I explained why I wear earplugs to live music shows in my last blog post. Now let’s take a look at the specific earplugs I use, the Etymotic ETY•Plugs.
Design
ETY•Plugs are non-custom earplugs. This means you can buy them and stick them straight in your ear. No need to take casts of your ear canal or boil plastic to create a custom fit. The earplugs are secured in your ear by three flexible silicone flanges.
I have really small ears and they stay in my ear OK, I wouldn’t mind if they were more secure. These earplugs stick pretty far out of my ear and I do not like that. It feels like someone could bump into them and it could damage my ear.
Variations
ETY•Plugs are offered in two different sizes and four different colors. I think mine are the standard size and frosted color variant.
Accessories
ETY•Plugs come with a carry case that has a loop to attach to your pants if you don’t have pockets. Having a carry case for your earplugs is very important. You don’t want to stick these in a pocket, get them covered in lint, and then stick them into your ears.
They also come with a string that holds the two earplugs together. This is a really useful accessory for me, they can get bumped or fall out while dancing, and having a string makes it much harder to lose them. And you can tie them in a little knot between sets.
Functionality
The silicone flanges that secure the plugs in your ear are designed to block all noise. The earplugs allow noise to pass into the ear through “a proprietary tuned resonator and acoustic resistor.” This means sound can enter your ear directly, but it first must go around a corner, into a chamber, and then it can pass into your ear. You can see the opening where sound enters in the below photo:
And the long tip is where the sound resonates. I do not understand exactly how these earplugs reduce noise levels, but I can say that it works well. The earplugs do a great job of reducing music volume while retaining clarity. Etymotic claims their earplugs reduce music by 20 decibels and that could be the case. After wearing these earplugs to a concert I find that everything sounds a bit quiet afterward, but I never experience ear pain.
They are reusable and can be cleaned pretty easily. Etymotic recommends replacing them every 3-6 months if you use them every day. I use them about once a month and my original pair is still in perfect condition.
Conclusions
ETY•Plugs are great earplugs. I really enjoy wearing them to concerts. They would be better if they fit in my ears a little tighter, if they stuck out of my ears a little less, and if they reduced volume a little more. But I really like their accessories, they sound great, and they look fine. And at a price of around $14 they are a great deal. If you are interested you can buy them here.
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