Hey, these are pretty good!
I have yet to compare these to HearDrops or HearSafe ear plugs, which are slightly more expensive, which is why I bought these, but these are pretty good. I've been a professional musician for some 20 years and I've worn a lot of different ear protection in a lot of different situations. I prefer wearing nothing in or over my ears, but sometimes that's just not a good idea. The problem with most ear plugs, especially the cheaper ones, is that they totally kill the higher frequencies because those short frequency waves cannot get through while the larger and longer low frequencies are still audible; so you end up with low, rumbling, unclear sound. You need the high frequencies for clarity and to understand a conversation. These DownBeats manage to let in some of the highs that you lose with most plugs. They're not perfect, but they're good, especially if you get used to their sound. Frankly, that they let those highs in at all is a big plus. I have yet to try them as an audience member. Perhaps I'll update this when I do. There's definitely not much of a handle on them, so some users will find them difficult to handle, but I have no trouble.
Rating: 4 stars