The Sennheiser earbuds that came with my MP3 player are uncomfortable.

September 2, 2005 3:05 PM

My MP3 player came with a pair of earbuds, the kind that basically look like tiny headphones with foam covers and sit in the cleft of the ear right in front of the canal. The sound is terrific, but I find them uncomfortable for periods of time over 40 minutes or so, and usually end up switching to a more comfortable pair of overear phones that don't get quite as good sound. Do you have any tips for making these more comfortable? Are my ears just the wrong shape?
posted by PinkStainlessTail to Technology (13 answers total)

This probably isn't helpful, but I absolutely loathe earbuds. 40 minutes is pretty impressive- I can't tolerate them for more than one or two.
posted by xmutex at 3:51 PM on September 2, 2005

A friend of mine had this problem with the earbuds that came with her iPod. She switched to the Apple in-ear earbuds (which I thought was a waste of money). She much prefers them. She considers her ears "the wrong shape" or simply too small.

I use Etymotic in-ears myself and can wear them for hours without issue but I don't think they're technically earbuds. I used to use the other Etymotics, which are larger, and did bother me after about 45 minutes. I think you just have to find somethat that fits your own ears.
posted by dobbs at 3:56 PM on September 2, 2005

Earbuds just fall out of my ears (which are small, but with bat-like hearing). I always end up with my old - and now incredibly dorky-looking - Walkman headphones.

So, yeah, I'm interested in the answer to this question. Thanks for asking it, PinkStainlessTail.
posted by essexjan at 4:09 PM on September 2, 2005

They're expensive, but the Bang & Olufssen A8 earphones are great. They're small, like earbuds, but the adjustable hook around the ear means you can position them just the way you want. Good sound quality too.
posted by mono blanco at 4:24 PM on September 2, 2005

I swear by my Sony MDR-A30 headphones. I've had them for about four years now, through 3 different MP3 players!

Pros: the way they sort of sit on the bottom part of your ear increases the bass frequencies you hear. Also, they're open enough to allow you to hear some sounds around you- some people might consider this a negative, but I wear this crossing the street and so on during my train ride and walk to work, so some awareness of my surroundings is important.

Cons: they're that ugly yellow "sport" plastic. But hey, I don't have to look at them any longer than it takes me to put them on, so the heck with it. :)

I've never found earbuds that don't fall out of my ears every few minutes, so I've never used them.
posted by BoringPostcards at 5:06 PM on September 2, 2005

I have not had any luck with earbuds. My ears are tiny and it hurts to cram them in there. I've wondered if someone makes child-sized earbuds so I can ditch the cumbersome over-ear ones. I, too, am quite curious about any possible solutions that will come up in this discussion.
posted by wallaby at 6:10 PM on September 2, 2005

I've got a pair of Koss headphones that I've had for years. They cost me about $20 (and came with a spare pair of earbuds that I never use). The sound is great, and they've held up well. The only complaint is the 8 feet of cord they give you (which I manage to trip on all the time).
posted by klangklangston at 6:10 PM on September 2, 2005

Earbuds are kind of personal things, what one person finds comfortable won't necessarily be what someone else finds comfortable. I've had Sony ones in the past that were reasonably comfortable for less than an hour of use, but my Koss PortaPro headphones are WAY more comfortable for longer periods of use, and also sound an order of magnitude better than most earbuds I've heard.
posted by biscotti at 8:13 PM on September 2, 2005

mono blanco, I had a pair of A8s and thought they were great too. Left them in a cab one night. Grr.

Now that I have the Etymotics, I don't think the A8s sounded even remotely as good. They do fit nicely and they sound better than average, but they do not compare to the 6is.
posted by dobbs at 9:50 PM on September 2, 2005

I swear by the Sony earbuds with the headband. They're getting really tough to find nowadays, but the headband keeps them in place (regular earbuds just fall out) and because of the design I find I get a good response range from them.

I'll have to find out the model number and post it later. They usually sell for an incredibly awesome price, under $20. :^)

This appears to be a picture of them.
posted by shepd at 1:55 AM on September 3, 2005

Your mileage may vary, but I found this pair of Sony earbuds (Sony MDR-EX71SL Fontopia) (with soft latex covers that mold to the ear, rather than foam) to (a) sound great and (b) remain comfortable for extended wear. I've been doing a lot of business travel lately, and have worn them for 3+ hour flights without discomfort.
posted by enrevanche at 5:44 AM on September 3, 2005

I just bought some Koss Plug style buds, they work like earplugs, you pinch them before insertion and the foam expands to fill your ear canal. Great sound, but if they don't sit properly they sound weak, and I found they needed a little help in the comfort area, so I got a pack of those foam plugs used by hunters and trimmed those until they felt right.

Best sound I've gotten from headphones of any kind, and a perfect fit to boot, for about $20 round trip.
posted by dong_resin at 7:09 AM on September 3, 2005

The ones I was discussing are Sony model MDR-W24.
posted by shepd at 10:40 AM on September 3, 2005