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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-10-01 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
• Mack's Pillow Soft Silicone — biggest strength: the original moldable silicone putty formula, made in the USA, with a stated Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) of 22 dB and an SNR of 30 dB, plus a long track record across sleep, swimming and flying.
• Mack's Pillow Soft Silicone — biggest trade-off: it is a single-color white putty in a 12-pair pack with no individual storage cases mentioned, and the putty format needs re-molding every time you use it.
• GyOnyx 6 — biggest strength: six pairs in six colors, each with its own compact case, so you can keep one in a bag, one at the bedside and one in a travel kit without mixing them up.
• GyOnyx 6 — biggest trade-off: no noise reduction rating is stated on the data sheet, and every earplug is the same size, so you may need to pinch off excess silicone to fit smaller ear canals.
• Who Mack's is for: sleepers, snorers' partners, swimmers and flyers who want one dependable moldable plug and value a stated NRR.
• Who GyOnyx 6 is for: buyers who want several pairs, color-coding, and hygienic individual cases for daily rotation across sleep, travel and the pool.
Mack's Pillow Soft Silicone is the moldable putty earplug in its most established form. The white silicone putty is designed to be shaped by hand and pressed over the ear opening rather than pushed into the canal, which is the core appeal of this style for sleep. The data sheet lists a Noise Reduction Rating of 22 decibels under the US standard and an SNR of 30 decibels under the EU standard — figures that give you something concrete to compare against, which is more than most moldable plugs offer.
The use-case list is unusually broad for a sleep product: sleeping, snoring, swimming, studying, bathing, travel, loud events, concerts, flying discomfort and motorcycles. The flying angle is specific — the sheet states the plugs are lab tested to help relieve airplane ear pressure and pain. Mack's also positions itself around swimmer's ear prevention, notes the plugs are safe for use with ear tubes and after ear surgery, and states they help prevent surfer's ear. If you swim regularly and want one plug that covers the pool and the pillow, that combination is the reason to pick this one.
GyOnyx 6: Who It's For
GyOnyx 6 takes the same basic idea — moldable soft silicone shaped to your ear — and packages it as a set. You get six pairs in six colors: blue, transparent, rose, black, red and green. Each pair comes in its own compact case, which is the detail that separates this set from a plain bag of putty. Cases matter more than they sound: silicone picks up lint and dust, and a case keeps a pair clean between uses and lets you carry one in a pocket, gym bag or travel kit without hunting for it.
The design notes are worth reading closely. GyOnyx states these plugs don't push deep into the ear canal the way foam plugs do, which is the comfort argument for moldable silicone in general — nothing is expanding inside the canal pressing outward. The sheet also notes every earplug is the same size and that you can pinch off excess silicone to fit your ear canal. That's an honest, useful bit of guidance: if you have smaller canals, you trim rather than buy a different size.
On noise, GyOnyx describes the plugs as designed to reduce unwanted noise from snoring, concerts, traffic and loud environments, and lists sleeping, working, traveling and relaxing as the intended settings. What the data sheet does not provide is a noise reduction rating in decibels. That's the main gap versus Mack's. If a stated NRR or SNR is part of how you decide, GyOnyx doesn't give you one to work with. The waterproofing claim is clear, though — fully waterproof for swimming, showering, surfing and bathing — and the plugs are described as washable, reusable and gentle on sensitive skin.
Who should skip GyOnyx 6? If you want a single proven formula with a published attenuation figure, or if you'd rather not trim plugs to fit, this set asks a little more of you. If you lose earplugs constantly, though, six pairs with six cases is a genuinely practical answer.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for swimming and water use → both, though Mack's adds specific claims around swimmer's ear, ear tubes and surfer's ear, while GyOnyx covers swimming, showering, surfing and bathing.
• Best for flying → Mack's Pillow Soft Silicone, which states lab-tested relief of airplane ear pressure and pain.
• Best for multiple pairs and organization → GyOnyx 6, with six pairs in six colors and an individual case for each.
• Best for sensitive skin and daily rotation → GyOnyx 6, described as washable, reusable and gentle on sensitive skin with hygienic individual storage.
• Best for a single-color, no-fuss routine → Mack's Pillow Soft Silicone, a 12-pair pack of white putty in one format.
• Best for smaller ear canals → GyOnyx 6, since the sheet explicitly says you can pinch off excess silicone; Mack's doesn't mention trimming.
• Best for travel kits and gym bags → GyOnyx 6, because the compact cases make a pair easy to carry and keep clean.
I'd buy Mack's Pillow Soft Silicone if sleep is the main job and I want a plug with a stated NRR and a long history behind the formula. The 22 dB NRR and 30 dB SNR give me something to hold onto, and the swimming and flying claims make it a genuine multi-purpose plug rather than a one-trick sleep aid. I'd buy GyOnyx 6 instead if I want several pairs I can leave in different places, color-code, and store hygienically — the six cases are the practical winner. If you're purely optimizing for sleep with a known attenuation figure, Mack's is my pick.
For sleep, the moldable silicone style works well because it seals over the ear opening instead of expanding inside the canal, which is how both of these products are designed. Between the two, Mack's Pillow Soft Silicone is the one with a stated Noise Reduction Rating of 22 dB (30 dB SNR), so it's the safer bet if you want a documented attenuation figure. GyOnyx 6 is the better choice if you'd rather have several pairs with individual cases for night-to-night rotation.
Yes, and both of these are examples — though they're earplugs rather than audio earbuds. Neither is described as playing sound. Mack's Pillow Soft Silicone is a white moldable silicone putty listed for sleeping, snoring, swimming, studying, travel, concerts and flying. GyOnyx 6 is a moldable silicone plug set in six colors with six cases, listed for sleeping, working, traveling, swimming and concerts. If your goal is quiet rather than music, both fit the job.
You mold the silicone by hand and shape it to fit your ear rather than jamming it into the canal. Mack's describes its putty as molding comfortably to the contours of any ear; GyOnyx says the same and adds that you can pinch off excess silicone to fit your ear canal, since each of its plugs is one size. Wash and reuse both — GyOnyx explicitly calls its plugs washable and reusable, and Mack's silicone is a reusable putty formula.
That's a fair question, and the honest answer is that the data sheets point in different directions. Mack's publishes a 22 dB NRR and 30 dB SNR, which tells you it reduces noise to a moderate degree — enough to take the edge off a snoring partner, less than a maximum-attenuation foam plug. GyOnyx states the plugs are designed to reduce noise from snoring, concerts and traffic but doesn't publish a decibel rating. If a specific figure matters to you, Mack's is the one that gives it.
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