Review: Etymotic Earbuds

I have a teenager that is almost never seen without earbuds in his ear.  I swear you would think they were surgically attached.  I have no idea what he is listening to but it’s loud enough that sometimes I have to throw my shoe at him to get his attention.  It’s also loud enough to potentially damage his hearing.  I’m no doctor but as much as he uses his earbuds and as loud as they are, we may be looking at some serious issues down the road.

That is where Etymotic earbuds come into play.  These technological marvels are engineered for safe sound output but it doesn’t just turn the sound down.  It uses sound canceling technology to deaden the sound from outside so the music coming from the earbuds can be enjoyed at a lower volume.  Your kids get to listen to their music and keep their little ears safe at the same time.

Some of you may read that and think “That’s great, but what if my kid needs to be aware of the sounds around them?”  Well, you are not going to believe what these earbuds can do.  You can download the Etymotic Smartphone app onto your smartphone (or mp3 player that can use smartphone apps) and it opens up a whole new world of safety.  You can actually set the level at which the noise cancelling feature turns off, letting you hear what is going on around you.

For instance, if you are cycling, you can set the threshold above the range of normal wind and road news.  That way you will just hear your music until a car is near you, someone beeps a horn, or there is a siren nearby.  You get safety and your music, the best of both worlds!

I cannot recommend these earbuds enough.  Whether you want your kids to have them to protect their hearing or you want them for yourself, they are a must-have for anyone who listens to music.

I was provided a pair of Etymotic Ety-Kids3 earbuds for review.  The opinions are mine.

Review: Etymotic Earbuds