One of my first memories related to noise-induced hearing loss was communicating with my grandpa when I was a kid. I remember my mom telling me that his hearing wasn’t great, likely from years of using in-ear headphones, and that I should speak extra loud when chatting with him.
Fast forward about a couple decades. I was getting settled into my first job out of college and I distinctly remember having a conversation with an older co-worker who was complaining about her tinnitus – the constant ringing and buzzing in her ear – which she attributed to all the rock shows she attended back in the 80s.
I’d always known that loud noises over a sustained period of time would hurt my ears, and as a huge live music fan, I made sure to invest in a solid pair of earplugs when I was finally able to afford going to shows and festivals. Now, almost 25 music festivals (and countless live shows) later, I still consider my earplugs some of the most important things I carry with me for these occasions.
Over the years, I’ve gotten questions from friends whenever I wore earplugs to shows, so I’ve had time to think through my reasons exactly for doing so. In this post, I’ll cover why it’s a good idea to invest in a pair of earplugs, address some misconceptions about these types of earplugs, and provide some earplugs recommendations based on my own usage and experience.
Why It’s a Good Idea to Wear Earplugs at Concerts & Shows
First, let’s get the facts straight. You likely won’t lose your hearing from the occasional loud concert. I’m sure many people who did go to concerts through the years ended up with minimal to no hearing damage. But here’s the truth backed by science: at 110 decibels, hearing loss could happen only after a couple of minutes. Most live music measures between 100-120 decibels.
Even in the best-case scenario, the longer the exposure to those levels of sound, the higher the likelihood of hearing loss. Now take that one concert and stretch it out to many concerts over decades, and it’s easier to see why it’s a good idea to wear earplugs.
Other than hearing loss, another byproduct of hearing damage is tinnitus, the perception of buzzing, hissing, or ringing in the ears. Vice’s Noisey has an extensive write-up describing tinnitus aptly titled “Here’s How You Can Protect Your Hearing at Shows and Not Be a Dumbass.” Another tinnitus reference comes from the excellent movie Baby Driver:
Long story short, it’s probably a better option to wear earplugs instead of suffering a constant “hum in the drum” by the time you hit 40 (or sooner).
Some Common Misconceptions About Earplugs
They block out all sound. The earplugs market has come a long way from those orange foamies that essentially plugged up your ears. Most earplugs designed for live music on the market today attenuate, or filter out, sounds in a way that’s like turning the volume knob down without sacrificing the sound quality. All my recommendations below do this, so the music still sounds great!
They stick out and aren’t comfortable. Earlier models were more prone to this, sometimes resulting in a very Frankenstein look. But in recent years more and more earplugs come in discreet designs, with shorter stems, clear/see-through colors, and hours-long comfort.
They’re used by newbies and squares. This couldn’t be further from reality. Whenever I go to any music show or festival, I can immediately pick out the veteran attendees by their earplugs. It’s more likely that someone who goes to a lot of live shows is more aware of hearing damage, and it’s an easy way to signal that you’re in-the-know, too.
Glen’s Earplug Recommendations
I have personally used or tested these earplugs, typically in a live music setting and sometimes even over a period of several years. This is a simple guide to the best concert and live music earplugs, so I won’t list out every single one on the market. Instead I’ll give my recommendations based on noise reduction, sound quality, and price. I’ll also include my Amazon affiliate links for your shopping convenience.
An important thing to note when shopping for earplugs – always check the noise reduction rating (NRR), which is the equivalent decibel reduction. The higher the NRR, the greater the noise reduction. Most of the ones I’ve used are in the 12-18 NRR range. A lower NRR provides less protection and a higher NRR turns down the virtual volume knob a bit more. To me, it’s about finding the right balance. So without further ado, my top 3 recommendations!
Best All-Around: Eargasm High Fidelity Earplugs
These are my current go-to earplugs that I’ve been using the past year. In terms of noise reduction, they fall into the “just right” category for me. The removable filters were a pretty new design at the time and I really noticed that the sound quality was better than the sound quality from prior earplugs that I used. They’re fairly low profile, easy to remove with the pull tabs, and incredibly comfortable. I’ve worn them through entire music festivals and frequently forget that I’m wearing them.
Cost: $$
NRR: 16
High-quality metal keychain carrying case included.
Best Value: DownBeats High Fidelity Hearing Protection
These were the earplugs I used before I switched to Eargasm. They’re great earplugs for the price but slightly lower in sound quality. When I forgot to bring them to a festival last year I just bought another pair without hurting my wallet and had it shipped via Prime. With a higher NRR, they reduced sound a bit too much in my opinion but were perfect for my motorcycle rides. With short stubs, they fit well under my helmet and are decently comfortable to wear for longer periods.
Cost: $
NRR: 18
Medium-quality metal keychain carrying case included.
Best Sounding: Earasers Musicians Plugs
A couple of my friends own these earplugs, so I’ve had the chance to try them on and test them with live music. They have the most unique design since they’re created by a hearing aid company, and they’re nearly invisible once worn. However, the extra cost would be harder to swallow if these were lost, and the noise reduction was a tad too weak. But no doubt, these definitely sound the best of the three and are super comfortable to wear.
Cost: $$$
NRR: 12
Plastic carrying case included, metal keychain carrying case extra.
Honorable Mention: Etymotic ER-20 High-Fidelity Earplugs
These were my first earplugs and I used them happily for several years before the filter finally broke. The pair I owned had long stems, but there’s an updated short-stem version that’s more discreet. These were most similar to the DownBeats, which at the end of the day was slightly more comfortable to wear.
For further reading on types of earplugs and additional earplugs recommendations, I’d suggest checking out Todd Owyoung’s excellent guide.
Avoiding the hum in the drum at www.RandomTidbitsofThought.com.
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