Etymotic Research ER20 High-Fidelity Earplugs, Frost with Clear Stem, 1 Pair Standard Fit, Clamshell Packaging

I'm a concert photographer who has been working live shows for about two years now, and after last weekend when I went home with my ears ringing through the following day (permanent hearing damage, ugh), I decided to make the decision to invest in some good earplugs. I hate those cheap standard squishy ones since those feel uncomfortable, clogging up your ear to the point of total discomfort, and reduce your sense of hearing to garbage. Stumbled across these cheap babies and decided to take a shot.The complete package alone is pretty nice. They come in a cool, very compact semi-rigid case that comes on a beaded chain and it also includes a little cord that attaches both plugs so that you can wear these around your neck between songs, taking a break outside a club, etc.I don't have a concert to attend until Saturday, so I figure I would give them a thorough test run: Every day on my 30 minutes drive home from work, I wear these, just to get used to how they feel. They were a little jarring at first (I dislike things in my ears), but you get used to the feeling very quickly and not long after you truly forget they're there. I was paranoid about them falling out, but they're pretty snug and WITHOUT feeling like you have marshmallows in your ears. So, as far as comfort goes, they're a 10/10 stars for me. I also gave them a "head bang" test via some Pantera and Rammstein tunes, and they stayed in the whole time. Didn't slip once.Now comes the fun part: testing the sound quality and clarity. (Keeping in mind that I'm used to loud music.) My little Hyundai's radio starts becoming a little uncomfortably loud at about setting 20 if I'm listening to the radio and at 15 when I'm listening to my mp3 player via the auxiliary port. The max setting is 35, which I also call "beyond ungodly loud." I put in these earplugs and listened to the normal volume settings, and it did NOT sound the least bit muffled. I could still make out every instrumental part, it only sounded like the volume had been turned down a lot. Then I cranked the radio gradually until I maxed out at 35. (I knew it was loud given that everyone in my apartment complex that walked by and gave me a cold stare and a scowl.) The music was STILL clear, a little loud, but clear and not super uncomfortable. The only distortion I heard were from the crashes in a few Motley Crue songs, but I'm confident that it was merely the speakers in my Hyundai crying out for mercy. I listened to some Rush and Queensryche on every volume setting, namely songs I'm not super familiar with, and I could still make out and clearly identify each instrumental part. These babies do exactly as marketed: no sound is muffled, only made quieter. 10/10 stars for clarity of hearing.SO, to sum up:If you're like me and frequent loud concerts on a regular basis, are constantly exposed to loud sounds, and like me love getting right up front and by the house speakers at shows ... these are a must.The greatest asset to a musician or to a music lover is their sense of hearing: PROTECT IT, and as you age you can continue to enjoy your favorite music!

I had gone to a concert for the first time in awhile a few days before I ordered these. After the show I had a slight ringing in my ears for the first time ever which after 20+ years of going to shows and playing in bands put a shock up my spine. I decided in my ever advancing age that I should invest in some decent hearing protection especially since I would be moving soon and going to shows more often.I have always had issue with most earplugs and IEM as my ear canals are smaller than normal people so unless they are custom fit I tend to have a problem getting a good seal. But I had these recommended to me by many of my musician friends and for the price they were worth a shot. I made my order and in two days Amazon got them right to my door.The build quality is excellent especially for the price point. In the package was the ear plugs, a little piece of a thin rope to connect the ear plugs and allow you to not lose them if one falls out or you have them out for a moment and a carrying case. I did a quick fitting to see if they fit ok and threw them in my bag until a few weeks later when I was at a major outdoor music festival.I used the earplugs all day and part of the night for the entire weekend, through various weather changes. They performed like a champ. They have a very good ability to lower db but still give you clear sound unlike many, many other earplugs I have used throughout the years. In fact at one of the after shows I was at if I didn't have them in the entire set would have been a unlistenable mess due to the speakers being too loud. The fit was a little tight for my ears which did cause some discomfort after a extended period of time (5+ hours) and I did have a issue getting a quality seal occasionally but that it excellent for me normally. For those with normal ears should have zero problems.As for durability I believe as long as you keep them clean they should last a very long time. I have about 30 or so hours on mine so far and they look and feel brand new. I would probably change mine out after a year or so but I shall see how they hold up and report back.In my opinion you can not do much better unless you go for custom molded ear protection, which I implore any serious musician to do. But for the average concert goer these are a fantastic solution.