Well, anyonw have some good ideas for ear protection? I know that there are earplugs that attenuate the volume, but i'm hoping to find some that have little effect on the frequency spectrum.

I just got back from a gig and my ears are a little out of it, so i decided that this would be something to do. I poked around OSHA's site, but i'm not sure what would meet my needs...

The only thing I currently do to lower the toll the sound takes on my ears is to make sure I'm not outputing to much treble, the part of the spectrum that really kills. Also, if you use monitors, make sure they are kept at a moderate level. I also have a habit of wearing my headphones most of the time, the block out about 20% of the treble I hear. just my thoughts...

Good advice on the Headphones, make sure that the headphones you have are the closed back type which can block out ambient noise effectively. Doing this has made a huge difference for me in terms of better hearing protection and monitoring. If your mixer has the CUE-->MASTER option (most do), try learning mixing through your headphones. Once you have mastered this you will have the option to mix live with loud PA systems but still pull off some wicked mixes no matter how loud it is. At the end of the night, your ears will thank you for it - no humming!

ROQ out.

Thanks.

I've found a few good places to get "musician's earplugs" that cut down the dB but have little effect on the frequency. I've been told that any audiologist can get these for you, so i think i'll look into that.

The reasons i go for this (i agree with the headphones concept) are mainly because i also mix live shows for my school and a few bands, and that can get VERY loud VERY fast.

Hmmm I've heard of this before, people with an over sensitivity to high frequency sounds. Whilst ear plugs may help I don't think this is the answer. If you dull the sound to your ears with plugs, common sense tells me it will have an effect on your ability to accurately adjust sound for your audience. What might sound ok to you might sound terrible for them. I don't know the answer but IMHO if this is a major concern for you and if it has an effect on the way you do your job then I'm afraid you might be in the wrong business.

As a DJ/Sound Engineer we must always be mindful of how loud and clear your sound is. If you're telling me that your sound can get very LOUD then perhaps your perspective and perception of that sound may be guaged incorrectly. What Im saying is that - do you ever go out to listen to your sound from your crowds perspective i.e. the dancefloor. If it is way too loud there then, trying not to be too obvious here, but have you tried turning it down to a more comfortable level? Does it have to be that loud? Who is demanding the volume levels, you or someone else? Who is your audience, mums dads & grandparents or hardcore ravers?

I don't know your situation so forgive me for being presumtious, I just think these are simple ways to overcome loudness problems rather than band-aid solutions.

ROQ out.

ROQ... I don't know what to say...

Ear protection isn't just some little thing. I lost my upper range of hearing for about 12 hours, just because i forgot my headphones. The need for this shouldn't be seen as a weakness.

As for the loudness, with my approach to sound, i do in fact go out to the floor (several times) to hear the sound. At this gig, the sound was at a very good level on the floor, and the EQ was good for the room. I'd like to take this opportunity to state that tile floor and cinderblock does not help with acoustics and reflections .

I'm not complaining about how loud it was, as the volumes were pretty good. It's just that prolonged expusure to this without ANY form of protection took its toll on me that night. I know that turning it down would avoid this, but that would cause the soud to dip below audibility (middle school kids are pretty darn loud, admit it!). I also think that finding good and clear ear protection will keep my most vital asset healthy for a long, long time. I live music, and to lose that, well, it'd be really bad.

I'm not saying that i WILL lose my hearing, as that will take YEARS to build up, but is it something i want to risk? Call me paraniod if you must, but if you can do something, why risk it?

Like ROQ said, I found keeping my headphones on my head most of the night helps. Mostly at school dances, where the sound is loud and constant all night long. Yes, middle school kids can be quite loud!

The drummer in my old band got special ear plugs (from Git-tar Center), that cut the db's, but doesn't affect the way music sounds. They worked pretty good, and he was anal about the way things sounded to him.

Hearing is something we should all take seriously. When in doubt, do visit a doctor/audiologist, and have yourself checked out.

I think that people are not aware of the dangers of hearing loss. If you are intersted in learning about the true dangers of hearing loss check this out: Hearing Loss
If you scroll down on this page you can see a chart that gives you a db rating for some common activities.
Did you know that there are actually laws that require employers to give workers ear protection if they work and 8 hour day at 90db.
Most concerts have a db rating of around 115, hearing loss begins at 85db.
I would recomend SOME type of hearing protection for any dj/live sound engineer. the consequences can be painful.
Borris

Excellent link, Borris. Thank you!

Huh?

Just kidding. You know that there is at least one smart a** in the crowd and I am usually he.

I'd like to second the good sit and this is a great discussion.

Well, i finally got some plugs, nice response, pretty comfortable.

Etymotic Research's basic earplugs, they do what they say. I gave them a quick test by turning up my studio monitors until the amp (a GX-300) was almost peaking, and i could hear everything without pain. These speakers aren't pushovers, either, Event 20/20 passives.

It was like i wasn't wearing them at all, just the bass crushing my chest was a giveaway.

I have a show on saturday, so I'll let you know how things go!

Well, the show went well with no huge issues (a fuel cell turned itself off, however), but other than that, Protium, the world's FIRST hydrogen fuel cell powered band had a great show.

The earplugs were good. Thye cut down the dBs and kept everything clear!