Protect your ears with the Vibes Hi-Fidelity Earplugs for $15.99 – CNET

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You get only one pair of ears in this life — so you better keep them safe.

Whether you attend a lot of concerts or just have sensitive hearing, earplugs are a must. Unfortunately, the foam kind merely muffle the sound, to say nothing of looking pretty dorky sticking out of your ears. (Why are so many of them neon green or orange?)

Here’s a better option: For a limited time, StackSocial has the Vibes Hi-Fidelity Earplugs for $15.99 when you apply promo code cnetvibes at checkout. Shipping adds $1.99 (and may take 1-2 weeks). These sell for $24 just about everywhere else.

If the Vibes look familiar, you’re probably a fan of “Shark Tank.” Creator Jackson Mann appeared on the show a little over a year ago. While the sharks were all impressed with the product and Kevin O’Leary went so far as to make an offer, Mann ultimately left without a deal.

But Vibes lives on. Unlike foam earplugs, these promise to enhance the sound you’re hearing, not just block it. They’re also nearly invisible, with just a small, clear-plastic tube protruding from your ears. Dork-factor: almost zero.

I haven’t had the chance to test-drive these myself, but just about everywhere I looked (Amazon, Guitar Center, Walmart and so on), buyers collectively rated them between 4 and 4.5 stars.

That’s why I’m springing for a pair for Mrs. Cheapskate, who routinely brings earplugs to movie theaters because she finds the volume too loud. I’m also getting a pair for myself, because my daughter’s percussion-group performances — usually held in school gyms — can be ear-splitting.

Interestingly, the $23.99 price tag was a key reason the sharks balked at Vibes. I agree that seems a little high for earplugs (though can you really put a price on your hearing?). At $15.99, though, I’m more than willing to — as the sharks say — take a flier.

Your thoughts?

Bonus deal: Everything is awesome! Especially if there’s a Target near you, because for a limited time and while in-store inventory lasts, you can score “The Lego Movie” (on Blu-ray, DVD and with a digital copy) for just $5 plus tax. That’s the the pickup price. Shipping will run you about $6, unless you buy enough other stuff to get your cart total up to at least $35.

This is among my all-time favorite kid movies. It’s smart and silly at the same time, with a really sweet and surprising ending. Toss the DVD into the minivan, use the Blu-ray in the living room and redeem the digital copy for your phone or tablet.

One small caveat: The accompanying image suggests this is just the Blu-ray edition. So when you get to the store, make absolutely sure you request the Blu-ray and DVD that comes with a digital copy.

Bonus deal No. 2: I’ve never been a big fan of massage chairs, in part because they’re big, ugly and expensive, and in part because I feel like I don’t have a lot of control over the massage action.

Indeed, I’m usually just in it for the neck and shoulders, and those chairs don’t seem to hit those spots well. But I found a gizmo that does, and it’s cheap: The Tekjoy Shiatsu Massage Pad for $36.95 with promo code TSPN3695. Reg. price: $50. Update: 😠😠😠 The code, which I tested this morning, is no longer working. Stay tuned… investigating. 

You “wear” this thing around your neck, shoulders or back, using the hand straps to adjust the position and pressure. That’s the beauty of it: If you want the heads to really dig in at a certain spot, you just push a bit on the straps.

This model has three speeds, a heat option and two direction modes. I’ve noticed there are many others just like it on Amazon, some seemingly identical (just branded differently), most priced anywhere from $37-50.

All I can say is, I’ve tried this one and I like it a lot — though you do have to stay parked relatively close to an AC outlet unless you use an extension cord. It also comes with a car adapter for your lucky passengers!