What is SNR and how is it different from NRR?

By:Damien Cabral

Understanding hearing protection ratings is vital for choosing the right earplugs or earmuffs to safeguard your hearing. This article breaks down the two most commonly used ratings: SNR (Single Number Rating) in Europe and NRR (Noise Reduction Rating) in the United States.

Key takeaways:

  • SNR and NRR are measurements of noise reduction, indicating how effectively a hearing protection device reduces sound levels in decibels.
  • SNR is used in Europe
  • NRR is used in the United States
  • SNR and NRR cannot be directly compared due to differences in testing standards and calculation methods.
  • Always choose hearing protection that complies with the regulations of your region (EN 352 for SNR, ANSI S3.19 for NRR).

Two hearing protection ratings

An understanding of hearing protection ratings is essential when it comes to keeping your ears safe. Knowing what hearing protection ratings mean can ensure you select the right earplugs or earmuffs for your needs, ensuring they effectively block out harmful noise levels. 

Two of the most common ratings you'll encounter are SNR (Single Number Rating) and NRR (Noise Reduction Rating). While both are designed to indicate the level of protection, they are often misunderstood or used interchangeably, which can lead to confusion. So, let’s take a look at both measurements in detail.

What is SNR?

SNR stands for Single Number Rating. So, what is SNR? It’s simply a measurement, used primarily in Europe, to indicate the average noise reduction provided by a hearing protection device (like earplugs or earmuffs) in decibels.

Unlike other ratings, SNR offers a more nuanced assessment of how a hearing protection product performs at different sound levels – or, in other words, provides an average noise reduction across a range of frequencies.

That means it provides a better indication of its real-world effectiveness. This rating is specifically aligned with European safety standards, making it the preferred measurement for noise reduction in many European countries.

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What is NRR?

NRR stands for Noise Reduction Rating and it’s another way of measuring the maximum amount of noise reduction a hearing protection device can provide. It’s used primarily in the United States and follows specific testing protocols under OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) standards, which focus on evaluating the device's performance in real-world conditions. 

The NRR is expressed as a single decibel (dB) figure, representing the maximum reduction in sound the device can achieve when worn properly. This rating doesn’t take into account the variations in noise across different frequencies as SNR does.

SNR vs. NRR: key differences

SNR and NRR are both ways of measuring noise reduction – so what’s the difference?

Geographic use and testing standards

The main difference is geographic. In Europe, SNR is typically used. This measurement follows the European safety standards for hearing protection – that is, all hearing protection that’s sold in Europe with the purpose of protecting the wearer from harmful noise must be CE approved, under the standard EN 352. 

This involves a series of tests under standardized conditions to measure how well a hearing protection device reduces noise. These tests also use human test subjects, to account for the variability in how hearing protection fits different users – which offers a more accurate range of attenuation performance in real-world applications, as opposed to relying solely on mechanical models or simulations.

NRR is used in the United States and follows Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) guidelines, with the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) S3.19-1974 standard used to test the Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) of hearing protection devices.

Testing is one in a laboratory using human subjects in controlled environments, evaluating how well a device reduces sound across a range of frequencies – but the tests assume perfect fit and use, which may not reflect real-world scenarios.

These tests evaluate how well a device reduces sound across a range of frequencies but assume perfect fit and use, which may not reflect real-world scenarios.

Real world adjustments

Another major difference between SNR and NRR is their application in the real world. SNR already incorporates real-world variability into the rating. So, if a noise-reducing device has a SNR of 30 dB, and you’re in an environment where the noise level is 95 dB, proper use of the device will result in 65 dB of noise reaching the ear.

However, the NRR rating represents the highest level of protection a user might achieve with proper use – which means that with a device that has a NRR of 30 dB, you may not actually get 30 dB of noise reduction.

SNR ratings are typically 2-3 dB higher than NRR ratings due to a difference in calculations, however, they are both representative of the same performance and functionality. While both ratings provide insight into noise reduction, they cannot be directly compared due to differences in testing procedures and standards.

Recommended ear protection with high SNR and NRR

All Loop earplugs comply with the US standard to secure our ANSI certification and with the EU standard to secure our CE certification. They’re compliant with EU test standard EN352-2 and US test standard: ANSI S3.19-1973.

That means we offer certified hearing protection, so you can rest assured that your hearing will be protected with effective noise reduction, whether you’re at work, traveling or simply need day-to-day hearing protection.

Our range includes:

  • Loop Quiet: Offers powerful noise reduction of 24 dB (SNR) to get you in your quiet bubble. Made for deeper focus, calmer travel and easier napping, our Loop Quiet 2 earplugs muffle unwanted noise when you need it most. Get an additional 3 dB (SNR) of noise reduction on demand with the Loop Double Tips in Loop Quiet Plus.
  • Loop Experience Plus: Enjoy safer, crisper sound with our earplugs for live events and concerts, offering 17 dB (SNR) of filtered noise reduction, plus an extra 3 dB with the Loop Mute.
  • Loop Dream™: Made for your best sleep ever, Loop Dream earplugs offer our most powerful noise reduction of 27 dB (SNR) to muffle nighttime noises like traffic and snoring.

Choosing the right hearing protection

Choosing the right hearing protection is crucial for keeping your ears safe in noisy environments – and by understanding SNR and NRR ratings, you can make an informed decision on the right product for you.

Always choose hearing protection that complies with the regulations and standards of your region – that’s SNR for Europe and NRR for the United States. Also consider factors like how often you’re exposed to noise, how loud the environment is and the fit of the hearing protection device. That way, you can be sure that you’re choosing a product that both reduces noise to keep your hearing safe, and is also comfortable to wear.

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