Go To Latest Video ReviewsEtymotic Research hf2 Custom Noise Isolating Earphones Comments
| Author | Hugo Jobling |
| Published | 15th May 2009 |
| Manufacturer | Etymotic Research |
| Supplier | Apple Store UK/Ireland |
| Price | Earphones £99.95, custom tips £90 |
| Latest Price | Click here |
| Design & Features |  |
| Sound Quality |  |
| Value |  |
| Overall |  |
Comments for Etymotic Research hf2 Custom Noise Isolating Earphones
haim said on 15th May 2009
Bryan Kerr said on 15th May 2009
How long do the custom buds last and how easy are they to clean?
Gordon said on 15th May 2009
@haim + @Bryan - what Bryan raises is an important point. ACS moulds are of very high quality and it says you can expect to get up to five years from them. You can find cheaper moulds but you'll replace them far more frequently (which doesn't really make them cheaper).
As for cleaning: 1. you get a little tool to do the job though it's easy with any number of things and 2. no need to if you keep your ears clean ;)
Hugo said on 15th May 2009
haim - I thought I mentioned that, oops. Yeah, ACS will do custom tips for any earphones (also for £90 I believe). The difference here is pretty much just the packaging of the bundle.
Bryan - I think they're supposed to last nigh-on indefinitely. Very easy to clean, they're silicone so you just run them under some warm water and wait for them to dry.
Chris said on 15th May 2009
Hmm, wouldn't it be great if you could get a custom set of moulds that would last years and fit many types of earphone from many manufacturers? Just thinking out loud...
comedian said on 15th May 2009
In theory that would work as a lot of tips are interchangeable between various Shure models, see here on the Comply website for specifics http://www.complyfoam.com/Product/T%7B48%7D100-/Model/SE-Series-(110%2C-115%2C-210%2C-310%2C-420%2C-530).
If you get the moulding and sleeves through leightons they will do the mouldings for free, as opposed to £20 or £30 pound, so all in it's £88, which is a pretty good imo, makes my phonaks sound excellent as I struggled to find a decent tip for ages.
Gordon said on 15th May 2009
@comedian - All in that's the same price as the ACS custom option (which as Hugo states can be made for any brand of earphones you like). I can't vouch for the quality of Leightons moulds but if that £2 is important to you... ;)
comedian said on 15th May 2009
Yes for £2 difference my point was rather moot.
I was trying to say that the cost of a custom sleeve was lessened if you used that sleeve with a number of different but compatible iems as opposed to getting a mould for each 'phone.
Ricky Archer said on 15th May 2009
For the sake of an extra £80, I am happy with my 'Beats' by Dr Dre. They come with the inline microphone so I don't miss any calls, they have a mute button so I can hear people when I need (want) to and they are VERY comfortable. I used to use the Ultimate Ears, but got fed up with maneuvering them into a comfortable position! OK so I used to get some stares walking around wearing them, but since every artist and their dog now has them in their music videos, people just tend to nod instead!
Gordon said on 15th May 2009
Beats by Dr Dre!?! *runs and hides*
Ed said on 15th May 2009
Actually a really good set of headphones those 'Beats'. Obviously they're somewhat tailored to certain kinds of music but they're still at least good for all types.
Ricky Archer said on 15th May 2009
Still waiting to see a review on these by you guys, or have I missed it? All my music on my iPhone is lossless format and they give a rich sound that is very crisp at the top end. The bass is slid but not overpowering, try them on Guru Josh's Infinity 2008, there is a slid whoomph of bass that shows off their ability pretty well
Gordon said on 15th May 2009
@Ed - fair play. Audio is extremely subjective and for me they're the equivalent of a crass Bass Boost button, but I'm not suggesting any one else runs and hides *runs and hides*
Hugo said on 19th May 2009
Ricky, we're getting in some Beats soon. Both the headphones and earphones.
Chris F said on 27th May 2009
I already had a pair of custom tips made from ACS for my Shure SE530s and they actually mould the tips so that the silicon comes flush onto the drivers and not just the exit channel, so it may make swapping custom tips a little more difficult. However, the upside is that the when in place, the tips and earphone body is lined up perfectly to allow the cable to tuck neatly over and behind your ear!
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Didn't you mention this a wee while ago, and someone suggested you could get the same custom tips (from different suppliers) for a bit less?
Can't find the article on here....maybe it was another site?