1. Great idea, and like all great ideas I can't believe I didn't think of it already. Looks especially handy for motorcyclists. Blocks out more wind noise than the default rubber and makes for a more secure fit in your ear. It's a PITA when your buds fall out inside your helmet.

Posted at 10:17PM on Nov 11th 2007 by Babau

2. this is timely. i've been trying to make a better crystal radio earplug, since modern ones have a stunningly bad 57 dB sensitivity. so far, the results are good with the piezo elements used in cell phones. i think i have a handle on the electrical part, but the acoustics are a bit daunting. this foam insert trick should make a nice high-acoustical-impedance coupling.

i'm looking for 120 dB sensitivity and will still likely need a resonant chamber on the other side of the element so as not to just lose half the acoustic energy, though i could just use a tube to the other ear, stethoscope style.

Posted at 10:19PM on Nov 11th 2007 by waggy

3. Instead of cutting foam earplugs the etymotic earplugs for about $12 can be added to various headphones including the Koss earplug headphones

Posted at 10:29PM on Nov 11th 2007 by Fenrir

4. nice hack... I never use ear buds because they hurt my ears something awful... this hack might actually allow me to use them comfortably though.

Posted at 11:55PM on Nov 11th 2007 by twistedsymphony

5. ack.. I've been thinking about doing this for about a month and a half.. thought I was so clever. I may have an improvement to this design. If I ever do it I'll be sure to drop a link in these comments.

Posted at 12:44AM on Nov 12th 2007 by Weazul

6. Back in 2003 and 2004 I was a fan of the Sony earbuds that where quite spendy in those days. I always lost one or both of the ear pads while riding the train to work. I Macgyvered a number of those foam earplugs as replacements. They always worked very well...until the inevitable oil and grime built up on them and became hard.

Posted at 1:07AM on Nov 12th 2007 by Meikleman

7. Those work quite nicely, but are a real pain in the ass to apply / remove.

Make sure you don't have to talk to anyone when going out wearing them.. Leave your cell phone at home, etc. ;-)

Posted at 6:37AM on Nov 12th 2007 by jope

8. Does anyone know where I can pick up a pair of noise-canceling wireless over-the-ear headphones?

Posted at 8:44AM on Nov 12th 2007 by Milkweed110

9. earbuds are bad for your ears. They make the inner ear very warm, which increases the earwax produced. This in turn causes you to turn the volume up on your music device, and then you blow out your ears.

open, over the ear 'phones are much better. Plus, you can put them inside your earmuffs for when it gets cold for music when you are walking to work.

Posted at 11:44AM on Nov 12th 2007 by Alexander

10. This works great. I've used this exact method when working in noisy places.

Posted at 11:50AM on Nov 12th 2007 by Bard Lund Johansen

11. Think about your ears, and only do this if you are listening at a very low volume. Unlike open ear earphones, with ear plugs there is no place for the air pressure to go. Ear buds can cause similar problems, but this hack looks like it would make things even worse.

Remember, all of the sound pressure the ear bud makes has to go somewhere, and all that is standing in it's way is your very thin ear drum.

Posted at 7:00PM on Nov 12th 2007 by Quin

12. this is also not a hack. this is kindergarten craft time. im a long time hack a day reader and i am irritated to see a guy who can use a hole punch sandwiched between real hardware hacks. this is a wake up call, people dont come to hack a day to read about some dolt with foam and a glue stick; they come here to read articles about legitimate hardware hacking.

Posted at 4:51AM on Nov 13th 2007 by theprophet

13. @the prophet

that's funny, 11 people before you who took the time to comment on the article all had positive comments about it. maybe it's time to expand your l33t thinking beyond axwesome hardware hacks, and realize that this was a pretty neat idea...

Posted at 6:14AM on Nov 13th 2007 by matt

14. KOSS makes 'The Plug' headphones. These have scary levels of volume and use a earplug end. Sound quality is not great, $20 price is. To replace the stock pads with the ear plug of your choice, simply heat up a straight big of wire and melt it through the center.

None of these solutions offer the sound quality of a good in ear headphone. I also recommend picking up the cheap rat shack sound meter so you can pick a good 85db level for whatever headphone you use.

Posted at 8:19AM on Nov 13th 2007 by Brice

15. You can also use the sure e2c foam ones. They fit perfectly with the plastic tube in them. You can get them for about $10 at most audio stores or music shops that sell PA equipment as they are the same as the ones for the in-ear monitor sets used by musicians

Posted at 12:10AM on Nov 14th 2007 by glenn

16. get those er6is back! i would DIE without mine

Posted at 4:55AM on Nov 15th 2007 by xander

17. The standard iPod ear-buds are truly awefull! I can definitely recommend a good pair of sound isolating earphones. I got my Shure SE110's from Hifi Headphones in the UK.

Posted at 8:51PM on Nov 16th 2007 by Barry

18. The standard iPod ear-buds are truly awefull! I can definitely recommend a good pair of sound isolating earphones. I got my Shure SE110's (http://www.hifiheadphones.co.uk/shure-se110-sound-isolating-earphones-in-white-prodid-234.html) from Hifi Headphones (http://www.hifiheadphones.co.uk) in the UK.

Posted at 8:51PM on Nov 16th 2007 by Barry

19. This works well. I had some fairly decent Sony earbuds that were forever losing rubber buds, and the far-eastern replacements go hard and cracky. I usually use half a foam earplug on each side though, it seems to fit better. Another quick word to the wise - earplugs are good for temporarily sealing holes up to 10mm in electrical or electronic enclosures, masking screw holes for spray painting, all sorts of things.

Posted at 5:48AM on Dec 8th 2007 by Cable Hoag

20. This has been being done forever, off road racers, dirt bikers, pit crews, all of em use these, i work at a place that sells them pre made.

Posted at 3:36PM on Dec 12th 2007 by elshiznit-