DayDrummer
Member
So let me hear what you guys are using, I hate wearing them but Im a Air Traffic Controller so I NEED to be able to hear. Right now im using some winchester orange things there has got to be a better way out there.
I use Etymonics MC5's w/ the foam eartips (~-40db). More comfortable and better isolation than the old Vic Firth headphones, and only slightly more $.
Yup those are it.. And they dropped $10 too... I can't say much either way about music quality... I only use them while drumming and I'm listening to a metronome at least 80% of the time...
I use some of these, Peltor H10A muffs - http://www.peltor.com/peltor.com/non_detail.cfm?prod_family=Muff H10&ind_prod_num=H10A001
They are AWESOME. They make everything sound huge and naturally compressed. Not boxy like cheaper earmuffs do, these are totally different. I think they have some kind of dual-shell design which is why they sound the way that they do. Also super comfortable. I can't recommend them enough, for a low price convenient option. See if a store will let you buy them and return them if you don't like them. I got mine from a specialised safety store.
For earplugs I use silicon gel plugs from the pharmacy. It's like a putty that you roll into a ball and stuff it in your ear. Very comfortable, and sounds much more natural than foam plugs. I have to buy a new box of them about every 6 months, but I would probably wreck or lose any proper 'musician' plugs in that time anyway.
For the last 10+ years I have been using the Westone Custom Made ES49's plugs with the easy to pop in and out (but not fall out accidentally) Etymotic ER-15 Filter. The ER-15 provides a uniform flat 15 dB of sound reduction from 125 Hz through 8 kHz.
There are other filters available that block more or less sound. The 15's are the most appropriate for musicians.
Mine are clear in color and it's hard for anyone to see they are even in.
Nice, wounder where can I get 'em....
Call some of your local hearing & speech centers. Several around here does. I think if you go to the Westone site, they have more info on that as well.
It's a fairly easy process, a little expensive but couldn't imagine using anything else.
Vic Firth SIH1 Isolation headphones. Great iso headphones, can still hear the kit and it sounds good, with the capability of hooking up to metronome/music/etc. And for only 58.99 absolutely awesome!