Avoid common faux pas with this useful guide.
Earbuds are a wonderful invention, that much is obvious. They successfully mix comfort and convenience in allowing you to listen to audio without disturbing anyone around you. And as technology develops, earbuds are getting better, with crystal clear audio and a whole array of features to make them even more indispensable.
But with that tech and features comes added complexity, and as a result, some people are not using their earbuds at optimal capacity, depriving themselves of the full sensory experience intended. Many people just stick the earbuds into their ear without further thought when, with a little care and attention to detail, their average listening experience could so easily become an exceptional one.
For this article, we’ll list 5 points on what some folks are not doing with their earbuds and why they should be.
1. Ear Tip Fit Test
Everyone’s ears are totally unique in size and shape to them and, obviously, earbud manufacturers can’t make customized products for every single person, but they’ve done the next best thing with the Ear Tip Fit Test feature.
Most earbuds now come with a range of silicone ear tips to suit a range of ear sizes and it’s important you choose the right one for your ear canal. By choosing the right-sized ear tip, you are not only ensuring your earbud is comfortable and secure in your ear but also that you won’t inadvertently damage the delicate cartilage in your ear canal.
And on a practical level, the right ear tip ensures you get a much better listening experience overall as external sounds will be less likely to intrude into your soundscape.
2. ANC
One of the best features on new earbuds is their increasingly impressive noise cancellation abilities, allowing you a purer audio experience.
But leaving the ANC (Audio Noise Cancellation) on permanently is actually not a good thing for your phone or your listening experience. For one thing, ANC is very heavy on your phone’s power source and leaving it on incessantly will drain your battery much shorter than it needs to be. In fact, by not having the ANC on, you can literally double the time you spend on your earbud before needing to recharge!
3. Audio Settings
The sophistication of audio sound on earbuds is getting better year on year as technology advances in leaps and bounds. However, some people are not getting the absolute best sound as intended from their earbud because they’re not addressing the audio settings function.
Wireless codec systems like Bluetooth, aptX Adaptive, and LDAC are all designed to sync up with your earbuds and deliver a sound quality of absolute clarity. Your earbuds won’t automatically select the best codec so the onus is on you to ensure that your earbuds are synced up properly with a codec using the companion app that comes with the earbuds.
Also, music streaming services like Spotify have their own audio settings too so ensure that you have them calibrated to your own individual liking.
4. Charging Case
The charging case is both a necessary and trademark accessory for earbuds. But many people are somewhat careless at best and callous at worst with their case, leaving it in places where it can get easily damaged or destroyed.
Like any other electrical appliance, the charging case can overheat if it’s been left to charge for an excessively long period of time. In fact, so prevalent has this become among earbud users – leading to damage and even burnout – that many new earbud models now have an in-built ‘kill switch’ feature whereby once the battery is fully charged then the charging function will automatically cease.
Another problem is people leaving their case in strong, direct sunlight, leading to heat damage so be careful where you place your charging case. A little care now can save you cash later.
5. Control app
Every set of earbuds comes with an accompanying control app that allows you to access and control the array of features installed in your earbuds and also to get periodic software updates to improve their overall performance.
But many folks forsake to take advantage of this app and, as a result, are missing out on some really cool tech that could dramatically improve their audio experience. So when you purchase a new set of earbuds, please don’t forget to download the companion app to make full use of your earbuds’ potential.
Believe us, your ears will thank you for it.
