Discussion
Hi chaps,
I am a professional musician so I guess my hearing is more important to me than most.
I have loads of sets of foam earplugs kickig around for general use, and a set of Alpine ear plugs (with the high attenuation filter) which I use as my primary set (when gigging with a lot of amplification or on long car journeys in any of my noisy cars.
However, after 3 hours in my recent acquisition (TVR) on the motorway today sans hood my ears are ringing something chronic.
Is there anything else I can do to protect my hearing? A colleague got some made up to fit his ear canals which cost several hundred - quite prepared to do this if needs be, primary concern is my hearing.
It's actually worrying me because if I can't sort it the car will have to go
ETA: just remembered, I have some ear defenders
I would look a proper tit in them but I wish I'd worn them today
I am a professional musician so I guess my hearing is more important to me than most.
I have loads of sets of foam earplugs kickig around for general use, and a set of Alpine ear plugs (with the high attenuation filter) which I use as my primary set (when gigging with a lot of amplification or on long car journeys in any of my noisy cars.
However, after 3 hours in my recent acquisition (TVR) on the motorway today sans hood my ears are ringing something chronic.
Is there anything else I can do to protect my hearing? A colleague got some made up to fit his ear canals which cost several hundred - quite prepared to do this if needs be, primary concern is my hearing.
It's actually worrying me because if I can't sort it the car will have to go
ETA: just remembered, I have some ear defenders
I would look a proper tit in them but I wish I'd worn them today Edited by NiceCupOfTea on Sunday 22 July 18:35
As far as I can tell, the disposable foam ones actually have the highest SNR ratings - block most noise.
After much experimentation I use Moldex Sparkplugs, which are cheap and disposable and have an SNR of 37, or something like that. Even Superdrug's own have an SNR of 35.
I looked into the individually moulded ones at the NEC bike show in November but they're nothing like cheap and don't claim anything like the SNR of the cheapo foam ones, so I passed.
I suspect you'll find this is a highly subjective topic. The best strategy is to start with the cheap options and work up until you get something that suits you, I reckon!
After much experimentation I use Moldex Sparkplugs, which are cheap and disposable and have an SNR of 37, or something like that. Even Superdrug's own have an SNR of 35.
I looked into the individually moulded ones at the NEC bike show in November but they're nothing like cheap and don't claim anything like the SNR of the cheapo foam ones, so I passed.
I suspect you'll find this is a highly subjective topic. The best strategy is to start with the cheap options and work up until you get something that suits you, I reckon!
Very useful chaps, thanks.
Am I looking for a high or low SNR? The ear defenders seem to have lower numbers, and if they are anything like my Peltors they cut *everything* out!
Wonder what the difference between the music ones and the bike ones is? Different frequencies or different levels of attenuation?
Am I looking for a high or low SNR? The ear defenders seem to have lower numbers, and if they are anything like my Peltors they cut *everything* out!
Wonder what the difference between the music ones and the bike ones is? Different frequencies or different levels of attenuation?
These are a good company to deal with, very popular with clay shooters. Custom moulded and active/passive options
http://www.censdigital.com/home.html
Regards
http://www.censdigital.com/home.html
Regards
NiceCupOfTea said:
Very useful chaps, thanks.
Am I looking for a high or low SNR? The ear defenders seem to have lower numbers, and if they are anything like my Peltors they cut *everything* out!
Wonder what the difference between the music ones and the bike ones is? Different frequencies or different levels of attenuation?
You want a high SNR.Am I looking for a high or low SNR? The ear defenders seem to have lower numbers, and if they are anything like my Peltors they cut *everything* out!
Wonder what the difference between the music ones and the bike ones is? Different frequencies or different levels of attenuation?
Difference between different types is here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earplug
with plenty of science stuff you probably understand better than me.
It would seem to support my non-scientific ending up with disposable foam plugs, anyway. These are the ones I use:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Moldex-Spark-plugs-20-x-...
They look very similar to the orange foam ones you can buy in Superdrug for £1.95ish - maybe worth trying those first?
Mrs SWH had some custom ones made up for when she's singing/teaching live performance workshops.
They effectively pour latex, or some such, into your ear to make a mould, then knock up a couple of soft plastic earplugs with changable filters - in a combination of exciting colours, apparently important if you're not colourblind like me
I'll ask here where she got them done, a few hundred notes from memory (was 5+ yrs ago); think there are plenty of places which do it.
...oh, and they work a treat apparently.
They effectively pour latex, or some such, into your ear to make a mould, then knock up a couple of soft plastic earplugs with changable filters - in a combination of exciting colours, apparently important if you're not colourblind like me
I'll ask here where she got them done, a few hundred notes from memory (was 5+ yrs ago); think there are plenty of places which do it.
...oh, and they work a treat apparently.
That would be brill, ta!
I have a pair of latex musician's ones which are OK for gigs but as my ears are still ringing now 28 hours later so clearly no good for the TVR.
I've rummaged through my Drawer Of Many Things and found a pair of Howard Leight Laser Lite earplugs amongst all the yellow foam ones, so I will see how I get on with them.
Also considering these which sound like a cheap alternative to what your wife has.
If it costs a couple of hundred it costs a couple of hundred though. You only get one pair of ears.
I have a pair of latex musician's ones which are OK for gigs but as my ears are still ringing now 28 hours later so clearly no good for the TVR.
I've rummaged through my Drawer Of Many Things and found a pair of Howard Leight Laser Lite earplugs amongst all the yellow foam ones, so I will see how I get on with them.
Also considering these which sound like a cheap alternative to what your wife has.
If it costs a couple of hundred it costs a couple of hundred though. You only get one pair of ears.
We use this company...
http://www.puretonemusic.net/custom_earplugs.html
the Elacin ER series is custom made and offers various levels of attenuation using a filter within the plug. These can be changed as you can buy the filters separately. These are good as they attenuate sound instead of blocking sound out. Effectively just turning the volume down on what you hear.
The protecthear is also good but you cannot swap the filter on that model, this however makes them cheaper
We also use http://www.hearingprotection.co.uk/index.php?optio...
they do the Er's as well as there own Pro range, which has the "communicator" option allowing comms or music
http://www.puretonemusic.net/custom_earplugs.html
the Elacin ER series is custom made and offers various levels of attenuation using a filter within the plug. These can be changed as you can buy the filters separately. These are good as they attenuate sound instead of blocking sound out. Effectively just turning the volume down on what you hear.
The protecthear is also good but you cannot swap the filter on that model, this however makes them cheaper
We also use http://www.hearingprotection.co.uk/index.php?optio...
they do the Er's as well as there own Pro range, which has the "communicator" option allowing comms or music
The brand/make is Elacin, and lots of places do them (as in the above post I think). Moulds get taken locally, anywhere that does hearing aids will do that, even Specsavers
For noisy entertaining machinery, the proper expensive foam ones tend to stop the most range, the good ones I've found instantly feel better, dense foam, take a while to expand, don't like going through the washing machine, etc.
For noisy entertaining machinery, the proper expensive foam ones tend to stop the most range, the good ones I've found instantly feel better, dense foam, take a while to expand, don't like going through the washing machine, etc.
For driving a car, industrial ones are just right because they'll be designed with those sort of frequencies in mind. The musician's ones won't be so good because they're designed to let a bit more top end through so you can hear what you're playing.
I'd certainly think about getting the proper plugs for playing though - a couple of hundred pounds or deafness is a pretty easy question to answer...
I'd certainly think about getting the proper plugs for playing though - a couple of hundred pounds or deafness is a pretty easy question to answer...
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