The best ear-plugs

[Like Ra]

So far I haven't found ear-plugs that both block the sound and stay in place (let alone "the comfort"). What is your experience?

[Like Ra]

Also, I figured out that inflatable latex hoods, in fact, amplify both the outer and internal noise.

[Tinker D]

The only way to block out any sound is to place your head in a vacume.
And that's not going to happen.

Sound travel is very interesting because sound travels everywhere except in a vacume. True, you can muffle it, deaden it, block it. But you can't stop it.
To really block sound, you must absorb sound or invert sound.

Here is your first EXPERMENT. Take loose cotton balls, place them in a pair of headphones, put them on your head. Turn on your radio or a sound source. Do not connect the headphones to anything.
Close your mouth and listen to the radio.
Now open your mouth and listen.
What are your results?

[madjack]

Personal experiences are the same as both @Likera and @TinkerD - ear plugs only muffle or deaden sound, not exclude it. However I find that the muffling effect plus the way they cause your pulse to become quite audible (at least for me) is a really nice addition to my self-bondage sessions.

I've experimented with various ear plugs and combinations, the following is a brief summary:

• wax plugs
  - this type are soft wax that you warm in your hands and then mould into your ear
  - supposedly for swimming and to keep water out of your ears they promised to be a 'total' plug or so I assumed
  - outcome was very poor as I can't get them to stay in my ears and they don't feel comfortable
  
• foam plugs
  - the cheap disposable type designed for use in noisy environments (factories, motor racing and similar)
  - can be awkward to insert at first, but there is a knack to doing it and with practise it gets very easy
  - if inserted properly they seem to stay in place quite well and are very comfortable
  - outcome is pleasing and cuts out a significant amount of external noise
  
• ear plugs under a nylon hood (tights, zentai, etc.)
  - sounds obvious but layers of nylon over your head and plugged ears will reduce the external sound even more
  - it also makes it impossible for the plugs to fall out (or be removed)
  
• ear plugs in a vacuum bag/bed
  - I actually do this for safety reasons (not wishing to risk my ear-drums in a vacuum - but conversely I know that self-bondage and vacuum bagging is risky) and the results where interesting
  - I didn't expect there to be much difference in my hearing but for some reason it does seem to be quieter
  - possibly it's all in my head (ha!) but I wondered if the vacuum somehow pushed the plugs more securely in or even if the set-up created a void between the plug and the plastic material of my vacuum bag, which deadens the sound some more?
  

I've also read a lot about using 'white noise' to enhance bondage scenarios, but have no experience of this - has anyone tried it?

MJ

[Tinker D]

Remember, sound can not travel in a vacume.

[Like Ra]

I've also read a lot about using 'white noise' to enhance bondage scenarios, but have no experience of this - has anyone tried it?

Yes, I think that white/pink noise or the sound of rain is the best way to achieve the "hearing deprivation". I worried about the wires and liquids, but this is what I found: waterproof wireless bluetooth earphones

   

10-12 hours of continuous play should be more, than enough for a self-bondage session 😉 Also, what needs to be checked is if the volume can be accidentally turned up. Not nice, if you are inescapably bound...

[madjack]

I'm not sure if these are 'the best' but they are damn expensive!

    - I don't care if they are titanium, but for over £70 are they actually any better than a £2 pair of foam plugs?

MJ

[Like Ra]

are they actually any better than a £2 pair of foam plugs?

There is at least one advantage - they are reusable 😁

[Like Ra]

I worried about the wires and liquids, but this is what I found: waterproof wireless bluetooth earphones

Speaking of these phones again - they can be worn under a tight hood.

[BoundWolf]

I'm an audiophile (among other -philes  😉 ) , so I had bought the Bose QuietComfort headphones (over-ear, not in-ear) a while back.  They are quite expensive (several hundred dollars), but holy cow is the noise-canceling amazing on them.  Flipping the switch and hearing almost all sound disappear was literally jaw-dropping the first time.  So, in addition to all the use they get on planes and public transit, they've also been used in a few less public scenes - they are an amazing sensory deprivation tool.  The downsides are that they are over-ear so can get in the way occasionally, and rubbing them against fabric (like a pillow) can get caught by the noise-cancellation and give a kind of crackly sound.  But if you position yourself right, it's amazing.

It might just be worth it to get the QuietControl 30s (wireless, in-ear) - they don't need to be wired to your music player of choice, they have a minimal profile, and may even be able to be used under a hood.  (Aw crap - I think I'm talking myself into spending a bunch of money.)