Alpine SleepDeep Review: Oval Earplugs for Oval Ear Canals?

Alpine SleepDeep Review and Noise reduction test

So far, SleepDeep are Alpine’s only reusable silicone earplugs with an oval instead of a round shape. This caught my attention. I have had good success with oval tips for earbuds. In fact, very few companies make any oval reusable earplugs, which is surprising because most people’s ear canal is—oval. And indeed, SleepDeep (M/L), despite …

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Soundcore Life A3i Review and Noise Reduction Test: Good ANC on a Budget

Soundcore Life A3i ANC Test and Review

I have now used the Soundcore Life A3i ANC earbuds for about 3 months in various environments, including on planes and trains, in city traffic, and in coffee shops. They have a punchy bass and good bass extension. For the price, the A3i sound very good. Active noise cancelling function and passive noise reduction are …

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Anker Soundcore Q30 Review: ANC Test and Q20 Comparison

Anker-Soundcore-Q30-Review-and-ANC-Test

I have owned the Soundcore Q30 for over a year now, but only recently have I done detailed tests of the active noise cancelling function. Compared to top-of-the line active noise cancelling headphones, they are very affordable. But are they good enough? Well, in my experience, if your main reason for getting ANC headphones is …

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Mack’s ThermaFit Review and Noise Reduction Test Results

Macks ThermaFit Review and Noise Reduction Test Results

Mack’s ThermaFit have been my backup earplugs for reducing low frequency noise (LFN) at night for more than two years now. Lately, my go-to low frequency noise earplugs have undergone such substantial changes that they now feel like entirely different earplugs. Consequently, ThermaFit have moved to the top spot. It’s good to have options! In …

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Flents Protechs Quiet Please SOFT vs Predecessors: An Improvement?

Flents Quiet Please Soft Review

Only a month ago, I wrote about the differences between the Flents Quiet Please and their successor, the Flents Protechs Quiet Please. I found changes in durability but they remained my favorite low frequency noise reduction earplugs for sleeping. Now we have the Soft formula, another change to the Quiet Please, and it’s a big …

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Why I Wouldn’t Use AirPods Pro for Hearing Protection

AirPods Pro as Hearing Protection

AirPods Pro 2 have an upgraded, powerful active noise cancelling function that can make a gas-powered lawn mower, many power tools and other machinery and even music bass appear a lot quieter. Sometimes the results are stunning. Perhaps you are wondering: “Why not get rid of earplugs and ear defenders and use my AirPods Pro …

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Are Flents Protechs Quiet Please Worse Than the Old Flents?

Flents Quiet Please vs Protechs Quiet Please

Apothecary Products, the owner of the Flents brand, has changed the branding of several of their most popular earplugs, including the Quiet Please, one of my favorite earplugs for blocking low frequency noise. For decades known as Flents Quiet Please (or Quiet! Please) by earplug lovers[1], these cylindrical PVC earplugs are now called Flents Protechs …

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Which True Wireless Earbuds Work Well Under Which Earmuffs?

which-earbuds-under-which-earmuffs

Many readers have asked me for suggestions for true wireless earbuds and noise reduction earmuffs that work well together. Others already own a specific earbud model (e.g., Soundcore A40, AirPods Pro) and are wondering which earmuffs would be compatible, if any at all. In this post I’d like to point you in the right direction …

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Honeywell Howard Leight Verishield VS130 Review: Better Than the L3?

Honeywell Howard Leight Verishield VS130 Review

Several readers have asked me how the Howard Leight Verishield VS130 earmuffs compare to their still widely available predecessor, the Leightning L3, so here is my review. I haven’t used the L3 much recently because the headband had deteriorated to the point where I was constantly getting black flakes in my hair. The L3 are …

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Earplugs or ANC Earbuds for Noise Sensitivity? A Big City Report

ANC-earbuds-and-earplugs-for-noise-sensitivity-comparison

In recent months, I have focused on using noise cancelling earbuds as my go-to noise reduction tool during the day. My ears are already itching. Before that, I tested an almost excessive amount of inexpensive, reusable push-in earplugs, including many moderate-noise reduction earplugs (Hi-Fi earplugs) for dampening irritating noises while commuting, exercising, walking around town, …

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