High Fidelity Earplugs

After blowing out my ears one too many times at concerts and clubs, I decided there had to be a way to protect my hearing without ruining the listening experience and (perhaps more importantly) not looking stupid.

Foam earplugs are cumbersome and block the sound at all levels, ruining the highs and lows.

There is the concept of "high-fidelity" earplugs which are designed to reduce noise (not block it), while delivering the full spectrum of sound.

I've tried two:

1. Etymotic ER20 http://www.etymotic.com/hp/er20.html


2. EarPeace http://earpeace.com/

Etymotic ER20:
These come in two sizes: Standard (white) and Baby Blues (smaller, blue color). I purchased the Blues and used them a few times. They have rubber ear tip and a plastic shaft which stick out of your ear when worn. At first they were a bit uncomfortable, but after my ears adjusted I forgot they were there.

The sound quality is surprisingly good. They let in a good amount if mid's and high's which make the music sound clear. Depending on how deep you push the plugs into your ear, you can (sort of) control the amount of noise reduction



EarPeace:
These plugs are made of soft silicone which feel really comfortable in the ear. They come in three colors (pictured) so you can choose the one which best fits your skin tone. I suppose this is to camouflage the plug from your friends.

The sound reducing level is stronger than the ER20's. They block a lot more of the mid's and high's so they give a bit of a muffled sound.

They are almost impossible to see when worn, but because they block a significant amount of sound they should only be worn at the loudest of concerts/shows.



After trying both, I think I like the ER20's a bit more. They do stick out of your ear more, but the clarity of the sound and right amount of reduction make them a winner.