3 ms·

I also loved my Etys. Problem for me is that they would only last a year before failing. I’ve since switch over to RHAs which are not quite as good but they hav

by bryan0 5y ago

I also loved my Etys. Problem for me is that they would only last a year before failing. I’ve since switch over to RHAs which are not quite as good but they have a 3 year warranty.

aalam 5y ago
If you haven't already tried it, a filter replacement with the tool and filters that come with the device could do the trick [0] (fixed a problem I experienced myself). Another common fix is to switch out the cable, though I've only experienced failure due to old filters (3 years usage). [0] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbDgTa8Htzo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbDgTa8Htzo
- bryan0 5y ago
  Yeah my issues were due to failing cables e.g. fraying insulation and exposed wires. I would use them heavily on daily commutes. Now since I primarily work from home it might be less of an issue.
  - aalam 5y ago
    I actually experienced a similar issue between the jack and the cable with exposed wires. It didn't affect audio quality for me, so it was just cosmetic; I wrapped electrical tape around the exposure as a fix. This shouldn't happen considering the price, but it wasn't a dealbreaker for my personal preferences (as the fix wasn't too noticeable, and I enjoy the noise isolation and sound quality).
  - Rd6n6 5y ago
    I avoid (non-cheap) headphones without replaceable cables these days. There’s no good reason to have to replace an entire headphone pair/headset because of a bad wire
  - camgunz 5y ago
    Oh definitely get the replacement cable, I'm on my 3rd. I picked up their bluetooth neckbuds thing (this is the depth of my commitment haha) to try, but as soon as I confirmed the wires weren't replaceable I sent it straight back--instantly limited the lifetime to < 1 year.
bradknowles 5y ago
I loved my Etys, too. But they were very fragile. I’ve ended up switching to Shure IEMs, but I use the Etymotic triple-flange silicone ear tips. I’ve tried everything else I can find, and nothing else works as well to keep them in my ears. Comply foam ear tips are a good idea, but don’t work nearly so well as my 32dB NRR earplugs at staying in my ears. And the triple flange silicone tips actually let me hear something instead of just blocking out noise. I’ve recently discovered that Shure now has a couple of different “totally wireless” devices that you can plug into whatever modern Shure IEMs you have, so I’m trying those out now, both as a way to actively block out the sound of my wife snoring with white noise from my iPhone, and I’m also going to try them in combination with a Røde Wireless Go II lavalier mic setup for Zoom and Chime teleconferences.
- camgunz 5y ago
  Oh, yeah that's a good point. If you _really_ need legit sound isolation (e.g. your hearing is at stake) or have tricky ears you'll have to venture into the pro audio realm--or just straight up get quality ear plugs. I'm lucky enough to have an OK fit with the stock tips, but even so I look at the custom ear tip companies from time to time. Something else to really pay attention to is listening to music all day. 85 dB might not "sound" (hehe) like much, but more than a couple hours of that and you'll damage your hearing [1]. Do that for a year, say, and it adds up. And 85 dB doesn't sound that loud, especially if you work up to it. This is where I'm jealous of Apple's Airpods ecosystem, where they know the SPL of the drivers and what volume you're driving them at, so they can avoid damaging your hearing. I really wish more laptop/phone/etc. manufacturers would post more detailed headphone jack stats so you could just plug in your SPL and set the volume accordingly. I had a hell of a time figuring it out for my 2018 MBP; I can only imagine what it's like for less ubiquitous hardware. [1]: https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/noise-induced-hearing-loss https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/noise-induced-hearing-loss

by bryan0 5y ago

I also loved my Etys. Problem for me is that they would only last a year before failing. I’ve since switch over to RHAs which are not quite as good but they have a 3 year warranty.

aalam 5y ago

If you haven't already tried it, a filter replacement with the tool and filters that come with the device could do the trick [0] (fixed a problem I experienced myself). Another common fix is to switch out the cable, though I've only experienced failure due to old filters (3 years usage). [0] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbDgTa8Htzo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbDgTa8Htzo

bryan0 5y ago
Yeah my issues were due to failing cables e.g. fraying insulation and exposed wires. I would use them heavily on daily commutes. Now since I primarily work from home it might be less of an issue.
- aalam 5y ago
  I actually experienced a similar issue between the jack and the cable with exposed wires. It didn't affect audio quality for me, so it was just cosmetic; I wrapped electrical tape around the exposure as a fix. This shouldn't happen considering the price, but it wasn't a dealbreaker for my personal preferences (as the fix wasn't too noticeable, and I enjoy the noise isolation and sound quality).
- Rd6n6 5y ago
  I avoid (non-cheap) headphones without replaceable cables these days. There’s no good reason to have to replace an entire headphone pair/headset because of a bad wire
- camgunz 5y ago
  Oh definitely get the replacement cable, I'm on my 3rd. I picked up their bluetooth neckbuds thing (this is the depth of my commitment haha) to try, but as soon as I confirmed the wires weren't replaceable I sent it straight back--instantly limited the lifetime to < 1 year.

bradknowles 5y ago

I loved my Etys, too. But they were very fragile. I’ve ended up switching to Shure IEMs, but I use the Etymotic triple-flange silicone ear tips. I’ve tried everything else I can find, and nothing else works as well to keep them in my ears. Comply foam ear tips are a good idea, but don’t work nearly so well as my 32dB NRR earplugs at staying in my ears. And the triple flange silicone tips actually let me hear something instead of just blocking out noise. I’ve recently discovered that Shure now has a couple of different “totally wireless” devices that you can plug into whatever modern Shure IEMs you have, so I’m trying those out now, both as a way to actively block out the sound of my wife snoring with white noise from my iPhone, and I’m also going to try them in combination with a Røde Wireless Go II lavalier mic setup for Zoom and Chime teleconferences.

camgunz 5y ago
Oh, yeah that's a good point. If you _really_ need legit sound isolation (e.g. your hearing is at stake) or have tricky ears you'll have to venture into the pro audio realm--or just straight up get quality ear plugs. I'm lucky enough to have an OK fit with the stock tips, but even so I look at the custom ear tip companies from time to time. Something else to really pay attention to is listening to music all day. 85 dB might not "sound" (hehe) like much, but more than a couple hours of that and you'll damage your hearing [1]. Do that for a year, say, and it adds up. And 85 dB doesn't sound that loud, especially if you work up to it. This is where I'm jealous of Apple's Airpods ecosystem, where they know the SPL of the drivers and what volume you're driving them at, so they can avoid damaging your hearing. I really wish more laptop/phone/etc. manufacturers would post more detailed headphone jack stats so you could just plug in your SPL and set the volume accordingly. I had a hell of a time figuring it out for my 2018 MBP; I can only imagine what it's like for less ubiquitous hardware. [1]: https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/noise-induced-hearing-loss https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/noise-induced-hearing-loss