Since 1983, Etymotic Research has been one of the leaders in creating hearing protection and products used by people throughout the world to enhance the way they experience live and recorded music. A new take on a very popular Etymotic Research product is the ER20®XS reusable High-Fidelity Earplug. The product retails for $19.95 and is available at etymotic.com. If you have had a pair of the older models you will notice that the end cap on this newer model has been reduced in size and they have replaced it with a thin plastic pull tab, making removal from the ear easy. The ER 20®XS comes in standard and large sizes and includes a neck strap and carrying case, making it easy to carry in a pocket, purse or bag. Similar to the older version, the new version still provides the same 20-dB equal sound reduction across the hearing spectrum, preserving the richness of the music, but just lowering the volume. The new version also allows the user to remove the thin pull-tab, making the earplug less visible on the outside of the ear. After using the earplug several times with the pull tab in place I decided to experiment and see how hard it would be to use the earplug without the pull tab attached to the earplug. It actually worked very well and was barely visible on the outside of the ear while still providing excellent hearing protection. The ER 20®XS High-Fidelity Ear Plug is more refined and a very high-quality product that is a must-have for any musician or music fan. The ER20®XS and other products are available online at etymotic.com.