Recommended earbuds for small ears?

[Tommyudo]

Hello,

I'm looking for a recommendation for a set of "mainstream" bluetooth earbuds for my 20 year old daughter. She's tried AirPod Pros and some JBLs, but has a hard time finding a set that fits as she has pretty small ears and even the small size tips tend to pop out often. In the past she's had to settle for some that clip over the back of the ear, which can be uncomfortable. Our budget is around $200. A pic of her ear is below for reference.

Thanks,
Tom

 

[dunring]

The Galaxy Buds Live are the smallest I've had that sounded good. It's a "coffee bean" design you can sleep in or wear a helmet over them, so low profile.
https://www.samsung.com/us/audio-sound/galaxy-buds/galaxy-buds-live-mystic-black-sm-r180nzkaxar/

The neckband ear buds might be a good choice too. The electronics are in the band, so it allows for very small ear buds and a lot of companies make them so prices are low. They're designed for sports and if they fall out they won't hit the pavement. I had a pair from Sony and they were like $16 on eBay and sounded decent, just not as good as the Sennheiser Momentum 3 I have now. The sport necklace ones have solid battery life too.

This is the Sonicfoam small tip chart which uses 3.3mm to 4.3mm, which are really tiny nozzles. Foam tips might be too large for her, but it gives a shopping list of ear buds that use the smallest nozzles that likely will fit just fine.

 

[lisciuu]

If small tips pop out often, it seems she's used to smaller tips as well. I don't think she has small ears; they're likely within the standard size range for 99% of the population. It's really rare to be in the 1% of people with unusually small ears.

AirPods, of course, come with their own silicone tips, but they may not be the best fit depending on the size. Keep in mind that foam tips compress, so choosing a size that's too small could lead to the issue you described earlier.

As for small in-ear monitors (IEMs) with cables, I noticed you didn't mention that it should be wireless. The Sennheiser IE 200 Pro might be worth trying.

 

[ursine 122]

If she’s open to IEMs, the Meze Albas are incredible for the price and perfect for smaller ears. I got them a few weeks ago, and they’re beautiful, luxurious, and compact, with a really balanced and enjoyable sound signature. They practically disappear in the ears—they’re super comfortable to wear. They’re priced at around $150, but you might be able to find them for less on the classifieds!

 

[earmonger]

OP said "bluetooth." That's wireless.

 

[ursine 122]

OP said "bluetooth." That's wireless.

I know, but it’s a bit tough to find a good Bluetooth recommendation for really small ears. Another option could be getting the Meze Albas, for example, and pairing them with a Bluetooth-compatible cable. I was just trying to help, that’s all!

 

[lisciuu]

I don't think it's a problem with small ears. It's more about the tips and understanding how to use them and find the proper size. He would need to be extremely unlucky to fall into that category. I also suggested the IE200 as a reference for comparison since something smaller almost doesn't exist.