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Earplugs


Hobbayne
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There's an Earplug sticky [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/533-ear-plugs/"]here[/url] if anyone's interested...

I stopped using them as our band didn't seem that loud, but I now realise that we [i]are [/i]that loud, so started again.
It really doesn't take a lot of volume to damage your hearing.

Edited by discreet
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[quote name='Hobbayne' timestamp='1411918262' post='2563870']
These ones [url="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Proguard-MYO-Mould-custom-earplugs/dp/B006ZLF9EU"]http://www.amazon.co...s/dp/B006ZLF9EU[/url]
[/quote]

The mould-your-own ones look interesting but do they cut out ALL noise? This would be OK for motorsport or shooting, or whatever - but I prefer the ones that allow sound into your ears and attenuates it when it reaches a damaging level - it's useful to be able to hear what everyone's playing and actually have conversations at rehearsal, and so forth...

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[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1411923583' post='2563942']
The mould-your-own ones look interesting but do they cut out ALL noise? This would be OK for motorsport or shooting, or whatever - but I prefer the ones that allow sound into your ears and attenuates it when it reaches a damaging level - it's useful to be able to hear what everyone's playing and actually have conversations at rehearsal, and so forth...
[/quote]

I've a set of these that I don't use any more - dulled the sound too much so there was just mud - started a volume-based arms race in the band which wasn't good. Switched over to ACS ER20S on recommendation of one of the guitarists and they're prefect - I can hear well but have no ringing after rehearsal or gig. the old ones would have prevented me doing backing vox.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0034ZI9AQ

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[quote name='Iain' timestamp='1411924057' post='2563947']
Switched over to ACS ER20S on recommendation of one of the guitarists and they're prefect - I can hear well but have no ringing after rehearsal or gig. the old ones would have prevented me doing backing vox. [url="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0034ZI9AQ"]http://www.amazon.co...duct/B0034ZI9AQ[/url]
[/quote]

Exactly the ones I use. Not as good as the more expensive custom items but are affordable - and more importantly, work very well.

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If you are serious about preserving what hearing you have left then the best and most importantly safest option are custom fit IMO. Yep, I had been using cheap generic ACS ER20S in the belief that I was doing a good job protecting my hearing. However the sudden onset of tinnitus some years ago, brought me to a consultation with an audiologist and when I presented him with my cheap generics, he simply chucked them in the bin.
He explained to me that every ear canal is unique, so generic plugs are not a safe bet.
I then invested in ACS custom fits and have never looked back. They have kept me in the game and are the easily the best equipment investment I have ever made. Regular visits to the audiologists confirm they are protecting whatever hearing I have left.

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[quote name='Hobbayne' timestamp='1411917111' post='2563852']
How many of you use earplugs when rehearsing and gigging? I have noticed my own hearing has been going down the pan recently.
In order to preserve whats left I have bought some mould your own ones that fit your ears precisely.
[/quote]

Would be interested in knowing how you get on with these, I've got the er'20s but they alter the sound too much for me. Let us know if your new plugs attenuate equally across all frequencies please mate.

Les

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[quote name='Les' timestamp='1411931392' post='2564075']
Would be interested in knowing how you get on with these, I've got the er'20s but they alter the sound too much for me. Let us know if your new plugs attenuate equally across all frequencies please mate.

Les
[/quote]

Just thought I would chime in and IMO the ACS custom fits offer a really nice balanced attenuation, which has little in common with the much cheaper generics

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I've become a convert to IEMs, and often wear them not even plugged in because the sound level is so much nicer. What I don't like though is not being able to hear people's voices - when it's noisy, and I don;t have them in, I can hear the guitarist when he shouts at me, but when I have them in, even unplugged, it's more difficult. It's funny to NOT hear my ears whistling after a gig. If I ever have to do a show with wedges and no gizmos in my ears, the whistles afterwards take longer and longer to clear - and I have a couple of very quite permanent ones now.

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[quote name='mrtcat' timestamp='1411920548' post='2563895']
Won't play without them. I have some nice custom molds from acs but my amp bag, guitar cases and car have multiple pairs of cheap disposable ones stashed in in case I forget or misplace my good ones.
[/quote]

This. Many times. I went for the -15db acs custom mould jobbies http://acscustom.com/uk/product/acs-pro-15/ (Boots audiologist can do the mould easily and cheaply enough).

I started with the 25s but they were too occlusive. So it's now loud enough, but no ringing in ears post-gig. It does take a while to attune to them, but it's worth it in the end.

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[quote name='dougal' timestamp='1412076932' post='2565344']


This. Many times. I went for the -15db acs custom mould jobbies http://acscustom.com/uk/product/acs-pro-15/ (Boots audiologist can do the mould easily and cheaply enough).

I started with the 25s but they were too occlusive. So it's now loud enough, but no ringing in ears post-gig. It does take a while to attune to them, but it's worth it in the end.
[/quote]

This. Word-for-word.

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I've been using ACS ER15's since 2007. These ear plugs are worth every penny.

Many of the guys I play with are crazy enough to not be protecting themselves on loud gigs and are showing signs of serious hearing loss.

Edited by chris_b
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ive got a set of the er20's and some of the alpine pro (with the 3 interchangable filters) i've been looking at the cheap mould your own ones and was thinking that they would cut out too much sound, what about drilling them and fitting the filters from my Alpines? would that work?

Matt

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trouble is 99% of musicians don't use them till the damage is done, I've a big hole around 3-4K Hz, as well as tinnitus in one ear, the audiologist reckoned it was the lower frequencies that do the damage :( I use the music safe ones, I've told our younger than me guitarist and singer to wear ear plugs before the damage occurs, do they listen, do they f**k

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[quote name='PaulWarning' timestamp='1412760893' post='2571639']
...the audiologist reckoned it was the lower frequencies that do the damage :(
[/quote]

That's interesting - I always thought it was very loud high frequencies that did for you.

[quote name='PaulWarning' timestamp='1412760893' post='2571639']
...I've told our younger than me guitarist and singer to wear ear plugs before the damage occurs, do they listen, do they f**k
[/quote]

Ah, youth. This was the about the only advice I ever took as a kid thank God, so my hearing's OK. With everything else I ignored everyone, made my own mistakes and regretted them later, as usual...

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