I saw a TV story on the news about a year ago about folks with hearing damage from listening to their MP3 player too loud. The report said with some custom made ear pieces you don't have to have it up as loud, so your hearing will not be as likely to damaged as much in the future.
I took the plunge and had some made up. If you are sitting in house listening they do block out the rest of the back round noise. I had them on today at work for a few minutes, they do block out most of the noise but not good if you have to converse with some one. I will get to try them out on a plane trip on Thursday.
On planes these days they tell everyone to turn off the noise canceling head phones, these can go in my ears to block out the drone of the plane:thumbsup:
Jimmy B

On planes these days they tell everyone to turn off the noise canceling head phones, these can go in my ears to block out the drone of the plane:thumbsup:
Jimmy B

That's very strange. My girlfriend and I use use noise-cancelling headphones on airplanes all the time. No one has ever mentioned anything or issued any warnings at all. There is no reason not to allow them as these headphones don't radiate anything (unlike cell phones). On airplanes, they work like a charm without "sealing" you in.

They tell folks to turn them off for take off and landings. Since the ear buds don't require batteries they will be OK. Jimmy B

They tell folks to turn them off for take off and landings. Since the ear buds don't require batteries they will be OK. Jimmy B

But you also have to turn off your music player during takeoff and landing. You gain nothing with earbuds you can't hook up to anything!

Please read the complete last line of the OP

I was going to get a pair when my band was talking about using these rather than speakers onstage for monitors. I really wanted to do it even though it would have been expensive - we'd all hear better and more consistently from night to night, and it wouldn't be so freakin' loud. But, between five sets of custom ear buds and all the other stuff it was just too pricey.

I just bought a set of M-Audio IE-10's which do a pretty good job at blocking noise and they're (only) about $100. I'll try them on a plane in a couple weeks. Not as good as custom but basically it's the Ultimate Ears design in a one-size-fits-all design. I can't hear anything going on around me, so I don't wear them out walking. Also really annoying to hear myself eat while wearing them (try it and you'll know what I mean! :) ).

These earbuds look like xbox controllers. Do they really work?

I don't know what xbox controllers look like?? They do work well, on the plane this past weekend they cut out most of the noise so that I am happy about. I would put them at about 25db noise reduction, I wear 33db ear plugs at work all day and I am using them for comparison.
JB

how much were they in total and where can they be purchased? I want a set of these for one ear at work (I wear an mp3player with skull candy ear buds at the moment but custom fit and custom colour would make it a lot easier to conceal them) while I drive the bus. It makes the day go faster, keeps the mood up, and I won't need to wrap my ear buds in bandaid camouflage anymore lol.

I have a couple IFB's that I used when I worked tv, they were custom made for my ears, I know that one cost 300 dollars. It works like a miracle but I paid for it.

I paid $150.00 for them through Racing radios. I don't have the link to where they had them made up here at work. I will post a link when I get home tonight. I do believe you can get them in flesh color, along with a bunch of different colors and effects.
Jimmy B

http://www.precisionweb.com/
this is the link for where Racing Radios gets theirs done.

Here is another place to check out also
http://earplugstore.stores.yahoo.net/

Jimmy B

you could probably make your own out of a quick setting rubber material of some sort. Similar to the stuff they use when you get braces put on, when they take a cast of your teeth. Or even that stuff you get to fit those silly hillbilly prank dentures to your mouth.Nothing I'd want to try doing to myself but it would be interesting to see if it could be done..