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Listening at home⏱️ Estimated reading time: 12 min
On this page: Overview
Key Takeaways
Ear impressions for custom IEMs are the one part of a custom order you arrange yourself. Everything else, from the 3D model of your ear to the finished shell, happens at the maker’s end. Get the appointment right and the rest is mostly waiting.
At Bollsen, we are a family-owned company from Ljubljana and the official UK and EU partner of Unique Melody, and six of the Unique Melody models we sell come in custom fit. If you are still deciding between the two fits, universal vs custom IEMs covers that choice, and what are in-ear monitors covers the basics. This guide starts where those stop: you want custom, so where do you go in the UK, and what do you ask for?
One point comes up again and again on musicians’ forums. Book someone who has taken impressions for in-ear monitors before, because a mould for a hearing aid is not always taken the same way. We will come back to how to ask for that on the phone.
What are ear impressions for custom IEMs?
Ear impressions are soft moulds of your ear canal and outer ear, taken by a hearing specialist, and a 3D ear scan captures the same shape as a digital file. A custom IEM shell is built from one or the other, which is why the appointment decides how well your monitors will fit.
For our custom-fit Unique Melody IEMs, we accept both. Unique Melody digitises every impression in 3D, prints the shells, then hand-assembles and tunes each pair. The basic procedure is the one audiologists use for hearing-aid moulds and custom-moulded earplugs, so any clinic that takes impressions will know the basics.
Step 1: Which IEMs can you order in custom fit?
Six Unique Melody models come in custom fit, and each costs exactly £300 more than its universal version. You can see them side by side on our Unique Melody in-ear monitors (UK) page, where the Custom Fit option sits next to the universal one for each model.
The MEXT is £1,289 in custom fit, the MEST MKII £1,649 and the MEST Jet Black £2,099. Above them sit MEST Fortune (£2,729), The Multiverse Mentor (£4,349) and Mason FS (£7,949). Prices include UK VAT, and the rest of the range is universal fit only.
Order before you book the appointment. Once you choose Custom Fit and order, we email you our ear-impression guide, and that guide tells the clinic what we need. Booking first and ordering later just means a second phone call.
Step 2: Where can you get ear impressions in the UK?
In the UK, independent audiologists and hearing centres take ear impressions and 3D ear scans in a short appointment. The quickest way to find one is the “Find where to get your ears measured” finder on each Custom Fit product page: type a postcode or town and it shows the nearest of 1,615 locations in Great Britain.
The finder uses open map data, and the clinics are independent of BOLLSEN, so confirm by phone that they take impressions for in-ear monitors. The professional body BSHAA runs its own Find an Audiologist search, and its speciality filters include “In-Ear Monitors (Musicians)” and “Ear Wax Removal – Micro-Suction”. That is a useful second check.
London clinics such as Harley Street Hearing take in-ear monitor impressions and send them to the maker you choose. For our IEMs you send them to us instead, following the guide email, so tell the clinic that when you book.
Working musicians often ask about the charity route. Help Musicians runs a Musicians Hearing Health Scheme for eligible musicians, but it covers a hearing assessment and custom earplugs, not moulds for monitors. At the time of writing, the scheme is paused.
Step 3: Should you choose ear impressions or a 3D ear scan?
Choose whichever your nearest good clinic offers, because we accept both ear impressions and a 3D ear scan for custom-fit Unique Melody IEMs. Most audiologists and hearing centres take impressions. A scan avoids posting physical moulds, but not every clinic has a scanner, so ask first.
| Ear impressions | 3D ear scan | |
|---|---|---|
| What you get | Two soft physical moulds, one per ear | A digital file of each ear |
| Where | Most audiologists and hearing centres | Only clinics with a scanner |
| What to ask when you call | “Ear impressions for custom in-ear monitors” | “Do you offer 3D ear scanning for custom in-ear monitors?” |
| How it reaches us | Sent to us as our guide email explains | Scan file sent to us as our guide email explains |
| Cost | Usually charged separately by the clinic | Usually charged separately by the clinic |
Either way, Unique Melody ends up working from a 3D model of your ear. We accept either, so the choice comes down to convenience and what your nearest clinic offers.
Step 4: What should you ask when you book the appointment?
When you call, ask for “ear impressions for custom in-ear monitors”, or, if you want a scan, ask “Do you offer 3D ear scanning for custom in-ear monitors?”. Those exact words tell the receptionist which appointment to book and help you find a clinic that does this regularly.
Then ask three practical questions. What does the appointment cost? Can they clear earwax at the same visit if your ears need it? And can they give you the impressions, or the scan file, to send to us as our guide email explains?
Bring the guide email on your phone or printed out, and tell the clinician the monitors are custom-fit Unique Melody IEMs. If your guide asks for anything specific, show them that part. We would rather the clinic follows our guide than a general habit.
Step 5: How should you prepare your ears for the appointment?
Your ear canals need to be clear of earwax on the day, and an NHS audiology leaflet advises seeing your GP at least two weeks before an impression appointment if you think you have too much wax or an ear infection. Otherwise the impression may not be taken.
The NHS page on earwax build-up says a pharmacist can help first, and warns against fingers or cotton buds. It also notes that not all GP surgeries remove earwax, so you may have to pay for removal privately. Some audiologists offer microsuction, which is one more reason to ask when you book.
See a pharmacist or your GP if your ears feel blocked, hurt or have any discharge before the appointment. Move the booking rather than go ahead with sore ears.
Step 6: What happens during the ear-impression appointment?
The clinician first looks into each ear with an otoscope, then places a soft foam stopper in the canal and fills the ear with a smooth paste. According to an NHS leaflet on taking an impression of your ear, the paste takes approximately five minutes to set, and the leaflet describes it as not uncomfortable.
That leaflet is written for hearing-aid moulds, swim moulds and filtered earplugs, not monitors, but the basic steps are the same. It puts its own hospital appointment at about 30 minutes. A 3D scan replaces the paste with a scanner and gives you a file instead of two moulds.
Forum threads about custom monitors often argue about how the impression should be taken. We do not ask you to referee that. The guide we email sets out what we need, so the specialist works from it and you do not have to.
Step 7: What happens after you send your impressions?
Once your impressions or scan file reach us, Unique Melody scans every impression in 3D, prints the shells, then hand-assembles and tunes your monitors, and they are delivered by DHL Express 3–4 weeks after we receive them. Send them as soon as you can after the appointment, because the clock starts when they arrive.
When your IEMs arrive, wear them for a few sessions before you judge the fit. If it is not right, we arrange a free refit. Custom fit is made to order, so there is no change-of-mind return, and both fits carry our 2-year BOLLSEN warranty, handled by our UK and EU team.
Not ready for custom? A universal-fit model with the right tip seals well for many people, and choosing IEM ear tips is the place to start. Universal fit arrives in 5–7 working days and can be returned within 14 days with the hygiene seal unbroken.
This guide is about monitors, not earplugs. If you want a moulded earplug rather than a monitor, our guides to custom-moulded earplugs and custom vs universal musician earplugs cover that decision.
Getting ear impressions for custom IEMs in the UK is simpler than it sounds. Order first, use the finder to pick a clinic that knows in-ear monitors, clear any wax in good time and hand the clinician our guide. After that, the next thing you do is open a DHL parcel.
His connection to hearing protection stems from personal experience with sound sensitivity during live events and work in noisy environments, an issue that made him more aware of the long-term risks of unmanaged noise exposure. Today, as both a communicator and a user of BOLLSEN products, he is passionate about raising awareness around the importance of proactive hearing care.
At BOLLSEN, he develops data-driven marketing campaigns, writes SEO-focused articles, and manages communication channels that connect customers with practical knowledge about hearing protection. His work ensures that BOLLSEN’s message—prioritizing health, performance, and sustainability reaches a global audience in an engaging and trustworthy way.
Passionate about writing since childhood, Timotej combines creativity with a strong analytical approach, continuously testing new ideas in digital marketing, performance advertising, and social media. He believes in learning through innovation and collaboration, balancing leadership with openness to new perspectives.
Beyond his professional role, Timotej is committed to a healthy lifestyle and finds inspiration in fitness, sports, and quality time with friends. His personal passion for well-being aligns with BOLLSEN’s core values, making his work not only a career but also a cause he deeply believes in.
