Product Review - High Fidelity Ear Plugs

avatar for PaulDrake
PaulDrake
Off again on again PL
As I am getting older I am not a fan of some of the loudest club environments. There is one local club I frequent where it is crazy loud during the day and I occasionally have to sit near a speaker. If I am on a scouting trip where I might be sitting in the main room for hours the loud volume can really wear me out. So I decided to pick up some high fidelity ear plugs.

High fidelity ear plugs are a special type of ear plug designed to reduce the volume of sound while retaining the quality. Normal ear plugs which completely block the ear canal reduce some frequencies more than others. High fidelity ear plugs have a special filter that is designed to pass all frequencies easily. A lot of people use them for loud rock concerts.

I picked up a set off amazon for $35 but they cost as low as $15 for a decent pair. They are usually silicone, easily cleanable, and come with a carrying case. The set that I purchased are really small and aren't super noticeable, but be careful if you get a set as some stick out of your ears and look weird.

Tried them out at a annoying loud club tonight and they work really well. The reduction in volume is modest (nothing at all like regular ear plugs). It feels like someone turned down the volume 15%. Additionally there was no issue hearing a waitress or dancer talking to me. The only downside is that when you talk it sounds weird (almost but not totally like you have your fingers plugging you ears). So for a short conversation like ordering a drink they are fine to leave in but for a long conversation I would pull them out. One person did notice the ear plugs and it was an awesome conversation starter.

Overall for any hardcore PL who doesn't like blaring loud music these are a worthwhile investment. Keep them in your SC bag for club where you know you'll need them.

25 comments

Jump to latest
avatar for blahblahblah23
blahblahblah23
6 years ago
I never heard of cleanable ear plugs. This sounds genius not just for the strip club environment. Thanks!
avatar for Subraman
Subraman
6 years ago
I feel it is a bold -- nay, revolutionary -- move to write a review for a product, but never mention the product brand or name. It deconstructs the materialistic tendencies of a post-modern world, where in the end, the review has become primary and the product is ultimately of no consequence. Behold, the reviewer seems to be saying, be content with my review, for the actual product, will forever remain my secret. Well done, brave reviewer!

I actually ordered Eargasm high fi ear plugs, but haven't worn them yet. Bought for non-SCing purposes, though
avatar for PaulDrake
PaulDrake
6 years ago
LOL Subraman... I bought the eargasm ones. But I tend to think they are all the same for the purposes of SC music blocking.
avatar for shailynn
shailynn
6 years ago
Do they make plus that just block out certain noises, like say... the shot girls voice?
avatar for math14
math14
6 years ago
@pauldrake Thanks, great tip. I try too have trouble with LOUD anything and it certainly ruins ones enjoyment. (and it hurts) Not to mention the background noise that makes me deff anyway.
avatar for Wanabefrank
Wanabefrank
6 years ago
Awesome thanks for the tip. I tend to where earplugs sometimes even when I’m outside as construction, large buses and motorcycles tend to hurt my ears. I guess I’m jusr extra sensitive. I’ll look into your recommendations.
avatar for JohnSmith69
JohnSmith69
6 years ago
It sounds similar to the high end ear protection that you can get for gun ranges. They block much of the noise of firearms but you can hear people speaking perfectly well. But the thought of wearing this to a strip club would make me feel overly pathetic. I’d look like an old geezer with a hearing aid. But there is one club where I would wear this. PP in Columbia sc had the loudest music I’ve ever heard. When I walked out of the place it felt like my ears were bleeding. You had to scream to be heard over the music. It was by far the worst I’ve ever experinced. If I ever went to such a place again I’d be willing to consider this.

avatar for minnow
minnow
6 years ago
After reading PaulDrake's review, I've arrived at 2 conclusions:

1) PaulDrake just might have a future as a bathroom troll
2) The VIP up sellers must love him, a guy with a demonstrated aptitude to be taken in by a slick marketing campaign to overpay for a product.

Wrt #2, there are several less expensive and more effective alternatives to the "eargasms". PD got taken in by big buzzwords like "high fidelity"and "rock concert." Plus had a glossier marketing presentation on Amazon vs the others. If he'd taken the time to dig deeper, the facts of eargasms don't look so rosy. A batch of 50 pairs (in individual containers) of E-A-R plugs can be had for $9.76 on Amazon. They have a NRR of 29db and 82% of users rated product 5 stars vs eargasms NRR of 16-21db, with only 67% of users rating it 5 stars. Another product batch of 50 (Macks) can be had for $8.09, and has a NRR of 32db. Fyi, normal human conversation in 60 db, a lawn mower 90db, and a rock concert 120 db.

I don't work for either company, I'm only a guy who's been wearing them since the 1970's, in clubs since the 1990's, and still has my hearing.
avatar for Dominic77
Dominic77
6 years ago
I can't see that I would (personally) care about this. Number one, it probably does look like a hearing aid. I've never seen a club that loud where I would need this. Number two, ss for conversation, in loud venues or very quiet venues, I've taken the approach to lean into the other person, and speak directly into his or her ear. Then I encourage the other to do the same to me. It seems to let the venue disturb me less, and let me disturb the venue less for others.

And in doing so, I'm been heaped praise from elders about how respectful, polite, and mature it was for me to do that in this day and age (since High School). It's how I was raised for I do it naturally.
avatar for Subraman
Subraman
6 years ago
minnow, if Paul fell for it, I fell for it too. I have lots of cheap earplugs for shooting, but they attenuate selectively. The idea of earplugs that retain fidelity but just reduce the sound (so music still sounds good, just lower, rather than the highs getting filtered different than the mids getting filtered differently than the lows) is appealing.

Okay, I will see if I can find my "regular" earplugs, and test vs eargasms to see if there's any real difference in fidelity across all ranges
avatar for Liwet
Liwet
6 years ago
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B019M576XW/?co…

These are the ones on my wishlist.
avatar for san_jose_guy
san_jose_guy
6 years ago
Need your ears open, so when the girl of your choice is on your lap and nuzzling with you, you can use soft words and get her loosened up for a Front Room Makeout Session, like in Louisville Kentucky

https://www.tuscl.net/discussion.php?id=…

SJG
avatar for Papi_Chulo
Papi_Chulo
6 years ago
I don't have too big an issue with music level at large clubs with high ceilings where the speakers are not close to you, but it can be an issue in smaller clubs - one particular dive I hit looks like a converted old small 2-bedroom house and it seems as if they put in a new ceiling below the old ceiling where I can touch the ceiling if I reach up with my arm and I'm barely 5'10" - the speakers at this joint are barely above ear-level and the sound waves seem to travel in a straight-line from the speaker to your ear - I can def feel the effects when I leave that club.
avatar for san_jose_guy
san_jose_guy
6 years ago
Nuzzling, licking each others necks, nibbling at each others ear lobes. Loud music makes you communicate by getting check to check and speaking into each other's ears. Ramming tongues into each others mouths will soon follow.

Just ask Countryman:
https://www.tuscl.net/discussion.php?id=…

SJG
avatar for PaulDrake
PaulDrake
6 years ago
@SJG - Have you ever seen earplugs before? You can take them in and out in like half a second.
avatar for san_jose_guy
san_jose_guy
6 years ago
So is that what you will be doing in strip clubs when dancers come and sit on your lap.

Sorry, but to me that seems a bit less than elegant.

:) :) :)

SJG
avatar for PaulDrake
PaulDrake
6 years ago
You got me there SJG! Quick question for you:

Do you leave your bicycle helmet outside when you go to the SC or bring it in and set it on the table?
avatar for Call.Me.Ishmael
Call.Me.Ishmael
6 years ago
I use Etymotic high-fidelity earplugs, but not for strip clubs. They work well.
avatar for san_jose_guy
san_jose_guy
6 years ago
I ride the bicycle to Viet Coffee, when I do I lock my helmet with the bike. But everyone knows I came by bicycle. They know me in those places.

The way our society is, those who get around on bicycles are looked down upon. So I would not ride a bicycle to a strip club or an amp.

I have once walked to a strip club, one I was known in, more of a neighborhood bar, got along well with the bar tender.

I have used the commuter train to get to San Francisco strip clubs. Parking in San Francisco is no fun.

Most of the time though, for our local clubs or our underground clubs it has been by car.

In future travels it will be by car, fancy car, fancy clothes, as that does impress women. And unlike other intervals in my life, I will now be like Countryman, and seeking girls I really like and plan to be waking up with in the mornings.

About ear plugs, in most of these clubs there are often words exchanged at stage side, when the girl comes between songs, to round up her tips. Ear plugs would be a hindrance in my opinion.

Just select your girl and after your front room makeout session, as Countryman did, get her outside and into bed. Then you won't need to go to strip clubs very often.

If on the otherhand what you need is a marriage councilor or a divorce lawyer, then there is always the Yellow Pages.

Good Luck,
SJG

Using what he learned in Tijuana, back in Kentucky
https://www.tuscl.net/discussion.php?id=…
avatar for TrollWarnBot
TrollWarnBot
6 years ago
WARNING - The following accounts are considered to be forum trolls and may not be trustworthy:

san_jose_guy - commonly referred to as SJG this forum member is usually mocked or ignored, his comments should NOT be taken in any way as legitimate
avatar for san_jose_guy
san_jose_guy
6 years ago
Not to be dismissive about very reasonable concerns, but I have always loved loud rock music, and even decades back when it was even louder.

And that's what makes the girl have to snuggle cheek to cheek so that you can communicate.

SJG
avatar for Subraman
Subraman
6 years ago
-->"The way our society is, those who get around on bicycles are looked down upon. So I would not ride a bicycle to a strip club or an amp."

When I'm in my car, I hate pedestrians. When I'm walking, I hate cars. But no matter what, I always hate bicyclists.

-->"I have used the commuter train to get to San Francisco strip clubs. Parking in San Francisco is no fun."

I use the train just because I like drinking with the girls. But one of the quirks of the SF SC scene, despite how horrible it is to park there, is that it's not difficult to find parking near any of the SCs. Park at the AMC for MBOT/NCT, park behind the Warfield or the hotel on Mason for CH, park at the MOMA for GC, and the covered (i.e., more expensive) parking garages always have spots open for the Broadway clubs (the cheaper uncovered lots, not always).

-->"
avatar for san_jose_guy
san_jose_guy
6 years ago
Imagine being able to have a hotel room or an apartment right on top of an SF club. That way you could take girls up there and they would not have to change their clothes or take off their stripper shoes.

Car will never really work that well in SF.

In more rural places, big parking lots:
https://www.roadtrek.com/models/zion/

The strongest suit for strip clubs is immediate SEE, WANT, GET, and that means dressed and painted up exactly as you found her. And you get to have that experience with a given girl, ONCE!

Our club set ups all leave much to be desired.

For me the difference will be made by doing lingerie photo modelling sessions OTC.

SJG
avatar for san_jose_guy
san_jose_guy
6 years ago
For more rural places:
https://www.roadtrek.com/models/zion/

One I saw in a parking lot has lower body trim with steps, and a real neat lower step which plugs into the receiver hitch socket.

Not too wide. FWD makes for less weight and more interior space. But most of all it makes for a lower floor height, which lets you get head room without gross fuel consumption via an excessively high ceiling.

They call this 3500 and it has 10k lbs GVWR, meaning that those have to be thick skinned high pressure tires.

FWD is not great for towing though. They say 2000lb. Not so much. Full size 3500 van could tow 10k lbs, like another van like itself on a trailer. But today only Chevy makes such, and cutting way back on using those for micro-motorhomes.

Also, I am not seeing RoadTred offering diesel. Just that 3.6 liter V6. Good engine, used in their other vehicles, 4 cams, electronically controlled valve timing, independent for intake and exhaust. Good power. Usually 292 hp.

But I want the MBZ diesel. I know it is offered on that chassis, 2.8 liter, 72 deg V6, turbo, 188 hp. See them on the street and I hear them too.

Obviously the ideal is to get to know the girl ITC, with Front Room Makeout Session. Then to be able to take her to private space, but without having to use motorized transport or for she to have to change her clothes or take off her high heels.

See - Want - Get.

And you get to do that with a given girl, once. After that it is by appointment somewhere else.

I know that at some Mexican bars, in town, and especially out of town, like Watsonville, Monterey, Salinas, taking their girls into such a van would be just fine. They don't get any $ off of the women. Far safer that way. And if she likes you, there is no difference between civvies and pros. She'll be whatever you want her to be.

SJG

jeff healey while my guitar gently weeps, anyone know who the black girl is?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCaL_v2E…
avatar for TrollWarnBot
TrollWarnBot
6 years ago
WARNING - The following accounts are considered to be forum trolls and may not be trustworthy:

san_jose_guy - commonly referred to as SJG this forum member is usually mocked or ignored, his comments should NOT be taken in any way as legitimate
You must be a member to leave a comment.Join Now