of cotton wool. Just logically saying.
 

 

[piotrus-g]

Quote:

Thanks for keeping this thread alive Project86! And that is interesting. It would make sense to me that your isolation takes a dive with the vent. Its just like how a full acrylic custom can't beat a full silicon custom. Acrylic doesn't make things sound proof which is why with customs on we can still hear significant amount of sound till the music starts playing. A hole/vent in the custom would mean the integrity of the shell is broken and the isolation would fall from 26db to something like 13db. Like the difference between  a thin piece of felt to your ear and fluffs of cotton wool. Just logically saying.
 

x2
 
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Honeslty, I can't understand why the "venting" could have any relationship with isolation....

I have TWF11 DDM for tests right now and honestly even if I put etymotic tri-flanges on them isolation is non existant. All because of big vents in the shell.
Probably I wouldn't notice isolation issue with Merlin as long as I would play music louder to cover background noise. I like to take care of my hearing, though

 
 

 

[azndmp]

Quote:

Thanks for keeping this thread alive Project86! And that is interesting. It would make sense to me that your isolation takes a dive with the vent. Its just like how a full acrylic custom can't beat a full silicon custom. Acrylic doesn't make things sound proof which is why with customs on we can still hear significant amount of sound till the music starts playing. A hole/vent in the custom would mean the integrity of the shell is broken and the isolation would fall from 26db to something like 13db. Like the difference between  a thin piece of felt to your ear and fluffs of cotton wool. Just logically saying.
 

I had a full silicon custom with a vent and it feels just like you said: isolation would fall from 26db to something like 13db and thats annoying.(Less isolation then MTPG).
It really disturbed the music, because i used them when i traveled to work.
So i upgraded, to Starkey 43 which is really great!
The isolation reach 30db, thats because they fill Acrylic shell with silicon and this solution i prefer more then full silicon.
 
Full silicon might isolation abit more add 2 something like 32db, but on the other hand i feelt that it is not so solid.
Might mishaped or something in longer term.
The other thing it didnt feel as comfortably as Acrylic when insert, even worse if you take it in and out few times makes your ears sore.
 
 

 

[project86]

So I've been thinking about this whole isolation thing. As I look through the vent hole, I can actually see the rear of the armature drivers. So basically the only actual isolation is coming from the area near the tip where the sound tubes are sealed in the acrylic. Aside from that it's a straight shot from the outside world, through the small venting hole, and into my ears. 
 
I noticed yesterday that it seems to be mostly lower frequency sounds that make it through. So when my kids talk, or even my wife talks, it doesn't come through as much. But if I'm outdoors and a big truck drives by, that is more intrusive. 
 
I've also been messing with plugging the vent ports. Just using my finger to cover them. I can get better isolation that way, but it's hard to cover them completely because the vents are at a weird angle in my ear. I've been trying to see how the sound is different with a sealed vent, but haven't come to any solid conclusions yet.

 

[james444]

From my experience with universals I'd say covering the vents will most likely impair bass quality and soundstage.

 

[piotrus-g]

try using a teflon tape or any other tape you have

 

[azndmp]

Covering the vent will effect the soundstage in a negative way, atleast it did for me.

 

[Saintkeat]

give it up boys. Its inevitable.
 
I'd say more power to people who find that the merlin sounds so good, a little loss in isolation is an affordable sacrifice.
 
Hey UM reps when would Singapore have a demo unit at Stereo?

 

[project86]

Quote:

try using a teflon tape or any other tape you have

Thanks, that's a good idea. My fingers don't quite fit in the right way to seal them, plus by doing that I'm probably pushing the whole IEM a little which could be causing as much or more change to the sound as covering the vents. I'll have to find some tape when I get a chance.

 

[project86]

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On the other hand there is quite a bit of sound leakage through the vents when playing at louder volumes which I don't get with my other customs.

See this is what I was trying to figure out. When burning them in, the Merlin seems louder than my other customs, which makes sense because there are 2 places for the sound to come out of. But when they are in my ears, playing loud music, people claim they can't hear any leakage. I'll have to ask some more people and see if anyone hears it.

 

[Bazirker]

Aren't the Future Sonics MG6Pros vented as well? Does anyone know how they isolate, comparatively speaking? (Kunlun?)