What “Custom Earbuds” Really Means

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You might have seen ads for custom earbuds, but what exactly does that mean? The truth is, not all custom earbuds are created equal or even truly custom.

 

 

If you’ve struggled to find earbuds that are comfortable and don’t fall out, you might have started the search for custom earbuds. Unlike regular “universal fit” earbuds, custom earbuds offer a tailored fit with improved comfort, sound quality and passive noise cancellation.

 

However, the word “custom” gets thrown around a lot, and not all custom earbuds are created equal—or even truly custom. How can you cut through the weeds and find the bespoke listening experience that your ears deserve?

 

 

 

Earbuds that aren’t “custom-made”

 

Not all “custom earbuds” are tailored to you. Here’s a closer look at remoldable earbuds and moldable ear tips and why they aren’t the best solution when you want custom-fitted earbuds.

 

 

Remoldable earbuds

 

Remoldable earbuds offer affordability and convenience, but they don't offer optimum sound quality, comfort, durability or a perfect fit.

 

The molding process for remoldable earbuds is pretty similar to getting fitted for a mouthguard at home. First, you heat the earpieces with warm water for a few minutes to allow them to soften.When they're ready to mold, you place the remoldable earbuds in your ears and manually shape them with your fingers.

 

Sounds easy enough, but how often are you willing to repeat the process to get a perfect fit? If one earbud feels uncomfortable or keeps falling out, you may have to remold the tip until it fits correctly.

 

When you think about custom earbuds, you’re probably envisioning comfort and a locked-in feeling. But In addition to comfort, a truly custom earbud should also offer plenty of passive noise cancellation. However, the amount of isolation you get from remoldable earbuds depends on the accuracy of the custom molds. If you can still hear a lot of outside noise or if the bass is escaping your ears, you’ll need to order different earbud tips or keep trying with the original tips.

 

Remolding your tips can improve the fit and noise isolation, but it won’t fix poor sound quality. Remoldable earbuds that feature lower-quality drivers lack the detail to produce your music faithfully. Although they’re a decent alternative to regular earbuds, sound quality is hit-or-miss.

 

There’s also the issue of durability. Whereas custom-made earbuds will never lose their shape, remoldable ones aren’t as robust. If you leave your remoldable earbuds in the sun or a hot car for even short periods of time, they can lose their shape, leaving you to—you guessed it—do the whole process over again.

 

 

Moldable earbud adapters

 

Moldable earbud adapters improve the fit of your favorite earbuds, but they hardly belong in the “custom earbud” category. These adapters allow you to ‘dress up’ regular earphones like custom-fitted earbuds—but they still won’t provide a unique audio experience.

 

Like remoldable earbuds, the molding process involves submerging the tips in hot water, placing them in your ears and praying for a perfect fit. And, yes, they can also lose their shape if exposed to heat. Nevertheless, custom earbud adapters will make your earbuds feel more comfortable, even if the fit isn’t game-changing.

 

In terms of sound and isolation, your mileage may vary. Aftermarket custom earbud adapters can alter the sound of your earbuds—for better or worse. Don’t be surprised if you hear excessive bass, muddy guitar melodies or vocals that sound like they’re underwater.

 

At best, earbud adapters are an accessory—not true custom-fitted earbuds.

 

 

 

 

 

UE DROPS: Handcrafted custom-fitted earbuds

 

UE DROPS are the world’s first truly custom true wireless earbuds, made for your ears only. Every pair is handcrafted to deliver unrivaled comfort, immersive sound and superior noise isolation. Here’s a closer look at why they’re the best custom earbuds.

 

 

Tailored to you

 

UE DROPS are unique as you are. Whereas UE FITS create a perfect instant fit with Lightform Technology, DROPS uses precise ear impressions to craft earbuds for your ears only.

 

Creating your ear impressions only takes 60 seconds—a fraction of the time it takes to mold custom earbud adapters—and you can do it from the comfort of your home. After placing an order, we send you our proprietary FitKit to take impressions of your ears. You’ll return your FitKit using a prepaid shipping label, and we’ll make custom earbuds that fit your exact earprint.

 

Check out our previous post for a closer look at how UE DROPS works.

 

 

Unmatched comfort

 

UE DROPS offer a comfortable, form-fitting experience that you have to feel to believe. Compared to the inconsistent feel of remoldable earbuds, UE DROPS deliver a secure fit with uncompromising comfort that won’t degrade over time.

 

If you’ve ever owned off-the-shelf buds, you know how difficult it can be to wear them comfortably—not to mention the infamous trio of silicone tips.

 

UE DROPS take the guesswork out of finding comfortable-fitting earbuds because they’re custom-made to match your exact earprint. So whether you’re jogging up the block or listening to tunes at home, you can enjoy your favorite playlists and podcasts in pure comfort.

 

 

Immersive sound

 

At Ultimate Ears, we're passionate about giving music lovers studio-quality sound. That’s why UE DROPS feature premium audio components that bring your music to life.

 

When you’re listening to earbuds with low-quality drivers—or drivers that are buried in moldable plastic—hearing the details of your favorite tunes is difficult. Despite the low cost of moldable earbuds and ear tips, sound quality can turn into a second-hand thought. Why settle for less when you can have custom-fitted earbuds that sound great out of the gate?

 

Musicians and studio engineers prefer the immersive UE sound, and you'll love it too. UE DROPS are inspired by the balanced sound of our professional UE 5 in-ear monitors that musicians have relied on for decades. Built with studio-grade drivers, UE DROPS have a full, punchy sound with balanced lows, mids and highs.

 

 

Superior noise isolation

 

In addition to immersive sound, UE DROPS have exceptional passive noise cancellation. Like our UE Professional earphones and in-ear monitors, UE DROPS block out the world so you can focus on your music.

 

You don't have to “size up” or remold your ear tips to get superior noise isolation. UE DROPS reach the first bend of your ear canal and block up to 26dB of ambient noise thanks to their perfect fit. That’s plenty of noise isolation for working in crowded coffee shops, riding public transportation or staying focused at the gym.

 

If you need to hear more of your environment, Transparency Mode picks up ambient noise from your surroundings via a small external microphone. Whether you’re jogging on a busy street or studying with a group of friends, tap twice and you’ll still hear the world around you.

 

 

Customizable sound signature

 

UE DROPS offers more than a custom fit. They also allow you to customize the sound of your music via the UE DROPS app.

 

When it comes to audio customization, moldable earbuds are limited. If you’re not a fan of how they sound, there’s not much you can do to change it. While remolding your tips might help, the drivers will always sound the same.

 

DROPS deliver studio-quality sound right out of the box, but you can use the companion app to customize the sound profile. Whether you need more bass or want something optimized for your favorite podcast, tweaking your sound with the companion app is quick and easy.

 

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