If, like me, you struggle with sound sensitivity, the Loop Switch earbuds might be the answer to your prayers. Rather than blasting music through some of the best noise-canceling earbuds or using the best earplugs for sleep to keep the outside world at bay, Loop Switch offers a more versatile way to stay alert, protect your hearing, and enjoy your surroundings without grating or distracting sounds interfering.
I’ve traveled, worked, socialized, and even enjoyed an IMAX movie while wearing the Loop Switch earbuds, and as someone with significant sound sensitivity, they’ve been an absolute godsend. These multi-modal noise reduction earbuds offer three sound profiles that filter out noise ranging from 17 to 25dB – Quiet, Engage, and Experience. Each earbud can be controlled independently using the built-in mechanical slider, meaning you can even set each ear to different profiles.
Relatively affordable at £54.95 / $59.95 / AU$94.95, they come with a handy carry case with a slimmer profile and superior opening mechanism than the case provided with older Loop models, as well as a selection of interchangeable ear tips to ensure you find the best fit for your ear shape and size.
Still, there’s certainly room for improvement. The sound profiles are named and configured to match Loop’s standard, single-setting models, but in my experience, it’s only Loop Engage and Loop Quiet that the Loop Switch earbuds mimic effectively. It’s a very minimal change - one you might not even notice unless you’ve been a die-hard Loop user beforehand, but the volume of decibels blocked by the Loop Switch compared to the original models is slightly different:
The Loop Switch Experience mode offers a pretty distinct… well, experience, from the original, blocking 3 decibels more than the standalone Loop Experience buds. In practice, this isn’t ideal. I found audio lacked clarity when I was watching cinematic surround-sound movies and listening to loud, especially live, music using the Experience setting. I ultimately ended up using the Engage setting where I’d usually use my Loop Experience buds, and then struggled to get used to using the earbuds during conversations despite the minimal decibel difference between the Engage mode and Loop Engage buds - every decibel counts, it turns out. However, there’s no doubt they still offer a far superior experience than most other earbuds I’ve tried, blocking out the wailing of nearby children on a flight and allowing me to work through some rather loud construction noise.
In part, I think the reason I struggled to love the Loop Switch quite as much as its single-setting siblings comes down to the design. To pack in the three sound profiles and the mechanical switch to toggle between them, Loop Switch are fairly bulky and heavier in the ear. You’ll also need to get used to putting them in the correct ear if you’re used to Loop’s older, ear-ambivalent models.
This ultimately makes them not only a little less comfortable to wear than Loop’s other earbuds, but also less snug in the ear, which meant I struggled to wear them for longer periods. They’re not as good as sleep aids, either; the Loop Quiet earbuds are far more lightweight and comfortable, being made of silicone rather than plastic.
Looks-wise, they’re just not as cool. Unlike the very trendy, futuristic Loop Engage, Experience, and Quiet models, the Loop Switch earbuds are very plastic-y, and lack the svelte, slim ring design of previous Loop earbuds – the added control mechanisms require a slightly thicker shank. I tested the pastel pink colorway, which was, like the other varieties, very cute, but it’s a totally different aesthetic to the glossy Loop Experience and the simplistic Loop Quiet and Engage.
Overall, though, using the Loop Switch has been a net positive. I can struggle to focus and be attentive in public settings like cafés and my office but found it much easier to do so when using the Loop Switch. Plus, with the added benefit of not needing to swap them in and out so often when your environment changes, it’s hard not to appreciate what they offer sound-sensitive people.
If I hadn’t tried Loop’s other products before the Loop Switch, I would emphatically encourage anyone worried about hearing damage or sound sensitivity to consider them. They’re ANSI-certified personal protection equipment (PPE) and offer a fantastic blend of noise reduction, efficiency, and comfort - they just don’t score full marks in all departments. If you can’t wait for Loop to iterate on the Loop Switch design, they’re an excellent choice, but I’m hoping they manage to develop the technology further and fit it into a much slimmer, more lightweight Switch V2 model akin to the originals.
Price and availability: Loop Switch
You can purchase the Loop Switch earbuds today for $59.95 / £54.95 / AU$94.95 from Loop US / Loop UK / Loop AU, as well as some third-party retailers like Amazon.
That makes these multi-modal earbuds twice as expensive as other Loop devices; the Loop Quiet costs $27.95 / £22.95 / AU$37.95, the Loop Engage $34.95 / £29.95 / AU$39.95 and Loop Experience $34.95 / £29.95 / AU$39.95. Ultimately, it’s a matter of personal preference if the cost feels right. If convenience is key for you and you want the experience of all three Loop sound profiles, I’d recommend the Loop Switch wholeheartedly. If sound fidelity, experience, and/or comfort are your priority, I’d opt for one or two of the original Loop models.
It’s worth highlighting the Loop Switch buds are not compatible with the Loop Mutes, which can be added to the original models to add +5dB of audio blocking.
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How I tested the Loop Switch earbuds
To fully test the Loop Switch earbuds, I used them for two months, testing the various interchangeable ear tips to find the perfect fit and keeping them with me at all times to immediately test how well they perform in different environments.
I put my Loop Switch earbuds to the test in just about every setting I could think to during my testing period; on a plane, at the cinema, during my morning commute, in my office, at home, and in the supermarket. I tried conversing with them in, as well as listening to music and movies, to ensure I had fully stress-tested the noise reduction capabilities.
I also tested the durability of the buds, letting them fall out of my ears and onto the floor a few times and playing rough with the controls to see how easy they are to break. To my satisfaction, they have yet to fall victim to my experiments.
I’ve used a variety of ear plugs, noise-reducing earbuds, and noise-canceling headphones to help my sound sensitivity, and compared my experience with the Loop Switch to the various devices I’ve used in the past.
