So joined a metal band last night. needless to say a 380 watt guitar amp and 700 watt pa get REALLY LOUD. so im wondering what i should look for in ear plugs to still hear but not damage my ears?
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earplugs what to look for?
- Thread starter Soverntear
- Start date
if you want the best, go see an audiologist and have custom ones made. otherwise, hearos will protect your ears....but don't expect things to still sound good....lol.
To start off, I would get the product called HEAROS sold in most drugstores etc. ....At least you'll get some protection right away. Other products are available but you 'll have to do your own research. . . . . . 
I use sportsmen ear plugs. You know, the kind that guys firing elephant guns wear. Not really but, go to a gun shop, they will have some plugs there. Best thing I ever bought.
scotch
It's not rocket science!
- Nov 12, 2006
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First off, ANY ear protection is better than NO protection!
That said, the inexpensive foam plugs that are most common more often than not end up getting pulled out at some point during performance/rehearsals. The problem is that cheap earplugs attenuate treble frequencies much more than low frequencies. As a result, while using the cheap plugs, your ears fatigue as your brain struggles to get a more balanced response from what you are hearing. This leads to frustration/dissatisfaction with sound quality and the next thing you know one or both plugs have been pulled out! Not a good thing.
Professional, passive earplugs (available from an audiologist) provide a far more balanced frequency response, better fit, and more appropriate level of db protection. This results in an exponentially better chance of your plugs staying in your ears! (Which is the whole idea!)
Expect to pay between $200 to $300 for custom-fit plugs and an ear exam (to see how much or little damage you're already done).
In the meantime- use something! It's not worth the damage!!!! I know, I had a persistent & almost debilitating rumble in one of my ears for a year. I'm lucky that after about a year of disciplined professional-plug use, my life is back to normal.
Independent graph showing different freq response curves. Notice how the foamies roll off significantly above 2k. The Etymotic ER-15's give the flattest response & at -15db are most popular with musicians:
Link Removed
That said, the inexpensive foam plugs that are most common more often than not end up getting pulled out at some point during performance/rehearsals. The problem is that cheap earplugs attenuate treble frequencies much more than low frequencies. As a result, while using the cheap plugs, your ears fatigue as your brain struggles to get a more balanced response from what you are hearing. This leads to frustration/dissatisfaction with sound quality and the next thing you know one or both plugs have been pulled out! Not a good thing.
Professional, passive earplugs (available from an audiologist) provide a far more balanced frequency response, better fit, and more appropriate level of db protection. This results in an exponentially better chance of your plugs staying in your ears! (Which is the whole idea!)
Expect to pay between $200 to $300 for custom-fit plugs and an ear exam (to see how much or little damage you're already done).
In the meantime- use something! It's not worth the damage!!!! I know, I had a persistent & almost debilitating rumble in one of my ears for a year. I'm lucky that after about a year of disciplined professional-plug use, my life is back to normal.
Independent graph showing different freq response curves. Notice how the foamies roll off significantly above 2k. The Etymotic ER-15's give the flattest response & at -15db are most popular with musicians:
Link Removed
I use these.
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
They're great. They reduce sound across all frequencies so you get natural sound just quieter. It's not like most earplugs where everything is just muffled. I use them for all the concerts I go to and hear everything clearly.
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
They're great. They reduce sound across all frequencies so you get natural sound just quieter. It's not like most earplugs where everything is just muffled. I use them for all the concerts I go to and hear everything clearly.
scotch
It's not rocket science!
- Nov 12, 2006
- 6,944
- 2,083
- 51
- Disclosures
- Please see Profile for Endorsement disclosures
Those Ety-plugs ARE far better than foam plugs! Plus,the triple flanges stay put even under "head-banging" type shenanigans! Not as even sounding as the er-series, but still a worthwhile improvement over foamies.
I have the ER-20 plugs as well - every practice, every live I do and also every concert I go to.
As for custom molded earplugs, its not even possible to have them in my country. Also, I am sure they have a flatter freq response, but I doubt they are that much better for my ears.
As for custom molded earplugs, its not even possible to have them in my country. Also, I am sure they have a flatter freq response, but I doubt they are that much better for my ears.
He did specify that it's a metal band. IME, mentioning 'reasonable' to any metalhead is a great way to either get spat on, or witness first-hand the thousand-yard stare.
What I want to know is where that guitarist got a 380-watt amp... until now, I had only ever heard of a 150-watt guitar amp, and I thought that was overkill.
If you don't have a couple hundreds bucks to get a custom ones, then look for good-quality earplugs at gun or sporting goods stores that have at least 26db attenuation. Some foam ear plugs go as high as 32db. But whatever you do, don't get the Hearos hi-fidelity plugs. Yeah, you can hear more high frequencies, but those are the frequencies that you lose first with hearing damage. I would use those plugs in practice (guitarist had a marshall half-stack, drummer was really loud) and my ears would still be ringing afterward. Which, obviously, isn't good.
I'm planning to buy custom-fitted ones soon (as soon as I pay off my rig,) but in the meantime I'm using Hearos rock plugs, which are much better than the hi-fi ones at blocking harmful frequencies. Still not ideal, though, as they change size and shape with temperature fluctuations and oftentimes each plug becomes more fitted to one particular ear or the other.
I'm planning to buy custom-fitted ones soon (as soon as I pay off my rig,) but in the meantime I'm using Hearos rock plugs, which are much better than the hi-fi ones at blocking harmful frequencies. Still not ideal, though, as they change size and shape with temperature fluctuations and oftentimes each plug becomes more fitted to one particular ear or the other.
I payed $75 for my custom fit ear plugs. I got them initially because I work in a industrial setting. When I started playing I was glad to have them. IME the foams provided on the job cut more sound, but but the customs sound all around better, and provide adequit protection.
I got the hearos hi fidelity plugs and i thought they were good, should i look for something else?
I have the Hears hi-fi and I like them. I think they do around 11db of attenuation which is fine for me (I don't even wear them sometimes). Just enough to take the edge off. If your band is ungodly loud, 11db may not be enough.
I also have the hearos hi-fi and feel they do all I need. But my bands aren't very loud
Just keep this in mind: exposure to 80db or more can cause hearing damage over time. Use an spl meter during practice at full volume, get a fix on the db on the A weighting scale, then look up the attenuation data for the hearing plugs you're looking at to make a safe choice. Don't take any chances with your ears.
I use custom made Westone plugs with 25, 15, 9 and solid inserts. Best money I've ever spent. My first set lasted almost 7 years even though they are supposed to last only 3 or 4.
I went to a local Audiologist and had them custom fit. They place a foam block in your ear canal and then squirt in quick set foam which is sent off to make your custom plugs. Then you can pick which decibel cut inserts you want. I use 15 or 9 for playing 25 for going to loud rock shows and the 9 I use when bartending at night. I used the full plugs when I'm using tools and anywhere I just want to cut everything out.
http://www.westone.com/hearing-protection-products/custom-fit-hearing-protection-products-4
I went to a local Audiologist and had them custom fit. They place a foam block in your ear canal and then squirt in quick set foam which is sent off to make your custom plugs. Then you can pick which decibel cut inserts you want. I use 15 or 9 for playing 25 for going to loud rock shows and the 9 I use when bartending at night. I used the full plugs when I'm using tools and anywhere I just want to cut everything out.
http://www.westone.com/hearing-protection-products/custom-fit-hearing-protection-products-4
