Exploring Ear Safety: Variety of Defensive Strategies Available
Protecting Your Hearing in the Noise of Life
Since the rhythm of life often takes us to clubs and live music venues where the decibel levels can be deafening, it's essential to safeguard our ears from the potential risks of long-term damage and hearing loss.
Last year, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported that an overwhelming 1.1 billion teenagers and adults are at risk of hearing loss due to prolonged exposure to sound levels of 85 dB or higher for 8 hours or 100 dB for 15 minutes.
But there's no need to miss out on all the fun—hearing protection products are abundant and can make a world of difference to your auditory health. In fact, an increasing number of US venues now provide free earplugs to patrons. Last year, the Minneapolis City Council made it compulsory for bars and clubs featuring live music to offer free earplugs to customers.
In this piece, we've rounded up some of the top hearing protection products available, specifically designed to let you enjoy your noisy pastimes worry-free. To test these earplugs, I wore them in live music venues where sound levels were deemed dangerous without protection.
Auritech Music Hearing Protectors
Auritech's Music Hearing Protectors are manufactured from a silicone-free, hypoallergenic thermoplastic material. The interior contains a frequency-selective ceramic filter that allows wearers to hear conversations and background noises at a reduced volume. According to their packaging, these earplugs have been independently tested and shown to reduce sounds by 28.5 dB at the highest frequencies (8,000 Hz).
Wearing these earplugs was a comfortable experience, and after a brief adjustment period, I forgot I was wearing them at all. Mid- and top-range sounds were heard clearly, and holding conversations was a breeze. However, I did notice a slight muffling of bass frequencies.
The earplugs came with a handy case that can be clipped onto a keyring, making them easy to transport. I found these earplugs simple to use, extremely comfortable, and effective at reducing noise while only compromising the music experience slightly.
Auritech also offers a range of earplugs tailored to different scenarios, like their Sleep earplugs, which filter out disruptive sounds such as snoring while allowing wearers to remain receptive to "alert" noises, such as alarm clocks or babies crying.
A pair of Auritech Music earplugs will set you back around $30 on their website, with additional shipping charges based on your location. The earplugs come with an aluminum storage case.
Alpine Hearing Protection PartyPlugs
Alpine's Hearing Protection PartyPlugs recently won the prestigious Red Dot Award for their design. Similar to the Auritech earplugs, PartyPlugs were also independently tested and found to reduce sounds by 19.2 dB at frequencies of 8,000 Hz. Like their competitors, PartyPlugs are made from a hypoallergenic thermoplastic and contain acoustic filters.
I felt that PartyPlugs offered comprehensive noise protection across all sound frequencies. However, I had some difficulty hearing my companions accurately due to attenuation in certain frequency ranges. An insertion sleeve was provided with the earplugs to make insertion easy, but I found it unnecessary and even complicated the process in comparison to other earplugs.
The sleeve did not fit into the plastic carrying case provided with the product, meaning that if I continued to use this product, I would likely leave the sleeve at home. All in all, PartyPlugs were comfortable to wear, but the insertion sleeve detracted from the overall experience.
One pair of PartyPlugs costs $17.50 on Alpine's website and includes an insertion sleeve and storage case.
EarPeace HD Ear Plugs
EarPeace HD Ear Plugs stand out due to their dual set of filters—one for high protection and the other for medium protection. The medium protection filters reduce sounds by 31.5 dB at 8,000 Hz, while the high protection filters offer better protection at lower frequencies with a 29.6 dB reduction at the same frequency.
I found it more challenging to hear conversations when using the medium filters, and high frequencies sounded muffled. However, this wasn't an issue with the high protection filters. I appreciated the flexibility that the dual filters provided.
These earplugs were comfortable to wear, feeling softer and more pliable than other earplugs on the market. The plugs also featured a tab that made insertion and removal effortless. All the plugs and filters fit neatly into an aluminum carabiner that comes with the product, ensuring that this effective and versatile form of hearing protection is portable.
If you're looking for comprehensive, adaptable hearing protection, EarPeace HD Ear Plugs might be just what you need. A pair costs $17.95 on EarPeace's website and includes three earplugs (one spare), two sets of different filters, and a storage case.
Etymotic ETY•Plugs High Fidelity Earplugs
Etymotic's ETY•Plugs high fidelity earplugs are designed to provide equal sound reduction of 20 dB at all frequencies, ensuring that music and speech remain clear and audible. The earplugs were comfortable to wear and easy to insert and remove, with my only issue being the slightly elongated end caps. However, Etymotic also offers earplugs with a low-profile, stemless design (ER•20XS high fidelity earplugs) that sit in the outer ear without protruding.
A benefit of the long end caps is that they easily connect to the neck cord provided, making it convenient to remove the earplugs from your ears and hang them around your neck when noise levels return to safe levels. If you're wanting a reliable, comfortable, and effective set of earplugs, ETY•Plugs are worth considering.
One pair of ETY•Plugs costs $12.95 on Etymotic's website and comes with a neck cord and storage case. Etymotic plans to make ETY•Plugs available at 35 amphitheaters and several major music festivals in the US this summer.
Ultimate Ear Musicians Plug
For those seeking more targeted, molded-to-your-ears hearing protection, the Ultimate Ear Musicians Plug is an excellent option. These semi-custom earplugs are made from medical-grade silicone and can be made to attenuate noise at either 9, 15, or 25 dB. The plugs I was sent were semi-custom; normally, Ultimate Ear would take impressions of your ears to create a product that fits your ears exactly.
Though my pair was not custom-made for my ears, they still provided a comprehensive fit. This might have been due in part to the plug's design, which secures the top part of the plug into the outer fold of the ear, creating a seal.
These earplugs significantly reduced sound across all frequencies, though conversation was slightly impeded. Adapting to this type of earplug took some practice, but in the long run, it was a small price to pay for unparalleled protection.
If you're in the market for custom-made earplugs, a pair from Ultimate Ear will cost around $229 on their website, not including additional fees for ear impressions and shipping. The earplugs come with a storage pouch, cleaning tool, and fitting and cleaning guides.
Tapping the Iceberg
These hearing protectors only scratch the surface of the products available to those who want to safeguard their hearing.
Many cheaper alternatives exist, such as the simple foam earplugs widely available at drug stores, which often come for free at certain venues. While these provide good ear protection, they can muffle sounds more than the earplugs mentioned in this feature.
No matter what you choose to spend on hearing protection, remember that taking precautions to protect your hearing is crucial for your overall health. Hearing loss is not only irreversible, but it can also affect the way you experience life on a profound level. Responsible use of hearing protection solutions doesn't have to compromise your enjoyment of loud music events, clubs, or any other noisy environments. After all, your hearing is an essential part of the symphony of life.
- While there is a risk of hearing loss due to prolonged exposure to sound levels of 85 dB or higher for 8 hours or 100 dB for 15 minutes, hearing protection products are available to safeguard ears from potential damage.
- Several hearing protection products are tailored to different scenarios, such as the Auritech Sleep earplugs, which filter out disruptive sounds and allow wearers to remain receptive to urgent noises.
- The Minneapolis City Council made it compulsory for bars and clubs featuring live music to offer free earplugs to customers in an effort to protect their hearing.
- Incorporating medical-conditions like hearing loss and deafness into broader discussions about health and wellness is essential, as hearing loss is irreversible and can significantly impact one's quality of life.
