Audio46 Guide to Ear Impressions

The process of getting ear impressions done for custom-fit earphones and eartips can be a challenging process if you're just starting out.

Here's a simple guide for the basics.

Physical vs Digital

Ear impressions can be done physically with molds or digitally with an ear scan.

	Physical Mold	Digital Scan
Accuracy	up to 100%	up to 80%
Fit	Maximum seal because it goes past the second bend of the ear. However, this can be uncomfortable for people new to custom fit	Recreational use ONLY. Do not use if you need serious professional hearing protection. This is strictly for casual wear. It's also much more comfortable for first time users
Usage	Can be used across all custom fit products, from silicone to hard shell	Can only be used on silicone custom fit products since the soft material is more forgiving than hard shells, which require higher accuracy

Physical Molds

Physical molds require injecting the ear with a high viscosity material.

Photos showing example of mold injection into ear
Image by Westone

Things to keep in mind when doing ear impressions for custom fit in-ear monitors:

Each ear that must include the full helix, crus of the helix, tragus, and antitragus
A 1 to 2 inch bite block is recommended to reduce jaw movement while the impressions are being taken
Blue impression material is NOT recommended
If wearing a mask, do NOT use the ear loops during the procedure as they can deform the impression
Do NOT pre-trim the ear molds when submitting them

Always make sure to send in your impressions no later than 30 days after having them made. Impression material changes over time and can impact the fit of your in-ear monitors.

How to tell it's a good impression

Photo of ear molds for visual reference
Image by Westone

The concha is round and full, with no pockets or voids
The canal length extends past the second bend
The helix is complete and visible through to the tip
The tragus has been fully covered
The otoblock* has imprinted completely across the canal tip

(*Otoblocks are a piece of foam with string attached. They're used to block off the inner ear during impressions in order to protect your ear drums. It it OK to submit ear impressions with the otoblock still attached to the mold. The important part is that it delineates a clear end point to the mold.)

Where to get Physical Impressions Done

Currently Audio46 does NOT have our own compiled list of audiologists. However, if you're visiting our store (29 West 46th Street, Between 5th and 6th Avenue, New York, NY, 10036), we know an audiologist who can work with you on-site—just let us know in advance!

To find an audiologist near you, we recommend checking out the lists compiled by some of the brands we work with:

Sending Impressions to Audio46

Audio46 is an independent headphone store that offers a variety of custom fit brands.

By ordering from us, you'll get our exceptional customer support and access to all custom fit brands we carry by sending in just ONE set of impressions.

If your impressions have been digitized into .STL files, you can simply email them to sales@audio46.com.

Physical impressions can be sent to:

ATTN: Ear Impressions
Audio46 Headphones
29 West 46 Street
Ground Floor
New York, NY 10036
United States

PLEASE NOTE: Physical impressions sent to Audio46 are NOT mailed back with your order. If you need them returned, you need to request it.

We recommend only sending impressions to us after your order has been placed in our system.

You can also bring your impressions in person:

Get directions and hours