Posted by Eve on May 01, 2001 at 08:46:04:
In Reply to: ear plugs posted by Phil on May 01, 2001 at 07:41:12:
I have custom earplugs that I highly recommend. The brand is "PHONAK" but I think they may go under several names. They are professionally fitted by an audiologist.
The are moulded to the shape of my ear canals, and I have two sets of filters (which I can change) ... 15dB reduction, and 25dB reduction. Changing the filters is fiddly (i.e. NOT something you'd be doing in bars' rest). Rather, you decide which filters are appropriate for which gigs... actually I just use the 25s almost all the time.
Initially, the seem a bit fiddly to put in your ears correctly, but very soon you are deft... that's deft, not deaf. I am great at leaving them "perched" in my ears (but not pushed right in) during the quiet bits, then I can push them right in in a flash for the loud bits.
The sound is superior to any other plug I have tried (and that is quite a few types). The sound is cut evenly from the whole spectrum, so other sounds still sounds clear and "normal", and speech is easily understood. It is important to cut from the whole spectrum, because all parts are equally able to cause damage.
Obviously when you play with the plugs in, you still get what I call the "head-cold effect" (i.e. hearing lots of yourself "inside your head"). This is impossibly to avoid with any blocking of the ears ("occlusion", the experts call this effect). But even this is quite a bit better with these pro plugs -- I was reminded of this just the other night when I had to use one cr(AT)ppy foam plug at work when one of my good plugs needed a minor repair.
The are expensive (but what price your hearing??) I'm lucky that mine are paid for by my orchestra (since they're the ones sending me deaf!)
I never leave home without them. I've been known to wear them at loud pubs, whatever, even when I'm not working.
They don't last forever. The soft plastic tends to harden after a couple of years, and once you find that they are ont always "sealing" fully and easily, it's time to replace. Also (as those who are fitted with hearing aids know) the shape of your ear canal also changes over time.
I seriously cannot recommend this type of plug highly enough.