[roadcykler]

I have used various foam types, triple flanges, and custom silicone for my IEMs and I think those isolate better than any foams I've tried. But I have very narrow ear canals and have a difficult time getting the foam to stay small enough as I insert it. Plus, there's a huge cost difference. I'd concur with most of the others and go with the foam type if you can get them in place before they expand too much. Also, no need to be so snarky. People are just trying to help even if their post doesn't fit your exact parameters.  

 

[Alec E]

Quote:
 

That being said... if the sounds of the world, in and of themselves, are driving you nuts, have you considered some kind of medical advice? 

 
No, I do not think I need medical treatment. I think we are in an era when people are coping very poorly with their use and abuse of public space. There is plenty of writing about this. Some of us still enjoy activities which require mental focus.
 
I do sometimes think psychiatric treatment is order for some of the star hoarders of this site, however.
 

Also, no need to be so snarky. People are just trying to help even if their post doesn't fit your exact parameters.  

 
When someone's compulsive posting threatens to derail the thread via misrepresentation of earlier posts ("but the OP claims to be wearing a large headpiece, whatever that is"), putting things bluntly isn't malicious. I didn't care to answer future questions about my fictional headpiece. 
 
Incidentally, since people are mentioning the large cost difference: I don't care about the cost difference. If a custom is even 5% better than foam, I'll pay whatever it costs.

 

[Happy Camper]

Then get em all and tell us which works best for you. Foamies and flanges are cheap.

 

[Alec E]

Then get em all and tell us which works best for you. Foamies and flanges are cheap.

No.
 
Yes, they're cheap.
 
Thank you for the post.

 

[jaddie]

   
When someone's compulsive posting threatens to derail the thread via misrepresentation of earlier posts ("but the OP claims to be wearing a large headpiece, whatever that is"), putting things bluntly isn't malicious. I didn't care to answer future questions about my fictional headpiece. 

 
As I've said before, I've sent a PM to Alec with my apologies, I meant no disrespect, and clearly misunderstood.
 
Alec, you are looking for total silence.  There is no such thing, and no hearing protection or noise reduction of any kind will achieve it.  If you're willing to accept compromise, there have been several valid suggestions that are effective in providing noise reduction.  If you are not willing to accept some form of compromise, you will not be satisfied with any solution.
 
Perhaps you might not discount the recommendation for medical evaluation so quickly.  Desire for total silence is not usual or typical, may indicate Misophonea, and may be treatable.  Or it may not be that issue at all, but if you went through the trouble to buy and test all those foam and flanged ear plugs, or even had customs made, and still ended up annoyed by sounds, what purpose would you accomplish?   I'm not saying you're sick, I'm saying 'get checked', eliminate one possible cause, then move forward.

 

[White Lotus]

I agree with Jaddie. Good post. I'm not sure it will go down very well, but some valid points made.

 

[Alec E]

The thread is now about the thread, rather than its subject. So the thread has become useless.
 
I am well aware of the following points that have unnecessarily been made:
 
1. One can block out noise by using music. The thread did not ask about this. Furthermore, everyone knows that music can be used to block noise.
 
2. Foam earplugs are less expensive. Yes, everyone knows this.
 
3. There is "no such thing" as total silence. This is a semantic point of no importance (and not even a correct one, actually), made only out of a determination to argue with the thread's premise. If you have no interest in a thread's premise, or are hostile to that premise, perhaps you shouldn't try to play the curator of the thread.
 
As for "misophonia"--so what? It is a scientifically dubious "condition" with little more than a Wikipedia entry to substantiate it. And what would the ideal treatment for this condition be?
 
From the sound of it: earplugs. 
 
Silence is not a bad thing. Not even silence in a thread, until such time as someone has something to say about its subject.

 

[jaddie]

OK, Alec, I got you.  I am officially going "silent" in this thread...unsubscribing now...
 
Are you happy now Alec?  I didn't think so. 

 

[DairyProduce]

Then get em all and tell us which works best for you. Foamies and flanges are cheap.

I concur. If price is no object, then trying the different kinds of plugs will give you your answer.

 

[White Lotus]

  I'm so easily annoyed by others' noise that I've seriously fantasized about being deaf.
 
I'd happily pay a few hundred dollars for custom plugs if they were the equal of perfectly-inserted foams.

What have you tried so far?

 

[wcs531]

Sorry to revive an old thread but I am genuinely curious what the best solution for quiet is as well. I work in a loud office environment and my job requires a good deal of concentration. I am very easily distracted and try to work on staying focused but the fact that so much is going on around me causes me to be very inefficient.
 
Basically when it snowed over a foot the other day and I was the only one in the office and not listening to music I was more productive than I had been in a long time, so I would love as close to complete silence as possible.

•I am currently using generic foam ear plugs to block out noise - these can get uncomfortable for longer periods of time and are a pain to take out and put back in if someone needs to talk to you.
 
•I already have IEMs that isolate pretty well but do not always like the background noise and waste time picking what I want to listen to. I do use a white noise generator with my IEMs sometimes which is nice but would prefer something even simpler.
 
So my questions are:
 
•For only blocking out noise and not listening to music, are custom molded ear plugs as good as generic foam plugs?
-if so any specific material for custom molded plugs?
 
•What would be the best place to go for custom molded ear plugs?
-Would I want to get an impression made locally and have it sent out to a specialist or should local places have the same quality? I am located near Philadelphia.
 
If anyone has experience with this I would be very appreciative of any help.
 
Thanks

 

[cswann1]

 
•For only blocking out noise and not listening to music, are custom molded ear plugs as good as generic foam plugs?
-if so any specific material for custom molded plugs?
 
•What would be the best place to go for custom molded ear plugs?
-Would I want to get an impression made locally and have it sent out to a specialist or should local places have the same quality? I am located near Philadelphia.
 

 
I don't have any experience with custom plugs, but I've used regular plugs for years.  The generic/universals you buy at hardware stores will provide noise reduction as well as customs.   The reason to spend money on customs is comfort.  
I work nights and sometimes sleep with earplugs in.  I wake up with somewhat sore ears but it's pretty minor discomfort and its gone within seconds of removing the plugs.  In your case, I think customs would probably be a good idea, since what you are after is less distraction and sore ears would certainly be a distraction.
 
I can't offer you recommendations on who has the best, but a google search shows lots of options. If I were in your place I'd buy some from a couple of vendors and pick the one I like best for a bulk order.  But that'll only work if you can use the same molds. If each company required a new mold that would be prohibitively expensive. 

 

[castleofargh]

for best isolation I would say that custom (well done) and with full shell(empty shell is not even as good as foam) would give the best isolation and comfort. what made me go all foamy again is that with customs my own body noises are transmitted much louder than with foam (breathing, moving, heart beats,stomach fun) and that was very distracting for me. the better the isolation, the more you get annoyed by your own body.
whatever I have tried, the less distracting for me have always been with music. white noise has too much regularity so I get used to it and it doesn't cover sound that much.
just passive isolation even if it goes to -35db won't ever come close to -20db+40db of music(super quiet music).
 
I use some classical piece of music played in repeat1 and found that it was my best way to concentrate (I strangely think better with classical???? dunno why but that's a fact for me).
 
 
about active noise canceling, I've never tried one that came remotely close to some etymotics. it's brilliant for low frequency noises, but against people talking active noise canceling is crappy. there was one that impressed me, it was a fullsize headphone for helicopter pilots. just the passive isolation was impressive, and then the active noise canceling removed remaining low freqs. I though it could be great as it's easy to remove when someone talks to you, but the clamping killed me after 1mn . it was even clamping harder than a hd25.
 
 
in the end I use hf5+foam+classical. cheap but it can be itchy for long use everyday, so I'm still open to suggestions ^_^.

 

[White Lotus]

  for best isolation I would say that custom (well done) and with full shell(empty shell is not even as good as foam) would give the best isolation and comfort. what made me go all foamy again is that with customs my own body noises are transmitted much louder than with foam (breathing, moving, heart beats,stomach fun) and that was very distracting for me. the better the isolation, the more you get annoyed by your own body.

 
I find that skeletal noise is definitely a factor, but I still prefer customs, even for running.

 

[castleofargh]

well I know we're not equal in regard to how body noises are transmited. I could never run with my customs or with any kind of silicone tips :'( .