Ear Plugs question

yeky83 said:
Hm... I'm getting "Single Number Rating" (as opposed to "HML") in my googling. Where are you getting the "Simplified Noise Level Reduction Rating?"
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Found it on the box of earplugs that we give to the audience for free. The internet seems to define it as Single Number Rating.
 
Earplugs is a very important equipment to protect a hearing problem. Now a days everyone is suffering hearing issues so we need to take a step to prevent hearing.
 
Custom mold plugs are great for blocking, but aren't super transparent. They cut essentially all the highs. I like mine fine, but my Earasers were much, much cheaper and have a more even attenuation across the spectrum.
 
My custom experience was horrible. We have one place to go, the university audiologist, otherwise a 300 mile round trip. Got impressions done and I guess I have virgin ear canals because the company came back and said the canal was too thin. Needed a re-impression which kind of pissed off the audiologist. He did the remolds I got the finished product back and it is so uncomfortable they sit in a box unused.

I use Westones with the generic tip collection. First the 4R and now the UM30 Pro. The Axe sounds stellar thru these units.
 
mwd said:
My custom experience was horrible. We have one place to go, the university audiologist, otherwise a 300 mile round trip. Got impressions done and I guess I have virgin ear canals because the company came back and said the canal was too thin. Needed a re-impression which kind of pissed off the audiologist. He did the remolds I got the finished product back and it is so uncomfortable they sit in a box unused.

I use Westones with the generic tip collection. First the 4R and now the UM30 Pro. The Axe sounds stellar thru these units.
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Every company I deal with has an unlimited remake, satisfaction assured 90 day remake policy. You should never end up with soemthing that isn’t comfortable and sits in a drawer. If there is a true anatomical issue they can’t make a mold they should also refund the money.

What the audiologist should do is take a mouth open and closed impression, and send both in. Many people have the shape of their ear canal change with jaw movement so that could likely be causing your fit issues.

Last but not least, the audiologist should be willing to work until it’s right. That is the job, to make the patient happy.
 
ccroyalsenders said:
Custom mold plugs are great for blocking, but aren't super transparent. They cut essentially all the highs. I like mine fine, but my Earasers were much, much cheaper and have a more even attenuation across the spectrum.
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What type of filters do you have in your customs, if any ? What your saying is the exact opposite of why people get custom musicians plugs. They are designed to allow more linear response and provide better clarity for the highs, though at lesser degrees of attentiation. Basically to bring the levels down to reduce some potential damage but still let performers hear and enjoy fine nuances of music.

I’ve fit more pairs than I can remember to tons of musicians over the years and haven’t heard anyone complain about losing highs...


Unless someone made you shooting or swim plugs by mistake
 
Wouldn't IEMs be the best choice to control what goes into your ears? Maybe it's a cost thing, but it seems to me you would play better when hearing your real tone.
 
C2@TJS said:
Wouldn't IEMs be the best choice to control what goes into your ears? Maybe it's a cost thing, but it seems to me you would play better when hearing your real tone.
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It’s a lot of cost and what if your not mic’ing up your drummer and other instruments ? Then your not hearing them....

IEM’s are great for a full band, big stages, but aren’t always an ideal solution. They aren’t cheap and you need transmitters, mixer etc for each and every member using them. Gets expensive and some people just don’t like them.
 
lqdsnddist said:
It’s a lot of cost and what if your not mic’ing up your drummer and other instruments ? Then your not hearing them....
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Cost aside for now, a radical approach would be to experiment using just one IEM summed mono and an attenuating plug in the other ear. Probably take some getting used to, but theoretically you could hear things the way you want.

As to the mic'ing of the drums, if they aren't mic'd, then shouldn't the volume be low enough not to bother with plugs?
 
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lqdsnddist said:
What type of filters do you have in your customs, if any ? What your saying is the exact opposite of why people get custom musicians plugs. They are designed to allow more linear response and provide better clarity for the highs, though at lesser degrees of attentiation. Basically to bring the levels down to reduce some potential damage but still let performers hear and enjoy fine nuances of music.

I’ve fit more pairs than I can remember to tons of musicians over the years and haven’t heard anyone complain about losing highs...


Unless someone made you shooting or swim plugs by mistake
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My custom molds were made fifteen years ago. I'm sure the filters have gotten better. I don't ever use them anymore since I tour and work with IEMs.
 
C2@TJS said:
Cost aside for now, a radical approach would be to experiment using just one IEM summed mono and an attenuating plug in the other ear. Probably take some getting used to, but theoretically you could hear things the way you want.

As to the mic'ing of the drums, if they aren't mic'd, then shouldn't the volume be low enough not to bother with plugs?
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You must play around some soft hitting drummers, or perhaps already have a bit of hearing loss, because I can’t stand being within like 20 feet of the cymbals of the drummers I know who bash the heck out of those things. I find hearing protection a must for live drums, but, maybe if someone used brushes and had a soft touch it would be fine ?

As for monoaural monitoring... I don’t know, I suppose it would work, but I think I’d hate it. Hearing my guitar through just one ear, while trying to balance external sources or monitors ? Makes my brain hurt thinking about it.

I think a single ear piece works for Secret Service agents though lol
 
lqdsnddist said:
Last but not least, the audiologist should be willing to work until it’s right. That is the job, to make the patient happy.
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I 100% agree but it was not a good scenario. This audiologist was on the payroll of the University primarily for hearing problems and it seemed like they were doing us a 'favor' being fitted for music purposes. I would have loved to be in a region where we could have choices and people that had done 'exactly' what we were looking for many times. It made us give up on customs.
 
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