Flare Audio Calmer Mini | Noise Reducing Ear Plugs Alternative

I have had my calmer minis for over a year now and love them. It's hard to explain how they work, but I definitely notice a difference. They don't make noise less loud or filter any noise out, and I don't sound any different to myself when I talk (unlike normal ear plugs where you sound a lot louder to yourself). The best way I can explain it is that it makes sounds go from HD to SD. Sound is less "crisp" or "sharp" without being muffled or difficult to understand. It just takes the edge off.I have some sensory sensitivity due to my ADHD. I would say mine is more on the mild side but I am definitely more sensitive than a neurotypical adult. These help me a lot, and I recommend them to anyone who is interested. If you buy through Flare, there's a 90 day guarantee so no harm in trying them!I bought the mini's because normal ear buds tend to hurt my ears over time. For reference, I'm 5'1". These do not hurt me because they are soft silicone. I wouldn't say they're super snug, but I've worn them for hours and generally forget I have them in and I don't worry about them falling out.I also recently tried the Loop Engage to wear in loud places like restaurants or breweries, and was super disappointed. The plastic part of the loops touch the back of my ear and start to hurt me after not that much time. They also make me sound really loud and everything else much quieter. They honestly just sound like normal ear plugs to me. I don't notice any "filtering" happening with the different frequencies, but honestly I couldn't wear them long enough to really evaluate them due to them hurting my ears, even with the smallest ear bud size.

It didn't help much other than a very minor decrease in the higher tones. One got stuck in my ear canal and with great effort I was able to finally get it out. Until they make these models slightly larger, I can't recommend their safety.

I am a teacher in Middle School. I decided to purchase these to try and take down the sensory overload I get by the end of the day with my classes of nearly 30 kids and my ADHD.I do think they work. They seem to take down certain tones. Its hard to describe, but for me it takes down the harsher bright tones (think of too much treble on a stereo or lousy cell phone music). They then seem to then enhance the base and midrange tones.It's hard to rate their effectiveness completely as I generally don't wear them all day due to fit issues. I think the design needs some refining for comfort and effectiveness. I have tried different sizes like the small and regular. I have even gone so far as to get Mack's silicone ear plugs and used the material to try to retrofit mine to fit better. Even with this customization I still feel like a good seal is hard to achieve and the plugs will fall out during a quick head turn or activity.I find my main use for them is for concerts. It allows you to hear the music while taking off the harsh brassy tones and ear ringing afterwards.I have noticed Flare has since released more sizes and models. I may debate reaching out to them about another purchase or a replacement.

I wear these very regularly as of a couple years ago, and would definitely reccomend them - I get stressed/overstimulated/distracted by noise and these were a massive game changer, allowing me to be present in public spaces with some control over how they affected me. They mute noises a little bit, not as much as, say, foam earplugs, but enough to notice, and especially with sounds that are more echoey or fuzzy, if that makes sense. The best I can explain it is, without them, it feels like every sound is coming 'at' me and pushing me around in a hundred little ways, like getting caught in a river current, and my brain can't keep up. But with them in, I can create some separation between me and the noise, like I'm here and it's over there, it's not in my face, and I can process it from a respectable distance without feeling swamped by it. Granted, there are times (like loud concerts or busy streets) that that isn't enough, so i just use foam earplugs. But these allow me to have a conversation, interact with my environment, and feel at ease (not constantly in alert mode). It's a great middle ground between blocking out noise and still being aware of your surroundings.And unlike some other earplugs for this purpose eg Loops (nothing against them, just don't work for me) they don't block the ear canal (which would give a stuffy feeling and amplify the sounds inside my head such as chewing or breathing - the 'occlusion effect'). The shape also fits my absurdly small/narrow ear canals (I ordered the minis) while the earbud-style tips never fit and always fall out of my ears. And they are much less conspicuous by comparison as well, nor easily mistaken for earbuds - people usually assume I have hearing difficulties (not exactly wrong, but not in the way they think) or just ask what they are, instead of assuming I am listening to music (which could get me in trouble at work - but these have never given me that problem.) I got the purple so there's like two little antenna protruding from my ears, which aren't that noticeable from a distance, and I think are kinda cute. But last I checked they also sell a clear pair which would fly even further under the radar.Anyway, I debated buying these for a while, arguing with myself that my sensitivity to sound wasn't that bad, until I finally got them on a whim, and they were absolutely worth it. I didn't realize how much I had needed them. If that is you, my advice would be to try them, the worst that can happen is they don't fit or don't give you the degree of effect you were hoping for.A couple of tips tho - wash them regularly, as earwax buildup tends to make them prone to slip out (I just use warm water and dish soap). And dry out your ears if you shower before wearing them, as moisture makes them slippery too, as does chewing gum or food (which is a bit annoying when wearing them in restaurants.) I do find myself checking from time to time and discreetly poking them back in, since i've almost lost them a few times from sliding out, but it definitely doesn't outweigh the immense benefit, and my earholes are finicky anyway as I said before. I do reccommend putting some thought into how you carry them since they're so small; the basic bag is fine with me (although I lost it and replaced it with something similar long ago) and I like being able to squish it and make sure they are both in there. Some people opt for the hard case but I don't really care; the bag is easier to stuff in a pocket but I suppose a hard case might be harder to lose.Lastly since amazon is bugging me about durability, I can honestly say that after a few years of near-daily use they still look and fit as good as new. Honestly, the more surprising thing is that I haven't lost them. 😄

I have recently discovered I have autism as an adult, and have been learning about my sensory issues, which I realized a lot is from over stimulation from loud sounds or multiple sounds at once. I initially looked at the Loop Engage Plus earplugs but I saw lots of reviews that mention it does have an isolation effect just like regular ear plugs and I knew I needed something different as I was wanting something I can wear to work. I have to deal with people in a quiet setting so I knew the loops would make it difficult to hear. I saw a lot of other things online about these and decided to give them a shot. I got the Minis. My first impression was that I was honestly confused on if I just need to push them straight into my ear, or push upwards etc. I know there are instructions but to me it was just lacking a little detail. I got them in and initially my ears were sooo itchy and they just felt loose. I really couldn’t tell if they were too big or too small. I have a sinus infection and it has affected my ears so I think that was part of the itchiness. I kept them in until I went to bed and I still could notice them way more than I should have. This morning, day 2 I put them in at more of an angle pushing them up slightly and they went right into place and my ears are less itchy. They feel a lot more comfortable. Now onto the sound control: I do think they work really well! It has taken the edge off with my child’s crying/ loud voice, riding in the car has became less stressful as the loud pickup trucks (live in southern USA) sound less loud. I also have them in with my Beats Solo pros on top and I have a few songs that I enjoy, but the high notes/repetitive lyrics at louder volumes bother me. I tried those songs while I have these in and it really did take the edge off and I was able to enjoy those songs. They do exactly what they said they’ll do. You can still hear everything around you just at a slightly lower volume. I say the way you hear sound is less muffled version of when you wear the 1st gen AirPods. I will say I take them out while eating as I feel it still makes chewing louder just like earphones or earplugs but besides that there is no muting or blocking of anything. If you’re looking for something you can go between just lowering the volume to completely blocking out sound you should get something else. I’m considering getting loops engage plus or a similar product in addition to these to have the option to completely muffle or block the sound if needed. Im not sure how these would help with anyone’s ear conditions or anything like that as it is just to help lessen the preexisting sound but I plan on bringing these everywhere with me from now on. Also the little metal keychain is definitely better to keep up with than the black mesh bag it comes with, in my opinion. Only caveat is if you do have very sensitive ears or sensory issues to metal scraping, the lid to the metal keychain screws on and off, and makes a small scraping noise that is a little unpleasant. I also chose the minis because anytime I’ve worn earplugs on an airplane I always have them falling out because they’re too big. I think the calmers fit well in my ears. One did fall out while I was sleeping but I think that could be because I didn’t have them in right. I have had them in about 8 hours now on and off when needed, I have them on right now, and I really do feel like I’ve been so relaxed today and the only thing that’s changed about my routine is these calmer minis! I will update if my opinions changes. 4 stars is because I feel like the instructions or use of the product need a little more in depth description however I do like all the other information the paper given with the product. Hope this helps!

I tried these to reduce noise and overstimulation. I didn't feel like they reduced noise. Felt comfortable to wear but made my ear sore just like traditional earplugs do after wearing for hours.

I have bad sound sensitivity and pretty small ear with short ear canal and smallest ear you can possibly imagine on a person verging on the border of birth defect. (Btw I do have a birth defect on one ear too...... skull emoji) Due to some unforeseen circumstances let's say, about 4 years ago, I had to start a job in a manufacturing plant. Naturally it's really loud with all the machines and forklifts and HVAC stuff 24/7 whenever the lines are running, so it was a hellish soundscape for me to the point I was constantly feeling overwhelmed and fight-or-flight-y at work all the time. And then last year I moved to a place 1.5 hours' drive away from my workplace so on top of my workplace noises there is the 3 hours minimum a day in a car listening to combustion engine noises... I think ppl who look at the review section of this product can probably relate-with all that comes multiple times a day of breakdowns, hiding in the bathroom feeling like my mind is about to slip out of my body, crying, irrational angers and all the other stuff... And yes, I have medication management to better regulate this things and continue working. So all that is AFTER my meds help take a little edge off.I am obsessed with earplugs and probably know more than average person should but whatever. I love them from my hearts of hearts(idk what this means to be honest) but when you need to be aware of your surroundings they are safety hazards. Not to mention the occlusion hell that is shallow plugs like wax/silicon putty/most "premolded" or "reusable" earplug, and the pain that comes with deep insert ones... So I have been eyeing this product for a while but hesistated for about a month because zamn... 25 dollars for a pair of something the size of my boogers in dusty days? also the amazon reviews from ppl who does not read the instructions weren't very helpful.But it eventually came to a point where I was willing to try anything so I got them out of sheer desperation despite thinking that this is another silicon injection snake oil trinket that wont do jack s nothing and will be forgotten by me in a few weeks. I got it delivered to me, put it on for the evening and the next day... I was so confused about why I am so not stressed out and feeling alright. THEN I REALIZED.If I write more in detail I would sound like a snake oil salesperson. I don't like seeing these kind of exhilarated exaggerated reviews because they aren't really helpful. So I will just share some tips that I figured out or saw in the internet, mostly reddit.- Yes, the instruction is confusing. They really should hire a better technical writer. The tail should be closer to the side of your head. q(your head)p <-- like this. Lift yuour ear up and out slightly to the back as you would do when inserting earplugs. open your mouth and drop your jaw because that also helps for me. put the minis on your index finger or the pinky, fingerprints facing towards you with the tail side visible across your finger pads. stick it in your slightly widened ear canal entrance but not push it too deep inward. If it hurts a lot it is in too deep. push it bits by bits to adjust the sitting if necessary. the "tunnel" should be sitting at your ear canal entrance, not sticking out, not in too deep. THE TAIL SHOULD STICK OUT.- Don't eat with it because you will feel it and the tail would brush against your peach fuzz. You will hear crunchy noises from it.I dunno how to end this. good luck yall. if you dont like it return it. I really like it.

I can not say enough about how these have changed my life. I have Sensory Processing Disorder from Autism and noise hurts me. Things like laundry day or the freeway used to be an excruciating experience. On laundry day, there could be no other sound, no talking, no tv, nothing that would add to the overwhelming, painful sound. On the freeway, it had to be windows up, no talking. We never listened to music in the car, no matter where we were, because that was too painful. Sound, at certain levels, could send me into a full on panic attack at times. Shaking, tears, hyperventilating. A horrible echoing in my ears. I never, ever thought there was anything that could help other than ear plugs, but those weren't all that great because they just muffled sound and usually hurt my ears because even the shape-to-your-ear kind didn't fit right in my small ear canals. Headphones hurt me too. So when I saw an add about these, read up on it, read the reviews, saw the shape, saw there were minis. I actually had hope, but it was that awful kind where you just dread that it's not going to work. And I ordered from the website, so it had to ship from Europe so I had a long time of that dread and pretty much convinced myself it wasn't going to work. They do work!!! It says on the package that it can take a few days for your ears to adjust, and you have to keep them in for it to be able to adjust, so I did just as it directed. By the end of the first day I started noticing a difference.It's weird at first, you kind of have to re-learn sound. It does not muffle it, more softens it. Where as sound used to be really harsh, it's now, what I imagine must be normal. Or close to normal. I still seem to have "bat-ears" as my friends lovingly refer to them. LOL! So I can still hear very well, but it doesn't hurt anymore. Multiple sound sources don't overwhelm me. We can actually be in the car, have the windows open, and talk at the same time. We can even listen to music now! Music in the car!! It's wonderful! And laundry day doesn't hurt anymore! Which means we don't have to wait for one day, if we need to do laundry we can just do it! It's so amazing, we can even watch tv while we do it, though I still prefer if the door to the laundry room is shut. I've been wearing Calmers for over a year now, and my opinion has not changed, except maybe I've grown happier. It's changed my quality of life, and I just can't thank Flare Audio enough for making these!Tips: No, these have no worked for everyone, but they are worth trying. But you really have to try. Do the three day test, wear them all day, don't take them out a whole lot because then your ears won't adjust. If they don't fit, try another size. There are mini and normal.I really do hope they work for you!

Pour moi c'est parfait ça réduit le bruit sans qu'on ne puisse pas entendre quand quelqu'un nous parle, c'est super discret dans l'oreille. Ça fait vraiment la différence dans mes journées quand je suis trop submergé

Je l'ai essayé plusieurs heures puisque la notice recommande de le porter quelque temps pour s'y faire. Néanmoins, outre le fait que l'un des deux ne cessait de tomber, j'ai fini par chopper un mal de crane et une douleur dans les deux oreilles.Tout ca pour que le dispositif n'ameliore en rien le son ambiant, mettez vous une paire de bouchons en mousse à 50ct vous aurez un bien meilleur résultats. Le tout sonne comme une belle arnaque bien élaborée. Je me sens au final stupide d'avoir acheté un tube en plastique soit disant magique. Par principe si c'est trop beau pour être vrai, c'est surement faux.Gardez votre argent pour autre chose =)

ممتاز مع الي يواجهون مشاكل مع الاصوات الحاده ولكن انتبه ممكن مايناسب حجم اذنك

No bloquean el ruidos exterior. Más bien ayudan a que escuches de manera ordenada, son un filtro

Ein Witz. Funktioniert absolut nicht