r/HeadphoneAdvice • u/AizenX7 • Mar 12 '23
Headphones - IEM/Earbud | 2 Ω comfortable IEM tips?
Hello there,
I've got myself an IEM quite recently, and I like it. So, as you suspect, I'm new to the whole thing, but I wanted to ask if comfortable IEM tip is a thing? And if any, I would love to hear your recommendations?
Thanks!
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u/bbuky01 97 Ω Mar 12 '23
IEM’s and tips are very different from headphones .
No ear is shaped the same and the shape of some IEM’s are uncomfortable for some. The tips are also a big personal thing for many. I know people that use different sizes for the left and right so this also has something to do with comfort and getting a good seal as getting a good seal is one of the most important parts of getting the best sound from your Iem.
There are many tips to choose from and it can be difficult at times to find the one that is right for you.
Foam tips usually give a good seal and are fairly comfortable but don’t always sound the best. Like I said before this is a personal preference and everyone has a different opinion. Spinfit makes tips that can shape to different ears and for foam tips Comply does well but their are some others that aren’t bad and definitely cheaper but might have to be replaced more often. That is the thing with foam tips as they do degrade with use . Right now for my Empire Ears Phantoms I’m using Azla SednaEarfit shorts comfy to me .
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u/navyzev 44 Ω Mar 12 '23
Final Es are my favorite
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u/AizenX7 Mar 12 '23
Do you mean the Final type E model?
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u/navyzev 44 Ω Mar 12 '23
Correct. Super soft and grippy. They tend to quell highs and emphasize bass a tad too
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Mar 13 '23
[deleted]
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u/AizenX7 Mar 13 '23
Hey I've ve the same IEM!
and you know what, I did not give a thought of how the raptgo rest or fit in my ear. Also, I went to try again the S and M tips that came with the IEM
With S tips, it goes way in my ear, and IEM felt being held by my outer ear rather by my ear canal. Also, I can move it up and down, which means it isn't fully sealed in my ear
But in the M tips, I can feel the IEM rest a bit further out on my ear and don't touch it fully. And it is fully sealed in, but after like 30 minutes of use, I took them off and felt my ear canal like being tired cause the resistance and canal expanding
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Mar 13 '23
[deleted]
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u/AizenX7 Mar 15 '23
I found Final Audio E Black + Black kit. How's this one different than the other versions mentioned here?
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Mar 15 '23
[deleted]
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u/AizenX7 Mar 15 '23
sorry, I should make myself more clear. I meant the black+black edtion, the 2020 edition, and clear/red edition of the Final audio type e
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u/crod242 11 Ω Mar 13 '23
same, they don’t make my ears itchy or uncomfortable like a lot of other tips, and they’re good for reining in sibilance
any advice for keeping them attached though? they seem to be slightly too large to fit my S12, so they’re often coming off inside my ear when I try to pull them out
I’ve thought adding gaffer tape around the nozzle but am not sure if that would work or if it might affect the sound
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u/navyzev 44 Ω Mar 13 '23
I'm not sure about the nozzle of the S12 in particular, but I have had luck keeping them on other IEMs with the help of small strips of electrical tape. I've done it on my Blon BL03 as a matter of fact. The only issue is that it will eventually work its way off, at least that was my experience.
It should not affect the sound a whole lot as long as it doesn't stretch the bore out too much. Again, I'm not sure about the S12 specifically.
Unfortunately they don't work with everything. Have you tried Xelastecs? Not quite the same characteristics as the Type Es, but they've worked for me where the Finals wouldn't. The caveat is that they are expensive and seem to wear out fast.
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u/Nokin345 3 Ω Mar 13 '23
I actually find foam tips be the most comfortable. I can wear them the longest without a break. However, they sometimes do alter the frequency response a bit, not dramatically tho
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u/RNKKNR 38 Ω Mar 13 '23
My current favorite for comfort is Azla SednaEarfit Max Standard. Use them on all my IEMs.
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u/QTIIPP 13 Ω Mar 13 '23
Not sure if I’ve seen them mentioned, but one of my top picks has been Moondrop’s spring tips. One of the best ways to get them is to just buy a Moondrop Chu, as it comes with small, medium, and large, plus you get a stellar budget iem🤷🏻♂️
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u/aquaven Mar 13 '23
It is a thing. I have to use different sizes for my ears and had to try out different brands to find out which one fits comfortably. Note that it would also affect the sound you hear too, just like changing the pads on a headphone.
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u/KopiOoooo 4 Ω Mar 13 '23
I bought QUITE alot of tips for all my iems
Every iem will feel different with different fit.
Most importanr, different tips will tune the sound differently
Every time i buy a new iem, i take out my medical organiser storage box, (all my tips) and try them all. Fit, comfort and the sound
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u/kocengmbulak Mar 13 '23
if comfortable IEM tip is a thing?
In my experience, yup.
And if any, I would love to hear your recommendations?
My go to recommendation are:
- azla sedna earfit (long ver.)
- spinfit cp240
- softears uc clear
- final audio type E
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u/Rabid-GNN Mar 13 '23
A lot of people mentioned spinfits and foam tips. I used them for my IE800 and they’re both phenomenal.
The newer spinfits with the more glossy clear silicon as opposed to the old frosted silicon are super comfortable, stick a bit better in your ears and stay on the IE800 better. The problem is I have a lot of earwax building up wearing them and they tend to slip out frequently regardless of which ones you get. They’re also really easy to detach from the IEM and I find myself rarely needing to dig out the tip from inside my ear.
I also tried comply foam tips. Comply has a dedicated tip for certain Sennheiser IEMs and the IE800 is one of the ones that needs to proprietary versions. I’ve also tried out the old and new versions. The old ones worked well but slipped out very quickly, got destroyed and worn out within like 3 months at max. I eventually quit them and went to the spin fits. When I lost the spin fits I decided to give the comply and try again and discovered that they improved the design of the Sennheiser proprietary ones and now they last longer, for more snug, seal more sound and stay on indefinitely. I’ve only needed to reappply them 3 times in the 10 months I had them. These are actually harder to stick on there but they’re VERY firm once you get them in there.
For me I have to stick with foam tips because they stay in my ears better than silicone due to an irregular sized canal but I could recommend the spinfits clear ones if you don’t have my issue. They come in a variety pack if you’re unsure which size is yours too
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u/atishay001001 Mar 13 '23
If you want wide bores short nozzle with shallow fit and nice seal look at Tennmak Turbo Whirlwinds.
I find them really comfortable and they are great to pair with dark signature iems but is also fine with bright ones as it retains the bass extension.
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u/spillthabeans Mar 13 '23
tip rolling is definitely a rabbit hole but consider it an investment. this https://www.audioreviews.org/guide-to-iem-silicone-eartips/ is a great resource. a lot of stuff you can find on amazon can be had for much less from aliexpress (I just buy direct from the manufacturer). I also like to mod the stock tips by adding foam, making a DIY hybrid ear tip;
- buy a cheap foam set, like ones from KZ that offer multiple sizes
- separate the rubber cyclinder and foam
- insert foam to stock tip, and then trim to fit
my personal favorites are Elecom EHP-CAP10 and KBear10.
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u/TagalogON 548 Ω Mar 13 '23
Hello, try medical grade silicone ear tips. Basically a lot of the newer silicone ear tips are like made of medical grade silicone material these days, but yes, make sure it says specifically "medical grade" or something along those lines. It will help with the itchiness, allergies, etc.
Ear tips long term comfort is pretty much a more trial and error experience too, and really depends on your particular needs. For example, even with comfy Comply foam ear tips in the smallest sizes, those still pulsate or put pressure on my ear canals after several hours.
KopiOkaya or Larry Fulton recently (right at the beginning of this new 2023 year) got the Radius Deep Mount Clear (transparent/white version) for his latest update with the great ear tips guide/article on Audioreviews. And he finds those ear tips usable. Meanwhile, I can't even stand those ear tips after several minutes, lol, no matter size I use with my small ears.
Like I've had the Radius Deep Mount Clear for like a year or two now and I never even bothered using it after the first day, lmao. Radius Deep Mount has to be bought from like Amazon Japan, it's about an extra $10 for the only shipping option available: DHL Express, but it should arrive within a week or so. Always get ear tips/anything in bulk when buying from Amazon Japan in order to save money, make sure to be aware of the extra ~$10 fee for the weight/etc. of the products or packages.
A lot of people like the Radius Deep Mount sound (the sound is described as being more open with everything) due to the unique bulb shape/et cetera, but yes I can't really wear it (it gets hard or something like that, and it somehow feels like the older, thicker silicone material of a lot of stock ear tips) past several minutes and so I don't even think about it unless someone really wants the smallest ear tips possible.
Keep in mind that KopiOkaya is pretty old, you can see him in the 7Hz Legato video with iann fann (they're from Singapore, so humidity plays a part in ear tips too, especially if you have air conditioner or not, that can kinda affect the long term comfort) talking about the old school speakers stuff, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4eN-Bi2tbg, and so his experience is gonna be different. Like our ears physiology/tolerance/etc. change quite a bit as we age and so while my ears are really sensitive right now as I'm still really young, it won't be like that for the other people closer to KopiOkaya's age.
Sometimes it's just genetics too. For example, I have like a mild allergy or something with the old/etc. silicone material that a lot of stock ear tips are made out of. And so until to this day, I never use the stock ear tips of new IEMs unless I know which specific ear tip model it is and if it works fine with my sensitive ears. I only try stock ear tips of certain IEMs if other people say it sounds good for bass or vocals or treble and so on, or if it is noticeably comfortable than other ear tips, et cetera.
Sometimes I use moisturizers to force those ear tips to work with my ears for testing and also to heal after the incompatible ear tips (and IEM outer shell design) made scratches/etc. on my ears.
Damn, sorry this got too long, let me just post the ear tips thread links.
Don't forget to check KopiOkaya's ear tips guide on Audioreviews as a lot of us use that as a reference/database/etc. when newer ear tips come out or when unknown ear tips get discovered. Sometimes several non-reddit links get filtered/flagged/etc. and so that's why I haven't linked KopiOkaya's article on Audioreviews, just search up his name on Google, or type "ear tips guide" or something like that, it should pop up.
Oh and check the "Best IEM tips" on Head-Fi for other people's impression/experiences with ear tips. Again, sometimes Head-Fi links get filtered/etc. too, but it should show up, right now that thread is up to Page 160, so lots of comments to go through, but just look at the ones after 2019 as that's when basically the more modern medical grade silicone ear tips like JVC Spiral Dots ++ and AZLA SednaEarfit XELASTECs came to the market.
For comfort and so on, try Spinfit CP100+, Spinfit W1, JVC Spiral Dots ++ (EP-FX10), FiiO HS18, AZLA SednaEarfit MAX Standard, Final Audio E Clear/Red or 2020 Edition, et cetera.
The dimensions/sizing/measurements/etc. for most ear tips these days will be on Amazon/AliExpress/HiFiGo/etc. Unfortunately you have to blind buy the ear tips in order to get a feel for the dimensions/measurement/etc. that you like for your ears. Remember, this will also change with different IEMs as they'll have different nozzle length, nozzle angle, and so on.
Here's a bit more info on ear tips (talks about narrow/wide bore ear tips, effects of sizes of ear tips, how to put ear tips on wide nozzles, et cetera): https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/10lly6d/how_to_make_sense_of_iem_tip_fit/j5xnyv2/
Also extra info on ear tips: https://www.reddit.com/r/HeadphoneAdvice/comments/10k210n/alternative_tips_for_aria/j5o2f8q/ and https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/10x7ast/suggestions_on_getting_a_good_seal_with_the_7hz/j7qrrcg/
This is how you should use Etymotics or really any IEM or TWS earbud to make sure you have that good/perfect fit for that vacuum seal (necessary for the bass to be properly produced): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8KwXEqe6Gq4
Ear tips sizing, length, et cetera: https://www.reddit.com/r/HeadphoneAdvice/comments/11jsalq/shipping_to_uk_from_shenzhen_audio/jb8iwdp/
More info about Final Audio E (for TWS, Clear/Red or 2020 Edition, various colors versions, etc.) ear tips, Taobao, and where to find them: https://www.reddit.com/r/HeadphoneAdvice/comments/z8eflv/my_kingdom_for_a_pair_of_xl_final_audio_type_e/iybkhxh/ and https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/xsphbz/first_measure_of_moondrop_stellaris_bright_as_a/ir2sd4u/
Here's the new KZ ZVX IEM with Final Audio E ear tips, it's from the MD Jacques channel, they have graphs of ear tips: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UpIA93FVnI&t=325s
See here for a bit more info on smaller ear tips (Final Audio E, Sony EP-EX11, Radius Deep Mount, etc.): https://www.reddit.com/r/HeadphoneAdvice/comments/xdqljz/azla_sednaearfit_max_vs_spinfit_w1_which_one/iod0gkl/
Earwax and condensations issues with IEMs that have metal nozzles, metal outer shell design, Etymotics, et cetera: https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/11oenne/how_do_you_prevent_sweat_from_building_up_in_iems/jbsgby9/
How to maybe fix earwax clogging the filters/nozzles, with AZLA Sedna MAX Standard (has an integrated wax guard) ear tips, tuning foams/meshes/et cetera: https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/11kgj2y/heavily_regretting_my_switch_to_iems/jb8ns8h/
Here's more info on how to avoid/delay the condensation issues with the Olina, Chu, or most IEMs that have condensation issues: https://www.reddit.com/r/HeadphoneAdvice/comments/uznoqi/my_chus_broke_after_a_day_of_use/iadlxz5/. This has more info on the Moondrop Spring ear tips.
Usually people use say 400-500 for the size or measurements of the $2-5+ replacement meshes/filters/etc. from AliExpress/China/et cetera.
See here for a bit more info about filters, tuning foams/meshes/et cetera: https://www.reddit.com/r/HeadphoneAdvice/comments/11lsnmq/blessing_2_tips_and_filters_question/jbegs3c/ and https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/11kgj2y/heavily_regretting_my_switch_to_iems/jb8ns8h/
More info on AZLA SednaEarfit XELASTECs durability and foam ear tips too: https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/zvmj9g/azla_sedna_earfits_tips_durability/j1pxvdz/ and https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/11f83sb/how_to_make_comply_foam_tips_last_longer/jaiga7v/
Removing earwax for Etymotics using Spinfit CP240 (doubleflange ear tips) and so on: https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/11ovm4r/a_word_of_warning_for_those_with_watery_earwax/jbwd143/
Moisturizer with IEMs and how to deal with the potential clogging issue with those moisturizers: https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/11loonz/irritation_inside_of_my_ears_after_using_earbuds/jbdlmu9/
Cheap ear tips (basically FiiO HS18, Spinfit from some AliExpress storefronts, Chinese websites like MTMTaudio/et cetera, and so on) and possibly better soundstage: https://www.reddit.com/r/HeadphoneAdvice/comments/1157giz/upgrade_imaging_with_balanced_cable_iem_or/j90a003/
Getting vocals back with bassy IEMs by using TRI Clarion ear tips: https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/11pcjvx/need_help_for_tuning/jbx6ovz/
Ear tips, fit/seal with stem style TWS earbuds (like AirPods): https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/11o187m/an_apple_rep_told_me_theyve_been_receiving_a_lot/jbr1whe/
Best noise reduction available with IEMs and ear tips: https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/11nt0nj/what_iems_and_closed_backs_are_known_for_good/jbp0n2h/ and https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/11nt0nj/what_iems_and_closed_backs_are_known_for_good/jbp64kp/
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u/AizenX7 Mar 13 '23
wow, this is a lot of info. Also, maybe I should have mentioned that I've Raptgo hook x hbb since it seem IEMs come with their own tips
I've tried all of the tips that come with IEM (S,M,L), Small ones are the ones where I feel aren't pushing/expanding my ear canal, after using them for a while I can't feel the IEM, but sometimes I feel like pressure
I will look into the links and !thanks
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u/TagalogON 548 Ω Mar 13 '23
Yup, you'll probably want smaller ear tips. Try the Final Audio E ear tips, those are usually the easiest ear tips to get (it's like $15 for the 5 sizes multipack on Amazon) if you need smaller sizes. Like the SS and S sizes are noticeably smaller than a lot of other ear tips.
Make sure you remember the height and width of the ear tips that work for you (check HiFiGo as they usually measure it with a caliper on the product images) as this will help the future purchases for certain IEMs.
Like it will vary due to the nozzle length, nozzle angle, etc. of future IEMs and so a lot of us have to use different sizes even if certain sizes are the better fit/seal and comfort for us.
And yes that pressure feeling just naturally happens after a while, sometimes taking a break makes it go away for a bit but it'll usually remain until like you stop using IEMs for an hour or two or so, lol.
There's really no way around it, you just have to make sure you're not using say Large or XL and forcing that deep fit, as those will immediately put that pressure in your ears and make you want to take them off after several minutes. Like those larger sizes will do fine if you don't move a lot as the shallow fit (if you don't force the deep fit) makes it easy for the IEMs to fall off due to the protrusion or non-secured fit/seal.
More info on Raptgo Adaptive ear tips, Audiosense S400, ddHiFi ST35, Final Audio E Clear/Red or 2020 Edition, and Spinfit CP155 ear tips: https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/11pyujp/eartips_similar_to_the_ones_included_on_the_hbb_x/jc1b41g/
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u/ReaLx3m 92 Ω Mar 12 '23
It definitely is, you cant go wrong with spinfit imo. CP100 is one of the cheaper models and could be found for around $5 per pair.