Your earbuds are worthless if they keep falling out.
In my years of testing headphones and audio gear, I’ve never found a pair of earbuds that didn’t feel like they were going to slip out at an inconvenient moment, particularly when I’m exercising or running for a train/bus. Even ones that were designed for sports.
UE FITS promised that issue would end. Hailing from Ultimate Ears, UE FITS uses a patented lightform technology that promises to shape their earbuds to the natural contours of your ears — and do it within 60 seconds. And all of this was DIY — no audiologist needed.
I got a pair of UE FITS earlier this spring. I downloaded the UE FITS app, paired the earbuds, placed the earbuds in my ear canals, filled out a short quiz (“how’s the bass?”) on the app, then began the 60-second “molding process” to shape the gel-filled ‘buds (I was supposed to gently hold the earbuds in place during the process, but I somehow missed that direction — it turned out fine).
Spoiler alert: The fit was perfect. But earbuds also require great sound, intuitive controls, a useful app and charging power. For the most part, the UE Fits overcame some surprisingly modest user reviews (a 3.8/5 from Amazon customers) and exceeded expectations.
The specs:
- Bluetooth 5.0
- Eight hours of listening time between charges and 20 hours with the case. A ten-minute charge offers an hour of listening.
- Comes with a USB-C charging case, ear trips, USB-C cable and a quick start guide
- Dual microphones
- Premium single dynamic 10mm drivers
What works:
- Thankfully, the fit. After the one-minute molding, I had earbuds that hit that sweet spot of comfort and snugness. Over two weeks of use at home, in the gym and commuting I never had to make a single adjustment or worry about them falling out.
- As well, I purposely didn’t plug in the case after the initial power-up, and my earbuds stayed at 100% for the two-week trial period.
- For someone who hates touch controls, I found the UE Fits responded exactly as they were supposed to and with minimal “accidental” pauses (perhaps because I rarely needed to touch the earbuds, given their perfect fit). You can also customize the touch controls in the app.
What kind of works:
- The case is light but also feels and looks like cheap plastic. That said, it survived an accidental drop on pavement without cracks.
- Given the snug positioning in your ear, the UE Fits probably don’t need active noise cancellation. This is why the ‘buds instead offer “passive noise isolation” — in quiet or modest everyday conditions, you’ll be able to hear the outside world just enough to, say, not get run over by a car. It can drown out most noise and conversation, but it did fail when it came to silencing an approaching subway.
- The UE FITS app has six audio presets. Surprisingly, their “UE Signature” felt rather quiet and distant. I found myself pretty much sticking with “Hi / Lo Boost” for music and “Spoken Word” for podcasts, at least when there was any surrounding noise (in quiet rooms, the other audio presets do offer a nice range of options; these aren’t the best sounding earbuds in the world but the sound is bright and clear). You can also create a custom sound profile, if desired.
- If for some reason your earbuds don’t fit right, you can get new tips sent to you for free if you request within a 30-day trial window.
What needs work:
- I have no idea how well these earbuds will hold up during exercise or in extreme weather — Amazon lists them as “water-resistant” but there’s no documentation on whether these are water- or sweat-proof. I used them during workouts with no problem; I hope that’s ok.
- The shape. This is a larger, almost T-shaped earbud that sticks pretty far out in your ear (even a bit outside of it). It may not bother you, but these are not aesthetically pleasing.
- Now that I’m used to wireless charging, it’s odd to go back to earbuds that don’t offer it. Ditto for noise cancellation.
Final thoughts:
Within two weeks the UE Fits had so comfortably, uh, fit into my life I forgot I was using these for a review. If these were the only earbuds I owned, I’d have few complaints, save for their lack of noise cancellation in the not-so-rare occasions when New York gets loud. The case and earbuds aren’t exactly pleasing to the eye, but the fit and sound are certainly a win for the user, particularly those people who have issues with getting their earbuds to stay in and stay comfortable.
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