a question about earplugs

phantom_lord

i was just talking to someone awhile ago about hearing loss and i found it a bit terrifying! so i'm just a bit curious about earplugs. i use just basic ones for shooting but obv these type wouldn't be of much use for going to gigs/playing music and they just muffle everything. so i was just wondering about musician earplugs, is it actually possible to get earplugs that have a good balance across the frequency, and basically just make everything a bit quieter?

Rigsby

I use musician's ear plugs. IMO they are a great investment (mine cost 200 euros). I play in a band and I find that I can hear every instrument clearly, but at a lower volume. I dont find that they muffle the sound, though some people disagree. You can get interchangeable filters depending on how much noise you want to let in or keep out. A cast of your ear is taken for snug fitting. Mine took about a month to be ready. I got them in "Advance Hearing", a few doors from the old "Virgin" record store on the quays in Dublin. There is also a place in Kimmage (I think) that does them. Someone else might be able to supply info on this.

Brien

Hearing Healthcare are another one, they are just off Capel Street

fobster

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Elacin-Earplugs-ER-20-For-Musicians/dp/B000UJ8RHE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1247824713&sr=8-1

I have the above earplugs and tbh they do the job I want them to do, no hissy ears the day after. They don't muffle the sound, they cut out the harmful extremes and they stay in pretty well, just make sure you insert them correctly. There has to be a good snug fit.

And just on the topic of hearing loss, listening to music on a mp3 player is another area to watch for especially hiking up the volume to drown out traffic, background noise or whatever.

unreggd

I defo hafta start usin them

I'm gone a bit deaf in my left ear, due to a habit of always standin to the left of the stage, so I'd be turned in, with my left ear at the speakers

So now I try stick to the right side, or centre

Kinda annoyin tho! sake' !!

Rigsby

unreggd wrote: »

I defo hafta start usin them

I'm gone a bit deaf in my left ear, due to a habit of always standin to the left of the stage, so I'd be turned in, with my left ear at the speakers

So now I try stick to the right side, or centre

Kinda annoyin tho! sake' !!

You should invest in some sort of ear protection IMO. Do a google search for "tinnitus". It'll scare the s***e out of you. It did me, hence the reason I got my plugs.

phantom_lord

i ended up getting ear plugs for flying that look something like this:



pretty sure they're the same things that are called musicaians ear plugs. would thoroughly recommend them! i know the simpler kind just make everything muffled but these seem to just take 15-20dbs off but still allow the full range of sound. it's funny talking to people at gigs and telling them that there's no need to shout at me :pac: .

i was at metallica at the weekend, right up in the pit, when aic were playing they seemed incredibly loud, the bass made everything feel like it was vibrating, but with these in it just felt like i was listening to them like normal through my headphones (while being punched in the chest!). metallica didn't seem to be that loud, i didn't actually wear them for them. it was nice to leave w/o ringing ears.

dub4ever

Hey there,Im playin in a band myself and have had the same problems.Went through loads of types of ear plugs and came to the best solution - roll up a piece of tissue and put it in your ear, this cuts down the high end so the sound doesnt pierce your ears and its very comfortable and doesnt cost a penny.Glad to help.

Rigsby

dub4ever wrote: »

Hey there,Im playin in a band myself and have had the same problems.Went through loads of types of ear plugs and came to the best solution - roll up a piece of tissue and put it in your ear, this cuts down the high end so the sound doesnt pierce your ears and its very comfortable and doesnt cost a penny.Glad to help.

OP: Whatever you do, do not do this. Earplugs have to be a snug fit to work, so the tissue (which is useless anyway ) has to be pushed far into the ear. A friend of mine did this and could not remove a small piece of the tissue later. It was stuck in there for days, and his ear started to go septic. If you are stuck for cash, get a packet of wax plugs (around a fiver). They work, albeit not as good as musician's plugs...... and you can get them out when you are finished.