Compare Concert and Musician Earplugs
13 concert and musician earplugs side by side, with their published specs and typical prices. Our picks come first; our concert earplugs guide explains why we chose them.
We may earn a commission from links on this page, at no cost to you. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
Published Updated
All Concert and Musician Earplugs
Spec Sheet Score (0–10): Based only on published specs like protection ratings and features. It doesn't measure sound, comfort, or fit, so it isn't our recommendation. How we calculate the spec sheet score
Showing all 13 products
Swipe the table sideways to see every column.
| Loop Experience 2Top Pick | 5.3 | Not yet tested | 17 | 12 | 1 | 4 | Not published | Yes | Ring | $30–35£25–30View on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eargasm High FidelityBest SoundLimited Data | 5.7 | Not yet tested | Not published | 16 | 1 | 2 | Not published | Yes | Low profile | $35–45£30–40View on Amazon |
| Etymotic ER20XSBest for Musicians | 4.4 | Not yet tested | 17 | 13 | 1 | 1 | 10.6 | Yes | Low profile, stem-less | $20–30£18–25View on Amazon |
| Alpine MusicSafe ProMost Protection | 7.4 | Not yet tested | 22 | Not published | 3 | 1 | 9.6 | Yes | Not published | $30–35£25–30View on Amazon |
| Alpine PartyPlug ProBudget Pick | 7.4 | Not yet tested | 21 | Not published | 1 | 3 | 6.4 | Yes | Not published | $20–25£15–20View on Amazon |
| Alpine MusicSafe | 6.7 | Not yet tested | 22 | Not published | 2 | 1 | 9.6 | Yes | Not published | $20–25£16–20View on Amazon |
| Loop Experience 2 Plus | 6.2 | Not yet tested | 17 | 12 | 2 | 4 | Not published | Yes | Ring | $40–45£35–40View on Amazon |
| Alpine PartyPlug | 4.1 | Not yet tested | 19 | Not published | 1 | 3 | 15.1 | Yes | Not published | $15–20£12–16View on Amazon |
| Earasers Musicians Earplugs (19 dB, Medium) | 1.3 | Not yet tested | 14 | 5 | 1 | 1 | Not published | Yes | Low profile | $45–55£40–55View on Amazon |
| Limited Data. These makers publish under 60% of the specs we score, so their scores rest on fewer numbers. | ||||||||||
| Loop Switch 2Limited Data | 10.0 | Not yet tested | 26 | Not published | 3 | 4 | Not published | Yes | Ring | $55–60£45–55View on Amazon |
| EarPeace MusicLimited Data | 8.5 | Not yet tested | 26 | Not published | 3 | 2 | Not published | Yes | Not published | $30–35£25–35View on Amazon |
| Vibes High-Fidelity EarplugsLimited Data | 6.0 | Not yet tested | Not published | 15 | 1 | 3 | Not published | Yes | Not published | $20–25£18–25View on Amazon |
| Eargasm Smaller EarsLimited Data | 5.3 | Not yet tested | Not published | 15 | 1 | 2 | Not published | Yes | Low profile | $35–40£30–40View on Amazon |
| No products match these filters. | ||||||||||
How We Calculate the Spec Sheet Score
we use only figures the maker publishes. Protection counts for the most, through the SNR (weight 2) and the NRR (weight 2), each on its own scale and never converted. Points rise until SNR 22 or NRR 17 and then stop, because a musician needs enough protection, not the most.
Even attenuation (weight 2) uses the maker's own frequency table: the smaller the gap between the most and least reduced band from 125 Hz to 4 kHz, the more points, with full points at 6 dB or less and none at 16 dB or more. Adjustable attenuation (weight 1.5) rewards swappable filters or modes, with 3 points for a fixed filter, 7 for two options and 10 for three or more. Fit options (weight 1) rewards more tip sizes in the box, up to four.
Each factor is scored 0 to 10. If a maker does not publish a figure, that factor is left out for that product and the remaining weights are rescaled. Products missing more than 40 percent of the weight are marked as limited data.
Price is not part of the score. Products marked limited data are listed after the rest.
| Factor | Weight | How It Scores |
|---|---|---|
| Protection (SNR) | 2 | Points rise from SNR 12 to SNR 22 and then stop. A loud gig is about 100 to 105 dBA, and an SNR around 22 brings that near 85 dBA with a good fit. Beyond that, more attenuation is not rewarded, because over-protected musicians tend to pull their plugs out. |
| Protection (NRR) | 2 | Same idea on the US scale. The 7 to 17 window sits about 5 dB below the SNR window because hi-fi plugs that publish both ratings (Etymotic 13/17, Loop 12/17, Earasers 16/22) show roughly that gap. Ratings are never converted between scales. |
| Adjustable Attenuation | 1.5 | Being able to pick a lighter filter for a quiet rehearsal and a stronger one for drums or the front row is the practical answer to over- and under-protection. A fixed filter still earns some points. |
| Fit Options | 1 | More sizes in the box make a proper seal more likely; the seal decides how much of the rating you actually get. Capped at 4 sizes. |
| Even Attenuation | 2 | A spread of 6 dB or less between 125 Hz and 4 kHz earns full points and 16 dB or more earns none. This is the only published, comparable measure of how natural music will sound. Makers without a frequency table are not scored on it. |
- Tested Score: our own score from a hands-on review. It says "Not yet tested" until we've tested that product.
- Limited Data: the maker publishes under 60% of the specs we score, so the score rests on fewer numbers. These products are listed after the rest.
- Pro Reference: a professional model, far above the others on price, shown for comparison.
- Prices: typical ranges when we checked, not live prices. Amazon's price can differ.
Sources
Every spec comes from the maker's own product page, spec sheet, or manual. A spec shows as "Not published" when the maker doesn't state it.
- Loop Experience 2: us.loopearplugs.com, loopearplugs.com
- Eargasm High Fidelity: eargasm.com
- Etymotic ER20XS: etymotic.com, web.archive.org
- Alpine MusicSafe Pro: alpinehearingprotection.com, cdn.shopify.com
- Alpine PartyPlug Pro: alpinehearingprotection.com, cdn.shopify.com
- Alpine MusicSafe: alpinehearingprotection.com, cdn.shopify.com
- Loop Experience 2 Plus: loopearplugs.com, us.loopearplugs.com
- Alpine PartyPlug: alpinehearingprotection.com, cdn.shopify.com
- Earasers Musicians Earplugs (19 dB, Medium): earasers.net
- Loop Switch 2: us.loopearplugs.com, loopearplugs.com
- EarPeace Music: earpeace.com
- Vibes High-Fidelity Earplugs: discovervibes.com
- Eargasm Smaller Ears: eargasm.com