i need protection

IronFlippy

IronFlippy

Dedicated To My Member
I'd like to know more about ear protection (see the cave for a similar, yet entirely different thread). I have been using the traditional memory foam ear plugs during practice, playing shows, attending shows, etc. However, I'm not sure they're doing enough of a job. Are there any other types of ear plugs that do a better job and/or are techy for gear geeks like myself? What are your experiences with or without earplugs?
 
IronFlippy said:
I'd like to know more about ear protection (see the cave for a similar, yet entirely different thread). I have been using the traditional memory foam ear plugs during practice, playing shows, attending shows, etc. However, I'm not sure they're doing enough of a job. Are there any other types of ear plugs that do a better job and/or are techy for gear geeks like myself? What are your experiences with or without earplugs?
Click to expand...
You can get custom made earplugs from an audiologist. They're not cheap, but will be far better at protecting your ears than foam plugs.

Personally, I use the ones you can get from Musician's Friend (or other music stores) that look like something out of Star Trek. I've been wearing ear plugs religiously for more than 10 years, and they make a helluva difference. I wear 'em during rehearsal and when playing or attending shows.
 
IronFlippy said:
I'd like to know more about ear protection (see the cave for a similar, yet entirely different thread). I have been using the traditional memory foam ear plugs during practice, playing shows, attending shows, etc. However, I'm not sure they're doing enough of a job. Are there any other types of ear plugs that do a better job and/or are techy for gear geeks like myself? What are your experiences with or without earplugs?
Click to expand...

I use Hearo's....musicians friend carries them...I think......just reduce db, not everything else.
 
+1 on the Hearos Hi-Fidelity plugs (same design as the Eytmotic Research HiFi model). The gain reduction isn't quite as much as the foam plugs (about 20dB vs 25-30dB for most foamies), but they sound a whole lot better. They are supposed to be more balanced across the frequency spectrum. Short of getting custom molded plugs, I think these are the best compromise between gain reduction and sound. I wear these virtually all the time when drumming or playing electric guitar. You can wash them, too.

If you need more protection, the Hearos Extreme series have about 40dB of gain reduction. You could also wear some shooting range earmuffs on top of those, which would look super sweet.

I've gotten so anal that I keep extra foam plugs in my car, backpack/briefcase, office, etc. so I always have some with me.
 
I went to the audiologist and got some earplugs moulded to my ears. It DOESN'T, I repeat, DOESN'T work, the 33db foam are much better. when the audiologist mould hem in your ear, there is no way he can get as deep as a foam earplug can. The result is you earplug will be half as deep as a foam one. I used them on half a jam, then got back with the foam ones. Now they're used at the job. total cost: 80$Can . (altough there might be one way to make moulded earplug better, there is a model that fills the outer section of the ear too, never tried though)

hope it's clear
 
the standard, yellow foam earplugs work quite well, but you need to change them out between each set or each hour. Between your body heat rising, the sweat, the salt, and the fact that they only expand for so long before relaxing makes changing them out on a regular basis as necessity.

basically, for a 3 hours who, I would normally go through 4 sets. 1 for sound check and then one for each set we played. It worked out and I wouldn't have the perverbial ringing at the end of the night.
 
MadAudio said:
You can get custom made earplugs from an audiologist. They're not cheap, but will be far better at protecting your ears than foam plugs.
Click to expand...



Not actually. Most of the custom ones have WORSE db reduction levels (the ones I've seen are about 28 db compared to 30-31 for the foam ones). What you WILL get with custom ear plugs is a better "frequency response." They attenuate things more evenly, so you can do a better job of recognizing what's what.

Personally, for going out, I kind like the whole bass heavy thing. If your a little drunk, it kinda adds to the experience. However, when I mix, I do like the custom fit earplugs. And yes, I frequently wear ear plugs to mix. A group of 17 year old wannabes are not worth my hearing.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
 
Just a comment from us middle age guys.... I wish someone would have stressed the importance of earplugs (to us) back 30 years ago, back in the days when we thought louder and better were interchangable terms. From experience I can honestly say, if your ears ring, even just a little, you should have been wearing earplugs.
 
Dani Pace said:
Just a comment from us middle age guys.... I wish someone would have stressed the importance of earplugs (to us) back 30 years ago, back in the days when we thought louder and better were interchangable terms. From experience I can honestly say, if your ears ring, even just a little, you should have been wearing earplugs.
Click to expand...


Dani, they did actually warn us by saying "Turn That Damn Thing DOWN!" :eek: :D :D
 
Too late for me. Tinnitus does plenty for cutting down incoming vol & reducing top end. I do have to remember to stay away from h/phones as much as possible & NEVER wear earplug/bud set as they cause all sorts of damage.
 
I have to wonder do people realize the damage they are doing to their hearing (and who knows what other body parts) when they ride around for hours with their "super stereos" blasting so loud they wouldn't notice if a 747 was in the back seat? Do those mega watt in car stereos come with a warning to wear ear protection? I know this is a little off topic but i just couldn't resist the chance to rant about it. Like us, they have been told to turn it down, but like us the music was/is too loud to hear the warning.
 
my ears produce a lot more earwax than most peoples causing my ear channels to 'clod up' constantly.

that's basically what helped preserve my hearing all those years.

:D
 
I have a similar situation re ear wax though I think you may mean "clog up" rather than Clod. The latter usually refers to a simpleton or a member of the Constabulary.
Could this mean that guitar players could foorm a co-op to gather & blend the wax to sell as a boutique furniture & instrument preservative?
 
alien said:
the standard, yellow foam earplugs work quite well, but you need to change them out between each set or each hour. Between your body heat rising, the sweat, the salt, and the fact that they only expand for so long before relaxing makes changing them out on a regular basis as necessity.

basically, for a 3 hours who, I would normally go through 4 sets. 1 for sound check and then one for each set we played. It worked out and I wouldn't have the perverbial ringing at the end of the night.
Click to expand...
Can the yellow foam plugs be washed and reused? They cost like a buck a pair and I'm a cheap bastard.
 
Sure. Use them until you're embarrassed enough to throw them away. I have reused pairs for months, until they stopped expanding properly.
 
The band I'm in has played a few gigs out on Edwards AFB. We've played in hangars, out in the desert, and in recreation centers. Everyone who works on base carries bright orange ear plugs.

They take their hearing seriously. They pop them in when they walk out in front of the band and then remove then when they're a safe distance away. I believe they even wear them when working around incoming/outgoing aircraft although I can't confirm it. ;)

I managed to acquire a couple packs of them and use one in my right ear when standing next to cymbals. They help, but not much more than a wad of tissue paper IMHO.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top