Ear protection

The figure to compare is SNR — the attenuation in decibels. It is the only thing two earplugs can be measured against; the rest is shape.

The German TÜV association recommends SNR 30 to 37 decibels for loud events and points out that hearing can be damaged from 85 decibels upward (statement of 16 May 2023). A concert sits well above that.

Here is the catch no manufacturer likes to spell out: most music filter plugs sit at SNR 17 to 26 — below that recommendation. That is deliberate, not a defect. Filter plugs are built to let the music through and only turn it down; foam attenuates more but takes the highs with it and leaves everything muffled.

So decide what matters more. If it is protection, take the highest SNR you can find — up to 32 decibels in this range. If it is hearing the concert, take a filter at 17 to 20 and keep your distance from the speakers. Either beats nothing, and nothing is the one choice you cannot take back.