We’ve tested more earplug models than can be listed here. To see some of the earplugs we’ve tested in previous rounds, as well as some key measurements, check out this table.
The Alpine MusicSafe Pro set consists of silicone, multi-flange earplugs with three sets of replaceable filters. The included tips would fit people with medium-sized ears, but we wish Alpine included other sizes. People with large or deep ears may have trouble getting the seal and/or removing the ear plugs once they are deep enough to work. We appreciated the chart on the package that notes the attenuation of all three filters in various frequency ranges, and our measurements are similar to what Alpine claims. So, if this is the right fit for you, it should feel less awkward than most of the others we’ve tested.
The stem of the Alpine PartyPlug Pro earplug is the only piece that feels solid; the rest is soft silicone. While this may sound comfortable, it also made it difficult to get the earplugs in my ears. I tried to push the stem in, but the tips just curled up in them, leaving me scratching my ears to get what was left in place – like trying to push a soft pillow into a very small space.
The design of the Alpine Tune earplugs is easier to place in the ear than the pine tree-shaped Alpine sets we tested. However, once in place, the earplugs feel more closed and throbbing than what we got from the Loop Experience 2 earplugs. The V-shaped stem is a touch harder to position in the ear than the Loop, although it looks really cool.
The Curvd Everyday Earplugs have a soft, flexible arching-wing design, and our panelists found them very comfortable – even for sleeping. We liked the sturdiness of the case, too. Unfortunately, the sound wasn’t much more dynamic than that of our pickups, so we wouldn’t recommend this for concerts. However, if you’re looking for a pair of earplugs to cut out annoying noises while still getting some experience, the Curvd pair is fantastic.
D’Addario dBud earplugs fit snugly and offer two levels of noise reduction. You can adjust the level using a simple slider, but the resistance on the slider makes this pair tighter to adjust in your ear than the Loop Switch 2. Additionally, our panelists and our testers agreed that the dBud allows for more bass and less vocal range than we’d prefer, resulting in it sounding ambiguous.
The Eargasm High Fidelity Earplugs were among the best sounding earplugs in the world that we tested, with more comfort than we found in our top Loop pick. However, our panel found that the pine tree-shaped plugs are not easy to wear because they extend deep into the ear canal, often causing irritation or pinching. Additionally, the small removal tab was difficult to hold when it slid behind the ear piece.
The Earos One’s earplugs provided noise reduction exactly like the Loop’s, providing volume reduction without too much distortion quality. The stable wings make these earplugs feel like they’ll stay in place no matter how you move. However, Earos only offers two tip sizes, so people with very large or small ears are at high risk of not getting the right fit. The biggest tip was not wide enough in diameter for one of our panelists to get the mark. For well-fitting panelists, the pine tree shape of the Earos One set felt invasive, and it was uncomfortable enough that they won’t wear these earplugs regularly.
EarPeace Music has the same fit as Music Pro, but includes three different filters that can be adjusted to adjust the noise reduction. We found this process more difficult than we would like to do, as the small filters are a challenge to handle and are easily lost. We also thought this didn’t sound as good as Music Pro, with less detail in the vocal range.
The Etymotic MusicPro Elite hearing protection system is an affordable set designed to protect and enhance your hearing. When set to normal mode, these earplugs allow all sound until the volume reaches 90 dB. In active mode, they offer more balanced comfort than passive concert earplugs like our choice. In fact, the concert sound with the Music Pro Elite was more enjoyable than any other earplug we tried. However, I also hear a hissing sound. Although this sound is masked when music is played, it can be heard during breaks, which can be distracting in quiet or open spaces. This system also has some notable ergonomic and design limitations. The mode switch buttons are too small, and using them caused the earplugs to sink deep (and sometimes painfully) into my ears. The multi-flange, pine tree-shaped tips sit deep in the ear, which sensitive wearers may find offensive or uncomfortable. Additionally, the charging case cannot close when the foam ears are attached; Only multi-flange tips will fit into the case. Users should remove and store the foam tips separately each time they charge the earplugs. While this expensive set may be a justifiable investment for professional players or people working in club and concert settings, we believe that the average concertgoer would find the inaccuracies and the difficulty of remembering to charge earplugs to be too much of an expense.
Fgcio Ear Plugs for Concerts kept coming up in our Amazon searches, so we bought a pair. The earplugs have a mushroom-like design that comes with multiple tips for an effective seal in a wide range of ear sizes. However, the attenuation is uneven and more attenuated than that of Loop Experience 2. This was especially true in the range of consonants, which made it difficult to distinguish between words like “sink” and “think.” Additionally, depending on how this fits you, the trunks can be dangerous if run indoors during a very loud show.
The Hears set has a chic aesthetic. However, the included tips are very difficult to remove and replace, and the larger tip was too small for our testers who often use larger tips from other brands. I also found it difficult to remove these from my ears, and the wings could not retract. Visual design aside, we liked how it sounded, so we hope Hears can work on the design for future iterations.
The JLab JBuds Protect earplugs have a twistable stem to adjust your attenuation level, but there is no physical feedback, so you have to take this out to change settings. We liked the magnetic case that holds the earplugs in place for added security. However, the foam tips run on the small side, so people with L or XL ears will need to push the JBud Protect unsteadily deep into the ear to get a seal. And when they are closed, the overall sound is duller than the one we selected.
The Loop Experience 2 Plus package deal includes everything from the Loop Experience 2 Earplugs box, as well as three sizes of foam earplugs and two Loop silencers, which Loop will increase noise reduction by 5 dB. While we like the foam tips as an option, the mufflers weren’t our favorite tool for our panel because the small plastic circles are too easy to lose when removing them or removing them from the earplugs. That said, if you know you’ll always need that extra 5dB of attenuation, or prefer foam tips, the Experience 2 Plus set is a great buy.
The filter on the Spares Earplugs is smaller than that used in other sets we tested. Part of the plug is reduced by a large eartip, which may make this more comfortable for people with smaller ears. However, the small size also means that these are very easy to lose if you drop one; difficult to manage for unskilled people; and if you have large or deep ear canals, the removal process becomes a challenge. I ended up lurking in my ears to get these out. The sound from the Spares was about on par with the cheaper pairs we tried, meaning female vocals sounded muffled and the snares had a booming quality.
The Vosaf Earplugs are another set we bought because they come up so often in Amazon searches. The squishy, silicone body style was a little tricky to get into my ear, but once there, this set was comfortable. Unfortunately, they also produced some very mysterious experiences.
Yawsoy Earplugs for Concerts come in a handy two-pack. The entire silicone body has a gummy-like quality. Once they are fully seated in your ears, the fit is excellent, and the music sounds close to what we heard on the Loop Experience 2. However, for them to work well, you need to make sure they sit deep in your ear cup, which can be difficult to achieve given the flexible body style. We worry that, in haste, people may not wear these properly, resulting in less protection than they expect.
The attenuation of the Zound Earplugs is remarkably equal. I was impressed with their performance in the vocal range — the sound had more clarity and balance and less boomy low-frequency representation than that of the Loop Experience 2. The Zound would be preferred if not for two major flaws: The first is that there are only two sizes of included/available tips, so one of our panelists with big ears couldn’t find people who can eat, who can’t fit thin ears. Zound in their ear canal. The second is that the triple flange design penetrates too far into the ear canal, which may feel invasive or painful for people with sensitive systems. If fit isn’t a concern, the Zound is a great set, but we want to pick the most that anyone can use comfortably and consistently.
This article was edited by Adrienne Maxwell and Grant Clauser.