GRACE NOTES

Next time you’re at a concert, look around. Want to know how to spot the audiophiles? They’re the ones with cotton balls and Kleenex sticking out of their ears. Anyone concerned with protecting their hearing knows how dangerous loud concerts and even movie theaters can be. Usually, the only options were earplugs that blocked frequencies unevenly, making it hard to understand lyrics and dialogue. Want to be a cool audiophile? Check out Decibullz Professional Filters, Earplugs, and Earphones.

Decibullz, based in Fort Collins, Colorado, has been making custom moldable earplugs for years. They’ve developed a thermoplastic earpiece that is heated in hot water and then shaped in your ear for a perfect, comfortable and secure fit that blocks out more sound than something that just inserts into the ear canal. They have earplugs that work on all sounds, and one that’s specific for percussive sounds like gunshots.

The Decibullz Professional Filter ($100) uses the same moldable earpiece but adds a unique filter. The company states that the filters provide a “true, tuned, and flat attenuation that reduces loud noises evenly across all frequencies to safe levels. Users can play and enjoy music without experiencing muting, muffling, or distortion of higher frequencies while wearing the filters.”

"Traditional foam earplugs make everything sound worse," said Kyle Kirkpatrick, CEO of Decibullz. "Our new Professional Filters allow customers to hear every note of a song without sacrificing acoustic quality. The Filters turn the volume down on ‘real life,’ with everything sounding exactly like it's supposed to, but at lower and safer levels."

Does it block all the sound? Absolutely not. But it does reduce the overall level. Depending on how loud the unfiltered sound is, it can reduce it to safe levels. Huge disclaimer time: Always test the effectiveness of the filters each and every time by gradually exposing yourself to loud/dangerous situations.

I followed the instructions and customized the earpieces to my ears. It took about 20 minutes to do the complete customization process from start to finish, and in the end, I had two funny-shaped earpieces that perfectly fit in my ears. The kit contains two sets of earpieces, so one is a spare. The filter insert is easily removable, and can be exchanged for either the completely sealed/blocked earplugs or any of the other earphones offered by Decibullz. More on that later.

With the filters in, I set out to test them. Just wearing them in normal environments, I could still hear conversations around me, albeit at a softer level. Decibullz claims a noise reduction of 17 dB. More importantly, I tested them in a club with loud music. I could still hear the details of vocals, and the percussive deep bass, but the high-end was slightly rolled off. I was thrilled with how the overall level felt comfortable. Quickly removing them, I knew that the club would have been too loud for me and off-limits without adequate protection.

I have to recommend also getting the Decibullz Wireless Earphones (MSRP: $90) with Bluetooth. They come with a blue moldable insert, but it’s easy to swap between this earphone and the filter, so you only have to mold one set. I was really impressed with the sound of the earphones. Because the earpiece is customized to my ear, the fit and seal was perfect, and that resulted in an impressive bass response. Because they are sealed and not an open, tuned filter, they block out quite a bit of the ambient noise. I couldn’t hear someone talking right next to me with these on.

Purchasing both the wireless earphone and the professional filter is a perfect package. You’ll end up with three sets of moldable earpieces and the option of filtering out sound with the Professional Filter or blocking it almost entirely with the wireless earphones, with or without music playing.

One can never be too safe when it comes to hearing preservation. More and more musicians are coming forward stating that they wish they had been more vigilant in their early years to protect and preserve their hearing. Decibullz makes it easy and effective (and affordable) to always have protection on hand. I know that I am always going to be carrying the Professional Filters with me, just in case. It’s never too late to start playing it safe.