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What tips do you use with your Triple.fi?

Jul 16, 2009 at 1:30 AM Post #18 of 39
Well I tried the mod but did not notice much difference other than the fit actually seemed less secure. The foam makes the silicone harder so it doesn't "grip" your ear canal as easily and comes out of place. My gripe is more about fit than isolation anyway. I have been using T-500 complys but just noticed that the treble does come through better with the silicones. My problem is that I use the TF10Pros for working out so they dislodge easy with silicones. So I either do and adjustment every couple minutes with silicone or deal with complys? Grrrrrrrr.
angry_face.gif
 
Jul 17, 2009 at 2:04 AM Post #19 of 39
I've been using the Comply foams for the isolation they provide. They do absorb a bit of the high frequency which seems to bring a bit more balance to the drivers.
 
Jul 17, 2009 at 12:43 PM Post #20 of 39
Comply. They make them listenable and comfortable and provide a modicum of isolation.

They go bad in about 5 wears though. Very expensive.
 
Jul 17, 2009 at 9:09 PM Post #21 of 39
five wears? Mine lasted five WEEKS if not longer. Looked horrible but they lasted longer than I expected
 
Jul 17, 2009 at 11:18 PM Post #22 of 39
Ok guys, after a couple hours of cussing, thinking I tore my tips up, and in general, frustration, I managed to fit some Shure black foams over my UE SF3s (Again, I can only assume they're the same stem as the Triple.fi's since Comply makes the T500 for both models). Initial impression? The earpiece with the foam fitted on it is louder than the one with the biflanges. Bass is brought forward a little, and the highs take a step back. It wasn't as bright as it was before. Darker, I think, is the word. I haven't had the time to analyze it any further. However, the biggest difference I noted was that they stay in my ears even if I bump them. The biflanges would lose the seal if you tapped them. Isolation has took a step up as well.

Getting them on:
You know that thread? The one that says "stick them on pliers then shove them on your tips"? It's not that easy, in my experience. Plain old stick them on your pliers results in a tip with the tubing barely larger than it was at first. One of the problems I encountered was that the tip would be stuck on the pliers, and came off so slowly that the plastic (being fairly elastic) returned to it's orignal size by the time it came off. I even tried putting some vaseline (probably not a good idea. I'll warn you if my tips disintegrate in a months time) along the surface of the pliers to make extraction faster, but the plastic is damned elastic. I shoved those tips down to a point that was wider than the SF3 stems, took a shower, came back, got those tips off in maybe 3 or 4 seconds, and they still wouldn't fit.

It was time for drastic measures.

One person found that heating a drill bit (with a torch) with the tip stretched over it would get them to be stretchy enough to fit.

Ok, a bit too drastic.

What I did was fit the tip down as far as it would go (lube helps), then leave the the tips to stretch for a while. 20 minutes worked. Afterwards, stick the tip of the pliers with the tip still on into a cup filled with hot water (from a boiler) to heat up the pliers. You don't need a lot of water, just enough to cover the pliers exposed from the top of the tip (try your best not to get the tips themselves wet). Then I opened the pliers to get maybe 3mm (1/8") between the pliers. I let the pliers heat up with the stretched tip over them for about 2-3 minutes. After I decided that my fingers were numb enough, I got the pliers out of the water, but maintained the tips in a stretched position.

The next part needs to be done fast.

Close the pliers and slip off the tip as fast as you can. It should come off in a second or less. Then jam them on your IEM stems until they fit. Push one side in, and twist/push on the other side. Keep pushing. If they don't go on, and you've given up, try the process again from step one.

No pictures, since it's rather hard to take pictures with no hands. My pliers were a pair of small needle nose pliers, with 2" long "arms", and about 6mm wide half way down. UE stems are about 5mm across.

I will note that the tips are rather stuck on afterwards. They don't even twist around, let alone pull off. I'm not sure how I'm going to go around cleaning them.

The black foam also come with a neat package. There's instructions, an addendum (which appears to list various materials/elements that may be in the manufacturing process, but I can't read the Chinese), and an ear wax remover similar to the one UE packages with some of their earphones. Also, a bag to keep the tips in after you destroy the packaging. Not bad.

Canadians can get it through Shure for $17.50 CAD, $9.50 ground shipping (Purolator next business day, ground). It took 2 days to get here (ordered night of the 14th, processed 15th, sent to Purolator end of the 15th, in transit 16th, delivered morning 17th). Not bad. It'll be faster if you live on the east coast. If you want a tracking number, you'll have to bother them with an email. They're pretty prompt about it though.

Another option is eBay, but the seller's American and selling it for the same $28 (free shipping). Meh. I don't know of any other alternate sellers.

Search terms: ultimate ears ue super.fi super fi superfi sf3 triplefi triple.fi triple tf10 shure black foam olive mod

Further thoughts:
Piano and cymbals definitely took a hit. Vocals are a little darker. I wonder if cutting the ends of the tips off will fix this. The isolation brings more bass than the biflanges did, but I'm kind of put off by the loss of impact in cymbals and piano. If I could get the best of both worlds...
 
Jul 17, 2009 at 11:31 PM Post #23 of 39
Nice description of your work...but wouldn't it be simpler just to recore them?

UE foam core into Shure olive. After first carefully removing olive core. Bingo.
 
Jul 17, 2009 at 11:35 PM Post #24 of 39
Money.

You know, the kind I don't like to spend. I don't have the original tubes, since I was sold my SF3s without the foams (used).

And I'm sure as hell not paying $30 for a set of T500s that I'll end up not using.
 
Jul 18, 2009 at 12:05 AM Post #25 of 39
Ah.

The bane of Head Fi...

I'll see if I can ship you a pr of T500 if you like. Got some somewhere....
 
Jul 18, 2009 at 1:53 AM Post #26 of 39
Damn!! My complys last 2-3 months of daily use.

-Q-tip your ears every day.
-after you get out of the shower and dry off (within 10 minutes) finger a dirty T-shirt and clean your ears again. So yes, this equates to two time per day cleaning.

So you think point #2 is gross but when done daily all that accumulates is moisture.

I bought my Triple Fi's around Feb 1 (2nd time around with them) and have just this week cleaned them for the first time. I use them about 4 times a week.
 
Dec 5, 2009 at 10:46 AM Post #27 of 39
Gotta say, I used some Comply's for about a month and they're fine. I really thought they would die out fast after what you guys have mentioned, but by my estimate I'd get a few months just like Spyro.

I just let some soap in my ears every shower, then rinse them out. Never have a problem w/ gunked out foamies, silicon tips, or anything like that. It's rare that I see a yellow spot on my tips and even then it's tiny.
 
Apr 11, 2010 at 9:22 AM Post #28 of 39
^^it doesn't matter anymore though, because the Sony Hybrid's have replaced them. They're almost as comfortable, sound much better, and probably won't need replacing.
 
Apr 11, 2010 at 9:57 AM Post #29 of 39
comply for me. The other tips don't seal too well with how triple.fi sit in my ears....
 
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