Wearing Earplugs to Rock and Metal Gigs

CMpunked

How exactly do they work?
Obviously they're not foam?

Civilian_Target

I have pretty poor hearing and it wouldn't surprise me if it was a few too many gigs and nights at the Limelight. In the last few years I generally pick up a set of plugs before any concert I think will be loud: particularly Metal or Drum & Bass.

The only problem I really have with plugs is that they tend to fall out in mosh pits.

CMpunked

Had a look in the pavilions Hmv and couldn't see them anywhere so looks like it's not nationwide

grimm2005

CMpunked wrote: »

Had a look in the pavilions Hmv and couldn't see them anywhere so looks like it's not nationwide

Odd, they have them in both city centre branches anyway. they were among all the earphones and accessories

CMpunked

I'll be in Drogheda and possibly navan this week so I'll have a gander in there too out of interest.

Irish Halo

grimm2005 wrote: »

Though I'd dig this thread up to mention that HMV on grafton st. have a pair of own brand high fidelity ER-20 earplugs on sale for €5.99. I don't know anything about them but the description on the back described them as for musicians and concert goers. Didn't see what they looked like either as they were inside a little case inside the box but gonna pick up a pair tomorrow

Will have to see if the UK stores are selling them this cheap, my current pair could do with an update and too lazy to order online.

Motley Crue

Irish Halo wrote: »

Will have to see if the UK stores are selling them this cheap, my current pair could do with an update and too lazy to order online.

I haven't seen them in Newcastle or Sunderland, but to be honest, I've not looked in every HMV in the region

Irish Halo

Motley Crue wrote: »

I haven't seen them in Newcastle or Sunderland, but to be honest, I've not looked in every HMV in the region

Cool, I'm sure the big one on Oxford Circus should have them if anywhere does.

Under A Funeral Moon

I've never worn earplugs to a gig and I always regret it, especially after the smaller gigs. I work in a very loud environment and have to wear earplugs in the workshop. You'd think I'd have the sense to do the same at a gig, but no. I bought a set of the ER20 earplugs in HMV, (they're available in Liffey Valley, by the way) so I'll bring them with me to the next gig I go to. Hopefully the sound will still be decent.

grimm2005

Under A Funeral Moon wrote: »

I bought a set of the ER20 earplugs in HMV, (they're available in Liffey Valley, by the way) so I'll bring them with me to the next gig I go to. Hopefully the sound will still be decent.

Wore these for the first time tonight at the Joe Satriani gig in vicar st. They're really good, I forgot I was wearing them after a while and tbh didn't even think they were working but had no ringing in the ears at all really afterwards (granted, it wasn't the heaviest gig ever but definitly get the thumbs up from me)

CMpunked

grimm2005 wrote: »

Wore these for the first time tonight at the Joe Satriani gig in vicar st. They're really good, I forgot I was wearing them after a while and tbh didn't even think they were working but had no ringing in the ears at all really afterwards (granted, it wasn't the heaviest gig ever but definitly get the thumbs up from me)

Surely satriani's high end guitar would be near ear piercing sound live so maybe this would give more of a ringing afterwards then the usual booming sounds.

calex71

Have to say it's been a long time since I have left a gig with my ears ringing , 90's? These days if it was the case you would be looking at being sued by someone lol. Controls regards noise are very tight these days. In the day though from playing in bands and being used to wearing plugs in the shed, it wasn't a stretch to wear at shows and actually improved the sound.

These days if I had to wear ear plugs at a gig I'd be asking some serious questions.

docdolittle

Never wore earplugs before... never really needed them except for the last machinehead gig... Ears were ringing for 2-3 days after that! :pac: Still have better hearing than most people I know, especially with high pitched noises from monitors and the like.... annoys the hell out of me!

grimm2005

calex71 wrote: »

Have to say it's been a long time since I have left a gig with my ears ringing , 90's? These days if it was the case you would be looking at being sued by someone lol. Controls regards noise are very tight these days. In the day though from playing in bands and being used to wearing plugs in the shed, it wasn't a stretch to wear at shows and actually improved the sound.

These days if I had to wear ear plugs at a gig I'd be asking some serious questions.

I'm the complete opposite, I can't remember the last gig I was at where I came out and my ears wern't ringing (well apart from Satch at the weekend). Every gig I went to over the summer (and i went to about 6), i've had ear ringing in some form straight after and usually for most of the day after (some worse than others, Airbourne in Academy was especially bad). Maybe my ears are more sensitive to noise, i dunno (I do stand very close to the stage at most gigs)

Nathan_10

Would they have them around now in the city centre branches?

Motley Crue

Nathan_10 wrote: »

Would they have them around now in the city centre branches?

I would hope so but personally don't know. Saw a few lads wearing earphones this time last week as well at a gig and taught, hey, this is something that people should do more often - makes sense - protect their hearing.

Nathan_10

Anyone get a pair recently in town ??? er20 ones , cheap like.

mehfesto

ER-20s are great, I use them and a pair of industrial strength noise excluders (headphones) and I'm glad I do! I take photos for magazines, so I'm often down the pit, next to the speakers.

It was this article that convinced me of the importance of aural health:
http://harmlessnoise.entertainment.ie/2011/01/songs-for-the-deaf/

Viva La Gloria

If I was only going to one show then I wouldn't bother. But I went to 6 shows in 7 days during the summer when Less Than Jake came over. After the first two shows the ringing in my ear was fairly bad so I started wearing earplugs at the 4th show....that was a good decision.

Joe_Dull

Enter Shikari last week was a bit too cramped for earplugs... I could feel mine falling out so I made do with tissue. It's actually a fairly good substitute if you don't have proper earplugs handy.

Blackpitts

i do use them as i like to stay in the pit.
No more headaches and no more ears buzzing the day after...and i enjoy the music better.

Motley Crue

Blackpitts wrote: »

i do use them as i like to stay in the pit.
No more headaches and no more ears buzzing the day after...and i enjoy the music better.

True enough, you can hear things a lot better with earplugs some time, even though that statement shouldn't make sense

Joe_Dull

Gave my new ER-20s their first test at Cast of Cheers tonight. Marvellous little things once you get used to them; they really add to the enjoyment of the music by lowering the volume without losing the quality.

Mars Bar

I wear them all the time now as I have bad tinnitus from going to gigs. I use vic firth ones that have filters (like the ones Motley Crue has shown in the previous page) and they take out the really harsh high frequencies, particularly cymbals and guitars. It's also much easier to talk to people and hear what they have to say in loud environments.

Just a thought to those who are too "cool" to wear them. Tinnitus has driven people to suicide, not much fun in that is there?

Just Like Heaven

Joe_Dull wrote: »

Enter Shikari last week was a bit too cramped for earplugs... I could feel mine falling out so I made do with tissue. It's actually a fairly good substitute if you don't have proper earplugs handy.

Saw you!

I don't think i'd bother wearing ears for a gig in the academy or the 02, but for some reason the olympia can be brutal sometimes, and small gigs in clubs headphones are must.

Joe_Dull

fewtinsoffroth wrote: »

Saw you!

Cringe for me, thought I'd gotten away clean!

Jamie Starr

I started wearing ear plugs to gigs as soon as I found out how much better it made things sound- of course, when I told people that, they just laughed, but I find it's true. For some bands it cuts out a lot of over-kill sound-wise.

Also, the ear-ringing thing is very important too, tinnitus runs in my family (I'm quite sure I already have it) and it can't be treated, like a lot of hearing damage, so why risk it when there's a very real chance you could mess up your hearing for life?


What? Did you say something?

padi89

Wouldn't be without earplugs nowadays. I experienced the onset of tinnitus and while my case was mild it was horrible. I don't think some posters here realize just how much it can affect you.

Irish Halo

Nathan_10 wrote: »

Would they have them around now in the city centre branches?

Just a bump to say I saw the HMV branded ER20s in HMV Grafton street for €3.99 a few days ago, they are down the back right hand corner on the ground floor with the headphones. That is a great price to give them a go and see the difference they make at a gig, less than the cost of a pint.

Motley Crue

I'll be wearing these to the Black Dahlia Murder in about 2 week's time I think