The Steel Guitar Forum

Has anyone had experience with electronic ear plugs?

The Etymotic brand looks interesting, but I'd have to be pretty sure before spending $300.

Thanks for whatever insights you share.

Bob, my audiologist recommended those to me. With live gigging a possibility, I’d be interested In trying them too. They amplify when things are quiet and attenuate when things are too loud. Theoretically, a great solution.

Thanks Jim!

Please buy a set ASAP and road test them for me.

I tried to wear the etymonic earplugs. First the audiologists tried five times to get molds for my ear but never got a really good one. My ear canal was just not normally shaped. The molds they sent in did not go far enough into my ear canal but they thought they might work.

It turns out I just cannot stand to wear earplugs. I tried them and just couldn't wear them. I tried other ear plugs, particularly the Bose noise reduction ear plugs and my ear canal is bothered even after I take them out. I just can't wear ear plugs.

Make sure before you spend a lot of money you do not have that problem.

BTW noise cancelling headphones and earplugs are just fantastic, it is almost unbelievable how well they work, even the cheap ones are quite good now, but the Bose and Sony systems are unreal.

I have a set of electronic set of fitted ear plugs, I got them when I was a police firearms instructor. They amplified sound, They worked great for just one loud sound. But with many loud sounds. 6 or 8 shooters on the line at once, Ouch,

They would shut off with first loud sound, Then come back on to amplifying and would not shut off the next loud sound like 1 second later. They worked great shooting 1 gun by myself, But I could not use them on the range line with multi shooters.

There is some newer ear plugs that you SET The SOUND LIMIT. Just set them, They lower all higher sounds and amplify lower sounds, That may work for music.