Hearing Loss and Ear Plugs

[Winoman]

You really have it sorted with that set up. Ear protection on steroids.

Yeah, I need it because I have ~25% hearing loss in my right ear, and ~40% in my left. (For several years in the 70s, I had my Acoustic 371 in my left ear, and the drummers cymbals in my right. There used to be a decal on the Acoustic cabinet warning not to stand within 10' of the cabinet, while playing. Unfortunately, I rarely played any place with a stage large enough to get away from it! I'm paying for the mistakes of my youth, now.

 

[leroy diamond]

Yeah, I need it because I have ~25% hearing loss in my right ear, and ~40% in my left. (For several years in the 70s, I had my Acoustic 371 in my left ear, and the drummers cymbals in my right. There used to be a decal on the Acoustic cabinet warning not to stand within 10' of the cabinet, while playing. Unfortunately, I rarely played any place with a stage large enough to get away from it! I'm paying for the mistakes of my youth, now.

I know the story. I have tinnitus and loss of hearing at high frequencies from decades of gigging at high volumes. Thankfully high quality custom plugs have kept me in the game. I had been using Etymotics for several years, thinking they were protecting my hearing. With the onset of tinnitus, I showed then to my Audiologist and on examining them, he laughed loudly and threw them in the thrash bin.
All the guys in my band now use custom plugs. I pretty much insisted on it, as I had a really hard time with tinnitus and would not wish it on my worst enemy.
Us musicians have little difficulty pulling the trigger on the best gear we can afford, but for whatever reason, can be hesitant about top quality ear protection. Many don't bother, others reckon $20 generics are good enough (up to several years ago I sat firmly in this group) and ime only the minority go the custom route.
My Audiologist reckoned that 99% of his customers attend AFTER the damage is done. Us humans are a funny lot. Most are sure to use a quality stand to perch their treasured bass on, rather than leaving it lying against the amp and at risk of falling, but could not give a damn about protecting their hearing.

 

[jswigal]

Thanks for this review. I've been using the $10 Hearos that you can buy at any GC for awhile. They do the job, but I always spend the first two songs of any show fidgeting with them to get the sound just right. Once I find the right positioning it's all pretty good but I never really forget they're in there, you know? I'd like to not be thinking about that slight discomfort in my ear when I'm trying to focus on the music. Think I might give the Earasers a try and see if that design is more comfortable. Don't really have the cash for customs right now. Besides, I know I'd just lose em eventually anyway...

I'm glad my review was helpful! I'm still using them, and now I've grown so accustomed to them that I have trouble playing without them. They really clean up all the "noise" that you don't even realize is there.

 

[R&B]

TB brothers and sisters, I have yet to read all 39 (!!) pages of this thread, but I will tell you that you all motivated me to get an audiogram today. All within normal limits, thankfully. Right ear has about 10 dB dip at 4 kHz.

Earplugs for me! Currently have Etymotic ER-20s (IIRC) purchased on Amazon, and will be looking into the custom-fit version soon. Thanks for all the info--and take care of your hearing!!

 

[buldog5151bass]

Those are similar to what I have - unless you have a large noggin, the smaller size seems to be the better fit from what I have read.

Fortunately, the musicians I play with are pretty reasonable regarding volume (for most gigs I get by on stage with just one 15 or 2x10), but I always have them in my bass case.

 

[Jimi G]

yep, after years & years, I went and got tested by an audiologist. after learning I had the typical musician's hearing loss, I got fitted for in ear monitors. 25 db of cut, and it's a big difference. My ears aren't as fried at the end of a gig. and my band practices with IEM, and electronic drums, so there's really no chance of damage. Highly recommended.

 

[wallawallabob]

Luckily for me I have been deaf in my left ear most if not all of my life (I can't remember if I could ever hear with that ear). Because of this, I have been very protective of my right ear. When I saw Alice Coooper at the Denver coloseum back in the '70's - to this day one of the loudest concerts I have ever experienced - I had a finger stuck in my right ear pretty much the whole time. I wear protection when I mow the yard, run a chainsaw, ride a motorcycle, and I always have the plugs handy when we go out to listen to music. That said - you won't need them when you listen to my trio as we play at slightly above conversational volume. Our fans love it, and the people who are working the venue absolutely adore us!

I do wear musicians' plugs when I play with others who seem to think really loud is good. They cut across the spectrum- especially the high frequencies which do the most damage.

 

[RAMUSIC]

I've been using the Planet Waves Pacato ear plugs. Rated for 19dB reduction. I don't feel any need to go custom with how well they fit, very comfortable and they do a good job. They do reveal how terrible the mix is at a certain outside amphitheater though xD.

I was pretty moronic as a teenager, turning up half stacks all the way in small basement rooms and blaring them... but luckily any hearing loss was minimal. I may have lost some in the really high frequencies, but I can make extremely effective mixing decisions. I spend most of my time doing home recording these days anyways. But when I'm jamming loudly, hearing protection it is!

 

[Floyd S Marsee Jr]

Glad I found this thread!! because I have really never thought about hearing protection, until last night. we have a very Heavy handed drummer. We were Doing a gig on a cramped up stage. I was right up next to the drummer on one side, and the pa mains on the other. Today my left ear still hurts!!!. Where do you find Quality ear protection that doesn't muddy everything up? I know this has been talked about in this thread, but I haven't read all 39 pages of it. Any and all help is appreciated. Thanks in advance!!

 

[RoadRanger]

RTFT

 

[R&B]

Glad I found this thread!! because I have really never thought about hearing protection, until last night. we have a very Heavy handed drummer. We were Doing a gig on a cramped up stage. I was right up next to the drummer on one side, and the pa mains on the other. Today my left ear still hurts!!!. Where do you find Quality ear protection that doesn't muddy everything up? I know this has been talked about in this thread, but I haven't read all 39 pages of it. Any and all help is appreciated. Thanks in advance!!

I bought some inexpensive Etymotics earplugs on Amazon. They're not bad.

According to the audiologist who did my hearing test, Etymotics also makes custom-molded protectors with specific amounts of attenuation. I plan to get some.

 

[leroy diamond]

Glad I found this thread!! because I have really never thought about hearing protection, until last night. we have a very Heavy handed drummer. We were Doing a gig on a cramped up stage. I was right up next to the drummer on one side, and the pa mains on the other. Today my left ear still hurts!!!. Where do you find Quality ear protection that doesn't muddy everything up? I know this has been talked about in this thread, but I haven't read all 39 pages of it. Any and all help is appreciated. Thanks in advance!!

If your serious custom fit plugs (ACS are the ones for me). If you want to play around with hearing protection then try the variety of $20 generics. I did and they helped to screw up my hearing. Sure generics gave the impression that they were doing the job, but I found out the hard way that in my case they were useless. To each their own

 

[Ewo]

I've been very happy with a set of ACS PRO17 custom plugs. I put them in before the sound check, and leave them in for the whole gig. The attenuation is flat, so everything sounds natural; the top end isn't muffled, IOW.

 

[leroy diamond]

I've been very happy with a set of ACS PRO17 custom plugs. I put them in before the sound check, and leave them in for the whole gig. The attenuation is flat, so everything sounds natural; the top end isn't muffled, IOW.

Yep this is what you get with ACS custom plugs. Along with having excellent protection, you also have the pleasure of being able to hear everything properly, which is pretty crucial in terms of delivering a good performance and therefore making the whole thing so enjoyable. Its a win win

 

[Floyd S Marsee Jr]

Thanks Guys!!! I really am going to get some kind, before the next Gig!!! That is Thursday night, so It might be something cheap for Thursday. I can't handle it, anymore!!!

 

[eddododo]

I've been using the Planet Waves Pacato ear plugs. Rated for 19dB reduction. I don't feel any need to go custom with how well they fit, very comfortable and they do a good job. They do reveal how terrible the mix is at a certain outside amphitheater though xD.

I was pretty moronic as a teenager, turning up half stacks all the way in small basement rooms and blaring them... but luckily any hearing loss was minimal. I may have lost some in the really high frequencies, but I can make extremely effective mixing decisions. I spend most of my time doing home recording these days anyways. But when I'm jamming loudly, hearing protection it is!

+1

 

[jazzyvee]

Yep this is what you get with ACS custom plugs. Along with having excellent protection, you also have the pleasure of being able to hear everything properly, which is pretty crucial in terms of delivering a good performance and therefore making the whole thing so enjoyable. Its a win win

I have these as well and they are great. I do find a couple of area's where they are less effective. Firstly some of the songs I do require slap & popping and with these on the pitch of the slapped/popped note sounds slightly flat. I also play guitar with a Jazz big band with about 18 horn players and the plugs do not seem to be very effective in this situation. I am looking into getting a stronger filter for those gigs.

 

[leroy diamond]

I bought some inexpensive Etymotics earplugs on Amazon. They're not bad.

According to the audiologist who did my hearing test, Etymotics also makes custom-molded protectors with specific amounts of attenuation. I plan to get some.

Yea and your Audiologists told you this for a reason. IME Audiologists just don't trust the cheap and cheerful products on the market to do a professional job, i.e. provide proper hearing protection. This is with good reason, as no two ear canals are the same shape so as one coat will not fit all, generic plugs are hit and miss IMO at the best of times. What worries me about generics is that they can give the user the impression that they are doing the job, but may well not be and the user inadvertently is still posing risks to his/her hearing without being aware of it.
When I went down the custom route, it was a eureka moment and really showed up the cheap and cheerful stuff for what it is.

 

[Ewo]

Firstly some of the songs I do require slap & popping and with these on the pitch of the slapped/popped note sounds slightly flat.

That's interesting...but I can't say I've noticed it, myself. Do a fair amount of slap in the course of a typical gig, too.

 

[RoadRanger]

I have these as well and they are great. I do find a couple of area's where they are less effective. Firstly some of the songs I do require slap & popping and with these on the pitch of the slapped/popped note sounds slightly flat.

Could be that you are now actually hearing what it really sounds like when your ears aren't being overloaded . Another thing is if your ears are already damaged the lower volume is going to sound weird even if flat since your ears no longer are. This usually leads to the vicious cycle of turning up until it sound good again, then having to turn up more the next time as you further damage your ears. Pretty soon you're just another stoopid-loud deaf musician nobody wants to play with or hear :/