With Some Musicians Losing Their Hearing, These Are the Best Earplugs for Noise Reduction

All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors.

However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

In an increasingly noisy world, our hearing is taking a beating, and for musicians, the loud sounds that make their work possible can also become an occupational hazard.

That risk has gained attention as BTS member V recently revealed he was receiving treatment for significant hearing loss while on tour, while DJ and producer Alesso spoke about tinnitus and its impact on his touring last year.

Furthermore, Chris Martin, Dave Grohl and Neil Young are among the other artists who have opened up about the impact years of exposure to loud music has had on their ears.

While custom in-ear monitors (IEMs) can be an alternative to earplugs, they don’t suit every musician and music event.

When you consider marching band performances, orchestra pits, mariachi bands, garage jam sessions and DJ sets, a good pair of earplugs is an appropriate choice, not to mention an affordable option to pricey custom IEMs.

When shopping for earplugs, you’re going to come across the term “dB” (decibels) a lot.

This is the unit used to measure a sound’s loudness.

To put this into perspective, the International Noise Awareness Day says the sound of normal breathing is 10 dB, while a normal conversation is 60 dB, making the dB levels below per earplug a useful indicator of how much noise they can reduce.

3 MODES Loop Switch 2 Adjustable Earplugs 4K Bought This Month Buy Now on amazon Pro: Manual dial for adjusting modes Con: Reviewers have commented on the case not being secure Loop Switch 2 offers three levels of passive noise reduction, making it useful when your surroundings change throughout the day.

Its dial lets you move between quiet, engage and experience modes, with a stated 20 to 26 dB SNR range.

A slimmer design and four ear-tip sizes aim to improve comfort.

The set also includes a protective carrying case.