[jdwarsh]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Indygreg /img/forum/go_quote.gif Customs are going to be the best option for comfort, isolation, and SQ. But they are not cheap. $600 is really the entry fee for customs.

What about the UM56 earmolds for the UM2? Way less than $600. . .

 

[cindyk]

Custom molds offer the best isolation.

 

[papermasterarumi]

how's the isolation on the shure e4c?

 

[jdwarsh]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cindyk /img/forum/go_quote.gif Custom molds offer the best isolation.

How are they for comfort?

 

[Indygreg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jdwarsh /img/forum/go_quote.gif How are they for comfort?

Without peer - they are made to exactly fit your ear.

 

[jdwarsh]

Thanks for the info on the earmolds. Before asking about them I was always perplexed by why so few folks seemed to have them, since what I read suggested they may provide better comfort and isolation. And for many in the forum it doesn't appear that cost is too significant an obstacle, provided the performance benefit is there. Is it just the hassle-factor of getting fitted?

 

[Claus-DK]

Hi
I have the d-JAYS and E500, I work in a noisy enviroment and have been protecting my ears with different earplugs for almost 20 years....

For work I use my d-JAYS with homemade foamies and it works very well, from time to time I also use the E500 also with selfmade foamies, I also have custom hearing protection and they fit the E500, so I have tried that combo also..

I would deffinately recommend the d-JAYS , listening to the E500 in 8 hours can be a little hard on the brain, because they demand more of you..

IMO foamies isolates better, but customs are more comfortable....I'm contemplating to get a pair of customs for my d-JAYS just to see(hear) the difference, but my experince with the customs I already have is that foamies works better for me......

It's funny to read that people recommend triflange for isolation because they really do not isolate that well, just try pausing the music and your'll se that they do not isolate that well...

When I am going really hardcore isolation I use a pair of fullsize earprotection on top of my foamies and with that combo a jetplane can take of right beside me an I would not notice it...

I have also tried sennheiser pxc250 NC on top of my custom (without IEM) and that also works very well, but is not that comfortable and you have to crank up the volume way up...

so my 2 cents is d-JAYS with selfmade foamies (maybe custom)...

 

[Claus-DK]

to clearify customs (mine at least) isolates in an other manner they are freqens specifik and they tend to let you hear what people say...
but maybe the customs that are made specifik for IEM works more allover the range, than mine..

 

[LaBreaHead]

The Ety ER6i's are very small and low-profile ... I haven't heard the ER4's, but some who've owned both mention that the ER6i form factor is very convenient and comfortable. With short Comply's, they almost disappear into my ears. They serve as noise blockers even with no music playing, and with music they cut out a significant portion of cabin noise ... for less than $100 U.S.

 

[Indygreg]

the main reasons customs are not more popular:
They only fit you and no one else, so you cannot sell them or even let someone else have a listen
They are a higher risk in that you have to get a set in order to try them, and if you do not like them they are still yours.

that said, you hear very very few people that are not happy with getting a custom. Most complaints you hear are from bad fits, but the makers will correct that if you work with them. Some just do not fit right when the user gets them. UE has 30 day fit coverage - if they are not exactly as you want them, they will fix or redo them. You just have to start the process within 30 days. It does not have to be finished in 30 days - they will keep redoing them until it is right. I assume Westone is the same way

 

[duchamp]

My UM2's w/foamies + coach @ 30,000 ft = excellent isolation. Obviously I'm happy with the sound too...

 

[Spookykinkajou]

If you can afford it I wholeheartedly recommend the full custom route with ultimate ears or westone. They are fantastic. I've gone through a bunch of IEM's and they are far superior to any universal. Incomparable in every way.

I went with the Es2 by westone.

That said, I've used shure e500, super.fi 5 pro, and a few etymotics. The etymotics isolate the best out of the bunch but I also like them the least by quite a bit.

The e500 I thought sounded the best and were the most comfortable. The super.fi sounded great but I could never get them to fit right. The etymotics fit great but are highly invasive and I did not enjoy the microphonics at all. If you move around...you will know it!

None need an amp and personally I think an amp is wasted money for all but critical listening..and even then I think it's questionable with an ipod or something similar as the source.

 

[speedball]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nothing101 /img/forum/go_quote.gif to be honest i would use a very bass heavy iem for plane travel as the engine noise makes the bass on virtually anything not audible. this is why i think the absolute sound reviewer prefered the bose quiet comfort to stax in ears. id reccomend either the sures or ultimate ears. the other thing to keep in mind is that this is coming from someone who hates too much bass. i think high fidelity on a plane and on the ground is quite different. just my 2c

I agree. On the plane, the low mids and bass are what will really suffer from the engine noise, so you’ll want an IEM that emphasizes these areas. Westone UM2’s, UE super.fi 5 pros, and shure E500’s are all a good bet for the universals. If you want customs - a great idea if you’re willing to shell out the extra dough - I’d recommend the UE-5c. They have a similar sound signature to UE super.fi 5 pros or shure E500’s (eg, heavy on the low mids and bass) plus they have all the added benefits of customs like better isolation.

 

[ILikeMusic]

Although I don't use it much anywhere else I find the Shure PTH to be indispensable for use on airplane or in airports. I used to get soooo tired of having to pull my IEMs out whenever anyone would speak to me or if there was something on the intercom/PA system that I thought I should listen to. Now I just touch the button...

 

[mikeliao]

I fly 3-4 short hauls a month and 8-10 long hauls a year. I use an Ipod and Ety4p. Carried accessories include a DIY battery for the Ipod, the ipod-->usb connector, an extra pair of foamies, Ety's airplane plug adaptor, disposal alcohol wipes, and a small felt bag that everything is thrown into.

My priorities are similiar, except putting comfort above isolation and sound quality. If you're going to wear headphones for a 12 hour flight, comfort will end up being your #1 priority.

For comfort, foamies for me feel more comfortable than tri-flanges. After a few hours, the plasticly tri-flanges feel stuck to my ear canals and besides not feeling well, I feel like I have to very careful removing them. Foamies work well but are a hassel to put in and take out. Leave one out before takeoff so the stewardess don't bother you. Brand wise, foamies feel about the same to me. The Shures feel a little softer and the Ety's rougher. But once they're in, they feel the same to me.

For ultimate comfort, get custom ear plugs. Its possible to get custom plugs for Ety's and other IEMs. They fit well, seal well, and pop in and out easily. I've had mine for just a little over a year and won't switch back.

Isolation with the foamies from any brand is about similiar if you get a good fit. Triflange isloation varies from brand to brand and really depends on your ears. Foamies isolate slightly more.

Sound quality...truthfully, towards the end of a long tiring trip, who cares. E2s worked just as well for me as Ety4s. Sound quality from portables leave a lot to be desired too.

Other notes....go ampless. Too many little cases, extra batteries, and wires just makes travel difficult. Though I haven't had anything confiscated yet, there are stories of portable amps not making it through security.

Shorten the wires and get something to wrap the wires around. Untangling stuff is a pain and all the extra wires is just waiting to snag on something. Snip and resolder. You can always get an extension cord.

Ipod batteries suck. Fortunatly you can make your own USB battery pack for a few cents.

Carry little disposal packets of alchol wipes. It a dirty world out there. Rolling the foamies or just handling custom foamies is a sure way to get that dirt and germs in your ears. Wipe your hands and the plugs off once in a while. There's nothing worse than an ear infection and heavy airplane travel.