I need a hearing test and can’t be ar5ed paying a professional to do it. Anyone know of a download or something on the interweb that will give me professional results without having to pay?

Do you need it for work or just to see if you do have a problem with your hearing, the online tests are only meant as an indication, I lot of professionals like me will do it for free.

It’s for work, I do some work in a music studio and I think it’s having a negative effect on my hearing. I notice it when watching movies and there are element I can’t hear. I’ll also want some good earmolds/earplugs knocking up for free, nothing fancy mind. I’ve tried the ones you can buy in the chemist and they’re crap. If you could knock something up for free aswell, that would be cool.

There is a quick test online, its probably not perfect but better than nothing and is free. In my view its better than the free specsavers one.

Not sure where it is though, probably on the RNID website.

You need to put your hand in your pocket and invest in some good quality custom made filtered noiseplugs, or risk damaging your hearing further and getting tinnitus.

Can’t be that hard to knock something out though, can it? It’s only a bit of foam isn’t it?

I’ll take that as a no then. 😥

Trust me, tinnitus is crap, get the plugs sorted soon.

I know, I was just hoping that flippinheckler could knock me something up as a favour, but I guess not. 😥

They are actually made up of medical grade hypo allergenic silicone and made using a lazer technique that uses 3D modelling and scan of your ear impressions, they are price from £75-£165 for filtered earplugs, or you can get a set of unfiltered earplugs from £30.

Err why should I do you a favour whats in it for me.

Pardon?

Err why should I do you a favour whats in it for me.

It’s the forum isn’t it? We can ask each other for mates rates, no?

Thats original 🙄

That’s a no then?

I am used to dealing with tight fisted welsh farmers so my idea of mates rates is different to yours 😆

I’m tight fisted and Welsh and have been falsely accused of relationships with sheep (they were goats 🙄 ), so a couple of beers should see you right, no?

Sure you can float eighty or more quid on a set of custom fit ‘plugs, but a pair of these:
http://www.sensorcom.com/product.asp?P_ID=1020&PT_ID=316
will do the job nicely. I use similar plugs at gigs all the time, and they work perfectly well. As it happens, because I work with noisy machinery I get free hearing tests, and, although I have a degree of tinitis, due to a very loud Grand Slam gig, my hearing is actually average for my age. Which is good news.

Where are you anyhow don-simon

Madrid, you can just knock something up quickly, no?

yeah if you pay for my flights 😆

eh?

But I’m looking for a cheap deal. 🙄 That’s going to work out a bit expensive, no?

flippinheckler, you dont happen to have any photos of custom made ear plugs actually in someones ears? I’ve been toying with the idea of getting a set, but really want to know how descrete they are before shelling out such a large wad.

Currently I use alpine silicone ones, they seem to work ok but do tend to attract attention. I’m after something that goes un-noticed.

First off are you sure you will have to pay? See your doctor he will send you to the hospital. I can see no reason why you would have to pay.
Next you really are supposed to take two tests to confirm how and where in the spectrum it is (if not all). My hearing loss is noise induced as in IEDs and although all across the spectrum is down at one end it barely exist i.e. it virtually falls over a cliff (on a graph). I have given up on hearing aids as the loss at one end is the main problem. I can literally put the telly up as high as It will go and stand next to it and play it back constantly and still not understand what is being said or to be more precise I cannot hear some of the words….invariably the important ones
Ear plugs are good but no where near as goods as the ear muffs type hearing protection but you do have to replace the foam around the muff as they go hard don’t work eventually or just throw them away. You can also take them of easier. Now obviously I am making some assumption about you being able to wear them for what you do.
JB

don simon – Member
Can’t be that hard to knock something out though, can it? It’s only a bit of foam isn’t it?

Use to use foam ones at work and rubber/plastic (not sure what they were) in the forces. Both the latter were nearly invisible. The latter appeared to be in 2 section although joined together. They both seemed to do the job. The foam ones were one use and throw aways, therefore cheap as chips.

flippinheckler, you dont happen to have any photos of custom made ear plugs actually in someones ears?

Here you go :

I can supply ear protection against excessive noise levels for many varied applications, including hearing protection for those that work in noisy factories, ear plugs and filters for those involved in shooting (including the renowned Puretone Cens range), musicians earplugs and musicians in ear monitors, covert earpieces for those involved in the police and armed forces, and much more. We can also supply custom ear plugs for swimmers and sleep plugs for those that need a good night’s sleep.

You can of course buy cheap generic ear plugs by the box for little cost, but many people find them at best satisfactory, at worst uncomfortable and ineffective.

From around £50 upward, you can have custom made hearing protection that fits perfectly in the ear, is comfortable for extended wear and be sure you are protecting your ears against the damaging effects of excessive noise.

Custom made Noise Protection are very comfortable and long lasting so a very good investment for your ears and hearing.

Blimey, hardly what I would call “descrete”! How come they don’t just fill the ear canal, why do they half fill the outer ear too. There’s got to be a market for something less industrial looking.

Anyway, flippenhecker, where are you based, will certainly keep you in mind if I go down that route.

cheers

If you dont need custom made ear pllugs I have found some foam ear plugs at boots that are flesh coloured and very comfy to wear. They do offer about 28db of protection. Ideal for clubs and pubs etc as the offer good noise protection and you can’t see them at all. I have tried many foam ear plugs and these have been the best. They cost about 3 quid for 3 pairs in a case and they last a long time!

Hearos also make some really high rated foam plugs you can get from Amazon. A lot of concert goers like these. Cost around a fiver. They do low profile flesh ones that you can’t see. They are also rated at about the highest 34db you can get for most in ear foam plugs. I suppose it depends on the level of reduction required. Some of the cheaper foam plugs are better than others for letting some sound through, in order to still hear the music tones or speech. Some will make it really hard to hear anything. Its better to try quite a few different makes for fit and noise reduction.

A cheap pair of foam plugs that fit well are as good at protecting your ears as anything really expensive though. But you don’t get filtered sound etc. In a lot of cases this is not important though. The Best bet is just use ear plugs when ever using power tools, DIY and concerts etc. It’s hard to know when to use them, but the general rule is if you have to raise you voice louder or you struggle to hear a conversation then the noise is at a dangerous level over a prolonged period.

Also Boots give free hearing tests. Plenty of them about so that would be a good option. NHS tests only test hearing frequencys up to the 8000kHz high frequency. Most quality private hearing tests go to 20000kHz. So this would give you a better and more in depth knowledge of any hearing loss you may have. Hearing loss and tinnitus is no joke! One exposure is enough for a life time of tinnitus and hearing loss! One night in a club near a speaker cost me a lot!

From around £50 upward, you can have custom made hearing protection that fits perfectly in the ear, is comfortable for extended wear and be sure you are protecting your ears against the damaging effects of excessive noise.

I don’t mind paying you a couple of quid plus postage, but come on! 50 quid for a bit of foam. 😯 You’re having a laugh, no? Doesn’t anyone do anything for a bit of discount, I mean if I can get the local bike mechanic to service my bike for a pack of biscuits, surely you can do me some plugs on the cheap. What’s the world coming to?

I’m off to El Boots tomorrow.

Plenty of them about so that would be a good option. NHS tests only test hearing frequencys up to the 8000kHz high frequency. Most quality private hearing tests go to 20000kHz

For the purpose of hearing aids 8kHz is fine as hearing aids work between 250-7,500 kHz speech is strongest between 500-4kHz. Cheap foam earplugs are NOT as good as custom made noise plugs.

Blimey, hardly what I would call “descrete”! How come they don’t just fill the ear canal, why do they half fill the outer ear too. There’s got to be a market for something less industrial looking

They can be made to fit right inside the ear canal, I cover North Wales, Chester, Wirral.

Thats very cheap for custom plugs. That is the best

Off the shelf foam ones come in a whole variety of types – you have to find the one that suits you. the advantage is they are disposable and cheap.

I like laser lite ones

Those ear plugs that TJ above posted up are great. I have these for doing jobs. I can’t remember the name I have a few packets of them. Only thing is they do block a hell of a lot of freqencys out and really knock the noise level down. Mainly the mid the to high which makes speach difficult when wearing them. There great for Work though, DIY and such. They are rated around 33db which is prety much as high as you are going to get from an ear plug!

Well actually all the expensive ear plugs are doing is filtering more frequencys in order to hear notes, speech etc. Most people just want to lower the db levels and stop any chance of hearing loss or tinnitus! They are not protecting your ears any more at all! In fact some of the so called filtered custom fitted plugs are rated at 15db with the filters in them. No way would I trust this level in a lot of working enviroments. For certain I would want a lot more level of protection than 15db in any rock gig around the front or a lot of small loud clubs! Thats one problem with the so called professionals or audiologists. They offer advice which is maybe good, but often lacks real world experience. Most people just need to stick some dam plugs in and knock the noise level down as opposed to messing about with moulds, filters and what not. Some basic foam ear plugs that fit well and make you want to wear them and also make you buy them, because they are a throw away price. They will save most peoples hearing and a life of tinnitus!

Banging drums about filters moulds and 200 quid ear plugs and what not to a builder, or some novice gig goers, will have most of them just chalking balls on it all and wearing nothing!

Yes the human speach does go to 8000kHz give or take. In fact plenty of people are told they have perfect hearing when they have profound loss is higher ranges above the NHS tested 8000kHz. Plenty of sounds are above that range, insects and animals for example. If you can’t hear those then you have hearing loss!

I have noise damage deafness and tinnitus. I wouldn’t wish it on anyone. Heavy metal, motorcycles and reggae and dance clubs

Same here TJ all the same reasons you listed above. I have the hearing of an OAP at 33! Levels of HF hearing loss around a broad range of frequencys. I can still hear most convos and don’t need the TV loud. I only struggle when there is a lot of back ground noises going on.

The hearing loss does not really bother me that much. Though perfect hearing would be a real bonus! The bloody tinnitus is a hell on earth! I hear it over the dam TV!

A free hearing test you can find atLeightons Hearing care.

Can you read this?

Yes?

You’re not deaf then.