Looking for recommendations for good ear protection during concerts. I want ear buds that don’t just muffle all the sound but limit higher unsafe frequencies while allowing you to still enjoy the music. I did a search and came up with a bunch of different kinds and varying reviews on amazon, I also asked my friend who is in the live audio business and he said I needed custom molded IEMs but that seemed a little over kill for me, even if it’s the best way.
This Site shows the common ones I’ve seen.
Thanks!
EDIT: thanks everyone for the reaponses, I will go through and look at each of the recommended solutioms works best for me.
I use EARPEACE ear plugs when riding my motorcycles but also use them at concerts. They have ones for moto, music, sport, and sleep but I just use my moto ones for everything. Haven’t tried any of the other varieties to see how they compare in the real world.
I enjoy them because they cut down on the shitty frequencies that’ll damage your hearing but still allow you to hear things clearly. Also pretty nice that you get 3 ear plugs per order in case you lose one. It also comes with an aluminum carrying case for them so you can throw it in your pocket or bag and not have them get damaged or covered with pocket fuzz.
They’re pretty damned inexpensive too for what they are.
For reference, I have used equipment to tune home theaters to flat frequency responses, and designed speaker crossovers. Spreadsheets are fun, and sound is math.
Like the other commenter recoed: Loops https://www.loopearplugs.com/.
The loop is tuned for specific frequencies, and it actually works. My partner also uses them on job sites, and the soft ones are great for sleeping. I typically use the ones for loud places that help you hear voices.
Regardless of where you live, you can buy them in your currency on Amazon if you can’t find a direct purchase: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=loop+earplugs&crid=2GUCLFWL47XJA&sprefix=loop%2Caps%2C164&ref=nb_sb_ss_ts-doa-p_2_4
I have loved by Loops for concerts. They keep all of the music but remove all of the screaming. I used them when I watched Taylor Swift which was all screams and loved it
I hated loop earplugs - they just did not work for me. These did and we’re significantly cheaper: https://a.co/d/02gC45R.
They were great at volume lowering while still letting the vocals/mids through, and critically they were comfortable for the entire concert.
I got an error with the link you sent
Oops, try this - the brand name is Mumba and the ASIN is B07GYXJZRY. Search for the ASIN on Amazon and it should pop up. They’re ear buds with a metal carrying case for currently $14.36 USD.
Found it, thanks!
I own a pair of Etymotic ER20XS ear plugs and I like them. I haven’t had the chance yet to try them out at a concert, but I have worn them on other occassions. I think they’re reasonably comfortable and the sound quality is still good while wearing them.
I’ve been using these for years for concerts, gym classes and always take spares to festivals to give to friends. They are designed for an even 20db cut when listening to music. They have the same fit as the cheaper ER20 but the xs have clearer top end.
I use them 3x a week and have a few pairs. They don’t last forever as the baffles get softer over time. At $40 they last me a year which is pretty good value.
Etymotic makes exactly what you’re looking for.
That said, there is no such thing as hearing protection that doesn’t muffle high frequencies at least somewhat. But what you can do instead is buy earbuds with ANC + audio pass through and foam tips. But keep in mind that the audio will be colored by the frequency response of the headphones, making live audio sound more like a recording. You’ll still get the benefits of the live experience, however, because you’ll still be able to feel the bass.
Keep in mind that these kind of earbuds are basically hearing aids, however. So they won’t be cheap. They’re known as “hearables” and “OTC hearing aids”. And not all of them form a seal around your ear, which means that not all of them are suitable for hearing protection. Which why you’ll need to do your homework and find some that have foam tips. Also be prepared to spend hundreds, possibly thousands.
Or you can just deal with a little bit of muffled audio and buy the Etymotic earplugs. That’s what I would do.
I have the Earasers with their case and keep it on my keychain. Super happy with them. Use them as drummer for all the rehearsals I do without my IEMS or any loud concerts I go to. Super comfortable and I can still talk to people fine with them in since they don’t muffle the sound too much.
Just got a pair of eargasms too but haven’t put them through their paces yet, but they’re a different style of earplug that’s more substantial but might have slightly better sound. They’re also a little cheaper usually and they come with a case.
If you get the Earasers case make sure to sinch it tight when closing otherwise it has a habit of unscrewing in your pocket.
The eargasms look good also, ill compare them to the earasers and see which ones fit my needs best.
You want shooting ear buds. They actually amplify quiet sounds, pass normal sounds through, and muffle sounds above the threshold. But they won’t really work as you want, because the entire concert is above the safe threshold. That means they’ll effectively just be ear plugs during the whole show, so you might as well just get ear plugs for 50¢.
I would lean towards the 3M stuff… I mean folks are saying 3M plugs muffle things, but look at the decibel reduction rating. The loops linked in your article are 7 decibels vs 34 decibels from the real ear plugs.
Maybe 7 is enough… But I’d say the reason 34 decibel reduction is considered muffling is because it’s a real significant reduction vs a minor reduction. Maybe you only need a minor reduction though 🤷♂️.
I prefer a 20db cut that’s flat across frequencys. Most audio engineer plugs like the etymotic range aim for that midpoint.
If I’m chainsawing, it’s big muffling 30db cut earmuffs.
Live audio guy here, and I can say that custom-moulded plugs truly are tremendously above anything you can get in a universal fit. I got mine done for about $100 USD and they are super comfortable. If you are able to save up for it, I cannot recommend enough that you get custom ear plugs.
I also own a pair of Etymotic ER20XS universal fit ear plugs and they really irritate my ears. It hurts to wear them for a long period of time, whilst the custom plugs I can wear for hours at a time. Your mileage may vary, depending on the size and shape of your ear canal, but for me, universal fit ear plugs are just really painful. Whenever I forget my customs, I just go with foam ear plugs because I just can’t stand the Etymotics.
None of that is to mention how much more balanced the sound is with custom ear plugs, I find that universal ones just don’t sound as good.
I’m back! I got a few pairs of universal plugs, Loop Switch 2, Westone TRU Music and Westone TRU Travel, and I also have a pair of Etymotic ER20XS I’ve had for a long while. The Loop can attenuate at various levels, including 20 dB, 23 dB, and 26 dB. The TRU Music attenuate at 10 dB and the TRU Travel attenuate at 7 dB. The Etymotic attenuate at 13 dB.
The Loop Switch 2 are pretty versatile, but also kinda strange. Unlike the other plugs, they are single-flange. This makes getting a good seal not as easy, and even when they do seal, they might not stay sealed as well. Single-flange does make them much more comfortable than other offerings, they wear exactly like standard in-ear monitors. They’re also much more “fashionable” depending on what you subjectively consider to be fashionable. When you wear the Loop, people know you’re wearing them because they announce their presence with a unique shape. The three switchable modes are great! The 23 dB “Experience” mode seems ideal for concerts, with the most balanced quality compared to the 20 dB “Engage” mode and the 26 dB “Quiet” mode. The Engage mode would be adequate for everyday use if you’re getting around a city and wanted enough spatial awareness whilst also making things more comfortably quiet. The Quiet mode dampens the upper end by a lot, and sound quality is terrible when using them. Quiet mode would be ideal for sleep or focus.
The Westone TRU plugs are triple-flange tips with slightly different acoustic filters. They are both pretty great, and they both come with two sizes of silicone plugs in the box, but only one pair of acoustic filters (you can remove the filter and put it in the size of your choice). Not as comfortable as the Loops, but I’m also more confident in their seal and they are also much more discreet. You could wear these plugs without people knowing you have ear plugs in. The 7 dB Travel are great as “everyday” plugs, with enough attenuation that you can hear everything around you well enough, but attenuated enough to make louder sounds more comfortable and take the edge off. I would not wear these at concerts though, unless you’re going to a small concert that won’t be very loud. The Travel plugs would be fantastic for use in a busy office though. As for the 10 dB Music plugs, they sound very natural and would be pretty good for use at concerts, but that’s assuming the concert isn’t going to be playing too loud for too long.
The Etymotic ER20XS… I hate these things. These are the ear plugs that made me think all universal ear plugs must suck. Before I had my custom-moulded plugs I had these, and even though I had these I would always opt for foam plugs. I won’t even try to talk about the sound quality, I cannot wear them long enough to enjoy music because I’m too distracted by the pain in my ears to enjoy a concert.
Here’s what I’ve learned: universal ear plugs can actually be pretty comfy! The ER20XS are just horribly stiff and my ears hate them.
That’s what my friend said also, but he also said that I have to make an appointment with an audiologist to get them properly fit and that seems like it would be really expensive. Ive seen custom molds that you do at home. Are those suitable?
And another thing that I forgot to mention is that I’m not a huge concert goer. I maybe see 1 per year.
Depending on where you go to have it done, it likely can increase the price you pay to have them done. If you’re crafty enough with an at-home mould you could likely pull it off, but I know very little about those, do they come with an acoustic filter? Depending on how the DIY customs turn out, they might not sound as good as a universal fit. Edit: looking online, Decibullz DIY custom ear plugs look the most promising. Their “High Fidelity” model appears on Amazon and comes with three different acoustic filters, attenuating at 14, 17, and 19 dB from lowest to highest. If I was gonna try an at-home custom, these are the ones I would go for.
I was fortunate enough to have gotten my customs when I was part of a live production group in college where we had it in our budget to get executive board members custom-made ear plugs. We had an audiology center right on campus with a doctor that could take the mould and send it to the company that would make the plugs, at no extra cost to the student.
I’m actually looking into some universal plugs right now because I might have written off universal plugs entirely due to the Etymotic’s triple-flange shape being such deep insertion. This weekend I’m expecting a few pairs of universal fits to come in the mail, I’ll follow up with how they work out soon! :)
If you are in the EU,
These things are pretty awesome. They have the switch which allows you to change the DB drop depending on what you are using them for (or how loud the specifically concert is)
My girlfriend has some noise sensitivity and they help her a lot just to put them on the lowest dB drop setting or the middle in a busy environment.
Why EU only? These bad boys are on amazon.
A colleague of mine got tinnitus after a concert when he was a teen, and its been a life long torture. He is now 37 and the ringing never stops, ever.
It’s affecting his entire life. He has to wear noise protection when out in public, to prevent any loud noises, which makes him not hear what people are saying. Dating is hard, girls thinks he is not listening when he can’t hear them. People stop having conversations with him. It’s quite hard emotionally.
Be very careful to even risk this.
Earasers for me. They have a selective band pass to let vocal frequencies through. Airplanes, concerts, monster truck shows you name it, I’ve used mine and can practically have a normal conversation.
+1 for earasers. They’re very efficient and comfortable , and I wear them for 12 hours a day for 4 days straight during Hellfest each year.
While I was playing in a band, I was using some earplugs like these: Alpine MusicSafe Pro - Clear / Thomann.de. I was wearing them for every band practice and shows. It wasn’t the exact same ones though. I can say I still have a good hearing today, I can still hear the high pitch noise from some power supply and I don’t have any permanent ringing in my ears. So, they did a good enough job for me, standing next to a angry drummer and maxed-out guitar amplifier twice a week for 4 years :)
I worn these to a gig for the first time recently - excellent.
I second this, I’ve been using the Alpine MusicSafe plugs (older version than the ones mentioned above) for more than 10 years now. Comfy to wear even for a whole festival day.
Yep. They also have a range of amateur plugs (sounds kinkier then meant), like the SeepDeep or Partyplugs. They are generally pretty great.
I just use regular disposable plugs. Except I reuse them and wash them until they fall apart. I’ve bought whatever was sold in the venue on several occasions because I forgot mine at home.
In my experience they lower the volume but don’t “muffle” anything. What muffles sound is being exposed to extremely loud music for a couple of hours.
I’d be curious if the expensive ones offer anything more than increased comfort. There is a lot of audiophile stuff out there that is bullshit.
What? They absolutely massacre the sound, lowers the volume and blocks out anything but the bass. They fit terribly too.
I have a pair of Alpine MusicSafe Pro which I got for $30 for a two day festival. They’re night and day compared to anything you can buy at the venue or at a pharmacy. They lower the volume without muffling anything, and allows you to pick how aggressively they should block the sound.
If I want to let more sound in, I tug on the plug a little.
I use the Sennheiser Sound Protex Plus and am satisfied.
