What to look for when Buying Right Ear Tips?

suki.wang@dgbosta.com · SEP 23, 2019

Whatto look for when buying the right ear tips?

It isa question with no easy answer.

Deciding how to choose the right ear tipsis like picking a needle out of a haystack. There are so many options in themarket, but only a few of them are actually worth their price tags.Fortunately, though, there are some rules of thumb following which we can landthe best ear tips. And to make you aware of the same rules, this article comesinto play.

Stylesof Ear Tips

Before we tell you how to choose the rightear tips, it is crucial for you to know about the different styles in whichthey come. Only then could you make an informed decision.

SingleFlange

All those ear tips which you’ve been usingover the years are single flange. Still, to refresh your memory, these ear tipscreate a seal using a single piece of silicone. They come in different types,with different factors including material density, shape, and thicknessseparating one type from the other.

If your heart is set on single flange eartips, you might want one which is extremely dense. For, it would provide ahigher level of bass and more noise isolation. As for the thickness, too softear tips can get into your ear canal. Too hard, on the other hand, might becomeuncomfortable. What you should want, therefore, is a hybrid version of the two.

Bi-Flange

As their name suggests, bi-flange ear-tipshave two flanges – larger one at the bottom and smaller one at the top. Theirmain advantage over single-flange ear tips comes due to their shape. For, sincethey have two flanges, they create a better seal against your ear.

However, that is not to say that everythingis good and merry about them. Their lack of fame severely reduces the optionsof bi-flange ear tips. That means that getting a one which suits your ear sizewon’t be easy.

Triple-Flange

Triple-flange ear tips have three differentsized ear tips placed over each other in ascending order. The smallest tip isat the top, the second largest in the middle, and the largest at the bottom.Due to their bigger size, they provide more isolation than any other ear tip.

The bigger size of these ear tips acts as adouble-edged sword. Where at one end it lets them achieve a single fit, it alsomakes them prone to bending, on the other. The result of their bending, as youmight guess, is muffled sound.

Wingtips

In stark contrast to other types of eartips, wingtips aren’t used separately. Instead, most workout enthusiasts usethem as an add-on to silicone ear tips. As a result of this, they are alsoknown as workout earbuds.

One of the main advantages of wingtips isthe secure fit they provide. They do the same by prolonging the length ofsilicone ear tips to which they adjoin. The increase in length, however, alsomakes them prone to bending like triple-flange ear tips.

Custom-fitEar Tips

For those of you who can afford to pay overthe odds, there’s nothing better than custom-fit ear tips. Molded to the shapeof your ears, they provide the best fit, highest noise isolation and extremelevel of comfort.

That said, there’s one problem with customfit ear tips; they cost a lot. So, unless you have money to burn, you might notlike the option of custom-fit ear tips.

Typesof Ear Tip Materials

No other feature of an ear tip plays ascrucial a part in the comfort level that it would provide as its material.Therefore, it is imperative that we discuss the same here.

RubberEar Tips

Since rubber is the hardest tip material,it tends to last the longest. However, while they do have an unlimited shelflife, rubber tips also tend to be least comfortable. Also, if you have sufferedfrom skin allergies in the past, contact with rubber might unleash the sameonce again.

Consequently, if you ask us, we’d neverrecommend rubber ear tips to their materials. It is for this reason that youshould turn your attention to the next item on our list.

SiliconeEar Tips

Regardless of which earbud you purchasefrom the market, it is likely to have come with silicone ear tips. They havebecome so ubiquitous that most people don’t even know that the other two typeseven exist.  Also, unlike rubber, theyare extremely unlikely to cause skin irritation.

On the flip side, noise-isolation isn’tsomething silicone ear tips can boast of. While they do last long, they can getslippery with the accumulation of sweat. Therefore, if you ask us, we won’trecommend them if you’re going to use them for exercise.

FoamEar Tips

Due to their ability to conform to theshape of your ear canal, foam ear tips are the most comfortable. Their abilityto conform to your ear canal’s shape allows foam ear tips to create the perfectseal. Also, the noise isolation that they provide is unrivaled.

One problem which a small portion of foamear tips’ users has noted about them is the presence of “funneling” effect.That is, these ear tips provide increased bass and decreased high at maximumvolumes. Still, despite these shortcomings, the sound quality of foam ear tipsis unrivaled.

Thingsto Consider When Buying Ear Tips

Now that you have become aware of theanatomy of ear tips, it’s time we turn our attention to the focus of thisarticle. Remember, all the below-mentioned factors were chosen after hours ofresearch. So, provided you follow our advice, you won’t rue it.

Comfortand Fit

There’s no better way to ensure that aparticular tip is comfortable and fits your ear perfectly than simply wearingit. For, each of us has unique ears and different sizes of the ear canal.Therefore, if you want to decide whether an ear fit is comfortable or not, wearit.

In case you are wondering, the reason wewant you to try ear tips for yourself lies in science. All of us have earcanals with different curvatures and varying shape of cylinders. For instance,if you have deep ear canal, trying an ear tip which is designed for shallow earcanal would cause excruciating pain.

Durability

Of the three types of ear tips we discussedabove – silicone, rubber, and foam – silicone lasts the longest. Rubber eartips, despite having a considerable shelf life, aren’t fit for human use due tothe danger they pose in the shape of skin allergies. Foam ear tips, meanwhile,wear out with time.

 Still, the fact that foam ear tips have a lowshelf life doesn’t mean they would wear out within days. Instead, provided youhandle them with care – clean hands and ears – they will last longer. Also, ifyou want your foam ear tip to last longer, clean it once a week with nothingbut water.

Compatibility

To understand what we mean when we saycompatibility, do one thing. Take out your earbud, remove their ear tips, andlook closely at the earbud-nozzle diameter. Now, do the same procedure to adifferent set of earbuds.

What have you noted? That’s right, there’sno universal standard when it comes to earbud-nozzle diameter. While some ofthem tend to be narrow to fit similarly sized ear canals, there are otherswhich tend to be deeper.

Hence the reason we are talking aboutcompatibility. Before you buy any ear tip, do some research. Check out the sizeof your ear canal and decide whether shallow or deep ear tips will suit it.Only then should you make the purchase.