What ear protection do you use?

[LRLL]

Not using any at the moment, but I have a feeling I should wisen up and get some. I got a dB sound level meter the other day pretty cheap so I'm gonna see how much sound pressure we typically create with our band  :o

[dthree]

I used to buy Pura-Fit plugs from an industrial safety store. They are about $25 for a box of 200 pairs and go -29. I think there is a -20 model as well. I gave a pair to my roomate and he said they worked better than his $200 custom-molded made by his doctor. I've tried all the rolled-foam and rubber molded ones in the music stores and the industrial supply store is a better place to shop.

[irishthump]

I just use the cheap rolled foam earplugs. They're about 80 cents a pair at my local chemist, and I find them great. You don't lose too much articulation.

[Assassinator]

my dad used to work at this naval helicopter base and there he had these earplugs which i'm using now for my drumset. .i love wearing them during practise..

my tuning sucks and these earplugs is making my drums sound much better :) and are really softening to my ears.. i've never tried them on during gigs or band rehearsel

[BAnimalG]

Well, I'm finally going to get the Shure In-Ear Monitor system.  I'm not going wireless, as I don't see any real purpose in it.  All I do is sit on my butt anyway!   :)  I'm going with the hard-wired version, which will save me about $200.00.

[Mister Acrolite]

Well, I'm finally going to get the Shure In-Ear Monitor system.  I'm not going wireless, as I don't see any real purpose in it.  All I do is sit on my butt anyway!   :)  I'm going with the hard-wired version, which will save me about $200.00.

Just be careful - a bad soundman might let a sudden burst of feedback happen, and that is NO fun with in-ear monitors. At least with monitor SPEAKERS, you can try to duck out of harm's way, but with in-ears, you can run but you cannot hide!   :o

[BAnimalG]

I'll be controlling them, and I'm not a bad sound man.   ;)  :)

We have two available monitor mixes on our board, and one of them is going to be specifically for me.  Being in a "3 Peace" band rules!   http://3peace.com]3peace.com    ;D

[AndrewD]

I've had a bunch of luck with digital "Metrophones."  The headphones cut out tons of sound and the click is really adjustable with volume and BPMs.  They can be a bummer if used at gigs because after each song you have to adjust the click manually and that takes time.  But, for practicing alone or with a band they are great.  Mine were around $150.

[wombar]

I tend to use some normal headphones when I'm practicing by myself so I can play along to a click. They cut out enough of the sound that I'm not doing any damage.

I've been teaching for the past month so I use some Docs Pro plugs because headphones aren't very practical when you're sitting there trying to talk to someone.

I keep suggesting to the students that they should have a set of ear plugs but some of them just dont listen. If I end up doing this full time for myself I'm going to say that all students must have a set of ear plugs.

Thing is at the moment if you only practice for about an hour a week it's unlikely that you'll be doing any damage, but I want to get them into the habit, so when you're doing like 4+ hours a day you've got into a routine and it just seems natural.

[windhorse]

Yet again, you guys have helped determine the course of events in my drumming life!
Looking into the Etymotics.

Thanks so much!

[waymag]

Funny you should say that, cause I use ones like that! I got them off my dads old Chainsaw set, they are REALLY cool! They make the kit sound soooo bassy!  ;D

Misenko.

Well I dont feel alone then. I too love the sound of my drums with the "Muffs" on

[jamava]

Lately I've been wondering if I'm just fooling myself with ear protection.  I have the $12 musicians plugs and I like them.  But am I still being protected when I crank the stereo up to maximum volume?
I'm guess I'm getting curious about what type of sounds do the damage and which do not.

[skriben]

I have been a drummer for two years... i have tinnitus... it  sucks. I use ANYTHING that makes those drums sound less... I'll prolly never get to that level where i feel that the earplugs take away the sound, since i'll never experience the "real thing".... It kinda sucks... my ears have gotten really sensitive.

Though i drum on, and i really love it.

[gregster]

I heard about "Elacin" fitted earplugs which attenuate all frequencies evenly (to a degree, I suppose), but you go to a hearing aid centre and get molds taken of your ears (this feel totally weird by the way!).

Then they custom make these plugs with a small hole drilled in the centre I think, which has the result of everyhting just being about 10-15 db quieter. Maybe a good compromise : and I think you can get these for different volume levels, too. They're about £100 (c $140) but a good longterm investment. This info is not exact : but do a search for Elacin if you're interested.
gregster

[funmachine]

I've had tinnitus for years, really bad now.  Got it playing country music too--sitting behind guitar and fiddle amps.  Gawd.  I've been wearing those bright orange industrial earplugs for years, but lately I've been cheating, loosening one plug so I can hear my cymbals better, and I'm payin' for it now too.  I finally got some Hearos, which are nice because they don't spread your ear canal out so much, but I am having trouble getting used to them.

Wearing earplugs was the best thing that ever happened to my singing, because if I put one in good and tight, I could hear myself and my pitch and control improved.   I'm not so dependent on the vagaries of the monitor system now.

Do any of you earplug-wearers catch any flack from other players who don't wear them?   I do have trouble hearing songs called on stage, but it doesn't mean I can't hear ANYTHING!  A guitar player recently told me he thought I couldn't hear that my snare was "high" rather than fat sounding.   I could have "fixed" that in seconds but thought it was rather hip...   :(

[Carn]

Today, I got these ones for $10:  http://www.vicfirth.com/product/individualsticks/DB22.html

my local music shop needed to get rid of its last pair, it works fantastic  with a simple headphone and my mixing panel + microphone, hearing every detail at a nice, healthy volume, and not much "real sound" bleeding trough, almost sounds like a pro monitor :)

[jokerjkny]

another satisfied Etymotic user here.  i use the regular, non-fitted ER-20's, and they've served me incredibly well.  anything else literally pales.



most foamies just reduce the highs, making everything sound muffled.  but these give me the most even and balanced attenuation of volume, than any other pair of earplugs i've used.    

and they're especially great with my bass playing.  protects me from the seemingly innocuous, yet just as tortuous low end that can damage your ears just as badly.

[psycht]

^^^^^^

What he said. I have the Hearos Hi-Fi (Pictured above) and will only upgrade to custom molds. These are great for the money

[onmyown]

http://www.proplugs.com

docs pro plugs..ive had very good luck with these

[windhorse]

another satisfied Etymotic user here.  i use the regular, non-fitted ER-20's, and they've served me incredibly well.  anything else literally pales.

Yeah, I got two pairs of these, but they stick out of your head like antennae, and they reduce too much sound to hear distinctly enough what everyone else is doing. So, I've gone back to the age-old remedy I've always used in the past. Just plain-ol' rolled up kleenex. It muffles the sound only slightly and I can still stay in the grove - and the added benefit is nobody gives me crap about stuff sticking out of my ears.