The Best Earbuds for Small Ears
Every blog post I’ve read on this topic suggests that it’s difficult to find the best earbuds for small ears.
I don’t know if the assumption is the new craze online, but I honestly wouldn’t buy the idea.
The thing is:
Earbuds that perfectly fit people with small ear canals have been around for as long as I can remember.
The music and sound technology is what has improved over time.
In this day and age, we have some of the most advanced, high quality earbuds that people with small ears can use for music listening.
From cheap options that feel more like free giveaways to the priciest deals that are more advanced than their budget brothers, there is a good pair of earbuds for everyone with small ears.
| RANK | IMAGE | NAME | OUR RATING | CHECK PRICE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 |  |
Bose Sound Sport | ||
| #2 |  |
Sennheiser Momentum | ||
| #3 |  |
Shure SE215-K | ||
| #4 |  |
JVC HAFX32B Marshmallows |
Best Fitting Earbuds for Small Ears
In this guide, I will share with you some of my favorite earbuds for small ears, tell you why I believe they can give you the biggest bang for the bucks, and let you in on a few things I do not like about each pair.
1. Bose SoundSport in-ear Headphones
Ranked highly as one of the well-built earbuds for music listeners with small ears, the Bose SoundSport in-ear Headphones offers you great sound quality and comfort.
Thanks to the design, they stay in your ear even during rigorous activities. The build is solid, so the pair is durable.
The Bose SoundSport’s design makes it suitable for jogging. Its boasts of an athletic design with an open fit.
The control scheme is inline and contains a volume adjuster and multipurpose button for answering calls and pausing music.
The ear tips are of different sizes including large and small. They flex to fill the opening of the ear well enough but still let you hear traffic while on the run.
The Bose SoundSport is extremely light and stays intact through the course of your activity.
The silicon tips sit in your ear canal as the C-shaped wings fit into the side of your ear, thus securing the earbuds during movement.
No matter the genre of music, the Bose SoundSport delivers decent sound quality.
When you listen to Radioactive by Imagine Dragons, you would think they are just beside you. They sooth your eardrums when it comes to the vocals, letting you enjoy every bit of them.
With the open design, you get a spacious soundstage.
Pros
- Incididunt ut labore et dolore magna
Cons
- Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia
What You’ll Like
- Solid build
- Sweat resistance
- Good sound
What You Won’t Like
- Lacks bass in the audio
- Low noise isolation
2. Sennheiser Momentum in-ear Headphones
Combining aesthetics, rich audio quality and advanced technology is no easy job.
Unbelievably, the Sennheiser Momentum in-ear Headphones have all these qualities.
The addition of Bluetooth connectivity is quite impressive and the result is an affordable, ergonomic, and well-adapted product suited for you.
The Momentum has the earbuds attached to the neckband using a short cable. The controls, including the power button and volume controls, are accessible on the left arm of the neckband.
When there is an incoming call, the neckband vibrates gently as an alert. You also get a USB charging port for charging the battery, which has a 10-hour life.
The neckband is covered with soft sheepskin nappa leather that feels pleasant on your skin.
It is rather light and very comfortable but not negligible due to the controls.
The controls are easily accessible. The headphones come with a carry case for easy transportation.
The Momentum earphones offer you quality, dynamic and strong sound; you would think the vocals are coming from a mic in front of you.
The drums pack a lot of power in the hits.
These headphones easily scale the highs and lows with attitude and professionalism. The midrange is also very impressive.
If you fancy the neckband design then you will enjoy the impressive sound quality and Bluetooth connection of these earbuds.
Pros
- Incididunt ut labore et dolore magna
Cons
- Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia
What You’ll Like
- Powerful bass
- Bluetooth connectivity
- Quality dynamics
- Ease of use
What You Won’t Like
- Overegged bass
3. Shure SE215-K Sound-Isolating Earbuds
Thanks to the sound-isolating sleeve technology, the Shure SE215-K Sound-Isolating Earbuds for small ear canals offer you a chance to enjoy music without interference from external sounds.
Due to the small form, they sit and rotate comfortably in your ear.
You also get differently sized sleeves, which are adaptive to small ears.
With the Shure SE215, you get excellent performance, incredible noise isolation and comfort, all at a budget price. You can also order a cable with full inline controls, but at a price.
The Shure SE215 uses a clear or black plastic covers for the earpieces.
The 64-inch long cable is rather thick and replaceable. The earbuds are worn with the cable tucked behind the ear.
The ear tips come in various sizes accompanied by an earwax-cleaning tool. With tips of various sizes, you will fortunately get your fit.
In comparison to other competitors such as Monster Beats Tour by Dr. Dre and Bose in-ear 2, the SE215 falls by a small fraction in the bass and acoustics, but you still get a pleasant listening experience.
You enjoy excellent clarity of vocals and the depth of a deep bass.
It may be low-end when compared to some of its siblings, but the SE215 still maintains the consistency of the core sound signature.
The Shure SE215 fitting earbuds for small ears are lightweight. There is minimal tagging on the cable. With the right fit, the earbuds do not easily fall off from your ears.
For easy transportation, theses earbuds come with a carrier back that can fit in your pocket.
The soft ear tips are soothing to the ear and so they you can wear them for a long time.
What You’ll Like
- Wide soundstage
- Excellent cable quality
- Excellent audio performance
What You Won’t Like
- Loose fit is a possibility due to rigid wire
- Lack controls
4. JVC HAFX32B Marshmallows Earbuds
Even if you are on a tight budget, you can still enjoy comfort as well as decent and quality audio performance.
This is possible, thanks to the JVC HAFX32B earbuds for persons with small ear canals.
The memory-foam tips guard against sound leakage and readily fit in your ear.
The small earbuds comes with two sets of sleeves, which offer incredible sound isolation.
The sleeves are of the compressible foam variety. You get a variety of colors including blue and pink.
The thin, 40-inch cable is attached to the base of the earpiece, and it terminates with a straight plug.
The sleeves are attached to a protrusion on each earpiece. And the memory foams are detachable whenever you need a change.
The sound quality is as impressive as that of high-end earbuds. The audio is well above average with a thumping bass and a warm midrange. No matter the genre of music, you get satisfaction in the end.
These earbuds are a great fit. They sit well in the ear after a slight twist and angle adjustment.
I wore them on a 4-hour journey and there was no hint of discomfort. The forms plug the ears thus reducing the noise.
All you need to do is to compress the spongy foam and insert them into the ear for the ultimate comfort experience.
What You’ll Like
- Quite affordable
- Comfortable
- Durable
What You Won’t Like
- The earpiece design is a bit shallow
- Rivaled sound quality
5. Etymotic Research HF5 Noise-Canceling Earbuds
For excellent performance, functionality and comfort, the Etymotic Research HF5 noise cancelling earbuds is the choice for you.
This advanced model comes with impressive, dynamic sound quality that makes any genre of music sound amazing to the ear.
The various adapter tips offer you a customized feel for your small ears.
From the look, the HF5 may appear fragile but it is very sturdy and strong.
The small, low-key design is impressive. The cable is highly durable.
The smartphone controls are, however, not inline. With different sizes of ear tips on offer, you are sure to get the fit that is comfortable for you.
The tips feature a triple flange design, uncommon to most people but works really well.
I was impressed by the awesome sound coming from the HF5. You get a well-balanced bass that packs a good punch even at low frequencies.
The mid-range frequencies are very clear and detailed hence no need to crank up the volume.
The high frequencies were brilliant and balanced and do not hit too hard on the top end.
The HF5 is one of the most comfortable in-ears.
There are various sleeve options and so most users can find a perfect fit. No matter the configuration of your ear canal, the HF5 will sit without any disturbances.
Use them for more than 6 hours and the comfort levels do not depreciate.
They block out extremely high frequencies and allow you to enjoy your music.
What You Will Like
- Very comfortable
- Great sound quality
- Excellent noise isolation
What You Won’t Like
- Proper insertion takes practice
How to Choose Earbuds for Small Ear Canals
Here are four things to consider before you spend a dime on earbuds for music listeners with small ears.
Connectivity
There are three main standards of connectivity: 3.5mm plug, Bluetooth, and USB type-C. Choose an ideal type of connectivity based on your device.
For wireless connectivity, consider the Bluetooth options.
Sound
Earbuds may be limited in terms of the range of sound but some do perform exceptionally well. Earbuds provide a good seal compared to on-ear headphones.
For music lovers, consider earbuds that have a good sound stage.
Budget
The price of earbuds for small ears is an important factor to consider when shopping around.
There are high-end earbuds such as Audiofly AF180 and low-end earbuds such as Symphonized NRG 3.0. Pick one based on your budget.
Noise Reduction
Noise cancelling earbuds are essential for blocking out external sounds. In-ear earbuds are good for noise reduction.
For music lovers, noise reduction and isolation earbuds ensure there is little disturbance from outside noise.
