Yet another thread asking for ear protection advice!

TheBigDipper

I've just started with a new band. 2x guitars/vox, bass, drums. I haven't been playing regularly at drummer levels since 2020. We're going to be playing small venues on small-ish stages, and filling the room from the backline, with vocals through the PA and wedge monitors for the singers. That fits in totally with our playing experience (we're all 45+) and we're not looking to play enough gigs to justify anything else. Our own sound onstage/in the rehearsal space is important to us so we don't want to sacrifice too much of what we hear of each other in the room. 

So, my existing custom-fit earplugs (just for volume reduction) don't fit any more and they always sounded bass-heavy/muffled anyway. I need to replace them with something. What does the hive mind of tFB suggest? I'm looking for a reduction in levels without too much loss of full frequency sound. 

Ta. 

ElectricXII

I use ACS Pacato 19s and the slightly more expensive Earos plugs (17s I think). I hate them both, as they remove far too much top end. I only use them if we're rehearsing in a small room. Live, no plugs if possible.

shufflebeat

Vic Firth

https://vicfirth.zildjian.com/vic-ear-plugs.html

Throw away the lanyard, it'll just get caught on something and rip the plugs out. Put the tiny case on your keyring.

Viola!

For the record, I'm not a drummer but find these to be the most useful e/p's I've used.

Grunfeld

TheBigDipper said:

I'm looking for a reduction in levels without too much loss of full frequency sound. 

It's a minority view but I'm convinced there's always a trade off between reduction/protection and loss of frequency.

The more a plug attenuates the more mids and highs you lose. 

So the really clear sounding, "high fidelity" plugs don't seem to reduce as many dB -- i.e. not as much protection.

But how much protection is sufficient?  Which is just going to depend on volume levels and time exposed.

The Etymotic ER20 reduce about 12 dB which is a pretty clear and, for me, safe enough because it's only a few hours exposure at a time.  Good enough for gigging and rehearsing.  

For really f*ck off loud gigs and events I'm foam plugs all the way cos I'm looking for >30dB reduction and protection. 

barnstorm

Grunfeld said:

TheBigDipper said:

For really f*ck off loud gigs and events I'm foam plugs all the way cos I'm looking for >30dB reduction and protection. 

I remember Paul Gilbert talking about his hearing in an interview and saying that these days he’s using the general-purpose foam ones. I find them perfectly adequate in terms of letting through the good stuff at gigs (as a listener).

TheBigDipper

Thanks to all so far. Keep it coming folks... 

fretmeister

I use the foam ones when I'm playing.

They do lose a lot of treble but when I'm singing I actually find that really useful as I sort of get a monitor through my head rather than any monitor speakers. I'm a lot more in tune with them in, and because they seem to make my own voice very loud I sing for more relaxed and don't push it.

mike257

I have ACS moulded plugs. They have different filter options for varying levels of reduction but the 17dB filters are supposed to be the flattest frequency response and the best trade off in that regard. I got them at a discounted price through the Musicians Hearing Health Scheme but you have to be a full time muso/tech to benefit from that. I think they're about £150 normally. 

Your ears keep growing/changing so any set of moulds is supposed to be replaced every 4 or 5 years, so if you've had your current customs for a while, it's likely that they're not fitting as well as they originally were!

jim_cross

I have Soundbrenner Minuendos. Despite them getting great reviews I find even at the lowest level of reduction they cut out too much high-end to be able to clearly hear what I'm playing. For rehearsals I plan to switch to wired IEMs (a setup for a 6-piece band will come in less than I'd typically spend on another guitar, and I'd take saving my hearing over having another guitar), and for playing gigs going without as our stage volume generally isn't too bad and exposure times are pretty short (up to 1 hour)

LastMantra

Have your ears shrunk?! 

Caffeine_Vampire

Lower stage levels will always be the best solution. 

Reverend

I like the superdrug foam ear plugs. They seem better than the other foam ones i have tried

stickyfiddle

I tried a set of Alpine plugs the other day. They sounded great but one got stuck in my ear and I had to have help from MrsF to get it out. So I’d hesitate to recommend them, sadly. I had custom ACS Pro17s in the past which were excellent but like you they don’t fit any more, and I haven’t had time to sort proper replacements,

TheBigDipper

I bought a set of ACS Pacatos and I'm using them at the mo. They need to be inserted quite far into the ear canal to seal but work well enough re protection. I can do a 4hr practice without getting ringing ears afterwards. I've found it's important to have the little tab (for removal) at about 12 o'clock so your fingers can grasp it. Otherwise they can get stuck.

ElectricXII

TheBigDipper said:

I bought a set of ACS Pacatos and I'm using them at the mo. They need to be inserted quite far into the ear canal to seal but work well enough re protection. I can do a 4hr practice without getting ringing ears afterwards. I've found it's important to have the little tab (for removal) at about 12 o'clock so your fingers can grasp it. Otherwise they can get stuck.

I've got a set of those too, but they cut out so much high end that I struggle with them.

TheBigDipper

ElectricXII said:

TheBigDipper said:

I bought a set of ACS Pacatos and I'm using them at the mo. They need to be inserted quite far into the ear canal to seal but work well enough re protection. I can do a 4hr practice without getting ringing ears afterwards. I've found it's important to have the little tab (for removal) at about 12 o'clock so your fingers can grasp it. Otherwise they can get stuck.

I've got a set of those too, but they cut out so much high end that I struggle with them.

I agree. But once I've got my sound as I like it, they go in and I can play for longer without damaging my hearing any more than it already is. I hear enough to play in time and in tune - even if I don't hear exactly what I actually sound like. It's not ideal, but it is effective enough to pop me on until I get round to another set of custom-fitted earplugs.