The dB (or decibel) rating tells you how much quieter things get when you wear them. The higher the number, the more sound is reduced.
Engage reduces up to 16 dBs. Lower than the rest of the lineup – and intentionally so. In social situations, you don't want to tune people out. You want to take the edge off the background so whoever you’re talking to is easier to hear.
Compare that with Experience, which reduces up to 17 dBs. The numbers are close, but the filters work differently. Experience is for music: it keeps sound clear and balanced at loud volumes. Engage is for speech: it's designed to reduce the muffled, blocked-ear sensation so voices stay natural when you're talking.
Higher dB isn't "better", it's about what the filter is built to let through. For conversations and social situations, Engage's 16 dB rating is just right.
For a full breakdown of each product's dB rating, read What level of sound reduction does Loop Earplugs offer?
Dream and Quiet are designed to block as much sound as possible. Experience and Engage are designed to let a quieter version of sound through – so music still sounds like music and voices stay clear. Their lower ratings are the point.
The rating is measured in a lab, with a perfect fit. In real life, how much reduction you get depends on wearing them correctly: the right ear tip size, inserted properly.