Despite the crowds and overpriced drinks, I’ve always loved live events, especially concerts. I’d go to a show in whatever cheap shoes I happened to have and no ear protectionthen pay for it the next day with sore feet and ringing in my ears. Now, as a thirty-something woman, I make sure I wear shoes that are really good for standing and most importantly, keep my Loop Experience Earplugs on me at all times.
I have been using these earplugs for the past three years, testing them at large arena events, smaller neighborhood venue shows, and even professional wrestling matches. I even briefly recommended them to SELF readers in a short summary on our websitebut don’t worry, I have AS much more to say.
The design
Never in my life would I have thought of calling a pair of earplugs “cool,” but that’s exactly what I think of Loop’s Experiences. They’re very small, with an insertable tip, similar to an earbud, and a small ring (or continuous cycle) located outside the ear opening. The ring contains an acoustic channel and a filter to reduce noise, making performances clearer and sharper.
To be clear, these earplugs will not completely block out surrounding sounds, but they will reduce They (Loop’s Quiet Earplugs, Which SELF also recommended(They’re the best choice if you really want to isolate yourself.) And they don’t stick out or attract much attention: if someone were to look at your ears from a distance, it would look a bit like you had a tragus piercing.
My ear holes are exceptionally small (no Airpods for me, thanks), so the fact that Loop provides four different sizes of eartips with the tips themselves is a huge plus — you can also easily order them. other suggestions when you need to replace the old ones. The covers are made of soft silicone and fit comfortably inside my ear. Inserting the earplugs is as easy as putting in a pair of regular earbuds and I never felt them shift or slip (no matter how vigorously I nodded, swayed or danced).
Loop’s Experience earplugs are significantly more expensive than the moldable ones you find in packs of 20—a pair costs $35. But unlike the little disposables, these are made to last for years. Like I said, I bought mine three years ago and they’re still in great condition.
The effect
The Experience earplugs not only dampen the overall volume of the room, they focus the performance and push other sources of noise into the background. I was initially concerned that they might create internal feedback, or the dull sound you sometimes get with earbuds or foam earplugs, but they are so lightweight that I don’t think they apply enough pressure to do that. My verdict: They create a permeable seal around my ear, so I can leave concerts feeling like I’ve absorbed every note (except post-show tinnitus).