Do my dream earplugs/hearing protectors exist?

[Magna]

Due to my hearing sensitivity I wear high fidelity earplugs in public and when I take walks near busy roadways. The earplugs I wear are passive (non-electronic).

My dream earplugs would be electronic, in the ear and would allow me to adjust the parameters through a phone app. They would allow me to set a decibel threshold which in effect would mean the earplugs would be passive or would amplify just enough to cancel out the hearing reduction but when sounds exceed the decibel threshold I would set, the electronic earplugs would kick in and block the loud sounds. Once the loud sounds were over...back to being able to hear normal volume sounds.

The closest things I've heard of are electronic in-ear earplugs that hunters and target shooters wear. I'm neither and I don't own electronic earplugs. From what I read these types of earplugs are close to what I'd be looking for except I don't believe any models are programmable by the user to be able to set the decibel threshold to much lower than gunshots. The decibel level of a gunshot according to the internet is around 150 decibels. I would want to program a pair of electronic earplugs to block any sounds above 80 decibels.

Does such a product exist?

 

[unperson]

I just use the silicone foam stuff, it's pretty good. 'MACK'S' Ultra Soft earplugs, best I've had in a long time. Noise reduction rate 32db.

www.macksearplugs.com

Can't help you with the dream, don't know of such a thing.

 

[Binary_Bark]

Best thing is to go to something similar we have here in RSA a company called "Hearing Aid Labs" they can actually make you specialized earplugs that you can set on how much sound it should let through

 

[SDRSpark]

Check out in ear monitors intended for musicians. Some of them may function that way.

 

[Rasputin]

Due to my hearing sensitivity I wear high fidelity earplugs in public and when I take walks near busy roadways. The earplugs I wear are passive (non-electronic).

My dream earplugs would be electronic, in the ear and would allow me to adjust the parameters through a phone app. They would allow me to set a decibel threshold which in effect would mean the earplugs would be passive or would amplify just enough to cancel out the hearing reduction but when sounds exceed the decibel threshold I would set, the electronic earplugs would kick in and block the loud sounds. Once the loud sounds were over...back to being able to hear normal volume sounds.

The closest things I've heard of are electronic in-ear earplugs that hunters and target shooters wear. I'm neither and I don't own electronic earplugs. From what I read these types of earplugs are close to what I'd be looking for except I don't believe any models are programmable by the user to be able to set the decibel threshold to much lower than gunshots. The decibel level of a gunshot according to the internet is around 150 decibels. I would want to program a pair of electronic earplugs to block any sounds above 80 decibels.

Does such a product exist?

I have similar issues, and saw an audiologist for a hearing test recently. The test showed that I have almost perfect hearing, but in simulated noisy surroundings I could not understand anything that was spoken. I hear everything at once, and everything runs together and is mixed.

I have ordered three different sets of earplugs, and none worked well. I am now waiting for the new AirPods Pro with Conversation Boost to be delivered later today.

What Is Conversation Boost for AirPods Pro and How Is the Feature Activated?

If these work well, I will post an update.

 

[Magna]

I have similar issues, and saw an audiologist for a hearing test recently. The test showed that I have almost perfect hearing, but in simulated noisy surroundings I could not understand anything that was spoken. I hear everything at once, and everything runs together and is mixed.

I have ordered three different sets of earplugs, and none worked well. I am now waiting for the new AirPods Pro with Conversation Boost to be delivered later today.

What Is Conversation Boost for AirPods Pro and How Is the Feature Activated?

If these work well, I will post an update.

Yes, please post an update. I'm very interested in this. I currently wear Nuheara IQbuds Max electronic earplugs and they're ok for what they do but I'm not overly impressed.

 

[Rasputin]

Will post an update this week.

 

[Rasputin]

Due to my hearing sensitivity I wear high fidelity earplugs in public and when I take walks near busy roadways. The earplugs I wear are passive (non-electronic).

My dream earplugs would be electronic, in the ear and would allow me to adjust the parameters through a phone app. They would allow me to set a decibel threshold which in effect would mean the earplugs would be passive or would amplify just enough to cancel out the hearing reduction but when sounds exceed the decibel threshold I would set, the electronic earplugs would kick in and block the loud sounds. Once the loud sounds were over...back to being able to hear normal volume sounds.

The closest things I've heard of are electronic in-ear earplugs that hunters and target shooters wear. I'm neither and I don't own electronic earplugs. From what I read these types of earplugs are close to what I'd be looking for except I don't believe any models are programmable by the user to be able to set the decibel threshold to much lower than gunshots. The decibel level of a gunshot according to the internet is around 150 decibels. I would want to program a pair of electronic earplugs to block any sounds above 80 decibels.

Does such a product exist?

@Magna, the new AirPods Pro earbuds set to custom transparency mode with noise cancellation and Conversation Boost activated are very good. You can even increase amplification to hear faint conversations (whispers) by another person. I had to lower the amplification because it amplified the sound of me breathing. I played music at low volume and could clearly hear my wife speaking to me. It took me a while to figure out the settings, so be patient if you decide to give Airpods Pro a try. I included a screenshot showing the transparency settings.

Apple is making AirPods easier to hear with and find

What Is Conversation Boost for AirPods Pro and How Is the Feature Activated?

How to use Apple's new Conversation Boost accessibility feature with AirPods Pro

New Apple AirPods Pro https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09JQMJHX...abc_4KYV3A5R966D8VM8MFYF?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Magna]

@Rasputin Thank you for the information. I appreciate it. I'm glad to hear they're working well for you so far. A few more questions:

How good is the noise cancelling? Maybe after you try them in public (e.g. grocery store, etc) you can give your findings.

My earbuds have something like the "conversation boost" that I can adjust but I can't use it outside because wind noise is amplified so I have to use noise cancelling when there's a wind or breeze. Can you let me know if you have the same problem with wind noise being amplified?

 

[Rasputin]

@Rasputin Thank you for the information. I appreciate it. I'm glad to hear they're working well for you so far. A few more questions:

How good is the noise cancelling? Maybe after you try them in public (e.g. grocery store, etc) you can give your findings.

My earbuds have something like the "conversation boost" that I can adjust but I can't use it outside because wind noise is amplified so I have to use noise cancelling when there's a wind or breeze. Can you let me know if you have the same problem with wind noise being amplified?

I’ll let you know, but I think these might be similar to the ones you have. I have tinnitus, and it seems to be due to hypersensitive hearing in my right ear, compared to my left. I have noise reduction set to maximum with transparency balance set to maximum on the right and no transparency on the left. What I am describing sounds weird, but I don’t hear the high pitched tone/buzzing as much now.

 

[Rasputin]

@Rasputin Thank you for the information. I appreciate it. I'm glad to hear they're working well for you so far. A few more questions:

How good is the noise cancelling? Maybe after you try them in public (e.g. grocery store, etc) you can give your findings.

My earbuds have something like the "conversation boost" that I can adjust but I can't use it outside because wind noise is amplified so I have to use noise cancelling when there's a wind or breeze. Can you let me know if you have the same problem with wind noise being amplified?

Magma, I would not over-rely on my experience with these earbuds. I did resolve my tinnitus though. I took out the right earbud, and left the left one in set to noise cancellation and maximum noise reduction. The result is I can now hear with my left ear, and my right ear is not working as hard to compensate for the left.

I saw an audiologist a couple weeks ago, and she screwed up my hearing evaluation. I may not have hearing loss, but I do have unbalanced hearing with the right ear hypersensitive to sounds. That is what causes my tinnitus.

I now have two high quality sets of earbuds that work for me, the Apple AirPods Pro earbuds and Soundcore Life P3, which does not have the sophistication and control of the Apple product. I was going to return the Soundcore earbuds, but now I am considering keeping them both.The Soundcore earbuds are more water resistant and hold a battery charge for 8-9 hours, while the other one holds a charge for only 4 hours. I would not have figured out the solution to my problem had I not experimented though.