Ear Plugs

Zangetsu

Need to get some ear protectors, goin deaf again... Any idea what ones are best?

Thanks

-=al=-

for gigs i just use the planet waves ones, they're pretty cheap and disposable and not noticable,

as for jamin i use hearo's jam session ear plugs or those hearing protecter things

Rigsby

I decided to go all out to protect what ever hearing is left after years of listening to loud bands. I got musician's ear plugs. A plastic is poured into your ears and a cast taken for a perfect fit. They then send off the cast to get your plugs made. These are great, expensive yes, ( I paid E200 for mine ), but your hearing is priceless. I used the wax ones but hated them as everything was muffled. With these you hear every instrument clearly but a lot lower. You can get various filter strengths, depending on how much sound you want to let in.

It's amazing how many people spend hundreds of euros on accessories, and neglect the most important one i.e. ear plugs. After all if you damage your hearing all other "accessories" are obsolete. My advice is pay as much as you can afford for your plugs.

Dord

Rigsby wrote: »

I decided to go all out to protect what ever hearing is left after years of listening to loud bands. I got musician's ear plugs. A plastic is poured into your ears and a cast taken for a perfect fit. They then send off the cast to get your plugs made. These are great, expensive yes, ( I paid E200 for mine ), but your hearing is priceless. I used the wax ones but hated them as everything was muffled. With these you hear every instrument clearly but a lot lower. You can get various filter strengths, depending on how much sound you want to let in.

It's amazing how many people spend hundreds of euros on accessories, and neglect the most important one i.e. ear plugs. After all if you damage your hearing all other "accessories" are obsolete. My advice is pay as much as you can afford for your plugs.

Where did you get these?

Rigsby

Dord wrote: »

Where did you get these?

"Advance Hearing" 12 Aston Quay. ( A few doors away from the old "Virgin" record shop ). They take about a month to be ready from the time you are fitted. The guy there will recommend what filter to use depending on your circumstances.


EDIT : Make sure you get the filter that suits you, because you cant inter change filters with the plugs I have. Some plugs let you change filters, but I dont know where you get these.

Dord

Thanks!

raindog.promo

Zangetsu wrote: »

Need to get some ear protectors, goin deaf again... Any idea what ones are best?

Thanks

Going deaf again?

I've fecked my hearing up a fair bit. I did a little research and there is a treatment in development using gene therapy wherey some mammals regrow damaged ear hair follicles (humans don't. once they're buggered, they stay that way) They say it's possible, but will be a long time before it's on the market.

What I wouldn't give to have pristine hearing again. You don't know what you got until it's gone. Having said that, if I got pristine hearing again I'd probably end up destroying it again. But it was a bloody good time doing it.

Check out that scene in "it's all gone pete tong" where he has just lost his hearing. HOrrifying stuff.

gene therapy article:
http://kokonutpundits.blogspot.com/2005/02/gene-therapy-is-first-deafness-cure.html

Eoin Madsen

Dord wrote: »

Where did you get these?

I got mine from Frank Cass and Sons on the Lower Kimmage Road. 200 EUR, with a free hearing test (was a couple of years ago now though). The filters are interchangeable on mine.

Eoin Madsen

raindog.promo wrote: »

I've fecked my hearing up a fair bit. I did a little research and there is a treatment in development using gene therapy wherey some mammals regrow damaged ear hair follicles (humans don't. once they're buggered, they stay that way) They say it's possible, but will be a long time before it's on the market.

Yeah, they'll be able to do it with stem cells sooner or later.

John

Later, definitely not sooner. Stem cells are very much still in the early stages, I reckon it will be in a realm of decades if ever so I'd look at ear plugs and not wait for the miracle cure.

Eoin Madsen

John wrote: »

Later, definitely not sooner. Stem cells are very much still in the early stages, I reckon it will be in a realm of decades if ever so I'd look at ear plugs and not wait for the miracle cure.

No, I recommend the OP trash his hearing and wait for the miracle cure. :pac:

yevveh

Eoin Madsen wrote: »

I got mine from Frank Cass and Sons on the Lower Kimmage Road. 200 EUR, with a free hearing test (was a couple of years ago now though). The filters are interchangeable on mine.

Can vouch for these guys - I got mine 3 or 4 years ago and they're still working great. I swear by them, put them on in the pub and you can actually hear people talking! I have the -15db ones, the -24db might make things too quiet.

Rigsby

yevveh wrote: »

I swear by them, put them on in the pub and you can actually hear people talking!

I always wear mine to gigs (playing or listening). One time the mobile phone belonging to a guy sitting beside me rang during a loud song. Needless to say, he could n't hear it, but I clearly could. That's how good the more expensive ones are.

yevveh

Rigsby wrote: »

I always wear mine to gigs (playing or listening). One time the mobile phone belonging to a guy sitting beside me rang during a loud song. Needless to say, he could n't hear it, but I clearly could. That's how good the more expensive ones are.

Haha, it's true. I can hear what people in the band are saying while we're playing, whereas everyone else needs to shout to hear each other. Great help!
OP, regardless of whether you go to Frank Cass or whatever, get musician's earplugs. It's longterm and as someone wisely said you can't put a price on your hearing