Ear/Hearing Protection On Stage - Experience/Recommendations

[Dan Blaisdell]

I'm hoping some Forum members would be willing to share their experience with the various hearing protection products: foam plugs, Hearos, custom molded, etc. We can get pretty loud on stage. Also during breaks - and especially while packing up - some clubs' sound systems are deafening (an understatement for sure).

I currently use High Fidelity Hearos, but I'm considering ordering some molded 15 dB reduction plugs.

Any input welcomed.

[Jim Bates]

I have used the Sonic Ear Valves (Musician's Friend has them). These allow the full sound to come through so you can hear fine, but they stop the sharp percussive sounds from rim shots, or a lead guitar player's amp next you and alsojust loud music. They can be used on a shooting range, and I use them now a lot when tuning a loud piano in a small room.

I think the last pair I bought was less than $10.

Thanx,
Jim

[Earnest Bovine]

I think ear molds are worth the expense and I wish I had bought them many years earlier.
I have 25dB filters and I would get -50dB if I could find them.

[Bobby Hearn]

I let the wax build up in my ears and that seems to really help. Also when we play a really loud one, I have shooters headphones that I wear. The same ones that I use when I'm sighting in my sniper rifle.

[Sandro Rocco]

I think ear molds are worth the expense and I wish I had bought them many years earlier.
I have 25dB filters and I would get -50dB if I could find them.

These. I wish I had picked these up sooner so I wouldn't have that ultra high Bb ringing in my ears. Worth the cost, very comfortable and does not drops the sounds in deceibels and not in tone.

[Kevin Milner]

I've been using the so called musicians earplugs for a bit but they don't seem to do a whole lot and don't fit me well. I just got moldings for custom fit -15's and am excited for them to arrive!

[Bill Miller]

For those of you using the custom molded plugs with filters, did you see a hearing specialist to have them fit? Or did you buy the ones that come with a kit for doing your own mold impression? I should really have good hearing protection since I'm losing some hearing in my left ear. I'd have to wait forever to see a specialist though.

[Jerry Overstreet]

I'm following this topic closely. Been pretty lucky with my hearing, but lately seems the din is starting to take it's toll.

I'm just beginning to suffer some mild tinnitus, so like EB said, I wish I would've taken more specific precautions earlier.

This current group plays pretty loud and I do have some utility earplugs I can use for now. I'm gonna have to get some more efficient ones soon, so I'll be reading all this input with much interest.

[Kevin Hatton]

Shoot the drummer, or put a tax on his crash cymbal hits.

[Bob Carlucci]

Go to an audiologist, and get fitted with custom plugs, made for your ears.. I have -9 ,-15, and -25 inserts ... Just pop them in and out depending on how loud the situation is... I bought mine AFTER developing severe tinnitus, which is the hardest thing I have ever faced in my life.. My existence has been drasically altered, and I went overnight from being a normal guy to a basket case.. I am not quite as wretched lately, but the loud ringing in my brain never stops, all day all night 24/7 forever... You guys need the very best ear protection you can get.. Please get custom ear molds with the inserts..
Most of you have probably $5 k or so in your steel rig, whats $250 to keep from getting severe tinnitus???.. If I knew what I was going to have to endure for the rest of my life, I would have gone to the audiologist YEARS ago... bob

[Lynn Kasdorf]

I have had tinnitus coincident with a hearing notch at around 4khz. I think the brain compensates for the freqs it is not receiving by creating the ringing. I cannot remember what it was like to not have that constant ringing. I live in the country where it is very quiet...at least on the outside of my head!

I've found that I have to wear plugs on stage in order to play loud enough to satisfy the band leader.

I think some of my loss is from playing with firecrackers and homemade bombs as a kid, as well as miscellaneous banging loud things with hammers while building decks and such.

[Chris Garner]

I agree on going to an audiologist for custom-fit earplugs. The extra expense is well worth it. All earplugs I have ever tried cut out volume and high frequencies. The musician's plugs will attenuate but preserve more high frequencies than the others I have tried. Plus, the kind I have are clear and less noticeable than the big foamy plugs. I try to wear 'em whenever I go to see live music.

[Dan Blaisdell]

Wow! Thank you all for your input on this issue. I wasn't sure it was something other players were dealing with. Your comments about the 4K notch, tinnitus in general, and the performance of the different ear plugs is extremely helpful.

All things considered, I plan to purchase from an audiologist Westone/Etymonic (or similar) molded plugs with a 15 dB and maybe a 25dB filter. They'll be about $190, but that's less than the used Sarno BB I bought here on the Forum. For me this seems to be the best thing to do so I'll be able to hear the PSG until the time I can't lift it - 20 or 30 years I hope.

Jerry, I hope this discussion is beneficial to you too.

As always, the SG Forum members are a wealth of very helpful information. Thank you all again for your responses.

[Jim Pitman]

Not to belittle ear protection...but I thought I'd damaged my ears by playing out all these years when I realized my five brothers (who don't play) have tinitus too. It's genetic.
My father died essentially deaf. It's onl a matter of time for me I suppose.

[Clete Ritta]

I just bought a bag of 200 pair -31db disposable foam plugs for $20 (.10 @)
That ought to last a while!
I hear ya!

Still havent done this DIY earbud idea yet.

Clete

[mike nolan]

You really have to watch this.... and I mean all of the time. I have been careful to wear hearing protection on gigs and rehearsals for years. I had been noticing a bit of ringing developing over the last couple of years. I hadn't really put this together, but, I moved a few years ago and increased my subway commute time from a 5 minute trip to a 25 minute trip. The other day I was fooling around with a dB meter app on my phone in the subway and the level INSIDE the car is a constant 85 dB with 100 dB peaks..... and that is hearing loss territory. So how many other sources of noise are you subjected to that you haven't thought about?

[Jeff Valentine]

I've used a few different brands of musicians earplugs. The best one's I've used are Sensaphonics. They go slightly deeper in the ear providing for a better seal. They're also made out of a softer material that is more comfortable. Using in ear monitors is usually the best way to go. That way you have complete control over what you're hearing, and how much of it gets through. Sensaphonics makes a device called a dB Analyzer. As far as I know they're the only company that manufactures a device that will show you exactly what's coming into your ears, and how long you can listen before your hearing is damaged. For liability reasons they only guarantee it with their own in ear monitors. After using that for a while I realized I had to get accustomed to listening to my in ear mix softer than I thought. Scoring good on your hearing test doesn't mean you're not losing your hearing. Those tests only subject you to frequencies that will hinder your quality of life. That's why you never hear really low frequencies on those tests. I'm a big fan of learning to play with some kind of hearing protection.

-Jeff

[Dan Blaisdell]

Thanks Jeff. There is some really good information on the Sensaphonic site.

[Jeff Valentine]

If you call them try to speak with Tom. He's very generous with his time and more than happy to recommend a product based on your needs.

-Jeff

[Brian J. Doyle]

Lots of good advice here. I had an audiologist test my hearing and fit me for plugs about five years ago. The problem that I have with ear plugs is that no matter how good they are, you will never hear low and high frequencies in the same proportions as you would without the plugs. Cheap plugs cut highs only while good plugs have a more even decibel cut across the frequency range. However, hearing doesn't just result from sound traveling through your ear canal. Even if you totally plugged your ear, you would still hear because the auditory cells in your ear can be vibrated by sound waves passing through your head. Higher frequencies have a harder time passing through your flesh than low frequencies. As a result, even a good set of plugs will make you feel like you are hearing more lows than highs. It's kind of like when a band is playing in another room, you tend to hear more bass and low end and little high end. Once you open the door and walk into the room, you hear the high end. High frequencies are not able to transfer through the walls as well as lows. Bottom line is that I know I should wear my plugs, but I can't stand it because the music sounds too boomy and muddy.

[Clete Ritta]

Thats your choice Brian, but just remember, if you do lose your hearing its usually higher frequencies first. Then everything will sound boomy and muddy all the time, under a maddening dial tone in your head that wont go away called tinnitus.
If you are struck by lightning and survive, then theres a very good chance you will lose your hearing in that instant. Being exposed to prolonged or repeated high volumes and surviving, well, its not a matter of if but when hearing loss occurs. It occurs naturally with age in many folks without exposure. Please practice Safe Listening and protect your hearing!

Clete

[chas smith]

For those of you using the custom molded plugs with filters, did you see a hearing specialist to have them fit?

Yes, and it was well worth it. After 45 years of loud amps and drummers, plus 40 years of welding and machine shops, I'm trying to save what's left. I'm also responsible for deafening a singer with my Evans amp.