Keeping Out the Noise, Letting In the Sound
Do you want earphones with excellent noise isolation and save some coin? The Etymotic MK5 in-ears don’t have active noise cancellation, but chances are you won’t miss it with these earphones, if you don’t mind deep-insertion ear tips. I am sitting on my balcony listening to some coffeehouse music: basically piano and acoustic guitar to …
Read moreEtymotic Mk5 Review: Great Noise Isolation on a Budget
AGPTEK sleep earbuds are wired micro earphones with interchangeable ear tips. They are so small that I can insert them almost completely in my ear, allowing me to sleep comfortably on the side without ear pressure. Also, the sound of the earbuds doesn’t change when I hit the pillow. Apart from sleeping, these are also …
Read moreAGPTEK Sleep Earbuds Review (Isolation and Durability Tips)
Invented in Germany in 1907, Ohropax Classic wax are one of the first modern earplugs. They are made of a mix of cotton, Vaseline, and paraffin wax. Not surprisingly, these wax earplugs are a bit sticky, stickier, in fact, than pure wax and silicone putty earplugs. I have found this stickiness to be an advantage: …
Read moreOhropax Classic Wax Earplugs Review (plus Tips & Tricks)
Earplugs keep noise from reaching your ear drums by absorbing and reflecting sound energy. They can very effectively reduce annoying noises at all frequencies we can hear, provided they fit well. In contrast to this, a white noise machine does its magic by adding noise to your environment: It creates a waterfall-like sound to mask …
I have recently tested both the XTRA 2.0 and Liberate 2.0 Bluetooth earplug headphones and posted detailed reviews. In this post, I am contrasting their main strengths and weaknesses to help you decide between the two. For more information and tips & tricks for the XTRA 2.0 and Liberate 2.0, here are links to the …
A couple of months ago, I tested the wired Plugfones Guardian: I liked their nice balanced sound. I also found out that the silicone tips fit my ear while the foam tips were too small. Many users like silicone tips for their ease of use and durability, so I decided to also test the Bluetooth …
Read morePlugfones Liberate 2.0 Review: Earplugs with Bluetooth
Recently I tested a pair of basic wired ISOtunes and was impressed by their noise isolation and selection of ear tips. The ISOtunes XTRA 2.0 (NRR 27) are the wireless upgrade: they have Bluetooth 5, a rugged design and a high dust-and-water resistance rating (IP67), and they can be connected to two devices at the …
Read moreISOtunes XTRA 2.0 Earplug Headphones Review (plus Tweaks)
Against low-frequency noise, active noise cancelling headphones (ANC headphones) reign, but against everything else, foam earplugs are more effective. That’s what I used to think, having used both for years now. But ANC headphones and ANC earbuds have become better and better, so I wondered, “Is this still true?” Besides, maximum noise reduction and isolation …
Read moreNoise Cancelling Headphones vs Earplugs: Who is Boss?
ISOtunes Wired and Plugfones Guardian both are wired work earplug headphones with a noise reduction rating of 29. They combine hearing protection earplugs with the ability to listen to music and audio books. I have decided to test and compare these particular models because they offer pretty much the same ear tips as the more …
Read moreISOtunes Wired vs Plugfones Guardian Earplug Headphones
Our brain is constantly listening to what is happening around us, and intermittent noises draw our attention away from studying whether we want it or not. Noise reduction earmuffs are an inexpensive and effective antidote against these distractions. Noise sources include talking, rustling paper, eating noises, coughing, ringing phones and message alerts, video game sounds, …
Read moreWhat Are the Best Noise Reduction Earmuffs for Studying?
