Welcome! I also tinker with SLA/FDM 3D printing, so let me know if you ever wanna chat about designs and prints 
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Great to see fellow designers here have you done any iterations of MX500 buds’ shells without the stem to see how that affects the acoustics? I find the stem to be the most uncomfortable part of the buds and I can only understand that it is necessary for the sake of having desired sound (and maybe for easy guide of the cable direction and securing of the wire without the need of rubber cable gland)
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Seems like we came to the same conclusion 
I also love my Olinas but the GR1 has now taken its place even though it’s less technical. The tuning is simply fantastic.
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@VIVIDICI_111 Duly noted for future exploration. I get my Olinas today. First
venture into the iem world, lol. Beginning to feel this is another rabbit hole to be very careful around!!
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@Rikudou_Goku On another note, is there a way to better keep the GR1s in my ears? I’m pretty sure it’s just a me problem, but it keeps wiggling out of my ears 
I think my left ear canal is smaller so it tends to slip out…
It is, but at least the cheapest/best-value of all transducer types imo.
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hmmm, there are those silicone rings/hooks that might help.
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@Rikudou_Goku I may have to just end up with programmable hearing aids…NOT
the cheapest option!! 
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Problem with those ear hooks in the long run was comfort for me (the sticking out stem hurt my ears in long run plus made sleeping on side impossible) + lack of foam making the sets too bright. I tried some hybrid foam underneath the silicone ring but it was not working too long.
I ended up with buds being only for stationary usage for me and I am fine with that as I don’t have any further expectations
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I’m fortunate. My ears must be perfectly designed for buds. Fits comfortably, no discomfort, and I can walk with them, shake my head, and lay down with them. On the other hand I have difficulty with my left ear canal for iem’s and struggle to keep it inserted on that side.
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Very lucky indeed. I also struggle with pain after 1-2 hours with MX500 shells, which gets better in a few minutes of rest. Although I guess its good for my health that way.
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Wao this website is different, I have never used it before but I like it!
And thank you for the warm welcome!
I mostly communicate on discord on Riku’s server with updates and helping with ideas, but, feel free to dm me on here! I already like the people in this thread, its very lovely to see. Ive made numerous projects too like a 3d printable iem that public to all users, and some shells here and there, but I would absolutely love to talk.
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Hello fellow designer! I have actually! I have destroyed, altered and made many unique mx500 protos but its a strange one I have to say. See, the stem in a way acts like a bass port, it has minor acoustic changes to the actual sound but it does contribute a little. The back part thats a space is supposed to be a resonance chamber, but ive filled them before and its honestly done nothing. BUT, sealing an mx500’s bottom part with an mmcx and making it sealed will also change sound. Once again, not largely, but may be noticable to some.
I have to say the mx500 is not my fave shell, its wonderful for sound but not so much for fit. So, I took the challenge into my own hands and made an earbud shell thats an mx500/qian39. Its called the Val39, and its my favourite sounding shell. Fit is wonderful, and I’ve made the STL files public.
I have made the discovery that the average shell for earbuds should be curved going into the stem, allowing for it to latch in your concha, and the stem being 6mm far away from the driver, as this is similar to the qian39. Have you ever tried a qian39? Theyre not my fave, but probably the most comfy buds for the light weight feel and shape.
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Yup, Qian39 is a must have.
And if its too bassy, you can just mod it with micropore tape. (very easy and zero risks.)
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Thank you for comprehensive answer and now I believe huge contribution to this hobby.
I have qian39 and it was indeed best fitting me for bed usage (which is my most frequent way of bud using) of all what I tried (comfort wise Qian39 shell > LBBS bell >> MX500). The case was that the sound profile was nowhere near of what Rikus DIY or LBBS could do, so those qians ended up in my bean travel bag for just-in-case kind of situation.
I am looking forward to hear first impressions about your Val39, however I am still a bit unsure about the resin material used (I mentioned that couple of posts above). We are using a lot of weird resins for DLP at work that in some cases caused some mild rash-like allergies of our test user (who is potentially highly sensitive) even after prolonged washing and curing
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Hmm interesting. You don’t coat your resin prints with anything do you? I wonder if there’s a lacquer that’s biocompatible. I mean, bowling balls exist, so there must be some!
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For test parts we use just what is most suitable from mechanical/visual properties point of view. In the long run for skin-contact production parts we use medical-grade (biocompatible) resins or different printing technologies.
Earbuds are not medical devices, but I know people that have them in ear for couple hours straight every day (
)
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My prototypes dont use a coating BUT I know and use a very well respected resin to coat the shells called Fotoplast by Dreve! Its expensive, but very good as its literal purpose is to be used for hearing aids. Its ear safe, and used world wide. I am planning on coating this with my earbuds in a level but clean layer to be safe for many.
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Nice, I see that you have everything covered and under control. Quite interesting lacquer btw is it durable in sense of scratch resistance/wear and tear durability?
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