+1 on Ultimate Ear
I wasn’t particularly impressed with my Mercury plugs either
Yeah we should have reported back on that. I got the Mercury Bludio Bluetooth version from them 12 months ago at the MCN show. I also ordered a set of sleeping earplugs which are softer an squishier (hollow). The moulds were taken by them on the day.
I've found the sleeping ones, irritating, I don't know why but they made me itch. Just stuck one in whilst I write this and it's just like it's tickling the canal...I may try chopping the tip off so they go less deep (by 1-2mm). Anyway for sleeping they've never quite worked out.
The Bluetooth moulded ear pieces are from the same moulds but are more solid...they have been comfortable when riding but the audio is too quiet. Seem to have to use them on max to get the sound to rise above the helmet/road noise. I don't know if its the Bludio BT unit that's at fault here, but suffice to say Mercury don't use them any more. I just sent mine in for repair - I got the Bludio unit wet (submerged) and it stopped working. They are replacing the BT unit with a new one and it's not a Bludio. We'll see if this is an improvement in sound quality.
I bought the Mercury because my trusty old UltimateEars cable'd moulded earphones had been worn out. The audio cable lead was frayed and bare wires were exposed (I'd had them 5 years). The sound drivers in these are insane. Can barely use half volume as they were so efficient. When on a plane, using them on the entertainment system I'd have to unlpug whenever there was an 'announcement' as that's a fixed volume and would blow my eardrums out!!
I've sent them and the Mercury BT's off the be fixed and am pretty sure it's the trusty old Ultimate's I will be using most often going forwards.
Final point to the OP. Moulded will not reduce the noise as much as 3M 1100 foam type disposables. The 3M 1100's which I get from Amazon in 200 unit boxes for trackdays etc reduce the volume by 37dB SNR. The moulds will be more like 33dB. Just in case that matters.