There’s nothing worse than getting home from the club or waking up with a ringing in your ears, especially if you had a few cocktails. A great way to protect your ears without putting a damper on your style is to invest in the best discreet ear plugs for clubbing.

In this guide, we share our top 5 earplugs for clubbing & concerts along with helpful tips on how to choose the right pair. Let’s start below with an overview of the five plugs before jumping to the reviews of each brand.

Reviews of the Best Discreet Ear Plugs

Below, we share individual reviews of each of the plugs in our Top 5 to give you a clear idea of what to expect from each brand before making your final decision. Also, we investigated current info to identify additional pros & cons for each plug.

#1) Eargasm High Fidelity Earplugs Transparent Edition

Eargasm is a company we really dig, mainly because Eargasm plugs are specifically designed for concerts, raves, and clubs. Currently, there are several versions available including transparent, blue, and the rainbow-colored Pride Edition. Additionally, Eargasm offers small earplugs in blue and transparent for people with smaller ear canals who typically experience discomfort with normal plugs.

What makes Eargasm earplugs special? Of the best high fidelity earplugs on the market, Eargasm offers one of the highest NRR values. NRR or “Noise Reduction Rating” is a measure of how many decibels an earplug is able to reduce incoming sounds by. If you usually go to clubs with loud music or like to get close to the stage at concerts, Eargasm is one of the better choices of HiFi earplugs to ensure you protect your hearing.

As far as their appearance, Eargasm plugs are very discreet, particularly the transparent edition. No one will notice you’re wearing earplugs in low-light conditions at the club. Another cool feature is the premium sound filters that preserve the quality of the music you’re listening to and allow you to talk with others without removing the plugs. Lastly, each set of plugs comes with a waterproof case, and the hypoallergenic silicone is easy on your skin when wearing the plugs for long hours.

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#2) EarDial HiFi Earplugs

Another good high-fidelity earplug for clubbing is EarDial. Of the five brands in this guide, EarDial is the most discreet and virtually invisible when inserted properly into your ear. Like Eargasm plugs, EarDial plugs are made of soft hypoallergenic silicone and are reusable. One feature that does make EarDial unique is the mesh cap at the tip that provides earwax protection.

Another thing we really like about EarDial is the companion phone app. The app uses your phone to read the decibel level at the club or at a concert, then it tells you how long you can safely use EarDial plugs without damaging your hearing. Also, you might like the small aluminum Eardial keychain case that comes with an optional luminescent sticker more than the Eargasm case.

A couple of drawbacks to choosing EarDial over Eargasm are no color options, no small size available for smaller ear canals, single shell included rather than two, and the lower NRR of 11. If you usually go to very loud clubs and concerts, you might find that an NRR of 11 isn’t enough to prevent Tinnitus. All things considered, EarDial is certainly the most discreet earplug, but it doesn’t provide the same level of hearing protection as other options.

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#3) Vibes High Fidelity Earplugs

Vibes High Fidelity earplugs sport a different shape than Eargasm and EarDial plugs, yet they also offer attenuation filters to preserve music quality. As far as discreetness, Vibes are easier to see than EarDial and a bit more discreet than Eargasm. Once you fully insert the silicone tip into your ear, the small filter is the only part of the plug that can be seen. In low-light conditions at the club, people won’t know you’re wearing them unless they look closely.

According to Vibes, they use patented filtering technology to filter specific frequencies that have the potential to damage hearing. One thing we really like about Vibes is the company includes three sets of tips with each package, and at the time of this writing, Vibes buds cost less than both EarDial and Eargasm. Each Vibes package comes with small, medium, and large tips to suit all sizes of ear canals.

One thing Vibes prides itself on – and we like too – is Vibes plugs are not made in China. Also, we like the hardshell case that’s included with Vibes, but not as much as the Eargasm and EarDial cases that include a keychain. Lastly, an NRR of 15 just about matches Eargasm and definitely beats EarDial’s 11 dB NRR. You may also find that Vibes filters provide the clearest, crispest sound of the HiFi earplugs in this guide.

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#4) Rave High Fidelity Ear Plugs

Rave HiFi earplugs are a great affordable alternative to more expensive high-fidelity plugs such as Eargasm and EarDial. Similar to the other three plugs above, Rave earplugs are made of hypoallergenic silicone to ensure they don’t irritate your skin when worn for long hours. Plus, silicone is very easy to clean between uses.

The main feature that makes Rave plugs unique is the interchangeable filters. Each Rave package includes two different filters. The clear filter provides up to 19 dB of hearing protection, while the white filter provides up to 25 dB of protection. Simply pop the filters in and out of the included silicone shells to find your perfect match. However, it’s important to note that the 19 dB and 25 dB ratings are not official NRR values. Rave does not supply an NRR value, and it’s certainly lower than 19 and 25 for each filter.

Along with the filters, Rave includes two sets of shells. You’ll find the more discreet short-stem clear silicone shell and the less discreet long-stem gray shell that’s easier to remove. One last key difference between Rave and the models above is the included case. Rave supplies a sleeve-type carrying case that’s not quite as sweet as what EarDial and Eargasm offer.

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#5) Mack’s Ultra Soft Foam Earplugs

For clubgoers with very sensitive ears who want a plug that provides the highest level of hearing protection, Mack’s Ultra Soft plugs are the way to go. When inserted properly, Mack’s plugs blend in well unlike brightly-colored earplugs. Another advantage of the neutral color is that it doesn’t bleed. In our experience, sweat can cause the dye used in brightly-colored earplugs to bleed a bit.

Unlike high-fidelity earplugs, Mack’s block all sounds rather than using special filters to allow some sounds in while blocking others. The obvious disadvantage is that music won’t sound as good with Mack’s as with the HiFi plugs above. However, if you’re more concerned about protecting your hearing than hearing the music, Mack’s are the better choice.

Another advantage of Mack’s is the price for a 50-pack jar. While Mack’s aren’t reusable for more than a couple of uses, the upfront cost of a jar is currently the cheapest option of the five in our guide. Finally, Mack’s are made in the USA, and the high-performance Comfort Cush foam is truly super comfortable in all sizes of ear canals.

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What are high fidelity ear plugs?

As we’re sure you’ve probably already noticed, a high-fidelity or HiFi earplug is the ideal choice for clubs and concerts. So what are they exactly?

To put it simply, high fidelity earplugs deliver flat attenuation using special filters inside the silicone shell case. They’re the ideal choice for musicians who want to clearly hear the music while reducing the decibel levels of noises that can potentially damage the ears.

In other words, they block the sounds that can damage your hearing while allowing the sounds you want to hear enter. The reason they’re good for clubs and concerts is they allow the user to carry on conversations with friends and clearly hear the music while protecting their ears. Additionally, they’re more discreet than traditional foam and silicone putty earplugs.

The obvious drawback to high fidelity ear plugs is the level of hearing protection. High Fidelity earplugs carry a lower NRR than top foam earplugs like Macks, Laser Lite, and 3M.

Bottom Line

When choosing the best discreet earplugs for clubbing and concerts, the first place to look is in the high-fidelity earplug department. HiFi earplugs are easily the most discreet plugs on the market, and they help to preserve music quality at raves, music festivals, concerts, bars, and clubs.

Lastly, it’s important to consider the decibel levels at the clubs and concerts you typically attend because you may want to use foam earplugs with a higher NRR than HiFi plugs to prevent ringing in your ears (Tinnitus) later.

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