Etymotic Research ER20 High-Fidelity Earplugs (Baby Blue with Clear Stem)

by Etymotic Research

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 6 x 4 x 0.8 inches ; 0.8 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B0015WJQ7A
• Item model number: ER20-SMCa
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (64 customer reviews)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: December 21, 2007

Product Description

ETY-Plugs (TM) earplugs use patented technology that replicates the natural response of the ear canal so that sound heard with these earplugs is as clear as the original, just quieter. ETY-Plugs earplugs have nearly the same fidelity as Etymotic's Musicians Earplugs (TM) (custom earplugs worn by professional musicians) and are a low cost alternative. Hearing loss is a function of exposure time, the average sound level, and the peak level of very loud sounds. Exposure to excessive noise can cause permanent hearing loss depending on the intensity and duration of the sound. Some persons are more susceptible to hearing loss from high-level sound than others. Protect your ears. In high-noise environments, wear Ety-Plugs. Includes one pair of Ety-Plugs, carrying case, black neck cord and instructions.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Etymotics earbuds have saved my life!!!, March 16, 2009

By 

Jeff Davidson (Colorado, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Etymotic Research ER20 High-Fidelity Earplugs (Baby Blue with Clear Stem) (Electronics)

I have a brain injury and as a result am extremely sensitive to light and sound. I have a pair of regular sized and baby blue size ear buds. I LOVE THEM. I wear them anytime I leave my house (and anytime it's a bit noisy in my house) I can hold conversations in loud restaurants and groups and I don't get headaches or tired as quickly. I even wore them to Vegas and I can't tell you the difference these little babies made for me. My ears were a bit sore after the second or third day of wearing them for days on end, but other than that I am extatic with my purchse and would recommend them to anyone!

38 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars I had hoped for more, March 22, 2009

By 

Werner Humdinger "I C Y" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Etymotic Research ER20 High-Fidelity Earplugs (Baby Blue with Clear Stem) (Electronics)

I got these hoping that I could use them when mixing at especially loud shows. I got them in the mail three days ago and I've brought them out twice now. They definitely alter the sound significantly and I won't use them for anything but punk rock.

Frequencies are cut unevenly as is shown on the reading material which comes with the plugs... and the chart only goes up to 8k. I think that highs above this are cut significantly more than others and the lows become significantly more muffled than the highs- which losses the attack of the kick and bass more than a guitar for example.

I did find that by playing with them and pulling them a little further out than I would normally wear plugs that the low's had more definition but that the highs were still cut unevenly, plus I doubt that this got me more than a 5 db overall gain reduction. Still though 5 db is something, especially where high volume is concerned (a 5db cut at 100db is a significant larger reduction in actual power compared to 5db at 90db since db is logarithmic). I would wear these to see shows and probably even as a musician... but I will have to find another way to protect my hearing at work.

Everyone under 20 years of age who is interested in keeping their sensitivity to frequencies above 10k sharp should always wear these in live environments... the rest of us should as well if the show is above 95 common db and we can get away with it. If you are at a loud show for a long time and you can barely hear your friend shouting right next to you, you can be sure that you are permanently loosing your sensitivity to certain frequencies. So take care!

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sound protection / low cost musicians ear, June 3, 2009

By 

Kurt Veggeberg (Austin, Texas) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Etymotic Research ER20 High-Fidelity Earplugs (Baby Blue with Clear Stem) (Electronics)

These are the smaller size version of the hearing protection plugs. These hearing protection plugs are marketed as offering 20 dB sound reduction at all frequencies. I tested them with measurement grade microphones on a HATS (Head and Torso Simulator - artificial head) and found they meet or exceed this specification overall. Most hearing protection devices attenuate the higher frequencies more than the lower frequencies making speech and other sounds muffled. These offer fairly equal broadband attenuation which is more like simply turning the volume down rather than turning down the "treble" settings on a stereo. I was considering a "musicians" ear which is a custom set of earplugs with filter to attenuate broadband sound, but cost much more. The only disadvantage is that they stick out somewhat from the ear. Come with a nice case and string to keep them together as a pair.