Mack's Safe Sound Review

Description

Mack's Safe Sound earplugs are molded with soft, low-pressure, high noise reduction memory foam. To use, roll down first, then insert into your ear canal. As they slowly expand, the Safe Sound earplugs will generate a characteristic sizzling noise and, little by little, surrounding sounds will fade away. Once their maximum expansion has been reached, your hearing environment will become really, really quiet! Mack's Safe Sound earplugs efficiently combine comfort and superior attenuation. In fact, they have one of the highest attenuation rates among disposable earplugs.

Average price : about $5 a 10-pair box.

Mack's foam earplugs come in various models, offering more or less the same attenuation characteristics with subtle differences, as summarized below.

Type	Color	NRR	Comments
Original	Teal	29	The original design, as reviewed here.
Ultra	Skin	32	Marginally stronger attenuation, stealth skin color.
Ear Ammo	Orange	29	Higher visibility. Odd bullet shape.
Slim Fit	Purple	29	Fits smaller ear canals or sensitive ears.
Snore Blockers	Green	32	Hollow design to minimize self-noise during sleep.
Dreamgirl	Pink	30	Fits smaller ear canals. Hollow design to minimize self-noise during sleep.
Sound Alseep	Blue	32	Same as the Snore Blockers, but different in color (!)

Attenuation Table

	60Hz	125	250	500	1k	2k	4k	8k	16kHz
Rated	-	34.4	35.0	36.2	35.9	36.4	39.8	43	-	NRR 29
Measured	20	20	21	23	25	28	36	42	46	ΔF ±10

NRR stands for Noise Reduction Rating. It is a standardized measure expressed in decibels (dB), and represents the overall attenuation offered by the earplug. The higher the NRR, the stronger the attenuation. Differences in the NRR of less than 3 dB between earplugs have no importance in practice.

ΔF represents an important factor for musical applications, as it measures the standard deviation from a spectrally flat attenuation between 60Hz and 16kHz. The smaller the ΔF, the higher the fidelity. ±3dB is virtually inaudible and can be considered as the very best one can get.

Audio Simulation

It is best to use headphones for this test. Pick a file from the top row, adjust its sound level to match the real life situation (e.g., the bike should sound louder than the snoring), and then switch to the bottom row to audition the earplug being tested.

Snoring	Bike	Babble	Plane	Gun	Industrial	Club	Rock
w/Plug	w/Plug	w/Plug	w/Plug	w/Plug	w/Plug	w/Plug	w/Plug

Comments

Inexpensive, easy to use, comfortable, extremely efficient, and reusable, Mack's Safe Sound earplugs are excellent performers which surpass the industry standard's E.A.R Classic in terms of comfort. Not suitable for music purposes.

Use	Score	Comments
At Home	•••	Great all-around earplug.
On the go	•••	Just as great.
Industry	•••	Excellent performer but requires clean hands to roll.
Music	•	Attenuation is too strong.

Alternative: the non-tapered E.A.R Classic may better fit larger ear canals.

Manufacturer Links

• Mack's Earplugs
• Mack's Safe Sound (Original)