The earbuds that usually come with products like the iPod and the Zune are the foam type, and I don’t know about you, but they never stay in my ears, and really they don’t sound that good. I don’t like them at all basically, that’s why I never use them, I’ve got a set of Atrio M5s that I use for my portable audio needs. What if there was a way to improve the fit and sound of those foam type earphones? Would it be worth it? Would it work?

Today for review I’ve got an interesting little product that turns plain earbuds into the in-ear style, they’re called Acoustibuds. It’s an inexpensive product that actually does what it claims, it not only improves the fit but also improves the sound quality as well.

The Acoustibuds comes packaged in a small box, inside you’ll find two bags containing two different sizes of Acoustibuds, and a brief user manual.

The buds themselves are made of a very soft and flexible silicone rubber, and they seem well made. They have either 5 or 6 ribs on them for size 5 and size 6, the size indicates the length of the part that goes inside of your ear essentially.

Specifications:

ACOUSTIBUDS

Earphones stay in better, even with extreme activity.
Sweat is "no sweat". Closely spaced fins help prevent your earphones from slipping out.

Audio quality has a lot more to do with the precise way your earphones are positioned in your ears than you may realize. To get an idea of the impact earphone position has on sound quality, try the following test. Put your earphones in your ears and play one of your favorite songs. At first, hold the earphones so that they directly face each other with a slightly loose fit in each ear. Then, gradually rotate both earphones to point them down each ear canal. At the same time, press the earphones gently up against your ear. The improvement in acoustics you hear is due to the mechanics of sound waves and how well they are contained (sound isolation) and channeled (sound impedance) inside your ear.

ACOUSTIBUDS are engineered to improve your listening pleasure. Flexible Fins and a Twin Cone Core feature improve sound isolation and minimize unwanted sound impedance inside your ear. The flexible fins create multiple reflective sound barriers for superior sound isolation while they hold the earphone securely in position. This gives a big boost in bass and conserves sound energy so your MP3 can be played at lower volumes while blocking outside noise. The twin cone core gradually channels the sound wave into the ear. The first cone guides the sound wave from the relatively large speaker to a transition point inside the ear. The second cone is shaped like a miniature megaphone to both amplify and gradually transition the sound wave into the ear while directing it down the ear canal. By eliminating abrupt changes in area and direction along the path of the sound wave, improved high fidelity is achieved with enriched middle and upper range frequencies.

COMPLETELY flexible design better conforms to the unique shape of your ear and is offered in TWO sizes.
The Flexible Fins have an oval perimeter and are angled from the earphone to more closely match the natural contours of the ear.
ACOUSTIBUDS are made from hypoallergenic silicone rubber.

See compatibility chart here:
http://www.acoustibuds.com/compatibility.php

Price: $14.99

I installed the Acoustibuds on the pair of earbuds that came with my Zune. Installation is easy, just remove the foam covering and slip the Acoustibuds over the speakers, takes just a few seconds really.

The Acoustibuds make the Zune earbuds fit better and even sound better, they stay in my ears now with no problems. Another thing I noticed about the Acoustibuds is that they also do help keep external sounds out, which is a good thing.

There’s not much to this product, it’s a simple thing that works and works well.

Conclusion:
The Acoustibuds work exactly as advertised, they stay in your ear, and help to make your earbuds sound better. They’re a simple little product that works surprisingly well.

I checked around and these retail between $13 and $15, considering you get two sets in a box, and what they do, I think they’re well worth the cost.

Pros:
They work
Improved sound
Come with two sets in pack
Improved fit
Inexpensive

Cons:
None really

Grades:
Overall
Design
Performance