Keeping Out the Noise, Letting In the Sound
I have now used Vibes on and off for a couple of weeks, mostly while sitting in coffee shops (noisy as well as quiet ones) and walking along busier city roads. I have also listened to music with them and tried them while watching videos and movies at both a moderate and a very loud …
Read moreVibes Earplugs Review: Comfy and Effective for the Right Ears
In this post, I am reporting on my noise reduction test results for two top active noise cancelling headphones (ANC headphones) when worn over foam earplugs. If you are bothered by environmental noise but your headphones (or earplugs) alone don’t block enough noise, this post is for you. I often wear noise cancelling headphones together …
Read moreWearing Noise Cancelling Headphones Over Earplugs: How Effective Is This?
In this post I am reporting on my performance tests comparing noise cancelling headphones, over-ear noise isolating headphones, and in-ear noise isolating earphones. Apart from noise reduction charts, I have also included tips based on my experience to help you decide which headphone type is right for your use case. Let’s get right to it. …
Read moreActive Noise Cancelling vs Noise Isolating Headphones [Tested]
The Etymotic Research ER2XR earphones are excellent at reducing noise, and they can drive a good beat. I am getting 30+ decibels noise reduction with these virtually across the whole tested frequency range. A while ago, I tested the Etymotic MK5 Isolator, neutral sounding budget earphones with great noise isolation. I like the MK5 but …
Read moreEtymotic ER2XR Review: Great Noise Isolation and Good Bass
In this post, I am sharing my favorite earplugs for blocking low frequency noise. I have systematically tested the earplugs mentioned here. In addition, I have used them in a variety of bass-noise heavy environments. To work well against low frequency noise, earplugs have to plug the ear deep inside the canal. It is the …
Read moreWhat Are the Best Earplugs for Low Frequency Noise?
Roll-down foam earplugs with a high noise reduction rating and earmuffs are the most effective tools to block out baby crying and screaming sounds. But if you are a parent trying to soothe your child, push-in foam earplugs may work better for you. Push-in foam earplugs are very easy to insert, can be removed fast, …
Read moreHow to Block Out Crying Baby Sounds and Keep Your Cool?
The Moldex Pura-Fit (green) have been one of my favorite earplugs for several years now. They are easy to insert and exert just the right amount of pressure in my ears to stay put. Most importantly, I get a good seal with them and they effectively reduce noise. In this review, I am comparing the …
Read moreMoldex Pura-Fit vs SparkPlugs [Noise Reduction and Comfort Test]
Flents (Apothecary Products) distributes several very different earplugs in their Quiet-series. The short cylindrical Quiet Please are made of beige PVC. They may look retro, but in my experience, they shine as low frequency noise blockers and exert very little pressure in the ear canal. The longer Quiet Time (purple) and Quiet Contour (green) are …
Read moreFlents Quiet Time vs Quiet Contour vs Quiet Please [tested]
Many people feel that their earplugs don’t help against low frequency noise that is bothering them. This could be traffic noise, hums from appliances and HVAC systems, stomping upstairs neighbors, and bass noise from music, to name a few. I too used to believe that earplugs don’t do well against this type of noise. However, …
Read moreHow to Make Your Earplugs Block More Low Frequency Noise
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