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Hearing Loss and Ear Plugs

#502
Hi!

I'm coming to the realisation that I'll need earplugs, the guitarist with one group already uses them and the drummer from another uses them too. I should really join the club.

Anyone here have any experience with either Alpine MusicSafe Earplugs or Elacin ER20's? Both are what similar in price. The first look a little nicer and come with 15db and 20db attenuators. The second set attenuate 20db. The local drum shop sell a fairly cheap pair that attenuate either 2db or 9db.

I can't find anything on these plugs with the search function and people on this post say 15db is fine. Here are some links and I'd appreciate peoples comments before I order.

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
 
#503
I have custom ear plugs with all the attenuators ie 9, 15 and 25 db.

I find the 9 ideal for practice in my room, and small jams with guitarists etc. 15 is ideal for band practice and most gigs, whilst I keep the 25 for especially loud / long gigs.

The longer you are exposed to loud noise, the bigger the attenuator should be. The audiologist showed me a chart explaining the relation between noise and exposure. I'm sure you could PM some of the audiologists in the thread about it.

Anyway... for these reasons I would suggest you go with the plugs with 15 and 20 db attenuators. I find the 25 db far too powerful for most situations, so if you were stuck with one choice at 20 db, you might take them out because you can't hear well.
 
#504
I bought some ear plugs a few weeks ago but left them home one time. My band has a screamer, and he did a very high-pitched inward which must have been close to around the highest or second highest octave of a keyboard. He was amplified and had the treble up, and it was loud. Since then I have a ringing in my left ear any time I speak, but it aint bad and I rarely hear it.

The thing is I have been using ear plugs, putting them in right, but they fall out. At my gig yesterday they kept falling out ( fell out in the middle of every single song ).

What do you all suggest I do about this?

ty
 
#505
heh i went to a rob zombie concert.. found a nice spot front right.. and where i was just so happened to be infront of John 5's speaker setup.. oops.. this setup was massive.. we are talking huge here.. and me. forgetting anytype of ear plugs... damn.. that was a rough night... it sounded like my head was in a fish bowl for weeks..
 
#506
stz said:
Hi!

I'm coming to the realisation that I'll need earplugs, the guitarist with one group already uses them and the drummer from another uses them too. I should really join the club.

Anyone here have any experience with either Alpine MusicSafe Earplugs or Elacin ER20's? Both are what similar in price. The first look a little nicer and come with 15db and 20db attenuators. The second set attenuate 20db. The local drum shop sell a fairly cheap pair that attenuate either 2db or 9db.

I can't find anything on these plugs with the search function and people on this post say 15db is fine. Here are some links and I'd appreciate peoples comments before I order.

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
Click to expand...
I use the ER-20s, they are good, it says in the packaging that its closer to 15dB cut, instead of 20dB (IIRD).

Either way, ive had nothing but positive things to say about em, now i leave band practice fine, but the other guys have thier ears ringing away :)
 
#507
SOA_bassist said:
I bought some ear plugs a few weeks ago but left them home one time. My band has a screamer, and he did a very high-pitched inward which must have been close to around the highest or second highest octave of a keyboard. He was amplified and had the treble up, and it was loud. Since then I have a ringing in my left ear any time I speak, but it aint bad and I rarely hear it.

The thing is I have been using ear plugs, putting them in right, but they fall out. At my gig yesterday they kept falling out ( fell out in the middle of every single song ).

What do you all suggest I do about this?

ty
Click to expand...

Get some that fit. Which type are you using? Try the triple-flange ones. If those fall out as well, go for the custom molds... those conform to the actual shape of your canal and won't come out unless you want them to.
 
#508
SOA_bassist said:
I bought some ear plugs a few weeks ago but left them home one time. My band has a screamer, and he did a very high-pitched inward which must have been close to around the highest or second highest octave of a keyboard. He was amplified and had the treble up, and it was loud. Since then I have a ringing in my left ear any time I speak, but it aint bad and I rarely hear it.

The thing is I have been using ear plugs, putting them in right, but they fall out. At my gig yesterday they kept falling out ( fell out in the middle of every single song ).

What do you all suggest I do about this?

ty
Click to expand...


Ty-

I can only go from my own experience, but I can tell you that
I tried the foam plugs (terrible), and the singer in my band tried
the triple flanged plugs (also not good), then I got custom

molds made (best results). I had to get a different set of filters
because the first set (15db cut) was too much, but now that
I've got the 9db cut everything is clear just quieter.

I have the added bonus of being able to switch out the filters
and use the 15db for attending loud concerts and such.

With the custom molds you never have to worry about them
falling out, they're custom. They fit, perfectly.
I know they're more expensive, but what price can you put
on your hearing?

Just my 2 cents worth.

Good luck.
 
#509
After trying out foam plugs and hating them I went to Aveda hearing center and got custom ER-15s made. They cost $140 and came within 10 days.

Verdict: I hear everything, crystal clear, just not as loud. Money very well spent.

I got a hearing test done whlie I was at it (free) and to my pleasant surprise I wasn't showing significant loss. I plan to keep it that way.

:)
 
#511
I've been pretty fortunate. Even after years of having worked as a musician and working around aircraft I've managed to keep my hearing intact, it was no accident however. I started using foam earplugs when I started flying prop driven aircraft back in the late '70s. Ever since then I've usually had a set or two of foam plugs nearby and I use them whenever I do something involving a lot of noise.

I wear foam plugs or "mouse ears" when I mow the yard or work around compressed air. I've used more sophisticated earplugs when I played music and I am a great believer in low stage volume. Guitarists tend to like the natural distortion of a cranked up amp but when they buy a 50 or 100 watt amp and crank it into overdrive they are going to bring the entire band volume way up. How much better is it to buy a small amp and mike it? I also will not tolerate an overly loud drummer. If someone wants to pretend they are Keith Moon they can do so out of the range of my hearing. I prefer a stage volume that is low and friendly. Besides protecting your hearing it also helps to prevent fatigue, loud noise is very tiring.
 
#512
Does anyone know where I can get some ER20s in London from a store?
Got some Alpine Music Pros online, but blah, blah, blah, they ended up getting sent back. Doubt I'm gonna be able to get them for this weekend (got gigs on fri, sat and sun with Muse on Sunday, so need to make sure my ears are decent :P), so need to find a place where I can pick up some ER20s or something.

Anybody know any places?

Thanks.
 
#518
Spring for the professionally made plugs - they are a world of difference better than the off the shelf stuff (at least in my book). The audiologist I spoke to called today's youth the "hearing aid generation" mainly because so many people crank up the volume on the iPods and similar devices. In addition to protecting your ears with the band, one should also watch out for headphones.
 
#520
I haven't posted in this thread in a long time but I figured I would offer my testimonial.

I got the ER-20's from a Sam Ash nearby a while ago and they work AWESOME! They fit great and I can hear everything completely coherently - I even wear them live and everything is still tight. Rehearsals are totally comfortable at any volume even with a loud drummer in a small room. These saved me! If you don't have earplugs then you need to get some!
 

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