Hey everyone, we are going to start reviewing earplugs again! If you have a spare moment, please take this 2 question survey about earplugs. It'll help us decide what tests to do and how best to convey the data. steve.questionpro.com/t/AawyEZ2oF9 - Steve
Hi! I would appreciate if you did some tests with techno, and if you could find the best earplugs that don't make the music sound muffled and keep it alive but also at a safe level
I have to say that the Eargasms sounded the most balanced, while the Etymotics drowned out the highs and the Loops were tinny with almost no bass. I think I'd rather deal with fit issues and have a fuller sound, so I'm leaning towards the Eargasms.
Nice summary, I agree. However, poor fit may mean little to no protection for your ears. This is honestly my biggest problem with Eargasm, I always want to use them but the larger removable filter causes them to work out of my ears. This really depends on ear canal size though so they may work for you. Let me know what you try! - Steve
I usually use small eartips when i get earplbuds for my ear. I liked the eargasm sound but they look big and I don't think I can get them in my ears without being very uncomfortable. Since you have used them do you think it will be a problem for smaller than average ears?
@gigglingchicken8444 The Eargasms come with 2 sizes of buds, so the smaller size will likely work for you. I've tried both and they're both comfortable for me, so I think I'm somewhere in the middle. I also believe that they have an even smaller version in general when you visit their site, but I would check for yourself to confirm.
I just have to say, for a niche topic (wish it got more attention though), the amount of effort that you've put into this is beyond amazing. I studied Binaural Audio and my Master's thesis is in Spatial Audio, so it was great to see my good friend KEMAR in the video (love the new hairdo, dude!). What pinna and eat canal models did you use?
Thanks for the kind words Alok and sounds like you had a fun thesis. Do you have a link to it? We used the standard adult pinna, VA tapered ear canals, and RA0045 ear simulators. Thanks for watching! - Steve
@@HearingTracker FYI, Alok may have responded if they had a link in it. But it was likely filtered out to spam, as RUclips does. In my experience, those allowed are the channel creator, most real name (non-pseudonym) accounts and some arbitrary pseudonym accounts.
@HearingTracker I can tell your viewers from my vast experience that industrial foam 33 db earplugs rank very high on the CHS scale for listening to music. I'll let you figure out what CHS stands for. 😂
@sweetreat30 Exactly! High fidelity earplugs are great. I keep them on my keychain, so I can't forget to bring them to a show. I wear them while driving with the windows down and music blasting.
A few days ago, I could finally try out my Loop Experience Pro. I listen to music a lot, own a few better IEMs (Mangird Tea, Timeless, S12) and i have to say the Loop is great. I've tested it at a metal concert (Bad Omens), and I'm pretty happy with it. The only issue which you can hear in the test samples is that the music is unbalanced, bass is much lower compared to the mids and the highs. This makes vocals way more prominent, which is a matter of taste. First I've i used it with the "Mute" (silicone ring), but that was too much reduction, so the music was really off. But the main issue is, it makes you feel weird, because you can feel the bass in your chest, but you only hear a fraction of it. Imo, using it without the "Mute" is the way. Although I listen to music at a low volume, i would be happy to have a Loop which let a bit more music through, just a couple of 1-3 dB-s.
Thank you so much for this comment! I'll be getting the LOOPS because I ALWAYS have a very hard time hearing vocals (Even If It's A Band I Know) whenever I see a rock show! Vocals are always way too drowned out by the guitar! 😂
Just having to comment on this cause Im specifically shopping for new earbuds to go to a Bad Omens show in Sep lol. I have the Vibes high fidelity buds and I feel like they just block out too much of the live experience
From the samples shown in the video i'd totally agree. I don't see why loop was first, when it sounded clearly so much less balanced than the other two. It was like listening to music through a cheap 5 watt bluetooth speaker or an old portable fm radio
Does it actually block out as much bass as the sample in the video showed? I usually am rail riding towards the front of rock shows and the bass can drown out next to everything when up close to the stage.
That is a good point! It is also worth noting that everyone's ears and music preferences are different. I tend to like the extra hi-end in Loop but others have noted disliking the "sharpness". - Steve
Took my Loops to a concert (My Chemical Romance) last year, and I definitely noticed both there and in this video that the highs are much louder than the lows and mids. Could be good in some scenerios, but for that particular circumstance I found it to be distracting. I actually really liked the sound coming from the Eargasms in this video, so I might have to pick up a pair now.
Thanks for your comment and cool concert! I love the sound quality of Eargasm hi-fi plugs but they do not stay in my ears due to the larger removable filter causing the plugs to pull-out. Everyone's ears are different so let me know if they work for you! - Steve
Hi first of all thanks for the extensive test and review! In the beginning of the video you mentioned that you tested the Earasers Plug as well, however when reading the full review on your website I can only find 8 of the 9 earplugs mentioned. The Earasers Earplugs are missing. I was really hoping to compare them to the Eargasms.
You need to put the unfiltered sound between each plug for uncolored reference. That being said, the Eargasm sounded the flattest even at the end. Try Earos, not to confused with Hearos. They’re the best I’ve personally tried.
Please also review the Earasers, which are the only ones you missed! This is a phenomenal review and so in-depth. We appreciate your time and hard work!!
Thank you so much for this! I'll be getting the LOOPS because I ALWAYS have a very hard time hearing VOCALS (Even If It's A Band I Know) whenever I see a rock show! Vocals are always way too drowned out by the guitar! 😂 Seems like the Loops help with that balance!
Thank you very much! We are actually stepping up our game and testing earplugs again. If you'd like to help, can you please answer this quick 2 question survey? It'll help us understand how you use earplugs and inform our testing and shared data. Thank you! steve.questionpro.com/t/AawyEZ2oF9 - Steve
I’m leaning toward choosing eargasm, but I’m terrified I choose the wrong size. Is there any way I can know I’m making the right choice when choosing the size?
I have been struggling a lot more with ear pain at concerts approaching 30 now so I appreciate having samples and information like this! I've been using headphones lately which offer decent protection but cause muffling,, and then if you don't wear them it's distorted because of how loud it is.
I second that. 👆 I ended up with tinnitus a year ago and it was pretty depressing and demoralizing for me after I found out that there's no cure. Once you have it, you have it for life so please do protect your hearing. I would recommend Eargasm plugs since they're somewhat discreet and they work pretty well at lowering the volume without killing the sound quality too much.
Fortunately, protecting our ears is relatively easy. A set of ~$40 earplugs can do the trick. I highly recommend you get your hearing tested too. This (1) gives you a baseline and (2) can indicate whether the earplugs you are using are working! The audiologist can even perform tests to see how well they block sound on your ears and correlate this to what sounds you are exposed to. - Steve
Agree WhosGods and vicbjr, I have tinnitus and minor hearing injury from loud music, power tools, and being in rock bands when I was younger. There are many ways to help successfully manage tinnitus however. Feel free to send a private message if you'd like more info or you can look up various tinnitus therapies. Sometimes learning more about it and discussing it with an informed professional can help. Best of luck. - Steve
@@whosgods2522 I used to get tinnitus because of shooting without hearing protection too much, but I've recently been noticing it again after going to a lot of concerts and playing my competition grade sub in my car at too high of gain 😭
Great job on recording how they earphones sound, that was really nicely done! Wow, I agree with you on the Etymotic earplugs but we couldn't disagree more on the Eargasm ones. I thought the Eargasms were absolute trash. Mine created an "echo" on the inside which gave higher frequencies a "tin-can" effect, especially with electric guitars. I didn't notice that in your test but your test is also using a very clean, open sample, whereas the music I had problems with were metal and psych that had a lot of guitar feedback. The Loops look cool but the sound quality seems awful based on your test. I couldn't believe how much they changed the sound.
I've had my Eargasams for 7 months and they are great. My friend recommended them to me but after 2.5 years while cleaning the internal sound ring/dampener often, it started to rattle/sound off. He emailed Eargasam and they replaced the internal part for free and his ear plugs are working perfectly again. Maybe you got a defective one?
Very helpful thank you! Are you working on a best in 2024 video? I'm curious if there is any discernible difference between Loop Experience Plus and Engage Plus.
Yes, we are actually working on testing new earplugs now. If you'd like to help, here is a quick 2 question survey that will help us understand what you look for in plugs so we can test and share data better. Thanks! steve.questionpro.com/t/AawyEZ2oF9 - Steve
@@HearingTrackerthat's really cool, regarding Loops as there are So many changes - the switch, and the Version 2s of All the other ones. Thanks for the great reviews :)
Which of these three earplugs would you recommend for a hardstyle festival? So synthesizer melodies, distorted sounds, a combination of percussion and bass. I'd really like to get a fitting product which won't ruin the experience. We went without earplugs last year, it was rough.. but I have no clue on what I should focus on except for blocking dangerous high volume levels
I use party plugs pro and music safe pro. Both have their negatives and positives. Party plugs mute bass more than music safe but you can have better conversation with people while using plugs. With music safe you can adjust how strong they are (3 levels). Loops are next to the test.
@@VDOLEG852 hey there! thanks for your input. We chose the partyplug pro for defqon this year and I was pretty satisfied with those. The only thing i would change is the strength of the filter as you mentioned.
One thing I don't understand... When listening to the Loops in your video (without the extra filter) you clearly hear the low tones being muffled and the higher tones take the overhand, while my personal experience is the complete opposite which is also corresponding with the attenuation chart provided by Loop (roughly speaking there's a buildup in attenuation 63Hz =15,5dB upwards to 4000Hz=30,4dB, and 8000Hz dip to 14,7dB). How can this be explained?
Interesting, Loop Experience are my go-to earplugs partially due to the high end clarity. The lesser attenuation around 8000 Hz (~14.7dB as you point out) allows me to hear the shimmer of guitar strings and cymbals which are generally too attenuated with other plugs. Another thought - while we've done our best to provide accurate and meaningful information, even industry standard manikins (KEMAR) cannot perfectly replicate the complexities of the human head. This as well as differences with your ears/fit may help explain the differences. Thanks for your comment! - Steve
Such a well presented and thoroughly researched presentation. I visited your link to the full review and that was even better! After listening further to the sound samples from the link there is no doubt as to which filters I prefer and should best suit my needs. Thank you thank you!
Great video and very professional testing. Love to see thet, especially with a topic related to health, where your video may influence buying decisions of many people. With that being said I would love to know how the other ear plugs you tested compare. Specifically the "Vibes High Fidelity". Keep it up!
Thanks for this. I got the loop plugs as a backup because my Westone custom molds are 15+ years old (they still fit) and if I lose them, I have to make an audiologist appointment. Regular earplugs generally don't fit me at all, but the loop xs tips work pretty well and stay in. Much less DB reduction on the loop than my custom ones, but it works.
Good catch, that’s an issue with the video edit. The sound samples are correct though and change as they are supposed to. Thanks for bringing this up. -Steve
Eargasms have a scratchy taint to the tone in the upper mid frequencies when I used them at the sound board. I figured I would try them after losing one of my Etymotics. I much prefer the Etys. Honestly I preferred a piece of tissue to the Eargasms
thank you so much for this useful information. I almost always find myself overwhelmed by the loud volume in concerts. which would you recommend for small ear canals? keep up the good work 👍
Thanks Hector! Devices like Loop which come with an array of ear tip styles and sizes may give you the best chances. With that said, most companies offer small, or extra small, sizes. -Steve
Thanks so much for this. I have been dealing with long covid for over a year. One of the many strange symptoms are that loud rooms cause me to have an overstimulation response. I have never experienced this before and was an avid concert goer prior to this. Now even rooms with my family having fun and talking loudly are problematic. I am trying to find something that will let me be in the room and hear everyone while keeping the noise down to a more manageable level for me to prevent the feeling of being overwhelmed by overstimulation. I have been to doctors and they were unbelievably unhelpful so I am doing my own research to try and help myself with the symptoms while I heal. It's better than it was 6 months ago, so I'm hopeful for it to improve over time. Using my airpods pro and switching back between noise cancelling and transparency depending on how much the noise is bothering me has worked, but last night using that was not enough. So I'm here to try and figure out what would be the best option for me. With that being said, from your research and fantastic analysis of these earplugs, what do you think would be the best for a couple of scenarios: - loud venues where I am watching a show or something similar. This seems to be what you were looking at in this video. Something that the overall sound was preserved. I am partial to being able to hear people talking around me in addition to the quality of the sound in the show, which is why I never wore earplugs in the past. - parties in a home where it's more groups of people talking while playing a board game or something like that. In this situation, I would love to reduce the overall noise of multiple people talking at the same time while still being able to hear voices that are talking to me directly. All in all I'm not sure about what the best options are so if there are options outside of earplugs, please let me know. I am just looking to be able to return to a somewhat normal existence and hopefully things will improve in the future. I also seem to have insanely small ear canals because the smallest tip on the airpods pro still enable them to fall out constantly unless I push them in more. I am thinking that having a better fit on those might be helpful, but am not sure what the best option is. I'm also relatively low income so I am trying to be intentional with my purchase to not waste money as much as possible. Thanks so much for any help and thanks for this video. I have been looking into this for months, but never got to a point where I felt confident in any purchase.
Hello Maria, I'm sorry to hear what you are going through. This is very difficult unfortunately and a lot to ask from any piece of technology. Any of these earplugs will help bring down overall sound levels while preserving speech as much as possible. There are also active hearing protection devices that will work similar to your Airpods (Etymotic makes a few) that may be helpful. Another useful trick you may not have tried is using the Live Listen feature within iPhone? This allows you to turn your phone into a remote microphone which can help stream sound directly to your Airpods or other hearing devices. This may help you hear conversation more clearly in extreme situations while allowing you to listen at an overall lower level. Given the severity and complexity of your problems, I would recommend you schedule an appointment with an audiologist. They should be able to provide more individualized care while taking into account your hearing (it is possible that hearing loss or something else is an unknown factor here). Best of luck and hope things have gotten better since your post. - Steve
Great insight into what to buy. I currently use the loops and find them quite good. However I have moderate hearing loss in the upper frequencies along with tinnitus. Our drummer has suggested to me to get an IEM system, but worried this may possibly damage my hearing further if some rogue levels come through. Would really like your thoughts on what would be the best protection between the two.
I've owned all 3 of these. The loops were definitely my favorite (when they worked). But the filter broke after only 5 concerts and Loop's customer service has not responded to me in a week regarding getting a warranty replacement. So sadly not quite worth the money.
Great video, thanks! I've tried a lot of different ear plugs. Flare isolate are the best I've used by far but sadly discontinued at the moment. I expect Flare will come out with a new version or a new earplug soon. I'm really bad for losing things so I'm trying to decide in advance what I'll replace my isolates with. I need the most attenuation possible as I spend a lot of time close to custom built heavyweight dub soundsystems. I'm leaning towards loop experience pro + mute but if there's anything with more attenuation while still sounding good, I'd love to know!
The problem with eargasms is deff true. Bought them a while ago and they take forever to actually fit properly in your ears, which is extremely annoying when you are at a club where you might not want to have them in at all times.
Thank you so much for the audio comparisons both for the recording and the equal volume. It helps quite a lot! One small thing is that you could put the recording without earplugs between each clip so that comparing these is easier. I think the difference between no earplug and one specific one is much more important than the difference between the different earplugs.
Thanks for the recommendation. You can find the individual audio clips for better A/B/C comparisons on HearingTracker (link in the video description). Also, we are currently testing more earplugs. If you have a moment, here is a quick 2 question survey that'll help us understand what's most important to you when testing and sharing data. I'd appreciate your thoughts. steve.questionpro.com/t/AawyEZ2oF9 - Steve
Thanks for your list. I want to know that loop experience pro has disappaer from their webstore, mayble replaced by experience plus i guess? Please let me know
Thanks a lot for this detailed review! From what I understand, Experience Pro doesn't remove the higher frequencies that much, right? While listening to the audio tracks with Experience, I did find the sound quite annoying to my ears; with Mute it was better. This made me realise that I'm quite sensitive to those frequencies. But sometimes I also have to sing or play drums amidst all the other sounds coming from instruments. I was wondering which of these would work for my case? The case being able to hear myself and not experience sensory overload (since I'm autistic) at the same time.
Can you do a comparison of the Loop Experience Pro vs the Loop Quiet? I spend a lot of time around aircraft, and most people are neglectful or don't care about protecting their hearing. Because of that peer pressure I've lost a considerable amount of mine, and was hoping to find something that can protect my hearing yet not be visible(and stay in comfortably) under my hair. At the same time I would still like to be able to easily hear the world around me. So far the Loop Experience seems best but I'm wondering how well the Quiet is, or if it's just an over glorified silicon plug in comparison.
I have both the Experience Pro and the Quiets. The Quiets are great for comfort, even when sleeping on my side. However, for your job around aircraft, I'd definitely recommend the Pro's over the Quiets, as the foam tips on the Pro's block out a lot of noise. The Pro's are meant for loud environments, whereas the Quiets are meant for environments where you're supposed to try to sleep, which are (presumably) not as loud as in front of speakers at festivals or near loud machinery. Hope this helps :)
Glad it was helpful! We are beginning to test earplugs again and it would be a big help if you could answer this quick 2 question survey on earplug use. It will help us understand what you look for in plugs so we can test and share data better. Thanks! steve.questionpro.com/t/AawyEZ2oF9 - Steve
What an amazing and informative work! Thank you very much! I’m a frequent concert goer and started to feel the negative impact in my ears, looking for earplugs was a bit confusing but now I know what to get!
I've had Tinnitus for 30 years and have been using only industrial earplugs for 15+ years, which do a great job of lowering the volume, but they're uncomfortable, uneven and really drown out the guitars. I know that all of the top 3 earplugs have to be much better then what I've been using, but I'm stuck between getting the ER20XS Dual and the Loop experience Pro. Seems like Loop is the easiest to use. I don't care how it looks. I'm sure the experience will be vastly improved with either of these. I'd like a little feedback from this audience. Thank you.
Hi! first of all, thanks for the videos you make, with real testings and the adequate equipment; I have acufens in my right ear when i'm exposed to loud noisy environments, and makes me anxious to be in social gatherings and concerts, I wanted to buy a pair of Loop Quiet for sleeping and alone time, and a pair of Experience Pro for social things, but I read and heard great things about the newer model, Engage, which it seems you hear less you inner voice and occlusion, would you try the Engage to see if it really is a better choice than the Experience? or what are your thoughts about the newer model? Thank you!
Hi quebbbin, thanks for your comment. I have not tried Loop Engage yet but have been meaning too. If you have had a chance to please share your experiences. Decreased occlusion could be a few things such as less overall sound reduction and or a deeper earplug fit. My interest in piqued. - Steve
I’m a bit late to the game, but do you have an opinion on which would be good for a cellist? I like the cancellation of the Loops but I’m afraid it might take out too much of the lower register in my cello.
Thanks for this video really helpful. I’m off to download festival soon and really need a pair of ear plugs as had problems with my hearing these past few years and want to try and protect what’s left as best as possible. Thinking of going for the Loops as hopefully they should be comfy whilst I’m also trying to have a better experience hearing the vocals over the bass
Thank you for a cool review! I've been using the Alpine MusicSafe Pro earplugs for the past 2 years and love them! I am the bassist for a LOUD contemporary gospel choir and I like the fact that I can still hear the music but at a lower SPL depending on the interchangeable filter that I chose. I highly recommend these!
Thanks for sharing and glad they are working well for you. Alpine MusicSafe were my go-to earplugs for years. We are actually going to start testing earplugs again. If you have a moment, here is a quick 2 question survey that will help us understand what you look for in plugs so we can test and share data better. Thanks! steve.questionpro.com/t/AawyEZ2oF9 - Steve
Eargasm has a smaller size version. I wonder how it works. The fitting is much more comfortable but the filter is different so I wonder if the sound quality changes.
Great video! As a pro-musician, I'm always in the market for great ear protection without sacrificing too much clarity. I appreciate the thoroughness of your testing. Would love to see a similar video on the best plugs for sleeping. Thanks.
I read the longer article on your site which is the companion to this "top 3" video and found it really helpful in choosing my next set of music earplugs (I had been using the Earpeace plugs for several years but, dissatisfied with the uneven frequency response, I chose to switch to the slightly-less-attenuating Eargasm HiFi - based solely on your audio samples.) I very much appreciated the explanation of some of technical details of your testing setup and am still curious about one aspect of the audio samples - namely, the type of amplitude normalization used to create the playback samples on the web page. Can you say a little bit more about the normalization procedure? Did you normalize to a peak signal amplitude measurement? Or normalize using a (weighted or unweighted) wide-band averaged sound power measurement? If the latter, I'm wondering if you took the non-linearity of frequency sensitivity with respect to amplitude into account? (I note the Fletcher-Munson curve printed on the dummy's t-shirt so assume that you have accounted for that phenomenon 😏 ) Also, will I find an explanation of the "NRR" attenuation de-rating explained somewhere on your site? TIA!
Hi Steve (nice name!), thanks for your comment. I used a broadband RMS value to match volumed across samples. It is not the most sophisticated as you pointed out and I will hope to update it to something more reflective of our perception in the future. You can find more information about our testing and scoring here: www.hearingtracker.com/earplugs/how-we-test-earplugs - Steve
With the loop earbuds, would you say you can hear yourself breathing or even singing or talking at a concert? I’ve seen some reviews saying that. I’m going to the eras tour and plan on singing along
Any suggestions on something that will lower the decibels, but not have as much occlusion? I have a teen on the spectrum that loves music but the volume and the crowd cheering hurts his ears. I’ve heard the loops are good, but the occlusion is very distracting.
Deeper fitting earplugs will minimize the occlusion your experience. Etymotic Research ER20 are designed to sit deeper in your ear for this reason. There are also custom earplugs that you can get from an audiologist. Those are also made to fit deeper to reduce occlusion. - Steve
Do there exist active musicians earplugs? I find that my Vibes earplugs tend to attenuate the sound too much for me, even if it attenuates evenly across the frequency spectrum.
Thanks for your comment. Vibes are not the most flat earplugs available and tend to reduce more high frequencies. You can see measurements I've done here: www.hearingtracker.com/earplugs? There are active earplugs though. Etymotic Research has a few excellent options: www.etymotic.com/electronic/ - Steve
I have tried three thus far - the Experience Loop Plus (Pro), Earos One, and Decibullz Custom Musician Professional. Of the three, only the Decibullz leaves a good deal of the musicality intact. All three rolled off the high end quite a bit, though. The Loop was REALLY muffled. Before I end up with a pair of custom earplugs, I'm interested in checking out the Etymotic Music Pro Elite as well as maybe the Minuendo, although the latter seems to have, in a graph I saw, in dip in frequency response in an upper midrange, lower treble throughout its variable settings. If so, I may not be happy with those. I really need to have the music be as unmolested in the filtration as possible
Hi Jeff, it sounds like you should pull the trigger on custom musician's earplugs. I found Minuendo to color sound more than Loop and Etymotic er20s. What are you using earplugs for (concerts, performances, etc)? Depending on your needs you may be interested in ASI Audio 3DME in-ear monitors. They offer excellent sound reduction when worn properly and offer a "transparency" mode. Here's a review I did on this device: www.hearingtracker.com/resources/3dme-in-ear-monitors-tested-in-the-lab?q=3dme - Steve
Hello @HearingTracker! Great review and it is fantastic that you include the actual sound with earplugs 😊 Could you tell me if Loop Experience 2 Plus are equally good comparing to Experience Pro? I cannot find new Experience Pro, maybe they are the predecessors of 2 Plus. I hope that 2 Plus will be better than my Alpine MusicSafe Pro which make the sound muffled and cut high frequencies. Greetings from Poland!
I've been researching for the last couple days. I have the Etymotic plugs and I much prefer their sound to the rest. But I'm having the problem where they are too *quiet* for concerts, but the it's too *loud* without them. I try wearing them halfway but they fall out easily. I was tempted to get another pair but (most of the) Loops & Eargasms are more than double the price and I don't like their audio as much.
Great video. But you should consider not only the audio quality but above all how much they protect your hearing, especially in situations where the decibels are really high. I believe that Etymotic are the most reliable because high frequencies are the ones that often cause damage to the ear, so I deduce that they protect in an optimal way. Furthermore, it is one of the most important companies in this sector, I believe that other brands are too commercial. It's sad not to see Alpine among the brands, which are excellent both as earplug and as a company. What do you think of the custom-made Etymotics? Do they give more guarantees?
What would you recommend to someone that goes to metal concerts frequently, say 2 times a month? I usually go about 2 days feeling kinda deaf and have a hard time finding earbuds that fit me, they are usually too big and fall out
Hi, Dr. Steve! The full review says you also tested the Earasers, but there is no info about those in the article. Could you please share your thoughts about the Earasers?
Hi Zet, yes we originally had data for Earasers but have since removed it. As an audio engineer I find Earasers to significantly color sound and fall-short of their "worlds-flattest-earplug claim". As an audiologist their devices concern me as they offer attenuation in a limited frequency range around ear canal resonance. This is opposite the approach most musician's earplugs take which is to offer uniform, or more equal, sound reduction across the audible spectrum. Another concerning element is the noise reduction rating (NRR) of their standard earplug (5 dB). OSHA recommends a 50% derating of this number, NIOSH recommends a greater derating, to more accurately represent what the average person will experience. Altogether, I think the devices can be misleading due to their narrow range of sound reduction and limited NRR. - Steve
@@HearingTracker Wow, thank you very much for your answer, Doc! I'm really grateful for all the information. And also thank you very much for your helpful and reliable content!
Your work is phenomenal! I couldn't find a video that compares all of them. It's hard to tell the difference unless you put them side by side, and all these paid reviewers simply worsen the task.
Thanks for your kind words and glad the video helps. There is also a full review with more information on Hearingtracker.com (www.hearingtracker.com/earplugs?). We are actually testing earplugs again. If you'd like to help us you can answer this quick 2 question survey. This will help us understand how you use earplugs and better inform our testing and content. Thank you! steve.questionpro.com/t/AawyEZ2oF9 - Steve
I'm going to download festival this year and I've never been to a festival so I don't know how loud it's going to be compared to an indoor concert do you think I'd need something like these and which ones would you recommend for that type of use I've been looking at loop for awhile but haven't decided yet
Hi Emma, festivals can be very loud and hazardous given their length. I would recommend something like the Loop Pro as they have the mute to offer more attenuation if needed. I would also recommend downloading the NIOSH SLM app (free) to help gauge how loud it is and your overall sound exposure. It's a lot to discuss, but the app has great explanations of "dose". Have a good time and happy you're protecting your ears! - Steve
Glad it was helpful! We are going to be doing more testing like this, if you have a moment here is a quick 2 question survey that'll help us understand how best to test and share data. steve.questionpro.com/t/AawyEZ2oF9 Thank you! - Steve
6 месяцев назад
Unfortunately, these 3 winners are not directly available here in the Czech Republic. What's available is those Alpine MusicSafe Pro (or maybe better yet Alpine PartyPlug Pro Natural). How would you tell these stand against let's say those Loops? Thank you.
Thanks for the video! One question, you mentioned the Earasers at the beginning but I cannot find the review on the post. Did something happen with them?
I would also like to know about the Earasers, I just read your full article and don't see them there. Another one I just discovered and am curious about is Mee Universal High Fidelity.
Found the reply: "Hi Zet, yes we originally had data for Earasers but have since removed it. As an audio engineer I find Earasers to significantly color sound and fall-short of their "worlds-flattest-earplug claim". As an audiologist their devices concern me as they offer attenuation in a limited frequency range around ear canal resonance. This is opposite the approach most musician's earplugs take which is to offer uniform, or more equal, sound reduction across the audible spectrum. Another concerning element is the noise reduction rating (NRR) of their standard earplug (5 dB). OSHA recommends a 50% derating of this number, NIOSH recommends a greater derating, to more accurately represent what the average person will experience. Altogether, I think the devices can be misleading due to their narrow range of sound reduction and limited NRR. - Steve"
Great review, I personally really liked the feel and sound of the Loops but they just don't stay in my ear over long periods, or when running, jumping etc. Especially if I get sweaty in a moshpit or in a rave. I have the same problem all earbuds that are shaped similarly. The only "earbuds" that work for long term for me is a proper IEM, like Shure IEMs with those long 3-pronged tips. So I suppose I'll try the ER20XS next.
I had the Loops and thought they were okay, but I returned them because the storage case is cheaply made plastic, and broke within a week. Not useful when I am on the road as a photographer covering concerts night after night. I ended up with the EarPeace Music Pros.
I got too local punk rock shows that are mostly in small venues my top priority is protection but obviously I want to hear everything at a safe level what earplugs should I get first too try ?🙏
Awesome video and testing! Thank you! One question: the Etymotic sound the most altered relative to the Loop or Eargasms… is it just me or did you share this sentiment? I got confused bc you put Eargasm in 3rd place, and called the Etymotic as “living up to their reputation” … but it seems like Etymotic sound worse than Eargasm? Is it just because of the fit that Eargasm got placed last instead of 2nd?
Thank you questionman5. That is a great observation and I agree that ER20xs doesn’t offer quite as uniform of attention compared to Eargasm. There were many elements that went into this ranking such as price, comfort, sound quality, uniformity of sound reduction, and more which can be found in greater detail in the article review (www.hearingtracker.com/earplugs?q=Best+earplugs). Eargasm and ER20xs were extremely close but a few categories brought the latter out ahead slightly. Both are great and I actually cycle between all three on a regular basis. -Steve
Thank you! We are testing earplugs again and if you'd like to help us out, here is a 2 question survey that will help us understand what you look for in plugs so we can test and share data better. Thanks! steve.questionpro.com/t/AawyEZ2oF9 - Steve
My thinking is a little different here, namely: I don't want linear sound reduction, because hearing itself isn't linear, and when you factor in variables like age and the SPL of your environment, what NR profile sounds best will vary. E.g., I have a fair bit of loss at 4k, so if you attenuate the highs as much as the lows and mids, and if that attenuation drops the levels below my 4k threshold, I will hear the result as dark, with a lack of clarity in the sibilants. That's a problem in a restaurant, but it's not a problem in a concert, where the 4k can tear your face off even with 20dB of reduction. On the other hand, we all "hear" bass conductively, in our bodies, so with the bass-heavy sound of the etymotics, concerts will sound boomy and lack the crackle and energy of fiery live midrange... and that was always my experience as an owner of custom ER-15's and ER-20's across 15 years. All of which is a longass road to say that, for concerts and loud environments like clubs and most restaurants these days, the Loop sounds best to me because it brings down the bass more, and leaves the energy and clarity frequencies in a better place so I can engage my friends or feel the grit of the music that's hitting my body. And make no mistake, of all the things that will flatten your ear's hairs and cause HF loss over time, bass is the main culprit, the SPLs at a typical concert are brutal. That's my take, as always, YMMV.
Based on Sound Samples, I really don't get the ranking. The Eargasm Hi-FI was clearly the most neutral. And IMO that's the most important part for musicians. The Loop buds just killed so much of the bass and mids!
Ranking is difficult because there are many factors to considor (cost, ease of use, durability, comfort,...). There is a link to the written review in the description which includes a more detailed breakdown for various factors. Making matters even more difficult is the fact that some of these factors are highly subjective - what fits you the best might not fit me - and that the relative importance of each factor is also subjective (durability may not be as important to some people compared to others).
Thanks for your comment, I agree that Eargasm hi-fi sounds the most neutral. However, as AlokMeshram mentions there were many factors at play in their ranking. The full review on hearingtracker (www.hearingtracker.com/earplugs?q=best+earplugs#a-1-loop-experience) gets into that and there is even a link that takes a deep-dive into our testing. The big picture to me is that these three devices were the best overall given my testing and hands-on experience. - Steve
Hi Gabriel, this depends on many factors. How well do the earplugs fit your ears? How long is the rock concert? The full review has more information about your specific question: www.hearingtracker.com/earplugs?q=earplugs If you have regular exposures the best option is to visit a music audiologist. A deeper discussion of your hearing and sound exposures is really needed to make specific recommendations. Our ears are all different, so earplugs can vary one person to the next. An audiologist can test how well a set of earplugs works on you. - Steve
I think the eargasm just rebranded some other premium earplugs. They look identical to what I bought from the pharmacy a year ago at a far lower price. They are very difficult to get out of your ear because of the tiny pull tab, several times I've semi-paniced that I can't get them out.
Can you do a review of earplugs that can be used on a daily basis for those sensitive to noise but still need to talk to people? Such as at a party, at the grocery store, work..etc.
Thanks for your comment. Musician's earplugs are actually the best plugs for what you are describing as they will reduce volume but keep speech clearer than other types of plugs. Etymotic Research ER20xs, Eargasm Hi-Fi, and Loop Experience Plus will all work great for parties and general use where both sound reduction and clarity are desired. - Steve
Bro, thank you. I needed to just hear what they do. I can't stand bass blasting out every noise around, I am the type to turn it down. At concerts this is nigh impossible. Sounds like Eargasm and Loops pro are my best bet.
Hey everyone, we are going to start reviewing earplugs again! If you have a spare moment, please take this 2 question survey about earplugs. It'll help us decide what tests to do and how best to convey the data.
steve.questionpro.com/t/AawyEZ2oF9
- Steve
Hi! I would appreciate if you did some tests with techno, and if you could find the best earplugs that don't make the music sound muffled and keep it alive but also at a safe level
Will Dbuds be on this list?
Earasers, Vibes, Earos, Loop Experience 2
8:05 normal
8:13 Etymtic Research
8:21 Loop Experience Pro
8:29 Loop Experience Pro + Mute
8:37 Eargasm High Fidelity
I have to say that the Eargasms sounded the most balanced, while the Etymotics drowned out the highs and the Loops were tinny with almost no bass. I think I'd rather deal with fit issues and have a fuller sound, so I'm leaning towards the Eargasms.
Nice summary, I agree. However, poor fit may mean little to no protection for your ears. This is honestly my biggest problem with Eargasm, I always want to use them but the larger removable filter causes them to work out of my ears. This really depends on ear canal size though so they may work for you. Let me know what you try!
- Steve
I'm trying the Etymotic Music Pro Elite active electronic earplugs. I'll see how they work.
I usually use small eartips when i get earplbuds for my ear. I liked the eargasm sound but they look big and I don't think I can get them in my ears without being very uncomfortable. Since you have used them do you think it will be a problem for smaller than average ears?
@gigglingchicken8444
The Eargasms come with 2 sizes of buds, so the smaller size will likely work for you. I've tried both and they're both comfortable for me, so I think I'm somewhere in the middle.
I also believe that they have an even smaller version in general when you visit their site, but I would check for yourself to confirm.
@ScienceWinsEveryTime thank you for the feedback! I will give these a try for The Struts who I am seeing in a few weeks!
I just have to say, for a niche topic (wish it got more attention though), the amount of effort that you've put into this is beyond amazing. I studied Binaural Audio and my Master's thesis is in Spatial Audio, so it was great to see my good friend KEMAR in the video (love the new hairdo, dude!). What pinna and eat canal models did you use?
Thanks for the kind words Alok and sounds like you had a fun thesis. Do you have a link to it? We used the standard adult pinna, VA tapered ear canals, and RA0045 ear simulators. Thanks for watching!
- Steve
@@HearingTracker FYI, Alok may have responded if they had a link in it. But it was likely filtered out to spam, as RUclips does. In my experience, those allowed are the channel creator, most real name (non-pseudonym) accounts and some arbitrary pseudonym accounts.
It would be so cool if you had included those disposable construction site plugs and/or reusable construction site plugs for comparison. Great vid!
Agreed, it would have been a good comparison! Something I can add in the future, thanks for the recommendation.
- Steve
@HearingTracker I can tell your viewers from my vast experience that industrial foam 33 db earplugs rank very high on the CHS scale for listening to music.
I'll let you figure out what CHS stands for. 😂
@@skybluemarshallcan’t hear 💩
@sweetreat30 Exactly! High fidelity earplugs are great. I keep them on my keychain, so I can't forget to bring them to a show. I wear them while driving with the windows down and music blasting.
A few days ago, I could finally try out my Loop Experience Pro. I listen to music a lot, own a few better IEMs (Mangird Tea, Timeless, S12) and i have to say the Loop is great. I've tested it at a metal concert (Bad Omens), and I'm pretty happy with it. The only issue which you can hear in the test samples is that the music is unbalanced, bass is much lower compared to the mids and the highs. This makes vocals way more prominent, which is a matter of taste. First I've i used it with the "Mute" (silicone ring), but that was too much reduction, so the music was really off. But the main issue is, it makes you feel weird, because you can feel the bass in your chest, but you only hear a fraction of it. Imo, using it without the "Mute" is the way. Although I listen to music at a low volume, i would be happy to have a Loop which let a bit more music through, just a couple of 1-3 dB-s.
Thanks for sharing Daaell. I agree re individual preferences for sound quality. Some people definitely prefer a greater tilt towards bass.
- Steve
Thank you so much for this comment! I'll be getting the LOOPS because I ALWAYS have a very hard time hearing vocals (Even If It's A Band I Know) whenever I see a rock show!
Vocals are always way too drowned out by the guitar! 😂
Just having to comment on this cause Im specifically shopping for new earbuds to go to a Bad Omens show in Sep lol. I have the Vibes high fidelity buds and I feel like they just block out too much of the live experience
From the samples shown in the video i'd totally agree. I don't see why loop was first, when it sounded clearly so much less balanced than the other two. It was like listening to music through a cheap 5 watt bluetooth speaker or an old portable fm radio
Does it actually block out as much bass as the sample in the video showed? I usually am rail riding towards the front of rock shows and the bass can drown out next to everything when up close to the stage.
This video is one of my favorites- so clear, concise, and well presented. It's super helpful and enjoyable to watch! Thank you for making this video.
So it seems like the Loops leave out a lot of bass - but would this be neutralized by the fact that bass tends to be really really loud at concerts?
That is a good point! It is also worth noting that everyone's ears and music preferences are different. I tend to like the extra hi-end in Loop but others have noted disliking the "sharpness".
- Steve
Dude thank you for these videos, I’ve just now started looking for musicians earplugs and this really helps
Happy it helped John! Let me know which ones you decide on and how they work for you.
-Steve
Went with the Loops, they work so well! It’s honestly astounding, never thought I’d be so excited about earplugs
Took my Loops to a concert (My Chemical Romance) last year, and I definitely noticed both there and in this video that the highs are much louder than the lows and mids. Could be good in some scenerios, but for that particular circumstance I found it to be distracting. I actually really liked the sound coming from the Eargasms in this video, so I might have to pick up a pair now.
Thanks for your comment and cool concert! I love the sound quality of Eargasm hi-fi plugs but they do not stay in my ears due to the larger removable filter causing the plugs to pull-out. Everyone's ears are different so let me know if they work for you!
- Steve
I love that you posted this, as I was wondering how real the comparison was on an actual human ear.
Hi first of all thanks for the extensive test and review! In the beginning of the video you mentioned that you tested the Earasers Plug as well, however when reading the full review on your website I can only find 8 of the 9 earplugs mentioned. The Earasers Earplugs are missing. I was really hoping to compare them to the Eargasms.
You need to put the unfiltered sound between each plug for uncolored reference. That being said, the Eargasm sounded the flattest even at the end. Try Earos, not to confused with Hearos. They’re the best I’ve personally tried.
Please also review the Earasers, which are the only ones you missed! This is a phenomenal review and so in-depth. We appreciate your time and hard work!!
Thank you so much for this!
I'll be getting the LOOPS because I ALWAYS have a very hard time hearing VOCALS (Even If It's A Band I Know) whenever I see a rock show!
Vocals are always way too drowned out by the guitar! 😂
Seems like the Loops help with that balance!
Are you able to test the PartyPlug Pro Natural from Alpine? On paper they seem to have better audio quality than the Alpine's which you tested.
This is the most professional earplugs testing I have seen！ Thank you！
Thank you very much! We are actually stepping up our game and testing earplugs again.
If you'd like to help, can you please answer this quick 2 question survey? It'll help us understand how you use earplugs and inform our testing and shared data. Thank you!
steve.questionpro.com/t/AawyEZ2oF9
- Steve
I’m leaning toward choosing eargasm, but I’m terrified I choose the wrong size. Is there any way I can know I’m making the right choice when choosing the size?
I have been struggling a lot more with ear pain at concerts approaching 30 now so I appreciate having samples and information like this!
I've been using headphones lately which offer decent protection but cause muffling,, and then if you don't wear them it's distorted because of how loud it is.
Thanks for your comment. There are very nice low-cost earplugs for music nowadays. It's great to see more people protecting their ears too!
- Steve
I just want to protect my ears as much as I can
Yeah dude do that, I have tinnitus and it sucks butts lol.
I second that. 👆 I ended up with tinnitus a year ago and it was pretty depressing and demoralizing for me after I found out that there's no cure. Once you have it, you have it for life so please do protect your hearing. I would recommend Eargasm plugs since they're somewhat discreet and they work pretty well at lowering the volume without killing the sound quality too much.
Fortunately, protecting our ears is relatively easy. A set of ~$40 earplugs can do the trick. I highly recommend you get your hearing tested too. This (1) gives you a baseline and (2) can indicate whether the earplugs you are using are working! The audiologist can even perform tests to see how well they block sound on your ears and correlate this to what sounds you are exposed to.
- Steve
Agree WhosGods and vicbjr, I have tinnitus and minor hearing injury from loud music, power tools, and being in rock bands when I was younger. There are many ways to help successfully manage tinnitus however. Feel free to send a private message if you'd like more info or you can look up various tinnitus therapies. Sometimes learning more about it and discussing it with an informed professional can help. Best of luck.
- Steve
@@whosgods2522 I used to get tinnitus because of shooting without hearing protection too much, but I've recently been noticing it again after going to a lot of concerts and playing my competition grade sub in my car at too high of gain 😭
Great video, finally a clear, well explained review that cover multiple products and lets you experience them yourself! Thank you
Great job on recording how they earphones sound, that was really nicely done! Wow, I agree with you on the Etymotic earplugs but we couldn't disagree more on the Eargasm ones. I thought the Eargasms were absolute trash. Mine created an "echo" on the inside which gave higher frequencies a "tin-can" effect, especially with electric guitars. I didn't notice that in your test but your test is also using a very clean, open sample, whereas the music I had problems with were metal and psych that had a lot of guitar feedback. The Loops look cool but the sound quality seems awful based on your test. I couldn't believe how much they changed the sound.
I've had my Eargasams for 7 months and they are great. My friend recommended them to me but after 2.5 years while cleaning the internal sound ring/dampener often, it started to rattle/sound off. He emailed Eargasam and they replaced the internal part for free and his ear plugs are working perfectly again. Maybe you got a defective one?
Very helpful thank you! Are you working on a best in 2024 video? I'm curious if there is any discernible difference between Loop Experience Plus and Engage Plus.
Yes, we are actually working on testing new earplugs now. If you'd like to help, here is a quick 2 question survey that will help us understand what you look for in plugs so we can test and share data better. Thanks!
steve.questionpro.com/t/AawyEZ2oF9
- Steve
@@HearingTrackerthat's really cool, regarding Loops as there are So many changes - the switch, and the Version 2s of All the other ones. Thanks for the great reviews :)
Which of these three earplugs would you recommend for a hardstyle festival? So synthesizer melodies, distorted sounds, a combination of percussion and bass. I'd really like to get a fitting product which won't ruin the experience. We went without earplugs last year, it was rough.. but I have no clue on what I should focus on except for blocking dangerous high volume levels
I use party plugs pro and music safe pro. Both have their negatives and positives. Party plugs mute bass more than music safe but you can have better conversation with people while using plugs. With music safe you can adjust how strong they are (3 levels). Loops are next to the test.
@@VDOLEG852 hey there! thanks for your input. We chose the partyplug pro for defqon this year and I was pretty satisfied with those. The only thing i would change is the strength of the filter as you mentioned.
One thing I don't understand... When listening to the Loops in your video (without the extra filter) you clearly hear the low tones being muffled and the higher tones take the overhand, while my personal experience is the complete opposite which is also corresponding with the attenuation chart provided by Loop (roughly speaking there's a buildup in attenuation 63Hz =15,5dB upwards to 4000Hz=30,4dB, and 8000Hz dip to 14,7dB). How can this be explained?
Interesting, Loop Experience are my go-to earplugs partially due to the high end clarity. The lesser attenuation around 8000 Hz (~14.7dB as you point out) allows me to hear the shimmer of guitar strings and cymbals which are generally too attenuated with other plugs.
Another thought - while we've done our best to provide accurate and meaningful information, even industry standard manikins (KEMAR) cannot perfectly replicate the complexities of the human head. This as well as differences with your ears/fit may help explain the differences. Thanks for your comment!
- Steve
Such a well presented and thoroughly researched presentation. I visited your link to the full review and that was even better! After listening further to the sound samples from the link there is no doubt as to which filters I prefer and should best suit my needs. Thank you thank you!
Thanks for watching and your kind words. Glad you found it helpful.
- Steve
Great video and very professional testing. Love to see thet, especially with a topic related to health, where your video may influence buying decisions of many people. With that being said I would love to know how the other ear plugs you tested compare. Specifically the "Vibes High Fidelity". Keep it up!
Thanks for the kind words Benni, you can find more information in the full review here: www.hearingtracker.com/earplugs?q=earplugs
- Steve
This is exactly what I was looking for. Great video!!
Thank you for your kind words, glad it helped!
- Steve
Thanks for this. I got the loop plugs as a backup because my Westone custom molds are 15+ years old (they still fit) and if I lose them, I have to make an audiologist appointment. Regular earplugs generally don't fit me at all, but the loop xs tips work pretty well and stay in. Much less DB reduction on the loop than my custom ones, but it works.
Why did the Loop Experience Pro have the "silicone mute filter" on for both your tests, Mute & w/o Mute?
Good catch, that’s an issue with the video edit. The sound samples are correct though and change as they are supposed to. Thanks for bringing this up.
-Steve
Eargasms have a scratchy taint to the tone in the upper mid frequencies when I used them at the sound board. I figured I would try them after losing one of my Etymotics. I much prefer the Etys.
Honestly I preferred a piece of tissue to the Eargasms
thank you so much for this useful information. I almost always find myself overwhelmed by the loud volume in concerts. which would you recommend for small ear canals? keep up the good work 👍
Thanks Hector! Devices like Loop which come with an array of ear tip styles and sizes may give you the best chances. With that said, most companies offer small, or extra small, sizes.
-Steve
Thanks so much for this. I have been dealing with long covid for over a year. One of the many strange symptoms are that loud rooms cause me to have an overstimulation response. I have never experienced this before and was an avid concert goer prior to this. Now even rooms with my family having fun and talking loudly are problematic. I am trying to find something that will let me be in the room and hear everyone while keeping the noise down to a more manageable level for me to prevent the feeling of being overwhelmed by overstimulation. I have been to doctors and they were unbelievably unhelpful so I am doing my own research to try and help myself with the symptoms while I heal. It's better than it was 6 months ago, so I'm hopeful for it to improve over time. Using my airpods pro and switching back between noise cancelling and transparency depending on how much the noise is bothering me has worked, but last night using that was not enough. So I'm here to try and figure out what would be the best option for me.
With that being said, from your research and fantastic analysis of these earplugs, what do you think would be the best for a couple of scenarios:
- loud venues where I am watching a show or something similar. This seems to be what you were looking at in this video. Something that the overall sound was preserved. I am partial to being able to hear people talking around me in addition to the quality of the sound in the show, which is why I never wore earplugs in the past.
- parties in a home where it's more groups of people talking while playing a board game or something like that. In this situation, I would love to reduce the overall noise of multiple people talking at the same time while still being able to hear voices that are talking to me directly.
All in all I'm not sure about what the best options are so if there are options outside of earplugs, please let me know. I am just looking to be able to return to a somewhat normal existence and hopefully things will improve in the future. I also seem to have insanely small ear canals because the smallest tip on the airpods pro still enable them to fall out constantly unless I push them in more. I am thinking that having a better fit on those might be helpful, but am not sure what the best option is. I'm also relatively low income so I am trying to be intentional with my purchase to not waste money as much as possible. Thanks so much for any help and thanks for this video. I have been looking into this for months, but never got to a point where I felt confident in any purchase.
Hello Maria, I'm sorry to hear what you are going through. This is very difficult unfortunately and a lot to ask from any piece of technology. Any of these earplugs will help bring down overall sound levels while preserving speech as much as possible. There are also active hearing protection devices that will work similar to your Airpods (Etymotic makes a few) that may be helpful. Another useful trick you may not have tried is using the Live Listen feature within iPhone? This allows you to turn your phone into a remote microphone which can help stream sound directly to your Airpods or other hearing devices. This may help you hear conversation more clearly in extreme situations while allowing you to listen at an overall lower level. Given the severity and complexity of your problems, I would recommend you schedule an appointment with an audiologist. They should be able to provide more individualized care while taking into account your hearing (it is possible that hearing loss or something else is an unknown factor here). Best of luck and hope things have gotten better since your post.
- Steve
Hey man I appreciate the effort that went into this deep review. Cheers!
Great insight into what to buy. I currently use the loops and find them quite good. However I have moderate hearing loss in the upper frequencies along with tinnitus. Our drummer has suggested to me to get an IEM system, but worried this may possibly damage my hearing further if some rogue levels come through. Would really like your thoughts on what would be the best protection between the two.
I've owned all 3 of these. The loops were definitely my favorite (when they worked). But the filter broke after only 5 concerts and Loop's customer service has not responded to me in a week regarding getting a warranty replacement. So sadly not quite worth the money.
Great video, thanks!
I've tried a lot of different ear plugs. Flare isolate are the best I've used by far but sadly discontinued at the moment. I expect Flare will come out with a new version or a new earplug soon. I'm really bad for losing things so I'm trying to decide in advance what I'll replace my isolates with.
I need the most attenuation possible as I spend a lot of time close to custom built heavyweight dub soundsystems. I'm leaning towards loop experience pro + mute but if there's anything with more attenuation while still sounding good, I'd love to know!
The problem with eargasms is deff true. Bought them a while ago and they take forever to actually fit properly in your ears, which is extremely annoying when you are at a club where you might not want to have them in at all times.
I use the Hearprotek which are like Eargasm but have a handy silicon cord to tie them together. I noticed they have to be pushed very deep to work.
Thank you so much for the audio comparisons both for the recording and the equal volume. It helps quite a lot!
One small thing is that you could put the recording without earplugs between each clip so that comparing these is easier.
I think the difference between no earplug and one specific one is much more important than the difference between the different earplugs.
Thanks for the recommendation. You can find the individual audio clips for better A/B/C comparisons on HearingTracker (link in the video description).
Also, we are currently testing more earplugs. If you have a moment, here is a quick 2 question survey that'll help us understand what's most important to you when testing and sharing data. I'd appreciate your thoughts.
steve.questionpro.com/t/AawyEZ2oF9
- Steve
Thanks for your list.
I want to know that loop experience pro has disappaer from their webstore, mayble replaced by experience plus i guess? Please let me know
Yes, they replaced/renamed the pro with the plus.
- Steve
Thank you for this... I think the. Loop extra filter might be something I would use on one ear when standing next to the drummer...maybe
Thanks a lot for this detailed review! From what I understand, Experience Pro doesn't remove the higher frequencies that much, right? While listening to the audio tracks with Experience, I did find the sound quite annoying to my ears; with Mute it was better. This made me realise that I'm quite sensitive to those frequencies. But sometimes I also have to sing or play drums amidst all the other sounds coming from instruments. I was wondering which of these would work for my case? The case being able to hear myself and not experience sensory overload (since I'm autistic) at the same time.
Thanks for your comment. Have you considered custom earplugs or in-ear monitors such as 3DME that offer a transparency mode?
- Steve
Can you do a comparison of the Loop Experience Pro vs the Loop Quiet? I spend a lot of time around aircraft, and most people are neglectful or don't care about protecting their hearing. Because of that peer pressure I've lost a considerable amount of mine, and was hoping to find something that can protect my hearing yet not be visible(and stay in comfortably) under my hair. At the same time I would still like to be able to easily hear the world around me.
So far the Loop Experience seems best but I'm wondering how well the Quiet is, or if it's just an over glorified silicon plug in comparison.
I have both the Experience Pro and the Quiets. The Quiets are great for comfort, even when sleeping on my side. However, for your job around aircraft, I'd definitely recommend the Pro's over the Quiets, as the foam tips on the Pro's block out a lot of noise.
The Pro's are meant for loud environments, whereas the Quiets are meant for environments where you're supposed to try to sleep, which are (presumably) not as loud as in front of speakers at festivals or near loud machinery.
Hope this helps :)
This was the review I was looking for, super comprehensive (and the extra info on your website is even better). Thanks!
Glad it was helpful!
We are beginning to test earplugs again and it would be a big help if you could answer this quick 2 question survey on earplug use. It will help us understand what you look for in plugs so we can test and share data better. Thanks!
steve.questionpro.com/t/AawyEZ2oF9
- Steve
What an amazing and informative work! Thank you very much! I’m a frequent concert goer and started to feel the negative impact in my ears, looking for earplugs was a bit confusing but now I know what to get!
I've had Tinnitus for 30 years and have been using only industrial earplugs for 15+ years, which do a great job of lowering the volume, but they're uncomfortable, uneven and really drown out the guitars. I know that all of the top 3 earplugs have to be much better then what I've been using, but I'm stuck between getting the ER20XS Dual and the Loop experience Pro. Seems like Loop is the easiest to use. I don't care how it looks. I'm sure the experience will be vastly improved with either of these. I'd like a little feedback from this audience. Thank you.
Hi! first of all, thanks for the videos you make, with real testings and the adequate equipment; I have acufens in my right ear when i'm exposed to loud noisy environments, and makes me anxious to be in social gatherings and concerts, I wanted to buy a pair of Loop Quiet for sleeping and alone time, and a pair of Experience Pro for social things, but I read and heard great things about the newer model, Engage, which it seems you hear less you inner voice and occlusion, would you try the Engage to see if it really is a better choice than the Experience? or what are your thoughts about the newer model? Thank you!
Hi quebbbin, thanks for your comment. I have not tried Loop Engage yet but have been meaning too. If you have had a chance to please share your experiences.
Decreased occlusion could be a few things such as less overall sound reduction and or a deeper earplug fit. My interest in piqued.
- Steve
I’m a bit late to the game, but do you have an opinion on which would be good for a cellist? I like the cancellation of the Loops but I’m afraid it might take out too much of the lower register in my cello.
Thanks for this video really helpful. I’m off to download festival soon and really need a pair of ear plugs as had problems with my hearing these past few years and want to try and protect what’s left as best as possible. Thinking of going for the Loops as hopefully they should be comfy whilst I’m also trying to have a better experience hearing the vocals over the bass
I wear the Loop Experience Plus, and they are awesome. Glad you found the Loop Pro's to be on your #1 list!
Great video. Your testing and sampling methods are much appreciated by us nerds.
Haven’t nailed down my choice yet.
But will be one of the three.
Thanks for the comment Kenny, glad you liked the video and let me know what you decide on!
- Steve
Which one did you end up choosing?
Thank you for a cool review! I've been using the Alpine MusicSafe Pro earplugs for the past 2 years and love them! I am the bassist for a LOUD contemporary gospel choir and I like the fact that I can still hear the music but at a lower SPL depending on the interchangeable filter that I chose. I highly recommend these!
Thanks for sharing and glad they are working well for you. Alpine MusicSafe were my go-to earplugs for years.
We are actually going to start testing earplugs again. If you have a moment, here is a quick 2 question survey that will help us understand what you look for in plugs so we can test and share data better. Thanks!
steve.questionpro.com/t/AawyEZ2oF9
- Steve
Best recommended for concert photography?
Full plugs!
Eargasm has a smaller size version. I wonder how it works. The fitting is much more comfortable but the filter is different so I wonder if the sound quality changes.
Thank you so much for this!!
You are welcome Peggy! Which did you like best?
- Steve
Great video! As a pro-musician, I'm always in the market for great ear protection without sacrificing too much clarity. I appreciate the thoroughness of your testing. Would love to see a similar video on the best plugs for sleeping. Thanks.
Are the loop experience plus the same as loop experience pro?
I read the longer article on your site which is the companion to this "top 3" video and found it really helpful in choosing my next set of music earplugs (I had been using the Earpeace plugs for several years but, dissatisfied with the uneven frequency response, I chose to switch to the slightly-less-attenuating Eargasm HiFi - based solely on your audio samples.) I very much appreciated the explanation of some of technical details of your testing setup and am still curious about one aspect of the audio samples - namely, the type of amplitude normalization used to create the playback samples on the web page.
Can you say a little bit more about the normalization procedure? Did you normalize to a peak signal amplitude measurement? Or normalize using a (weighted or unweighted) wide-band averaged sound power measurement? If the latter, I'm wondering if you took the non-linearity of frequency sensitivity with respect to amplitude into account? (I note the Fletcher-Munson curve printed on the dummy's t-shirt so assume that you have accounted for that phenomenon 😏 )
Also, will I find an explanation of the "NRR" attenuation de-rating explained somewhere on your site? TIA!
Hi Steve (nice name!), thanks for your comment. I used a broadband RMS value to match volumed across samples. It is not the most sophisticated as you pointed out and I will hope to update it to something more reflective of our perception in the future.
You can find more information about our testing and scoring here: www.hearingtracker.com/earplugs/how-we-test-earplugs
- Steve
With the loop earbuds, would you say you can hear yourself breathing or even singing or talking at a concert? I’ve seen some reviews saying that. I’m going to the eras tour and plan on singing along
I feel like that applies to all earbuds
I plan on getting something like that as well for the eras tour
Thank you for this video! Great review
I love my Loops! My backups if I can't find them are made by HearProtek and look very similar to the featured Eargasms.
Would these be good for everyday use for someone who's sensitive to high noises?
Yes, I use them for general use outside of music too (e.g., theaters and loud restaurants).
- Steve
Any suggestions on something that will lower the decibels, but not have as much occlusion? I have a teen on the spectrum that loves music but the volume and the crowd cheering hurts his ears. I’ve heard the loops are good, but the occlusion is very distracting.
Deeper fitting earplugs will minimize the occlusion your experience. Etymotic Research ER20 are designed to sit deeper in your ear for this reason. There are also custom earplugs that you can get from an audiologist. Those are also made to fit deeper to reduce occlusion.
- Steve
Do there exist active musicians earplugs? I find that my Vibes earplugs tend to attenuate the sound too much for me, even if it attenuates evenly across the frequency spectrum.
Thanks for your comment. Vibes are not the most flat earplugs available and tend to reduce more high frequencies. You can see measurements I've done here: www.hearingtracker.com/earplugs?
There are active earplugs though. Etymotic Research has a few excellent options: www.etymotic.com/electronic/
- Steve
What mic did you use? Fantastic pick up
You are a king. thanks so much for this!
Cheers, thank you!
- Steve
I have tried three thus far - the Experience Loop Plus (Pro), Earos One, and Decibullz Custom Musician Professional. Of the three, only the Decibullz leaves a good deal of the musicality intact. All three rolled off the high end quite a bit, though. The Loop was REALLY muffled.
Before I end up with a pair of custom earplugs, I'm interested in checking out the Etymotic Music Pro Elite as well as maybe the Minuendo, although the latter seems to have, in a graph I saw, in dip in frequency response in an upper midrange, lower treble throughout its variable settings. If so, I may not be happy with those. I really need to have the music be as unmolested in the filtration as possible
Hi Jeff, it sounds like you should pull the trigger on custom musician's earplugs. I found Minuendo to color sound more than Loop and Etymotic er20s.
What are you using earplugs for (concerts, performances, etc)? Depending on your needs you may be interested in ASI Audio 3DME in-ear monitors. They offer excellent sound reduction when worn properly and offer a "transparency" mode.
Here's a review I did on this device: www.hearingtracker.com/resources/3dme-in-ear-monitors-tested-in-the-lab?q=3dme
- Steve
Hello @HearingTracker! Great review and it is fantastic that you include the actual sound with earplugs 😊 Could you tell me if Loop Experience 2 Plus are equally good comparing to Experience Pro? I cannot find new Experience Pro, maybe they are the predecessors of 2 Plus. I hope that 2 Plus will be better than my Alpine MusicSafe Pro which make the sound muffled and cut high frequencies. Greetings from Poland!
I've been researching for the last couple days. I have the Etymotic plugs and I much prefer their sound to the rest. But I'm having the problem where they are too *quiet* for concerts, but the it's too *loud* without them. I try wearing them halfway but they fall out easily.
I was tempted to get another pair but (most of the) Loops & Eargasms are more than double the price and I don't like their audio as much.
Saw this review and I bought the loops because of the extensive review you have. Awesome video, I look forward to seeing how these do in rehearsals
Do you have any more info on the part about being overprotected? What are the negatives of having too much protection?
Great video. But you should consider not only the audio quality but above all how much they protect your hearing, especially in situations where the decibels are really high. I believe that Etymotic are the most reliable because high frequencies are the ones that often cause damage to the ear, so I deduce that they protect in an optimal way. Furthermore, it is one of the most important companies in this sector, I believe that other brands are too commercial. It's sad not to see Alpine among the brands, which are excellent both as earplug and as a company. What do you think of the custom-made Etymotics? Do they give more guarantees?
Great video 🙏
Great video! Got a question: for EDM, which one would you recommend?
Top choices begin at @10:04. you are welcome.
What would you recommend to someone that goes to metal concerts frequently, say 2 times a month? I usually go about 2 days feeling kinda deaf and have a hard time finding earbuds that fit me, they are usually too big and fall out
Hi, Dr. Steve! The full review says you also tested the Earasers, but there is no info about those in the article. Could you please share your thoughts about the Earasers?
Hi Zet, yes we originally had data for Earasers but have since removed it. As an audio engineer I find Earasers to significantly color sound and fall-short of their "worlds-flattest-earplug claim". As an audiologist their devices concern me as they offer attenuation in a limited frequency range around ear canal resonance. This is opposite the approach most musician's earplugs take which is to offer uniform, or more equal, sound reduction across the audible spectrum. Another concerning element is the noise reduction rating (NRR) of their standard earplug (5 dB). OSHA recommends a 50% derating of this number, NIOSH recommends a greater derating, to more accurately represent what the average person will experience. Altogether, I think the devices can be misleading due to their narrow range of sound reduction and limited NRR.
- Steve
@@HearingTracker Wow, thank you very much for your answer, Doc! I'm really grateful for all the information. And also thank you very much for your helpful and reliable content!
Your work is phenomenal! I couldn't find a video that compares all of them. It's hard to tell the difference unless you put them side by side, and all these paid reviewers simply worsen the task.
Thanks for your kind words and glad the video helps. There is also a full review with more information on Hearingtracker.com (www.hearingtracker.com/earplugs?).
We are actually testing earplugs again. If you'd like to help us you can answer this quick 2 question survey. This will help us understand how you use earplugs and better inform our testing and content. Thank you!
steve.questionpro.com/t/AawyEZ2oF9
- Steve
Incredible video. Professional, clear and informative
Thank you Ddub 9000!
- Steve
What kind of earplugs would you recommend for playing in chess tournaments. This is just room noise, ticking clock, and other distractions. Thanks.
I'm going to download festival this year and I've never been to a festival so I don't know how loud it's going to be compared to an indoor concert do you think I'd need something like these and which ones would you recommend for that type of use I've been looking at loop for awhile but haven't decided yet
Hi Emma, festivals can be very loud and hazardous given their length. I would recommend something like the Loop Pro as they have the mute to offer more attenuation if needed. I would also recommend downloading the NIOSH SLM app (free) to help gauge how loud it is and your overall sound exposure. It's a lot to discuss, but the app has great explanations of "dose".
Have a good time and happy you're protecting your ears!
- Steve
This is a great video, I was looking for something like this. Thanks very much!
Glad it was helpful! We are going to be doing more testing like this, if you have a moment here is a quick 2 question survey that'll help us understand how best to test and share data.
steve.questionpro.com/t/AawyEZ2oF9
Thank you!
- Steve
Unfortunately, these 3 winners are not directly available here in the Czech Republic. What's available is those Alpine MusicSafe Pro (or maybe better yet Alpine PartyPlug Pro Natural). How would you tell these stand against let's say those Loops? Thank you.
Thanks for the video! One question, you mentioned the Earasers at the beginning but I cannot find the review on the post. Did something happen with them?
I would also like to know about the Earasers, I just read your full article and don't see them there. Another one I just discovered and am curious about is Mee Universal High Fidelity.
He explained his reasoning for not adding them in these comments
@@tbiffard He explained his reasoning for not adding them in these comments
Found the reply: "Hi Zet, yes we originally had data for Earasers but have since removed it. As an audio engineer I find Earasers to significantly color sound and fall-short of their "worlds-flattest-earplug claim". As an audiologist their devices concern me as they offer attenuation in a limited frequency range around ear canal resonance. This is opposite the approach most musician's earplugs take which is to offer uniform, or more equal, sound reduction across the audible spectrum. Another concerning element is the noise reduction rating (NRR) of their standard earplug (5 dB). OSHA recommends a 50% derating of this number, NIOSH recommends a greater derating, to more accurately represent what the average person will experience. Altogether, I think the devices can be misleading due to their narrow range of sound reduction and limited NRR.
- Steve"
@@Dreoni_ glad you found it!
Great review, I personally really liked the feel and sound of the Loops but they just don't stay in my ear over long periods, or when running, jumping etc. Especially if I get sweaty in a moshpit or in a rave. I have the same problem all earbuds that are shaped similarly.
The only "earbuds" that work for long term for me is a proper IEM, like Shure IEMs with those long 3-pronged tips. So I suppose I'll try the ER20XS next.
I had the Loops and thought they were okay, but I returned them because the storage case is cheaply made plastic, and broke within a week. Not useful when I am on the road as a photographer covering concerts night after night. I ended up with the EarPeace Music Pros.
Agreed, I use the metal case offered by Eargasm to carry my Loop Experience with my car keys.
- Steve
I got too local punk rock shows that are mostly in small venues my top priority is protection but obviously I want to hear everything at a safe level what earplugs should I get first too try ?🙏
Awesome video and testing! Thank you! One question: the Etymotic sound the most altered relative to the Loop or Eargasms… is it just me or did you share this sentiment? I got confused bc you put Eargasm in 3rd place, and called the Etymotic as “living up to their reputation” … but it seems like Etymotic sound worse than Eargasm? Is it just because of the fit that Eargasm got placed last instead of 2nd?
Thank you questionman5. That is a great observation and I agree that ER20xs doesn’t offer quite as uniform of attention compared to Eargasm. There were many elements that went into this ranking such as price, comfort, sound quality, uniformity of sound reduction, and more which can be found in greater detail in the article review (www.hearingtracker.com/earplugs?q=Best+earplugs). Eargasm and ER20xs were extremely close but a few categories brought the latter out ahead slightly. Both are great and I actually cycle between all three on a regular basis.
-Steve
Bro..please suggest Best ear plug for tinnitus . I really want to go to movie theater, but im afraid of extreme sound.
Excellent video and analysis ~ thank you so much for making this an easy purchase :) my ears appreciate it
Glad it was helpful and thanks for protecting your ears!
- Steve
Which pair would you recommend for DJs?
What's your opinion on Flare calmers? Would you be able to do one of those awesome 'listen for yourself' reviews? =) Thank you !
Hi Jacqueline, thanks for your comment. I have had Flare on my radar but have yet to find the time to get a review out. Hopefully soon!
- Steve
Great video, thanks!!!!
Thank you! We are testing earplugs again and if you'd like to help us out, here is a 2 question survey that will help us understand what you look for in plugs so we can test and share data better. Thanks!
steve.questionpro.com/t/AawyEZ2oF9
- Steve
My thinking is a little different here, namely: I don't want linear sound reduction, because hearing itself isn't linear, and when you factor in variables like age and the SPL of your environment, what NR profile sounds best will vary. E.g., I have a fair bit of loss at 4k, so if you attenuate the highs as much as the lows and mids, and if that attenuation drops the levels below my 4k threshold, I will hear the result as dark, with a lack of clarity in the sibilants. That's a problem in a restaurant, but it's not a problem in a concert, where the 4k can tear your face off even with 20dB of reduction. On the other hand, we all "hear" bass conductively, in our bodies, so with the bass-heavy sound of the etymotics, concerts will sound boomy and lack the crackle and energy of fiery live midrange... and that was always my experience as an owner of custom ER-15's and ER-20's across 15 years.
All of which is a longass road to say that, for concerts and loud environments like clubs and most restaurants these days, the Loop sounds best to me because it brings down the bass more, and leaves the energy and clarity frequencies in a better place so I can engage my friends or feel the grit of the music that's hitting my body. And make no mistake, of all the things that will flatten your ear's hairs and cause HF loss over time, bass is the main culprit, the SPLs at a typical concert are brutal. That's my take, as always, YMMV.
Based on Sound Samples, I really don't get the ranking. The Eargasm Hi-FI was clearly the most neutral. And IMO that's the most important part for musicians.
The Loop buds just killed so much of the bass and mids!
Ranking is difficult because there are many factors to considor (cost, ease of use, durability, comfort,...). There is a link to the written review in the description which includes a more detailed breakdown for various factors.
Making matters even more difficult is the fact that some of these factors are highly subjective - what fits you the best might not fit me - and that the relative importance of each factor is also subjective (durability may not be as important to some people compared to others).
Thanks for your comment, I agree that Eargasm hi-fi sounds the most neutral. However, as AlokMeshram mentions there were many factors at play in their ranking. The full review on hearingtracker (www.hearingtracker.com/earplugs?q=best+earplugs#a-1-loop-experience) gets into that and there is even a link that takes a deep-dive into our testing.
The big picture to me is that these three devices were the best overall given my testing and hands-on experience.
- Steve
Thank you for the video! Would all of these earplugs have enough reduction to protect my hearing in loud rock concerts? Those can run up to 120dB.
Hi Gabriel, this depends on many factors. How well do the earplugs fit your ears? How long is the rock concert? The full review has more information about your specific question: www.hearingtracker.com/earplugs?q=earplugs
If you have regular exposures the best option is to visit a music audiologist. A deeper discussion of your hearing and sound exposures is really needed to make specific recommendations. Our ears are all different, so earplugs can vary one person to the next. An audiologist can test how well a set of earplugs works on you.
- Steve
I think the eargasm just rebranded some other premium earplugs. They look identical to what I bought from the pharmacy a year ago at a far lower price. They are very difficult to get out of your ear because of the tiny pull tab, several times I've semi-paniced that I can't get them out.
Going to go to a concert tomorrow. You definitely recommend the loop?
Can you do a review of earplugs that can be used on a daily basis for those sensitive to noise but still need to talk to people? Such as at a party, at the grocery store, work..etc.
Thanks for your comment. Musician's earplugs are actually the best plugs for what you are describing as they will reduce volume but keep speech clearer than other types of plugs. Etymotic Research ER20xs, Eargasm Hi-Fi, and Loop Experience Plus will all work great for parties and general use where both sound reduction and clarity are desired.
- Steve
Bro, thank you. I needed to just hear what they do. I can't stand bass blasting out every noise around, I am the type to turn it down. At concerts this is nigh impossible. Sounds like Eargasm and Loops pro are my best bet.