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Earplugs do essentially nothing to stop low frequency sounds. I can block out a lot of noise with white/pink/brown noise, but the only thing that will stop sounds you can feel, whether it’s an idling truck or a sound system cranked up, is substantial mass and/or decoupling from the source.

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i got these Bose QuietComfort noise cancelling earbuds, and they are like magic, cancelling out bass noise from nearby outdoor stereos. i can't believe how well they work. I live by the beach where people play loud music---the concrete walls do OK for the midrange and treble noises, but not the bass.

The person you're replying to is talking about feeling in their body, not hearing in their ears.

I see what you're saying, but I think that's too narrow of a reading of his comment, but it doesn't really matter.

You say that, but it helped my sleep tremendously

I'm not saying earplugs don't help at all, just that it depends on what the source of the noise is. For me, the noises that are most stress-inducing are extreme low frequencies that vibrate the building, and earplugs don't seem to help much with that.

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