Our ears are not of the same size, while earbuds come in an average size and expect to fit everyone! These days, earbuds get supplied with three different sized silicone earplugs, which can get interchanged for better fitting. Let us understand the structure of our ears so that we could address the earbuds issue better.
If your earbuds are too big then you can do some of these things:
- Check whether you’re wearing your earbuds correctly.
- Check whether your earbuds are comfortable.
- Check whether you’re wearing the correct earbuds.
- Lastly if nothing works consider changing your earbuds or the earbuds company.
Since our ear structures are different the earbuds that fits your sister or brother may not fit you. Generally every company provides basic earbuds that’s suppose to fit most almost everyone. However if your ear canal is smaller or larger then you need to change the earbuds so that it fits properly. If nothing works then try changing the earbuds company.
Our Ear Structure
Outer ear: The shell-like outer earlies on both sides of our head and helps us receive the auditory signals. These then get funneled down the ear canal, also known as an auditory canal. This is also part of the outer ear.
Middle ear:The middle ear starts from the ear-drum, also known as the tympanic membrane. There are tiny bones present in the middle ear which transmit these audio signals to our inner ear. These little bones are known as ossicles and get made up of a hammer, anvil, and stirrup.
Inner ear:This is where all these audio signals, which travels in the form of waves, get received by the sensory parts known as cochlea and balance (vestibular system). These wave patterns get received by our brains, and sound interpretation occurs.
The entire hearing system is a high-precision mechanism and is in a delicate balance. The sound waves from your headphone get collected by the auricle and allow it to travel down the auditory canal. Once these waves reach the ear-drum, they start vibrating at different frequencies.
These get picked up by the ossicles in the middle ear and pass on to the cochlea. The fluid inside the cochlea moves, which gets received by the hairline nerve cells present and sent via the auditory nerves to the brain to decipher the sound. This is how we hear noise, voice, and music!
Headphones, in the meanwhile, carry the sound waves from your devices to your ear. There are two types of earphones present – the on-ear and the in-ear, and the earbuds are in-ear variety. They have to get appropriately inserted into the auditory canal or ear canal not to fall off. They snugly fit into your ear and restricts all surrounding noise from entering your ear. You then get to hear only the sound from the receiving device!
Why Do Earbuds Do Not Fit Or Fall Off?
There are many reasons for the earbuds to fall off or not fit. Let us look at some of them:
Ear Canal Opening Is Different
Men, women, and children have different auditory canal sizes. So one size fits all earbuds will not work in such cases. You will have to opt for earbuds which come with additional silicone ear tip sizes. These interchangeable ear tips will help you with your kind of fit. If the earbuds do not fit snugly, they tend to fall off with minimal body movements.
Ear Wax Deposit
It is advisable to keep your ears free of wax, which deposits your auditory canal as a natural process. If there is an accumulation of wax in the ear canal, the plugs would either push these wax further towards your ear drum or would get coated and be slippery. You must always wipe your earbuds to remove the grime and dust so that they slide and fall repeatedly.
Cheekbone Protrusion
Sometimes your ear canal and the cheekbone are in close proximity. The movement of your jaw can dislodge the earplug on a routine basis, and the buds fall off. In such cases, you may have to use on-ear headphones.
Physical Discomfort
You can pull your earlobes towards your head to widen the ear canal, plug the earbud and release the ear for a snug fit. If the earbuds do not fit well, you do not enjoy the authentic sound decibels. However, you may have to discontinue wearing these earbuds if you develop pain, itching, or any other discomfort.
Do Earbuds Harm Your Ears?
Since the earbuds get plugged into the ear canal, the source of the sound wavelength is close to the ear-drum. On the one hand, you get to listen to excellent clarity in voice and music. The flip side is that higher volume may affect your hearing capabilities.
It is always advisable to keep the volume low, at a level you can listen comfortably. Also, as mentioned earlier, earbuds push the wax build deeper into the canal, towards the ear-drum. You may have to visit a physician to remove this wax build-up when they hamper the working of your ear-drum.
Are You Wearing Your Earbuds Correctly?
On many occasions, it gets found that we don’t know how to wear our earbuds well. If the earbuds are not snugly worn, the whole purpose of this headset gets lost. We wear earbuds for two main reasons:
- To keep out external sound completely.
- To listen to the audio as clearly as possible, whether voice or music with treble and deep bass.
Most earbuds today come with optional ear-heads. Earplugs get made from memory foam, rubber, or silicon. Choose a plug head material, which you are comfortable hearing over some time. It is advisable that you must choose an ear bud size that is slightly smaller than your ear canal.
Pull the ear lobe so that the canal opens up a bit. Place one of the earbuds and press it inwards gently. Release the ear lobe and repeat the same with your other ear. Now, apply additional pressure that pushes the earbuds further into your ear canal till you do not hear any external sound.
You have now worn your earbuds the right way. Play your music and keep your volume down. You will be able to hear everything very clearly, including the bass. You will have an immersive experience!
What Type Of Earbud Tip Is Most Comfortable
We know that earbud tips come in foam, rubber, and silicon materials. We must choose the earplug, which is sweatproof and comfortable for prolonged wear. Since memory foam is malleable to a large instance, it is far easier to get it snugly fit into your ear canal than rubber and silicon. Ensure that the foam can withstand pressure and is water-resistant.
However, if your skin type cannot stand foam due to allergy and heat, you may have to look for other more comfortable options. Silicon ear tips are durable, and you start with a smaller tip size, stretch your earlobes forward and seal the earbuds. Change earbud sizes till you feel the headphone has snugly fit you.
It is essential to choose your earbuds with care. Very large earbuds will not fit your ear canal and have to get shoved hard, which might damage the ear canal walls. If the tip is too small, they may loosely go in and move around, causing many discomforts.
You could also wear earbuds with ear-hooks so that they do not fall off very quickly. The ear hooks come in short or long versions and share the weight for a comfortable feel.
Earbuds With Interchangeable Ear Cups
Let us look at some earbuds which come with interchangeable earplugs:
pTron Bassbuds Pro (New) in-Ear True Wireless Bluetooth 5.1 Headphones
This earbud has all features of wireless headphone, cost around INR 1,000/- and comes with three interchangeable ear cups. You can try out the best earplug that fits you best.
Sony WF-1000XM3 Truly Wireless
Sony truly wireless earbuds cost INR 13,000/- and comes with five interchangeable ear cups. You get sizes from very small to extra-large so that all ear canal sizes would have a snug fit. Also, the earbud has to get twisted for a firmer grip.
boAt Airdopes 441 TWS Ear-Buds with IWP Technology
This is another good-priced earbuds that cost INR 1,800/- and comes with additional silicone ear cups for your snugger fit. It is also water-resistant and has all features required, including excellent sound.
Jabra Elite 75t True Wireless
These earbuds get ergonomically designed to provide you with a snug and comfortable fit. This angular earplugs with all required features cost INR 9,000/-.
Ear Tips For Your Existing Earbuds
In addition to the ear cups that come along with your earbuds, you can also purchase compatible earplugs that are available online. They come in various shapes and sizes. Here are some options which fit many brands of headphones.
MMOBIEL Silicone Ear Tips Earbuds Set
This set of 4 pairs of ear cups comes for INR 400/-. It fits certain types of earbuds and gets made from premium, soft, long-lasting silicone material. They are washable, antistatic, interchangeable, and replaceable. If the head of the earbud is large for your ear, you can attach the bud with a smaller tip and vice versa.
Crescendo Earbuds Combo: Memory Foam Earbuds + Adjustable Earhook+ Silicone Earhooks
These combo ear cups and ear hook gets priced at INR 890/-. There are three different sizes of ear cups which is compatible with certain types of earbuds. Additionally, the ear hooks provide a better grip on your headphones.
YTM Earbuds Silicone Replacement In-Ear Tips Headphone Cushion
This set of 5 pairs of ear tips will provide an excellent fit for your earbuds. They cost INR 200/- and are washable.
Conclusion
Earbuds typically come with average size, which fits snugly to your auditory canal for that stereophonic sound with deep bass. However, since all of us have different-sized ear canals and structures of the outer ear, we may have to choose the right fit. In addition to the standard earbud tip, companies supply additional ear cups of different sizes.
If the earbuds are too big for your ear, you can either purchase additional ear cups with a smaller tip to fit your ears snugly. Another option could be to pull your earlobe back so that the ear canal opens wide. You then gently press the earbuds inside and release the ear. Repeat the action with the other ear. Now apply pressure slightly to push the earbuds forward till you have the snug fit.
Since earbuds are truly wireless, they need to fit your ears properly to provide you the ambient sound. These headphones get preferred for all types of activities, including workouts and travel. If they are not snugly fit, the earbuds might pop out from your ears and get lost.
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