3 Best Earplugs for Concerts 2026
We’ve tested more earplug models than can be listed here. To see some of the earplugs we’ve tested in previous rounds, as well as some key measurements, check out this table.
The Audree style set offers four sets of tips, and we found the fit to be very comfortable. However, in our testing the sound was much quieter than what we found in any of our options, and we heard a slight chirping sound at high pitches, which may have been caused by some sort of humming in the damping filter.
A pair of Bollsen Music SoundPro is sold on the Bollsen website with the option of “AR KI TECH,” which sounded like we were getting custom earplugs — but what arrived looks like a universal fit. The process involves sending a photo of your ear, and we think the company then chooses the right size for you. Whether that was useful was debatable, but we did enjoy the look of the earbuds. We didn’t care about the necessary method of inserting the earbuds: putting a finger in your ear and moving it back and forth. This created a suction that made removing the plugs feel like pulling a cork from a wine bottle, and people with dexterity challenges or long nails may not be able to insert these properly.
The Curvd Everyday Earplugs have a soft, flexible arching-wing design, and our panelists found them very comfortable – even for sleeping. We liked the sturdiness of the case, too. Unfortunately, the sound wasn’t much more dynamic than that of our pickups, so we wouldn’t recommend this for concerts. However, if you’re looking for a pair of earplugs to cut out annoying noises while still getting some experience, the Curvd pair is fantastic.
D’Addario dBud earplugs fit snugly and offer two levels of noise reduction. You can adjust the level using a simple slider, but the resistance on the slider makes this pair tighter to adjust in your ear than the Loop Switch 2. Additionally, our panelists and our testers agreed that the dBud allows for more bass and less vocal range than we’d prefer, resulting in it sounding ambiguous.
Decibullz High Fidelity Earplugs are a more affordable version of our top pick, and these earplugs use the same molding process to produce a perfect fit and seal. However, the comfort in this pair is very high, which in our tests produced a very ambiguous listening experience.
The Eargasm High Fidelity Earplugs were among the best sounding earplugs in the world that we tested, with more comfort than we found in our top Loop pick. However, our panel found that the pine tree-shaped plugs are not easy to wear because they extend deep into the ear canal, often causing irritation or pinching. Additionally, the small removal tab was difficult to hold when it slid behind the ear piece.
The Earos One’s earplugs provided noise reduction exactly like the Loop’s, providing volume reduction without too much distortion quality. The stable wings make these earplugs feel like they’ll stay in place no matter how you move. However, Earos only offers two tip sizes, so people with very large or small ears are at high risk of not getting the right fit. The biggest tip was not wide enough in diameter for one of our panelists to get the mark. For well-fitting panelists, the pine tree shape of the Earos One set felt invasive, and it was uncomfortable enough that they won’t wear these earplugs regularly.
The EarPeace Everyday set includes the lowest noise reduction filters offered by EarPeace. They are designed to reduce the volume of ambient noise without affecting your awareness. They are perfect for the gym or busy office, or for people with hearing sensitivity. The everyday earplugs are available in four color options and come with a matching plastic case. If you ignore the deep-seated earplug design, this set is very comfortable, and allows you to hear voices well enough to respond. However, the attenuation isn’t enough for loud concerts, and the plastic case can be harder to open than the screw-top canister that comes with the rest of the EarPeace line.
EarPeace Music has the same fit as Music Pro, but includes three different filters that can be adjusted to adjust the noise reduction. We found this process more difficult than we would like to do, as the small filters are a challenge to handle and are easily lost. We also thought this didn’t sound as good as Music Pro, with less detail in the vocal range.
The Hearprotek High Fidelity Music and Hearprotek High Fidelity Concert headphones share the same shortcomings. First, the earplugs are made of silicone that has a grippy quality that makes it difficult to push into place. Additionally, the silicone eartips occasionally fold when inserted and then suddenly pop open in your ear, making an uncomfortable thwap. None of the presets felt as clear as our choices, and we found the website confusing. It’s hard to know what you’re actually buying, and one pair we bought didn’t come with the illustrated case.
The Hears set has a chic aesthetic. However, the included tips are very difficult to remove and replace, and the larger tip was too small for our testers who often use larger tips from other brands. I also found it difficult to remove these from my ears, and the wings could not retract. Visual design aside, we liked how it sounded, so we hope Hears can work on the design for future iterations.
The JLab JBuds Protect earplugs have a twistable stem to adjust your attenuation level, but there is no physical feedback, so you have to take this out to change settings. We liked the magnetic case that holds the earplugs in place for added security. However, the foam tips run on the small side, so people with L or XL ears will need to push the JBud Protect unsteadily deep into the ear to get a seal. And when they are closed, the overall sound is duller than the one we selected.
The Loop Experience 2 Plus package deal includes everything from the Loop Experience 2 Earplugs box, as well as three sizes of foam earplugs and two Loop silencers, which Loop will increase noise reduction by 5 dB. While we like the foam tips as an option, the mufflers weren’t our favorite tool for our panel because the small plastic circles are too easy to lose when removing them or removing them from the earplugs. That said, if you know you’ll always need that extra 5dB of attenuation, or prefer foam tips, the Experience 2 Plus set is a great buy.
The Minuendo Live set comes with a lot of features, but our panels had a hard time getting a secure seal. When we did, the sound was thin compared to what we chose, and the high frequencies ended up sounding harsh.
This article was edited by Adrienne Maxwell and Grant Clauser.
