It’s easy to think that wearing earplugs only happens when someone wants to totally block out sound — of a snoring partner, an airplane engine, a chatty seatmate. But a new version of the standard tool is designed to protect ears — while allowing sound to come through. Specifically designed for bartenders, these plugs claim to “evenly reduce noise while preserving sound quality, making it easy for bartenders to have conversations.” I can think of other situations where this is precisely the combination that would be most useful.
Bartender earplugs are another example of things not having to be all or nothing. It’s not 100% noise, nor is it 100% blocked out. Finding the nuances of the grey range is more difficult than achieving either end of the spectrum but it can sound just right if you land there.
