[Sifo]

I have 4 pairs of customs, bought an IEM Vac from FiR, problem solved, although I don't have much wax in the first place. If it really becomes an issue you can also ask your audiologist, they should have the vacuums as well.

 

[TheRunningIr0n]

An alternative to cleaning the IEMs constantly would be to take charge and go after the wax at the source. As a disclaimer, I recognize that some people may not have the hand-eye coordination to do this:

1. Go to a retailer and look for ear cleaning kits like this

2. look for a USB otoscope (glorified webcam in stick form).

These are just examples, there are tons of them.

Now you can scrape the wax buildup out of your own ears so that it never accumulates on the IEMs in the first place. It helps to mark the "up" orientation on the casing of the otoscope so that you aren't constantly trying to find your bearings. Eventually with practice you'll have the muscle memory in place to do both ears in ~10-20 minutes and it only needs to be done every 1-2 months depending on your body and environment. You can always have a friend or partner do it too but (IMO) the scope gives a better view than the naked eye.

I've been doing it for about a year and the only thing left on my tips when I pull them out is a nearly imperceptible amount of skin oil/residue. If you don't regularly clear out the wax, try to stay away from tips/IEMs that require deep insertion as you will likely impact the wax deeper into your canal where it shouldn't be.

 

[jenkinsontherun]

An alternative to cleaning the IEMs constantly would be to take charge and go after the wax at the source. As a disclaimer, I recognize that some people may not have the hand-eye coordination to do this:

1. Go to a retailer and look for ear cleaning kits like this

2. look for a USB otoscope (glorified webcam in stick form).

These are just examples, there are tons of them.

Now you can scrape the wax buildup out of your own ears so that it never accumulates on the IEMs in the first place. It helps to mark the "up" orientation on the casing of the otoscope so that you aren't constantly trying to find your bearings. Eventually with practice you'll have the muscle memory in place to do both ears in ~10-20 minutes and it only needs to be done every 1-2 months depending on your body and environment. You can always have a friend or partner do it too but (IMO) the scope gives a better view than the naked eye.

I've been doing it for about a year and the only thing left on my tips when I pull them out is a nearly imperceptible amount of skin oil/residue. If you don't regularly clear out the wax, try to stay away from tips/IEMs that require deep insertion as you will likely impact the wax deeper into your canal where it shouldn't be.

Prevention is the best solution, for sure. But I help run a restaurant, and as you may know, grease and food particles inevitably get into my ears on a daily basis (gross but whatever). I have comply tips w/ the wax guard on my trio for now, and I'm satisfied with the sound. However, I'd like to try them with silicone tips and hear what the reviewers are hearing, as they use silicone. Therefore, may I ask @baskingshark for links to "DIY" wax guards, on aliexpress or otherwise. Also, @ssantan2 , do those tips sell by themselves?

Thanks

 

[ssantan2]

Prevention is the best solution, for sure. But I help run a restaurant, and as you may know, grease and food particles inevitably get into my ears on a daily basis (gross but whatever). I have comply tips w/ the wax guard on my trio for now, and I'm satisfied with the sound. However, I'd like to try them with silicone tips and hear what the reviewers are hearing, as they use silicone. Therefore, may I ask @baskingshark for links to "DIY" wax guards, on aliexpress or otherwise. Also, @ssantan2 , do those tips sell by themselves?

Thanks

I believe these are the same ones that came with my wife's ie 100 pro which have the wax guard.

https://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-Silicone-Adapter-Medium-Black/dp/B087SS21MY

 

[MacAttack7]

I have never noticed any earwax getting all the way thru my tips to the nozzle of the iem. I now take the tips off and wash them in hot soapy water every night as I had an ear infection and I'm paranoid as hell now. I thought I had possibly lost my hearing when that happened. I found out from the ENT that letting the shower shoot into my ear every night, as I usually did, may not be a good idea because the water can get trapped in there leading to a fungal infection. Hope I never go thru that again.

 

[Andrew_WOT]

There are little wax guard stickers u can buy on aliexpress for a few cents for a huge row of stickers. They come in different diameters and they do not change the sound signature. Just stick it on the nozzle of iems without a wax guard for some insurance.

What about the risk of the screen being dislodged and ending up in your ear canal?

 

[baskingshark]

Prevention is the best solution, for sure. But I help run a restaurant, and as you may know, grease and food particles inevitably get into my ears on a daily basis (gross but whatever). I have comply tips w/ the wax guard on my trio for now, and I'm satisfied with the sound. However, I'd like to try them with silicone tips and hear what the reviewers are hearing, as they use silicone. Therefore, may I ask @baskingshark for links to "DIY" wax guards, on aliexpress or otherwise. Also, @ssantan2 , do those tips sell by themselves?

Thanks

I bought mine here: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/33003003794.html

But a lot of other shops on Aliexpress sell it, so just search around for the best deal.

What about the risk of the screen being dislodged and ending up in your ear canal?

There is an adhesive on the periphery of the nozzle guard. U are supposed to buy a size just slightly bigger than the diameter of your IEM nozzle, so the sticky part sticks onto the nozzle of the IEM.

I've been using some IEMs with this nozzle guard, some for almost 3 - 4 years weekly and never once has the nozzle guard dislodged.

 

[jenkinsontherun]

I bought mine here: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/33003003794.html

But a lot of other shops on Aliexpress sell it, so just search around for the best deal.




There is an adhesive on the periphery of the nozzle guard. U are supposed to buy a size just slightly bigger than the diameter of your IEM nozzle, so the sticky part sticks onto the nozzle of the IEM.

I've been using some IEMs with this nozzle guard, some for almost 3 - 4 years weekly and never once has the nozzle guard dislodged.

Would you mind sending a screenshot of the search words and the product page, for some reason the link doesn't work :/. Thanks.

Edit: I found it . For those interested in @baskingshark 's recommended filters, paste 33003003794 into the aliexpress search bar.

However, what size should I get these filters for an IEM which Comply 500 series fits, eg. the Tia Trio? I would guess the 5mm? But 5mm is the max selection on the product page, so I am a little hesitant. Hope that question made sense, lol.

 

[Redcarmoose]

Earwax production changes during the span of life. Meaning normally of greater production when your younger. I personally have had zero issues since I started my journey into IEMs in 2009. I clean my ears twice a day with Q-tips. But also there are a few different styles of wax build-up. There can be white dust like flakey wax, or more congealed stuff. I have never had any wax get onto my IEMs? Though often I do notice a little “something” maybe skin-oil on the silicone tips. I regularly have a rotation of about 8 different tips. Two or three of those tips get washed daily, especially the high-use ones. I will use an antibacterial body wash and then blow on the tips, while finally setting them on a towel to dry.

I will use wet-wipes to clean the outside of my ear as even in-between showers such a practice keeps any inching to a minimum. It’s also important how you store your IEMs, as keeping them in boxes seems to preserve them. I keep my tip collection under a towel to ward-off against dust. In my thirties I did have an ear buildup with wax to the point of clogging. The doctor did a great job of flushing it out, so I do have memories of a time when I had greater wax production. Obviously wax production has a purpose and use to ward against bugs or bacteria from entering the inner ear.

 

[baskingshark]

Would you mind sending a screenshot of the search words and the product page, for some reason the link doesn't work :/. Thanks.

Edit: I found it . For those interested in @baskingshark 's recommended filters, paste 33003003794 into the aliexpress search bar.

However, what size should I get these filters for an IEM which Comply 500 series fits, eg. the Tia Trio? I would guess the 5mm? But 5mm is the max selection on the product page, so I am a little hesitant. Hope that question made sense, lol.

You can just copy the entire link inside and paste it.
Anyways, do you have a ruler to measure the diameter of the Tia Trio nozzle? Cause I don't have that set. It is better to use the nozzle diameter actual measurements than using a tip measurement (as tips can be a few mm different give or take).

 

[Dogmatrix]

I never clean my ears , pocking about and squirting stuff in there stimulates wax production
Ears have natural mechanisms to push out contaminants there is no mechanism sucking wax into iems it will collect at the tip

 

[Andrew_WOT]

I never clean my ears

Eew!

 

[Dogmatrix]

Eew!

I know right !
I think modern people are way too precious about grunge
To my not so distant ancestors bathing once a month was considered extravagant
For the benefit of those in my environment I do of course follow a regime of daily personal hygene
However I am mindful that over cleaning can have negative pathology , for example the majority of bacteria are in fact beneficial but when antiseptics are over used they are the first to be wiped out leaving more hardy dangerous varieties behind