Otto Noise Barrier

[kolar55]

There are several different Comply Sport Pro sizes. Would you happen to know which ones fit the Etymotic GSP15?

I went tto the website via the link above and the gsp15 wasn't specifically listed, but I took it that they were targeting the Etymotic listening products. And irrc the Otto listening stuff along with numerous other manufacturer's stuff. There was a display showing the different sizes and it looked like the size 100 would be the only one that would fit the Otto noise barrier. A call to the company might verify if they would work on either of the two listed above. Sorry I can't answer any better than that. If anybody can verify I would be interested too.

 

[dttheliman]

Can confirm that these fit the otto's fine https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003VNB0UC/?tag=accuratescom-20 which are the
Comply Professional Noise Isolating Earphone Tips for NuForce, ISOtunes PRO, Q-Jays, Etymotic Research, Westone, Shure & More P-Series Memory Foam Replacement Earbud Tips (Medium, 3-pairs)

 

[normmatzen]

QUESTION. Does anyone have clinical-lab test results of these replacement ear tips?
This is a VERY important issue as the quality and fit of the ear tips limits the overall attenuation of an ear plug.

 

[Termite I]

There are several different Comply Sport Pro sizes. Would you happen to know which ones fit the Etymotic GSP15?

I'm sorry it's taken so long to reply. I've been buried at work with customers wanting their parts before the holidays. I'm not sure if the Etymotic GSP15 are the same size as the OTTO's.

Norm brings up a good point so I emailed Comply and here is there response:

Thank you for your message and interest in our Comply™ tips.

Our tips increase the amount of noise isolation compared to silicone tips, but are not NRR rated. Our tips alone cannot be NRR rated without being attached to an earphone, since they have a hollow core. Due to the numerous earphone designs in the market, the amount of noise isolation will vary greatly. However, you can expect to see an approximate reduction of 5-10 dB when using our tips with an earphone versus using silicone tips. I would suggest seeing what your earphone manufacture says is the NRR rating on the earphone, then add 5-10 when using Comply tips.

I hope this answers your question, but feel free to contact me with any others.

Best Regards,
Comply™ Support

The ones I use work for me in the environment I use them in, they may not be suitable for you or your situation. Only the user can determine that. Are there better options out there - probably, I just haven't found them yet.

 

[Rick300]

I went ahead and ordered some so I guess I will find out. I'm hoping what they say is true as I find wearing the GSP15's by themselves don't have enough sound reduction. Thanks for posting that.

 

[normmatzen]

Rick,
I am curious why you think the GSP-15 does not attenuate enough. There are a couple functions active in the attenuation of the units. First, they use a compressor amplifier which gives a higher gain for soft sounds and less gain for loud sounds. If you use the GSP-15 in high gain mode, the gain is about 15 dB or X5 and by environment sound levels of 90 dB or so, it has dropped to 0dB (X1). By the way, a man's voice speaking in a normal conversational level is almost exactly 90 dB. Most hearing aids today use compressor amplifiers and have a typical gain for soft sounds of 24 dB (about X13) and by 90 dB SPL the gain drops to 0dB. If the GSP-15 is used in the low gain mode the soft sound gain is about X0.5 and at 90 dB about X0.3.
However, if the high gain mode is used with the GSP-15, the background noise will sound louder, but will not be dangerous. When gun shots are close by, the amplifier saturates at a SPL of approximately 117dB so at this point the units become a simple ear plug. If Foam tips are used and inserted properly (often they are not!) you will have an effective attenuation of 38dB. This is about as good as any plug gets. With silicon tips it will drop the attenuation about 6dB for a total of 32 dB.


And, the GSP-15 and the Otto are VERY similar in effective attenuation.

 

[Rick300]

Norm, I have talked about this with you for a couple of minutes at the range before. It just seems to me that I don't get the amount of sound reduction that I was hoping for with the GSP15'S. I have tried every tip that came with them and still I find the noise level objectionable unless I wear muffs over the top of them.
Last night I received the Comply foam tips and tried them on. The fit is amazing! I won't be able to test them until next week, but I have high hopes that they will work. Fingers crossed.

 

[divingin]

It just seems to me that I don't get the amount of sound reduction that I was hoping for with the GSP15'S. I have tried every tip that came with them and still I find the noise level objectionable unless I wear muffs over the top of them.

I use the GSP-15s, but found that every tip size and style was either uncomfortable, or a poor fit.

Looking at the foam tips, they are a piece of sponge rubber with a silicone tube as a core. The core is what fits over the stud on the unit; amplified or attenuated sound is directed through the core to your ear canal, while outside noise is blocked by the foam compressed against your ear canal. The problem with the foam tips is that they don't go too deeply into the ear, which, at least with my ears, makes them prone to slipping, and not sealing well even when they don't slip.

I pulled the foam off a few pairs to get the cores for a modification. I took several packages of Softies ear plugs (which I knew to be comfortable), compressed them lengthwise into a disk, and using a leather hole punch, punched a small (2mm?) hole through the length, and allowed them to regain their shape. A chopstick was used to temporarily open the hole up larger than the core tube, and the tube was inserted with a little contact cement. End result is a much better sealing and much more comfortable eartip. It probably attenuates more than the originals, both external and processed sound, but the comfort level makes it worthwhile to me.