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Noise reducing earplugs: protection from the volume war?

C

Crater

Oct 12, 2011
2,520
2,152
Dallas, TX area
#1
I'm on the verge of quitting the band I'm in. I play guitar in this band, I'm a second banana/sideman. We're all 50+ years old, and the band is definitely a 'hobby band' - so no money will be left on the table if I choose to leave. And my bandmates are super nice people, no problems there either.

But there IS a volume war. Guitarist #1 has a known, diagnosed hearing loss. Drummer plays LOUD. The 'singer' (we're supposedly a punk band) screams and yells in the mic, and the PA is set to be loud enough but just short of feeding back. I'm sick of having my ears rings for hours after practice, and I've been noticing the beginnings of tinnitus lately.

Anyone have experience using "Hearos" or another brand of noise-reducing earplugs? I'm anticipating a loss of clarity, especially the ability to hear my own playing clearly, but I think I can adapt since I'm primarily the rhythm guitarist.
 
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#2
Are you second banana in this band?

banana-splits-06252015.jpg


Seriously, though; are traditional three barb earplugs or expandable foam plugs not cutting it? I mean, for me, those knock down enough noise that if I'm using an air chisel, it's louder with my mouth open.
 
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#6
Crater said:
Anyone have experience using "Hearos" or another brand of noise-reducing earplugs?
Click to expand...
Yes, they work fine; they're what I use for power equipment (e.g. lawn mowers, chain saws...) around the house - usually under 29 dB NRR ear muffs...
For music, I prefer Alpines, which offer broad-spectrum (i.e. no loss in clarity) sound reduction. A little more expensive at about $20 but they're reusable and last me about a year. I literally never leave the house without them. As a musician and sound guy, I'm exposed to elevated sound levels with some regularity, and my hearing is my business...
 
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#7
I use Vaters, which my son, a drummer, recommended....I don't use them as often as I should, and I dislike it, but they do the job pretty well....unless the drummer is a basher, in which case the snare can still be painful.
I hope you'll take some action--sooner rather than later: I'm 64 and I've been wearing hearing aids since the age of 50--at which time I noticed that I could no longer understand conversations...it's sufficiently bad that even WITH the hearing aids it can be tough!
 
#8
Crater said:
I'm on the verge of quitting the band I'm in. I play guitar in this band, I'm a second banana/sideman. We're all 50+ years old, and the band is definitely a 'hobby band' - so no money will be left on the table if I choose to leave. And my bandmates are super nice people, no problems there either.

But there IS a volume war. Guitarist #1 has a known, diagnosed hearing loss. Drummer plays LOUD. The 'singer' (we're supposedly a punk band) screams and yells in the mic, and the PA is set to be loud enough but just short of feeding back. I'm sick of having my ears rings for hours after practice, and I've been noticing the beginnings of tinnitus lately.

Anyone have experience using "Hearos" or another brand of noise-reducing earplugs? I'm anticipating a loss of clarity, especially the ability to hear my own playing clearly, but I think I can adapt since I'm primarily the rhythm guitarist.
Click to expand...
Invalid Link Removed

i've tried many different things. this is the best option i've found

unfortunately, found a little too late
 
#11
hamiltonb said:
I use "earasers"

They cut the volume but you can still hear the music, I've got tinnitus myself and just trying to stop it from getting worse.
Click to expand...

Second on the Earasers. They're light weight, easily cleaned, and cut down on a lot of noise. I used to get dizziness when we rehearsed in our small room, even with drug store earplugs, but the Earasers fixed that. Of course, it helps to LOWER THE VOLUME when you're in a small room, but you know guitarists.

I read about these recently, and might try them out: Vibes High Fidelity Ear Plugs

Of course, any hearing protection is better than none. Event the drug store ones did a decent job.
 
#12
Ive been using ACS filtered earplugs for years [This invalid link has been removed]. I use 15's for live music (when I'm not using IEMS). I use 26's for work (I work around running jet engines). ACS's filters offer the most even level of attenuation I've seen. So you dont get the muffled highs like you do with foamies. Plus, since they're filtered, you dont get the occlusion effect either. Any filtered ear plug will run you about the same amount of scratch as what ACS is charging. Ohh, you need to add about $50 for a set of ear impressions as well. But let me tell you, these have been one of the best investments of any musical purchase I've made. They make playing in environments like yours, tolerable. You can't put a price in hearing damage. Best of luck!

OHH - side note. I use these on airplane trips, mowing, concerts, loud bars (when Im not playing). You will get more mileage out these plugs then just practice if you buy a set.
 
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#13
For the last 25 years , I have never( well...VERY rarely I have) rehearsed, gigged or gone to a concert( sometimes even to acoustic ones)without earplugs.
I am not planning to start doing so either.
I had mine custom made(elacin hearing protection is what they are called) and am really quite happy with them.
 
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#14
I must be a dinosaur so I'll say North Sonic Ear Valves, I've had 2 sets since the 70's and they still work great
so I would assume newer versions would be even better, and most likely more comfortable.

And you'd be surprised how much better concerts will sound wearing them as a listener.
That said just use whatever you can, unless you don't enjoy your hearing.
Dirk
 
#16
Earplugs are cheap, just go to the drugstore, pick up a few different kinds, and see which you like best. Try the musician's earplugs too, but don't wait and let the perfect be the enemy of the good. You need earplugs now.

I actually think you'll find you hear better, even without using anything fancy.
 
#17
Crater said:
I'm on the verge of quitting the band I'm in. I play guitar in this band, I'm a second banana/sideman. We're all 50+ years old, and the band is definitely a 'hobby band' - so no money will be left on the table if I choose to leave. And my bandmates are super nice people, no problems there either.

But there IS a volume war. Guitarist #1 has a known, diagnosed hearing loss. Drummer plays LOUD. The 'singer' (we're supposedly a punk band) screams and yells in the mic, and the PA is set to be loud enough but just short of feeding back. I'm sick of having my ears rings for hours after practice, and I've been noticing the beginnings of tinnitus lately.

Anyone have experience using "Hearos" or another brand of noise-reducing earplugs? I'm anticipating a loss of clarity, especially the ability to hear my own playing clearly, but I think I can adapt since I'm primarily the rhythm guitarist.
Click to expand...

Yes I use Hearos and Etymotic plugs which are essentially the same--these:
Etymotic Research ETY-Plugs High Fidelity Earplugs - Standard Fit

Every rehearsal and gig--unless I'm using in-ear monitors! Protect your hearing!
 
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#19
YES for the love of the God of Hearing, get some earplugs. That minor tinnitus you are experiencing now has a good chance of being permanent, and can potentially get a LOT worse the next time there is a feedback burst and you are standing in just the wrong spot at the wrongtime.

You will have a high frequency loss with drug store earplugs. You will adapt. The music will still sound quite loud, even with the -25 or so db of the earplugs.

I really recommend the flanged type, ever since I once had a standard cylinder type earplug go in past the point of "no return", and had to dig it out of my ear with a needle nose plier. Not a pleasant moment, but no harm done.

I rarely leave home without earplugs. They are the only way I can sleep at festivals, and are a godsend at concerts.
 
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#20
Crater said:
I'm on the verge of quitting the band I'm in. I play guitar in this band, I'm a second banana/sideman. We're all 50+ years old, and the band is definitely a 'hobby band' - so no money will be left on the table if I choose to leave. And my bandmates are super nice people, no problems there either.

But there IS a volume war. Guitarist #1 has a known, diagnosed hearing loss. Drummer plays LOUD. The 'singer' (we're supposedly a punk band) screams and yells in the mic, and the PA is set to be loud enough but just short of feeding back. I'm sick of having my ears rings for hours after practice, and I've been noticing the beginnings of tinnitus lately.

Anyone have experience using "Hearos" or another brand of noise-reducing earplugs? I'm anticipating a loss of clarity, especially the ability to hear my own playing clearly, but I think I can adapt since I'm primarily the rhythm guitarist.
Click to expand...

I have been using ER15 with custom molds for over 20 years. The sound is not full range or flat response. My perception is the highs are rolled off, there's a boost in the low mids, and the sound is more compressed. The boost in the low mids from occlusion effect. I have had several custom molds and the results have been consistent. I have tried to use a couple of off the shelf solutions, but my ear canals are a bit odd so they didn't fit.

Using ER15s definitely degrades the sound, but IMHO it's worth it. I also wear hearing protection when I go to loud clubs and bars as a patron, ride motorcycles, mow the lawn, do carpentry, grind coffee beans, etc.
 

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