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xro's notes on earplugs
- note: SNR does sadly not stand for signal-noise-ration but for “Single Number Rating” and is an ear-plug rating giving the average dampening over audible frequencies)
- note: music earplugs “try” to dampen as linear over audible frequencies as cost-effectively possible, so their SNR will never be higher than what they can dampen the lower frequencies at.
recommendations by usage
- barely too loud concerts/events (up to 70dB sound pressure)
- –> Alpine Musicsafe Pro with silver inserts (19dB SNR protection)
- normal concerts and events with loud music (80-90dB sound pressure)
- –> Schallwerk Music+ (23dB SNR protection)
- festivals and concerts that assume everybody wears earplugs anyways and turn up way beyond safe or comfortable levels and where you still want to enjoy the music as close to original as possible (Metaldays, Brutal Assault, Midgarsbloit, Summer Breeze, W:O:A, etc)
- –> Ohropax Soft (SNR 32dB)
- power tools, working, possibly music
- –> Ohropax Neo
- –> Ohropax Soft (SNR 32dB)
- Sleeping in noisy environments, airplane, train, camping, etc
- –> Ohropax Color (SNR 35dB)
- Ohropax Wax (SNR 22dB, use only in case you don't find the soothing pressure of foam-earplugs comforting)
note on foam earplugs
- most people don't know how to use them, so they find them unjustly annoying or ineffective
- roll into thin rod
- pull your outer ear upward (using other hand or a free finger)
- put thin rod inside until it's all the way in
- wait until foam expands and seals your ear
notes of and experiences with products
- Alpine Music Pro Safe
- SNR 16dB (white), 19dB (silver), 22dB (gold)
- nobody needs white
- just barely enough for concerts up to 90dB sound pressure
- good music quality
- Schallwerk Music+
- SNR 23dB
- enough for concerts up to 90dB sound pressure
- good music quality
- Ohropax Soft
- Avg SNR 32dB
- HML 28dB, 29dB, 31DB
- very good protection
- still quite accepatable sound quality
- you are able to talk with people while standing in front of a stage
- good for loud events up to maybe even 110dB sound pressure
- Ohropax Color
- SNR 35dB
- HML: 31,32,34 dB
- best damping I've ever found, excellect for sleeping
- abysmal music experience, don't use at events
- Ohropax wax
- SNR: 22 dB
- HML: 27,18,14 dB
- not very good dampening
- very comfortable as wax molds to your hear due to body heat
- sticky
- tricky to remove
- remove cotton before use
- not great for music
- Ohropax Neo
- SNR 26dB
- HML: 27,23,22 dB
- to be tested
- Ohropax Music
- no tested, not planning to test
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