Van Halen concert and, well....my ears!

[seti]

I always take earplugs to see shows as you never know how loud they will be. There have been some shows so uncomfortable that even with plugs I have just had to leave. I hate it when the volume is too much. As for not hearing the show properly I would rather be able to hear properly later.

[skonopa]

Last weekend, I attended 4 nights of concerts (Sonata Arctica at Jaxx on Wednesday night, 4 bands in Atlanta for the ProgPower showcase, and then two nights of ProgPower itself on Friday and Saturday nights!). During that whole time, I was using the Etymotic ER20 earplugs myself!

To be honest, I actually thought the show sounded better with these earplugs in! Without the earplugs, it was just to darn loud and harsh sounding to me. I don't know how anybody could've stood listening to three days worth of that without earplugs! [:S] Those ER20's were worth every bit of the $15 I spent on them, especially given the number of shows I like to attend. I actually got two pairs (so I have a spare in case these got lost). This upcoming Monday, I'll be seeing Nightwish at Jaxx, so I will definitely be using these again.

[mas]

Foam earplugs just block alot of background noise, and buzz, not filter out music !!!!!!!!!!!

Sorry, but that is incorrect.

Most industrial use earplugs are designed for their noise reduction capabilities, and high frequencies are greater reduced, as they are a source of damage unlike LFs (to which excessive exposure ironically causes upper respiratory problems).

The Etymotic earplugs are specifically designed and tuned for a flatter response curve and less noise reduction, thus acting as a more accurate limiter optimized for music rather than a brut force block.

The difference in sound quality between these and the industrial/shooters foamie earplugs is dramatic. So much so that friends (arteests) who have steadfastly refused to wear industrial earplugs for unfortunately valid reasons far too many years have even agreed to wear them!

And there is no passive ear plug that can selectively block background noise and not filter out music!!!

[stormin]

So much so that friends (arteests) who have steadfastly refused to wear industrial earplugs for unfortunately valid reasons far too many years have even agreed to wear them!

LMAO Tony Clifton

[WMcD]

I went to a few rock concerts a few years ago. It was so loud I made up spit ball ear plugs out of napkins.

No, I don't know the frequency response. I did think the sound was then, better.

I'm quite convinced that ear protection is absolutely necessary. I also put fingers in ears for passing police cars and el trains. In my view, our ears were never designed for the levels of artificial sounds we get at concerts and in the urban environment.

Gil

[oldbuckster]

No matter what kind of Horse-Hockey mas is selling .................. Ear plugs are a personal choice the smart concert goer chooses to wear, whatever kind they maybe, ear plugs work, that's fact ...................... you only have so much hearing range anyway, and that gets narrower with age .................. Don't believe in ear plugs, go to a Modified Tractor Pull Indoors ............... you'll be begging for a pair !!!!!!!!!!!!!

[PhilMays]

I'm going to a James Taylor concert in Richmond this weekend...perhaps I should get a pair of earplugs?!?

[customsteve01]

Phil,

Yeah I think you will need them to help with that ear splitting accoustical guitar noise.

Are you staying the night in Richmond or driving home after the concert?

If your staying the night you should swing by the house on your way home Sunday.

We are going up to DC on saturday but are comming home after the show, so we will be home all day Sunday.

Steve

[DrWho]

No matter what kind of Horse-Hockey mas is selling .................. Ear plugs are a personal choice the smart concert goer chooses to wear, whatever kind they maybe, ear plugs work, that's fact .........

Mas is pointing out that not all ear plugs are the same. This notion that ear plugs simply work is severely misguided because not all ear plugs will prevent hearing damage.

Mas is also pointing out that different kinds of ear plugs impart different kinds of distortions too. It says a lot about the recommendations given by a person that can't hear the difference between ear plugs. It says a lot more about a person refusing to accept that differences exist when they've never tried it. You might as well argue that your child's paintings need to go into the Louvre because you can enjoy them just as much as a Picasso.

For what it's worth, I go to tractor pulls all the time and have found that I get better attenuation by plugging my ears with my fingers. I don't actually put my fingers in my ears though. I just push on that little piece of ear that's sticking out by the hole to create an airtight seal. It would be too tiring to hold it for an entire rock concert, but tractor pulls only last for a few seconds inbetween runs.

[oldbuckster]

No one said all ear plugs are the same, they are not, I'm sure the type the performers use are quite different than what the audience uses. All I'm stating is, that the foam will serve the purpose for a Rock Concert, that's all you need, but you can buy better if you want .................. if your blocking your ears at a tractor pull, you should try foam plugs, they probably sell them there, foam earplugs at a Nascar Race are $3.00 .................. again, you use only part of my post ................

[dkp]

I just ordered two pair of the Etymotic Research ER20BP earplugs for $12/pair. Thanks for the information!

-David

[LarryC]

If a tractor pull is that loud, you could also try a pair of isolation headphones that are rated at up to 29db noise reduction as compared with -12 to -20 for in-ear jobs like an Etymotic. A lot of very loud sounds enter directly through your skull, not just your ear canals, so pressing your fingers into your ears will go only so far. The muffs cut down on some of that skull transmission.

Muffs are no good for music, but will definitely cut down on high noise levels. Thing is, almost NO ONE pays ANY attention to something even that obvious. I always wear them when flying because of the very high ambient noise levels, and it's very rare for even a flight attendant to ask about them or to "please turn them off." Fellow passengers completely ignore them. Easier than sticking one's fingers into the ears IMO.

[mas]

No one said all ear plugs are the same, they are not, I'm sure the type the performers use are quite different than what the audience uses. All I'm stating is, that the foam will serve the purpose for a Rock Concert, that's all you need, but you can buy better if you want .................. if your blocking your ears at a tractor pull, you should try foam plugs, they probably sell them there, foam earplugs at a Nascar Race are $3.00 .................. again, you use only part of my post ................

I'm sure the type the performers use are quite different than what the audience uses.

Really?!? Unfortunately, but not surprisingly, that is incorrect.

You just don't get it do you? The assumption is that the audience desires to listen critically to the music just as a performer does! They do not simply wish to filter it out! If that is your desire, your really don't need earplugs! You would be better off just staying home!

For music, be you a performer OR an audience member, I would suggest the Etymotics.

But for you, I would suggest a cork. There must be a thread addressing musician and corporate greed somewhere that you could haunt... []

[mas]

Larry, another very effective idea for canceling out (eliminating) very loud ambient noise levels that tend to be continuous (as opposed to transient signal, such as in shooting) is the use of an active 'noise canceling' headphone.

These are an excellent alternative to the rather claustrophobic muffs that simply try to damp all noise, especially for flying and other industrial situations including chain saws, lawn mowers, leaf blowers and weed eaters.

Husquavarna makes a rather nice pair (that also offer options for radio) starting at about $30.

[colterphoto1]

Preach it MAS!

[oldbuckster]

MAS ....... MAS ...... MAS .....

[LarryC]

Mas, I haven't found a noise canceling headphone that reduces ambient sound by more than 15-20 db, e.g., one of the Bose units I bought several years ago. I could not use that unit because it produced electronic hiss, an odd problem to come from a hi-fi (sic) manufacturer.

The Husqvarna site offers several headphones that range from -23 to -25, which isn't as great as the claimed -29 or -33 headpieces I'm used to, and an ear canal insert that claims -33 db. That would surprise me from an insert, but I did buy some individually molded plugs ther produced a deafening silence -- the islation was too great for me to stand, so I still prefer a mix of foamies and -33 db headphones.

You mentioned shooting -- hunting and shooting stores are where I've bought my -29 to -33 db phones in the past. Those were about $30 as I recall, and I only had to put black tape over the vivid silver pistol silhouettes on the ear covers!

[tenntarheel]

2 things- i saw them opening night in Charlotte. 

 

1) LOTS of fun- and it wasn't THAT loud. I saw them in 85 and I was in pain- liken it to the bottom of a 12 foot swimming pool.

2) See above as well as: Metallica - 1990- OUCH!, YEARS of playing drums in loud rock bands (snare crack is murder on 6Kz!), YEARS in the studio, YEARS doing live sound (feedback alone has altered my ears).

 

Take the plugs as a precaution but enjoy the show!  Eddie is still a monster- 

[getech]

I remember when I went to a Grateful Dead concert in Oakland on a first date. Everyone was soooo stoned and at intermission and the lights came on, a couple were fornicating on the floor buck naked. The crown circled them and had quite a show (not as good as the Dead but pretty close). Needless to say, it sort of firmed up our plans later if you will....

[oldbuckster]

I remember when I went to a Grateful Dead concert in Oakland on a first date. Everyone was soooo stoned and at intermission and the lights came on, a couple were fornicating on the floor buck naked. The crown circled them and had quite a show (not as good as the Dead but pretty close). Needless to say, it sort of firmed up our plans later if you will....

And the Ear Plugs served what purpose ??????????