About
Protect your passion. Practice safe sound!
Crystal Guardian is a Brooklyn-based custom-fit silicone earplug lab with an emphasis on hearing health, affordability, accessibility and glitter madness for young musicians, DJs, club/concert-goers and nightlife workers.
Our earplugs house the highest musician-quality filters in -10dB, -15dB, -20dB or -25dB attenuation, reducing volume on a flat scale to preserve music fidelity.
Crystal Guardian has been credited for bringing "glitter-filled custom silicone creations into the heart of New York’s nightlife community” and is “making wearing earplugs to the club, dare we say it, cool.”
Earplug instructions: crystalguardian.xyz/instructions
FAQs
What are custom earplugs and why care?
Custom earplugs are made from medical-grade silicone and are fit to your unique ear canal anatomy to ensure maximum comfort and seal. Specifically made for music settings, they house special acoustic filters which reduce volume on a flat scale across the frequency spectrum. The interchangeable filters come in four different decibel reductions: -10dB, -15dB, -20dB, and -25dB to suit all of your sonic needs.
Will they make the music sound bad like foam earplugs?
Nope! Unlike foam earplugs which muffle the music, Crystal Guardians turn down the overall volume to protect your ears while preserving the fidelity of the music.
If that doesn’t grab you, they’re also glittery and accessorize nicely.
How do I get a pair of Crystal Guardian earplugs?
Custom earplugs require making an impression of your ear canal. You can get fit by Crystal Guardian (which is included in the price of the earplugs) during our lab’s open hours or at a pop-up OR you can send in your ear impressions after having a local audiologist take them (~$100).
How do I make an ear impression appointment with Crystal Guardian?
You can book an appointment during Crystal Guardian’s weekly open hours at Studio G HERE. Appointments outside of the listed dates/times are possible (M-F/9-5), but includes a $50 fee.
You can also come to a Crystal Guardian pop-up which are usually on a first-come, first-served basis. Follow CG’s Instagram and sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date with upcoming events.
What does taking an ear impression mean exactly?
The ear impression process consists of checking the ear canals for wax, and if they are clear, placing a foam block inside and backfilling the canal with a silicone material that sets in four minutes. If you have an earwax cleaning routine, it is recommended to do it prior to meeting. If you know you have very waxy ears, you should get them professionally cleaned before our appointment.
What specifications should I tell my audiologist if I’m sending in ear impressions?
Please make sure the ear impressions go COMPLETELY PAST the second bend in the ear canal and the concha is filled in fully. If this is not the case, the impressions will be rejected. Feel free to text me a photo when you get impressions made to confirm they’re useable. For vocalists, I recommend an open jaw impression with a bite block. For instrumentalists, I recommend recreating your embouchure during the fitting. For all others, I recommend the jaw be in a neutral, comfortable position during the fitting.
Do I get the finished earplugs immediately after the ear impressions are taken?
No, the final earplugs are made through a mold-making process and my turnaround time is typically 1-2 weeks.
Do you keep my ear impressions on file if I ever need to order more in the future?
Yup! All customer ear impressions are safely stored on file in a secret vault located 300 feet underground.
I lost my earplugs. How do I re-order?
You can place a re-order on CG’s online store, the same way you placed your original order. Please specify it’s a re-order on the order form. It is recommended to get re-fit if it has been more than 3 years since the initial fitting.
I lost only one earplug. Can I re-order one side?
Yes! —> Replacement for 1 earplug side
I’m not local to the New York-area. Can I still get earplugs from you?
Yes! You can visit an audiologist local to your area to get your ear impressions taken and then ship those to: Studio G c/o Crystal Guardian 44 Dobbin St. Brooklyn, NY 11222.
What filter is best for me?
-10dB: lightest filter, popular for performers (except drummers who should have more protection) to maximize sonic awareness (often swapped to a heavier filter when not performing), club workers who need to frequently verbally communicate, loud acoustic performances, loud bars or bad comedy shows
-15dB: popular for general club and concert use, for those wishing to prioritize volume
-20dB: most popular for general club and concert use, prioritizing adequate long-term protection
-25dB: heaviest filter, best for those whose preferred spot is in front of speakers or for those who are sensitive to noise; good for that screeching basement noise show
What are sleep plugs and how are they different from solid plugs?
Both types of earplugs are solid and filterless. While solid plugs are for more industrial use, sleep plugs are made from a softer silicone and are concave on the outside to allow for your ear to rest comfortably on a pillow.
What forms of payment do you accept?
All credit cards and Apple Pay through my online store.
What is your policy if my package is stolen or lost after delivery?
All packages are shipped with signature confirmation. If tracking info says the package was delivered when you didn’t sign for it, please contact me and your local post office.
Do you sell gift certificates?
Yes, the Crystal Guardian website store has digital gift certificates available.
Do you ship internationally?
Yes, please select the international shipping option or send an email if you don’t see your country listed.
How long do custom earplugs last?
The earplugs shouldn’t degrade much with normal use over time, but your anatomy may change over the course of four to five years, which can potentially limit earplug lifespan. If re-ordering earplugs after 3+ years, a new ear impression is recommended.
I can’t find the email with earplug instructions—is there a link?
Yes! —> https://www.crystalguardian.xyz/instructions
Can your “Savory Silence” earplug line be used with filters?
Unfortunately not. Drilling out the canal needed for filtered earplugs scorches the ingredients!
Hearing Health Tools
Compiled by Sound Culture’s Dr. Laura Sinnott AuD
SOUND LEVEL METERS (SLM)
1. The Apple Watch Noise app is the most accurate consumer SLM.
2. After which comes NIOSH’s SLM app (iOS only): Features a built-in noise dosimeter, which measures noise exposure levels over time. Press the play button at the bottom and when your noise dose reaches 100% you are now at risk for permanent hearing loss according to the NIOSH recommended exposure limits (RELs).
3. All Android sound level meter apps must be calibrated with a sound level meter due to the large number of different manufacturers (hardware) that run the Android OS.
APPLE HEARING HEALTH TOOLS
1. Check your listening levels over time: https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/check-your-headphone-levels-iph0596a9152/ios
2. Airpods Pro Adaptive Transparency Mode - reduces sounds over 85 dB. NOT a replacement for earplugs, but better than nothing.
ANDROID HEARING WELLNESS TOOLS
1. Only available with Pixel Buds Pro: Review volume levels and enable volume level notifications
AUDIOLOGY / HEARING HEALTH for MUSIC INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS
https://www.tunedcare.com/musicares
Ask your employer to add Tuned hearing health benefits.
TINNITUS RESOURCES
American Tinnitus Association (ATA): https://www.ata.org/
Apps for tinnitus relief: https://www.mindear.com/ https://www.joinoto.com/ https://mindfultinnitusrelief.com/
Device for tinnitus relief: https://neosensory.com/
BROWSER or APP-BASED HEARING SCREENERS
Mimi hearing test app:
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/mimi-hearing-test/id932496645
https://play.google.com/store/search?q=mimi%20hearing&c=apps
Jacoti:
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/jacoti-hearing-center/id1001095418
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/jacoti-hearing-center-pro/id1099200289
WHO hearing screener:
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/hearwho-check-your-hearing/id1449966543?ls=1
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.hearxgroup.hearwho&pli=1
Shoebox:
https://www.shoeboxonline.com/shoebox/?refSource=shoeboxWebsite
Lexie:
https://www.wmlexiescreener.com/
Soundly:
https://www.soundly.com/hearing-test
SonicCloud:
https://hat.soniccloud.com/instruction
Hearing Birdsong:
https://www.hearingbirdsong.com/
IN-EAR MONITOR SAFETY
What are your IEM sound levels in your ear canal? https://www.sensaphonics.com/products/db-check-pro
Dangers of pulling one IEM out: Binaural summation, which is the phenomenon that the threshold for hearing the softest sound is higher for two ears than it is for each ear alone.
