Hearing Protection

[TheyCallMeVolume]

What does everyone do or use for their hearing? I recently got custom made plugs with filters, and they make a world's difference. I never wore my pair of triple flange Hearo's I had because I felt they made everything muddy, but these new plugs are just awesome.

[psy]

I wear Howard Leigth Fusions when I'm doing sound.  They've got a SNR of 28dB so then tend to stop me getting a massive headache.  I can't play with them in though as I lose a bit top end.  Can you tell us more about the custom plugs you've got?

[MDV]

Earplugs have a signal to noise ratio? ;)

I just use the generic 'musicians ear plugs' you can get on amazon. Elacin make them iirc. They do unbalance the sound, but A: you get used to it, and B: you can check occasionally by taking them out.

Even though they leave a low end bias I'm pretty convinced that live sound I've handled with them is better than without, from general reactions. Its so hard to judge what the hell is going on at 100+db, especially after threshold shift has set in.

[TheyCallMeVolume]

I wear Howard Leigth Fusions when I'm doing sound.  They've got a SNR of 28dB so then tend to stop me getting a massive headache.  I can't play with them in though as I lose a bit top end.  Can you tell us more about the custom plugs you've got?

Well, like I said in my previous post, I had "used" those store bought Hearo's, though very very sparingly. Really, I only used them in situations where music was so loud, I could not handle being in the room. Granted, I felt like they didn't "turn down the volume", more like tuning out the high frequencies. I was never averse to using protection, and actually wanted to, I just could not enjoy anything I was listening to or playing because they tuned out the stuff I wanted to hear.

A few of my friends recommended I get custom plugs, so I decided to try them. They get a mold of your ear and then in a few weeks, they're ready. Obviously since they're made to fit your ear, the fit is superb. Full closure, tight fit, perfect. It feels very comfortable and I often forget they're in my ears, definitely good for long hours of wear. The sound is fantastic too, literally just sounds like someone turned the volume down. I can still hear high highs and low lows easily, and my main thing was that I could still hear the thump from my amp, not just feel it. The sound is second to none, and I actually prefer listening and playing with the plugs in now. Highly recommended. Hope I answered all your questions.

[psy]

Earplugs have a signal to noise ratio? ;)

Ahh, you got caught me just throwing abbreviations in willy nilly.  I meant reduced (attenuated?) the noise by 28dB...  We I think that's what the box said anyway.  :)

Thanks for the extra info Allstar.  Certainly sound like something I should look in to getting :D

[TheyCallMeVolume]

Definitely, I couldn't recommend them more.

[Twinfan]

I use the musician ones MDV mentions, Elacin.  I only use them when I'm in the audience at gigs though.  When I'm playing, I like to hear everything and we're not super-loud.

[blue]

i used to use the ordinary "musician" ones too.  i found them good for loud gigs, but useless for playing, as they changed the sound too much.  i then got the custom ones, and they are brilliant.  as Allstar says, everything sounds just the same, only quieter.  they seem expensive, especially when you lose one and need a replacement, as i managed :(  but they are absolutely worth it.  can you put a price on your hearing?

[Twinfan]

blue - do you have a link to where you got your custom ones from?

[TheyCallMeVolume]

i used to use the ordinary "musician" ones too.  i found them good for loud gigs, but useless for playing, as they changed the sound too much.  i then got the custom ones, and they are brilliant.  as Allstar says, everything sounds just the same, only quieter.  they seem expensive, especially when you lose one and need a replacement, as i managed :(  but they are absolutely worth it.  can you put a price on your hearing?

Exactly, as a musician, nothing is more important than your hearing. While the cheap ones technically do work, I find it a good indulgence to get the custom plugs.

[blue]

blue - do you have a link to where you got your custom ones from?

i went to a local clinic that mostly does hearing aids.  if you try a high street hearing aid shop, or a private clinic, they should be able to help you out.  the brand name of mine is Exinore, i believe they're made in Holland

[Twinfan]

Cheers mate!

[FredD]

PARDON !!

Woops... too late for me then !   :violin1:

[Kiichi]

I use the Sonic Defenders EP3 (the link is in german, but you get the idea http://www.sonicshop.de/De/Plugs/Sonic-Defenders-EP3-SonicSet.asp). Tried the usual cheap stuff and all and stuck with these, since custom fitted ones are too expensive for me. These cost about 20 pounds and last me half a year or so before they feel too weird.

These have a good fit once warm, I can even wear them during a 10h festival day without too much discomfort.
Filtering whise they are not perfect, but they are very close to just turning down the volume and as a plus they cut the noise (certain frequencies that just sound bad (like noise) or hurt....I never really know if most people donīt hear these or what, but I always tell myself that my hearing is just still a lot more intact than most peoples and a little more trained at least, hearing protection be thanked).
Always suprises me again how well you can hear speach through these with everything else turned down so much.



What always baffles me is how few people use hearing protection. At regular concerts I feel like I am 1 in 100 who uses one and at my job I do live mixing in a small room where you gotta set the sound level to the not amplified cymbals and let me tell you, that can get loud as shite (got bagpipes next weekend, can already hear the complaints), but just about 10% of the people there use hearing protection, which is really beyond me, as the levels there are really pretty $%&#ed up, especially the high frequencies.
I am always amazed that I donīt have to scream at them...
Then again I notice a lot more sound wise then them (from stuff in music to that high pitched noise of old TVs which a lot of the kids younger than me canīt hear anymore) and I never know how much of that is training and how much is just being able to hear frequencies.

[TheyCallMeVolume]

I use the Sonic Defenders EP3 (the link is in german, but you get the idea http://www.sonicshop.de/De/Plugs/Sonic-Defenders-EP3-SonicSet.asp). Tried the usual cheap stuff and all and stuck with these, since custom fitted ones are too expensive for me. These cost about 20 pounds and last me half a year or so before they feel too weird.

These have a good fit once warm, I can even wear them during a 10h festival day without too much discomfort.
Filtering whise they are not perfect, but they are very close to just turning down the volume and as a plus they cut the noise (certain frequencies that just sound bad (like noise) or hurt....I never really know if most people donīt hear these or what, but I always tell myself that my hearing is just still a lot more intact than most peoples and a little more trained at least, hearing protection be thanked).
Always suprises me again how well you can hear speach through these with everything else turned down so much.



What always baffles me is how few people use hearing protection. At regular concerts I feel like I am 1 in 100 who uses one and at my job I do live mixing in a small room where you gotta set the sound level to the not amplified cymbals and let me tell you, that can get loud as shitee (got bagpipes next weekend, can already hear the complaints), but just about 10% of the people there use hearing protection, which is really beyond me, as the levels there are really pretty $%&#ed up, especially the high frequencies.
I am always amazed that I donīt have to scream at them...
Then again I notice a lot more sound wise then them (from stuff in music to that high pitched noise of old TVs which a lot of the kids younger than me canīt hear anymore) and I never know how much of that is training and how much is just being able to hear frequencies.


[/quote

If you have to replace them every 6 months, doesn't it make sense to get the custom ones that last a really long time?