Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

In-ears headphones fit matters a lot

soundguys.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

51–60 of 105 posts

Re: In-ears headphones fit matters a lot

#51

Post by jimmaswell »

jcims wrote: post #40
jimmaswell wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Isn't Bose famously overpriced and poor quality? That's what I always hear from audio circles.

That’s the wrong crowd to listen to TBH. Bose products are far from perfect and are expensive, but I’ve also found them to be extremely comfortable and have certainly adequate sound quality for every day use. Im no audiophile but i mixed live music for ten years and do pay attention to details. For example, I just compared Bose’s qc 35 ear buds to Sony’s new wf1000xm4 budd. The latter gets a lot of rave reviews, but…

My understanding is that Beats sound good right away through the way they boost the bass and such, but they have a wonky response curve that misses a lot and you can generally get better for the same money.

But nothing in the $100 range is going to be outstanding anyway. I recently finally decided to try spending some more, did some research, and landed at the MMX 300 for around $270. It's been amazing how much I was missing out on with all the cheaper stuff I'd previously had, from $20 to $90. Just all the stuff I'm hearing (hearing at all or more clearly) for the first time in very familiar tracks.

Re: In-ears headphones fit matters a lot

#52

Post by laumars »

floydnoel wrote: post #45
ziml77 wrote: post #10

I've been using Comply foam tips on in-ears for years. Most recently got some for my Air Pods Pro. They give a good seal, and they help keep the earbuds from slipping out. The downsides are that they aren't quite as easy to pop in (since you need to squish the foam and then let it expand inside), they can be irritating over long periods of time, and you will need to replace them every few months. Despite those issues…

Thank you for sharing! I’ve been disappointed with my Pro AirPods since I got them at launch. I’m not sure why it didn’t occur to me to look for third party replacements to improve the fit, but I’ll give these a try- thanks again!

It amazes me people buy those earphones when they’re probably the worst on the market for fit.

Re: In-ears headphones fit matters a lot

#53

Post by iszomer »

aalam wrote: post #48
ziml77 wrote: post #10

I've been using Comply foam tips on in-ears for years. Most recently got some for my Air Pods Pro. They give a good seal, and they help keep the earbuds from slipping out. The downsides are that they aren't quite as easy to pop in (since you need to squish the foam and then let it expand inside), they can be irritating over long periods of time, and you will need to replace them every few months. Despite those issues…

I switched to Comply foam, then back to silicon for good. The dealbreaker for me was cleanliness. The downside you mentioned of squishing the foam was the biggest reason; I always aimed to sanitize my hands before rolling the foam (pre-Covid, to prevent colds), so it was an extra hassle to take them out often. Also, it's easy to clean silicon tips with dish soap and water (alternatively isopropyl), but I found that C…

I've been using memory foam buds as well and found that given enough time and use, they will start _melting_ from in-ear wax interaction.

Re: In-ears headphones fit matters a lot

#54

Post by wincy »

laumars wrote: post #52
floydnoel wrote: post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Thank you for sharing! I’ve been disappointed with my Pro AirPods since I got them at launch. I’m not sure why it didn’t occur to me to look for third party replacements to improve the fit, but I’ll give these a try- thanks again!

It amazes me people buy those earphones when they’re probably the worst on the market for fit.

Maybe I just have a really big head but the AirPods Pro large tips felt fantastic to me, and are the first in ear headphones I’ve bought that don’t fall out of my ears.

Re: In-ears headphones fit matters a lot

#55

Post by jimmaswell »

tedunangst wrote: post #34
jimmaswell wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Isn't Bose famously overpriced and poor quality? That's what I always hear from audio circles.

Well, of course, the muggles know about Bose, you can't be better than them wearing the same headphones.

There are a lot of things where I do think the "snobs" are full of hot air, like percolated coffee being bad and "burned" or vertical photos/videos being automatically wrong, but it's been night and day listening on some higher quality headphones compared to the bose or any of the other brands I used to have.

Re: In-ears headphones fit matters a lot

#56

Post by wintermutestwin »

charles_f wrote: post #38
wintermutestwin wrote: post #17

I have Air Pods Pro and I bought an aftermarket silicone ear tip that was slightly smaller than Apple's small. The damn things still fall out, albeit after a longer time. They are always uncomfortable and I am constantly having to shove them in. I tried foam and they didn't fit either. I must have freakishly small ear canals. I wish I could find something that works for me. The article linked in the original article…

This feels very familiar. I have tried many pods, foams, silicon bits, and sizes. Whatever I do, those damn things fall out of my left ear. The right is fine, the left won't keep anything in it. So I'm using over-ear because that's my only viable option

Yes - I have the same issue where one ear canal is smaller.

When you say "over-ear" I assume you mean traditional over ear headphones with a strap. And yes, I have a decent pair, but they are big and not good for a number of common situations:

1. Lifting weights at the gym - when I lie down on a bench they fall off.

2. When I am out jogging, they bounce around too much and get very sweaty in hot weather.

3. In cold or sunny weather, I can't wear a hat with them.

Re: In-ears headphones fit matters a lot

#57

Post by jimkleiber »

GuB-42 wrote: post #46

Certainly, and I wonder why custom fit earphones are not more popular. They are a bit expensive but many people don't mind paying more than $200 on headphones and that's about how much entry level custom molded earphones cost. I didn't try them but I have custom molded earplugs, and there is no comparison to anything else I have tried. They are comfortable and they stay in place. They are the kind that musicians use…

I've been looking for something like this, would you mind sharing the name of the product you've been using?

Re: In-ears headphones fit matters a lot

#58

Post by aalam »

jimmaswell wrote: post #25
monsieurbanana wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Have you tried bose earphones? They are the most comfortable I've tried so far. Admittedly, I haven't tried many. They look similar to the ones you linked, they stay very well in my ears thanks to the hook thingy. https://www.amazon.com/Bose-QuietComfort-Acoustic-Cancelling...

Isn't Bose famously overpriced and poor quality? That's what I always hear from audio circles.

My perception of Bose, as a former regular audio forum reader, is that they are great for sport earphones (though this was before the Airpods were released, so this might be outdated). They also last a long time and are excellent for noise cancellation, which I learned when looking for ways to block noise during work (ultimately I stuck to Etymotic's ER4XR to block out noise via isolation, versus noise cancellation).

For audio quality, however, there are definitely better alternatives at the same/lower price (but not necessarily as good for exercise or noise cancellation). I also heard that the AirPods Pro are comparable to Bose's QC35s for noise cancellation, but not as good (though the AirPods are far more portable), and their batteries don't last as long in the long-term.

Re: In-ears headphones fit matters a lot

#59

Post by disabled »

Instead of shelling out a ton of money ($1,000+) for custom molded in ear monitor headphones, check out the subReddit DIY In Ear Monitors: https://www.reddit.com/r/DIEMs/

By the way, you can even 3D print your in ear monitors, but this is absolutely not necessary, and especially so if you are cheap.

Getting ear impressions from an audiologist generally costs $50-100 but I prefer to do it myself.

It is also not difficult to make proper ear impressions, too. See this for example: http://static.speedwaymotors.com/pdf/910150509.pdf

However, this was my basic search technique to find this document about making your own ear impressions: "impressions" AND "ear" AND "bite block" AND "make" filetype:pdf (I hope this allows you to do more research)

There is a great guide on making basically perfect DIY in ear monitors, pay attention to the first comment (however it involves 3D printing...also I much prefer clear shells for the in ear monitors...) on this Reddit page: https://www.reddit.com/r/DIEMs/comments/kfdwf5/made_my_first...

Anyways, one should really take a look.

When it comes to audio quality and listening on a Bluetooth phone without a 3.5 mm jack, you use a DAC (digital to analog converter) which allows you to enjoy the music on a totally new level. I would recommend this one: https://www.amazon.com/FiiO-Balanced-Amplifier-Windows-Porta...

There are also Bluetooth DACs that may be preferable too. I recommend the FiiO brand. Here is an example of a Bluetooth DAC: https://www.amazon.com/FiiO-BTR3K-Bluetooth-Headphone-Unbala...

If you enjoy music a ton just in general and love wired headphones, I strongly recommend getting a DAC that is compatible with mobile phones even if you are not interested in DIY in ear monitors...

When it comes to making phone calls (or even microphone use) with DIY in ear monitors, you need to be observant of the type of 3.5 mm plug that you use. ONLY plugs with 3 indentation lines (NOT 2!!!) are capable of microphone use. Anyways, here is an example of what I am talking about so we are clear on this issue: https://duckduckgo.com/?q=3.5.+mm+plug+microphone&t=fpas&iax...

When it comes to using your in ear monitors for phone calls or microphone use you need to:

1. Get a Bluetooth transceiver that is mic capable, such as this: https://www.amazon.com/Bluetooth-RollingStone-Headphones-Str...

2. Get an in-line microphone which plugs in directly to your DAC and gives it instant microphone capabilities

* Android version: https://www.amazon.com/Bose-QuietComfort-Headphones-Samsung-...

* iPhone version: https://www.amazon.com/Bose-Comfort-Headphones-Inline-device...

I hope this post helps.

Re: In-ears headphones fit matters a lot

#60

Post by disabled »

jimkleiber wrote: post #57
GuB-42 wrote: post #46

Certainly, and I wonder why custom fit earphones are not more popular. They are a bit expensive but many people don't mind paying more than $200 on headphones and that's about how much entry level custom molded earphones cost. I didn't try them but I have custom molded earplugs, and there is no comparison to anything else I have tried. They are comfortable and they stay in place. They are the kind that musicians use…

I've been looking for something like this, would you mind sharing the name of the product you've been using?

There is a subreddit for DIY in ear monitors. Pay close attention to the first post on this page in particular: https://www.reddit.com/r/DIEMs/comments/kfdwf5/made_my_first...

However, you do not need a 3D printer at all to make wonderful in ear monitors. Also, I prefer clear shells (as a color for the headphones) by far. It is also not difficult to make proper ear impressions, too. See this for example: http://static.speedwaymotors.com/pdf/910150509.pdf

However, this was my basic search technique to find this document about making your own ear impressions: "impressions" AND "ear" AND "bite block" AND "make" filetype:pdf

I made a post that is lower down on this thread that gives the 411 on everything you need to know including using them with a phone that does not have a 3.5 mm jack. This includes for microphone use, like making phone calls.

Post reply on HN