Vibes Hi-Fidelity Concert Earplugs – As Seen on Shark Tank

Vibes Hi-Fidelity Concert Earplugs – As Seen on Shark Tank

Reusable filtered earplugs that bring the level down without turning the sound to mud. Wear them at a loud show and still hear the band properly, or wear them on movie night while someone else turns it up.

Vibes founder Jackson Mann pitched them on ABC’s Shark Tank in January 2017, a couple of years after a concert ruptured his eardrum. He turned down the one offer he was given and built the company anyway, and Vibes have since become a familiar name with concertgoers and musicians.

At a loud concert

Foam plugs work in the narrow sense that they reduce the number of decibels reaching the eardrum. What they do not do is reduce them evenly. Foam attenuates treble far harder than bass, so a band that was bright and detailed becomes a boomy rumble with the top gone, speech gets hard to follow, and the natural human response is to pull one out — which returns the wearer to full exposure in the loudest room they will be in all year.

Vibes take a different route. Each plug is an acoustic filter rather than a stopper: a clear sound tube carries the signal through a filter element that pulls the level down across the band instead of rolling the top off. The result is quieter rather than duller, and it stays intelligible, which is the single thing that decides whether hearing protection actually gets worn.

On movie night, when two people can’t agree on the volume

We’ve sold a few pairs to couples with a home theatre and two different ideas of how loud is loud enough. The answer turned out to be simple: one of you wears the Vibes, the other turns the AV receiver up, and you both hear the film at your own level. Dialogue stays clear, the soundtrack keeps its weight, and nobody has to win the argument. Call it the most diplomatic home theatre accessory we sell.

What the numbers mean

Two numbers get quoted for these and they measure different things. The certified Noise Reduction Rating is NRR 15. The manufacturer separately states an average reduction of about 22 dB across frequencies. Neither figure captures the property that matters here, because no single number can: the goal is not maximum attenuation. Somebody running a chainsaw wants maximum attenuation. The goal here is enough attenuation with the tone left intact.

Fit, comfort and carrying

Three pairs of silicone tips are supplied — small, medium and large. Fit is not a comfort detail. A tip that does not seal properly gives up most of its attenuation, so trying all three is worth the two minutes it takes. The tips are washable and replaceable and the plugs themselves are made to be used indefinitely. A pocket-sized carrying case is included, which is the difference between owning earplugs and having them on hand when the volume comes up.

The stem is clear and low in profile, and sits far enough into the ear that it reads as nothing much from a few feet away — useful for anyone who would wear protection at a show but would rather not announce it.

One point deserves making in a catalogue full of components: hearing is the only part of the chain that cannot be replaced, upgraded, serviced or traded back.

These are new, in the manufacturer’s retail packaging.

Features

• Acoustic filters reduce level across the band rather than cutting treble first
• Certified NRR 15; manufacturer states about 22 dB average reduction across frequencies
• Three pairs of interchangeable silicone tips included — small, medium and large
• Low-profile clear stem, discreet in the ear
• Reusable; tips are washable and replaceable
• Pocket-sized carrying case included
• Suited to concerts and festivals, loud movie nights at home, live sound and stage work, motorcycling, power tools and shop noise, and anyone who finds busy or loud rooms uncomfortable

Specifications

• Noise Reduction Rating: NRR 15
• Stated average attenuation: approximately 22 dB across frequencies
• Ear tips: silicone, three sizes (small, medium, large), one pair of each
• In the box: one pair of earplugs, three pairs of tips, carrying case

Dimensions: (Width x Height x Depth) 5.4 x 1.4 x 5.9 inches (137 x 36 x 150 mm), as packaged for shipping
Weight: 0.07 lbs (0.03 kg), as packaged for shipping

Inexpensive, reusable and genuinely pleasant to wear, which is the only reason hearing protection ever gets used twice. Available for pickup by appointment in Kanata, or shipped across Canada and internationally — we have sent equipment to fifteen countries in the past year, each piece packed in-house in 275 lb test double-wall boxes. Live shipping rates for your address are calculated at checkout.

Backed by Radique Audio’s Bumper-to-Bumper Warranty, you can purchase with confidence.