Hearing protection - experiences , advice appreciated

JMP220478

Getting increased post gig ringing / early tinnitus (?) - foam plugs providing some respite but a totally lousy gigging experience . Need a significant change in approach - what are your recommendations, I’m in semi pro originals lineup but it’s not a significant earner , so not sure if I qualify for any schemes ? 

Any quality feedback appreciated ( no pun intended) 

cheers 

stickyfiddle

ACS Pro series - the moulded ones with changeable filters. 

Worth every penny and then some. About the same price as an OD pedal and you'll wonder why you haven't had them forever. 

I use a couple of different filters depending on the setup, but even the 10s are great just to take the edge off in rehearsals, and 15s or 17s for gigs where you're at it all night. 

JMP220478

stickyfiddle said:

ACS Pro series - the moulded ones with changeable filters. 

Worth every penny and then some. About the same price as an OD pedal and you'll wonder why you haven't had them forever. 

I use a couple of different filters depending on the setup, but even the 10s are great just to take the edge off in rehearsals, and 15s or 17s for gigs where you're at it all night. 

Does the price including a moulding ?

Supportact

stickyfiddle said:

ACS Pro series - the moulded ones with changeable filters. 

Worth every penny and then some. About the same price as an OD pedal and you'll wonder why you haven't had them forever. 

I use a couple of different filters depending on the setup, but even the 10s are great just to take the edge off in rehearsals, and 15s or 17s for gigs where you're at it all night. 

I agree with this. Got some earlier in the year for similar reasons you describe and I've found them to be very good. About £150 including having the moulds done. 

Roland

stickyfiddle said:

Worth every penny and then some. 

Anyone who questions the cost of fitted earplugs should consider the cost of hearing aids (about ten times as much), and how much hearing aids can’t do for your hearing.

stickyfiddle

Yep. What did it for me was the realisation that I’d obviously pay a big chunk of my life savings to get my hearing back if it ever got fucked. So paying a relatively much smaller amount to stop it happening is a no-brainer 

Lestratcaster

I've been using the ACS Pro 17's for a decade now, custom moulded too. Very comfortable to wear and allows me to hear all frequencies just with the volume turned down. Useful when playing with loud drummers. I never rehearse, gig or go to see gigs without them. A small cost to pay but if your hearing goes no amount of money will pay for it to get it back. Once its gone its gone!

Snags

If you don't fancy stumping up for the ACS Pro option, then I've found the more pocket-friendly Alpine "MusicSafe Pro" earplugs have been pretty good. I've used them at jams, playing gigs and attending gigs and they don't detract from gig enjoyment, but they do mean you can have a civilised conversation immediately afterwards without people on the International Space Station hearing you shouting.

My biggest problem is remembering to take the damn things with me.

MaxA867

just a heads up - If you’re a Musicians Union member you might qualify for the musicians hearing health scheme. For £37.50 you get a full hearing test and a set of moulded ACS pro plugs with whichever filter you want.

 https://musiciansunion.org.uk/membership-benefits/musicians-hearing-health-scheme

shufflebeat

MaxA867 said:

just a heads up - If you’re a Musicians Union member you might qualify for the musicians hearing health scheme. For £37.50 you get a full hearing test and a set of moulded ACS pro plugs with whichever filter you want.

 https://musiciansunion.org.uk/membership-benefits/musicians-hearing-health-scheme

That’s a good scheme but requires a lot of hoops to be jumped through, including evidence of (proper) professional activity, which lots of us might struggle to produce.

I’ve got some Vic Firth silicon plugs which are always on my keyring. They may not be the best but I always have them on me and they’re easy to take in/out without tools and are comfortable to wear.

Definitely possible to gig with them in (Vox/Acoustic) but I tend to use IEMs anyway.

JMP220478

I have picked up some of these https://www.alpinehearingprotection.com/products/musicsafe-pro whilst I sort out the acs moulded set / advanced ear wax removal if necessary etc  . Re the moulding - I sing , how does this influence process and in my area the only company working with ACS voucher is Boots - anyone have any info / experiences about their work ?

stickyfiddle

JMP220478 said:

I have picked up some of these https://www.alpinehearingprotection.com/products/musicsafe-pro whilst I sort out the acs moulded set / advanced ear wax removal if necessary etc  . Re the moulding - I sing , how does this influence process and in my area the only company working with ACS voucher is Boots - anyone have any info they have about their work ?

Singing will feel really weird when you first put the plugs in. But honestly once I adjusted to it I find singing way easier because you can hear more of your voice than without them. And that adjustment only took a couple of sessions to feel normal.  

I can't speak for Boots but I haven't heard bad things.  

CaseOfAce

I've just been watching the latest That Pedal Show episode where they are discussing hearing protection. 

Interesting that the guy they have on around the 24 minute mark says something along the lines of "we're not advocating hearing protection in all the time" for gigging musicians - basically gigging musicians should use them for the majority of exposure to loud volume - i.e. at long rehearsals (reducing 90% exposure is the phrase used) - but for time onstage ok to go without?

Terms and conditions obviously apply of course I assume - if you are standing in front of a cranked Marshall 6 nights a week...maybe not a great idea. etc..

JMP220478

CaseOfAce said:

I've just been watching the latest That Pedal Show episode where they are discussing hearing protection. 

Interesting that the guy they have on around the 24 minute mark says something along the lines of "we're not advocating hearing protection in all the time" for gigging musicians - basically gigging musicians should use them for the majority of exposure to loud volume - i.e. at long rehearsals (reducing 90% exposure is the phrase used) - but for time onstage ok to go without?

Terms and conditions obviously apply of course I assume - if you are standing in front of a cranked Marshall 6 nights a week...maybe not a great idea. etc..

Thanks for heads up

springhead

JMP220478 said:

I have picked up some of these https://www.alpinehearingprotection.com/products/musicsafe-pro whilst I sort out the acs moulded set / advanced ear wax removal if necessary etc  . Re the moulding - I sing , how does this influence process and in my area the only company working with ACS voucher is Boots - anyone have any info / experiences about their work ?

I’ve got ACS and Read moulded plugs. When I was having the Read moulds taken he asked if I sang as they put a channel through them to make it sound more natural.

Supportact

CaseOfAce said:

I've just been watching the latest That Pedal Show episode where they are discussing hearing protection. 

Interesting that the guy they have on around the 24 minute mark says something along the lines of "we're not advocating hearing protection in all the time" for gigging musicians - basically gigging musicians should use them for the majority of exposure to loud volume - i.e. at long rehearsals (reducing 90% exposure is the phrase used) - but for time onstage ok to go without?

Terms and conditions obviously apply of course I assume - if you are standing in front of a cranked Marshall 6 nights a week...maybe not a great idea. etc..

I think you've got to take into account the overall volume, and how long you are being exposed to it. 

In my band we have an acoustic guitar so ideally the stage volume doesn't need to be too loud. If it feels fine and we're doing 45 minutes then I may not use the plugs. Depending on venue and engineer that may not be the case though and I will use them if it feels too loud. 

For me it's setting up and loading out that's often the issue, where I'm having to plug all our gear in standing in front of the PA speakers while they're playing music for the venue. Also I definitely use them for rehearsals as it's a small room and it helps me to hear better. 

Supportact

@JMP220478 I have the ACS ones and it definitely makes your own voice sound a bit weird. You do get used to it though, and in fact in a loud environment it can make it easier to hear what's going on. I suppose these things are always a compromise. 

digitalkettle

I got re-moulds from ACS a couple of months ago and it cost £100 (no filters included: I already had a few sets)...was probably five years since the last set of moulds.

You gotta put them in before your drummer starts soundchecking his snare...and mine don't come out until I'm all loaded-out and ready for the drive home...no exceptions.

stickyfiddle

The total exposure thing is very true. Our gig next week is a 6-band show, 30 mins each and loud music on playback between each set. I know the drummer will be on the other side of the stage and behind plexi screens, so I'm far more worried about the 4-5 hours surrounding our set than I am about our set itself. 

That said I'll probably keep the plugs in for the whole night

mrkb

If you sing ACS recommend having your jaw in a more slack position when taking the moulds.

digitalkettle

mrkb said:

If you sing ACS recommend having your jaw in a more slack position when taking the moulds.

I got given a foam 'bite pad' so my jaw was steady but partially open <drool>