It’s too loud in here – ear plugs

Where to get reasonable ear plugs that I) stay in and ii) provide attenuation but still enable you to hear

These work whilst using a whacker plate…
https://www.screwfix.com/p/uvex-xact-fit-37db-ear-plugs-50-pairs/98787

I prefer these – its a case of try it and see.

https://www.screwfix.com/p/howard-leight-laser-lite-35db-ear-plugs-200-pairs/38688

If you’re using proper loud kit get proper over ear protection. Anything passive that claims to let you still hear other frequencies either doesn’t do as it claims or doesn’t work.

My experience of working in a power station for 14 years.

If it’s lighter weight kit then in ear moulded are best followed by the sized stuff you can get for gigs and such (but get the right one as music is different to machinery). Disposables are just landfill fodder.

Mild noise/ sleeping following a night shift so the kids are less likely to wake me – the in ear that tj suggested.
Chainsaws and the like – over ear ear defenders
Anything super noisy – both.

Musiciany ones are generally better than DIYy ones for hearing stuff clearly at less loudness.

I was thinking reusable happy to pay a bit for something that is  decent and doesn’tfall out. It’s for gigs so ear cans not so much of an option!

any tips on mouldable ones?

Seeing as it’s for gigs, don’t be going down screwfix for disposables :)

You want flat attenuators, aka musicians earplugs. I wear etymotic er20 when drumming. Thoroughly recommended.

I looked recently and found there are millions of options for musicians ear plugs. I got some Earpeace ones in the end pretty much because I got tired of looking. They’re not bad.

I have seen other drummers recommending Etymotic tho, so they’re maybe a good option.

I find these £30 high fidelity ear loops comfortable and are designed specifically for gigs

Yeah Loops are the thing.

My daughter has ADHD and they work for her.

I’ve tried a few – they all muffle the sound a bit but better than hearing damage. Best IME (incl price, comfort etc,) are Blackstar ACS for just over £20 but YMMV

https://www.andertons.co.uk/live-pa/pa-accessories/hearing-protection/blackstar-acs-high-fidelity-ear-plug-hearing-protectors

what’s the difference between the etymotic er20 on the same nine site but with different prices?! Google throws up a few links to the same site for them but two different prices.

Very happy with the Alpine Musicsafe Pro. Incredibly comfortable and pretty discreet. I hate coming home with ringing ears with a vengeance so these were a life changer when I got them a few years ago.

I find the cinema awfully loud and have occasional tinnitus – due to too many concerts and working in a garage in my youth I guess.
Dad had permanent tinnitus so it worries me.

Flare audio push their products hard but didn’t seem much use to me. I couldn’t tell they were in.
Returned.
Researched on musicians sites. Etymotic get mentioned.
Costly.
Loop are working ok and if you chose silver rings you can see em if they fall out when you’re in the mosh pit (I’m not).
(“Loop Experience High Fidelity Ear Plugs – for Noise Reduction, Concerts, Work, Musicians, Motorcycles and Noise Sensitivity – Silicone Ear Tips”).
Comfortable and don’t knacker the sound fidelity much.

I’m with TJ on this one the rhubarb and custard laser lites work best for me. We have these and another type at work but I always use the door with the laser lites.

what’s the difference between the etymotic er20 on the same nine site but with different prices?! Google throws up a few links to the same site for them but two different prices.

It might be that there’s two versions, the ER20 and the ER20XS, the latter have some different features. I use Rooth ones, which I got through Drop/Massdrop, and which I’ve been using for a few years. They work well enough for me, blocking the damaging higher frequencies, but letting me hear what’s going on. They’re much better than the cheap foam ones, which are just to attenuate all frequencies. I’d go for the Etymotics, they’ve been in the business for yonks, and it’s worth spending extra for the quality, and the fact they’ll last for years.
There’s a trick to getting them to fit properly though – lick or moisten the eartip, then pull the outer edge of your ear back and out with one hand, while inserting the eartip into the ear canal with the other. It’s how I fit my IEM/Canalphones, which all have similar triple-flange eartips. Takes a bit of practice, but once you’ve got the knack it’s quick and easy, and you really do notice the difference in how loud sounds are attenuated.

I’ve used proper moulded plugs since my teens as I  could never find any off the shelf ones that would stay in my ears properly. Pricey but worth every penny from my perspective – not really a compromise (sometimes almost seems like an improvement!) sound wise and stay in really securely.

I’ve got some musicians ear plugs with 15db filter from ultimate ears at the moment, which I rate and have had for a good few years. Think you can get other similar from other providers too. Looks like they now have two options (Inc a cheaper one for ‘concerts’), which they didn’t before.

They’ll sort getting the ear impressions (for extra £30) and then the plugs are made to exactly fit in your ears. Might be worth a look.

https://ultimateear.com/product-category/music/music-hearing-protection/

My daughter has loop quiet and loop experience.  Prefers the loop quiet for most stuff as it just reduces noise a bit. Loop experience reduces noise more but in a more accented way so good for listening to speech in a noisy environment but not for general use as sound a bit too weird

I find the cinema awfully loud and have occasional tinnitus

I find a lot of cinemas have VERY sub standard sound systems given the size of the room.

The treble is often tinny and canned,  with occasional ear piercing shireks of UHF.

Also the Bass, is boomy, muddy and uncontrolled, with no real balance or power.

There’s no real point going to the cinema any more with OLED TV’s and a half decent audio set up, the cinema just cannot compete unless you are going to the cinema for a social thing, like some food and a movie with some icecream after, etc.

Chronic tinnitus sufferer here. Get custom moulded ones, I have the ultimate ears ones that @benbrownuk linked to and they’re great. Once you’ve had custom moulds done you realise everything else (in ear) is a compromise. I have aviation grade over the ear ones for stuff like power tools/garden equipment etc. as it’s more convenient.

Also agree with the cinema comments, too loud and crappy audio in a lot of places.. haven’t been in donkeys as much prefer my OLED + 5.1 system in house.. plus ability to pause, take a leak and get a fresh beer!