step one I spend a lot of time reviewing products for WIRED that are supposed to help you hear more. But there are many times when what I really need is to listen less.
I’ve long been a fan of Belgium-based Loop Earplugs, largely because their earplugs fit my ears so well and because, thanks to the eponymous loop, they always stay in place. And yes, they look great. But Loop now sells at least nine different styles of earplugseach designed with a different level of noise reduction or suggested use: sleeping, concerts, deep concentration and more. Choosing the right one can be tricky, and if you have multiple pairs of earplugs for different environments, keeping them straight can be difficult because they all look more or less the same.
The original Loop Switch solved this puzzle. It’s three earplugs in one, each corresponding to a different decibel reduction level. Now Loop returns with a new version, the Switch 2, which offers “significant improvements in comfort, design and performance”, at least according to the company.
Like its predecessor, the Switch 2 adjusts thanks to a clever mechanism built into the loop portion of the earplug. Turning the loop forward reduces the decibel cut (dB). Face it back and you’ll block out more sound by activating additional internal noise dampening features, including a membrane, mesh filter and acoustic channel.
Photography: Christopher Null
There are three volume options: Silent mode (a 26 dB cut) is the highest level of noise reduction, while Experience mode (a 23 dB cut) filters out noise but is designed to “preserve rich sound.” “. Engage mode (a 20 dB cut) aims to attenuate ambient audio but preserve your ability to understand speech. All of these dB cut levels are improvements over those of the original Switch (25, 21, and 17 dB, respectively).