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best universal IEM

#21
overbybr said:
Not true. The seal has to be good enough to reduce ambient noise to the point that you don't overdrive the monitor to compensate. The point of an IEM is to let you hear just what you want, and they do this effectively by reducing ambient sound. Another way to think of it is signal to noise ratio. The critical aspect is the seal, essentially reducing the noise so the signal (monitor feed) is heard better. You'll never have a seal that will prevent you from hearing any ambient noise (I have -33dB earmuffs for shooting, and I can still hear a hand clap through those). This is only part of the problem the OP is having, though trying different tips is a definite must. I'm a fan of the Comply foam tip family, they are excellent for ambient noise reduction.

The distortion aspect may be the buds, I would evaluate all parts of the signal chain until you can isolate the noise.
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Maybe I shouldn't have said "handclap." It was probably an overstatement. Sorry 'bout that. I will say, though, that your surroundings should be essentially inaudible. And (for the OP) the reason for that isn't to make your surroundings essentially inaudible, it's to provide an indication of how good the seal is. That's because even the slightest leak will drastically reduce bass content and cause the symptoms stated. Also let me add for the OP that in my experience, the seal is either there or it's not; there's almost no middle ground where the bass is weak but still there. When I first started using IEMs I didn't realize this until I found a perfect fit, and I was stunned by how deep and powerful the bass suddenly got. The difference was instant, and huge. That's what to aim for.

One test that works is to compare your IEMs' bass response with that of a decent set of headphones. If they're not close, then the IEMs are definitely leaking.

BTW, the shooting analogy is n/a. The eardrum-damaging frequencies involved are way above the bass range. And in the IEM case we're talking about the need for an airtight seal of the ear canal; in the shooting case we're talking about the need to block high-frequency content from the ear canal, and a leaky seal can still accomplish that. Totally different situation, totally different requirements wrt isolation.

(NRA Life Member, former Home Firearms Safety Instructor.)
 
#22
craig.p said:
BTW, the shooting analogy is n/a.
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Last time I checked, a hand clap produced a high frequency response, hence my analogy of the shooting muffs (which attenuate high frequencies better than low frequencies) and the audible handclap. So yes, the comparison of sealing effectiveness is sound (pun intended). High frequencies also are easier to reproduce from an energy standpoint, which is why a poor seal for your ears requires you to turn up the volume (or mess with the EQ) to compensate for a lack of bass response at lower volumes/neutral EQ.

If the SE215's are falling out, get some different tips. To solve the buzz dilemma and before spending a bunch of money on customs (still a worthwhile purchase if you"ll use them frequently), he should check his signal chain to find the source of the noise.

craig.p said:
When I first started using IEMs I didn't realize this until I found a perfect fit, and I was stunned by how deep and powerful the bass suddenly got. The difference was instant, and huge. That's what to aim for.
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Very much yes!
 
#23
I switched ear pieces to the large size. The isolation was much better. I could hear myself breathe and the outside sounds were muffled the way things sound when you swim underwater. The bass was much improved. Buzzy distortion gone even at more volume than before. Problem solved. My thanks for all your help.
):
DL
 
#24
bobbybass85 said:
TRUST ME! Go molds, if you have to scrape together an extra few $, then just do it. You'll thank yourself later. Check out 1964 ears. Their custom molded duals are $399. I have their quads and they are un-bleeping-believable.
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Done the universal IEM thing.. last set was UM1's with half molds on the stems as I have small ear canals and even the small Comply tip molds simply did not seal!!

Went with Customs back in Jan.. 1964 Ears Quads... OMG !! The bass in those things will take your head off. Dual LF drivers, 1-mid, 1-HF. Tuned great! Will upgrade to the V8's early next year [probably].

My current band is all IEM and the 2 guitar players are using the Shure E215's and complain about stuff dropping out of the mix, etc. I've told them it's probably the single drivers, and they need to go custom. They don't have the $$ right now.. But, once you have, you will never want to go back to universals. 26+dB drop in outside noise, no monitor rig to load, and the volume/mix in your ears is up to you...
 
#25
s0c9 said:
My current band is all IEM and the 2 guitar players are using the Shure E215's and complain about stuff dropping out of the mix, etc. I've told them it's probably the single drivers, and they need to go custom. They don't have the $$ right now.. But, once you have, you will never want to go back to universals. 26+dB drop in outside noise, no monitor rig to load, and the volume/mix in your ears is up to you...
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you should also recommend them the SE425's. i have these and are great...i have a pair and have no issues...if they like the fit of the existing earbuds, then there is no reason to force them into customs unless their fits aren't fitting well enough...
 
#26
Big_Daws said:
you should also recommend them the SE425's. i have these and are great...i have a pair and have no issues...if they like the fit of the existing earbuds, then there is no reason to force them into customs unless their fits aren't fitting well enough...
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Sounds like a good idea, but I'm not making any [specific] recommendations to them. I believe that part of the spectrum loss is due to the universals not fitting as well as customs would. But, to be fair tho', THEY're thinking that they need triple drivers to support the frequencies they want to hear. I'm not driving them in any particular direction. But thanks for the info.. I'll pass it along.
 
#28
Big_Daws said:
sure if they want triples then go for it if you have the cash...otherwise doubles are fine...you really just need to something to drive the low end a little more...
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They are not for me.. as the bassist in the band, I already run 1964 Ears Quads.. these are the (2) guitar players who think they need triples.. but yeah, I agree with you. Doubles should work fine, but if you can get trips for $80 more [shrug] ??
 
#30
Big_Daws said:
valid point....i have been considering a switch to Utlimate ears or 1964's just for kicks but TBH i want to actually hear them first to see how much of a difference im gaining between what i have now...cos im pretty happy with mine! :)
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That will be hard to do, since you would have to actually buy customs. The seal between a universal and a custom is barely comparable. I had some Westone UM3X buds with Comply's professional line of foam tips and upgraded to quads from 1964. The comparison of sealing with no audio signal between the two was astounding. Things I could hear with the universals almost disappeared completely with the customs. Better seal = fuller sound. If you go 1964, be sure to stop over by the 1964 Ears Owners Group
 

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