Getting the best out of Earplug type 'phones

[DanofNJ]

I've been using the Shure E3c....besides from finding the right tips..I use the medium rubber grey one's after extensive experimentation I:

A. Moisten the tips slightly
B. Insert until you can hear bass
C. Allow a burn in period

I was about to return after three weeks, then...I got it. Inserted and WOW..what a difference. It was dramatic and I attribute to burn in...Now fabulous with deep bass.

Regards

[widge]

I've found that inserting mt JVC HA-FX55's upside down sound even better, and the long part of the phone tucks into the inside top of your ear.They are very comfortable and the sound is even better than inserting the phones the normal way. Maybe i just have funny a funny shaped inner ear. See below image


http://us.a1.yahoofs.com/users/41aad...YgT1DB9iJCTbto

[DeadMan3000]

If anyone has used either Koss Porta Pro's and/or Sennheisser PX100's and want to try an 'in ear' type get the Sennheisser CX-300's. They sound nearly as good as the above mentioned in terms of highs and lows. Really rich bass end. I use the biggest rubber flange and wet them with some spit and get a nice seal. They sound fantastic!

[d8ncer]

Link to site that lets you create your own custom earbuds in minutes.

www.diycustomplugs.com

[darmuzz]

Hey, for all you parents out there, pulling your ear up to insert the plugs is just like the way you hold up your kid's ear when you use an in-ear thermometer - except you are doing it to yourself...

[Caorach]

Originally Posted by secretdonkey

II have found that my Etymotics ER-4Ps sound better when using the foam inserts. Yeah, I was inserting the rubber tips properly, and getting a good enough seal to pull an uncomfortable vacuum when I tugged on them, but something wasn't quite right. So those using plugs with a foam option should try that if they aren't satisfied with the bass response they're getting.


My procedure is to simply lay on a bed or couch with my head turned to the side. Pour a few drops worth of peroxide into the container's lid, then drip into the ear. Let it foam (you'll hear it and feel it tickle) for awhile and then place a tissue against the ear and turn or sit up to let the peroxide run out. Lay on your other side and repeat for the other ear.

I've got to say that I found exactly the same thing with my ER4Ps, the rubber tips were fine but a little uncomfortable so I tried the foam tips and found that they were both better sounding and more comfortable. I guess that it might depend on the shape of your ears but the foam tips are well worth trying with your ER4Ps even if you think they are sounding OK.

It must be said that I would not be at all keen on the idea of putting hydrogen peroxied in my ears and would certainly recommend against it until after consultation with a doctor. Peroxide is available in a range of "concentrations" and while a weak solution might not do too much damage a stronger solution will almost certainly do very serious damage. So, while I've no doubts that it works for you general advice might be not ever to put peroxide near your ears, or skin, ever.

[Jay_T]

Originally Posted by MadPict

A question that comes up quite often with regards to the isolation/earplug style of earphone is a "tinny" sound or lack of bass.

With the likes of the Sony EX70/71 range of 'phones I have found you can also insert the 'phone loosely into your ear canal and then, with the hand on the same side, pull out on your outer ear using the thumb and index finger while pushing the earphone in with the middle finger. This method is slightly less attention getting when in public, and less likely to elbow people in the immediate vicinity in the face!

sorry, can someone please up a video (on youtube, rapidshare or something) using the one or the other method to do this? I have absolutely no imagination of this by the description.

OR is this just for the ppl having non sony ears ? because they seem to fit quite well here and I cannot get much better sound by re-adjusting them all the time.

[CountryGirl]

Maybe I'm not doing this right, but for some reason everytime I try to put my shure earphones in they keep falling out. I've tried the above description many times but it won't work. What am I doing wrong?

[bioss]

No surprise you are disappointed about the e2cs. They are no value for money. However, by selecting the right size of foamies they should fit fine and not hurt.
The good thing about Shure is that they make good efforts to help their users how to use in-ear phones. After all, using them the right way makes all the (sound quality) difference!
Check out their animated tutorial: http://www.shure.com/PersonalAudio/P...nes/index.htm#

[vocrobot]

I have used a few ear canal earphones and had to plump for the smallest size attatchment to get a good sound. However with each type the volume produced was way too low which meant I was having to turn up the volume really high and the battery was draining much quicker than usual.

I decided to try out the earbuds supplied with the Ipod as a result and guess what; the sound quality is the best I've heard from any earphone I have used before (the only other ones that sounded as good were ones supplied with my last Sony Discman). Admittedly the stock earbuds don't cancel out background noise but the sound quality is so clear and louder than before that the noise of the outside doesn't spoil it for me.

[kylo4]

I bought a paid of SkullCandy Hesh, and for in ears I have sony's. I'm actually quite pleased with the ipod earbuds though.

[ron519098]

Thanks to this thread I got my Sennheiser CX300s to fit properly. The sound is now amazing. a huge improvement on the Apple buds.

[zkarj]

I've got Sony MDR-EX71 earphones and they are brilliant. I just poke 'em in there and push to get them far enough in to seal. No dexterity required. I did find they would slowly slide out of my ears for the first week or two I had them but that doesn't happen now, so perhaps the rubber bits are more supple now - either them or my ears!

You'll know you've got it right when you get the impression there's a subwoofer in your neck!

I've found them great for listening to spoken-word podcasts on the train. Before I had standard sort of Sony earbuds which I thought were great, but I could never hear properly on the train. Now I can sit in the train doorwells and hear just fine without turning the volume way up.

[monoblocks]

I guess I'm lucky; the opening to my ear canals work pretty well with canal phones without much hassle. But there are a few things I do that help things along in getting a great seal.

Aside from clean ears, the one thing that insures me getting a good seal when using silicone tips is to use a slight bit of moisture (a suggestion from the user's manual that came from with my Super.fi 5 Pro set). I usually wet the tip of my finger and then run it across the surface of the silicone, or if at home, I wet a Q-Tip and run it around the surface of the ear where the tip will seal against.

The technique has worked great with all of my canal phones, both with the simple dome tips on my CX300, Super.fi 5 Pro and E500PTH, and even works when I use the flanged tips on my ER-4s. Care has to be taken as to not overdo the moisture; speaker electronics--even those designed for use inside your body--typically don't take kindly to water. The toughest part is having the water source around, but when I'm out I usually have a bottle of water in tow. And the vacuum seal that occurs is always a perfect one.

[essexminicity]

So glad I found this thread - I thought my Sennheiser CXs were doing ok but not as bassy as some reviews made them out to be. Then I followed the fitting technique described here and experienced a great improvement. Played a few dance tracks and they've definitely got a bit of 'thump'! Cheers!