ACS Custom Earplugs Questions

[Ludvik]

Hey guys, I'm thinking of getting these custom earplugs:
http://acscustomusa.com/product/custom-hearing-protection-pro27-music/

I'm wondering if 23 db reduction is overkill for things like being in loud traffic, going to restaurants and cafes etc.

Does anyone have any experience with these Pro27's? Would I still be able to hear and converse clearly if I wear these in social outings?

 

[Michael Leigh]

I'm wondering if 23 db reduction is overkill for things like being in loud traffic, going to restaurants and cafes etc.
Does anyone have any experience with these Pro27's? Would I still be able to hear and converse clearly if I wear these in social outings?

@Ludvik If you are going to use those sort of earplusg or any other regularly on a daily basis? In my opinion you are likely to make your auditory system more sensitive and this will make hyperacusis worse.

 

[Ludvik]

Hey Michael, no I will use it mostly when I am in loud traffic situations ( I live in LA, lots of traffic, honking and sirens) and when I go out to cafes, restaurants and movies. I'm thinking maybe ill get a 17db pair for social use, and 26db for movies and other loud events

 

[Michael Leigh]

Hey Michael, no I will use it mostly when I am in loud traffic situations ( I live in LA, lots of traffic, honking and sirens) and when I go out to cafes, restaurants and movies. I'm thinking maybe ill get a 17db pair for social use, and 26db for movies and other loud events

I see that's fine then Ludvik. Try not to wear them too often even in the noisy traffic. You want your hyperacusis to cure, over protecting the ears isn't always a good idea.
Michael

 

[Ludvik]

Thanks Michael, that's a good idea. I'm gradually allowing myself to get more used to noise and not be so nervous

 

[Michael Leigh]

Thanks Michael, that's a good idea. I'm gradually allowing myself to get more used to noise and not be so nervous

That's the idea Ludvik, just take your time....

 

[Marcos Que]

I see that's fine then Ludvik. Try not to wear them too often even in the noisy traffic. You want your hyperacusis to cure, over protecting the ears isn't always a good idea.
Michael

So wearing ear protection at concerts and clubs is a must, but what about in malls or busy stores? I'm still trying to understand whats safe and not safe. What about movie theaters?

@Ludvik hey what prat of LA do you live? I'm in SoCal too, traffic does suck, especially with those ricers with loud ass exhausts on their cars!

 

[Michael Leigh]

So wearing ear protection at concerts and clubs is a must, but what about in malls or busy stores? I'm still trying to understand whats safe and not safe. What about movie theaters?

I don't advise wearing ear protection at mall or in busy stores. At the cinema YES.
Hyperacusis is treatable and curable. Sometimes it gets better without any treatment but not always. I used to have very severe hyperacusis but now it is completely cured. I went into an Arcade this summer. I had my ear protection with me but didn't use them. The sound level in there was 100 decibels and I had no problems with hyperacusis and my tinnitus wasn't affected either. This was a test and I don't advise anyone else to try it. I am saying, it is not a good to wear ear protection too often.
Michael

 

[SilverSpiral]

Hey guys, I'm thinking of getting these custom earplugs:
http://acscustomusa.com/product/custom-hearing-protection-pro27-music/

I'm wondering if 23 db reduction is overkill for things like being in loud traffic, going to restaurants and cafes etc.

Does anyone have any experience with these Pro27's? Would I still be able to hear and converse clearly if I wear these in social outings?

In my opinion 25db is fine. I have 25db custom molded musicians ones, and I'd wear them all day. Never have problem hearing people talk. No matter how loud or quiet the sound is, you'll get what you need through.

and if the user tries LLLT all the more reason to wear them frequently.
My theory is that as far as cell/neuron damage goes in the cochlea, there is some potential for healing upwards of 2 years or more, including alternative treatments like light treatment, and stem cell, and nt-3 and any firther noise trauma will just mess things up, so get your ears stabalized and heal 'em up

 

[SilverSpiral]

Hey guys, I'm thinking of getting these custom earplugs:
http://acscustomusa.com/product/custom-hearing-protection-pro27-music/

I'm wondering if 23 db reduction is overkill for things like being in loud traffic, going to restaurants and cafes etc.

Does anyone have any experience with these Pro27's? Would I still be able to hear and converse clearly if I wear these in social outings?

It may be cheaper/easier to get some custom molded musicians plugs done at an audiologist, they come with filters which you can switch out 32, 25, 10, 7,

 

[Marcos Que]

I don't advise wearing ear protection at mall or in busy stores. At the cinema YES.
Hyperacusis is treatable and curable. Sometimes it gets better without any treatment but not always. I used to have very severe hyperacusis but now it is completely cured. I went into an Arcade this summer. I had my ear protection with me but didn't use them. The sound level in there was 100 decibels and I had no problems with hyperacusis and my tinnitus wasn't affected either. This was a test and I don't advise anyone else to try it. I am saying, it is not a good to wear ear protection too often.
Michael

I think I have a little bit of H, my ears and tinnitus jump to loud high pitch sounds. The sounds don't give me pain but I get a little anxious about them. Is that hyperacusis? Or is that my ears being sensitive since I'm still new to this?

 

[Ludvik]

@Marcos Que I'm around the Eagle Rock area! It's not too bad around here relative to other parts of LA, but still get the occasional sirens and whatnot. I went to the mall a while back and it was extremely loud, while I agree with what Michael says I was really glad I wore my ear plugs. As I walked out the mall a parking attendant close by did one of those really loud whistles, it definitely would've spiked my T. I bought a db reader recently to test when I should feel safe taking off ear plugs, might look a bit silly walking around with it but it removes some of the anxiety I've had about heading out and living my life.

@SilverSpiral do you find the 25db ear plugs were fine for movies? Are they good for bars too?

 

[Jacob83]

Where do you get custom molded ear plugs done at? Is it from an ent visit or a private business? I wouldn't mind having a pair myself.

 

[SilverSpiral]

@Marcos Que I'm around the Eagle Rock area! It's not too bad around here relative to other parts of LA, but still get the occasional sirens and whatnot. I went to the mall a while back and it was extremely loud, while I agree with what Michael says I was really glad I wore my ear plugs. As I walked out the mall a parking attendant close by did one of those really loud whistles, it definitely would've spiked my T. I bought a db reader recently to test when I should feel safe taking off ear plugs, might look a bit silly walking around with it but it removes some of the anxiety I've had about heading out and living my life.

@SilverSpiral do you find the 25db ear plugs were fine for movies? Are they good for bars too?

Well since they are custom molded to your ear, the fit should be perfect, so you shouldnt have to worru about all the potential problems with foamies, or even the silicon ones, which only protect as well as they can be inserted, and can tend to work their way out of the canal over time. Without know the DB of a theater showing i can't say for sure, but I would assume 35db is enough. I assume there are also higher ,.DB filters you can pop in them, but they may not be on the shelf at your local audiologist (who takes the molding of your ear) so you may have to buy the higher filters seperate online, or you could tell the audiologist in advance you are lookimg for high protection filters, and they may easily order them in.

Audiologists just take the molds, and send it to a proprietary company, so you could ask them who finishes their musicians earplugs for them, what brand they use, and then you could look at the website of that manufacturer to see what filters they have.

 

[Tom Cnyc]

I bring my custom plugs with me everywhere. it's like my wallet or my keys. use your judgement. a crowded restaurant or bar - they're in. the train - they're in. midtown manhattan traffic with constant sirens - they're in. walking Queens at night with my dog - they're not. supermarket - nope.

I've been fine at a 95-100 db house party with DJs, and even played guitar with a live drummer with 25db filters in at said party. in the upstairs area (the studio is the basement) I kept the plugs in despite it being quite quiet, and I could still hear everyone fine.

I had painful hyperacusis in my L ear and wore earplugs in most situations they were unnecessary, mainly b/c at the time my T was softer in quiet than average volume situations. It didn't make it worse.

 

[SilverSpiral]

Once the audiologist takes the mold, they send it either
http://www.otohearing.com/
or
http://www.etymotic.com/consumer/hearing-protection/erme.html

At the tine, my audiologist went through OTO hearing - no complains. It is advisable to have new molds done every few years or so, especially if you eat while wearing them...or gring your teeth while wearing them on the dancefloor

 

[lolkas]

Hey guys, I'm thinking of getting these custom earplugs:
http://acscustomusa.com/product/custom-hearing-protection-pro27-music/

I'm wondering if 23 db reduction is overkill for things like being in loud traffic, going to restaurants and cafes etc.

Does anyone have any experience with these Pro27's? Would I still be able to hear and converse clearly if I wear these in social outings?

They are good. I got them with pro 17 and 26 filters. 17 is like for casual bar? 26 for friday night kinda deal + movies.

I always have pair of 33db foam on me anyways, in case i forget ACS - i use these. Better to over protect in our case lol.

BTW in ACS with 2ysb filter you will still hear very well people in conversation, even better then without them.

 

[lolkas]

Crap sry for typos, lurking from cell :3

 

[Ludvik]

@Jacob83 like SilverSpiral says, you get a mold done at an audiologist first. I'm assuming you can order earplugs at the audiology center, or send the mold to a specific place you want to get your custom plugs. The site I linked to has offices in NY and LA you can go to to get the mold done for free if you live nearby.

@lolkas thanks! I still would like to go to movies so I think those might be good choices, I was thinking of getting the 26 and 17.

 

[Ludvik]

@Tom Cnyc would you use the 25dbs in restaurants and casual social settings too?

 

[SilverSpiral]

@Jacob83
Check a couple of my posts on this page.
audiologist takes a mold (they all do it here)
and send it away to those two major molded earplugs with various interchangable db buttons to change how much sounds to filter.

Maybe some not make them all in home, but even then, unless it was much cheaper, or they awferred like a 5 year warrantee, i'd rather just have the molds sent to the major companies, since they have been doing these, and fine tuning them for year. My otos stood up for years, and i think the only ready i need new ones now is that my ear canal nearing 30 is different than it was when i was nearing 20.

 

[Ed209]

@Ludvik

I use ACS pro plugs and have 3 filters (10, 17, 26 and a blanking cap). The 27 filter is mainly for motorbikes and motorsport, and it also uses a different sized filter. That means if you get the 27, the silicon mold will only work with that and nothing else. The others will be too small to fit. For general use I think the 26 is what you need as it offers more protection over the other frequencies.

If you look at the specs you'll see the differences. The 26 is pretty flat around 25/26db up to 4khz where it leaps up above 30db. The 27 starts lower. I'll post the graphs below to illustrate the differences:

Pro 27

Pro 26

 

[Ludvik]

@Ludvik
I use ACS pro plugs and have 3 filters (10, 17, 26 and a blanking cap). The 27 filter is mainly for motorbikes and motorsport, and it also uses a different sized filter. That means if you get the 27, the silicon mold will only work with that and nothing else. The others will be too small to fit. For general use I think the 26 is what you need as it offers more protection over the other frequencies.

If you look at the specs you'll see the differences. The 26 is pretty flat around 25/26db up to 4khz where it leaps up above 30db. The 27 starts lower. I'll post the graphs below to illustrate the differences:

Thanks Ed, it sounds like the 27 might not be the most appropriate choice for me. Gonna go ahead and order a 26 and 17. I think down the line I'll grab a 10, do you use your 10 often?

 

[Ed209]

Thanks Ed, it sounds like the 27 might not be the most appropriate choice for me. Gonna go ahead and order a 26 and 17. I think down the line I'll grab a 10, do you use your 10 often?

The 10 is my cinema filter. I use the 17 for bars (if they get a bit loud) and the 26 for live music and/or anything that hits a certain threshold where I feel I need maximum protection.

 

[Michael Leigh]

I think I have a little bit of H, my ears and tinnitus jump to loud high pitch sounds. The sounds don't give me pain but I get a little anxious about them. Is that hyperacusis? Or is that my ears being sensitive since I'm still new to this?

Hyperacusis can naturally improve over time without treatment. In severe cases treatment is usually recommended. I advise using sound enrichment at night to help desensitize the ears and auditory system. If you are going to attend clubs, concerts or anywhere where there usually loud sounds then it's a good idea to use them.

However, there is a tendency for some people to over protect their ears using earplugs and this can make matters worse. Although I have written about hyperacusis before in the forum, I will be writing about it in more depth as a few people have been sending me private messages asking about it and I have also seen many questions in this forum on the subject. I once had very severe hyperacusis so have an idea what others are going through and hope my experience will be of some help.

All the best
Michael

 

[lolkas]

The 10 is my cinema filter. I use the 17 for bars (if they get a bit loud) and the 26 for live music and/or anything that hits a certain threshold where I feel I need maximum protection.

Bro, i was watching new star wars in IMAX format and it was soo damn loud, my ACS with 26db filter felt as "not enough" at times and in the middle of movie during "silent" scene i swapped with 33db foam plugs. I was comphy afterwards. Donno how i would manage that cinema visit with 10db filters.

BTW: do these silicone caps provide anything ? Like if i use these instead of fikters, do i get 33db ? I haven't tried, maybe you know ?

 

[Ed209]

Bro, i was watching new star wars in IMAX format and it was soo damn loud, my ACS with 26db filter felt as "not enough" at times and in the middle of movie during "silent" scene i swapped with 33db foam plugs. I was comphy afterwards. Donno how i would manage that cinema visit with 10db filters.

BTW: do these silicone caps provide anything ? Like if i use these instead of fikters, do i get 33db ? I haven't tried, maybe you know ?

The caps just make it a solid piece with around 30db protection.

 

[Tom Cnyc]

@Tom Cnyc would you use the 25dbs in restaurants and casual social settings too?

I have 9,15,25,33

25 is overkill in most places. I go with 15 in most bars. 9 if I'm at a calmer place or with clients and want to hear a bit better.

 

[lolkas]

I have 9,15,25,33

25 is overkill in most places. I go with 15 in most bars. 9 if I'm at a calmer place or with clients and want to hear a bit better.

33 db ? Which ones u have ?

 

[Tom Cnyc]

33 db ? Which ones u have ?

33 db caps are the solid cap. it's not a filter, it just plugs the whole where the filters go.

Since I see you're in NYC, I went to an audiologist named Scott Yerdon. He's on the west side right off central park in the high 60s. The office number is 212-884-8283. They also do high frequency testing (above 8k).

The plugs are westones. I love them.