https://earo-plugs-shop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/freezer-compartmant-impact-noise.mp3%3C/a%3E%3C/audio%3E
If I have put in my earplugs well, the door-slam turns into something meek, perhaps sounding more like “ping.”
If the seal is not deep enough, I get a muffled version of that “bumm.” It can even sound more aggravating.
Having done this test many times, I know right away when the fit isn’t as good as it can be.
Often it is only one of the two earplugs (typically the right one for me) that doesn’t seal well.
I alternately keep my thumb pressed on the left and the right earplug while slamming the door.
If this “pressing” turns the sound into a “ping,” I know exactly which earplug needs reinserting.
Otherwise, I know both earplugs need refitting (or tossing out).
If you live in an apartment and might disturb other people, don’t do this test at night.
Also, while other doors could be an effective gauge as well, I don’t usually slam my car door and neither my entrance door; this would most certainly disturb other people.
In case you are wondering, car doors and other fridges may produce even much lower frequency impact sounds.
However, in my experience, when I get the best fit against the freezer slam, I am also getting the most out of my earplugs against car door slams.
Using the “fridge-door slam” to quickly compare the effectiveness of different earplugs
However, it is difficult to compare the effectiveness of various earplugs against lower frequency impact and steady-state noise just by listening to pink noise or sounds in your environment.
Which one will reduce car-door slams, truck noise, stomping, generator noise, etc. best?
I have found the fridge-door-slam to be a fast first-line earplug screening tool for this purpose.
Once you have done this test with a couple of different earplugs, you’ll instinctively know which plugs are more promising against both lower frequency impact and steady-state noise.
For mid-and-higher-frequency sounds, listening to a TV, coffee shop noise, or pink noise are much better suited.
My fridge is a standard-size fridge with separate cooler and freezer compartments.
The freezer door’s slamming sounds peak at around 100 Hz.
My fridge door is very silent, cannot perform this test, I just tried it.
I am using YouTube with “airplane cabin noise” to do this test, instead.
Cheers.
Hello Taw,
good for your neighbors that your fridge is quiet.
Steady-state noises such as cabin noise, brown noise, or pink noise can work for checking your earplug fit, provided you use a decent speaker that can reproduce the noise well.
I would use those more for general noise reduction tests though.
In my experience, when checking for low frequency impact sound reduction, using narrow-band impact sounds (such as a fridge door or stomping) works better and faster. Once accustomed to a such a sound, you hear immediately when the earplug seal is deep enough and when it is off.
All the best.
Thanks for another really useful post.
My neighbors have been making my life hell and while looking for possible solutions I discovered this site a while back. I’ve read every single post since, learned about so many different gadgets and techniques and tests and it’s just been incredibly helpful. I find myself revisiting all the time, so glad this site exists.
Just wanted to write to say thank you, thank you for the amazing site!
Hello Mikel,
thank you for your kind feedback. Replies like yours keep me going.
I am glad the site is of help to you.
Have a great day.