How to Wear In Ear Headphones

Updated: Jun 27, 2022 11:14 PM
How to Wear In Ear Headphones

If you are looking for a change in the personal audio department, you may wonder how to wear in-ear headphones. Some of the best headphones, after all, feature an in-ear design. So what are the benefits of using in-ear headphones over other types and what are some tips to wear them successfully? Keep reading to find out.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

  • In-ear headphones offer portability, a light form factor, natural noise cancellation, increased sound quality, audio quality, and increased bass response.
  • These headphones create a comfortable seal inside of your ear canal, so go slowly and don’t rush it.
  • You should ensure your headphones have the correct tips for your individual ears.

Why Use In-Ear Headphones?

The biggest reason people opt for in-ear headphones, or great earbuds, is the convenience factor. These headphones are extremely small, portable, and light. The same cannot be said when learning how to wear behind-the-neck headphones. Beyond that, many in-ear headphones are budget-friendly, making them disposable should anything happen during your daily run or visits to the gym. In-ear headphones also offer many types to suit different consumers, with the availability of wired headphones and wireless headphones. Here are some other benefits to using this type of headphone.

Noise Cancellation

In-ear headphones offer natural noise cancellation, as they create a seal inside of your ear canal that disallows external background noise from creeping in.

Insider Tip

Increase your comfort by only using the headphones for brief periods of time at first, taking breaks as necessary.

Great Bass Response

Unlike earbuds, in-ear headphones provide a fantastic bass response, thanks to being sealed inside of your ear canal. The bass with this type is actually on par with over-ear headphones, without the latter’s bulky form factor and excessive weight. To see how other headphones measure up, check out our comparison of Airpods Max vs Beats Studio 3.

How Should In-Ear Headphones Fit?

There are as many ways to wear in-ear headphones as when learning how to wear on-ear headphones. It all depends on your make and model and, of course, the shape of your ear. With that in mind, we’ve developed some universal guidelines to get the right fit.

Create a Proper Seal

The major difference between in-ear headphones and dedicated earbuds is that the latter simply hangs inside of your ear. In-ear headphones, on the other hand, create a seal inside of your ear canal. They are fully inserted inside your ear, which can be uncomfortable for some. Practice makes perfect when finding the perfect seal and the perfect fit for your pair of in-ear headphones. Consider your ear like the cork inside of a wine bottle. Go slowly and don’t rush it.

Find the Right Tip Size

In-ear headphones tend to ship with a number of differently sized tips to suit different ear canals. Take some time and experiment with the different tips until you find the perfect fit for your ear. If necessary, purchase third-party ear tips.

F.A.Q.S

How to reduce discomfort when wearing headphones?

Looking to reduce comfort with ear earphones? Here are some stock ear tips. Make sure they fit properly inside of your ear and only wear them for brief periods of time.


Healthy headphone use: How loud and how long?

Generally speaking, only use headphones for a brief period of time before taking a break, and only go as loud as you feel comfortable with.


How to make your earbuds sound better than ever?

Experiment with EQ settings and other audio settings to increase the sound quality of your earbuds. This sound quality also depends on the headphone design and the effectiveness of the headphone jack.


STAT: One of the important things to note when considering headphone use is that personal listening devices are tuned to a maximum volume of around 105 to 110 dB. (source)

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