ETYMOTIC RESEARCH ER20BP High Fidelity Ear Plugs ( Clear )

These earplugs are designed to provide good quality sound at reduced volume. It does not provide as much noise reduction as lower quality foam or disposal ear plugs. In many situations, this is worth the sacrifice.

These earplugs are nearly identical to the Noise Isolation Earphones made by Etymotic (ER-6i).

When using the earplugs, your perception of sound will be "normal", but quieter. That means voices sound natural, music sounds clear, and noises are identifiable. Unlike lower earplugs, there's no distortion or "muffling" of sound. As another reviewer said, you can think of it as "turning the volume down on the outside world".

These are great to use in situations where you need to hear, but want to reduce sound to safe levels. Some areas I've used them (and found noticable improvement over cheap-o plugs):
* Concerts and music
* Comedy Clubs (when near the loud speaker)
* Airplanes (talking to people, flight attendant)...Read more

I'm a drummer who has been playing for a long time and I've always been searching for the perfect earplugs for playing gigs. Most off-the-shelf plugs kill the high end and cut out far too much sound. Most of the specialty plugs are way too expensive. My search has ended with these Etymotics, which I've now been using regularly for about 2 years.

Two things make them perfect for me: First, they offer a gradual reduction in external sound rather than an extreme muffling. Second, the reduction is very well balanced across the frequency spectrum. You still get pretty clear high end and low end, just that the volume is reduced. In fact, that's the best way to describe them... they simply turn the volume down on the outside world, while maintaining excellent clarity. This is a must for me as a singing drummer. They're also very comfortable.

One drawback: they stick out a little bit, so they can look a little dorky. I'd suggest buying the clears rather than the...Read more

High Fidelity Ear Plugs/filters

I play the trumpet in several bands and when I get stuck in front of the percussion section (particularly snare drums), earplugs are a necessity. I own a half dozen types of plugs, and they all block the sound, but they also muffle and distort it. These plugs simply lower the volume with a minimum of the muffling effect, so they are perfect for musicians in loud groups. Very comfortable, quick & easy to insert or remove.

They also seem perfect for concerts. For example, when Arturo Sandavol, the trumpet virtuoso, appeared locally, he used what must have been a 10,000 watt sound system. These ear plugs allow you to enjoy the music when a clueless sound engineer turns the volume three clicks past painful.

Note: Etymotic Research ER20BP High Fidelity Ear Plugs and Hearos High Fidelity Ear Filters are virtually identical, other than color variations.