

Are you sure it’s not what other sounds are occurring around the words affecting the sound? How we pronounce t and s can vary quite a bit, even in the same word when it occurs differently, with different sounds right before it after or even different stress placed on the word based on the context.


I don’t know if this would solve your problem, but I would try getting a pair of replacement foam ear tips for your earbuds of choice. I always buy the Comply foam ear tips. They come in S/M/L sizes and they make them to fit most ear buds.
I don’t have extra small ear canals, I just prefer them.