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earplugs at gigs
| Message Board > Music Chitchat - General ( Indie, Jazz, World, Electronic etc.) > earplugs at gigs |
| HulaGirl User Info... | Hey What do you guys use for earplugs at gigs? Have you found any that are good that still let you hear the music?. I find when I go to Drum 'n' Bass gigs and even at Bars with live music - the sound is just too loud for me and I get ringing in my ears the next day. Cheers - Tue, 28 Apr 2009 12:17pm | ||
| lonemonk User Info... | The regular squishy-foam ones will do. - Tue, 28 Apr 2009 1:14pm | ||
| Tyler User Info... | or you can get musician's plugs made at that place...called...something...here in victoria clearly I haven't done it and I'm losing my hearing - Tue, 28 Apr 2009 2:13pm | ||
| superslacks User Info... | Absolutely you should wear earplugs, that ringing is irreversible hearing damage! For drum and bass the foam ones are fine and offer very good protection (and they're cheap). If you're interested in more full-range music you might like to get into musician's plugs which are a custom molded plug with a frequency-flat diaphragm. Roughly $200 from Island Hearing - includes a hearing test. No matter what, everyone should protect their hearing. Once it's gone, it'll never come back - Tue, 28 Apr 2009 2:34pm | ||
| Tyler User Info... | I'm kind of banking on becoming a cyborg in 2050 and getting it all back. seriously though, I can't stand the muffling of high frequencies from foam plugs. I might get musician's plugs sometime. sometime. I hear they're easy to lose at super physical shows. - Tue, 28 Apr 2009 4:05pm | ||
| superslacks User Info... | The new ones do have a removable diaphragm, which I guess could get knocked out and lost. I tried siliconing mine in place but it didn't stick. I've since learned to deal with it and find it kinda handy when setting levels to be able to pop them out. You could try cutting the foam plugs in half, we used to do that in the days before molded plugs. Also, from time to time places like L&M get non-custom earplugs in. I tried them once and they were pretty shitty (really directional and uncomfortable) but I could hear more than with foam. - Tue, 28 Apr 2009 5:01pm | ||
| Mr. Hell User Info... | Watch 'It's All Gone Pete Tong' and get motivated to protect your hearing and kick that coke badger right out of your life. - Wed, 29 Apr 2009 4:10pm | ||
| Haden User Info... | You can check at coatcheck or the door at some bars in town and they sometimes have earplugs. I recently got into a conversation about this very thing. Because a bar knowingly is playing music at a level that damages hearing, would it be their responsibility to provide their clientel with ear plugs to protect them against hearing damage? Would they be liable for hearing loss? I just bought my second pair of musician's plugs. Lost the last pair on tour. I have missed them dearly and elated to have replaced them. - Thu, 30 Apr 2009 6:52am | ||
| Sati User Info... | I got a pair made a few years ago that looked like I stuffed purple bubble gum in my ears! A little odd when I wore my hair up. But right before I moved to Austin I ditched them for some reason (probably vanity), and of course saw more live music nightly than I ever had and experienced some worrisome damage. Hospital used to provide earplugs at all their shows. With damn good reason. It didn't even help. And yes, I think all bars should have them available, at least for sale. I keep meaning to get good ones, but I just use the orange foam ones cut in half. I rip them out during my favorite bands though, cuz I don't want to miss anything. - Thu, 30 Apr 2009 11:56am | ||
| superslacks User Info... | Haden - the bar would definitely be responsible (especially for their workers), as would the bands. Of course, the patrons are there voluntarily and aware that there will be ear crushing volumes, so a lawsuit wouldn't be very successful. Most bars make them available if you ask for them, in my experience. Considering they're about 14 cents/pair it just makes sense. As for the vanity factor, think how stupid you'll look with a hearing aid at thirty. . . . I get and give nothing but respect for protecting your hearing. I love it loud, but I also believe you experience music with more than just your ears, so earplugs don't lessen the experience for me in the slightest. I don't know where this idea comes from that you're uncool if you wear hearing protection. The vast majority of professional and semi-pro musicians/ sound techs I know wear them, so you're in good company. - Thu, 30 Apr 2009 2:26pm | ||
| evilkleg User Info... | Try Island hearing. They make a bunch of different types. Type "DB Blockers" into google. You can get different levels of DB protection and best of all they attenuate which means you don't lose the high frequency range that the foamies cut out. They cost me about $120.00 but my work paid for half. Highly recommended. - Thu, 30 Apr 2009 3:36pm Edited: Thu, 30 Apr 2009 3:36pm | ||
| Sati User Info... | Well Jeeeeez, someone remind me never to admit to something as shameful as vanity on here ever again... in fact it was as much that they were restricting and blocked out too much. And I've never thought it was uncool to be caught wearing hearing protection and I don't think anyone I know does either. (Except for Shawn Connor who laughed at me when he caught me pulling them out and asked me if I was 90. I think he's about 80, and grew up with the Fonz.) BUT GRAPE BUBBLE GUM MUSHED INTO MY EARS??? I want clear, or at least grey. I agree with the fact that we experience live music with more than just our ears, but sound is crucial to me, esp. when its my favorite players. Though I would be happy if everyone just turned down. There's an idea. Can anyone recommend a good place in vancouver? - Fri, 1 May 2009 10:33am Edited: Fri, 1 May 2009 10:36am | ||
| superslacks User Info... | I was talking about people in general, so sorry to offend. My main point is to encourage everyone to protect themselves whether they're on stage or off. It sound's like you'd really appreciate the molded musician's plugs - they're comfortable, drop the percieved volume 15dB in all frequencies so the mix is intact, and they're made of clear silicone so they're not too obvious. I often wear mine at gigs with only moderate SPL's and really notice less ear fatigue at the end of the night. The only downside is the cost to replace if they get lost. Some extended health benefits cover the cost though, so look into it. As for Vancouver, I'm sure there's enough info in this thread to hook you up. - Fri, 1 May 2009 1:51pm | ||
| Chopper User Info... | Moldex are pretty good plugs, and come in a shitload of colors/styles. Commercial Solutions 950 Powell Streete #208 Vancouver, BC. V6A 1H9 CA Telephone: (604) 717-4000 Treen Gloves and Safety Products 704 Alexander St. Vancouver, BC. V6A 1E3 CA Telephone: (604) 253-4588 - Fri, 1 May 2009 1:56pm | ||
| trevor corey User Info... | Custom molded db15's from Island Hearing, all the way. I forgot mine when I saw the English Beat and got some foam ones from the bar, they were terrible in comparison. - Fri, 1 May 2009 3:25pm | ||
| Jason Flower User Info... | the most effective and economical are probably the Sonic II earplugs. they have diaphrams in them and are only about $18 at Long&McQuade. the staff themselves don't even know where they are, but they do have them. - Sun, 3 May 2009 11:54am | ||
| Sati User Info... | Thanks for all the info! And no worries superslacks, definitely no offence taken. I really have been taking the matter way too lightly. :( - Tue, 5 May 2009 9:39pm | ||
| sealion User Info... | at the noise festival ron provides industrial squish-foam ones. I use them if I forget the Sonic IIs I bought years ago, the metal diaphram in them closes at 120 decibels. You can also take it out and wash them if they get waxy and they have a keychain case. I liked the sonic IIs cause you could actually mix sound live with them. Clubs are supposed to be inspected for noise levels. Protect your ears, tinntinitis is permanent you don't want to be a metal guitarist in their 40s with ringing ears. - Sun, 17 May 2009 12:35am Edited: Sun, 17 May 2009 12:41am | ||
| sealion User Info... | Mr Hell is that the same badger who DJs for Donnie Darko's furry fiend, er friend? - Sun, 17 May 2009 12:51am | ||
| Aidan Logins User Info... | "Watch 'It's All Gone Pete Tong' and get motivated to protect your hearing and kick that coke badger right out of your life. " HAha! yes. I've tried many different kinds of foam ones and they all sound like crap. I'll hopefully get some nice ones from Island Hearing soon. In the meantime, L&M has some $20 ones made by Vater. They sound good, better than without earplugs. They're reusable and washable and come with a couple different filters and a frequency response chart for both filters... the chart isn't very impressive, but WAY better than foam ones. Seems like the Sonic II's that Jason Flower is talking about are pretty much the same thing, but I haven't tried that brand. - Wed, 20 May 2009 11:26am | ||
| trevor corey User Info... | Check out Billie Joe Armstrong's left ear. What's he got in there? http://theaudioperv.com/2009/05/17/green-day-on-snl-516-videos/ - Wed, 20 May 2009 1:50pm | ||
| Mr. Hell User Info... | They are very similar, but the Pete Tong badger shovels coke into the guy's face...with a shovel. - Wed, 20 May 2009 4:08pm | ||
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