polarbeer1987
Junior Member
Are using ear buds to practice worthwhile or are they too damaging for your hearing? is it better to go for the muffled headphones by vic firth or what?
I guess thousands of performers worldwide are wrong (and killing their hearing) for using in-ear isolation monitors then?!?! myself included....
I use Ultimate Ears...as in-ear monitors...and practice headphones...and ear plugs...and for my Zune. Truth is...my UE's are just a high quality set of dual-driver headphones that are fit well and are designed to fit over-the-ear applications. You can get a Shure SCL-cheaper series, which is single-driver...but much cheaper and still effective. There are plenty of "ear-buds (ipod, ear candy, etc) that are effective at blocking out external volume....none of which will ruin your hearing or practicing experience. Driving superloud music through them, practice or just music listening WILL ruin your ears. As will getting blasted by monitors (wedges, PA).
The whole point of isolation earphones is that you can listen at regular volumes without having to defeat the loud externals (guitar, bass, singing, yourself).
So if you're going to practice with "earbuds"...go right ahead. I don't see a point in buying multiple isolation devices when my UE's work for every application I can think of.
I think the OP was referring to the earbuds that ship with mp3 players not the more isolation style in ears.
I guess thousands of performers worldwide are wrong (and killing their hearing) for using in-ear isolation monitors then?!?! myself included....
There's obviously quite a big difference between $20 ipod earbuds and $180 EC2 Shure Isolation Earbuds. And although I would recommend the EC2s, they're too expensive for most people, hence why I only mentioned the Vic Firths.
The bottom line is...ANYTHING that will help protect and conserve your hearing is a worthy investment.
i am most worried about damaging my ears. i have been using some industrial ear muffs with my normal ear buds underneath them but the drums sound extremely bass-y. that is why i asked about the vic firth isolation, if those would be bass-y as well? so well i guess now to be more precise in the question is: which is better a vic firth isolation ear phones or the shure in-ear ear buds?