More recently: I've been in movie theaters where the dialog is played over the threshold of pain, and on a cruise where the microphone for a drawing clinic was set over the threshold of pain.
The special part isn't the earplugs (and they're good!), the special part is the little carry case so they can live in my pocket 24/7. I use them more often than expected: loading the dishwasher, vacuuming, movie theaters, mowing, discount stores (acoustic tiles cost more), using an electric leaf blower, digging with a shovel (hitting rocks), riding in a car with bass, etc etc
Naturally, you can use any small carry case and earplugs. I just needed that 'permission' lol
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You may be interested to hear: some experts suggest "age-related hearing loss" is essentially a myth, and it's actually caused by our loud industrial lifestyle.
https://acoustics.org/hearing-loss-in-old-age-isnt-due-to-no...
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/312608404_Noise-ind...
https://www.sfu.ca/sonic-studio-webdav/handbook/Presbycusis....
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I figured it out years ago when I came across an anecdote somewhere that explained that elderly people in remote, non-industrialized societies had no age-related hearing loss.
That's been well known for decades. I wish I knew that when I was younger. I avoided rock concert and gunshot sounds with earplugs, but always drove with the window down. My left ear is much worse than my right.
I also don't listen to loud music anymore. Sigh.
I wear ear protection whenever I vacuum or use power tools.
I should also use them in the shower (showers are loud too, but people don't realize it).
I often put my AirPods on just for the active noise cancellation. A city environment can be unnecessarily loud.
Also, modern smart speakers use arrays of microphones and medical devices might be using some outdated tech.
It wouldn’t take much to just sound like jumbled noise.