Earplugs...Found some I liked!!!

jimbob · #1 02-10-2006, 11:58 AM

As the weekend is here and hopefully you are all playing high dollar gigs this weekend for adoring fans everywhere, I thought I'd share my thoughts on my newest toy!

My wife said "you are getting old...start thinking about earplugs" I said "What did you say?" Off to the store I went.

Hearos (not the foam ones, the one's with the filter) reduce the decibals -15db with no high end or, MORE IMPORTANTLY, low end loss...Muffle the annoying Cymbals, and you can still hear everything at a reasonable level...I bought them at Sam Ash for about $15.00. I will no longer play without them. They are comfortable too if you put them on correctly.

I have been wearing them for about a month now at practices and gigs and love them! I found I have more stamina while playing as I am not suffering from sensory overload and my days of next day "ear hangovers" have been history. I actually enjoy listening to the radio on my way home from gigs now!

Mike Dimin · #2 02-10-2006, 03:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimbob

As the weekend is here and hopefully you are all playing high dollar gigs this weekend for adoring fans everywhere, I thought I'd share my thoughts on my newest toy!

My wife said "you are getting old...start thinking about earplugs" I said "What did you say?" Off to the store I went.

Hearos (not the foam ones, the one's with the filter) reduce the decibals -15db with no high end or, MORE IMPORTANTLY, low end loss...Muffle the annoying Cymbals, and you can still hear everything at a reasonable level...I bought them at Sam Ash for about $15.00. I will no longer play without them. They are comfortable too if you put them on correctly.

I have been wearing them for about a month now at practices and gigs and love them! I found I have more stamina while playing as I am not suffering from sensory overload and my days of next day "ear hangovers" have been history. I actually enjoy listening to the radio on my way home from gigs now!

The earplugs you are talking about are a rebranded version of the Etymotic Research ER-15 which are widely available, on the web, for about $12.00

jimbob · #3 02-10-2006, 03:12 PM

The closest thing I found that looked like them from Etymotic Research are the ER-20...but either way, they rule!

Mike Dimin · #4 02-10-2006, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimbob

The closest thing I found that looked like them from Etymotic Research are the ER-20...but either way, they rule!

ER-20's - you are correct. Sorry. They are one and the same earplug

Mike

stedtale · #5 02-10-2006, 03:56 PM

I've been wanting and need to get ear plugs.

I take it that aside from custom fitted ones the ER-20s would be a good place to start?

seanm · #6 02-10-2006, 05:08 PM

I have started to wear earplugs to the practices with my rock band. The music is not loud enough to cause ringing, but my ears feel "plugged" at the end of the night, and we practice for only about two hours.

I am currently using industrial -21dB ear plugs. The reusable rubber kind, not the foam kind.

I find I feel "disconnected" from the music. Will this go away as I get used to them, or will a different type of ear plugs help?

Jazzin' · #7 02-10-2006, 07:33 PM

Recently, I feel like my ears are taking big hits from the sound of (mainly the drums). I've ben thinking about ear plugs, but maybe I can just ask the drummer to not hit the snare too hard. He recently bought a new snare which is as loud as a snare can get. It's taking its toll on my ears. We only play funky jazz. Maybe I sit too close to the drummer. Those earplugs sound like a good idea.

nicoli · #8 02-10-2006, 07:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seanm

I find I feel "disconnected" from the music. Will this go away as I get used to them, or will a different type of ear plugs help?

Yes to both, in my experience. I got used to the non-musician earplugs, but when I moved to the customs I felt much more connected to the music comared to the regular plugs. The feel of them is much nicer than foamies and the frequency response much better too (although I still find I lose more high end than low end during the attenuation).

Now I'm so used to wearing the musicians plugs that music seems weird *without* them in, including both playing and going to watch a show.

nemo · #9 02-11-2006, 03:11 PM

Yep, ER-20 - me, my band and fellow musicians around love it!! Thanks TB for a tip about year ago!!

These plugs allow to mellow out the snare, cymbals, horns and yet preserve the tone and character of sounds. By slight pushing in or pulling out you can easily regulate the amount of attenuation. Pretty cool.

Terike · #10 02-12-2006, 07:14 PM

eh, I use silly putty.. $3.00 for 6 months worth of earplugs.

SteveC · #11 02-12-2006, 07:24 PM

Better ear plugs won't leave you feeling that disconnection or suffer from occlusion - that hallow type sound, like when you plug your ears with your fingers.

Good "one size fits all" like the ER-20's or $150 custom molds will reduce ALL frequencies and let you hear everything, just softer. I will be getting some soon.

No one should play/attend a gig/concert without them. Your hearing is too valuable and you can't get it back.

matito · #12 02-13-2006, 05:46 AM

i just started using ER-20's for my band

they are f'n great. the rest of my band just laugh how they are loosing their hearing.

i just shake my head at em and stick the er-20's in

bassbully43 · #13 02-13-2006, 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nemo

Yep, ER-20 - me, my band and fellow musicians around love it!! Thanks TB for a tip about year ago!!

These plugs allow to mellow out the snare, cymbals, horns and yet preserve the tone and character of sounds. By slight pushing in or pulling out you can easily regulate the amount of attenuation. Pretty cool.

Yep i agree...these babies work better and i am getting used to them every practice...go get some...got mine at GC for 15.00.

stedtale · #14 02-13-2006, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassbully43

Yep i agree...these babies work better and i am getting used to them every practice...go get some...got mine at GC for 15.00.

I'm ordering mine today.

jimbob · #15 02-13-2006, 03:11 PM

Coolest plugs in the world!

j-bass-kreep · #16 02-13-2006, 05:36 PM

I use cheap " hearos " or something like that , bought them at wall mart for 1.60 , they are for sport but do the job decently ,, Who wants to hear the guitars and cimbals anyway ??

Captain_joe6 · #17 02-14-2006, 11:49 PM

Our church invested in an in-ear monitor system a while back, and got everybody headphones to go with it. The guitarists and vocalists all got some higher-end earplug type units, the drummer just uses his sony wraparounds (he's halfway deaf, anyway), and me, well, I got a pair of Sennheiser HD280 Pro's. I tell you what, -32dB passive noise reduction across the spectrum, plus the power of a personal monitor mixer, that's nice.

Redhotbassist · #18 02-15-2006, 07:38 AM

Those ER-20's seem pretty good, i use Pro-plugs, there the best plugs in my shop, and they are very comfy..

http://www.giggear.co.uk/home/index....op&prodid=1145

You can also get custom moulded ones, but they cost a bit..

Robert TPB · #19 02-15-2006, 03:14 PM

I went to my E.N.T. Doctor and had some custom made ear plugs. They cost about $180 but they are cheap insurance against hearing loss. They come with a 15db attenuator and I use them at rehearsals and gigs. I highly reccomend the custom route.

Dkerwood · #20 02-16-2006, 10:26 PM

Yay for ear plugs. I find that comparing the plugs out to the plugs in is rather like turning on your CD player at full blast and then turning it back down to a reasonable volume. Everything goes from being distorted and "washy" (likely due to over-agitating the hairs in the ear) to being crystal clear.

Yes, at first, I felt really disconnected from the music, but I've since adjusted, and I can still FEEL the pulse of the bass against my chest...

The only thing I don't like is when I move around and the plug seal dislodges... Usually they'll last a little over an hour before getting fussy.