Rolling Stone Reviewed Unplugs — Here's What They Found

There's a moment at every concert when someone leans over to say something — a friend, a stranger, the bartender — and you have two options: pull out your earplugs and miss the next thirty seconds of music, or leave them in and ask them to repeat themselves three times. Neither is ideal.

That's the problem Unplugs was built to solve.

Rolling Stone reviewed Unplugs and called them "the evolution of earplugs" — a pair that lets you toggle between full protection and open hearing with a single click, without ever removing them from your ears. Here's what that actually means in practice.

Two Modes. One Click.

Most earplugs work in one mode: in or out. Unplugs introduced a mechanical toggle that switches between two states:

• Protection Mode — 19 dB NRR (Noise Reduction Rating). At a 100 dB concert, you're hearing at roughly 80 dB — the sweet spot where music sounds full and clear, without the damage.
• Connection Mode — 7 dB NRR. Still some protection, but enough openness to hold a real conversation, order a drink, or hear what's happening around you.

The switch is entirely mechanical — no batteries, no charging, no app. Press the outside of one or both earplugs, and the mode changes instantly. Press again to go back.

Rolling Stone's reviewer tested them across two raves and described the transition as immediate and natural: "Click the outside of the earplugs (one or both of them), and the NRR is immediately reduced to 7dB. You're still getting some protection, but you'll be able to hear just about everything — no screaming necessary."

Why 19 dB Is the Right Number

Hearing protection is often misunderstood. More isn't always better.

Foam earplugs can reduce sound by 30+ dB — which sounds impressive until you realize that at a 100 dB concert, you're now hearing at 70 dB. The music becomes muffled, bass-heavy, and unrecognizable. Most people pull them out within the first song.

19 dB hits the right balance. It brings a 100 dB show down to approximately 80 dB — just below the threshold where sustained exposure begins to cause damage — while preserving the full frequency range of the music. You hear everything the artist intended. You just hear it safely.

Built for Real Use

The toggle feature is the headline, but Rolling Stone also noted that Unplugs hold up as a standalone earplug — comfortable, discreet, and designed for extended wear.

Each pair includes:

• Three ear tip sizes — to fit most ear canals
• Fit Wings — rubber stabilizers that keep the earplugs secure during movement, including headbanging
• A carry case — compact enough to keep on your keychain or in a pocket

The reviewer noted being "surprised by how comfortable the Unplugs were, considering they have to accommodate the button feature" — a meaningful detail, since the mechanical toggle adds complexity that most earplug designs avoid entirely.

Not Just for Concerts

The toggle mechanic makes Unplugs useful beyond live music. Rolling Stone specifically called out the office as a use case: pop them in for focused work, click to Connection Mode when a colleague stops by, click back when they leave. No fumbling, no losing the earplug, no interrupting your workflow.

The same logic applies to:

• Festivals and outdoor events where you move between loud stages and quiet areas
• Bars and restaurants with high ambient noise
• Public transport and commuting
• Motorsports, shooting ranges, and other high-decibel environments

The Bottom Line

Rolling Stone's verdict was straightforward: Unplugs are the best solution for anyone who wants hearing protection without the tradeoff of being cut off from the people around them.

The 19 dB protection is real and lab-certified. The toggle works exactly as described. And the comfort holds up across a full night out.

If you've ever pulled out your earplugs because talking through them was too frustrating — and then forgotten to put them back in — Unplugs exist specifically for that moment.

Your hearing doesn't come back. Protect it without missing a word.