How Do You Know if the Earbuds Fit in Your Ear

Earphone Fit Guide

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Thanks to Apple and other manufacturers of phones and portable audio players, earbuds have been the most common type of stock headphone for more than a decade and remain extremely pop to this 24-hour interval. Though great strides have been fabricated in audio quality and ergonomics, the most obvious example being the new Apple EarPods, there is nonetheless room for improvement in both sound and fit for many users. Earphones, oft referred to as In-Ear Monitors, or IEMs, offering the potential for great condolement and sound quality for a variety of ears, merely rely heavily on a good seal with the ear canal. This earphone fit guide is designed to help yous achieve the all-time seal, comfort, sound quality, and secure fit from your IEMs.

INDEX
Notes for the beginner – a good place to start
Earbuds, earphones, & IEMs – more detailed data well-nigh earbud types and fit
The Importance of fit
Ear Tips – detailed information on ear tips
Nozzle size – coming soon
Habiliment Manner – coming before long

NOTES FOR THE BEGINNER

If yous are new to in-ear earphones/IEMs, your starting time feel tin be a negative i.  Many people simply don't like to stick anything in their ears, but earphones require an airtight seal between ear tip and ear culvert.  If you accept a look at image A in figure ane you will run across that they sit in the outer role of the ear while paradigm B shows the ear tip inside the ear canal.

The quick steps for the beginner to get the best, most secure and comfortable fit to become with full audio are as follows:

1) Is your earphone designed to accept the cablevision go down, go over-the-ear, or either?  I take seen people wear over-the-ear earphones with the cablevision down resulting in a horrible experience.  The packaging and/or production page should testify the proper habiliment style.  Too, make certain to follow the left/right markings.

2) Employ the proper sized ear tips.  Earphones usually come with multiple sizes of ear tips.  Trying all the sizes that came with the earphone volition help you reach the best combination of comfort, security, and good sound quality.  Even if yous have preconceived thoughts about the size of your ear/ear canal, a detail ear tip may fit better than others.  For example, if you lot have medium sized ear canals, a minor ear tip will permit the earphone to fit deeper, which may requite a better result.  Or, a larger ear tip may sit further out for ameliorate condolement, and with the size of your ear or an over-the-ear wear style, still stay put.

3) Adjust the bending the nozzle enters your ear culvert.  Ear canals are angles forrard and up, so the nozzle should also be aimed in that direction.  Once inserted, or while inserting an earphone, endeavour different angles with different ear tips to run across what feels the best and provides the best seal and comfort.

4) Arrange the depth of insertion. Typically, the deeper the insertion, the better the seal and isolation, but sound quality varies equally some earphones sound improve with a shallow insertion while others audio better with a deep insertion.  Experiment with different insertion depths until you notice what works best for y'all with the particular earphone.

5) Reduce cable noise.  Cable noise caused by the cable rubbing against wearable or other objects is chosen microphonics.  If your earphone has microphotonics, there are some ways to reduce or eliminate it.
a) If your earphone uses a cable down configuration, try to vesture the cablevision over-the-ear.
b) Tighten a cable sure-fire, which is a slider that holds the two parts of the cable together past the Y-separate, which is where the cable separates for each channel.
c) Wear the cable nether your wear.
d) Vesture the cable backside your back.  This may work for when you are up and about, but typically not when yous are doing something like sitting at a desk.

While y'all may notice a bang-up configuration for i earphone, another could crave a completely different setup due to a different shape, blueprint, ear tip fashion, etc.  It is best to go through this procedure for different earphones to achieve the highest levels of performance.

EARBUDS, EARPHONES, & IEMs

Figure one

A) Conventional Earbuds. Earbuds sit in the outer ear and create a loose seal at best, as shown in Effigy one A. Typically, they provide low isolation from outside noise and need to be turned upwards louder in noisy environments. In addition to low isolation, the lack of a seal typically results in lower quantity of bass, specially deep bass, compared to other types of headphones. The one-size-fits-all nature of ear buds will result in many users having trouble achieving the best comfort, audio quality, and/or secure fit with earbuds.

B) In-Ear Monitors. In-ear monitors (IEMs), characterized by having ear tips that form a seal with the ear canal, as shown in Figure 1 B, are also normally called in-ear headphones or earphones.  IEM performance is heavily dependent upon ear tips, which nosotros've seen called ear nubs, ear bits, inserts, fittings, etc., to determine sound quality, comfort, isolation, and fit security.

C) Types of IEMs. While "IEM" was a term originally specific for earphones designed to insert deep into the ear every bit shown in Figure 1 C, information technology has evolved to broadly stand for to pretty much all in-ear headphones. A sub-category, "canalphones", implies earphones that require a shallower seal (Figure B). Canalphones typically block out less external noise than IEMs, but with the number of different offerings on the market the lines betwixt canalphones and IEMs have get very blurred. We typically refer to all in-ear headphones as "earphones" or "IEMs".

D) Driver Type. IEMs typically apply one of two commuter (speaker) types: dynamic drivers and counterbalanced armature drivers.  Dynamic driver IEMs are typically much more tolerant of fit issues every bit the larger commuter moves more air and works meliorate in a semi-sealed environment.  Balanced armature drivers on the other hand are precision devices that need a good seal to recreate bass to their full potential, which is typically at a lower level than dynamic drivers to beginning.  No seal = no bass, and a partial seal, such as that shown in Figure 1 D, equal light bass with a dynamic commuter IEM but no bass with almost balanced armatures.

THE IMPORTANCE OF FIT

Regardless of the true proper noun for an IEM (see Types of IEMs above), fit and the seal are key for operation. Assuming the earphone is being worn the correct way, pregnant over-the-ear when required, yous may have an improper seal if:
* The sound is tinny, treble-heavy sound, or lacks bass response
* Yous experience improper stereo imaging with a characteristically "afar" sound
* Your IEMs don't stay in your ears during no or light activity
* Your IEMs don't isolate exterior dissonance

At that place is a good number of people that don't know how to get the all-time fit and seal, equally can exist seen in some over-the-ear and counterbalanced armature models of earphones on Amazon.  When someone bucks the trend and says there is no bass from a known bass heavy IEM, information technology about likely isn't the product, but the user (although products can be defective).

If y'all are experiencing any of the above issues, attempt pushing the IEMs deeper into your ear culvert and/or try different ear tips.  Using an incorrectly sized eartip tin can have other negative effects on the seal, such as an eartip that is likewise minor may not reach the sides of the ear canal for an airtight fit while one that is too big can brand getting a deep enough seal impossible or – in some cases – can even collapse within the ear canal, once more preventing a skilful seal and reducing comfort.

Other factors that can affect fit include insertion angle, earphone design, and earphone wearable mode. The ear canal is naturally angled slightly towards the front and top of the caput, and angling the earphone accordingly during insertion can assistance. In addition, wearing IEMs "over-the-ear" by wrapping the cable around your ear before inserting the earphones, can often help avoid parts of the ear anatomy that can otherwise foreclose a practiced seal. I can ordinarily get a much deeper and therefore meliorate seal by wearing IEMs that are designed for cable-down utilize with the cable over the ear.

Almost earphones will take a very noticeable reduction in outside noise when a proper seal is achieved.  There are some exceptions, such as the relatively rare open-backed IEM, or some that are just poorly designed and don't offer a lot of isolation, which would exist indicated in the isolation rating for the review.  Information technology is also important to annotation that most IEMs won't completely block out external dissonance, and your awareness level, anatomy, ear tips, IEM design, and music volume will all contribute to how much external dissonance yous can hear.

EAR TIPS

Ear tips are the interface between the earphone and your ear canal.  Everybody's ears are unique, so sure ear tips may piece of work amend for you than others.  Typically, a minimum of iii sizes of ear tips are included with an earphone, but there tin can exist multiple sizes and types, or in an extreme case, 1 size/manner (EarSonics).

Single flange – Single flange ear tips are the near common ear tips, and as the name implies, they use a single slice of silicone to create a seal.  There are meaning differences in single flange ear tips due to fabric density, thickness, and shape.  The denser the material, the more isolation they volition provide and the higher the level of bass.  The thicker they are, the less pliable they will be, which may be good or bad.  If they are too soft, they tin plummet in the ear, which is affected also by shape, and if they are too hard, they can become uncomfortable.  A very popular shape that works well with near ears is the Sony hybrid ear tips, and this pack includes 4 sizes.  Westone sells STAR (+ TRUEFIT FOAM) ear tips that work well for many, and SpinFit makes well-engineered ear tips with many unlike nozzle sizes.

Bi-flange – Bi-flange ear tips have a large and small flange on the aforementioned stem and while there are many different sizes and shapes, in that location are far fewer options as they are less mutual.  The advantage a bi-flange ear tip has over a single flange is they tin have two independent areas that can seal with the ear canal, creating a better overall seal.  This will result in more bass and isolation if you can get them to fit.  The disadvantage is the limited sizes available, and if they don't fit your ear, they volition exist useless.  Using a bi-flange ear tip when only the smaller flange creates a seal isn't a good idea as it is best to use a single flange, which offers many more than sizes and shapes.  If you lot have very large and deep ear canals, the Hello-Fi Homo bi-flange ear tips may work well.

Triple flange – Triple flange ear tips accept bi-flange ear tips to another level.  When they fit, they provide a improve seal and college levels of isolation.  They piece of work well for getting the most out of many balanced armature earphones every bit the seal is critical for bass performance, if your ear canals are deep plenty.  Triple flange ear tips typically work very well with earphones that have angles nozzles and those that utilize an over-the-ear fit.  Almost triple flange ear tips are soft, although the Westone mode aren't, and are susceptible to bending in the ear culvert and muffling the sound.  Triple flange ear tips are readily bachelor, and this pack has multiple types of ear tips, including triple flange.

Foam – Foam ear tips are soft, compliant ear tips that conform to your inner ear.  They come up in a wide range of density and finish, and Comply has made foam ear tips extremely popular with their ultra-soft foam.  Other foam is denser, merely will conform to your ear canal over time.  Inserting foam ear tips is different than inserting a typical ear tip, every bit the cream should be compressed before the ear tip is inserted, and the earphone needs to exist held in place until the foam expands back into shape.  Cream offers an exceptional seal and high levels of isolation.  The negative with cream, which is dependent upon the density, is that they don't last as long as silicone ear tips, most can't be cleaned, can be expensive, and some absorb some of the treble energy, changing the audio.  Memory foam ear tips are more dense and have less treble assimilation.

Other styles – There are enough of non-standard ear tips bachelor, and one main player in that surface area is Sensorcom, which manufactures various sizes and shapes.  If y'all accept a large IEM collection and desire to play around with unlike ear tips, there are other options out there that tin brand a difference.  Some manufacturers include unique styles of ear tips, such equally Sennheiser in their IE80.

Custom fit ear tips – Custom fit ear tips are bachelor for various earphones, and tin can be made for any particular earphone upon request.  While I practise recollect there is an improvement with custom fit ear tips, the relatively high cost and low levels of comeback prevent me from recommending this style of ear tip.  It may work for some, peculiarly those that want a custom fit and to have the ability to replace the earphone when necessary, or swap between several IEMs with the same nozzle size.

Spacers – Earphone nozzles vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, so non all ear tips volition fit all earphones.  What happens if you have a smaller sized nozzle but want to use ear tips with a larger bore stem?  If you only put them on, they will end upwards stuck in your ears.  Using a spacer will convalesce this consequence, equally information technology will fit securely on the earphone nozzle and allow the ear tip to fit snugly.  The spacers I prefer are from Shure "Olive" foam tips, but y'all can utilize any foam insert or a small bore plastic/rubber tube.  If you do use a cream ear tip, use caution when removing the foam, and I recommend finding minor tubing instead.

Home-made – I like the longevity and sonic qualities of silicone, but also appreciate the amend isolation of foam, just didn't desire to keep replacing foam all the time.  Removing the stalk from a cream ear tip allowed it to be placed under a flange of a single flange ear tip, providing the best of both worlds.  I besides experimented with using some tubing in to extend the distance from the IEM to my ear drum, which increase the soundstage size, providing more of a headphone feel with the IE8.  Let us know if yous have whatsoever earphone mods y'all employ.

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average_joe

Having a life-long dearest of high-quality audio and gadgets, average_joe got dorsum in affect with his audiophile side after a hiatus acquired by life. His focus became headphones and related gear every bit the size and price fit his life better than habitation sound. He believes the entire audio chain is of import, and likes to continue to think past the headphone and on into the head, as he believes understanding the details of how we hear volition lead to a better audio experience.

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