For as long as I can remember, my life has revolved around music, concerts and playing in bands. After hearing Green Day's pop-fuelled punk masterpiece, Dookie, at the tender age of 12, my twin brother and I were inspired to give it a go ourselves, starting our very first band. More 20 years later, I'm still playing live in various projects, and my enthusiasm for music has blossomed into a love affair with guitars and a career writing full-time for various speciality instrument sites including Guitar World, MusicRadar and Guitar Player - and I know how important wearing the best earplugs for musicians is.
Your ears are by far the most important piece of equipment any musician owns. Forget the fancy six-string, ground-shaking amp or that spaceship command centre you call a pedalboard; without your ears, it's all worthless.
A quality set of earplugs will ensure you keep your lugs healthy, meaning you can enjoy playing music for years to come – and in most cases it'll sound better too. Below, you'll find what I believe to be the very best earplugs for musicians available right now.
Editor's picks
With up 17dB of protection and available for an excellent price, the silicone constructed Earos One earplugs are a solid choice. Audio delivery is crystal clear at a variety of frequencies and they come with three different ear tip sizes.
The Alpine MusicSafe Pro are a versatile pair of earplugs thanks to their changeable filters which can be quickly tweaked to offer 16dB, 19dB or 22dB of noise reduction. They're not quite sound as clear as the Earos One, but they're another top choice.
The Vibes Hi-Fidelity earplugs offer up to 22dB of noise protection for gigging musicians - and they're discreet, so perfect if you're still a bit self-conscious of playing with them in. They're also comfortable with 3 sizes available.
The Louder choice
For me, a good set of earplugs needs to strike a balance between volume reduction and sound clarity. It's all well and good to simply make your environment quieter, but if the sound changes too much, then the earplugs are only doing half of their job. Thankfully, the Earos One do a fantastic job at both.
With up to 17dB of attenuation, these plugs deliver more than enough noise reduction for loud stages, while the clever "sound bore" technology delivers crystal clear audio at all frequencies.
I've chosen these as my top pick for the best earplugs for musicians overall, as it's hard to find a better set at this price, and with three different ear tip sizes included, they are sure to fit pretty much every set of ears.
Read our full Earos One review
Best filter options
Certain situations will call for different levels of noise reduction. Playing a small venue with an overly enthusiastic drummer? Well, you'll probably need as much attenuation as possible. Performing at an open-air festival? You'll probably get away with a little less. That's where the Alpine MusicSafe Pro set comes in.
With changeable filters, these earplugs can be quickly and easily converted to 16dB, 19dB or 22dB of noise reduction, meaning they are able to cover myriad situations, guaranteeing you're always prepared for any performance environment.
In my full, in-depth review, I said: "It's clear to see why so many musos opt for the Alpine Musicsafe Pro earplugs. We found them to be a joy to wear, bringing the noise levels down to a much safer level, all while retaining the tonal characteristics of the music. Better yet, they're easily cleaned, come with useful accessories and are very affordable."
So the sound may not be as clear as my top pick, but considering the price, these are still a fantastic option for those who want to be able to fully control the level of attenuation to match each and every stage.
Read our full Alpine MusicSafe Pro Earplugs review
Most discreet
I know many musicians don't like wearing earplugs on stage. Some image-conscious performers feel that a bulky set of plugs can ruin their street cred, but I'd argue that going deaf early in life is way worse than someone in the crowd noticing your earplugs.
That said, there are a few discrete sets on the market for those who want to keep their hearing protection a secret from the audience. The Vibes High Fidelity earplugs are among the most subtle I've found, and they do a pretty good job retaining the sound quality too.
In my tests, I found the Vibes plugs to be incredibly comfortable and easy to wear for hours on end – perfect for those 3-hour cover band sets at the weekend. Better yet, there are three sizes available, meaning you'll easily find a size to fit your ears.
Read our full Vibes Hi-Fidelity review
Best for comfort
Where the Vibes Hi-Fidelity were discrete and subtle, Loop's Experience 2 earplugs are sure to get noticed. Defined by its bold circular design, Loop isn't trying to hide these plugs but instead celebrate them.
Coming in a wealth of different colours, from Black to Rose Gold, there's a set for every type of musician. But it's not all style over substance. With 17dB of noise reduction, there is plenty of attention here for even the most boisterous of venues, and with tips that cover extra small, small, medium, large and extra large, there's a size to fit the smallest and largest ears out there.
In a world where a lot of musicians are embarrassed about taking their hearing health seriously – I don't really understand why – it's refreshing to see a company celebrate earplugs and try to break down the unwarranted stigma surrounding hearing protection.
Read our full Loop Experience earplugs review
FAQ
Do musicians need earplugs?
This one is simple – to protect your most important asset as a musician. The truth is, whether you are rehearsing in your garage or performing on the world's biggest stages, playing in a band is loud and often too loud for your ears to take.
A quality set of earplugs will drastically reduce the volume levels, meaning you can play away until your heart is content without damaging your ears.
What should I look for in a set of earplugs?
Unfortunately, not all earplugs are built equally – anyone who has used a disposable set of foam plugs can attest to that. Also, what earplugs are right for one musician may not be suitable for another. With that in mind, there are three key things I look for when searching for the perfect pair of earplugs.
Fit: First up, it's how the plugs fit in your ear. Get this wrong, and you'll end up with a set of plugs that, at best, are extremely uncomfortable to wear and, at worst, don't do their job correctly. The majority of earplug manufacturers supply tips for various sizes of ear canals, so be sure to try them all to see which is right for your ears.
Noise reduction: The level of noise reduction you require is very much dependent on how loud your band is, the size of stages you play and your own personal preference. Be sure to pay careful attention to the NNR (noise reduction rating) of each set of plugs before making a purchase. I typically look for plugs that are rated 17dB or higher. My personal set is 28dB, but I play in a very loud punk band.
Reusability: Lastly is reusability. I'm not interested in single-use earplugs – God knows we don't need any more rubbish going to landfills! For me, I'm looking for a set of plugs that are easy to clean in between uses, and if the filters can be removed so as not to damage them, that would be even better. On that note, it's very important to clean your earplugs thoroughly after use to avoid the risk of pesky ear infections.
Do earplugs make gigs sound bad?
Bad plugs do, yes, but purchasing one of my recommendations can actually enhance what you hear on stage. Not only does wearing earplugs reduce the volume to much more manageable levels, but earplugs designed especially for musicians can actually lead to a much clearer mix in the room.
Filtering out those boomy bass tones and attenuating those muddy lower-mids will result in way more clarity, and you'll most likely find you can hear yourself better than ever before. This is especially evident when singing. I often find that when I have plugs in, I can hear my own voice better when I sing, allowing me to pitch more accurately.
Related content
You can trust Louder Our experienced team has worked for some of the biggest brands in music. From testing headphones to reviewing albums, our experts aim to create reviews you can trust. Find out more about how we review.
- Best earplugs for concerts: Tested by music fans and musicians
- Loudness explained: Volume and decibel levels defined for live music fans
- How do earplugs for musicians actually work?
- 5 things to consider when investing in a pair of earplugs
- How often should you replace your earplugs?
- "No live event is more important than your hearing."
- 5 reasons why it's time to start wearing earplugs at gigs
