IEM problems

[metropolis_4]

I’ve been fortunate to not need IEMs for the past few years, but things are starting to come up again where I’ll need them.

So I dusted off my Shure e215 yesterday and immediately remembered everything I hate about them.

Brittle harsh highs that seem to accentuate all the worst qualities of digital.

And the biggest problem: I cannot keep them in my ears!!

No matter what tips I use they always pop out, and as you know once that seal is broken they’re useless until you can get them back in.


I’m not sure if investing in something like e535s would help enough with the sound issues to be worth it?

Are there other brands that might be a better fit and not fall out all the time?

I really don’t want to go custom molded because I don’t trust that they’ll solve my problems, and if they don’t I’m out a ton of money.

What to do…

 

[DieSchmalle]

In-ear headphones only sound good if they seal the inner ear airtight. Otherwise they sound thin and harsh with no bass. Find the right tips for you, experiment with diameter and depth of penetration.

 

[MindCrime]

@metropolis_4 I found this earlier post from 11/2022 posted by SwirlyMaple. This may be of some help. I read this and bought a set of Moondrop

Chu's and a set from Zero (haven't used them yet) but the Moondrops are working out for me. ( I bought additional tips through Amazon)

If this isn't what you had in mind then please disregard.....here's the post

Anyone who wants AMAZING sounding in-ears/headphones for $16... read this!

EDIT 11/22: a new contender has entered the ring for the same price (thanks @James Freeman !) See the post here with my thoughts on both: https://thegearforum.com/threads/anyone-who-wants-amazing-sounding-in-ears-headphones-for-16-read-this.771/post-24903 Hey friends, I have no affiliation to...

thegearforum.com

 

[metropolis_4]

In-ear headphones only sound good if they seal the inner ear airtight. Otherwise they sound thin and harsh with no bass. Find the right tips for you, experiment with diameter and depth of penetration.

The e215 have a harsh sounding high end to them to me, even when they’ve got a good deal. I’ve tried every tip I can find, some are better than others, but I still can’t seem to find ones that I can keep in my ears

@metropolis_4 I found this earlier post from 11/2022 posted by SwirlyMaple. This may be of some help. I read this and bought a set of Moondrop

Chu's and a set from Zero (haven't used them yet) but the Moondrops are working out for me. ( I bought additional tips through Amazon)

If this isn't what you had in mind then please disregard.....here's the post

Anyone who wants AMAZING sounding in-ears/headphones for $16... read this!

EDIT 11/22: a new contender has entered the ring for the same price (thanks @James Freeman !) See the post here with my thoughts on both: https://thegearforum.com/threads/anyone-who-wants-amazing-sounding-in-ears-headphones-for-16-read-this.771/post-24903 Hey friends, I have no affiliation to...

thegearforum.com

Thanks, I tried those and they sounded great, but they didn’t work well for me as IEMs. I had trouble keeping the cords over my ears, and the weight of them was problematic keeping them in my ears

 

[Frankencat]

I use the CCA C10s and they sound decent as long as you can get a good fit with them. I have several in this range and the C10s have sounded best for me for the last year or so.

 

[aflynt]

Everybody's ears are different shaped unfortunately. Personally, I found that the TinHiFi C3 with medium sized silicone tips work really well for me. They are about $50. They may or may not work for you as well. The Chu's didn't work for me either, btw. Just flopped around in my ears no mater what tips. I like the C3s because the shell of the IEM rests on my ear and doesn't move around. Then whatever tips fit best hold the seal well.

-Aaron

 

[djd100]

https://www.complyfoam.com/

 

[marsonic]

Everybody's ears are different shaped unfortunately.

Yeah....that's the truth of it. It affects fit (the tips are as important as the IEMs) as well as the high end (everyone's ear canals are different dimensions and resonate differently, usually somewhere from 6k-16k). Good foam tips seem to help both with the seal and by damping some of those high-end resonances. I've been putting comply tips on everything for years.

That being said, to the OP, I hate Sure IEMs. They all sound pretty bad to me, all the way up to 846s (a little dark, a little muddy, not enough sub-bass, not enough upper mids, and still peaky highs). If it was just frequency response, I'd say to generate an EQ correction from autoeq.app and see how that works (even corrected, they're not great), but if they're falling out even with foam tips (the recommendation for comply was good), then they just plain won't work for you.

The best I've personally heard are the Truthear Nova with comply tips. I think they benefit from some mild EQ, but they're really very good if they work for your ears. Please note that the comply tips are essential - I don't think they sound good with silicone of any design, and the foam they come with is crap.

If you don't want to spend that much, the Truthear Zero:Red are better than most for the sound I like. The high-end is still a bit wonky (both dark and peak-y), but I could use them pretty easily for guitar. I'd pick them over 846s in a heartbeat if that says anything (though I wouldn't buy either at the price of the 846s).

 

[ian_dissonance]

Do they just fall out or are they pulled out by the cable? For the latter it’s probably the tips or the angle you’re trying to insert them in your ear. The Shures I’ve used need to be more forward-tilting than what looks/feels right when they’re going in compared to literally any other in ear headphone. If they’re getting pulled out from head/body movement get some kinesiology tape and secure the cable just below your shirt collar at the back of your neck. Several vocalists I play with HATED IEMs for always falling out but once the pressure was off the cable they don’t even notice them, supposedly.

 

[metropolis_4]

Sounds like I’ll stay away from Shure. I’ve used the Comply tips and they are a big improvement! Still not great for me though. I must have really weird shaped ears!

Do they just fall out or are they pulled out by the cable? For the latter it’s probably the tips or the angle you’re trying to insert them in your ear. The Shures I’ve used need to be more forward-tilting than what looks/feels right when they’re going in compared to literally any other in ear headphone. If they’re getting pulled out from head/body movement get some kinesiology tape and secure the cable just below your shirt collar at the back of your neck. Several vocalists I play with HATED IEMs for always falling out but once the pressure was off the cable they don’t even notice them, supposedly.

Mostly they just fall out. I can’t sing with them at all, when I open my jaw it pushes them right out

 

[ian_dissonance]

Sounds like I’ll stay away from Shure. I’ve used the Comply tips and they are a big improvement! Still not great for me though. I must have really weird shaped ears!



Mostly they just fall out. I can’t sing with them at all, when I open my jaw it pushes them right out

When you compress the foam to put them in open your mouth real wide and hold it for a few seconds right after they’re in. Your jaw changes the shape/space inside your ear.

 

[metropolis_4]

That’s a good tip! I’ll have to try that.

I might have to just go Darren King and gaff tape some big over-ears to my head

 

[OrganicZed]

You might try making some custom molds for your IEMs. I have not done it myself, but it looks to be pretty easy. That should solve the issue of them popping out.

Make Custom In-Ear Molds for $10 - Behind The Mixer

Are custom molded in-ears that easy to make? How do they sound? I’d seen the how-to videos so I decided to give it a try. The results were surprising. I

www.behindthemixer.com

The harshness might just be inherent to the particular model of Shure IEMs you've got. Either apply liberal EQ or get another model.

 

[unix-guy]

Thanks, I tried those and they sounded great, but they didn’t work well for me as IEMs. I had trouble keeping the cords over my ears, and the weight of them was problematic keeping them in my ears

There are at least a half dozen IEMs recommended in that thread... I bought 2 and I'm pretty happy with both compared to my significantly more expensive custom molded 64 Audio V6S.

The real answer for a good seal is custom molds, though...

 

[Alex Kenivel]

I don't like Shure buds!

@metropolis_4 I found this earlier post from 11/2022 posted by SwirlyMaple. This may be of some help. I read this and bought a set of Moondrop

Chu's and a set from Zero (haven't used them yet) but the Moondrops are working out for me. ( I bought additional tips through Amazon)

If this isn't what you had in mind then please disregard.....here's the post

Anyone who wants AMAZING sounding in-ears/headphones for $16... read this!

EDIT 11/22: a new contender has entered the ring for the same price (thanks @James Freeman !) See the post here with my thoughts on both: https://thegearforum.com/threads/anyone-who-wants-amazing-sounding-in-ears-headphones-for-16-read-this.771/post-24903 Hey friends, I have no affiliation to...

thegearforum.com

I have the Moondrop CHU and the 7hz Salnotes Zero that were recommended in this thread. The Chu sound great but lack good ear guides. I have been using the Zeros for my last couple of jams and they have been great.

The biggest factor will be the tips you use. I found my perfect fit with some tips that came with some MEE buds. Large for one ear and medium for the other (I forget which). Comply foam tips work well too but need replacing after a few uses (mine would get torn up) and require extra steps to get in (pinch, insert, hold, wait).

I tried a DIY custom ear mould kit and it was a little tricky. The one recommended to me was from Amazon, originally made for making your own custom fit earplugs, but there were video guides showing how to make custom IEM ear moulds with them. The guy who recommended them to me loved them. I got one side right the first time and screwed up the other side, redid it and it worked. Went to go use them at a gig and the seal would break when I moved my jaw to sing. Useless! I swapped back to my MEE tips after that set and never looked back.

 

[AFKAEjay]

Do you have someone that can check if you insert them right?
Not sounding good, falling out…that’s consistent with not placed right.
I’d give that cause better odds then you having alien ears

 

[metropolis_4]

Do you have someone that can check if you insert them right?
Not sounding good, falling out…that’s consistent with not placed right.
I’d give that cause better odds then you having alien ears

Nah, I know what it sounds like when they aren’t placed right or when there isn’t a good seal. That isn’t what’s going on

 

[quadgear]

I don't like Shure buds!



I have the Moondrop CHU and the 7hz Salnotes Zero that were recommended in this thread. The Chu sound great but lack good ear guides. I have been using the Zeros for my last couple of jams and they have been great.

The biggest factor will be the tips you use. I found my perfect fit with some tips that came with some MEE buds. Large for one ear and medium for the other (I forget which). Comply foam tips work well too but need replacing after a few uses (mine would get torn up) and require extra steps to get in (pinch, insert, hold, wait).

I tried a DIY custom ear mould kit and it was a little tricky. The one recommended to me was from Amazon, originally made for making your own custom fit earplugs, but there were video guides showing how to make custom IEM ear moulds with them. The guy who recommended them to me loved them. I got one side right the first time and screwed up the other side, redid it and it worked. Went to go use them at a gig and the seal would break when I moved my jaw to sing. Useless! I swapped back to my MEE tips after that set and never looked back.

After reading that article I bought the Tangzu Wan'er and my search for IEM's was done.

I'm sure you can do better, but these fit the bill for me as an IEM that was up there with my Sennheisser HD 6XX open backs (yes, it's an apples to oranges comparison). Work great for guitar. Fit my ears very well. Pretty flat, non-hyped response, and not harsh. I suspect audiophiles, purists, bass-heads, those with better/younger ears, or those chasing diminishing returns might want something else.

Price does not equate to quality in this case.

 

[SeeD]

That’s a good tip! I’ll have to try that.

I might have to just go Darren King and gaff tape some big over-ears to my head

Love this band!

 

[2dor]

I’ve been fortunate to not need IEMs for the past few years, but things are starting to come up again where I’ll need them.

So I dusted off my Shure e215 yesterday and immediately remembered everything I hate about them.

Brittle harsh highs that seem to accentuate all the worst qualities of digital.

And the biggest problem: I cannot keep them in my ears!!

No matter what tips I use they always pop out, and as you know once that seal is broken they’re useless until you can get them back in.


I’m not sure if investing in something like e535s would help enough with the sound issues to be worth it?

Are there other brands that might be a better fit and not fall out all the time?

I really don’t want to go custom molded because I don’t trust that they’ll solve my problems, and if they don’t I’m out a ton of money.

What to do…

I have a pair of Truthear Zero Red in-ears which have several sizes of buds. I always find one size that stays in there & they sound good too.