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DM series · Custom earplugs for musicians, crews and concertgoers · Made in Mississauga Q

Turn it down. Not off.

Foam plugs protect you by killing the top end, which is why everything sounds like it is coming through a wall. DM filters are built the other way round: flat attenuation that lowers every frequency by the same amount. Pitch, clarity and treble stay where the engineer put them. The volume comes down to a level you can stand all night S2. Molded to your ears from a 3D scan, finished in soft silicone, made in Mississauga Q.

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Three-piece band laughing mid-song in a rehearsal room, the drummer and guitarists each wearing an orange custom earplug
Pair of matte black round acoustic earplug filters with an embossed logo on the top face
SPEC Inset: Black filter, 25 dB, supplier-stated. Sold in pairs S2

How to read this page. Statements marked S2 come from the filter supplier's specification sheet, a manufacturer document. Statements marked Q are Qui8 Db's own product and service statements. Attenuation figures are supplier-stated. Numbered sources are listed on the industrial page.

Why flat matters

A standard earplug changes the mix. A flat one changes the volume.

You hear the music as it is. You hear less of it.

Standard earplugs muffle sound by cutting the high frequencies first S2. A snare loses its crack, a vocal loses its air, and you end up pulling one plug out to hear what you are playing. DM filters lower the whole spectrum evenly, so the dynamic range and the richness of the room are preserved, just quieter S2.

Talk between sets without taking them out

An integrated airflow channel keeps the ear canal ventilated. That removes the plugged-up pressure that builds behind a sealed plug, and it lets speech pass through clearly enough to hold a conversation at the bar or on the riser between songs S2. Plugs you never have to remove are plugs you never forget to put back in.

Four levels, one mold

Pick the level from the room, then swap it when the room changes

Start one level lower than you think you need; you can swap the filter without a new mold Q. Attenuation levels are calculated by the supplier to CE norm EN 352-2 (ISO 4869-2) for high-frequency (H) performance and Single Number Rating (SNR) S2.

Ocean

10 dB

Acoustic sets, light rehearsals, soft ambient music S2

Blue

15 dB

Live acoustic performances, vocalists, orchestral settings S2

White

20 dB

Amplified concerts, band practice, DJ booths S2

Black

25 dB

High-volume gigs, drum kits, festival main stages S2

Attenuation figures are supplier-stated single values S2. If you play in more than one setting, buy one mold and two filters Q.

On stage

Same mold, four rooms, four levels

The level follows the room, in the supplier's own words S2. Photographs are illustrative.

  • Three-piece band playing in a rehearsal room, drummer behind a full kit, all wearing orange custom earplugs

    Rehearsal roomBand practice: White, 20 dB. Behind the kit: Black, 25 dB S2

  • Three friends in front of a festival main stage at dusk, each wearing an orange custom earplug

    Festival main stageBlack, 25 dB S2

  • Jazz quartet on a small club stage: keys, upright bass, vocalist and saxophone, each wearing an orange custom earplug

    Club setLive acoustic performances, vocalists: Blue, 15 dB S2

  • Vocalist singing into a studio condenser microphone, an orange custom earplug in her ear

    Studio and vocal boothVocalists: Blue, 15 dB. Quiet sessions: Ocean, 10 dB S2

Pair of white round acoustic earplug filters with a red insert visible through a curved slot on top
White filter, 20 dB, supplier-stated. Sold in pairs S2.

Details

  • Discreet black outer casing, built for long-term use S2.
  • Integrated airflow channel for ventilation and clear speech S2.
  • Sold in pairs S2.
  • Fits the Qui8 Db custom mold; filters swap without a new impression Q.
  • Scanned and printed in Mississauga, Ontario Q.

Who buys them

Players, crews, rooms and the people in them

Working musicians

Keep your pitch and your hearing.

Hearing your own part at stage volume night after night. Flat filters at 15 or 20 dB are where most players land S2Q.

Drummers and loud bands

Black, 25 dB.

Kit and backline in a small room. The most protection in the range, still flat S2.

DJs, sound and stage crews

White, 20 dB, with the vent.

Booth and front-of-house exposure across a whole shift, and you can take a request without pulling a plug S2.

Concertgoers and festival regulars

Pick by the show.

Ringing ears the morning after. White for arena nights, Black for the main stage S2.

Venues and schools

Fitting days on site.

Protecting staff and students, consistently. Fitting days for staff or a music program; ask about group bookings Q.

Working in noise instead?

Industrial filters are on the main page.

Three DI levels for steady noise and a DI Impulse filter for impact noise, with the evidence and the five-year cost model. See the industrial filters.

How you get them

Scan, print, choose, play

  1. 1

    Scan

    Book a scan at our Mississauga location or an approved hearing clinic Q. Each ear is captured digitally Q.

  2. 2

    Print

    Your molds are 3D-printed from the scan and finished in soft silicone in Mississauga Q.

  3. 3

    Choose

    Pick a filter level from the four above, or tell us what you play and where, and we will recommend one Q.

  4. 4

    Play

    Your pair arrives ready to wear. Swap filters later as your gigs change Q.

FAQ

Questions players ask before they book

Will they change how my instrument sounds?

They change how loud it is, not how it sounds. Flat attenuation lowers every frequency by the same amount, so pitch, clarity and treble stay in proportion S2.

Which level should I start with?

Most players land on 15 or 20 dB. Start one level lower than you think and move up if you need to; a filter swap does not need a new mold S2Q.

Can I talk with them in?

Yes. The airflow channel lets speech through clearly enough for a conversation between sets S2.

Are they certified?

Attenuation levels are calculated by the supplier to CE norm EN 352-2 (ISO 4869-2) for high-frequency performance and SNR S2. Ask us for the supplier's attenuation data if you need the full figures.

Do you do group bookings?

Yes, for bands, crews, venues and music programs Q.

Next step

Hear the whole show for the rest of your life.

Group rates for bands, crews, venues and music programs Q.

Book a scan

Book a scan

Tell us what you play and where

One pair or a whole band. Qui8 Db will reply to confirm a scan at our Mississauga location or an approved hearing clinic Q.

  • Pick a DM level, or ask us to recommend one
  • Groups: tell us how many people and where you rehearse or play
  • Every pair: soft silicone, molded to your ears, made in Mississauga Q
Where would you like the scan?
Filter level

You will get a confirmation by email. Your details are used only to plan the scan; nothing is stored on this site.

Sources on this page

Two kinds of statement, both labelled

  • The filter supplier's "DM series: product overview" specification sheet, a manufacturer document supplied to Qui8 Db in October 2026. Attenuation figures and the EN 352-2 statement are the supplier's.
  • Qui8 Db product and service statements: custom molds from 3D scans, silicone, made in Mississauga, filters swap without a new mold, group bookings.
  • The full numbered bibliography for the industrial evidence is available on request from the industrial page.