Good sound for earbuds starts with right-size tips
Good sound from your earbuds starts with the right-size tips
Every time I review some new earbuds, I take notice of what kind of tips are included and whether there are different sizes and types to help with the fit.
If there is one thing I have learned about wearing earbuds - wired or wireless - it is that the proper fit can make all the difference.
The tiny drivers inside those earbuds have a really hard time producing decent sound unless the tips make a really good seal in your ear canal.
I’ve used Apple’s AirPods Pro since they came out, and I find I frequently have to twist them a bit to get a good seal.
Apple even includes an ear tip fit test to help you determine the best fit from the three sizes of tips it includes.
To access the test, you’ll need to be wearing the AirPods Pro, then go to the settings on your iPhone or iPad, select Bluetooth, then scroll to the AirPods Pro and touch the small “info” icon.
Press play to start a few seconds of music and then you’ll see whether the fit is good or not.
Apple uses the AirPods microphones to listen to the music and figure out whether the sound is being reproduced cleanly.
It is important to take the time to learn how to remove the tips of whatever earbuds you use so you can try out all the choices until you find the best fit.
Lots of factors can cause the tips to leak sound. A particular earbud design may be shaped wrong for your ear canals.
You may also want to look for third-party tips for your earbuds.
I find foam tips to work well for me. You can squeeze them a bit, and the foam will expand in your ear canal to make a good seal. They work well for almost every ear.
There are many brands available. If you do an internet search for your earbuds and foam tips, you’ll find some.
I’ve had good luck with the Comply brand of foam tips. They make foam tips for many different brands of earbuds. In fact, I just placed an order for their new foam tips for AirPods Pro.
Foam tips start to break down after a while. Luckily, most foam tips come in multipacks.
In the case of the Comply tips for AirPods Pro, you get three pairs of tips for $24.99.
Again, there are other brands, so do some searching and don’t forget to look for online reviews.