This is a great thread and very apt for me.
At 42 and 25 years of playing and gigging, I have bad tinnitus and struggle with conversations in loud environments.
So yesterday I had an appointment with a private audiologist.
I’m waiting for a copy of the report but generally my hearing is ok. However, there is quite a dip in the frequencies that speech is in (can’t remember the numbers).
Hence part of my struggle.
As part of the consultation I’m trying some eye watering expensive hearing aids!
They are amazing but I’m clearly not at the stage where I need to invest.
So I decided to get some proper ear protection for rehearsals, gigging, and going to gigs.
Damage may already be done but I’m going to do what I can from now on.
Never got on with budget plugs (too much muffling) and often didn’t bother with them, even when sat in my pocket.
So definitely put the ACS’s on my list.
Thanks for this great thread, more important than any d*ck swinging gear based content. 😂