Prolonged exposure to loud music is one of the most dangerous aspects of being a DJ.

Being in a noisy environment for hours (80dB+) can cause severe difficulties ranging from acute tinnitus pain to profound hearing loss. Each DJ has a pair of high-quality earplugs in their bag — the primary 'weapon' for a DJ to secure their ears.

Musicians who play live regularly, or play in high-volume surroundings, such as rock or metal music, can benefit from using filtered noise-plugs. They can shield your ears from the audience's noise and lower the total sound quality without changing the sound's quality.

Do earplugs limit your sense of hearing the music next to you?  The ultimate response is no. They make most club earplugs to remove only hazardous frequencies while you can still hear the music. Some 'smart' earplugs can also emphasize very soft sounds, like someone asking you a question in the club, allowing you to listen to them better, and facilitating the conversation.

Like with any other piece of your equipment, making sure you choose the right one with the right features is essential. Take into consideration specific features that allow your earplugs to work better and protect you at a higher level. Let's look at the features you could consider while choosing earplugs as a DJ.

Fit

One of the essential features to consider when sifting through the plethora of options for the most considerable impact on your earplugs' overall performance is the fit. Having a pair of earplugs that fit your ears perfectly will decrease irritation and the earplugs' chance of falling out of your ear canal. You also want to make sure they are easy to remove. By paying close attention to the fit and ease of removal, you will ensure your earplugs work to the highest level of efficiency.

Noise Reduction

As a musician, you still must hear the music and be protected from damage caused by frequent exposure to loud sounds. Paying close attention to the noise reduction rate (NRR) will ensure that you get the right earplugs. If you search for the best option, the ones rated between 15 to 35 decibels will allow you to protect yourself against the middle ranges to high-frequency noise. The trick to finding the right earplug when considering noise reduction is to make sure you get the highest level of noise attenuation. 

Sound Retention

You wouldn't want to hear your jam session with your sweet tunes sounding as if you were underwater. A good pair of earplugs will block noise but not decrease the quality of sound. Using your run-of-the-mill everyday earplugs, you probably have noticed that most everything sounds muffled or like you're in a tunnel, or like you are underwater. So, when considering this feature, you want to look for something that has protection but still gives you the full spectrum of sound. This means potentially looking for high-fidelity earplugs.

Design

Perhaps not on your immediate "must-consider" radar is the actual design of the earplugs. Some earplugs are more comfortable to travel with and come with a case. Others offer you excellent adjustability with interchangeable filters. Earplugs are straightforward devices, and they're usually designed to be as subtle as possible. 

However, the smaller the earplugs, the easier it is to lose them in a dark spot, particularly after some drinks. And while this is not an issue for single-use foam plugs, it can be very inconvenient to lose any personalized ones that cost you $200. It's this one—look for earplugs with some wire or string connecting them. Besides being much harder to lose, you can also wear connected earplugs around your neck. You can take them off while mixing your music and put them back in when you're through. It would be great if your plugs came with a convenient case—this way, you won't have to worry about misplacing or losing them anywhere.

The Type: Foam vs. Silicone

There is a silicone earplugs spike on the market recently. It's because they are secure, convenient and very effective in isolating unsafe frequencies without affecting the sound's efficiency. However, the substance can only produce silicone plugs up to 24dB NRR. The foam material will be more robust since its NRR is typically much higher than 32dB if your ears are susceptible. Foam is less comfortable and typically noticeable—so it's up to you to decide what suits your needs.

Standard vs. Custom

A more discussed subject is standard vs. personalized earplugs. Yes, custom-made earplugs can be more comfortable since they design them to fit the ear canal, but they cost more than the typical ones, and sound insulation is just the same. Also, custom-made earplugs are usually pretty visible in your ear, not always what DJs desire. Conversely, they make standard earplugs to suit most ears, which show that these will not be the best thing to be worn for hours. They function much like personalized earplugs by blocking harmful frequencies.

Bottom Line

Hopefully, this will help the DJs, especially the first-timers. A finely crafted, perfectly designed earplug offers a performance level you will need with all these features. With a wide variety of features from size to noise reduction, there is something for every DJ.

Please Note: Just because an ear defender is marked, for example, "Gunshot" - it will still cover other things, like "explosions"