[FunkeHomosapien]

I play the drums and want to be able to listen to music and play along with it. For a while I have been using cheap earbuds that I put underneath some isolating earmuffs (the kind used for shooting guns). They have fallen apart now. I need some small, good-sounding earbuds that will fit under the earmuffs.

Or I could get some headphones that isolate very well. Sensitivity doesn't matter since they will driven by a Corda amp. They should be able to isolate at least as well as the Etymotic Er20 earplugs. I think that only leaves the ety ER4s and ER6. Could someone please compare the amount of isolation between these 3 etys. Any other phones that could work?

 

[pedxing]

I remember someone saying that the ER-4's isolate better than the ER-20 plugs because the ER-20 has a "turning fork" that is designed to let sound come in with little distortion. I have the ER-20 plugs and I think they don't isolate very well against noise. They are good at dampening loud sounds, hence their application with musicians who need to hear the music but not lose their hearing.

 

[MacDEF]

Yes, that's really what the ER20s are for -- reducing volume without affecting frequency response. The ER4s are meant to actually block external noise.