Best earplugs for drumming?

ddrum_daz

Member
At the moment I'm using a pair of foam ear plugs - sort of the ones you get free from airlines. They definitely protect my hearing but the trouble is they aren't washable - I've tried once and they take forever to dry out and putting moist things in my ears isn't hygienic.

Does anyone know of any good, washable ear plugs that will last me a long time?

I know some may say just to use a pair of ear defenders but the trouble is they cut down the sound alot more and I want to know how loud I am playing (I drum in my basement).
 
My last band was practicing very loud. I brought to practice a pair of ear muffs I used when mowing my lawn and blowing the snow. They really block out the noise. I was also using foam ear plugs as well.
 
I would look for some Hearos High Fidelity plugs at your local drugstore. They're not made of that foam. I use them for concerts and they're washable. For drumming I use Shure in ear monitors, which are probably not what you're looking for. I also like Vic Firth ear muffs.
 
Here is an inexpensive solution I heard from Ronn Dunnett.

1. Buy a set of 3M ear muffs from Home Depot or similar store.
2. Pull the foam out of the inside.

You will be amazed at the sound ... and it still protects your ears.
 
I have moulded musicians earplugs, 25db attenuation... contrary to the "flat reduction in sound) they do make things sound slightly bassy but you get to hear all the clarity of no plugs but your ears are being protected.

Well worth the money IMO. If you can't afford them then I'd check out those Hearos.
 
I'm using Alpine earplugs that I bought from the local music shop. They're rubber and come with two different inserts. The plastic inserts are for different db drops. I think the silver ones are 15 db and the gold are 25 db. They're washable, come with a case, and even a little tube to push them into your ears nice and snug. They provide a much better clarity than any foam plug ever would. I think V-percussion makes a similar set of plugs. They costs roughly $10 and are well worth it.
 
I would look for some Hearos High Fidelity plugs at your local drugstore. They're not made of that foam. I use them for concerts and they're washable. For drumming I use Shure in ear monitors, which are probably not what you're looking for. I also like Vic Firth ear muffs.

I like the Hearos as well. They don't color the sound of the drumset too much, so it still sounds/feels natural.
 
Here is an inexpensive solution I heard from Ronn Dunnett.

1. Buy a set of 3M ear muffs from Home Depot or similar store.
2. Pull the foam out of the inside.

You will be amazed at the sound ... and it still protects your ears.

Yes this does work, and does sound great. I do this with some Peltor Ear muffs is have.
 
I've used the Radians Molded plugs for over a year now. I'm very happy with them.
They're very comfortable, easy to make, and easy to put in/take out.
Inexpensive too!!

This is the same company/product as the AHEAD molded earplugs shops sell for $30.
They have them as low as $7.17 from sellers

http://www.amazon.com/Radians-CEP00...69983&sr=8-2&keywords=radians+molded+earplugs

These are my favorite, too. Easy to wash, and they attenuate all frequencies more evenly than the foam plugs, so the drums don't sound so bass-heavy.
 
A couple tips for doing these. Make sure your ears are clean before you set the compound in them.
Iso Alchohol on a Q-tip works well.
Make sure the compounds are mixed really well before you stick the goop in. I used a small knife to cut each part in half before smushing them together and mixing the two parts together.

It takes 10 minutes to set, and you'll kinda feel it as it "hardens" at the end.
 
A couple tips for doing these. Make sure your ears are clean before you set the compound in them.
Iso Alchohol on a Q-tip works well.
Make sure the compounds are mixed really well before you stick the goop in. I used a small knife to cut each part in half before smushing them together and mixing the two parts together.

It takes 10 minutes to set, and you'll kinda feel it as it "hardens" at the end.

I read a few reviews of cutting it in half twice so you can make 2 pair instead of 1. Do you think this is a good idea or just stick to 1 pair?
 
The first pair I made, I didn't use all of the stuff (1/2 & 1/2 mixed), but most of it...probably 3/4's of it.

The second pair I used all of it for each ear, and I like the set that had less material.
Not sure how just half would work though.

You don't have to shove the stuff in, so if you just pushed it in a little.
Using just half, it would still probably fill the ear, and then just some of the outer area.

Might just be a little harder to insert them in your ear with half, that's probably all. It's nice to have a semi thick piece of the stuff to cover the ear for "fit" putting them in, but you don't need ALL of it for sure.
 
I pushed the compound in lightly, and then ended up pinching off just a small amount to get the outer part to fit properly in my outer ear without protruding very far. They are hardly noticeable from any distance at all.

I did use almost all the compound, though. Maybe if you have smaller ear canals you could get two pairs, but that wouldn't have worked for me. YMMV
 
I like the Etymotic ER20 High Fidelity Earplugs when I play with my band. They don't have a perfect frequency response, but it is far better than the foam plugs I used to use. I feel they were well worth the $13 US I paid for them.
 
The first pair I made, I didn't use all of the stuff (1/2 & 1/2 mixed), but most of it...probably 3/4's of it.

The second pair I used all of it for each ear, and I like the set that had less material.
Not sure how just half would work though.

You don't have to shove the stuff in, so if you just pushed it in a little.
Using just half, it would still probably fill the ear, and then just some of the outer area.

Might just be a little harder to insert them in your ear with half, that's probably all. It's nice to have a semi thick piece of the stuff to cover the ear for "fit" putting them in, but you don't need ALL of it for sure.

Great, thanks for the tip. I haven't made them yet, hoping to do it soon.
 
I've tried the plastic reusable ones, like so:
http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/PPESafetySolutions/PPESafety/Personal_Protective_Equipment/Product_Catalog/~/3M-E-A-R-UltraFit-Corded-Earplugs-Hearing-Conservation-340-4002-in-Carrying-Case-200-PR-Case?N=4294930175+5011378&Nr=AND%28hrcy_id%3AGMJVG8839Qgs_5G5S2X3GHS_N2RL3FHWVK_GPD0K8BC31gv%29&rt=d
It works for some, but not for me. The plastic would make me itch something fierce, I could never keep them in my ears for any length of time.

I eventually settled on these, which I use to this day if needed:
http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/PPESafetySolutions/PPESafety/Personal_Protective_Equipment/Product_Catalog/~/3M-Uncorded-Foam-Earplugs-Hearing-Conservation-1100-1000-Case?N=4294930165+5011378&Nr=AND%28hrcy_id%3AGSTY7S46XLgs_VK2J3JX5HJ_N2RL3FHWVK_GPD0K8BC31gv%29&rt=d

Get them in bulk. The last box of 200 I bought lasted me 6 years! The 3m shop has them in 1000 ct cases (OUF!) but you can go, for example, here:
https://www.envirosafetyproducts.com/3m-disposable-foam-ear-plugs-uncorded.html and get a box of 200.

I get about 4-5 times use from each pair, depending on how they look and how soft they are. When they are new they have a firmness that dissipates as you use it more and more. If they are too soft or too dirty, chuck 'em.

A year and a half ago I had molded filtered earplugs made from this company in Portland, OR:
http://1964ears.com/

They work great. I have 15db and 25db filters. I use the 15s for settings that I still need my ears to keep the volume at level, but not kill my ears from fatigue. I am planning to get a set of IEMS too within the next year or so as well. The prices are very reasonable and the quality is very high.

There are other companies, JH Audio, Westone, Sensaphonics, Alien Ears. I have dealt with 1964Ears and they did good work for me.

Thanks for reading, Hope this helps!!
 
I have hearing damage from years of over loud band practice and gigs.

I now use Alpine and they are great. No loss of clarity but plenty of volume reduction. Try a pair.
 
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