Hearing protection - what do you use?

[Drumstruck]

What's best? What's acceptable? What sux?

What do you use?

[The Tasmanian]

Only rarely work with rock bands seems to help me...

[Manning]

Ditto that, there's nothing like a full day spent with a harp/acoustic guitar combo to make you not miss the full Marshall stacks and the "if I hit the cymbals harder they sound better" crowd.

[ChrisW]

Full on -20db custom moulder ear protectors........ or GK Ultraphones.

[Thirteen]

And a big dose of magnesium within an hour of being exposed to loud noise.

[vege-mity-mite]

Use IEMs or hearos. Although I have to play a requested song at a wedding ( ) where I will be wearing the hearos with earmuffs over them so I don't have to listen to the song.

[gigpiglet]

as someone who is 15 years in earning most of my dollars from live work (either live recording or live mixing)
i always wear foam fitting earplugs (as in disposable ones) not the orange plastic sort of ones... you need the industrial yellow ones.
i wear them any time i am in a venue (soundcheck, watching a band, loading out, anything) and not actually mixing.
i also wear moulded in ears when appropriate.
and i never mix to loud...
put an SPL meter on the desk. 105 peaks is enough. if you cant make it sound good at that. go do something else i say (or at least wear earplugs while you are doing this)

[Drumstruck]

Thanks gents for the advice and humour

I've used the yellow industrial earplugs for 40 years and found them good until recently....

A bit of elaboration - last Friday I got some pain in my left ear - thinking it was the regular buildup I did the "syringe them out" caper .... the pain reduced but didn't completely go.

The disturbing thing is that I haven't played drums or listened to music/noise for about 6 weeks so I know it's not from recent damage.... and when I played last night (with brushes and wearing earplugs) both ears started to hurt - notably from the BD ..... so I'm off to the doc today for an ear check. I think some custom molded plugs may be in order.

[danander11]

I use molded IEM's when playing, molded plugs with variable -db filters for anything else..

This is my first go with 1964 Ears but so far I'm happy with my quads and plugs.. (though they've just come out with a 6-way)

[chribble]

i've heard putting condoms on the microphone is effective

[jkhuri44]

i've heard putting condoms on the microphone is effective

ahh, yes, the old "always protect ears of aids, when rock music."

[chribble]

[quote="Thirteen"]And a big dose of magnesium within an hour of being exposed to loud noise.[/quote]

on a serious note, does this work.

ive been finding myself with slight ringing after headphone mixes lately and don't want to start down the old tinnetus train

[Kurt]

If you have ringing you're already on the tinnitus train my friend. Luckily, so far you can still get off at the next station.

Magnesium deficiency can cause tinnitus in some people, another symptom is muscle cramps.
Much more commonly of course, exposure to loud noise causes tinnitus...

on a serious note, does this work.

ive been finding myself with slight ringing after headphone mixes lately and don't want to start down the old tinnetus train

[Drumstruck]

I've read that vitamin E deficiency can cause over-sensitivity to sound - I'll see what the doc says about that and Magnesium. (and I thought you were joking - alluding to Magnesium sulphate giving you the poos so you have to leave early.....).

The pain symptom is a real pain - we were watching the Bozzio Ostinato DVD last night - normally I have the home theatre set at about 35% - had to drop it to 18% to stop it hurting (esp. the sub freqs).

[Kurt]

Inner ear infection?

I've read that vitamin E deficiency can cause over-sensitivity to sound - I'll see what the doc says about that and Magnesium. (and I thought you were joking - alluding to Magnesium sulphate giving you the poos so you have to leave early.....).

The pain symptom is a real pain - we were watching the Bozzio Ostinato DVD last night - normally I have the home theatre set at about 35% - had to drop it to 18% to stop it hurting (esp. the sub freqs).

[chribble]

so i've just bought a whole stack of 'mega magnesium'
I've been getting leg cramps lately as I play sports and run as well.

will post findings in a week or two

[Drumstruck]

Inner ear infection?

Bingo! My wonderful doctor (and she really is) found inner ear infection (both ears) and also prescribed antibiotics containing magnesium. What fun

[Kurt]

Once had an ear infection and my ears wouldn't equalise after a flight. I was in agony, like seriously worried an eardrum was going to burst. Then had to go straight from the airport to mix a gig. Not nice!

Inner ear infection?

Bingo! My wonderful doctor (and she really is) found inner ear infection (both ears) and also prescribed antibiotics containing magnesium. What fun

[Drumstruck]

I ordered 2 pairs of "Hearplugs" so will give some impressions of those when they arrive (Mon).

[Drumstruck]

First impressions of Hearplugs:

- $50 for 2 pairs
- they fit quite comfortably - soft and flexible plastic
- they claim noise reduction -23dB and, according to my master fader, they pretty much achieve that
- the upper mids (and upwards) are reduced more than bottom end
- I can hear my breathing (a lot more) when they're inserted....

Also got a pair that claims -27dB reduction but haven't tried them yet.

I asked my doc about cleaning them and was recommended washing them in saline sol'n then rinse in clean water after use.

[Kurt]

I just rinse my hearos under hot water when they look a bit grubby.

I asked my doc about cleaning them and was recommended washing them in saline sol'n then rinse in clean water after use.

[Chris H]

Hearing protection - what do you use?
A) my left hand to turn down the volume knob. Yes, I'm a leftie!
B) my right clenched fist to gesture to the drummer before he hits the snare when my head is near the kit adjusting a mic
C) my legs to distance my self from the sound source

D) my old sonic valve 11 earplugs when all else fails which is most of the time!

http://www.earplugstore.com/sonicvalveii.html

earplugstore_2231_155741863.jpeg

Now replaced by these "Shooter's" earplugs.