The Littmann brand was established over 46 years ago. Though all the years, 3M has built stethoscopes that set the quality standards for others in the market. Physicians all over the world, from EMT medics to experienced doctors, nurses and even to vets love and support this brand. Medical students have not been left behind as the Littman has the best stethoscopes for students and other beginners in medical field.
The Littmann Master Classic II stethoscope has kept to the standards of this highly revered brand. Clinicians, especially those that practice general healthcare, trust this scope.
With a high star rating at Amazon, this model is not only loved for the tunable diaphragm but also it’s great acoustic capability. The stethoscope has risen to top the chart of the best selling steths and highly praised and endorsed by doctors and nurses.
Using the Littmann Master Classic II stethoscope makes clinicians confident when providing diagnosis. The accuracy of body sound when listening through this scope is high. Here is a round-up of its other features:
Features of 3M Littmann Master Classic II Stethoscope
- Ergonomic Design
The ergonomic design of this stethoscope greatly improves the sound sensitivity. This provides an insanely accurate listen. The design is also comfortable to handle.
The stethoscope is portable thanks to the one-sided chestpiece. This makes it ideal for medics who are always on the road. Some students buy the stethoscope for learning although it is designed for practicing doctors.
- Noise Reduction Technology
This is among the features of this stethoscope. The snap-tight ear tips are sealed in such a way that ambient noise is totally blocked when you’re doing body sound examination. EMT doctors love this technology as it ensures you hear crisp, clear sounds. Taking blood pressure and hearing heart murmurs is no hustle with tool at hand.
- Perfect-snap Ear Tips
The perfect soft seal of the ear tips ensures that noise is blocked out and enable your comfort while listening. The tips are made to conform to your ear globes. Adjusting them is easy as you only need to squeeze them together. The firm grip on your ear tubes ensures they don’t keep falling off. Even better, the pack comes with three pairs of ear tips. The firm seal is the most preferred, followed by the rubber tips and sealing gel ones.
- Tunable Diaphragm
This patented 3M technology incorporates the effects of the bell in the diaphragm. This is highly convenient as you won’t need to turn over the chestpiece to focus on low frequency sounds. Even better, a general physician can take advantage of this technology to examine children as faint as their hearts may be. All you have to do is apply a little more pressure when you want to concentrate on low frequency sound.
- Non-chill rim
This feature ensures your patient is comfortable during examination. The rims of the chest piece, though made of metal, easily adjust to the body temperature. The patient will hardly feel the discomfort usually associated with the chest piece placed on the bare skin.
- Versatile tubing
This feature is prominent among all stethoscopes. The tubing is made to lessen strain on the tubes, no matter what folds or force is applied on them. The tubing can also resist abrasion by alcohol or other skin oils.
- Latex-free Tubing
The Littmann Master Classic II is ideal for latex sensitive users. The tubing is made of latex-free natural rubber. No skin redness or allergies caused by phthalate plasticizers should also be expected.
- Tube Length
The tube of the Littmann Master Classic II model is 27 inches long. This makes the stethoscope excellent for use by all body physiques. The stethoscope will also not unexpectedly fall while you use it.
- Convenient Weight
At 5.7 ounces, this medical stethoscope is not as heavy as other higher priced scopes. However, it is not as light as most other lowly priced scopes. The right weight for a stethoscope will depend on your individual preference and other conditions.
- Warranty
A warranty of 3 years is given on purchase of this item. Although there are not many complaints demanding for warranty cover, some customers complained of the tube. The most occurring mishap of the tubing is stickiness. The tube may also get stains after over five years of use. We therefore advise you to buy steth cover in case you will need it for your tube.
Advantages of 3M Littmann Master Classic II Stethoscope
- The extraordinary sound sensitivity is one of the benefits of this steth. You can hear heart beats/rhythms, blood pressure pulses, and other body sounds more clearly with the stethoscope.
- The variety of sizes and color that it comes in makes it easy to find model that’s just right for you.
- Unlike most cheap stethoscopes, this one is made in USA. You can be confident of its quality.
- The manufacturer, 3M, is a leading brand for medical scopes. It’s trusted by doctors worldwide and offers value for money.
- The tunable diaphragm is a time saver. Unlike traditional dual-sided chest piece with a bell, you don’t have to waste time turning over this one. All you need to do for low-frequency listening is to apply more pressure on the chest piece.
- It has a favorable weight and hence is portable. You can carry it along whenever you step in to work.
- The soft sealing tips block out surrounding noise. You will not experience any form of noise disturbance while working with this stethoscope.
Disadvantages of the Littmann Master Classic II Stethoscope
Like other stethoscopes, the Littmann Master Classic II has some downsides. These include:
- Unreliable tubing
You may be disappointed with the tubing on this model. Although made of easy-flex, latex-free rubber, it gets a little sticky on initial contact. Also, after more than five years of use, the tubing gets stiff and breakable.
- Cost limitation.
This model is not as affordable as most others in the market. At Amazon, it goes for
Frequently Asked Questions
- Are there different colors and styles to choose from?
Yes, you can choose from two chest-piece styles; Plated polished alloy and black. You can also choose from pine green, hunter green, Caribbean blue, navy blue, ceil blue, burgundy, purple or black colors.
- How do I clean the back edition?
To clean your Littmann Master Classic II Black Edition wipe with an alcohol pad. This will ensure that all oil stains are removed.
- How does this model different from other 3M Littman brand stethoscopes?
Most people are confused about the difference between the Classic II SE and the Master Classic II. The only difference between these two is that the Master Classic two has updated features because it’s an upgraded model. The major updates being the ergonomic designs and the acoustic.
- Which one should I get between the Littmann Master Classic II and the Cardiology III?
Both of these good quality models. The Littmann cardiology III scope provides excellent quality acoustics and has a two sided diaphragm chest piece. But you will have to part with extra cash for these. You could settle for the Littmann master classic II which has a competitive quality to the Cardiology III.
Littmann Master Classic II Reviews
This Littmann Master Classic II is highly rated on Amazon. One of the customers recommended it for the tight seal tips. He said the stethoscope fitted perfectly in his ear lobes and were quite comfortable. He said he has used this model for a long time and can’t complain of its durability and ability to deliver after long use.
Another customer praised the stethoscope for the excellent acoustics. He said he did not have any stress of turning over the chest piece to hear low frequency sounds while using it in college. The stethoscope made his clinical clerkship a walk over.
Conclusion
If you need a light scope either because you have a problem with your neck or fear injuries, this might not be a great option. However, if weight is not such a ‘weighty’ consideration, go for the Littmann Master Classic II stethoscope because it’s also quite portable. Besides, with all the other great features, this is the real money saver deal!
