Review on 🎧 Etymotic Research MC5 Noise-Canceling In-Ear Earphones by Cynthia Broederdorf

I've had about 5 pairs of Etymotic ER6i and they've all suffered various kinds of deaths from being run over, washed in the washing machine, eaten by pets and the last pair, plug failure (poor discharge design from voltage ). This wasn't the first pair to self-destruct in this manner, although I was certainly disappointed not only by my bad luck but also by the ER6i's design flaws. I think Etymotic really tried to solve these problems with MC5. They seem to have more bass than the previous version, which is a very welcome change as that's what I liked least about them. A thicker and shorter cable is also welcome, and even more so a microphone cable. On the downside, they don't have the big gray silicone 3-flange tips like the ER6i. The standard tips that came with the MC5 were MUCH small for my ears and I couldn't apply the sealant without significant discomfort and pain. Luckily I bought a set of 10 replacement flanges for my ER6i just a week or two before they failed. Luckily they match the MC5 perfectly, at least I thought so. They glide, hold onto the MC5 well, and I can get a seal at least for a while. After a few minutes, the left side loses its seal. I think the problem is that the large cylindrical part of the MC5 is too big for my ear canal and therefore gradually shifts. I can only assume that the larger cabinet was due to the bass boost, but it seems too big to my ear. Headphones of this type are great for noise isolation, but only if they're sealed. If you lose the seal, the sound quality becomes unacceptable and noise isolation disappears. I'm torn between returning it and saving around $400 on a custom fit or trying the supposedly cheaper Etymotic-sponsored custom-fit program. After all, I just want to buy a couple of ER6i.