Members mshifflett Posted January 16, 2007 Members Share Posted January 16, 2007 We are getting into IEM and have bought 4 Sennheiser EW300 systems with the factory CX300 buds. Can anyone give any comparison of these buds vs anything else out there? We are not looking for total isolation and would still like some of the ambient sound to filter in as well. Anyone have suggestions? Thanks, Marty Shifflett www.mirageband.us Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ed Dixon Posted January 16, 2007 Members Share Posted January 16, 2007 Not familiar with those, but have tried both Shure E2s and E3s. Prefer the E3s. The biggest difference for me was making my own molds for the E3s, which make them sound better, and much much easier to insert and remove. Ed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mshifflett Posted January 16, 2007 Author Members Share Posted January 16, 2007 What about the ambient sound levels? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ed Dixon Posted January 16, 2007 Members Share Posted January 16, 2007 What about the ambient sound levels? This is something you can play with when you make molds. They can let some sound in, or block most out. 11$ buys enough material to make about 6 sets, so trying it different ways is cheap. Ed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mshifflett Posted January 16, 2007 Author Members Share Posted January 16, 2007 Where can I get this stuff pretty quickly? Will the molds fit on most any bud? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMS Author Craig Vecchione Posted January 16, 2007 CMS Author Share Posted January 16, 2007 I've got E2's and E4's. Amazing sound from the 4's. The clarity, when used with prerecorded source is showing me little details of songs I've never heard before...that sort of thing. Can't wait to get custom molds made. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ed Dixon Posted January 16, 2007 Members Share Posted January 16, 2007 See here for info: http://www.mtnsys.com/variax/Pages/IEM.htm I went to school in Charlottesville, but in SW part of VA now. Ed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mshifflett Posted January 16, 2007 Author Members Share Posted January 16, 2007 Cool. I work in Charlottesville and live over in the Shenandoah Valley. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members preacherman672 Posted January 16, 2007 Members Share Posted January 16, 2007 I've used E1's, E3's, E5's, and UM2's from Westone. The E5's are the best full range and the UM2's have more bass. E3's are really good for the price. UM2's win all around IMHO and can be had for around $220. Les Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mshifflett Posted January 16, 2007 Author Members Share Posted January 16, 2007 I've used E1's, E3's, E5's, and UM2's from Westone. The E5's are the best full range and the UM2's have more bass. E3's are really good for the price. UM2's win all around IMHO and can be had for around $220.Les How are any of them with ambient sound? We would still like to have a little filter through so as not to sound too isolated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members preacherman672 Posted January 16, 2007 Members Share Posted January 16, 2007 How are any of them with ambient sound? We would still like to have a little filter through so as not to sound too isolated. How much sound filters through depends on the sleeve or foamie you use, not the ear bud itself. The E-3 comes with a blackish-gray softer rubber sleeve that gives a good fit but doesn't isolate real well. You can buy some of these from Shure or find some on ebay. Any of the sleeves or foamies that I listed can be used with any of the other earbuds that I listed, they are all interchangeable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members nobrainer440 Posted January 17, 2007 Members Share Posted January 17, 2007 Anyone ever use the etymotic in-ears? Just curious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tremendo Posted January 17, 2007 Members Share Posted January 17, 2007 I've got E2's and E4's. Amazing sound from the 4's. The clarity, when used with prerecorded source is showing me little details of songs I've never heard before...that sort of thing. Can't wait to get custom molds made. I've also used the E2's for several years and now use only my E4's. The E4's are clearer and also smaller. I've liked them with the foamies, but now I mostly use the Sensaphonic custom molds I had made for them. In my case, the custom molds do not seal 100% on one ear (even re-doing the molds), but the ease and speed on in/out is worth it. Also, most of the time, a very very small space allows a little more ambient in, probably reducing the block from 25dbs to 15 or so (just a guess), which in practice bothers me less than I though it would. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mshifflett Posted January 20, 2007 Author Members Share Posted January 20, 2007 ...but now I mostly use the Sensaphonic custom molds I had made for them... Where can I get some information on these molds? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tremendo Posted January 22, 2007 Members Share Posted January 22, 2007 Where can I get some information on these molds? I would send a message to earsaver, a user here who has been great with info and service for the molds. Maybe she can help you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Scodiddly Posted January 22, 2007 Members Share Posted January 22, 2007 Any of the sleeves or foamies can be used with any of the other earbuds, they are all interchangeable. No, they're generally not interchangeable. The E1/E3/E4 use the same sleeves, but the E2 is different, as is the ones from Sennheiser. And I've seen a number of pairs of earbuds broken by people trying to change the correct sleeves/foamies, so you don't want to fool with something that's the wrong size. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ed Dixon Posted January 22, 2007 Members Share Posted January 22, 2007 I have the E2 and E3 models. The sleeves are different. I chose the E3s, used the flexible rubber sleeves and made my own custom molds with them. Works great and very easy to insert and remove. The custom mold part results in better isolation from external sound. Ed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMS Author Craig Vecchione Posted January 22, 2007 CMS Author Share Posted January 22, 2007 While everyone's free to stick whatever they like into their ears, I'd never consider DIY mold kits. Despite the website's claims to the contrary, there very definitely is danger. You've already invested hundreds or thousands into an IEM system, why not take the last step and get your molds done professionally and safely? Just MHO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members preacherman672 Posted January 22, 2007 Members Share Posted January 22, 2007 No, they're generally not interchangeable. The E1/E3/E4 use the same sleeves, but the E2 is different, as is the ones from Sennheiser.And I've seen a number of pairs of earbuds broken by people trying to change the correct sleeves/foamies, so you don't want to fool with something that's the wrong size. Any of the ones I listed as having used are interchangeable (E1, E3, E5, and UM2). The UM2 foamies are much better IMO than the Shure foamies, we use the UM2 foamies on our E5's all the time. Les Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMS Author Craig Vecchione Posted January 22, 2007 CMS Author Share Posted January 22, 2007 Any of the ones I listed as having used are interchangeable (E1, E3, E5, and UM2). The UM2 foamies are much better IMO than the Shure foamies, we use the UM2 foamies on our E5's all the time. Les Probably a good idea to edit that post to be more specific about what fits. The post where you stated "they are all interchangeable" would lead one to believe "all" means "all". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ed Dixon Posted January 22, 2007 Members Share Posted January 22, 2007 While everyone's free to stick whatever they like into their ears, I'd never consider DIY mold kits. Despite the website's claims to the contrary, there very definitely is danger. You've already invested hundreds or thousands into an IEM system, why not take the last step and get your molds done professionally and safely? Just MHO. Having done this a number of times, there is no danger issue. There is no heat involved. These are basically rubber molds that go around the commercial ear buds to make them fit better, isolate better, and easier to insert/remove. Certaintly commercial custom made molds will be better, but at a cost of $11, it's a pretty good thing to try. Ed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMS Author Craig Vecchione Posted January 22, 2007 CMS Author Share Posted January 22, 2007 Having done this a number of times, there is no danger issue. There is no heat involved. These are basically rubber molds that go around the commercial ear buds to make them fit better, isolate better, and easier to insert/remove. Certaintly commercial custom made molds will be better, but at a cost of $11, it's a pretty good thing to try. Ed Ed, with all due respect, if you're not a doctor or audiologist you're not qualified to make the statement that there's no danger, and the docs do state that audiologists should do the work to minimize danger. Punctured eardrums, infection, bits of material caught in the auditory canal, etc, are cited as potential dangers. Even merely inserting any IEM in your ear has a minimal but present danger. "Never stick anything in your ear that's smaller than a basketball...except your elbow":D :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ed Dixon Posted January 22, 2007 Members Share Posted January 22, 2007 Ed, with all due respect, if you're not a doctor or audiologist you're not qualified to make the statement that there's no danger, and the docs do state that audiologists should do the work to minimize danger. That's true, however once you understand how this process work, it become clearer why is works well. Nothing goes inside the inner ear portions but the ear bud you arleady purchased. What you are making is a mold that fits around that part to conform to the outside shape or your ear so it fits easly and snugly. See the web pictures and it becomes much clearer. Ed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMS Author Craig Vecchione Posted January 22, 2007 CMS Author Share Posted January 22, 2007 That's true, however once you understand how this process work, it become clearer why is works well. Nothing goes inside the inner ear portions but the ear bud you arleady purchased. What you are making is a mold that fits around that part to conform to the outside shape or your ear so it fits easly and snugly. See the web pictures and it becomes much clearer.Ed Yup, I understand how to make them. The issue is doing anything that involves sticking things into your ear. We can agree to disagree. FWIW, I've read a few articles on molds, and there's a pretty consistent consensus that for the best fit that won't fall out, and for audio performance, it is important that the mold gets all the way in past the 'first turn' as they called it of the auditory canal. That's further than the DIY can do, and is no doubt why they won't perform quite as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ed Dixon Posted January 22, 2007 Members Share Posted January 22, 2007 That's further than the DIY can do, and is no doubt why they won't perform quite as well. No argument there. Professional is almost always better, but many more $. Ed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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