The DMNW Buyer’s Guide to Earplugs and Hearing Protection

V-Moda – Faders

Price: $20
Tip Style: Silicone
NRR: 12dB

V-Moda has been manufacturing and designing headphones and audio equipment for a while, so it’s a no-brainer for them to carry over to hearing protection. The Faders are V-Moda’s answer to the hearing loss music lovers of all types are susceptible to after long exposure to high levels of volume and frequencies. These guys are slick, and resemble a typical pair of earbuds you’d wear…certainly the best looking out of the bunch.

The Faders come with 4 different sized types to guarantee a proper fit in any ear as well as a detachable lanyard if you don’t want it getting in the way. The carrying case also doubles as a protective pendant when the lanyard is attached and worn around the neck, when the plugs aren’t in your ears. The Faders aim to reduce decibels by nearly 20dB and offer a pretty event attenuation curve. Carrying on conversations with people was easy, and we never really experienced a muffled sound in our heads.

Overall, the sleek design carried over from their headphones and ear buds, plus a fantastic level of hearing protection make them perfect for festivals and nights out. Another thing to take away is they were originally designed by the folks at V-Moda, along with Erick Morillo and the Manufactured Superstars as an affordable earplug that offers superior protection.

Buy Faders Here

We hope that this helps as a suitable resource for your earplug purchasing. We highly encourage any fan of live music to pick up a pair regardless if its dance music. You only have one pair of ears, and missing out on hearing music would be a bummer if all you needed to do was protect your hearing. We here at DMNW are big time advocates for reducing the risk of harm, whatever it may be within our community. Hear loss is a major problem in the US, and it will only get better by passing along information like this, and spreading the word about the importance of wearing earplugs.

So next time you and your friends go out be sure to ask “Hey…do you have earplugs?”. It’s always best to have some level of protection rather than nothing at all. Pick up a few spare foam plugs for you friends and keep them in your car. Spread the word by giving a few out at your next festival, trust us, it will go a long way to helping preserve other peoples hearing. As always we look forward to seeing you on the dance floor, and hope this guide directs you to your newest pair of earplugs.

We’d like to thank all the brands who participated in this article by providing product, research materials and guiding us to better understanding hear loss and protection.