TURN IT DOWN: Faders look like high-tech stereo earbuds for listening to music, but their job is to reduce sound, not amplify it. Unlike typical plastic or moldable foam earplugs, which just muffle sound by plugging your ear canal, these hi-fidelity metal earplugs filter out sound by 12 decibels evenly across the frequency spectrum, so you still get the full, crisp range of sound — only toned down. Faders come with three sizes of interchangeable silicone fittings to get just the right fit. The two “buds” are connected by a woven cord, so you can leave them hanging around your neck between sets. Now you don’t need to choose between enduring deafening noise levels at, say, a rock concert and looking like a dork with those endemic squishy orange earplugs.
Faders, $15, or 888-866-3252
Judi Dash, Gear & Gadgets Syndicate
