What are we talking about?
One thing we all agree on: an upgrade of the standard head phone to IEM really is a treat for the ear. I've been reading a lot of reviews on the subject, to learn what to pay attention to, how to choose and where to purchase IEM.
In Ear Monitors: what's that?
Ear-buds, ear phones, canal phones, in ears, there are a lot of names for 'ear plugs'. Ear buds, or ear phones are small head phones without the brace over the head. Most MP3 players are supplied with this kind of gear. You kind of hook them into your auricle. That makes them lie before your auditory canal and they, therefore, don't insulate against noises from every day life. That provokes the inclination to switch to a louder level of music, which is not only a nuisance to your environment, but it will also affect your hearing ability. Besides that, the quality of sound will reduce directly proportional to the volume. The sound will be distorted. The advantage of these ear buds, the fact that they are easily applied, is at the same time their biggest disadvantage: they will come out of your ears easily. If you ever tried to exercise with this type of phones you'll know what I mean.
Canal phones or IEM
All the above gives you a good reason to look for another solution. You might consider buying canal phones or IEM. This type of gear is really 'plugged' into your auditory canal. For most people it takes some time to get used to this. You have to force yourself to plug them in deep. However, it gets easier every time you try.
The advantage of IEM surely is, that you'll no longer suffer from any disturbing sounds in your vicinity. Airplanes, trains, traffic, or subways, they can no longer harm you. So you won't have to pump up your volume! After experimenting a bit, you'll find that especially the bass tones are much more beautiful when wearing IEM. The sound is fuller and more vivid, with more depth's.
For the best result you have to make sure to have a good seal. All auditory canals are different, that's why the plugs are supplied in tree sizes: small, medium and large.
