Best Earplugs/Hearing Protection?

[Thargor]

Im looking for something that will give me totalsilence with maximum comfort and was wondering if anyone here knew what the best way to go was? I think Id prefer the inner ear kind as Ive tried plenty of the over the ears kind and none of them have come close to being totally silent. Ill just be using them in my room to study during the day while there's construction going on across the road so I dont need to worry about them looking goofy or being unsafe because Im totally deaf or anything like that, I just need 100% silence or else I cant concentrate...

[Grant Lamontagne]

I always used the disposable expanding foam types because they are the best compromise between keeping all the sound out and comfort.  A set of ear defenders will keep out much more sound, but are no where near as comfortable.



You may also want to look into a white noise generator like a wave machine.  While it technically adds noise, it's a dull sound that minimizes impact from outside noises- kind of like a sound jamming machine. 

Def

[Splat]

In-ear(custom molds) will get you that. I've got custom molds from Westone http://www.westone.com/  that I use for noise-reduction and another pair for sound reproduction. The price of the custom molds usually includes the visit to the audiologist where they take the molds of your ear canals. I really love mine and it's one of the best investments I've ever made. There's other companies out there, too, but Westone's been around a good while and has many "star" clients, too. Some people don't like putting anything in their ears. Another option is the headphone type, like for shooting. Or, get those cheap foam inserts, pop them in and use a cheaper pair of noise-reducing headphones.

[Thargor]

You may also want to look into a white noise generator like a wave machine.  While it technically adds noise, it's a dull sound that minimizes impact from outside noises- kind of like a sound jamming machine. 

Def

Those exist? I remember reading they might be coming not so long ago but I thought they'd be years away, Ill have to look into them.

As for the rest, are there any brands specifically? I know I wont be getting custom jobs done in this country.

[Grant Lamontagne]

I use the ones found in any druggist or construction supply place.  They are cheap and easily available.

As for the wave machine, my father has had one for at least 15 years and my brother can't sleep without his.  They are available almost everywhere here and are dirt cheap.  You can get the same effect by tuning your radio to a station you don't get and turning the volume up.  Static does the same thing.

Def

[Thargor]

Oh right, I know what you're talking about, I was thinking of the ones that pickup any sound within hearing distance and works out the correct tone to cancel out the soundwaves creating a totally silent zone around an area, they were talking about them in Popular Science or Mechaics ages ago, Id kill for one of those.

Ill see what the chemist has to offer then, thanks.

[Grant Lamontagne]

I read about those as well- I don't know if that's feasible or even in production yet either.  If they are, I'll bet they are quite pricey!

Def

[Thargor]

I bet they are, it would probably be cheaper for me to buy a car and drive somewhere quite.

[Grant Lamontagne]

That's not such a bad idea- there's got to be somewhere that's still quiet in the world!

Def

[Sea Monster]

3M 1427 Earmuffs.

You know they're good, 'cause they're black


(Believe it or not, Earmuffs actually are Colourcoded, with Black being the High rating option)

[bobofish]

There definitely are noice-cancelling headphones out there. Some are better and more expensive, and some good but less. I believe Bose makes a couple models. I think their upper end in ear monitors (+/- $200) have this, as well as some standard shaped headphones for less in several models.

There's a difference between noise cancelling and noise isolating...good in ear headphones will block a lot of sound, but they don't actively cancel it. Frankly I'm somewhat skeptical of the utility of noice cancelling in very loud environments; I'd be surprised if there wasn't equal stress on the ear canals even if the noise canceller is doing a good job. As I understand it, sound waves are just like the waves on water...if you splash on one side of the pool the wave goes back and forth. If another person splashes on the other side of the pool at the same time as you do, the waves will meet in the middle and a person standing there might not notice any waves, but the waves are still going through. But I'm no ear doctor or physicist either so hey.

Westone's are great products. They are not cheap, but if you want something to plug your ears or even better to plug your ears and listen to music at the same time, they just about can't be beat. Other products are equally good, but not better. And they're made in the US, one of the few last headphone manufacturers to be such.

[Thargor]

In the end I just went into a fishing/hunting place and got a cheap pair for 2 Euro:



And they're great, after a few minutes you dont even know you're wearing them, total silence and total comfort exactly like what I was looking for and for basically nothing price-wise, thanks everybody.

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

In the end I just went into a fishing/hunting place and got a cheap pair for 2 Euro:

(Image removed from quote.)

And they're great, after a few minutes you dont even know you're wearing them, total silence and total comfort exactly like what I was looking for and for basically nothing price-wise, thanks everybody.

I had a set like that , I used to use them on my motorbikes before I got an Ipod