Why Does iPod Make Their Earbuds So Big?

Factual Questions
1

I’m the happy owner of both an iPod Shuffle and a Nano. I’ve noticed that I can’t use the earbuds provided for them, though, as for some reason iPod makes earbuds roughly the size and shape of basketballs.

As such, the buds don’t come even remotely close to fitting in my ears. In fact, the moment I try to use them, they immediately fall out. I’ve had to buy new earbuds that actually fit so I can listen to my music.

I’ve heard this same complaint from most of my friends, so I know my ears aren’t way smaller than most people’s. So why on earth does iPod make their earbuds so huge?

2

<Shrug> They fit my ears rather well… I think they’d rather make them average-slightly above average size so that they would fit snugly inside more peoples’ ears rather than falling out constantly from being too small.

3

Are you calling me Weenie-Ears?

4

I have the same problem Carlyjay. What brand and model did you find that do fit?

5

Same problem here. I can get the iPod earuds to fit with some difficulty, but they’re remarkably badly designed overall. It’s puzzling.

6

Same problem. They fall out constantly.

7

Oh, I thought it was just me.

My kids complain about them too, but they’re kids, so I’d expect their ears to be small. We’ve all had to go to the non-ear bud type if we want to actually hear anything.

8

but not the colour. That would be so unAppleish to use something other than mugme white

9

I had the worst time finding ear buds that were both comfortable, and didn’t keep shifting or falling out when I work out.

I am ashamed to admit, I bought into the Bose commercials touting their new ear bud-like things, and shelled out the obscene money they cost, hoping they’d be the solution. Some weeks, I’d guess I spend 20-30 hours with the damn things in my ear, so comfort and functionality is a price to pay for not being aggravated all the time.

They are expensive, yes. But damn comfortable, and they don’t slide around, meaning I’m not constantly futzing around with them so they sound the right way all the time.

The Apple set kept sliding around, even after I experimented with those different sized caps you can put on them.

10

I had problems with my iPod earbuds always shifting and falling out, so I just started using the very light headset to my portable Sony CD player, and have never looked back. Just as good sound quality, and maybe even healthier for my eardrums, as the sound isn’t so tightly confined in my ears.

11

I never had much trouble with the stock earbuds, but I still prefer Sony’s line. They slide into the ear canal, and they come with three different sizes of tip, so that may help with your problem. Myself, I like 'em for the phenomenal bass response.

12

I’ve bought three iPods. The first two had smaller buds and fit fine. The most recent set are larger and are shaped differently. No idea why they redesigned them. I just use a set from the old iPod.

13

I bought a $15.99 set at Shoppers Drug Mart that came with the soft silicone plug-style fittings, and it came with about 3 replacement silicone thingies, too. They work a heck of a lot better than the iPod ones, and they were relatively cheap, but I was annoyed that I had to buy earbuds at all when my iPod came with a pair. They might as well have sent me a bag of dead squirrels with my iPod, for all the good they did.

14

Heh…

Now a bag of live squirrels might have been helpful. You could train them to hold the earbuds in for you.

15

I’m pretty sure they include the earbuds with new iPods as some sort of Apple inside joke (see also: the round mice from the original iMacs), or maybe as some sort of ballast in the packaging. I’m pretty sure you’re not supposed to actually use them.