EAR PROTECTION

[Plendakor]

Got tired of those 50cents orange-foam earplugs when rehearsing... they cut the frequencies so much. So tonight I stumbled on these "Full Frequency Earplugs" by PlanetWave and I can't wait to use them this week-end. It sells around 20$

I know there are better alternatives (my brother paid something like 200$ after talking to an audiologist and got something specially shaped to his ears)

But yeah.. for 10 times cheaper I think it's cool. Anyone used these ? Do you even protect your ears ?

 

[Empathy]

Those planet waves ones are useless. Foam plugs are my go-to; I don't give a toss about lost frequencies when it means I'm not going to go deaf standing next to a drummer during rehearsal. I use Etymotic ER20's on stage, and they provide much more pleasant attenuation than the PW's.

 

[Plendakor]

I use Etymotic ER20's on stage, and they provide much more pleasant attenuation than the PW's.

Yup, will buy those but couldn't wait for the shipping so I got the PW meanwhile.

But why are they useless ? And why don't you use the ER20s when jamming?

 

[Empathy]

Like I said, the PW's just don't offer as much noise reduction as the ER20's (in my experience).

Flange-tip earplugs aren't nearly as effective as blocking out sound as your standard foam plugs, that's why I only use them on stage where I really can't afford not to hear the other band members as well as I could.

 

[arv_foh]

I tried several designs of those "x-mas tree" style plugs and they all hurt my ears for extended wear (hours) so I ended up getting molded plugs. Well worth the investment if you are going to be wearing them often, IMO.

http://www.westone.com/defendear/in...view=item&id=10:musicians-style-49&Itemid=115

 

[53Crëw]

Lately, I've been using the Hearos foam plugs after discovering them at a local drug store. These seem to work well enough for me.

 

[Ben Johnson]

I tried several designs of those "x-mas tree" style plugs and they all hurt my ears for extended wear (hours) so I ended up getting molded plugs. Well worth the investment if you are going to be wearing them often, IMO.

http://www.westone.com/defendear/in...view=item&id=10:musicians-style-49&Itemid=115

+1

Some of the best $200 I've ever spent.

 

[Trevoire520]

A decent set of moulded plugs is one of the first things ANY musician/aspiring sound engineer should buy. The etymotic style plugs are better than foamies but moulded one's give far superior sound quality.

Spending $200 on earplugs is NOTHING compared to the money that alot of guys on here spend on other things. You only get one set of ears and once they're fucked you'll never hear the difference your expensive preamps and converters make.

 

[-Noodles-]

Spending $200 on earplugs is NOTHING compared to the money that a lot of guys on here spend on other things. You only get one set of ears and once they're fucked you'll never hear the difference your expensive preamps and converters make.

This.
I don't go anywhere without my ACS moulds. I use them on planes, subways, noisy hotel rooms, tour busses, in night clubs, on stage, whilst working, in the studio etc.

I can't imagine not ever having custom moulds now, and I really wouldn't mind paying £100 a year to keep my hearing in the shape it is now.

 

[SethTheGreat]

I've always just wadded up some toilet paper...

 

[Empathy]

I've always just wadded up some toilet paper...

Used, for extra insulation?

 

[-Noodles-]

From the research that I've read, doing that makes like 1dB difference AT BEST.

Surely foam plugs are available from most bars, clubs or venues on the night?

(in the UK it's the law to at least offer them. If they're free or not is another matter but they have to be available)

 

[schwinginbatman]

I used to never wear foam plugs, but I took them to Overkill when they came through, and even though they're just the basic yellow foam, the difference they made was great. The sound guy at the venue isn't really all that great, and once I put them on, it cut out all of the unnecessary highs and I could actually hear shit. Now I wear them at all shows I go to and at practices too. My band's drummer coupled with the POS room he drums in make stuff really loud.

 

[if6was9]

I use er20's and the cheap foam ones. There's no excuse to not wear plugs when the foam ones are in pharmacies for less than 1€

 

[Max Morton]

With our band, we all protect our hearing during rehearsals and on stage. It's so great that people do care about it nowadays. The cheap solution available here is Vater ear plugs, "xmas tree" shaped. They were always OK for me, not boomy, nice detail, but I know people who do suffer when wearing them.
I went further with ear protection and ordered the custom molded isolating in-ear monitors as soon as I found professionals here in Ukraine. Mine are made by Ambient Acoustics (local company). They attenuate down to minus thirty-something dB. As monitors, they sound pretty linear and they also attenuate linear as ear protection, so I can even work as a sound engineer in extra loud environments. Don't even feel them in my ears. Brilliant!
For me as a singer it also means that I can just add a touch of guitars, kick drum and, say, playback into my in-ears during the show, and hear my vocals through my skull, not from the headphones I just turn one knob in my back pocket to control the balance between my un-amplified voice and phonogram. It's safe for hearing, and it's super comfortable.

A personal protection is a must for any contemporary musician, and especially for any sound engineer.

 

[Ashgarth]

I spent 200€ on my elacin er-25 custom earplugs, and it's one of the best purchases I've ever made.

 

[madbutcher]

I have about 3 pairs of the etymotic er20 ones. I like them, but since I bought the music safe classics, I've used them the most.

 

[kev]

I have an old pair of etymotics christmas trees. Tempted to invest in some custom moulds. My big trouble is that I loose a lot of the feeling of playing live from them so I tend to sway them a lot. Maybe the answer is testing some with a slightly lower level of attenuation. Foam ones were absolutely hopeless.

 

[-Noodles-]

I have an old pair of etymotics christmas trees. Tempted to invest in some custom moulds. My big trouble is that I loose a lot of the feeling of playing live from them so I tend to sway them a lot. Maybe the answer is testing some with a slightly lower level of attenuation. Foam ones were absolutely hopeless.

ACS make some that only do 9dB of reduction, with their popular set taking 15/17dB. Foam plugs are usually rated at 35dB - so that's a whole of environmental noise you're getting back into the canal.

Sounds like you need a 17dB set of customs!

 

[kev]

Cheers dude! I see they do them at boots. Do you just go there for the moulds? Is it a there and then thing, or do they take a while to come through? Might go for the 15db ones unless you recommend otherwise for any reason. I'm guessing the etymotic ones I have are between 15 & 20. I cant imagine being able to have a convo with hearing protection in lol.

Edit: just trying to work out the diff between the PRO & ER series - looks like Etymotic actually make the ER for them? From my 5 minutes of research it seems the ER may be the way to go for music.