Review by: Aaron Farrier
Date: August, 2008

My first rule as a musician is, you only get one pair of ears. With that said, since day one, have made sure to protect them. Being locked in a rehearsal room behind a drumkit with my guitarists louder than sin amp facing me puts quite the strain on my ears. I never rehearse without earplugs in; which is why I'm VERY happy to review these fine ear plugs by Mack's ®. I have used their ear plugs for years now.

They sent me a few different pairs to try, so i thought I'd put them to the ultimate test. The first pair I tried were the High Fidelity "Hear Plugs" made especially for us musicians.

What I look for with a good set of ear plugs is simple. Are the comfortable? And do they work?!

With this pair of plugs, I immediately noticed how they cut down on the piercing high-frequency tones that surround me as a drummer and the wall of cymbals that I play. I just did a few tom fills with heavy cymbal usage and was very pleased with the result! But that also wasn't the toughest test I had in mind. Next came my snare drum. A high-pitched snare that can make you squint your eyes with each hit from a 4 square-block radius (my only defense to my guitarist's amp). Would I be able to crack off a few rim-shots and still not feel the wrath? The answer is...YES! It was amazing!

The next test was to see how they stand up when the rest of the band arrived and without much shock, they were great. I gave a pair to my singer as well who was also instantly satisfied with them. And he is a tough sell!

We both agreed that while they work great, they're also extremely easy to use and comfortable to wear This set is an A+ in my book (with a little "scratch and sniff" smiley face sticker next to it).

One would think the review would be over at this point. Not quite! I had the ultimate test for the plugs. The "Hear Plugs" clearly passed the test, but since they sent me so many different kinds of sets, I thought I'd see how they stood up against NASCAR's finest during the Brickyard 400.

For this I called upon Mack's® Ultra Safe Sound® Earplugs. I was determined to put these ultra plugs to the ultra test (that, might me the corniest line I've ever written).

First my father and I used them at the short-track of the Indianapolis Raceway Park. A close-proximity track that puts us face-to-face with the NASCAR Craftsman Truck series. And let me tell ya...they are LOUD! I went a few laps with the plugs in and then took them out for a few more laps and let me assure you, I went far fewer laps with the plugs out than in. These 32dB earplugs made a world of difference and allowed me to watch the race in comfort. We used them the rest of the weekend and even passed them out to parents who had young kids sitting around us.

Since writing this review, I have given various pairs to fellow band mates along with other musician friends and they all concur with my thoughts. One even uses them to mow her lawn! Clearly Mack's® has an earplug for everyone whether its for band rehearsal or everyday use. I would recommend these to anyone because it is truly important to protect your hearing. I would have done that before doing this review, as I've used their products for years. The Hear Plugs® though were new to me and a pleasant surprise. I don't go to rehearsal or a gig without them!

Do yourself a favor and pick up a pair for yourself. Your ears will thank you. Mine do...

www.macksearplugs.com

 
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