Stethoscopes are inevitable in the medical field. Almost all medical professionals use this device for auscultating sounds made by the heart, lungs, intestines, and the blood flows in veins and arteries.
There are two prominent manufacturers of stethoscopes in the world. They are 3M-Littmann and American Diagnostic Corporation (ADC).
Professionals around the world predominantly use stethoscopes from these two giants. But if you are beginning to study or practice medicine, you might be confused with the choice of stethoscopes.
Both companies produce excellent devices and it will be hard to choose the right one for you. Therefore, we have listed the differences and prominent features between the stethoscopes of these companies so that you can get a more suitable device that serves the purpose properly.
Littmann vs ADC
| Littmann | ADC | |
| History | Found in the year 1960 and was acquired by 3M in 1967 | Found in the year 1984 and started to manufacture premium stethoscopes known as Adscope in the year 1994 |
| Types | Available Types Cardiology StethoscopesClassic StethoscopesLightweight StethoscopesDigital Stethoscopes | Available Types Electronic StethoscopesCardiology StethoscopesClinician StethoscopesSprague StethoscopesGeneral Exam StethoscopesPediatric StethoscopesTeaching StethoscopesDisposable Stethoscopes |
| Special Features | Tunable DiaphragmsHigh Acoustic SensitivityAdjustable HeadpieceBetter tubingHigh quality Chest Pieces | Highly DurableUltra-LightweightConvertible ChestpiecesBilumen DesignValue for MoneyWarranty |
Why choose Littmann?
Littmann is quite popular among medics due to its acoustics. The stethoscope is highly sensitive and can provide better auscultation.
Many practitioners reviewed that they could hear the internal sounds clearer and it was sophisticated to use Littmann stethoscopes.
Another widespread comment was that the tubing is nice. Nice in the sense, it was very comfortable to wear around the neck and it didn’t stick to the hair or skin.
The high-quality material of the tubing makes it comfortable to hang around and use without any hindrance.
The length of the tubing is also an advantage with Littmann. Although it may vary according to the model, you may find most of the scopes to be long enough.
As for the weight of the scope, almost all models are manufactured with balanced weight and you get a separate lightweight model too.
When the stethoscope is hung around the neck, it doesn’t drag one side since the parts are balanced properly.
Their digital models are also very good and their collaboration with Eko has produced a sophisticated stethoscope with noise cancellation. You can also connect your smartphone to it and listen to the sounds through it.
Cons of Littmann
- The price is higher than ADC
- Only limited models are available
- Out of the box, accessories are very minimal
- No free spare parts
Why choose ADC?
ADC is known for its affordable price and its huge collection of scopes for every use case in the medical field.
You get several types of stethoscopes in ADC right from Cardiology to Teaching which helps every medical professional to auscultate perfectly.
The next best thing about ADC is its warranty support. You get a lifetime warranty for certain models and this helps medics comfortably use the device without any worries.
Also, you get all the necessary accessories right out of the box and you can get free replacements of parts in certain models.
You can get many stethoscope models in an affordable price range compared to Littmann. Those who want a cheap and better option can blindly choose ADC stethoscopes.
There is an ultra-lightweight model which is useful for medics who work around the clock. Generally, the weight is well-balanced in most models.
You get soft ear tips in various sizes along with other accessories in most models. This helps you to get a perfect fit with the scope and do your diagnosis without any discomfort.
Cons of ADC
- It can be confusing to choose the best one due to the lot of options
- The tubing material can attract hair and skin which is slightly annoying
- The length of the tubing may not be optimal for all
Conclusion
As a medic, you will be spending the rest of your lifetime with the stethoscope and it is important to choose the best one. To be honest, the choice of stethoscope lies in the comfort of the user. There is nothing big to complain about in both Littmann and ADC. But whichever feels good for everyday usage is what makes one better than the other.
There are a lot of improvisations in the technology to make the auscultation effective and efficient. Both companies have researched and optimized the device to become better. Still, we have given you some differences and it is up to you to choose one now.