SILICONE EARBUDS VS FOAM EARBUDS
Earbuds might seem insignificant and often being overlook when choosing earphones or IEMs (in ear monitors). A good pair of earbuds can actually enhance your listening experience depending on how you wear them. The material, of course, plays ahuge part on how it can affect the quality of the sound. In this article, we will talk about the difference between silicone earbuds vs foam earbuds as these 2 are the most commonly used in the market.
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SILICONE EARBUDS
The most common earbuds are made of silicone, which often comes with phone’s earphones. This material is very durable, long lasting and easy to maintain, as it’s washable and also cheaper, therefore making it quite a popular choice. It is available in multi flange selections for sound isolation, there will definitely be something for your liking.
Here’s an introduction to the 3 different types of flange silicone earbuds.
(1) Single Flange Silicone Earbuds:
- Most common, often comes with phones.
- Simple and basic design that fit most ears
- Can be cleaned easily.
- Available in soft and hard cores (allow you to chose according to its comfort level)
- Good noise isolation (7/10)
- Average comfort level (6/10)
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(2) Double Flange Silicone Earbuds:
- A silicone earbuds becomes double when 2 single flanged ear tips are being glued together. It’s the same size as a single flanged but has two curves instead of one. This design allows the earbuds to fit more comfortably into the ear canal.
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- As the tip of the earbud has to bend slightly to fit into the ear canal, this means isolation is much better (8/10).
- As compared to single flange pair, these double flange earbuds are much more comfortable (8/10).
(3) Triple Flange Silicone Earbuds:
- Adding another tip on top of a double one will make it a triple flange earbud.
- Provide extra comfort (8.5/10).
- However, some people might find that these earbuds settle too deep in the ear canal causing slight discomfort within a short time of wearing it.
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We all have different preferences and taste when it comes to looking for the most suitable kind of earbuds. The best rule of thumb is to keep on trying until you get a match!
FOAM EARBUDS
Earbuds made of foam has been another alternative and getting more popular in recent years. They are more comfortable to wear compared to silicone and provide great sound isolation too.
Photo credit: KZ Official website
Material:
It uses soft-based foam quality material, which allows it to sit comfortably in the ear canal. There is a hole in the center of the earbud, which allows sound to pass through it. As these earbuds are generally quite soft, it can easily take the shape of your ear canal over time, therefore enhancing on the comfort level and better isolation.
Sound Quality:
Foam earbuds have a better seal, giving you a more pleasant, dynamic and wider response. But there are some reports mentioned about foam earbuds seemed to decreased highs and increased bass due to the funneling effect shape created. The foam often brings the extra bass as it is filtering noise from outside.
Cost:
Foam earbuds are generally pricey due to its good specs. However, it is less durable and more difficult to maintain as compared to silicone.
Maintenance:
The earwax and dust trapped in foam earbuds are hard to clean and not washable. It will get out of shape and loses its elasticity as time goes. It’s advisable to change every once a while as the foam will deteriorate and start falling into small pieces after prolonged use.
SILICONE EARBUDS VS FOAM EARBUDS
As we talked about it before, the material of earbud has an immediate effect on the sound quality as well as the comfort level.
Comfort level:
No doubt, foam earbuds has the best fit, but they are harder to maintain and wears out faster than silicone earbuds. Foam earbuds makes better companion for runners, as it is less slippery when it comes in contact with sweat as compared to silicone ones.
Silicone: 3.8/5
Foam: 4.2/5
Durability:
Silicone earbuds are generally more durable and require less maintenance so you do not have to clean them constantly. The material used in silicone is also less likely to cause irritation.
Silicone: 4.5/5
Foam: 3.5/5
Sound Isolation:
How earbud isolate noise depends on how well it can seal to your ear canal. Earbuds that are too small will not form a cogent seal and will reduce sound quality and comfort level too. Foam earbuds are more effective at isolation as it takes the shape of your ear canal, blocking most noise from outside. On the other hand, silicone earbuds might not be able to offer the same kind of isolation as compared to foam ones. Triple flange silicone earbuds can do a better job at sound isolation but some users feel discomfort as it sits too deep into the ear canal. However, silicone earbuds are a safer choice for runners or anyone at outdoors allowing them to be more alert of any hazardous situations while listening to music.
Silicone: 3.5/5
Foam: 4.8/5
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
Custom-made:
Custom molded earbuds not only gives the best fit for your ear, making sure that it doesn't fall off while providing supreme comfort. You can choose the kind of material and style that you desire. Of course on top of all these plus points, the price of custom made earbuds can be pretty expensive.
The BGVP DM7 is a customizable iem!
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Earbud Nozzles:
If you take a closer look on the earbud nozzles, you may notice not all nozzles have the same standard diameter. Usually the pair will come with 3 pairs of universal tips (small, medium, large) for users to choose the right ones for their ears. If you are looking to find something else from the market, make sure you do a little more research looking for the right one to fit into it.
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CONCLUSION
As you can see, there are a wide variety of choices on earbuds that comes in different sizes, materials, designs and prices. It might be tough finding the right earbuds. Just take time to figure the style, material and which type of usage is more suitable for you. Once you understand what pairing work best, you’ll enjoy the final product more.