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IEM Ear Tips: Replacement, Sizes and Why the Fit Matters More Than the Earphone

The cheapest upgrade in in-ear monitoring is a tip that seals. What fits the IE and SE ranges, silicone against foam, and how to size them properly.

~7 min read · Updated August 2026 · By the Stage Supply team

In this guide:Why fit matters · Tip types · What fits what · Sizing · Hire stock · Picks · FAQ

Ear tips are treated as an accessory and they are nothing of the sort. In in-ear monitoring, the seal between the tip and the ear canal is what creates the isolation, and the isolation is what lets the performer hear a quiet mix on a loud stage.

A leaking tip loses the bass first, which makes the performer ask for more level, which defeats the point of using in-ears at all. A set of tips costs a fraction of the earphones and changes the result more than moving up a model.

Why the seal decides everything

An in-ear earphone works by sealing the canal. With a good seal you get isolation of roughly 20 to 25 dB, meaning stage volume drops by that much before the mix even starts. Bass response depends entirely on that seal, because low frequencies escape through any gap.

The symptoms of a bad seal are consistent: thin, bass-light sound, having to turn up, and one ear noticeably louder than the other. If a musician says the in-ears sound weak, check the tips before touching the mix.

Silicone, foam and moulded

TypeIsolationComfort over a long showLifeBest for
SiliconeGoodFirm, some find it fatiguingMonths, washableMost people, most gigs
Memory foamBestSoftest, expands to the canalWeeks to a couple of monthsLoud stages, anyone struggling to seal
Double or triple flangeGood, if the size is rightDivisiveMonthsAwkward canal shapes
Custom mouldedBest, and consistentBestYearsFull-time professional use

Foam is the cheap route to better isolation. It compresses, goes in, then expands to the shape of the canal, so it seals where silicone leaves gaps. The trade is that foam is consumable and needs replacing regularly, especially in a hire stock.

Which tips fit which earphones

Sennheiser’s IE professional range shares one tip fitting across the family, so a single tip type covers several models.

  • Sennheiser IE 40 PRO, IE 100 PRO, IE 400 PRO and IE 500 PRO all take the same tips, in silicone and in memory foam, in small, medium and large.
  • Sennheiser IE4, supplied with EW IEM G4 sets, is the older, simpler earphone and takes its own tips.
  • Shure SE range earphones, including the SE215 supplied with many PSM 300 sets, take Shure’s own sleeve fittings, available in silicone and foam.

The fitting is a physical nozzle size, so tips do not cross between Sennheiser and Shure. Buy for the earphone, not for the wireless system.

The single biggest IEM upgrade

Stepping from the bundled earphone to a proper one, with tips that genuinely seal, changes an in-ear system more than any transmitter feature. The full comparison of the systems themselves is in our in-ear monitor systems guide.

Sizing them properly

Most people wear tips that are too small, because a too-small tip goes in easily and feels comfortable.

  • Start with the medium in both ears, then try the large. The correct size is the largest that is comfortable.
  • Left and right ears are frequently different sizes. Mixing sizes across the two ears is normal, not a fault.
  • Insert with a slight twist, pulling the top of the ear up and back to straighten the canal.
  • With foam, roll it thin between your fingers, insert, then hold it in place for a few seconds while it expands.
  • Test by talking. With a proper seal your own voice sounds boomy and internal, and the room drops away noticeably.

Hygiene and hire stock

Tips are the part of an in-ear system that goes inside somebody’s body, which makes them a consumables line rather than an asset.

  • Replace foam tips between users. Do not attempt to clean and reissue them.
  • Silicone can be washed in warm soapy water, dried fully, and reused by the same wearer.
  • Issue new tips with every hire, and price them into the hire.
  • Keep small, medium and large in the case. The one you do not have is the size the singer needs.

Frequently asked questions

What tips fit the Sennheiser IE 100 PRO?

The same tips as the IE 40 PRO, IE 400 PRO and IE 500 PRO. Sennheiser sells silicone and memory foam sets in small, medium and large, and any of them fit the whole IE professional family.

Are foam tips better than silicone?

For isolation, yes, noticeably. For durability and cost, no. Many people use foam for shows and silicone for rehearsal, which is a reasonable compromise.

Why do my in-ears have no bass?

Almost always a poor seal. Try a larger tip, or foam, before assuming the earphone or the mix is at fault. Bass is the first thing lost when the seal leaks.

Can I use any in-ear headphones with a wireless pack?

Physically yes, if the connector matches, but consumer earphones isolate poorly and are voiced for listening rather than monitoring. On a loud stage that means turning up, which is the thing in-ears exist to avoid.

Do custom moulds need different tips?

No. A custom mould is the tip, made from an impression of the wearer’s ear. That is why it seals consistently and why it lasts for years.