A customer recently sent in this helpful part-review part-lifehack for the Hearos F4 Series 7421 Ear Plug, and it's well worth a read:
Excellent Product! I use them as earphone tips, not as plugs - see below.
As another reviewer mentioned, they are partly hollow down the middle of the shaft. I removed the white plug from the outer end, unfolded a paper clip and shoved the inch or so long wire in to test how deep the hollow center is - and it goes to within about 1/16 inch from the inner most domed small end. I then removed the paper clip.
I wanted some 3 flange tips for my Etymotic and Westone earphones, so, I cut off the end smallest blue dome (this reveals the center shaft hole), and then cut away one section of the outer shaft, leaving enough shaft to grab them. They fit very tight on both earphones. I did not cut the 1/8 inch section off the outer shaft for the Etymotics because I needed more to grab onto to get them out.
The center shaft hole is small but it does not affect the sound quality - perhaps a tiny bit of attenuation only. The 2 middle shaft rings and big outer dome "ring" make a soft, comfortable 3-ring seal. The outer dome is big and squeezes and seals the entrance to my tall oval ear canals, and the inner 2 rings are much smaller to seal my rapidly smaller inner canal area. They are short, so, they don't push on the sensitive bend-2 area. (The photos make the product look way too long. The parts that count are not too long as above).
Hearos F4 Series reusable ear plugs - not yet altered
It's incredible how customers have found so many ways to use ear plugs over the years. Making your own better, more comfortable ear tips for various earphones isn't a new one, but this is the first time I've heard of someone using Hearos F4 reusable earplugs to do it. Note that, just as the reviewer points out, you will not get much (if any) practical noise-blocking when you re-purpose an ear plug like this. In fact, anything that alters an ear plug in any way - such as cutting it down to a shorter length - can seriously reduce the noise reduction that plug can provide. Still, using ear plugs to create earpieces for headphones and other devices is one of our favorite hacks... just remember that the benefit here is the comfort and fit, not the hearing protection.
You can get Hearos F4 Series Ear Plugs right here, if you're interested.
Also, if you're not in a DIY mood, it's worth noting that we do have a pretty robust selection of premade replacement tips for both Westone and Etymotic earphones, if you'd just like to buy triple-flange tips (for pretty close to the same price).
And until next time, be safe and do the right thing.
Tom Bergman, Vice President
Ear Plug Superstore
Comments