Viewing 39 posts - 1 through 39 (of 39 total)
  • Tinnitus and gigs
  • tartanscarf
    Full Member

    Evening,

    As someone with chronic tinnitus but an even more chronic need to keep getting out to gigs I’m thinking of some sort of earplugs I could use. I’ve done a quick search on Google which throws up loads of products. Can you recommend something from real life experience?

    Thanks.

    TS

    martymac
    Full Member

    Any memory foam earplugs will do.
    You’re just looking to take the edge off it.
    Having said that, gigs aren’t as loud as they used to be, I went to coldplay in Glasgow a couple of weeks ago and I checked the noise levels on my watch, 95db.
    I was absolutely fine by the time I went out.
    Compared to ac/dc ten years ago, when I couldn’t hear properly for 3 days after it.

    tartanscarf
    Full Member

    Coldplay I’d have been fine too, I’d have had the noise cancelling headphones on!

    Amyl and The Sniffers at the Barrowlands next, reckon it’ll be pretty raucous. I’ll look into
    Memory foam ones, cheers.

    Fresh Goods Friday 696: The Middling Edition

    Fresh Goods Friday 696: The Middlin...
    Latest Singletrack Videos
    lots_of_hope
    Full Member

    I can highly recommend the senner music pro ones off Amazon…

    Having stood too close to too many speakers in the past it was taking days for my ears to stop ringing after gigs. These have solved that and I have found them to be good at blocking out background noise in the crowd too.

    garage-dweller
    Full Member

    Coldplay I’d have been fine too, I’d have had the noise cancelling headphones on!

    I’d have gone for some industrial ear defenders over the top just to be sure.

    theotherjonv
    Full Member

    foam will do, but a proper set of musician plugs are not that expensive and worth the expense, IMHO. I go to quite a lot of gigs though

    I’ve got two pairs (‘cos I lost a pair and then found them again)

    Proguard – bought at the music shop

    https://www.guitarguitar.co.uk/product/13091314353412–pro-guard-pr20-ear-plugs?gclid=Cj0KCQjwguGYBhDRARIsAHgRm4__GswJjV7mlmfLFO5pLVVmkotPSCTzKPaVSpRzAo6EBVZq5hfAoKkaAoJCEALw_wcB

    and ACSCustom bought on line

    https://acscustom.com/uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=83&Itemid=80

    tjagain
    Full Member

    I use laserlite foam plugs

    doris5000
    Full Member

    Yes, if you can stretch to it, go for the custom moulded type. Don’t know how much they are now, mine were about £150 a few years ago (i was a dj gigging a lot) – but possibly some of the best money I’ve ever spent!

    Was surprised how much better they made gigs sound. You can hear a lot more detail in the sound. And if the bass is hitting you in the chest, an ear plug won’t affect that! You can also get different filters to change the attenuation level, so if they’re too much/not enough you can tweak them.

    lister
    Full Member

    I use the free ones from behind the bar. Takes the edge off.
    Last gig was solo Bob Mould in the Thekla in Bristol…there was some volume and distortion(!) in the metal hill of the boat but my tinnitus was fine the next day with cheap plugs.

    CountZero
    Full Member

    I used to use the little yellow foam ones, and while they work, they didn’t work very well, because they just block everything. You want proper ones with filters that block certain frequencies, so you can actually hear the music. I’ve got some very similar to those Senner ones above, and some like these:

    https://plugs.ear-plugs.org/unbranded-generic-fidelity-concert-rave-musician-dj.html

    I can attest to how effective they are, I was wearing them watching Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs  at EOTR, while standing at the crowd barrier right at the end of the stage, with a chest-high speaker stack four feet away. My entire body was vibrating in a faintly disturbing fashion, but I could hear everything perfectly well, and in comfort. In fact I’ve got several sets, a couple are made by Rooth, but any with a filter system work, give the cheap ones I linked to a go, see how you get on.
    There’s a trick to fitting them, though; pop them into your mouth and make the end bit wet, then when you fit them, pull your earlobe out away from your head then push the plug in with your other hand.
    Takes a few goes to get the fit right, but once you get the knack it takes seconds.

    footflaps
    Full Member

    I have Tinitus and use musician’s earplugs which come with various different inserts for different attenuation levels eg 15 dB, 20 dB etc. The music is very clear though them, much better than using foam earplugs (which I use to sleep with).

    8 Best Hearing Protection for Musicians [2022]

    tartanscarf
    Full Member

    Thanks folks, done great advice.


    @martymac
    -sorry for the cheap Coldplay ‘joke’!

    seriousrikk
    Full Member

    Best I’ve found without going custom moulded is the Alpine MusicSafe Pro

    I go to a fair amount of gigs, but more importantly I will often do a few back to back. If I’m shooting a few dates for a band they often have no rest days – and I’m in the venue working down the front. These plugs have meant I can finish a run of dates without any hearing discomfort.

    I’ve previously had tinnitus as a result of this before I started using plugs.

    doris5000
    Full Member

    pop them into your mouth and make the end bit wet

    Yes, this is what I do.

    I’d just like to point out that you can wash them with soap and water after use!

    midlifecrashes
    Full Member

    I have some Alpine ones in a little case with some moldable wax and some memory foam ones so I can choose once the sound cranks up. Went to a gig recently and couldn’t find the case so bought some new -20dB ones on the way. They were way too strong and I couldn’t hear much at all, ended up using nothing and having a bad couple of days afterward. I guess if I don’t find the old case I’ll buy some more with tuneable attenuation.

    irc
    Full Member

    If the band and the crowd are all wearing ear plugs would it not be simpler just to turn the volume down a bit?

    theotherjonv
    Full Member

    Depends. I like loud gigs so that you feel the music as well as hear it. Or if you have a larger venue, how do you make it audible for the back if it’s ‘goldilocks loud’ for the front?

    Undoubtedly though some bands just aim to be loud.

    b33k34
    Full Member

    I got a custom pair (which I think were ACS filters) from https://hearology.uk/musicians a few years ago. Great investment and their ear scanning tech is really cool – I had some in ear monitors made with the (push wax into ear method) that were never comfortable

    footflaps
    Full Member

    If the band and the crowd are all wearing ear plugs would it not be simpler just to turn the volume down a bit?

    I have noticed more and more people wearing them at gigs recently. My ears physically hurt at even a modest PA at a wedding etc, so if I don’t bring earplugs I have to leave the room asap.

    theotherjonv
    Full Member

    Definitely more prevalent nowadays…. I’ve worn them now for 10+ years and BITD you got some funny looks and even comments as if not having your hearing blasted to oblivion was some sort of character deficiency.

    Dorset_Knob
    Free Member

    I had some of those Senner ones which I used for a few years and when they started going a bit funny, I upgraded to Flare Audio Isolates (titanium version, natch).

    Flare Audio

    desperatebicycle
    Free Member

    irc

    If the band and the crowd are all wearing ear plugs would it not be simpler just to turn the volume down a bit?

    Yeah and hear all the ignorant **** who love to go to gigs just to talk through them? Brilliant idea. I for one would stop going to gigs if that happened. Probably would stop if I had to wear earplugs tbh. I need to feel it.

    grantyboy
    Free Member

    Hi

    Superstar DJ here so I have my head in a sound system every weekend, redline to headline! These are what I use when in clubs and the sound system is horrendous and loud.

    The trick is fitting them in. Use your opposite hand over your head to pull your ear up and straight (left hand right ear ie). This opens the ear canal so the plug goes in and sits nicely, it will be a secure and comfortable fit (STW gold that last sentence)

    barney
    Free Member

    Musician (in the loosest sense of the term) here. I also have tinnitus. I’ve used a wide variety of plugs, and (surprise surprise) the best ones are the most expensive – the custom moulded ACS ones, at several hundred quid. They’re the best compromise between similar attenuation across the whole noise spectrum.

    https://acscustom.com/uk/

    That said, I’ve also had good experiences with the non-custom ACS ones (which are a bunch cheaper, as you’d expect) and I’ve also liked EGGZ, which I think are another branded generic one (there’s one very *very* similar in a link up there ^^ from Mumba), – I’ve got no idea what their consistency is like, but mine seem to be OK.

    My recommendation would be to get some mid-range ones, and then if (after a few gigs) you really end up hating what they do to the sound, then ramp up your spending. At the very top end are the custom moulded ones, but they really are good.

    Probably would stop if I had to wear earplugs tbh. I need to feel it.

    It’s not as bad as you think, especially with decent plugs. You still get the bass drum in the chest etc.

    prettygreenparrot
    Full Member

    I have the Alpine ones. They’re great.

    Different filters for different gig types. I stick the spare filters to the inside of the lid with some blutack.

    Alpine MusicSafe Ear Plugs Hearing Protection for Musicians – 2 Filter Sets and Accessories to Enhance Your Music-Making Experience – Hypoallergenic and Reusable earplugs – Transparent https://amzn.eu/cRSMp81

    wordnumb
    Free Member

    I use the Alpine ones when playing music, both rehearsal and live. The filter system is both annoyingly fiddly and actually useful. Guitarist swears by the custom jobbies but he never seems to hear when I ask him to turn down. Attending gigs I usually forget, case in point Godflesh a couple of weeks ago [deaf for three days emoji].

    militantmandy
    Free Member

    I used Flare Audio plugs for both watching and playing gigs for many years. Much better quality of sound than standard foam and very comfortable.

    IdleJon
    Full Member

    My ears physically hurt at even a modest PA at a wedding etc, so if I don’t bring earplugs I have to leave the room asap.

    Isn’t this more of an issue with the DJ not understanding that people are there to do other things – socialise, catch up with relatives, have a chat, etc – and not endure Agadoo at 120dB for 6 hours? 😀

    plumber
    Free Member

    I haven’t been to a gig for 20 years without ear protection – usually -20db musician ear plugs but if I forget I use toilet roll

    Lots of damage done already at that stage but its managable and atleast its not got any worse

    footflaps
    Full Member

    My ears physically hurt at even a modest PA at a wedding etc, so if I don’t bring earplugs I have to leave the room asap.

    Isn’t this more of an issue with the DJ not understanding that people are there to do other things – socialise, catch up with relatives, have a chat, etc – and not endure Agadoo at 120dB for 6 hours? 😀

    I do seem to be the only person I know who finds it painful at modest levels. Although it seems painful to me, everyone else seems able to tolerate it – so I assume its modest.

    inkster
    Free Member

    When I was a dj / promoter I had the pleasure of booking Dillinja, giving his Valve soundsystem it’s first run out.

    Bits of the building started falling off and during the sound check I couldn’t see what I was writing when compiling the guest list because my eyeballs were vibrating. The MC’s ears started bleeding as well.

    Went to see Andy C at Wembley arena a couple of years back and my ears were ringing for the next 18 months. Got myself some of those senner type plugs and they’re always attached to my keyring just in case but haven’t been to anything as extreme as the two aforementioned gigs.

    It’s the mid range that gets me, I much prefer a bassier sound accompanied by crisp snares and hi hats, too much mid range just turns sound (and my ears) to mush for me.

    rsl1
    Free Member

    A friend recommended EGGZ filtered plugs to me as he agrees that foam ones are shite due to muffling everything. EGGZ are reasonable price but not as high attenuation as some others. I haven’t tested them yet as they arrived too late for my last gig.

    On a side note I’m interested that a previous poster wears plugs in bed. I went to see a specialist who recommended having white noise / background noise as often as possible to make my brain stop straining to hear something and causing ringing. Maybe the advice is different if the tinnitus stems from loud noise damage.

    CountZero
    Full Member

    Probably would stop if I had to wear earplugs tbh. I need to feel it.

    Did you not read my comment above about Pigs x7? I used my earplugs at the majority of the concerts at EOTR, even the singer/songwriter ones, because the PA involved several bass units with mid/top speakers on top, spaced across the front of the stage, as well as towers either side with speakers at the top to project to the back. This places the high frequencies at ear level, for extra clarity and vocal definition, which you don’t get with conventional speaker stacks either side, but you do get more volume.
    As a result, even with bands like Fleet Foxes, The Wave Pictures and Weather Station, let alone artists like Aniaïs Mitchell, Margo Cilker, and Lucy Dacus, who had bands with bass/drums, I could ‘really feel’ the music, as well as hear the vocals with perfect clarity. Same with Arcade Fire at the O2 last night, where I was standing at the crowd barrier at the front.

    The frequencies you ‘feel’ aren’t the ones that damage your hearing and leave you with tinnitus for the rest of your life! Those frequencies are the ones the filtered earplugs are designed to reduce. Why the **** do you think musicians wear them!

    Although, most professional musicians wear custom IEMS with a personal wireless monitor system, so aren’t affected.

    On a side note I’m interested that a previous poster wears plugs in bed.

    I wear them in bed, but only when I’m not working and having to get up at stupid o’clock in the morning, if it’s warm and my windows are open; it’s to stop me being woken up at stupid o’clock by the starlings raiding the feeders and squealing and screeching at high volume, as well as the traffic up and down my road.

    mudmuncher
    Full Member

    I’ve got some ACS custom pro17 for playing in a band. You can get the impressions taken in boots. Expensive at £150 but better than tinnitus and hearing loss.

    dynamiccoins
    Free Member

    I got some alpine partyplug pro’s earlier this year which did the job when I went to see Muse as I was worried they had a rep for being loud. The gig was almost a bit too quiet with the plugs in, but I think that was just me getting used to them.

    Only problem I’ve had with them since is forgetting to take them with me.

    When I raised the question of what to buy with some mates, two claimed they’d got tinnitus from high levels of weed consumption.

    martymac
    Full Member

    Absolutely no offence taken mate, i friggin hate them.

    CountZero
    Full Member

    Only problem I’ve had with them since is forgetting to take them with me.

    I’ve picked up several sets at different times, and they’re on several different sets of keys, including my car keys, depending on whether I’m driving to the gig or not, and whether I’m carrying a basic set of keys or a set with more odds and ends.

    Edukator
    Free Member

    I use -20db from the local music shop. It makes standing in front of a drummer and my guitar stack bearable and makes singing in tune possible. It doesn’t stop the tinitus being worse than usual for a few days after though.

    bassmandan
    Full Member

    When I was gigging I got a set of ACS Custom. Got one set of plugs and a second set for some IEMs from the same mould, second set were way cheaper which was nice though maybe not relevant for you.

    I tried a bunch of different plugs, and none were as comfortable for a few hours than the custom moulded ones.

Viewing 39 posts - 1 through 39 (of 39 total)

You must be logged in to reply to this topic.