Ear Molds and canal length

I have always requested longer canals on my molds. I often meet with resistance against that request, but for me it helps keep them seated and reduces feedback.

Cute AF, too. In Canada, it’s hard to find anybody who will make molds in those excellent colourful materials.

@going2bdeaf said:

Hi

I live in the UK and my first moulds came through our NHS along with my hearing aids. I then had a set of moulds made privately and when I got them I found that the new privately made moulds fit further down my canals and the moulds are generally a tighter fit in my ears than my NHS made ones.

You are right though the sound quality is a lot better with moulds that go deeper into the ear canal.

My old ear molds are also from the NHS. My new purple ear molds were made privately. I’ve given up with the NHS. I now self program my Phonak HAs and for now on, I’ll always get private ear molds.

@Corona1 said:

Cute AF, too. In Canada, it’s hard to find anybody who will make molds in those excellent colourful materials.

Thanks. I’m very happy with them. I love the purple glitter. I had to pay for these ear molds as I’ve given up trying to get free ear molds from the NHS (free healthcare in England).

I’m originally from Surrey England and had always used the NHS Audi’s. I completely understand what you mean by the fit, I didn’t know any better till I moved abroad and purchased my first set of private molds. I was blown away the fit it was perfect no soreness it was almost like NHS molds were made deliberately far bigger to force the mold to stay in, or a mold of the mold was made so the details were lost. I’ve never had long canal parts mine have always been sort of short I just assumed It was because I have small ears ( my molds have always been small)

Have to say I LOVE the glitter look of them I’ve never been brave enough to go for bold colours always stuck with the boring flesh or soft pink. If I could choose or had the boldness of some users I’d go for glitter in teal or kingfisher green (my fav colour)

@Zebras said:

I’ve just got new ear molds and the canal length is so much longer.

When I received them, I thought the canal length was way too long but I’ve been wearing them for a few days now and the sound is so much better with my new molds then with my old molds.

They also don’t hurt me at all despite being hard ear molds.

Anyone know why?

I expect one of the learned Audiogists to jump in here to provide the answer.

In the meantime, my experience suggests that the longer mould both reduces the cubic volume of the canal that needs to be filled with sound and also places the source of the sound closer to your eardrum (as seb suggested above).

Perhaps we can visualize the process by considering the size and power of a speaker to fill a closet against the size and power required to fill a theatre with sound.

I have large sized ear canals that need my amplification to be increased via the REM fitting method.

I also have found that the hard acrylic moulds to be far more comfortable to wear and less irritating to my canals than the soft type.

Hope that helps.

@member45 said:

In the meantime, my experience suggests that the longer mould both reduces the cubic volume of the canal that needs to be filled with sound and also places the source of the sound closer to your eardrum (as seb suggested above).

Perhaps we can visualize the process by considering the size and power of a speaker to fill a closet against the size and power required to fill a theatre with sound.

Exactly this, good description of residual canal volume and the effects of changes of it with respect to aided response levels.

Moulds (even hard acrylic) should be comfortable, it’s just a sign of good fit.

When you change the depth of the molds, should they do an REM measurement again?