Earmuffs

I've decided to go to a concert for the first time in more than 10 years. I'm considering my options and I'm wondering a little about earmuffs.

I've never bought a pair, and I haven't had any since I was in the army, but I'm now thinking they'd be safer than earplugs when I go to this concert. Can anyone recommend a particular kind or if earplugs (molded or standard) will do?

 

https://www.amazon.com/3M-Peltor-Over-Earmuffs-X1A/dp/B00CPCH658/

 

Peltor are the best. 33 or 37 dbs.
To do good with muffs.
Don't stand next to speakers. Be away. Be careful.

 

Peltor X5a
Short hair on the side of the head for better fit

The new Peltor x series are the best - the x5a is the biggest for the best bass sound reduction or you can go with a smaller NRR Peltor for that series and double with ear plugs

 

Thanks all. Funny you should link to that kind, @Jason C . I was just looking at them at a Swedish website. What makes you recommend them?

I want to reduce the level, but still not too much. Isn't there a risk that 33-37 dB is too much? The concert is in Hyde Park in London and for some reason I think (but may be wrong) that the sound level is slightly lower there?

 

Yeah hyde park concerts are usually lower. I use alpine musicians ear plugs and find them good.
Wearing those ear muff things will muffle the sound and you may as well stay at home if you wear them.

 

@Sam Bridge How much do they lower? I have a pair of 10+ year old molded Earfoon earplugs that I hesistate to use since they're that old and don't fit quite as good anymore. Considering ordering new ones.

 

My two cents worth would be this,personally if I was going I would wear top grade Peltor earmuffs and avoid any speakers whatsoever.I would also take a healthy dose of NAC,Magnesium and Vit B12 consistently for the days leading upto and after the concert.Whilst there I would take regular breaks as often as I felt necessary throughout the night.

My experiences with earplugs have not been good,my T worsened for 6 months after attending a venue with good quality earplugs in February 2012.I used them again when going out to birthdays and the such in late 2015 and worsened yet again!The earplugs are Alpine Musicians earplugs so they're of high quality,they obviously weren't enough to protect me even with the highest filter inserted.They do let more natural sound in but I don't know if they are enough protection,compared to ear muffs there's no comparison in my books.

Everyone is different so it's all down to the individual but just thought I would give my own personal experience if it helps.

 

@Sven go here and you will find the info.
https://www.alpinehearingprotection.com/earplugs/musicsafe-pro/


They won't lower as much as muffs but i find they work fine for me. Of course, tinnitus seems to be very individual in that some people will find it gets worse even if they go to one club/gig with protection. Luckily i have been fine just with those ear plugs, i don't go often though. 3-4 times per year to concerts and i never go to clubs becauase i have never enjoyed clubbing much anyway.

Who are you going to see, i guess it os on of the British summer time concerts they have there?

 

They are 22nr so should provide protection without blocking out all the music.

 

@Sven

Tinnitus, earplugs, concerts and nightclubs

Someone that has tinnitus I believe they should try and live a normal life as they possibly can. This includes going out to clubs, concerts and other venues of entertainment where music is played if they wish to. For some, tinnitus can be difficult to live with without putting further restrictions on their life. However, I also believe taking the necessary precautions is absolutely vital, in preventing noise trauma to the inner ear, which could make the tinnitus louder and more intrusive.

Unfortunately, in some instances a person can be left in a hit or a miss situation, as there is no way of knowing if they have put themselves in harms way until after enjoying a night out, find their tinnitus has become louder and more intrusive over the coming days. One hopes this will be a temporary spike but there is no guarantee this new level of intensity won’t become permanent and could require a visit to ENT. Sorry to sound so sobering but these are the facts as I see it.

One way of protecting yourself from inner ear damage is to wear noise-reducing earplugs when going to nightclubs or concerts. They will reduce external sounds, in this case music and fortunately won’t impair sound quality, which is so important to most people attending these venues. The earplugs are available in various degrees of attenuation from as little as 9 decibels right up to 25 and even higher. If money is no object, one can buy custom moulded earplugs with the full knowledge they are getting the best ear protection that they can afford.

A word of caution to anyone that might not be in the know. I believe no level of ear protection is one hundred percent safe; so one still needs to be careful when attending nightclubs and concerts and not get carried away in thinking, wearing earplugs is completely safe so anything goes and you can stand next to the speakers all night or right up near to the stage where the music is booming out. Some people might not be aware, if music is loud enough it can still be transferred to the inner ear and irritate the cochlea via the Mastoid bone. This is a hard piece of bone behind each ear. It is honeycombed and has air pockets within it. Please don’t think that it’s only midrange and high frequencies that can cause harm. Low bass frequencies, which cause vibrations, will do the same.

Go out and enjoy yourself and have fun but at the same time be prudent and respect your hearing.
Michael

PS: further reading is available at:
https://www.britannica.com/science/ear/Transmission-of-sound-by-bone-conduction

 

Thanks, @Michael Leigh . Like I said, I have a pair of moulded ones that I'm considering replacing. However, I just wanted to check my options and also hear of other peoples' experiences. I have actually been to a concert, using my earplugs, but it was about 12 years ago, I think, and worked that time. My T has gotten worse since then, though, but not because of a concert with plugs.

@Sam Bridge Yes, it's Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. Long time favourites and the only European concert. I thought it'd be extra fun to see them in Hyde Park and I haven't been to London in more than 25 years.

Over 25 db NR I should be fine, though, don't you think? Or is that risking it?

 

Its okay for me i find. But as i said earlier it some people have less tolerance to loud sounds. Having said that, as its hyde park anyway it wont be crazy loud, they should be okay.

 

I'm thinking of investing in a pair of X5a's for cinema visits - is this overkill?

 

You could bring some in-ear plugs and wear them underneath your ear defenders if you get there and feel they aren't providing enough protection.

I'm currently using these 33Db in-ear plugs called Isolates that are doing a decent job (https://flareaudio.com/products/earfoams/isolate/) though I'm planning to invest in some heavy duty ear defenders for the cinema.

 

Surely you won't hear the film properly? Massive overkill.

 

I was thinking I could use them both for cinema visits and concert visits (if I ever do go to a concert again!).

Have heard that cinemas can reach 90-100Db+ during loud action sequences and I'm concerned my in-ear plugs just won't cut it, especially in the bass frequencies. Not too sure what to do because, as you said, I also need to be able to hear the film.

 

I've been to an outdoor festival, to the cinema various times, performed 2 gigs and watched 3 other gigs. I've been to bars, restaurants, malls, parties, my own wedding, 2 helicopter flights on honeymoon etc. All loud stuff, and I wouldn't change it for the world. I'd be a recluse stuck at home now if I had stuck around here a bit longer in the earlier days.

For me it's all been positive. Each time I take a step closer to my old life the better I feel. I use my ACS pro earplugs and have been totally fine. My opinion is well known on here, so it'll come as no surprise for me to say: just go but make sure you have ear protection, and use it properly! Outdoor gigs are not loud enough to be dangerous with protection. Just don't do anything stupid and you'll be fine.

 

Unless you have significant hearing loss in the speech frequencies - you will hear fine wiht the X5a
I use those all the time no issues having a conversation while driving in a car and so forth
They reduce sound level by 31 Db accross the line especially the bass

 

You wearing those plugs at a cinema? I've never thought about it at cinema, gigs yes but i think id have troubke hearing dialogue if i was to wear them them to see films.

 

I only use my 10db filters so there's no issue hearing the dialogue at all. The cinemas I use are not loud at all, so I only use them as a precaution to play it safe. I'm fairly certain I'd be fine without them but I'd rather play it safe to be honest.

 

You will hear your t more also.

 

Over protection is a problem on this forum. A lot of people take it too far, and it's driven by fear and anxiety.

 

That's what protection is all about - you don't know if it's needed until it's too late, like wearing a seatbelt in a car

 

It is unhealthy to use plugs or muffs unnecessarily. It re-enforces negative associations to sound and can make your ears more sensitive in the long run. You should only use protection when noise becomes hazardous. Many people on here have slipped into a ritual habit of using protection almost everywhere, and we're talking about strong ear muffs as well.

Once you get enough fearful anxious people in one place, it amplifies all the bad stuff and all rational thought goes straight out the window. It's a breeding ground for anxiety.

 

I don't have anxiety
I got T shooting loud rifles and machine guns

I found that wearing those muffs helped a lot with decreasing H and greatly improving sound quality and hearing over time

It helps the healing process

Take it gradually - no need to push your ears with loud sound, a movie, concert or live band at 80db or 70db is also fine at 50 or 40 Db wiht the muffs

 

@Sven
Don't let anyone convince you that protecting your ears is weak or unhealthy

It's not going to Promote any permanent sound sensitivity at all.

Did you known that wearing sunglasses was considered weak and unhealthy in the 1930's !

Wearing muffs shouldn't be any different than wearing sunglasses and it's not going to cause any permanent effect - besides avoiding a potential PERMANENT ear damage due to loud sounds hitting already damaged ear cells.

 

Would you rather have - worst case scenario :

1 An extremely painful , roll-to-floor-in-pain sound sensivity increase, but which is also very temporary and 100% naturally reversible

2 A slight increase in Tinnitus, which is permanent, incurable and basically lifelong until maybe some cure is available in xx years

 

Man, here you go again. It's like you know nothing about hyperacusis (not sensitivity to loud sounds : hyperacusis, the one that makes your life hell. You should read the thread about hidden hearing loss to understand the process, you'll see that anxiety is not needed to increase hyperacusis).

Luckily, Sven doesn't seem to have it so he'll probably be fine with earmuffs and/or earplugs.