Do Earplugs HURT More Than They HELP?
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- Опубліковано 28 вер 2017
- Do earplugs harm more than they help? What is the TRUTH about earplugs? These are great questions, worthy of a good discussion. We all know that we don’t want to damage our hearing, but we also don’t all LOVE wearing earplugs. Often, earplugs can lead to less-than-ideal listening, where we may not be able to pick up on dynamics and nuance in our playing (and in the playing of those around us). The fact is, there are many different types of ear protection on the market, and they all operate differently and sound very different from each other. In today’s video, we talk about the pros and cons of wearing ear protection, then we do a detailed comparison of muffling between the various types. I briefly mention standard foam plugs, but I take an in-depth look at 3M “cans”, Shure in-ears, Etymotic earplugs, and Earaser earplugs. By listening to EQed examples from a song, you can hear exactly how that specific type of ear protection sounds if you were wearing it in front of the speakers. I hope this will clear up any questions or dilemmas regarding earplugs. Happy listening!
Link to Earasers Website:
www.earasers.net/
Wear hearing protection. Even if your only option is "terrible foam" earplugs, it's way better than damaging your ears. Use the super cheap foam plugs and save up for better ones, but never go without!
The foam earplugs are actually a pretty incredible invention imho, but they were clearly not designed with playing/listening to loud concerts in mind, which is the problem
@@maxwell9561 They irritate your ear canal and can also cause infection.
@@maxwell9561foam ones are actually way better in filtering out decibels
Eventho you hear music less clear
You are way safer with them
@@fact-o-pedio4603 Then what am i supposed to do if earplugs give ear infection and no earplugs gives hearing damage???
@@valle4483and they also can push your ear wax closer to your eardrum
In conclution USE EAR PLUGS but try to find the best pair.
Exactly. A good summation 👍
I got good ear plugs at €120, custom molded and all, so it shouldn't be that hard to get good protection. And they last for many years!
SleepSoft is any good?
@@daanwilmer Hi Daan, could you please tell me the brand you bought? Thanks!
Is Mack safe?
Foam earplugs are one of the cheapest, most widely available and highest noise reduction rated (NRR) hearing protection solutions. Kids should never be dissuaded from using foam plugs because they are often the only thing available. Yeah, they're not great.... but musicianship counts for nothing without good hearing. Always wear something people... even balled up toilet paper will do in a pinch. You can also cut foam plugs in half to make them a bit less restrictive...
Not*
Yeah I remember being at gig years ago and chewing up a tram ticket and stuffing it in my ears 👂 The music was so loud the food in the vending machine were rocking back and forth!
My problem with the foam ones is I have smaller ears and they simply are too large for me
Gotta say Eargasm ear protection is amazing. I'm a guitarist and have been waiting for these foerver. Been playing 32 years, and I still have my hearing, thanks to ALWAYS wearing ear protection. Cheers
I have lost a lot of my 3k to 5k range. Do you have a “best” recommendation for those who are losing our high frequencies and want protection while our musical careers are still viable?
Awesome video thanks a bunch for this, keep up the amazing content ❤️❤️
Great explanation. I used to use the foam ear plugs because twenty years ago that was really what was around. I am not a gigging musician and have spent most my working life as a classroom teacher so I guess my hearing is still not to busted, but if I started playing again I would definitely invest in ear plugs.
Stephen thank you for sharing more on this topic. Just a quick question for you, and anyone else reading this message, are you experiencing tinnitus and if so how do you manage it in your professional and personal life? thank you!
I use Etymotic ER-15's with custom ear molds created by an audiologist. The take a little tiny bit getting used to but the sound really is fairly flat. Someone mentioned playing by feel or fretboard, I know what he means, once in a while when everyone in a band is stepping all over each other it feels like that with the Ety's in. I have a new pair of the predecessor of the SE-425's called SCL5 for in ears and like them very much but when practicing drums I tend to play too loud with them and prefer my Sennheiser 280 closed around the ear headphones.
Seems like it's also a good idea to wear some of this to protect your hearing while you listening to music on the gig, especially in front rows.
Should I use this type of protection just normally (without playing music) just to not being deaf? I have an etymotic er-20 and I use them on the train, bus, concerts, etc.
The abuse of them could damage my hearing?
I use one similar to Etymotic. As a young boy I acquired an auditory lesion from exposure to excessive noise and telemarketing work. Today I'm required to use a noise reducer for places with very loud sound. I'm also relearning to play because I was 10 years without my acoustic kit. I'm going to receive a compact next week. Subscribed!
I use Shure SE215 in ears with cans over the top, then have a fully miced kit mixed/eq’d via logic and sent into the in ears. It’s a huge amount of isolation but because I have everything miced up I can really control the sound of the kit and listen/play along to music without causing the sound to be compromised. It’s such good isolation that I don’t have to crank up the volume at all, which can be another issue relating to hearing damage if listening to headphones too loud.
Good video! I think the main point is to ear protection. So many options out there, thru trial & error, find one that works. I have some musician earplugs that have brass inserts, 2 hole size options, work well. Sometimes were them without brass inserts, for softer times.
Thanks for showing how much better the sound quality is with better hearing protection. 👍
I use just regular over ear headphones but slightly set them off the front of my ears and this allows some of the fidelity to get in while dramatically reducing volume.
I have tinnitus permanently for the last 3 years. I play heavy music, i used foam, i used the Alpine pro with 3 kinds of filtering. Foam worked better reducing the overall volume, the Alpine ones were more music oriented, better quality of sound but i still felt my ears exposed. After a two hour rehearsal (didnt ever use them in live performances) my ears were ringing, plus the plugs didnt seal well, especially in sudden head motion. Last couple of years i use some Vic Firth cans. Noise is reduced to a level that wont hurt me during rehearsals, but the sound is too muffled and sound quality is poor, i only hear the lows. I have considered custom molded ones (an option you dont talk about in this video). So, whats your opinion about them? Is it worth spending 200 (euros or dollars) for a pair? How they compare to earasers for example (in case you have tried custom ones)? Thanks
Hey are your tinnitus better now ? I play guitar as well and i am worried if it would affect my playing ?
So would you recommend Erasers with -19dB or -26dB protection for an amateur musician playing in a garage band, who also goes to concerts? Im leaning towards -26dB but i will be gratefull if you can share your opinion. Also medium size looks good for a adult male.
on the earasers website there are 3 dif options for db reduction. what would you reccomend/have?
I have the Etymotics and I get a really good seal. I think the reduction is much more even and closer to the Earasers than was shown here. I don't seem to lose the vocal range, and I do get a reduction in bass as well. Maybe it depends on your ears (mine are pretty small), but with the triple flange design, I would think it is pretty easy to get a good seal with the Etymotics, provided you have the correct size.
Agree 💯
I have mostly used ear plugs that look quite similar to those Etymotic but im not sure if they are specially made for music, however I feel like they protect good and don't muffle to much. And if you want on ears and don't want to look ridiculous like with those big 3m then you could take a couple of Marshall MKII's, they look really good and they also muffle alot, but if you don't have a backing track then I don't recommend having them as they will make you hear less like you said. Great video!
Used once alpine earplugs and after using it instead of hear protecting i've got ear pain and some mushrooms in my ear. Any recommendation ? 😔
I use the earplugs by Alpine (they're similar to the blue ones you showed, but you can choose different filters) for practicing and for loud gigs. Most gigs (usually jazz) I play without earplugs though, so I can hear the rest of the band well.
Also I noticed that my noise cancelling headphones work surprisingly well for playing along with records. (when they're turned off it's boomy just like the "cans", but turned on it sounds quite flat. They do clip if you hit the snare very loudly but it works for me.)
Interesting! I've never heard of Alpine, but I'll look those up. I've also never owned or even used noise cancelling headphones, but I imagine those do work well. That's interesting that they're flatter when turned on.
I wonder if there are noise cancelling headphones that pipe back in a tad of the outside sound, providing an actual "volume-down" version of the environment. Just something I thought about...
Yeah I just bought some of the Alpine pros. Haven't received them yet, but I hope they have a similar response as the Earasers. I sing and play guitar, so those frequencies are crucial.
I know this is late, but noise canceling headphones do NOT reduce decibels, and will damage your hearing. To protect your hearing, you have to reduce decibels.
As a drummer I have tested just about every type of plugs.. from 10$ to 500$.. the best for me are Alpine Pro with the white or sliver filter..drums still sound good..the snare still has some midrange beef and crack.. and I can hear what the band mates say,, I have not tried the Earasers though! I will try them soon!
Quick question. Do you recommened getting ear protection for subwoofers (Car Audio)
Thx I have autism and I don’t want something bulky but noises bother me.
I agree strongly with the top comment here which states: Wear hearing protection even if your only option is "terrible foam" earplugs. I don't like at all how this video says that lower quality forms of protection are bad and even implies that you would be better off with none at all. This is really dangerous info to be putting out into the world. Some ear protection is certainly better than other types but if you are exposing yourself to loud sounds use whatever but use something. Actual in ear monitors can be a solution if used properly but if your inears are running at 115 db or someone doesnt know how to run the system properly and you get blasted with feedback in them they can be just as dangerous as a really loud stage. Always protect the gift... you only get one set of ears.
great comparison! Thanks!
I'm in a different profession but I'm kinda looking for the same thing because I'm a flight attendant and I know my job overtime puts my hearing at jeopardy, the planes are SO loud. I want to start wearing these at work, but not just on the jumpseat, I want to try and do service with them on, so basically wear them the whole time to protect myself. I just don't know which kind of plugs would help best with blocking out the noise of the plane, but still be able to somewhat hear people's voices?
Check out Loop
Is it okay to use the muffs for mowing the lawn and walking in the city?
I use the Etymotic earplugs for swimming.They do pretty good job,so I guess they're multifunctional.
Do the Earasers cut volume as much as the Etymotics do? I have Hearos which sound pretty similar to the Etymotics so they lose a bit too much of the highs. The volume cut is great though.
Without ear plugs, my ears get tired and ring just after a couple of minutes of playing.
Nice video man!!
I use hearos and i am thinking of getting some acs earplugs which get moulded to your ear specifically and you can change the filters depending on what you need as well as the added option of having ones which can be used as in ear monitors as well
Thank you for this video Stephen! I was relieved to see this topic being covered by someone I trust who isn't just adding amazon affiliate links to try and make a buck. Personally I have been using Etymotic for years and they work well, but I also play in a pretty heavy rock band these days and have been wondering if they are sealing off enough of the sound. I'm gonna play around with my Shure In Ears that I use to monitoring on stage and see how they sound during rehearsals. I wouldn't mind actually dampening more of the overall sound when it comes to repetitive weekly rehearsals because at that point I'm beyond the listening and writing phase of the song and we're basically jut working on muscle memory. So I think hearing even less sounds than with the Etymotic would be helpful.
I use DUB Ear Plugs, they allow certain frequencies in (apparently) I also tilt them in my ear in such a way where they stay but allow stuff to come in, but I don't leave a gig with ringing ears.
That's been working for me so far. Anyone else?
If I use my normal earohones will I protect my ears? I catn afford actually earplugs and I dont care about it sounding a little bad. I just want to protect my years in my first concert
i use "dubs" acoustic filters and they give a very clear sound similar to the last pair you tested. i noticed the same thing with my shure monitors and always end up going back to the dubs if i have no monitor mix or audio coming into the shures
Pro tip: get a pair of linear attenuation earplugs and start wearing them a few moments before starting to play or listen to music, so that your ears can get accustomed to the lower levels.
If you are less than 80 years old and practice a few times with them you should be able to hear in a very natural way.
Most of the linear ones go with "piano" somewhere in the name.
And for the best seal you can get some custom ones made for you with the right attenuation for your style of music, although them came out more expensive.
hate linear plugs.. sound perception in your ears are not linear.. thats why loudness was invented. So I use plugs that are non-linear. Way better for me.. and most drummers I know.
This is a good video, but I have to say I'm not crazy about the click-baity title: "Do Earplugs HURT More Than They HELP?" I'd hate for someone to see the title without watching the video and damage their hearing because they assumed the answer is "yes."
I use a hybrid drumkit with my ride, china, cowbell and some Electronic sounds on my right and i'm using headphones that go around the ears that muphels alot, but i can still Do dynamics and i lost my etymotics years ago
I use the Live music earplugs off Amazon. Hypo allergenic - no itch. That is my only complaint they do itch and take some effort getting sealed....once in they stay. They come with two different db level blockage 15 & 25 I believe. The high mids come thru a bit more. ..other than that they are pretty flat in response. I used to wear sonic II long ago...seems like those let a lot in but was really like turning things down 3 notches.Live plugs are between Etymotic and Earasers. I prefer headphones and micing everything but sometimes want to play live acoustic drums with music live from a pa system because I grew up practicing that way. Sometimes I just shove one plug in on the guitarists side of me if it is nailing the highs.
In my experience, the Etymotic plugs have the best seal and frequency response but I could not get the Earasers to seal properly even after trying a couple sizes. I’m starting to think it’s based on the individual but I’m also wondering if I was inserting them wrong or with not enough force. However, the Etymotic plugs seem like they should fit more people more easily due to their concentric and steeply graduated plug design but they also might be more invasive/intrusive as a result. I love how my Etymotic plugs sound but the friction from inserting and removing them too frequently tends to cause pain so I am currently looking into the Etymotic custom-molded Musicians Earplugs.
I just used my cheap noise cancelling cans and jammed with music. Could hear the album and my kit fine. Still, I had to push the album pretty loud to hear over my kit, so that probably wasn't the best option to be safe and also musical.
Here's something I really wanna do but obviously more cash. Get super solid in-ear monitors, mic up the kit, and mix your jam tracks in using a mixer. Overkill, but this way you can hear a more processed sound. Of course this will take a lot of tweaking and experimentation so in short, I'd still get some plugs. Lolol I don't even have a real kit right now, so I'm mostly going on a tangent.
Cheers Steve
Perhaps I am a simpleton but if your drums are miked, then would you not have monitoring? In ear monitors or headphones like Vic Firth's for example? Protect your hearing and be able to hear what you need to play well. Thoughts?
Most of the time the earplugs apply to the situations where you're playing in a smaller venue, or any kind of setting where you only have floor wedges for monitoring. Otherwise I'd take every opportunity to use in-ears if possible. Even if the drums are miked, it doesn't necessarily mean there is in-ear capability for that particular sound system/venue. Generally, the stage has to have an actual "in-ear" system to support the use of the in-ears.
Bad music but good information here. I was skeptical that the Earasers simply didn't provide enough protection to keep your ears safe long term for years of gigging and practice but I did more research and they offer a slightly more protective version of the one he talks about here, which technically got rating of 5 decibels protection from the EPA (while this is true for some frequencies, it offers around 19 dB of protection at the most harmful/damaging frequencies around 2700 Hz). The more protective one has all the same technology and attenuation but simply at a higher overall decibel protection of 23 dB vs. the one here which is 19 dB.
Aww. I was hoping you could review those foam plugs as well since that's what only have and use sometimes.
I just bought the Etymotics ER2O. It is only 13 dB NRR -not 20 as the name suggests. Overall great for conversation in a loud setting or listening to someone else’s mix. People kept telling me to speak up while I thought I was being loud enough during conversation, which I found to be an interesting experience.
While playing however, that is a different story. I could tell lows and highs overbearing on the mids. I actually would notice the E strings on the guitar and would have a hard time hearing open A string. Definetly takes some getting used to. I played for about 2 hours. I also played bass. By the second hour the bass notes of the guitar blended with the bass guitar sound. Couldn’t distinguish them or hear them well. It became a matter of playing by feel of the fretboard rather than by sound.
The most important thing, however, was that at some point the level was pushed up higher on the monitor and I could definitely feel discomfort from the noise up close. I am looking to experiment with this here price point before going to the $300 range.
I like the curve of the erasures but the NRR rating seems lower than that of the etimotics based the video example curve. Any other suggestions? Great sound but not too safe it seems. Do you know of another plug that is rated higher in protection while producing a similar or better frequency attenuation than that of the erasures or ER 20s?
Did you find another good set of earplugs?
After struggling with this for years, I built my own protection/monitors. I could never get comfortable with in-ear protection/monitors, so I use regular 3M ear muffs, the model that gives 30 dB attenuation. I took apart a great set of studio headphones, and put the speaker elements inside the muffs. The way to use it is as follows: Place a microphone in the room, feed it into a small mixer, EQ away the mids and feed it together with the click and song into your headphones. You'll get the normal room sound but at a much lower sound level. Works for drum practice, rehearsals with your band, and studio recordings. Not so well on gigs though, because you'll look like an idiot with the big cans on your head.
I can't overstate the importance of having a clear detailed sound when playing. Loud environment masks problems in your play. You think you are playing better than you do, and you have no way of correcting your mistakes.
It seems like tinnitus, which regrettably I suffer from after years of ignoring this problem, is not primarily a problem of the ear. Rather it is like a feedback loop in the brain, that still persists in people who get completely deaf.
You really sold me on the Earasers.
great work. i use all of these. different tools for situations.
What about battery operated "cans" that have a small mic to let environmental audio in? Most of them also have a line input (that doesn't mute the mic). These are designed for guys on a lawnmower or with a chainsaw who need to hear their phone (line input - I'm sure bluetooth is probably available too) and also be able to hear nearby sounds (like a truck backing up or a tree about to fall on you) or talk to co-workers without screaming or having to take off the cans. They also usually have a volume control for the sound coming through the small mic. With these, you can pipe in the track you're playing to and set that volume at the source, and still hear yourself play through the small mic, setting that volume with the adjustment on the cans.
How do you use put them right in it hurts when I do it I just leave them sticking out a bit
Are Zildjian ear plugs good?
I bought a 12 pack of regular silicone tree style ear plugs, I keep my pair on me at all times and I gave two pair to each of my band mates. They work really well but, I'm the only one who makes sure I have ear plugs at all times so I don't know how well they work for my band mates
God that awful music made this very hard to watch. Something from a nightmare. Torturous amount of repeats.
Should have been wearing your ear protection...
Great video man. I use Etymotic earplugs for practicing exercises, which work extremely well. I have special headphones for playing along to tracks that work very well as well. If you're looking for a future video idea, could you do a video on how long you can go without drumming and still come back and play like you never even took a break? Anyways thanks as always!!!
That is a really interesting idea! It would make an interesting video for sure. Thanks for the suggestion 👍
Glad those etymotics are working great for you. I do keep those in my backpack as my backup pair :)
I use SureFire, they are used to shoot fire arms, use them in concerts and rehearsals; wanna try those etymotic and the earasers , good video man!!
What did you say I had to wear ear plugs to drown out the background music lol
Lol, riigghht
for bass and highs, our ears needs some volume to hear accurately. 3k cut on earplug is what all you need. if it cuts bass and highs as well evenly, you hear nothing on stage. no bells, no bass. therefore i prefer blue plugs.
I use a pair of "Alpine" earplugs. Bought them on Amazon, not expensive, practical and useful.
Good insight. What about headphones for playing along with songs? I typically use Skullcandy because they're noise cancelling, but it can still be hard to find the right balance between the drums and the music.
Assuming you don't have any drum mics, or any way to pipe kit sound into your headphones...yeah that's a tricky issue. The times I've practiced at an acoustic kit without mics involved, I've just used my shure in-ears if I were playing along to a song or click. That works fine and protects hearing fine. It's just not ideal when you want to hear detail in your playing and make sure that you're syncing up with the recording perfectly. On the bright side, this allows you to keep music volumes low so that you CAN still hear the kit and hear as much detail as possible in your playing.
Stephen Clark I do have drum mics and I’m not sure why I didn’t think of using them like that before 😂 thanks
I'm triggered that he called Thom Yorke someone. :D
"Someone" LOL
Thanks bro!!!
Excellent video, very helpful! I use earplugs made by Hearos - they seem to do a pretty good job.
Oh cool. I'll have to check those out. Thanks for watching!
Yeah hearos are awesome. All my school rocks bands use them!!
I have some Hearos as well; they look pretty similar to the etymotics
I use the same in-ears as you on stage and when playing at home (I use an overhead and kick just to tickle into the mix at home) then Flare audio plugs when not playing, even reduction for watching live music, highly recommend
Flare audio plugs...cool I'll look those up.
Yeah I've been happy with my Shure 425s. They may only be dual driver (compared to the insane options out there), but they get the job done.
How have you liked your in-ears?
I upgraded from my 215s, best use I've found is at smaller venues where the sound engineer is struggling with feedback and my monitoring is completely uneffected. Nice when practicing to a click as well
Thanks Stephen for making this review, I liked how you simulated what to expect with EQ :)
I personally use ER20 every day to protect my ears from listening music every day with headphones. I also wear them on every concert I go! hope that helps !
how are they holding up
@@CybertroninfiniteOfficial they hold up very good, I usually buy 2 pairs (to eventually rotate them) and replace them around every 12-18 months.
@@jmun_11 ahhh, do you replace the whole thing or just the eartips?
I think the best way is using heaphone as vicfirth Sh1...I think In-ear as shure..can damage..cause is too close tympanum
I liked the Earasers and if yours don’t fit properly that awesome company will exchange them. Best video of this kind on UA-cam
💥💥What is the DB drop with the Earasers.?? Nice vid. I like my Eargasms.
I have custom made westone earplugs that have filters in them that keep quieter noise in so you can still get the nuance but they filter out loud noises idk how that works but it’s cool
Yeah I know that vocalists often love in-ears like that since it allows them to not just hear their voice in their head. I want to say 1964 makes some that actually have a switch on them controlling whether outside noise comes in. Pretty cool.
I've used Vic Firths, being a drummer. Hearos Hi Fidelity are to me better as they let in a little less noise but more music than the Firths. The Firths make my ears ring, the Hearos don't. That said, both suck if you're singing as they lose theyre seal when opening your jaw to hit certain notes which let's in a burst of sound totally screwing with your pitch. Earos makes the most complete earuv. The seal is never broken. You can heat everything across the bandwidth but without damaging your eard. The bad news is they're 40 bucks. I gig Allot. I'm also 60 years old, so I use the Earos so I can sing and play. On a budget, I personally recommend the Hearos.
I am using my KOSS Pathfinder earplugs and I feel quite OK with them, but still I am thinking about buying Shure 215E monitors just because they are "made for musicians"... I would love to just try them to tell if it is worth to buy them, but there's no palce to visit just to try them, so ...
Jan Šimánek I use the Pathfinders with an ear monitor system. The very nice sounding, and very cheap. So when I step on them and break them I'm only out about 15 bucks. If you're just using them as ear plugs, you be better off with the etymotics or in all likelihood erasers. I have The etymotics for practicing at home and I can hear cymbals very nicely with them where just about every other thing I've ever tried severely muffled them. And hey, they're only about 25 bucks. It's worth noting as well that they make a number of different models. If you want to hear a little more, you might try the hi fi plugs as opposed to the musician plugs.
Hy man just Just got into your channel & gotta say fucking love it respect 2u 4the help & the knowledge You have shared
but my question is Regarding this video I was thinking about purchasing the. iq earbuds
I heard great things about it. They're a bit pricey but it sounds like it can have a great quality of Attraction 4the earsand & still be able to hear ur surroundings. Curious 2what you have to say about the. iq earbuds
Thxs ( ¡! )
Hello. If you want to protect your ears from acoustic impact, I recommend that you use a piece of cotton. Put it in such a way that you have your hearing protected, but at the same time, that it lets you hear. Thank you
I have both of the hifi plugs and don’t see much of a difference in sound quality between either. I especially don’t like the Earasers because they fall out more than the Etymotics. I just ordered a set of Loop hifi plugs for rave reviews, selection of tips and they don’t fall out.
Is there any difference between swimming earplugs and the etymotics-style earplugs....they kinda look the same
Well, at a moment in your life, you don't have any choice. Protect your ears or die from tinnitus. The sooner, the better. I wear silicone molded all the time, and it is not a problem if you are not a classical percussionnist in a string ensemble where there is a lot of dynamics (in this case, I look at the conductor who is aware of my earplugs and guide me). I don't play louder, and I perfectly hear the other musicians.
If you want to mix, there are filters : they reduce the volume and don't change the frequencies. More expensive, and you will have a problem with dynamics. So don't wait. Protect your ears early and you can mix without anything in the ears, but don't forget : not loud and take breaks.
The Etymotics sound way more flat compaerd to cans and original in my experience. That EQ looked and sounded terrible. Having used them at numerous concerts I feel that wasn't a fair representation. Otherwise informative video.
PS: foam plugs are great for sleeping. I find the muffled sound to be very comforting as opposed to a more flat sound when sleeping.
My Etymotics have been great for drumming and band practice when the harsh guitar noises and cymbal wash bounce all around that plastered room. I can still hear MYSELF when singing. Ears never ring after band practice.
At a small indoor venue, I feel they let a tad too much bass through (could have been the room or mix), but they were so much better than foams. And yeah my ears were barely tired by the time I left.
been using the etymotics for a few years. just ordered the earasers after watching the video. thanks for the review.
Awesome! That's basically what I did. Used the Etymotics for a while, then found something I liked even better.
me too.
and how are the earasers, in your opinion.?
Sorry i didn't hear a word you said.... But I never use ear protection
I know you completely discredited cheap foam earplugs .. but .. Idk man .. I got used to them and they don't effect me negatively. maybe I just got used to them. they are the easiest to put in (unless they are soggy with ear sweat) most comfortable .. easiest to pull out (no backwards flanges) .. just my opinion though
Im using "musicians earplugs", but I'm losing my sense of dynamics when I play in my orchestra anyway. When I play with my bandmates I just tell them to turn up their amps, just in case
Nice video! keep it up :)
Thanks, man! Glad you liked it :)
what? lol In the mid 80's i was playing LOUD w/ a guy that had the Steve Vai setup.... 100 watts via 8-12's......bashing for hrs....when I didnt hear the van start or running & restarted ,,,it was time,,,,,.I also wore them in places w/ air nailers & heavy industry......you get used to the discomfort,,,,,it's worth it,,,,30 + yrs later......
Yeah with the last two I can finally hear my shitty cymbals better!
i use
ALPINE MusicSafe Pro, for only 17 euros they are perfect
I just ordered Vic Firth isolation headphones....are they any good??
Yes - they're actually kind of cool. I originally talked about them in this video, but had to edit it out for time's sake. They are very similar to the "cans" I tested. Lots of boominess, and they reduce upper mids a lot. The reason I think they're cool is because they make your toms sound huge while you're playing. They basically "EQ" your kit a little. They'll definitely get the job done for you in protecting your hearing...you'll just loose a lot of upper mids. But they honestly are fun to use :)
They are the 3M cans for twice the price.
Stephen Clark thanks a lot man!
They work really nice at damping the sound, but anything like a metronome or music coming from my phone is very quiet. I'm not sure if it's better coming from a computer
Earplugs hurt only when they work so well that you step in front of the commuter train or bus you failed to hear blaring its warning horn. "Hurt" is not an appropriate verb synonym for "making more muffled or less clear in a way that makes discerning musical subtleties more problematic." Once you lose significant frequencies in your hearing range, and add permanent tinnitus, that more than offsets any supposed gains from inadequate ear protection short term while learning to play.
nice one
I use DUBS they work excellent!
The Kind of ear protection i use is just some Skullcandy earbuds, i just blast music through them while playing but probably not the best for me ears. They have been working fine but it seems contradictory to blast music while trying to use them to protect my ears from my drumset. I have been thinking about over ear headphones but my glasses tend to get squished against my head and make it very uncomfortable.
Joe Fillyfob I used to use cheap headphones as protection whilst blasting songs into them. Trust me proper hearing protection is worth it. I now have tinnitus from listening too loud so I would recommend in ear monitors.
Luke Gallacher Thanks for the suggestion, i'll look into those for sure
I use the little malleable silicone earplugs from the drug store. You can get a good seal with them easily since you can mould them into the shape of your earl canal. I'd be interested to know how effective they actually are.
around 30-35 db cheaper and more effective at db reduction but makes everything sound very muffled and hard to hear.
I putted the earplugs too deep and my ear canal hurtled for like 3 days, meh, just be careful and be sure you're not compressing the wax
Been using earasers for quite a while now and are well worth the expense
So do you mean that standard foam plugs will destroy out hearing overtime. (i am asking beacause i am not a musician, i just want quit when i study.
Probably not more than earbuds/earphones would, if I were to guess
Been using Etymotic for years. Absolutely love them. My only warning with them is that you should replace them every year or two, because they will begin to fall apart and you don't want to find yourself with half an earplug stuck in your ear. For $10, they are a steal though! Definitely worth the years of hearing you will save!
do they actually fall apart, but just the ear tips
BOTH
I got a hearing loss in my left hear for using a fucking ear plug of foam for sleep. Don't use foam earplugs their filter work are weak and can hurt your ear like me.. Over the hear 3M are the best solution without put things on your ears.
I feel like the only real solution is to just spend the ridiculous amount of money and have custom earplugs made because anything else is either too muffled to be inspiring and hear whats going on or not doing enough in terms of db reduction to even be beneficial. For someone like a musician who is constantly experiencing high DB something like the eargasm earplugs that only provide 12 db of noise reduction are giving you a false sense of protection. Foam earplugs as shitty as they are provide around 30 db of noise reduction which puts you below the threshold for hearing damage.