Loop Earplugs or custom earplugs? How to make the choice

Loop earplugs or custom earplugs? If you go to a concert a few times a year, or you want something for the train or a busy café, Loop Earplugs are a fine and affordable choice. If you wear hearing protection often and for long periods, for example as a musician, at work or when hunting, custom earplugs are usually a better fit. They are made from an impression of your ear and you choose the filter yourself. Both Loop and Audibling supply hearing protection that, according to the manufacturer, meets the European standard EN 352.

Loop is a brand of reusable earplugs from Loop BV in Antwerp. Audibling makes custom earplugs in its own lab in Kilder. Below we compare the differences honestly. For Loop we only use what Loop itself states on its website, accessed on 4 October 2026. Prices and models may have changed since then.

You do not pay for Audibling custom earplugs online. A partner hearing care professional takes impressions of your ears. The ear impressions are included in the price and you pay at the hearing centre.

What Loop says about its earplugs

The table shows four models for daytime use, with the use, attenuation and price that Loop gives on its product pages.

According to Loop, these models come with silicone tips in sizes XS, S, M and L and a case. The declaration of conformity of the Experience 2 states that the earplug complies with the PPE Regulation and has been tested to EN 352-2, with the German PZT GmbH as notified body. Loop also mentions 100 days to return and a 2-year warranty.

Loop is also clear about the limits of those figures. The attenuation was measured in a lab, with a fit that is exactly right. In real life, according to Loop, it depends on the right tip size and how well you insert the earplug. That applies to every hearing protector. Dynamic Ear Company, the maker of our filters, also writes that the attenuation in custom earplugs can differ because of the fit.

Loop earplugs or custom earplugs, the differences side by side

In terms of attenuation, the two are close. According to Loop, the Loop Experience 2 reduces 17 dB. Our earplugs for music with a DM filter have an SNR of 16 dB. The difference lies mainly in the fit and in the choice of filters. The attenuation of each filter is on our filter page.

When Loop is fine

A universal earplug such as Loop is a good choice in these situations.

• You go to a concert or festival a few times a year.
• You want something for the train, the plane or a busy restaurant.
• You want to try out first whether earplugs suit you.
• You need protection next week. Custom earplugs take longer.
• You do not want to spend more than a few tens of euros.

The most important thing is that you have something in your ears when it is loud. A €30 earplug that you wear does more than custom earplugs that stay at home in a drawer.

Do you already have AirPods Pro 3? With the Hearing Protection feature, you can also use them in some of these situations. What they can and cannot do is explained in our article on AirPods Pro as hearing protection.

When custom earplugs are a better fit

The more often and the longer you wear hearing protection, the more you gain from a fit made for your ear. The British regulator HSE writes that hearing protection only achieves its stated attenuation if it is easy to insert, comfortable and worn all the time. Custom earplugs are a particularly good fit in these situations.

• Making music or going out often. Musicians, DJs and crew sometimes wear their earplugs for many hours a week. The DM filter reduces sound evenly, so the music stays clear. Also read hearing protection for musicians.
• Working in noise. At work, your employer chooses the hearing protection based on the risks. For construction and production we use the DI filter, which gives extra reduction of high tones. For companies with 10 or more people, we take ear impressions on site.
• Shooting, hunting, fireworks and carbide. For impulse noise we use the DIM filter. With it you hear your surroundings, while loud bangs are reduced. More on this in hearing protection against impulse noise.
• An earplug that keeps falling out or pressing. If no tip size fits well, an earplug made from an impression of your own ear is worth a try.
• You want to make them truly yours. Choose a colour, a jewel or a logo print. Your own logo is available from 10 pairs. For smaller numbers, you choose a standard logo from our range.

Custom earplugs do cost more to buy. As a guide, with normal use and good care they last about 4 to 5 years. A worked example is in custom earplugs or universal earplugs.

How to make the choice

Ask yourself three questions. How often and for how long do you wear hearing protection? Which sound do you want to reduce, music, machines or bangs? And do you want to be able to switch filters later? If you wear them a few times a year, feel free to start with Loop. If you wear them every week or at work, look at custom earplugs.

You will find all models in the custom earplugs collection. In the Designlab you put together your own set and see the price straight away. Then you book an appointment with a hearing care professional, who takes your ear impressions. Want to compare custom earplugs from different providers? Read how to compare custom earplugs.

Frequently asked questions

Are Loop Earplugs real hearing protection?

Yes. Loop calls its earplugs certified hearing protection. The declaration of conformity of the Experience 2 lists the PPE Regulation (EU) 2016/425 and the standard EN 352-2, with testing by PZT GmbH.

Do Loop Earplugs reduce as much as custom earplugs?

For music, the values are close. According to Loop, the Experience 2 reduces 17 dB, and our earplugs for music 16 dB. With a DI filter, Audibling custom earplugs reduce 22 to 26 dB according to the datasheets, and the Loop Quiet 2 reduces 24 dB. These are all lab values. According to the NVAB, the Netherlands Society of Occupational Medicine, the attenuation in practice is often lower, for example if an earplug does not fully seal the ear canal.

Can I wear Loop Earplugs at work?

That is up to your employer. According to Arboportaal, the Dutch government's website on working conditions, your employer must offer hearing protection from 80 dB(A), and from 85 dB(A) you must wear it. The employer chooses what suits the risks at your workplace. So talk to your manager or prevention officer first.

How soon can I have custom earplugs?

Your custom earplugs are ready about three weeks after your ear impressions are taken. If you have a festival next week, use universal earplugs for now and have your ear impressions taken in the meantime.

Sources

• Loop Earplugs, Loop Experience 2 product page (accessed 4 October 2026)
• Loop Earplugs, Loop Engage 2 product page (accessed 4 October 2026)
• Loop Earplugs, Loop Quiet 2 product page (accessed 4 October 2026)
• Loop Earplugs, Loop Switch 2 product page (accessed 4 October 2026)
• Loop Earplugs, EU declaration of conformity Loop Experience 2
• Dynamic Ear Company, datasheets DR, DM, DI and DIM Impulse (PDF)
• HSE, Controlling noise at work (L108, third edition 2021, PDF)
• NVAB, Multidisciplinaire richtlijn Preventie beroepsslechthorendheid (guideline on preventing occupational hearing loss, 2006, PDF in Dutch)
• Arboportaal, Gehoorbescherming (hearing protection, in Dutch)

Last updated 7 October 2026