As exhilarating as live music is it can come at a serious cost to our ears. Ringing ears after a show, known as Tinnitus, is an all too familiar feeling for those of us who regularly attends gigs and DJ sets.

Fortunately, music ear plugs are a fantastic way to prevent hearing loss and discomfort caused by loud music. Music ear plugs can be expensive though and we are well aware not everyone is able to fork out for a top music ear plug. That’s why we’ve compiled this list of our favourite budget music ear plugs; perfect for anyone who loves gigs but doesn’t need all the bells and whistles of a premium music ear plug.

Make no mistake though, all five ear plugs on this list meet the requirements of a good ear plug for listening to music; they protect your ears from harmful noises without muffling the music

1. Earjobs™ MUSICMATE® High Fidelity Music Ear Plugs $29.99

Topping our list of the best budget music ear plugs is none other than our own Earjobs Musicmate. Not only do the Musicmate feature excellent sound clarity on par with the ER20 but they’re also incredibly comfortable to wear thanks to the soft rubbery silicone used in the flanged tips. Unlike most of the other ear plugs on this list from a comfort perspective you probably won’t even register that these are in; a very important feature. After all, if you end up taking your ear plugs out twenty minutes into a show what’s even the point.

2. Alpine Partyplug Music Ear plugs $36.99

Alpine are a heavy weight in the reusable ear plug business and have released several excellent ear plugs designed specifically for musicians. The Partyplug takes what they learnt making ear plugs for musicians and applies it to the more casual music listening market. The result is a premium music-listening ear plug at a budget price.

3. Etymotic ER20 High Fidelity Ear Plugs $31.99

Etymotic Research’s ER20, one of the original music ear plugs, takes out the second spot on our list on account of the superb, even sound they offer. A lot of effort has gone into ensuring you can hear the full range of music with these ear plugs and on that front they do not disappoint. One other thing we love about them is their long life span; with proper care these ear plugs will easily last longer than any other on this list.

4. Happy Ears High Fidelity Ear Plugs $23.99

Happy Ears are relatively new to hearing protection but their multi-purpose Swedish-designed ear plug are a rock solid option for budget conscious music lovers. Coming in three different sizes, Happy Ears are a great choice for anyone with smaller or larger ears. At just $19.95 they’re also priced to move.

5. Hearos Rock n’ Roll Ear Plugs $15.99

The best thing about Hearos Rock n’ Roll ear plugs are their price. At $15.99 they’re the cheapest ear plug on this list by far and while they perform admirably for such an inexpensive ear plug you might want to invest in multiples as their life expectancy isn’t quite up to the standards set by their competition (though this can be mitigated by buying a four pair set).

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