If you frequently go to loud concerts -- as a musician, sound engineer, or fan -- you should consider hearing protection.
I know, I know -- it's not cool to wear earplugs, right? Well, unfortunately, even exposure to an extremely loud concert for a period of three hours can be enough to cause lasting damage to your hearing -- in fact, according to OSHA, 115db is acceptable for only 15 minutes of exposure. That sounds like a lot, but keep in mind, some concert PA systems are designed -- and requested, by the band -- to be able to hit 120db, at the mix position halfway through the room!
Argument against earplugs
Many older musicians act as if their hearing loss is a badge of honor; however, chances are as they're bragging, they're also shouting and asking you to speak up! Besides the "cool factor", another argument against protecting your hearing is that that you'll be missing a lot of the show by wearing earplugs. Unfortunately, using foam or wax earplugs WILL cause a significant reduction in the high and mid frequencies, as, for the most part, they're causing your ear canal to be cut off from the outside world. You'll be limited to hearing mainly tactile frequencies -- the low end that you can feel via induction through the bones to your eardrum.Musician's earplugs
Musician's earplugs are designed very simply to allow attenuation evenly across the frequency spectrum -- reducing the volume while still allowing you to hear relatively undistorted sound.For musician's earplugs, you've got a couple options.
Etymotic Research invented and manufactures the musician's hi-fi earplug. You can purchase universal-fit versions of their earplugs for around $15, marketed by Etymotic or any number of other companies. br]
Another option is custom-molded musician's earplugs. This is the best option for professionals in the music business -- a custom-molded, soft silicone shell with the Etymotic filter in place. These will run you around $150, plus audiologist's fees for the ear impressions (a quick, painless process). These will offer the best protection and durability, but have a high start-up cost.
Whatever you do, protect your hearing -- you'll be glad you did!
