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I have a pair of Earlove plugs, they were 2 sets for $20 and though I've now lost both pairs, they were easy to put in and take out and worked okay. Now I have a pair of earasers, $40 and I can't seem to fit them in my ears the correct way. There are two different colored ones, a red for right and blue for left. I still haven't found the perfect pair. I need ones that reduce the harmful frequencies, allow me to enjoy the music, but still let me to hear people speak clearly, for when I'm bartending during concerts.
I have a pair of Earlove plugs, they were 2 sets for $20 and though I've now lost both pairs, they were easy to put in and take out and worked okay. Now I have a pair of earasers, $40 and I can't seem to fit them in my ears the correct way. There are two different colored ones, a red for right and blue for left. I still haven't found the perfect pair. I need ones that reduce the harmful frequencies, allow me to enjoy the music, but still let me to hear people speak clearly, for when I'm bartending during concerts.
Bump. This thread needs to be front and center on the boards. PROTECT THY EARS
I'm going to keep on trumpeting the Alpines. They only have 2 flanges (which I prefer to the larger 3 flanges) and they are low profile compared to others like the etys. Depending on which version you get youll be able to choose two or three different decibal inserts, I always use the highest one (gold) with good results including people talking near me. Anyone who is looking for the closest thing to pro quality on a budget will be more than happy with em.
Think I'll have to save for these custom-molded ones. Do they come with string or something to keep them together so they're not easily misplaced?
Having them connected with a string was an option when I had mine made ($5 or $10 more). I chose not to have it though. A string could be nice, but I didn't want to have it bothering me while I wore them. I'm just crazy careful when I take them in and out between sets.
Mine come with a little pouch that I keep them and my spare inserts in.
The audiologist I went to used Westone to make the molds. I believe everyone uses the same Etymotic inserts though, regardless of who makes the molds.
I just gooogled "audiologist custom mold" for my area and made an appointment with the closest one. Total was right at $180 with just one set of inserts.
Think I'll have to save for these custom-molded ones. Do they come with string or something to keep them together so they're not easily misplaced?
Having them connected with a string was an option when I had mine made ($5 or $10 more). I chose not to have it though. A string could be nice, but I didn't want to have it bothering me while I wore them. I'm just crazy careful when I take them in and out between sets.
Mine come with a little pouch that I keep them and my spare inserts in.
The audiologist I went to used Westone to make the molds. I believe everyone uses the same Etymotic inserts though, regardless of who makes the molds.
I just gooogled "audiologist custom mold" for my area and made an appointment with the closest one. Total was right at $180 with just one set of inserts.
Thanks for the info! Definitely going to look into this in the future.
I have a pair of Earlove plugs, they were 2 sets for $20 and though I've now lost both pairs, they were easy to put in and take out and worked okay. Now I have a pair of earasers, $40 and I can't seem to fit them in my ears the correct way. There are two different colored ones, a red for right and blue for left. I still haven't found the perfect pair. I need ones that reduce the harmful frequencies, allow me to enjoy the music, but still let me to hear people speak clearly, for when I'm bartending during concerts.
Bump. This thread needs to be front and center on the boards. PROTECT THY EARS
I'm going to keep on trumpeting the Alpines. They only have 2 flanges (which I prefer to the larger 3 flanges) and they are low profile compared to others like the etys. Depending on which version you get youll be able to choose two or three different decibal inserts, I always use the highest one (gold) with good results including people talking near me. Anyone who is looking for the closest thing to pro quality on a budget will be more than happy with em.
replacing some etys I lost and picking up a pair for the wife. have you used both the alpines and the etys? how is the fidelity comparison between the two?
Bump. This thread needs to be front and center on the boards. PROTECT THY EARS
I'm going to keep on trumpeting the Alpines. They only have 2 flanges (which I prefer to the larger 3 flanges) and they are low profile compared to others like the etys. Depending on which version you get youll be able to choose two or three different decibal inserts, I always use the highest one (gold) with good results including people talking near me. Anyone who is looking for the closest thing to pro quality on a budget will be more than happy with em.
replacing some etys I lost and picking up a pair for the wife. have you used both the alpines and the etys? how is the fidelity comparison between the two?
Havent gotten the etys, ill have to pick up a pair so I can test, will probably give to a friend unless quality is dramatically better. I cant see them being much different, I just used my alpines last night and had no issues with not hearing certain sounds, it just lowered the overall volume. My main problem with the etys are how big/long and hard plastic the entire thing is, so they stick out of your ear which is why I would probably get rid of them.
replacing some etys I lost and picking up a pair for the wife. have you used both the alpines and the etys? how is the fidelity comparison between the two?
Havent gotten the etys, ill have to pick up a pair so I can test, will probably give to a friend unless quality is dramatically better. I cant see them being much different, I just used my alpines last night and had no issues with not hearing certain sounds, it just lowered the overall volume. My main problem with the etys are how big/long and hard plastic the entire thing is, so they stick out of your ear which is why I would probably get rid of them.
Yeah, the smaller form is what appealed to me with the alpines.
I'd love some personalized ones but I don't see it happening anytime soon. Maybe I can convince my insurance I need them for my motorcycle.
Havent gotten the etys, ill have to pick up a pair so I can test, will probably give to a friend unless quality is dramatically better. I cant see them being much different, I just used my alpines last night and had no issues with not hearing certain sounds, it just lowered the overall volume. My main problem with the etys are how big/long and hard plastic the entire thing is, so they stick out of your ear which is why I would probably get rid of them.
Yeah, the smaller form is what appealed to me with the alpines.
I'd love some personalized ones but I don't see it happening anytime soon. Maybe I can convince my insurance I need them for my motorcycle.
Might be crazy enough to work. Ive heard you can occasionally get free stuff from them so it wouldnt hurt to try. Let me know whichever direction you decide.
really should look into this. I am not getting any younger and I don't want to lose my hearing. Although I am surprised I can hear at all after 40+ years of being on rail/backstage/dancing on speakers etc. Makes me wonder what I might be missing that I don't know I am missing.
Post by rideincircles on Sept 8, 2016 17:12:57 GMT -5
Bumping this thread.
My tinnitus got worse with after some internal ear issues after going to Glastonbury this summer. It now has symptoms of hyperacusis which is sensitivity to noise. Hyperacusis is the next step up from tinnitus. My ears now have a reduced threshold for loud decibels than they used to. My tinnitus is also noticeably louder and more easily aggravated. I am looking at retiring from all loud concerts and festivals entirely at this point or taking a long and indefinite hiatus for a while. My hearing issues have now brought about sleep issues and anxiety in the meantime.
I went to visit my ENT doctor, but he was not very encouraging. I got prescribed xanax which I only plan to take on nights with major sleep issues, and got a referral to the UT Dallas wing for tinnitus and hyperacusis. I will be looking into tinnitus retraining therapy to see if it could help, otherwise my ear rings pretty loudly when it is quiet and is easily aggravated by loud noise. My ears seem to have different issues everyday.
I found another inforoo friend who has also had to retire from shows because of this issue. I had internal issues from diving in my teens which increased the sensitivity in my right ear. Luckily it is only that ear, but I normally sleep with my right ear down and some days that won't work when going to sleep.
My ENT mentioned that people with tinnitus risk it getting worse by going to loud shows. Etymotic's did not cut it for me, I should have used foam earplugs or got some custom ones made, but I should have taken more precautions than I did. I pretty much always wore earplugs, but my ears were heading in this direction as it was.
Hyperacusis is basically the worst case scenario for music lovers and I will have to deal with it from here on out. Just some words of caution. Protect your hearing, we do not have the technology to fix it yet, that is one thing I will remain hopeful for in the future.
I really wish i had a better ENT. He deals with old people mostly. Would have loved some custom plugs for my ears. I may get some, but it already may be too late, I can't take any risks to make it worse.
Yeah, the smaller form is what appealed to me with the alpines.
I'd love some personalized ones but I don't see it happening anytime soon. Maybe I can convince my insurance I need them for my motorcycle.
Might be crazy enough to work. Ive heard you can occasionally get free stuff from them so it wouldnt hurt to try. Let me know whichever direction you decide.
Ha, forgot about this thread. I got the alpines. Worn them for a couple shows and no major complaints. Some of the really subtle sounds at a floating points show were hard to pick up on, but the bass was so loud that could have been the bigger issue anyway. The alpines are the best I've used.
My tinnitus got worse with after some internal ear issues after going to Glastonbury this summer. It now has symptoms of hyperacusis which is sensitivity to noise. Hyperacusis is the next step up from tinnitus. My ears now have a reduced threshold for loud decibels than they used to. My tinnitus is also noticeably louder and more easily aggravated. I am looking at retiring from all loud concerts and festivals entirely at this point or taking a long and indefinite hiatus for a while. My hearing issues have now brought about sleep issues and anxiety in the meantime.
I went to visit my ENT doctor, but he was not very encouraging. I got prescribed xanax which I only plan to take on nights with major sleep issues, and got a referral to the UT Dallas wing for tinnitus and hyperacusis. I will be looking into tinnitus retraining therapy to see if it could help, otherwise my ear rings pretty loudly when it is quiet and is easily aggravated by loud noise. My ears seem to have different issues everyday.
I found another inforoo friend who has also had to retire from shows because of this issue. I had internal issues from diving in my teens which increased the sensitivity in my right ear. Luckily it is only that ear, but I normally sleep with my right ear down and some days that won't work when going to sleep.
My ENT mentioned that people with tinnitus risk it getting worse by going to loud shows. Etymotic's did not cut it for me, I should have used foam earplugs or got some custom ones made, but I should have taken more precautions than I did. I pretty much always wore earplugs, but my ears were heading in this direction as it was.
Hyperacusis is basically the worst case scenario for music lovers and I will have to deal with it from here on out. Just some words of caution. Protect your hearing, we do not have the technology to fix it yet, that is one thing I will remain hopeful for in the future.
I really wish i had a better ENT. He deals with old people mostly. Would have loved some custom plugs for my ears. I may get some, but it already may be too late, I can't take any risks to make it worse.
I'm so sorry about your ears, I hope another ENT can help you out. Thank you for the words of caution, I just ordered some new plugs and will look into the customs as well.
Post by rideincircles on Sept 9, 2016 12:40:08 GMT -5
Thanks. I talked with my new friend for about 40 minutes regarding her issues and it was immensely helpful. She still goes to shows on occasion, but the constant onslaught of noise from a festival will probably be too much for me to handle with hearing issues at this point. The worst of it should dissipate with time for most people, but it is a new normal. If anything, I got to retire with Glastonbury and that was fantastic. LCD Soundsystem to close it out after 5 days of trudgery in the mud ranks as one of my best experiences of all time.
I still will plan on local shows, but wouldn't want to push more than 2 hours of noise based on what my friend said. As for now, I can manage pretty well, but sleep has been the biggest issue. I think I will take a good break for a while and will see if Radiohead at ACL could be my retirement for a long hiatus for now. I still won't push myself. I will be going to the UT Dallas center for tinnitus and hyperacusis for further evaluation, but really wish I could have done a better job preventing this. It was probably inevitable with ear issues that i had since i was a teen, but could have prolonged it further. Make no mistake, I went way hard in the scene for 10 years solid of shows. I will try and get my festival footage back online in the meantime.
Today has been pretty good with tinnitus at a barely noticeable level, and i got decent sleep last night. My doc did give me Xanax for anxiety, but I will only use it as a last resort if I can't fall asleep at all. I do not want to rely on it and never had to take it previously. Last night I crashed out for 4 hours with just melatonin, woke up and couldn't tune it out and took one Xanax to knock me out for another 4. The anxiety issues from this keep my mind going and it is hard to tune out for now. I also have a loud window unit I plan to replace today with one that will be much quieter. Sleep was the biggest issue I need to focus on for now and my friend mentioned that the symptoms should dissipate with time. At first onset I didn't even want to put on headphones from the sensitivity, but I can use them at a lower level at this point. I don't plan on using earbuds much at all if ever.
I have had so much fun going to festivals over the years, but I knew my right ear always displayed some risk factors compared to my left which had always been normal. As stated in the beginning of this thread, custom molded earplugs would be the best route for anyone, and I will always be an advocate for being prepared in any way for concerts and festivals. I will stop by here on occasion, and I will always live stream the shows whenever I can. It will just have to be at a lower volume.
I also recommend learning about what volume levels are by getting a decibel meter app for your phone. Loud sounds above 85db can have a long term impact on your hearing. For reference: Driving in my car runs about 90db, I can manage that with earplugs no problem. My living room a/c is about 70db, my bedroom a/c is about 75 db and its a little too loud. I went to a Chicago cubs game last weekend and I kept earplugs in since the cheers can hit 100db. Anything over 100db will require earplugs for me. i never got around to checking music festival volumes, but it increases in volume significantly above 100db.
Post by rideincircles on Dec 8, 2016 19:17:24 GMT -5
Just bumping this thread since hearing protection is so important. My hyperacusis issues have mostly dissipated, but tinnitus is still in full affect and has been noticeably worse for the past month. Retirement from festivals is pretty much certain at this point, ACL was way too loud and I shouldn't have even messed with it. I am not certain if it is permanently worse from going to see Radoihead, but my ears could not handle the deep bass of the speakers at a major festival regardless of hearing protection.
I can still listen to music, but my ears are easily aggravated from noise exposure now. Preventing damage from getting worse means closing the concert chapter of my life, and its really hard since that has always been my favorite activity. Since there is no major treatment for tinnitus as of now, i just try to mask it the best i can.
Protect your hearing, this can't be stated loud enough.
I have some tinnitus in my right ear from lots of punk shows. I think Iggy Pop this year was the thing that really cemented it; I forgot my earplugs for that one and one of the big speaker banks were right next to me. It's given me trouble hearing people talking softly, or hearing people if there is any white noise in the vicinity. It makes me sad sometimes. I wish I had done more sooner.
Sometimes in loud situations like parties or bars I can hear a crackling in my ear. That's bad, right?
I have a really hard time hearing conversation in loud places. Don't even try to talk to me during a show, because I can't hear you. I think that's due to some hearing damage.
Sometimes in loud situations like parties or bars I can hear a crackling in my ear. That's bad, right?
I have a really hard time hearing conversation in loud places. Don't even try to talk to me during a show, because I can't hear you. I think that's due to some hearing damage.
I think people yelling loudly directly into my ear DURING shows has probably damaged my hearing more than the concerts. It seriously hurts my ears when this happens.
Why do people feel compelled to speak during shows? It can wait!
I have a really hard time hearing conversation in loud places. Don't even try to talk to me during a show, because I can't hear you. I think that's due to some hearing damage.
I think people yelling loudly directly into my ear DURING shows has probably damaged my hearing more than the concerts. It seriously hurts my ears when this happens.
Why do people feel compelled to speak during shows? It can wait!
I have a really hard time hearing conversation in loud places. Don't even try to talk to me during a show, because I can't hear you. I think that's due to some hearing damage.
I think people yelling loudly directly into my ear DURING shows has probably damaged my hearing more than the concerts. It seriously hurts my ears when this happens.
Why do people feel compelled to speak during shows? It can wait!
My wife knows and I think all of the people I go to shows with know that I'm not going to talk during a show.
I have a really hard time hearing conversation in loud places. Don't even try to talk to me during a show, because I can't hear you. I think that's due to some hearing damage.
I think people yelling loudly directly into my ear DURING shows has probably damaged my hearing more than the concerts. It seriously hurts my ears when this happens.
Why do people feel compelled to speak during shows? It can wait!
If someone talks to me during a show, I like to practice my communication skills during shows using everything but my voice. The eyes are very expressive!
If anyone goes to numerous shows a year (like we do), start saving for some custom molded plugs. The audio fidelity is superb, and they're far more comfortable. It will no longer be an internal debate with yourself if you want to wear your plugs at this show.
You'll wonder why you waited this long to get it done.
rideincircles that's a major bummer about your hearing, hope you're able to get some relief at some point. Hopefully the miracle of science finds some way to regenerate hearing cells.
I think people yelling loudly directly into my ear DURING shows has probably damaged my hearing more than the concerts. It seriously hurts my ears when this happens.
Why do people feel compelled to speak during shows? It can wait!
If someone talks to me during a show, I like to practice my communication skills during shows using everything but my voice. The eyes are very expressive!
If anyone goes to numerous shows a year (like we do), start saving for some custom molded plugs. The audio fidelity is superb, and they're far more comfortable. It will no longer be an internal debate with yourself if you want to wear your plugs at this show.
You'll wonder why you waited this long to get it done.
rideincircles that's a major bummer about your hearing, hope you're able to get some relief at some point. Hopefully the miracle of science finds some way to regenerate hearing cells.
This is good to hear. I do have a pair of ety plugs that I bring with me to Roo - and they have been a godsend at the What pit, which is pretty much the only place I've used them - but I don't really wear them elsewhere because they stick out of my ears all funny, and I'm scared of losing them. Now that I think about it that doesn't really make sense, because if I'm not using them anyway then it's like I've lost them regarless... But anywho, I'll def think about getting a good custom pair. Hearing is important.
I think people yelling loudly directly into my ear DURING shows has probably damaged my hearing more than the concerts. It seriously hurts my ears when this happens.
Why do people feel compelled to speak during shows? It can wait!
If someone talks to me during a show, I like to practice my communication skills during shows using everything but my voice. The eyes are very expressive!
If anyone goes to numerous shows a year (like we do), start saving for some custom molded plugs. The audio fidelity is superb, and they're far more comfortable. It will no longer be an internal debate with yourself if you want to wear your plugs at this show.
You'll wonder why you waited this long to get it done.
rideincircles that's a major bummer about your hearing, hope you're able to get some relief at some point. Hopefully the miracle of science finds some way to regenerate hearing cells.
Exactly! A thumbs up or a nod or an expression (or pointing at your empty beverage, or towards the bathroom) are all sufficient means of concert communication.
I'll get the custom ones at some point, I have some decent non-custom ones right now and I have them with me every day, cause you never know when shit's about to get loud! I wish I had them with me in Chicago, those trains are loud as shit underground.
This form was awesome to read through. Tons of great info, thanks to everyone who shared! Anyone know anything about Eargasam? Reviews seem promising. It's between them and Downbeats for me rn.
Blows my fucking mind the people that try to hold full conversations during a concert. That being said, Ive purchased some earplugs that ive dismantled a bit to fit my ear. I discovered I have very short canals and the specialized ear plugs from this company just fall out. I was able to detach a piece to make it fit but I believe it lost some of its benefit.
Does anyone else have a short ear canal? Like I can only up to my 3/4 fingernail in my ear before I hit the drum. (Not that I do that often)
This form was awesome to read through. Tons of great info, thanks to everyone who shared! Anyone know anything about Eargasam? Reviews seem promising. It's between them and Downbeats for me rn.
