Keep the foam thingies on my earbuds?

September 21, 2006 8:06 AM

Is there a trick to keep the foam thingies from falling off my earbuds?

I've used both the standard ipod buds and some cheap sony ones and the black foam things are constantly falling off and getting lost. I'm not sure glue is a good idea. What is?

posted by callmejay to technology (11 comments total)

Buy different earbuds. Are you talking about the ones that come with the iPod? Those earbuds are pretty bad as far as sound quality anyway.
posted by cahlers at 8:25 AM on September 21, 2006

I recommend the Sony MDR-EX81LP earbuds. Amazon's got a good deal on them, they sound good, look nice, and they include a could sizes of rubber earbud covers.
posted by Mr. Gunn at 9:02 AM on September 21, 2006

I've never found a pair of earbuds where the foam thingies actually stayed on. This is after owning at least 20 pairs of earbuds over the last 15 years or so, ranging in price from bottom of the barrel cheapies, to a-bit-nicer (in the $60 range, let's say). My solution is to just try to find extra foam covers, and when I've found them they've been ultra cheap any way, or to just learn to live without them.
posted by antifuse at 9:18 AM on September 21, 2006

I've been meaning to try this - take a little Elmers glue and apply it to the back of the ear phones and then let the foam adhere to it. Not sure it if will work but worth a shot.
posted by any major dude at 9:26 AM on September 21, 2006

I replaced mine with these funky colored ones which stay on much better. And, I got red ones and green ones and mixed pairs so I can have green on starboard and red on port, so I don't have to look for the little L and R to see which is which.
posted by nicwolff at 9:35 AM on September 21, 2006

When I lost my iPod foamythings, I bought a set of these, which clip on tight, block out more but not all outside noise, ear, and are just generally Better. Found 'em for about $10.
posted by mendel at 9:38 AM on September 21, 2006

You might try a dot or two of false eyelash glue on the rim of the bud, then apply the foam.
posted by La Cieca at 10:04 AM on September 21, 2006

Ever since my first pair of earbuds, I just use a TINY bit of superglue on the outside of the earbud, then put the foam cover back on. Usually works like a charm.

Just make sure to NOT use too much glue, or else it will harden and feel extremely uncomfortable in your ear.
posted by MaverickX at 2:06 PM on September 21, 2006

If I may, I'd highly recommend these sound-cancelling, ultra-comfy in-ear buds from KOSS. Sure they look funky, but the ear-cushion stuff is super soft and conforms to the outer ear canal. Good sound quality (at least, IMHO, better than the standard earbuds), and come with an extra set of foam plugs, for when the first get gunky.
posted by Adelwolf at 8:30 AM on September 22, 2006

I might note that the foam-rubber bits that come with those Koss headphones (unless they've significantly changed them from the version that I got, which was the model before those ones methinks) were a serious pain in the ass to keep in your ear. And I tried all the different shapes. They just didn't squish down enough to put them into your ears without immediately pushing the earbuds right out of your ear as they expanded back out.
posted by antifuse at 9:24 AM on September 22, 2006

If the Koss Spark is like the old Koss Plug, then they stay in your ear a lot better if you turn the foam plug around. Alternatively, just get some cylindrical industrial foam earplugs and poke a hole through the middle of them with a hot needle, and use those instead of the included cone-shaped ones.
posted by mendel at 9:33 PM on September 22, 2006