A couple of years ago, when he heard that the ear buds I’d received with my iPod Classic had finally given up the ghost, my brother-in-law gave me his old Bose SoundTrue in-ear headphones. I tend to use a thing until far beyond its natural life cycle, so while I’d been coaxing every last decibel out of my standard-issue Apple headphones, I hadn’t been aware of certain advances in ear bud technology, such as soft, silicone tips with specialized “wings” that hook in the folds of the ear to keep the buds comfortably in place. Ahhh…

I probably would have run these bad Bose into the ground if they hadn’t met their untimely demise at the teeth of two adorable dogs named Disco and Queen. While visiting my friend Mika, the headphones fell out of my purse in proximity to her playful pups, and when we left to run a short errand, those dear buds found my ear buds. Sigh.

Having previously had a great experience with the Bose Wave CD player—which held up so well that I sold it on eBay years later for nearly the price I paid for it—I decided to splurge and replace the obliterated buds with an identical pair, but somehow ended up with the SoundTrue Ultra version instead.

Folks, these headphones have been life-changing. Bose took their silicone tips to the next level with a noise-isolating design that instantly blocks virtually all external sound. One reviewer called these StayHear Ultra tips the headphones’ “secret sauce.” The ear buds don’t contain noise-cancelling technology, but it’s hardly necessary when the tips do such a great job of making you feel like you’re the only one—or thing—in the room.

This effect can have some drawbacks, though. Every sound you make, from heavy breathing and coughing to talking and humming along, becomes magnified within your own head, similar to when you plug your ears with your fingers. I also wouldn’t recommend wearing these headphones while driving or jogging, as they may prevent you from hearing critical sounds. But if you want to listen to music, audiobooks, or meditation recordings without distraction, these are a high-quality, comfortable, and effective option that is more affordable than the noise-cancelling variety.

I particularly enjoy using them when listening to binaural/brainwave entrainment tracks, which can quickly put me in a deeply relaxed state when I don’t have to deal with extraneous aural interference. And while I’m still holding out for a Hearo in certain circumstances, my SoundTrue Ultra ear buds make exceptional earplugs when I want instant relief, since the external sound-blocking effect is both effortless and immediate. Kirsti and I just returned from a swoon-worthy trip to Savannah and Charleston, and even the roar of the jet engines on our flights was no match for my Bose buds.

Some of the mixed reviews at Amazon indicate that high-fidelity enthusiasts might not enjoy these ear buds, but I used to work for an audiophile label and I’m very happy with these headphones. In fact, I’m prepared to buy anything Bose makes—just as soon as my SoundTrue Ultras buy the farm…or get torn apart by one of the animals.

Stuff Worthy Of Our Notice™ in this post:

Bose SoundTrue Ultra In-Ear Headphones

 

Since I came late to the game, Bose is already phasing out the SoundTrue Ultra in favor of its SoundSport in-ear headphones with standard StayHear tips and the the more pricey QuietComfort 20 Acoustic Noise Cancelling headphones with StayHear+ tips (equivalent to the Ultra), but that means you can currently find great deals on remaining pairs of SoundTrue Ultra ear buds online while supplies last, so get a move on to get your groove on.

 

Sometimes I think I was born an old lady. When I was in high school, my idea of a wild Friday night was going to a restaurant with a small group of friends to discuss philosophy over tea and dessert. I did attend a number of concerts, but, regardless of the venue or how much I loved the band, I would invariably find myself asking, “Why does it have to be so LOUD?!”

I resigned myself to being hopelessly uncool until, while at a concert with a friend, we bumped into an acquaintance of his who was a music critic for a local publication. I thought she was the epitome of hip with her thrift store dress, steel-toed Doc Martens, and notepad to jot down thoughts on the performance. As the three of us stood close together, yelling to be heard over the music, I noticed that she was wearing ear plugs. It was a light bulb moment. If this impossibly cool chick could use ear plugs, so could I.

I’ve been carrying ear plugs in my purse ever since, and my go-to brand is Hearos. Over the years, they have come in handy in a multitude of unexpected situations. This past holiday season I saw The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 and Star Wars: The Force Awakens, both of which had their share of explosions and gun battles. Listening in Dolby Surround might have been jarring if not for the Ultimate Softness Series from Hearos. When I got up close and personal with a 4th of July fireworks display, I went to the Xtreme Protection Series. On a trip to Paris, I shared a hotel room with a person who snores—loudly—but I slept Pretty in Pink with a pair of Women’s Sleep Ear Plugs.* Bonne nuit!

It’s one thing to take the edge off when sharing space with someone who is sawing logs in their sleep, but what about those times you want to hear every little nuance, as when listening to music? I find that ear plugs don’t prevent me from experiencing a full, rich sound. They simply filter out any harsh noises that might cause discomfort. I wore Hearos each time I went to see my friends’ rock band play live and I could pick out every note.

Even though Hearos makes a Rock N Roll Series, these ear plugs do block out quite a bit of sound, so I’ve only used them in a few unusual circumstances. My dog has allergies, and before I found an effective treatment, he would lick and chew his paws relentlessly, making a sound that I found intolerable. Rather than force him to wear the cone of shame, I’d pop in a pair of Rock N Roll Hearos and find myself in a cone of silence.

Ear plugs may not seem like a swoon-worthy topic to blog about, but protecting one’s hearing is definitely a Subject Worthy Of Our Notice. Music, in particular, is extremely important to me and I want to be able to listen and enjoy it throughout my lifetime, but many people don’t think about such things until it’s too late. Unless you’re Superman, you can’t turn back time, so consider getting yourself a pair (or two!) of ear plugs and let Hearos save the day—and your hearing.

Stuff Worthy Of Our Notice™ in this post:

Hearos

 

Hearos can be found at CVS, Rite Aid, Walgreens, Target, and Walmart.

 

*I have to admit that this peeves me a little. Hearos offers pink ear plugs for women, but there are no ear plugs specifically made for men, unless it is implied that the Xtreme Protection Series, which is blue, is intended for male ears. Are Hearos actually Jokers? Do women’s and men’s ears differ in some way? (There is evidence that women have more sensitive hearing than men.) Are there not women who snore and keep their male companions awake? What if men want to sleep Boyish in Blue? Hearos, it’s time to pull the plug on silly gender stereotypes. I propose the gender-neutral Sleep Soundlessly Series.