Earplugs

[Bob Smith]

I need help finding earplugs for dumline so that I can hear everyone and still be in time and so on.
So my drumline derector told me to get "mucisians earplugs."
What does she mean by this and how much do they cost?
What are some popular brands?

Oh and one last thing I'm looking spacifically into earplugs because i'm not gona march around a field wearing huge headphones that look stupid.

[konaboy]

Go to your local walmart or sporting goods store and get the foam ones found back in the hunting section. 30db drop in noise and will run about $2.99 for 5 pair.
Heres' ones liste on Sam Ash website http://www.samash.com/catalog/showitem.asp?ItemPos=4&TempID=5&STRID=8831&Method=2&CategoryID=0&BrandID=0&PriceRangeID=0&PageNum=0&DepartmentID=0&pagesize=10&SortMethod=3&SearchPhrase=ear+plugs&Contains=%2Aear%2A+AND+%2Aplug%2A&Search_Type=SEARCH&GroupCode=

Oh come on the headphones would make such a fashion statement :-))

[paracor]

I'd rather suggest these over the foam ones :
http://earplugstore.stores.yahoo.net/alnasoearpl.html
these or likes of them.
The foam ones are cheap but they'll cut out all the high pitched elements and leave the low ones to a higher volume (sorry about the crap english, I'm doing my best).
Plugs like the music safe or ER20 or that kind of plugs, will bring down all frequencies equally (well they attempt to) to leave a natural sound.
music safe come with 2 different filter to attenuate the volume accordingly to your taste/needs

[Bob Smith]

How about these
http://earplugstore.stores.yahoo.net/hehinasoearp.html
why are they more expensive than the ER-20

[Royal]

If it's just ear protection, I use WAX earplugs.
About the same price as foam but always a perfect/better fit.

Just roll each plug in your palms for 10 seconds to soften it, push in your ear. Perfect fit, every time. Never falls out & better protection. I have used foam/plastic but wax is much better. Can re-use as many times as you like. I also use them for motorcycle racing. That's how I first can across them.

Check out the motorcycle store if the drum store doesn't have them.

...........................http://img257.imageshack.us/img257/2897/21unyi5a21lsl160aa160wl2.jpg

[maz]

if you're looking for real quality, I'd suggest going to an audiologist and getting a pair of custom made elacin ER earplugs. although i don't own those (yet), they've been highly recommended to me by a friend of my brother, who is both audiologist and musician. they provide a direct drop of 9/15/25 db (depending on what filters you use) and thus don't just reduce certain frequencies. also, they're probably pretty comfortable, since they're customized after all.
they might be costly, though...

[Bob Smith]

well i don't quite have that much $$$$$$$$ to spend.
But i still want to have the same affect without haveing all the distortion of foam and wax ear plugs.

[maddrummr]

Hearos=amazingness i love them but recently switched to those high fidelity ones. I like the high fidelity ones because you can hear better with the high fidelity ones, its just quieter.

for me
Foam-blocks sound
high fidelity-reduces sound

[paracor]

well i don't quite have that much $$$$$$$$ to spend.
But i still want to have the same affect without haveing all the distortion of foam and wax ear plugs.

then go for the ER20s, Hearos, alpine or the likes of them. they're just what you're asking for

[konaboy]

if you're looking for real quality, I'd suggest going to an audiologist and getting a pair of custom made elacin ER earplugs. although i don't own those (yet), they've been highly recommended to me by a friend of my brother, who is both audiologist and musician. they provide a direct drop of 9/15/25 db (depending on what filters you use) and thus don't just reduce certain frequencies. also, they're probably pretty comfortable, since they're customized after all.
they might be costly, though...

I looked into those a number of years ago when I was playing in some loud rock bands, they give a totally neutral sound, kind of like setting an eq flat which if you sing will allow you to still hear pitch. The band fell apart rather quickly so I didn't bother. Yes it does get a little pricey by the time they make the molds and have them made, HOWEVER, you only have one set of ears and what is your hearing worth to you? I didn't suggest it because I know how pricey they are but I was talking to someone last night at church and this topic came up and a comment I made caught my attention, "you only have one set of ears that are irreplaceable, what good is all the gear you have if you lose your hearing you can't enjoy one of the things you love most. We spend thousands of dollars on drums, hardware, cymbals, pedals and such but yet when it comes to what is truly most valuable to our craft,our hearing, we are reluctant to spend the money" Just a thought I had last night and I think one that is worthy of truly thinking about.

I've gotten back into a Christian Rock band and we've played 3 small shows, if we stay together and keep playing out I'm seeking an audiologist and having plugs made.

[Oldie]

+1 for moulded earplugs. Got mine almost a year ago. Best investment ever! I use 15Db filters. They have a flat dampening curve, so I can hear the music OK. They can also be fitted with in-ear monitors.
/Oldie

[autonomos]

I've got the custom molded ones, and it's one of the best investmensts I've made. I've had them for a number of years and can't remember the cost, but I know it's not much compared to what one might spend on drum gear. I have the 15db filters and the 25db filters, and I've never needed the 25s.

[jesusfetusis6]

so glad someone started a thread on this. i've recently started to use foam ones (because i recently heard from someone that hearing things when i'm older is important) but all this really helps a lot. for some reason i get screwed up wearing the plugs and only hearing lots of low end stuff, it throws me off.

[drumbandit]

I use Er-20 earphones, because of the triple flanges, you can put them in as much as you like, or as little as you like and still get the comfort/sound qualities you want. I'd recommned them.

Tom

[Big_Philly]

Try Vater safe'n sound, they're a little more expensive than foam thingy's but they have a very flat damping curve, in other words the sound will barely be changed by them. And they last long. I have had mine for more than a year and they are still in one piece.

[autonomos]

so glad someone started a thread on this. i've recently started to use foam ones (because i recently heard from someone that hearing things when i'm older is important) but all this really helps a lot. for some reason i get screwed up wearing the plugs and only hearing lots of low end stuff, it throws me off.

The foam plugs cut out a lot more of the high frequencies (which are said to be the more damaging and also the first to go once you start losing your hearing). The molded ones with the filters have a flatter response, meaning they cut out highs, mids and lows a little more evenly so it doesn't sound as "bassy". They come with a graph to show the different frequencies for the different filters, kinda like a mic graph.

[T.Underhill]

I've always used the Quiet! Please brand earplugs. They block a ton but I've never had an issue hearing low or high end stuff.