Etymotic ER-20s vs earWear 12dBs

[Joe_Atlanta]

After years of abusing my ears with no protection or simple foam plugs, I got a set of ER 20's from Mike Dimin. They've been real life savers on several occasions and I wear them regularly at my gigs and loud rehearsals. However, there are times when I feel like I don't need quite as much attenuation (quieter gigs) and the earWear 12dB ear plugs caught my eye. They look very similiar to the ER 20s and claim to be hi fi.

Anybody have any experience with these? How do they compare?

[Aaron Saunders]

Can't you switch out the filters in ER's?

[andrewd]

not the ER-20s

and by the way i love my ER-20s

[Marc Piane]

I suggest spending the money and getting the custom Etymonics. The sound is unreal. They allow you to switch between 9, 15, 25 by just interchanging the attenuators. A set is about $150. That seems expensive but think of how much money you've spent on your other pieces of gear. Your ears are FAR more valuable.

[Howard K]

i have a set of er25s and er15s. i use the 25's for reherasals and loud gigs, the 15s for everything else. i wouldnt be without either, worth ten times the £££'s i spent on them

[Mike Dimin]

Originally Posted by Joe_Atlanta

After years of abusing my ears with no protection or simple foam plugs, I got a set of ER 20's from Mike Dimin. They've been real life savers on several occasions and I wear them regularly at my gigs and loud rehearsals. However, there are times when I feel like I don't need quite as much attenuation (quieter gigs) and the earWear 12dB ear plugs caught my eye. They look very similiar to the ER 20s and claim to be hi fi.

Anybody have any experience with these? How do they compare?

The ER-20's are made by Etymotic Research, the company that makes the custom filters. ER will sell the ER-20's in bulk so companies can put their own "brand" on them. It looks like thats what the earwerr's are. If the ER-20's are attenuating too much - pull them out a bit.

Mike

[Joe_Atlanta]

Originally Posted by Mike Dimin

If the ER-20's are attenuating too much - pull them out a bit.

Thanks for the tip Mike, that's pretty much what I've been doing. Only problem, once I start pulling them out a bit, they seem to want to keep working out (leaving me with no ear protection in the middle of a song). Guess I'll start saving my pennies for the fitted kind with exchangeable filters.