Ear Protection

[Free Style]

What do you use and has anyone compared Ultra Phones to Direct Sounds Extreme Isolation Phones?

[kromberg]

Playing drums for over 25 years, I certainly wish I did use ear protection. I am starting to lose your hearing at 36 :( For those that are starting out, protect your ears!

Keith

[thisfall]

i just got some direct sound headphones, and they are great. im a freak about my ears, and these protect them from the noise, and you are still able to hear music clearly over your drums. i also have a pair of custom earplugs that are really good, and the direct sound headphones cut out close to as much sound. the headphones are cheaper at $90 but, the custon ear plugs are worth the $175. i strongly recommend both.

[bongobro]

Playing drums for over 25 years, I certainly wish I did use ear protection. I am starting to lose your hearing at 36 :( For those that are starting out, protect your ears!

Amen, bro'! Between my day job in radio (over 30 years!) and my drumming, I KNOW I've lost a portion of my hearing, Keith!

thisfall, I think you have the right idea...

[cc777]

there are also the vic firth headphones. they're $50 at musiciansfriend.com and i own a pair. i've never tried the other isolation ones but the vic firth ones are very good if you're looking for something a bit cheaper than $90.

[CAM1027]

I just use some old headphones my dad used in the 80's with his band. I have no idea what brand they were.

[Free Style]

I just got my musicians ear plugs from Westone Laboratories. For those that don't know about these type of plugs, the're custom made from a mold they make of the inside of your ears. You can get them with different size baffles. I bought the er15 and the er25 baffels. (Easily interchangable) You get the plugs with one set of baffels for 175.00 You can also make them about any color you want. They make a huge difference. What I like about them is I was able to carry on a cellphone conversation with them in my ears, hang up, then go straight to playing. They let you hear low volume and then they cut high volume sounds down. They will take a little getting use to. I found myself wanting to play harder cause of the volume difference. They also made my drums sound different to me, by getting rid of some overtones. Wish I would have got these along time ago.

[13drummer]

i've got earplugs. they're like small filters that you roll up and stick in your ear then they expand. :o

[BigTallG]

I don't know how I've managed to do this, but after playing for 24 years, and most of them semi-professionally, playing out every weekend, I have never used any ear protection, and I have no hearing loss....I know this because I drive a truck for a living, and federal DOT regulations require that I get my eyes and ears checked every 2 years....just had another physical in October, and my hearing is impeccable, so I guess I should feel lucky, eh?

[ragekage]

Iv never botherd but im gonna start,i had bad practise 2 days ago and my years are still buzzing! thats not gd isit lol

[Pdplayer]

Unless you don't want to hear your baby say dada for the first time or hear your favorite band play, or want to keep playing your instrument, I strongly suggest you wear some form of ear protection, there is nothing NOT COOL about wearing them, but your an idiot if you don't.

[eggman]

I used to not use ear protection, but I noticed that after I got done playing my ears were ringing, so I started using ear plugs

[amputechture]

ya i havent playing long so i definately want to start cuz i used to have inpecable hearing but its only been a year and i feel like ive lost some hearing just a tiny bit

but that might just be my cuz im really worried about it and might just be my mind screwing up

[hellsbells58]

I used to never wear ear protection when I was starting out, now I wear earplugs every time I practice.

I'm wondering if theres any better protection though, my earplugs at the moment are rated to -26 dB. Are the Isolation Headphones/Ultraphones rated higher?

HB58

[Drum_Fiend]

Playing drums for over 25 years, I certainly wish I did use ear protection. I am starting to lose your hearing at 36 :( For those that are starting out, protect your ears!

Keith

lol, Between my I-pod and playing Drums I think I've already lost a good amount of my hearing.
or is everyone just talking quieter?

[Lafirin]

so do you just put a pair of head phones on your ears with your ear plugs jammed in your ears when your drumming to your CD or whatever?

[drummer]

What!!? (strains to hear something about earplugs but can't quite make it out past the ringing in his ears)

[Lafirin]

how do you guys jam to your CD's and stuff? ljust crank the volume on your stereo so you can hear the song over your drumming?

[crazymanwithaplunger]

I have an iRiver e10 that i listen to - it's like an iPod but better. I just wish they were more common so there was more things out there for them like iTunes for iPod's. Anyway, I just crank the volume on it and have it eq'd so i can hear both it and my drums, if i can't hear what i'm playing how do i knwo if sounds right? - so yeah, that's what i do anyway

[Lafirin]

thats what i do, accept i have my computer right by my set so thats kinda cool, and i use my earplugs and THEN i crank the volume. but problem is, is that i cant hear my bass drum very well, so i think im going to pick myself up some drumming head phones at zellars tomorrow (according to my drum teacher there is a pair in that store)

[vinnysimmo]

I dont use any but i bourght some foam pads to make it less noisy.

[afflecks]

I just got my musicians ear plugs from Westone Laboratories. For those that don't know about these type of plugs, the're custom made from a mold they make of the inside of your ears. You can get them with different size baffles. I bought the er15 and the er25 baffels. (Easily interchangable) You get the plugs with one set of baffels for 175.00 You can also make them about any color you want. They make a huge difference. What I like about them is I was able to carry on a cellphone conversation with them in my ears, hang up, then go straight to playing. They let you hear low volume and then they cut high volume sounds down. They will take a little getting use to. I found myself wanting to play harder cause of the volume difference. They also made my drums sound different to me, by getting rid of some overtones. Wish I would have got these along time ago.

Just curious at the 2 different earplugs. Do you use one for practice and one live. How do you utilize the different types. How do they compare. I really need to get some of these. I wear head phones most of the time in practice. But we will be playing allot in the future and I am worried about the amount of constant noise not just when were playing but also the other bands.

[PapaG]

I have been drumming with the Bose noise cancelling headphones (used also for many other purposes)and they give good but attenuated drum sounds. They do cut out much of the ring and sizzle but the bass snare toms
and cymbals do come through with an accurate representation.

At 62 I suspect my hearing is probably more susceptable to damage now than before so if anything, I need very good sound reduction. Does anyone have any idea how these compare with the direct sound headphones.

Tough question.....does anyone know if any particular frequency high? low? mid? is more damaging than any other at the same volume?

Hear no evil!

[Stevo42w]

I just use the bulk packs of ear plugs you can buy.I take them from tafe or the workshop at work. They cut out all the painful frequencies... Kind of compress it in a way. But i do know you can get custom cutting earplugs. You can select if they take 6db or 15db off the sound and let the rest come through as normal. I dont like headphones. If i wanna practice headbanging as i play or i get into it. They fall off. So plug em up. :P

[mildvindaloo]

I have some cheap elachini earphones that stop the noise from damaging you ears, but i can still hear them great.

Its nice not having that ring in you ears after playing ^^


Only £15.99 in you high street music shop!