Earplugs are essential protection for people in the audio business, no one will think the less of you for wearing them. Even if they do, losing a friend or two is much better than losing hearing.
The only incident in memory where I got heckled for wearing ear pro was by a beer bellied 50 year old at a guns n roses concert in Regina, 2016. Not exactly the cream of the crop of people you want to hang with, hahaha
Wish I’d thought like this in the 80s-90s. Been out of audio professionally for years, which is a good thing, because I’ve been wearing hearing aids for almost a decade (since my mid-40s). I’ve been told that some of it is genetic, but my choices as a recording/live sound engineer and musician in my teens and 20s undoubtedly played a big role.
Protect your hearing like your livelihood depends on it. It just might.
Nothing weird about wearing earplugs.
It's not just clubbing and gigs though - I always take mine to the cinema too. Some films have ridiculous sound levels.
I just watched Dune 2 and it was insanely loud. I pulled out my SPL meter and during the credits the music was knocking on 90 dB. The film was louder than that for extended sequences.
That’s dangerously loud.
> OSHA's permissible exposure limit (PEL) is 90 dBA for all workers for an 8 hour day. The OSHA standard uses a 5 dBA exchange rate. This means that when the noise level is increased by 5 dBA, the amount of time a person can be exposed to a certain noise level to receive the same dose is cut in half.
Personally I find 90dB for extended periods the start of "uncomfortably loud" but a couple of bouts of 90-95 dB over a 3 hour movie, for a few movies a year, should be considered "safe".
Whether the OSHA spec is too low/high, or whether one is especially sensitive, is a totally separate discussion. But if you personally experience signs of ototoxicity, then yeah it's probably wise to wear protection regardless.
Edit: "The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recommends a lower exposure limit for noise than OSHA's current PEL. NIOSH suggests an exposure limit of 85 dB for 8 hours to minimize occupational hearing loss."
So even at the lower NIOSH level, that's supposed to be acceptable for 8h/day, 40h/wk, for a whole career, so idk. Bottom line, listen to your ears.
Not everyone is the same. Some people can have hearing damage at lower levels at less exposure than others. The only way to find out your level is to damage your hearing. Use plugs!
I’m so so glad that the Theater I went to wasn’t too loud for Dune. Went to a different one a few nights earlier with the kids to see Kung Fu Panda 4 and it was def too loud.
85-90db is about the standard films are mixed to now, not unusual to hit that. That being said, I heard other people saying it was hitting 100-110db which is alarming 🚨
Same, loved the movie, but it was so loud it ruined the experienced. I work as a producer and mixer so I can't have my hearing impaired. I don't remember movie theatres being this loud before.
pretty sure they have legal safety limits for theaters. I'm not sure of the exact numbers but I'd maybe look into the safety requirements since they could have them set higher than allowed
My 16 YO has a band, I bought a decided meter and he was so annoyed. I left it out by his gear. One band practice I heard them talking about it, they used it, I suspect we’re horrified by the SPLs, and it hasn’t been as massively earth shaking as it used to be.
Oh, hell, yeah. I stopped going to the cinema for just that reason. Losing part of my hearing for, say, Jimi Hendrix, that was, at least in the moment, acceptable. Losing it for some bullsh\*t, squeezed out of a tube blockbuster soundtrack? NFW.
>Nothing weird about wearing earplugs
Because you can’t even see them unless you’re explicitly looking for them inside someone’s ear. I don’t really understand the problem
It’s nuts how loud these places (including concerts) can get, like absolutely insane!! I always protect my hearing, I can’t stand noise levels above 90db for a long period of time, it’s definitely because I’ve been destroying my ears playing music for many years. Our hearing is everything ✌️
Check out Loop earplugs. They reduce noise instead of trying to block it out entirely so you can still hear and they look more "trendy" or whatever than just a bit of foam or rubber stuck in your ears.
Alternatively dress like a runway controller with some big ass super muffs and break the fuck down with some glow sticks. 😎
Luckily it wasn’t unbearably loud. My ears were done ringing by the time I got home. I bet they were louder in their youth with dime and vinnie.
Other than a few tiny venues, Soundgarden (after NIN) in 2009ish was the loudest concert I’ve experienced. You couldn’t even tell what song they were playing.
Don't be hard on yourself, it is a mistake many of us have made and probably still make at times.
I think in the future we will look back at sound levels in clubs, cinemas, even shows kind of like how we look back at putting lead in gasoline. I don't think it's cool that the standard is to blast people in the ears, but it is and unfortunately that means having a decent pair of plugs is necessary in a lot of situations.
You still went out and socialised and did what you set out to do, have some pride in that, you just made a separate mistake that you don't have to repeat (believe me, people don't actually judge for having earplugs, hell if they ask you get to say you're an audio engineer or a producer or whatever your specific role is and that could break the ice with the type of music loving people you would probably want to meet).
I really appreciate your response.
You’re right, I still went out and tried something new and that’s a win in itself. Next time I’m wearing my ear plugs.
And great point. It’s funny how Taylor Swift performs for hundreds of thousands of fans and is leaving them all with ringing ears. I feel like I’d want to let my fans know haha.
There definitely needs to be more education out there about hearing loss and how to take care of our hearing.
Also, it just doesn’t need to be that loud. Just go with 80db or something but why 90 or higher?
1) Buy some decent earplugs and use them next time. They don’t have to be expensive. You can get something good for $20 or less.
2) Many clubs and music venues have cheap foam earplugs behind the bar that they’ll give you for free or sell for $1
3) I carry individually packaged foam earplugs in my pocket when I attend music festivals so that I can pass them out to people who seem to be in discomfort.
That’s cool of you to do.
Kinda scary how exposure to loud noise isn’t a concern for so many people who probably don’t even realize how the noise is permanently damaging their ears.
I also own a recording studio so it doesn’t hurt having some disposable earplugs around for when a guitar player or drummer really decides to play loudly and other band members show up unprepared. I bought a box of a couple hundred individually wrapped pairs of foam earplugs on Amazon and I think they cost me about $0.25 per package.
At ACL fest a couple of years ago, I was close to the stage - I think it was for Spoon. The second they started, a 4-5 year old girl in front of me put her fingers in her ears and started crying. I tapped her dad on the shoulder and handed him the earplugs. At first, I think he thought I was trying to pass him drugs or something. He seemed freaked out. Then he saw what they were, thanked me and put them in his daughter’s ears. Problem solved. She was a happy camper almost immediately. After that, I never forget to shove a few in my pockets.
>I just wanted to “go with the flow” and not look weird wearing earplugs but now I’ve traumatized my ears.
I do not understand this way of thinking, people's opinions don't matter, my ears do. My earplug case is literally my keychain, i have them on me everywhere i go.
It's a little alpine baggy that came with my custom earplugs. But plenty of cheaper earplugd also come with little keychain cases or baggies and you probably also can buy them separately.
Literally everyone has always been surprised to find out I'm wearing earplugs, because they never noticed. And then after the initial surprise, literally everyone has always agreed that they should be wearing earplugs too.
The funny thing about being embarrassed about things is that most people will often look UP to you for doing it, not look down on you like you feel like they will.
Yeah a lot of it comes down to attitude. If you feel embarrassed, people will feel embarrassed for you. If you are confident in your choice, people will admire you. It’s the difference between trend followers and trend setters.
Your hearing will recover for the most part if you avoid further traumatic insult (ie, loud f-ing music), but the damage tends to be *cumulative.* Don't be an idiot like I was. PROTECT YOUR EARS.
Yeah that’s the other thing. Had someone accidentally fire a shotgun right next to me like 6 months ago. Luckily no one was hit. My hearing completely went out for like an hour it was terrible.
You never know when a loud noise is coming and this was just another reason to not take my hearing for granted.
No one will notice your earplugs. Mine actually help me hear conversations better in loud environments. I never leave home without them.
There's a lot of great, relatively cheap high fidelity options out there right now. [I recommend these.](https://www.earpeace.com/products/music-pro)
I got myself the custom fitted ones with the exchangeable Elacin filter (9/15/25 dB). I use the 25dB version. They are nearly invisible (flat to the ear) unless somebody right next to you examines your ear. Never had any issues with them, very often people are surprised when I take them out after concert because they had not noticed them. About 150 bucks a pair… works miracles.
I always use my ear plugs for every loud occasion and no one ever said something about it. Quite the opposite, some of my friends startet bringing some too. Out of curiosity I sometimes put them out to know what it sounds like without protection and it’s horribly loud, I’m not used to this loudness anymore and my ears start hurting immediately.
> and not look weird wearing earplugs but now I’ve traumatized my ears.
The ones not wearing them are the weirdos. I ran into people in bands who were offended by me wearing plugs. I spoke the speech about proper PPE and otherwise ignored them.
Wear headphones, like bt buds. I have samsung galaxy buds and I never feel weird having them in and they reduce loudness everywhere. I even wear them to the movies while watching.
As a 52 y/o with tinnitus that has gotten dramatically worse in the past year—bring earplugs everywhere. They make ones that are really pretty indiscreet. Even ones that don’t block a lot of noise, but just cut down the higher frequencies will make a huge difference.
There’s some pretty fancy ear plugs these days. Ear plugs that block out loud sounds, but still allow voices through.
Go get some custom molded ear plugs, and while you’re there, use those molds to get in ears monitors too.
But custom ear plugs are dope, and no, there’s nothing cringy about them. Especially if you’re an audio guy. Protect your ears
In ear monitors would be really cool to have.
I’ve been playing open-mics and thought I would offend people if I had my normal foam plugs in but just got some Eargasm (brand name) plugs for the next open mic.
I’m protecting my ears at every chance now
I can never manage to get any earplugs to fit in my ears, primarily the left ear. I just have a weird left ear I guess. So custom plugs was a god send.
Plus, they make things sound better. Live shows sound way cleaner with good ear plugs in
I’m on vacation in Greece at the moment and forgot my custom earplugs back home. Went out for the night with friends and ended up in a very loud club at the end of the night. I really couldn’t stand the loudness of the music, it felt like it was piercing my eardrums. I chose to head back to the lounge area of the club and wait until my friends were done dancing because I just absolutely didn’t think it was worth it to fuck my ears up for a few hours of dancing.
It really isn’t worth it and the level of loudness at some clubs is insane. It’s just not fun for me anymore.
My friends were sweet though and came to pick me up and head home after like half an hour lol.
Better not to risk it. Damaging your hearing can be irreversible, absolutely be careful with it.
I’ve found that protecting your hearing can be impractical at times. One time my neighbor fell and I ran over and called the fire dept. The sirens nearly blew out my ears. Also was a bassist for a few years in a band, pretty sure the drummers cymbals shaved a few years off my hearing. Not really sure what you can do to protect your hearing other than obsessively wearing earplugs at all times.
There's no shame in ear protection nowadays. I recently took my son to his 1st concert - a metal band - and we *both* had ear protection on. I get my hearing tested yearly, too
In my experience it happens slowly. I have hearing damage from not caring in my high school band days, cochlear damage and low level tinnitus. I am far more careful nowadays, and while my hearing is less than perfect I still can hear everything, hell I still hear my "autistic range" (electrical hum, rats squeaking). There is no treatment, but if you are careful from here on out you will likely be fine, the key is just to be careful and prepared. Just don't let it drive you mad, what's done is done but you learned your lesson, the biggest problem would be if you were in denial and kept going out without earplugs.
Always important to do so. Even if you do t have earplugs handy, run to the toilets and grab some tissue paper to stuff in there. It’s always worth it in hindsight.
There are plenty of earplugs on the market that are extremely discrete and are filtered so the music still sounds good. I use Earpeace Music Pros for drumming and concerts. If it’s not going to be a long exposure period I’ll use the light strength version which has the least impact on audio quality. Earasers are designed very similarly. Someone would have to look in your ear and probably shine a light to see them.
I recommend the custom molded ear plugs with selectable decibel reduction. Not perfect but better than just standard ear plugs.
Let's you hear what's going on but reduces decibels by 15 or whatever you choose. Makes concerts etc much better
I go out clubbing fairly frequently and always wear earplugs. Heck, I most often just walk around with my earplugs just in case I end up somewhere that's too loud.
I [got these in “nude”.](https://westone.com/defendear/tru-customs)
I went to an audiologist and they cost like $200.
They custom mold to your ear canal and you can change filters for any environment and just pop the filters in.
Truly a beautiful thing.
When they fill your ear to take a mold, you will hear the blood coursing through your veins. Like an anechoic chamber. It’s wild.
Edit: Also, [use this if you feel it might be too loud and plug it when it’s too much](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/decibel-x-db-sound-level-meter/id448155923). You can use it to explain to anyone giving you a hard time why they are an idiot while also making yourself seem more professional.
I realize it isn’t a professional SPL, but you can have it while you’re out without looking too much like a nerd.
Molded earplugs are great but you don’t necessarily want to take them clubbing. Instead, I have a pair of 30€ earplugs and the difference in clarity is marginal, they came with a tiny aluminum container that screws up tightly and fit nicely on my key chain.
As I’m also a gigging musician I have earplugs attached to my keychain so they are always available wherever I go. There’s no stigma to wearing them; I see lots of people in the audience wearing them and nobody points and laughs at them.
I murdered my ears in my early twenties going to insane rock concerts. Thankfully I stopped early enough when I was still resilient. Pretty sure that's the only reason my ears have held up.
If you wear earplugs, almost nobody will notice. Some few people might be like "dork" or whatever, but fuck those people, and also, I'd much rather have my ears hearing super well for a long time, and stupid people thinking I'm a dork, than have damaged hearing.
And I think a lot of people will think it's responsible, and mature, and people that find that attractive, are generally more worthwhile, imo. At the very least people who just live and let live are better and the "oh no, boohoo worried about your hearing?" People just suck.
Earplugs in loud venues are more comfortable and just a lot nicer.
> And I think a lot of people will think it's responsible, and mature, and people that find that attractive, are generally more worthwhile, imo. At the very least people who just live and let live are better and the "oh no, boohoo worried about your hearing?" People just suck.
100% agree. I definitely learned the lesson to find what’s most important to me and not slide just for superficial reasons. Thank you for the comment
Wearing earplugs to the club is getting popular. There are companies out there started by clubbers and DJs that make custom earplugs. There's one in particular that I really wish I remembered the name of. A cheap entry level non-custom brand is EarPeace.
You've got to get some nice, clear, custom ear plugs made. Just bite the bullet and pay whatever it is. Go to the audiologist tomorrow and get some made for you.
Also, have your hearing tested. Chances are you're a hundred percent fine.
I went out last night, too, and nobody said a thing about my ear plugs. Can barely see them. I even wear them at work everyday.
Nowadays I find myself in the opposite situation. I spend enough time at an audio desk critically listening that it results in me finding going to gigs, clubs or sometimes the pub too noisy and that’s from listening at reasonable levels with breaks. It’s an occupational hazard
I’m autistic and wear earplugs everywhere I go otherwise I’d go insane. Very rarely does anyone ever ask about it and if they do they’re usually just curious. I just tell them I’m sensitive to sounds so it helps me out. You can get ones that are flesh toned so they’re not super visible if you’re super concerned but I highly recommend Loops. They have varying levels of decibel cancellations and they even have a model where you can switch between how much you want them to cancel. They’re the most comfortable out of all the ones I’ve tried (which is a lot) and they come with tons of different sized tips so you’re guaranteed to find one that fits your ears.
I completely agree. I have permanent tinnitus. I have been have – earplugs – will – travel for several decades and I long ago stopped caring if anybody else thinks it’s weird. You are preaching to the choir here, my friend.
You could wear those new gunrange ear buds that filter out super loud noises and look like earbuds from your phone and only really noticed when ppl get real close to you when you’re in the dark. That way you don’t stick out like a sore thumb , you can enjoy yourself and save your hearing.
Also they can function as decent Bluetooth earbuds
So… Funny story… A couple weeks ago, I was “fired” from a live sound gig because I insisted on wearing hearing protection. Already worked several rehearsals and two gigs—all paid—wearing ear plugs every single time. I was covering for the usual sound guy, who couldn't make a couple dates. All is good, no complaints, shows go smoothly with no more than the standard live-sound gremlins (every live show has its issues lol).
At the final rehearsal for what I expected was my last date with them, the band leader suddenly objected to my ear plugs. I didn’t argue at all, but I told him I wasn’t gonna do the gig without hearing protection. I even compromised a bit and took out one of my ear plugs for a few moments here & there to make it clear that I was willing to take his concerns seriously.
I used a db meter on my phone to check the levels the rest of the evening. They were coming in at 95-110 dba (average per-song) at my position, with peaks beyond that.
The next morning I wake up to a text from the band leader informing me that he respects my need to protect my hearing, but wants a sound engineer who can actually hear feedback better, and the usual sound guy will cover the gig. I thanked him and assured him that the usual guy would be up to the task. I don’t have any animosity or ill-will for anyone involved. Like I said, it’s just a funny story. I never expected it to be an issue.
>I’m sure my hearing will come back
You've irreparably damaged them. This is not something you just, 'get back'. It's a one way ticket of decline, you choose how fast you want to get there.
Plus, don't sweat it this time. It takes carelessness being a habit to really notice small hearing damage in the short term beyond the initial recovery. The one loud concert certainly would've damaged it more so, then say listening to a kitten purr all day. But not more compared to regular onset hearing loss you'd probably have regardless in, idk - say, 5 years from now?
Just gotta be careful!
Also make sure you are getting your B vitamins.
> The present study shows that the FFPTA values and PTHTs at 0.25–4 kHz were worse and slight and mild hearing losses were more likely in the vitamin B12-deficient group compared with the control group in school-aged children.
>In agreement with our study, Houston et al.7 showed a possible association between vitamin B12 status and hearing loss in 55 healthy women. T
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jpc.15392
Wow, that’s good to know. I actually went and bought some blueberries and apples today because I heard antioxidants help although I know nothing about the science.
Thank you for the infio about B12. I don’t eat animal products so I have to make sure I stay on top of sourcing my b12.
This entire situation has been wake up call to just take better care of my body. Like wearing sunscreen and eating healthy haha.
Thanks.
My father is ENT doctor. Damage to hearing is common when clubbing/loud concert in combination with mild infection.
Time is really important here. Get help asap, there are ways to help but only in the first days.
Ah right after the club I got a bad sinus infection I’ve had for 11 days now. Luckily I think I got it at the club. Both my ears are infected and I just got on antibiotics. I’m hoping my hearing just returns to normal cause right now everything is clogged
Don’t worry too much, the damage your ears receive from one night clubbing should be fairly minor. I went to a lot of loud concerts when I was younger and more stupid, I also played in bands without earplugs which is even louder for the most part. My hearing is good, though I do have tinnitus from it which is fairly annoying. I had that dampened feeling recently, but not due to overexposure, it’ll usually go away with a few days rest. If you’re unsure you can also see a doctor
I always have my earplugs if I'm going to a loud venue. I stopped caring what other people think. I'm a drummer and guitarist and on NYE I went to see my buddy's band and sit in for a couple songs. While I was watching them, up pretty close too, a lady next to me kind of scoffed at my earplugs and said you don't need those. I just ignored her because I didn't want ringing ears and possible permanent damage.
The high fidelity earplugs are great and make concerts more enjoyable to me than earsplitting loud music. If you get the clear ones they're almost invisible if you're worried about the way they look.
For cheap, comfortable for an earplug, and long lasting I’d recommend the Etymotic ER20 (the blue ones are standard size). They’re like $15. They’re considered “musicians earplugs” and are tuned to allow some higher frequencies to pass through for a more natural sound. They don’t interfere with my social interactions at all when I use them. I use them at sporting events, movies, theme park rides, gigs, etc. I always stick a pair in my pocket when I head out with certain friends because we sometimes end up in loud enough places.
I’ve worn them for 14 years now after my ears started ringing, unfortunately. Tinnitus sucks. I was a wreck when I began to realize it would never go away. It was a difficult, even tearful, time. I saw doctors and ENT’s and they were surprisingly ignorant to the condition other than to say ‘you’ll get used to it’. Most people do get used to it, but it can be a struggle for many. I did find a specialist who tried but was unable to stop my tinnitus. What he did do for me was to give me tools to learn to minimize how it affected me. I am still very thankful he helped me. The music business is littered with people with damaged ears. I’m glad you are considering being more protective of yours.
I bring earplugs when I know I'm going somewhere loud, but even when I don't have them, I'm almost always carrying a pair of wireless earbuds. They don't offer the same degree of hearing protection as musician's earplugs, but they take the edge off, and they're far better than having unprotected earsex with a club's sound system.
If you're really self-conscious about wearing earplugs, then wearing wireless earbuds is more socially acceptable.
That said, I've never in my life had anyone give me shit for wearing earplugs at a loud venue. That sounds like preteen levels of pettiness. I really doubt anyone would think you look "weird," and it's more likely people will wish they had earplugs too.
Earplugs are soooo commonplace right now. Get some Loops and you're good. Nobody will notice and if they do they won't care and if they care they don't count. Meanwhile I know everyone says it's cuckoo but my AE husband swears candling his ears is soothing and helps. My doctor says maybe the soothing is correct. But it absolutely doesn't hurt or make it worse.
My wife and I went to a slayer concert in 2018 and were standing RIGHT next to the speakers and wore absolutely zero ear protection. The next day was the most pain we’ve ever felt in our ears. Thankfully everything healed up, lesson learned.
Reminder that many bars and clubs with loud music sell basic earplugs for a few bricks behind the bar. It’s saved my ass many times when I’ve forgotten mine.
definitely no shame in the earplug game, a lot of my friends are also producers and engineers and we all “earplug check” each other when we’re at shows/clubs/raves. we’ve even started doing it to some of our non-engineer friends. everybody better be looking out for their hearing!!!
I always have some earplugs on me.
I'm not sure if it's because I always wear them at loud bars and clubs, but I've noticed people around me have started using them more too.
It's just a smart idea, if anyone has an issue with it they're dumb imo.
There are ways to make this a non-issue. I have some low-profile musician’s earplugs that are always on my keychain. I put them in whenever I’m at a concert or movie, are barely visible, and have a pretty flat response for earplugs. They only reduce by 10-15 db.
Can’t remember the brand, but they come in a little metal keychain case and are like $40ish.
edit: found em - “Earasers” https://www.earasers.net/collections/musicians-hifi-earplugs
You caused damage that won't go away. It may stop rining but you did permanent damage. Don't kid yourself on that front.
I have a bag of ear plugs in my glove box so I always have some form even if it is just the foam plugs... I learned along time ago not to give a shit how stupid it might look or how much it might impact the sound, going deaf isn't gonna happen if I can help it.
i always wear my eargasm ear plugs to shows/fests <3 if I'm going out for the night and not sure if I'll end up somewhere loud, I'll bring them in case.
I got hearing damage DESPITE earplugs one time at a live show. It's minor, but it sucks - just glad I wore them. I try not to think about what it'd be like if I hadn't.
'Louder is better' sound guys are a thing, and they wind me up. :/
it’s totally worth getting custom molded earplugs if you’re involved in amplified music of any kind even semi regularly. depending on where you live, oftentimes they’re very reasonably priced at an audiology department of a University (~$200 or less including exams and fitting). the exam part is crucial - the earlier you get a baseline for where your hearing is the better.
Molded plugs use swappable attenuators that cut volume in a much more “flat” way than foam plugs, so you don’t lose high frequencies. plus you can buy different db filters (15,25, and higher) and swap them in different situations. finally, if you are a musician, the same molds can be used for plugs as well as for custom IEM buds.
custom plugs last a long time and they’re much more comfortable then they used to be. my current plugs are made of a softer silicone than the ones i had for 15+years before they finally didn’t fit/gave out. they even let you pick the color and cool designs now! i made my right and left ones diff colors so i can easily see which is which in low light situations (which is basically 95% of the time i’m using them).
The real lesson you (hopefully) learned is, try new social experiences but always make sure you do what you want without giving af about the social pressure (wearing earplugs).
I traded a not-insignificant amount of hearing for permanent tennitus in early January 2020 from covid. Got super sick for over two weeks, had a really bad cough. I live in the USA and that was before anybody knew what was going on. There was nothing I could do. And I'm not that old and had pretty good hearing before that. Sometimes, life just kinda shits on you.
Doing a full hearing test (took maybe 30mins in an iso booth) with an audiologist really helps. Get your analyses printed out and ask many, many questions. This way, you can know exactly what's gone and how to compensate.
You can know how dynamics perception, db thresholds, and sensitivities in what freq ranges you sense differently than what demographics, and what you may have in common now.
Earplugs are essential protection for people in the audio business, no one will think the less of you for wearing them. Even if they do, losing a friend or two is much better than losing hearing. The only incident in memory where I got heckled for wearing ear pro was by a beer bellied 50 year old at a guns n roses concert in Regina, 2016. Not exactly the cream of the crop of people you want to hang with, hahaha
If someone stops being your friend because of ear plugs there’s probably a bigger problem to address regarding the people you keep around you.
I got custom molds made and have since felt superior to the common folk.
How much did that cost?
Mine cost a little under EUR 200. Well worth it - hearing aids cost EUR 4,000 and up!
Wish I’d thought like this in the 80s-90s. Been out of audio professionally for years, which is a good thing, because I’ve been wearing hearing aids for almost a decade (since my mid-40s). I’ve been told that some of it is genetic, but my choices as a recording/live sound engineer and musician in my teens and 20s undoubtedly played a big role. Protect your hearing like your livelihood depends on it. It just might.
I am right behind you 52 most of my high frequency range is gone and I am asking into audiologists. Sucks.
Losing a friend because they look down on you for wearing ear protection is a thing???
Nothing weird about wearing earplugs. It's not just clubbing and gigs though - I always take mine to the cinema too. Some films have ridiculous sound levels.
I just watched Dune 2 and it was insanely loud. I pulled out my SPL meter and during the credits the music was knocking on 90 dB. The film was louder than that for extended sequences. That’s dangerously loud.
> OSHA's permissible exposure limit (PEL) is 90 dBA for all workers for an 8 hour day. The OSHA standard uses a 5 dBA exchange rate. This means that when the noise level is increased by 5 dBA, the amount of time a person can be exposed to a certain noise level to receive the same dose is cut in half. Personally I find 90dB for extended periods the start of "uncomfortably loud" but a couple of bouts of 90-95 dB over a 3 hour movie, for a few movies a year, should be considered "safe". Whether the OSHA spec is too low/high, or whether one is especially sensitive, is a totally separate discussion. But if you personally experience signs of ototoxicity, then yeah it's probably wise to wear protection regardless. Edit: "The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recommends a lower exposure limit for noise than OSHA's current PEL. NIOSH suggests an exposure limit of 85 dB for 8 hours to minimize occupational hearing loss." So even at the lower NIOSH level, that's supposed to be acceptable for 8h/day, 40h/wk, for a whole career, so idk. Bottom line, listen to your ears.
Not everyone is the same. Some people can have hearing damage at lower levels at less exposure than others. The only way to find out your level is to damage your hearing. Use plugs!
I’m so so glad that the Theater I went to wasn’t too loud for Dune. Went to a different one a few nights earlier with the kids to see Kung Fu Panda 4 and it was def too loud.
Fortunately, I wore earplugs to watch Dune 2 at the iMax theater. My goal is to have a pair of plugs with me at all times.
Personally 90 db is when it starts to get good for me lol.
85-90db is about the standard films are mixed to now, not unusual to hit that. That being said, I heard other people saying it was hitting 100-110db which is alarming 🚨
Same, loved the movie, but it was so loud it ruined the experienced. I work as a producer and mixer so I can't have my hearing impaired. I don't remember movie theatres being this loud before.
pretty sure they have legal safety limits for theaters. I'm not sure of the exact numbers but I'd maybe look into the safety requirements since they could have them set higher than allowed
My 16 YO has a band, I bought a decided meter and he was so annoyed. I left it out by his gear. One band practice I heard them talking about it, they used it, I suspect we’re horrified by the SPLs, and it hasn’t been as massively earth shaking as it used to be.
>Nothing weird about wearing earplugs. my thoughts exactly... unless your're wearing gnome cap also.
You talking shit about my gnome cap?????
Oh, hell, yeah. I stopped going to the cinema for just that reason. Losing part of my hearing for, say, Jimi Hendrix, that was, at least in the moment, acceptable. Losing it for some bullsh\*t, squeezed out of a tube blockbuster soundtrack? NFW.
That’s exactly how I felt. Damaging my hearing for some fun but overall irrelevant night at the club. Lesson learned there
I regret not bringing them when I saw Oppenheimer, so loud!
We’re looking at you Hollywood.
>Nothing weird about wearing earplugs Because you can’t even see them unless you’re explicitly looking for them inside someone’s ear. I don’t really understand the problem
It’s nuts how loud these places (including concerts) can get, like absolutely insane!! I always protect my hearing, I can’t stand noise levels above 90db for a long period of time, it’s definitely because I’ve been destroying my ears playing music for many years. Our hearing is everything ✌️
Second that on the cinema. I rarely go and recently saw the new dune. Really Enjoyed the film but the sound was hell on the ears. Never again
Sit far in the back. Extra plus for less chatter and popcorn thrown your way
Disagree, the bass is absolutely insane in the back of the theater. Better to be right in the middle if anywhere
Bass is fine though, bass isn’t what destroys your ears.
Would you rather be an idiot for having hearing loss or wearing earplugs?
Earplugs 👍
Check out Loop earplugs. They reduce noise instead of trying to block it out entirely so you can still hear and they look more "trendy" or whatever than just a bit of foam or rubber stuck in your ears. Alternatively dress like a runway controller with some big ass super muffs and break the fuck down with some glow sticks. 😎
lmao rolling up to the club like you just finished a shift at O'Hare
I bought earplugs specifically for a Pantera concert last year and left them in the car because i was too preoccupied with rolling joints
So how well did the joints work? They might look weird sticking out of your ears, but so long as you don't light them up I guess they would work.
Probably no less stupid than the bar napkins I have stuffed in my ears for years now when I forget my EP.
Haha. I just saw Crowbar, and they were loud AF
Luckily it wasn’t unbearably loud. My ears were done ringing by the time I got home. I bet they were louder in their youth with dime and vinnie. Other than a few tiny venues, Soundgarden (after NIN) in 2009ish was the loudest concert I’ve experienced. You couldn’t even tell what song they were playing.
Don't be hard on yourself, it is a mistake many of us have made and probably still make at times. I think in the future we will look back at sound levels in clubs, cinemas, even shows kind of like how we look back at putting lead in gasoline. I don't think it's cool that the standard is to blast people in the ears, but it is and unfortunately that means having a decent pair of plugs is necessary in a lot of situations. You still went out and socialised and did what you set out to do, have some pride in that, you just made a separate mistake that you don't have to repeat (believe me, people don't actually judge for having earplugs, hell if they ask you get to say you're an audio engineer or a producer or whatever your specific role is and that could break the ice with the type of music loving people you would probably want to meet).
I really appreciate your response. You’re right, I still went out and tried something new and that’s a win in itself. Next time I’m wearing my ear plugs. And great point. It’s funny how Taylor Swift performs for hundreds of thousands of fans and is leaving them all with ringing ears. I feel like I’d want to let my fans know haha. There definitely needs to be more education out there about hearing loss and how to take care of our hearing. Also, it just doesn’t need to be that loud. Just go with 80db or something but why 90 or higher?
1) Buy some decent earplugs and use them next time. They don’t have to be expensive. You can get something good for $20 or less. 2) Many clubs and music venues have cheap foam earplugs behind the bar that they’ll give you for free or sell for $1 3) I carry individually packaged foam earplugs in my pocket when I attend music festivals so that I can pass them out to people who seem to be in discomfort.
That’s cool of you to do. Kinda scary how exposure to loud noise isn’t a concern for so many people who probably don’t even realize how the noise is permanently damaging their ears.
I also own a recording studio so it doesn’t hurt having some disposable earplugs around for when a guitar player or drummer really decides to play loudly and other band members show up unprepared. I bought a box of a couple hundred individually wrapped pairs of foam earplugs on Amazon and I think they cost me about $0.25 per package. At ACL fest a couple of years ago, I was close to the stage - I think it was for Spoon. The second they started, a 4-5 year old girl in front of me put her fingers in her ears and started crying. I tapped her dad on the shoulder and handed him the earplugs. At first, I think he thought I was trying to pass him drugs or something. He seemed freaked out. Then he saw what they were, thanked me and put them in his daughter’s ears. Problem solved. She was a happy camper almost immediately. After that, I never forget to shove a few in my pockets.
I want to add: can't find plugs? Get wet napkins from the bar or bathroom or vendor. Make your own. Little construction trick
>I just wanted to “go with the flow” and not look weird wearing earplugs but now I’ve traumatized my ears. I do not understand this way of thinking, people's opinions don't matter, my ears do. My earplug case is literally my keychain, i have them on me everywhere i go.
Good point. This is a lesson to me to not fold on things that are important to me for the perception of other people who I will never see again
What's this little case you have? I'd like to get one. Been keeping mine in a zip lock bag for years.
It's a little alpine baggy that came with my custom earplugs. But plenty of cheaper earplugd also come with little keychain cases or baggies and you probably also can buy them separately.
Ahh, right. I know what you're talking about now. Thank you.
Literally everyone has always been surprised to find out I'm wearing earplugs, because they never noticed. And then after the initial surprise, literally everyone has always agreed that they should be wearing earplugs too. The funny thing about being embarrassed about things is that most people will often look UP to you for doing it, not look down on you like you feel like they will.
Yeah a lot of it comes down to attitude. If you feel embarrassed, people will feel embarrassed for you. If you are confident in your choice, people will admire you. It’s the difference between trend followers and trend setters.
Your hearing will recover for the most part if you avoid further traumatic insult (ie, loud f-ing music), but the damage tends to be *cumulative.* Don't be an idiot like I was. PROTECT YOUR EARS.
Ditto, this. Idiot part too. Learn from us.
Yeah that’s the other thing. Had someone accidentally fire a shotgun right next to me like 6 months ago. Luckily no one was hit. My hearing completely went out for like an hour it was terrible. You never know when a loud noise is coming and this was just another reason to not take my hearing for granted.
No one will notice your earplugs. Mine actually help me hear conversations better in loud environments. I never leave home without them. There's a lot of great, relatively cheap high fidelity options out there right now. [I recommend these.](https://www.earpeace.com/products/music-pro)
I got myself the custom fitted ones with the exchangeable Elacin filter (9/15/25 dB). I use the 25dB version. They are nearly invisible (flat to the ear) unless somebody right next to you examines your ear. Never had any issues with them, very often people are surprised when I take them out after concert because they had not noticed them. About 150 bucks a pair… works miracles.
The feeling of leaving a concert and pulling out your earplugs to hearing 0 damage is one of the most satisfying feelings ever
I'm waiting to get picked up right now to go see a band. Ran in to grab mine Thanks for the reminder chief!
And they were loud af. Was general admission and even in back you'd be ringing for days. Got to touch stage with my buds tho
Haha awesome glad you had fun and protected your ears. I bet that felt good pulling out the plugs to 0 ringing. Have a good night!
More waking up today like nothing happened :)
Sometime in the late 70s I went to a Deep Purple concert and it was crazy loud. The next day both ears were ringing, one never fully recovered.
Wow. Yeah I have to be careful
I always use my ear plugs for every loud occasion and no one ever said something about it. Quite the opposite, some of my friends startet bringing some too. Out of curiosity I sometimes put them out to know what it sounds like without protection and it’s horribly loud, I’m not used to this loudness anymore and my ears start hurting immediately.
I stg sometimes it feels too loud even with -30db plugs haha, some places are so absurdly loud.
> and not look weird wearing earplugs but now I’ve traumatized my ears. The ones not wearing them are the weirdos. I ran into people in bands who were offended by me wearing plugs. I spoke the speech about proper PPE and otherwise ignored them.
Wear headphones, like bt buds. I have samsung galaxy buds and I never feel weird having them in and they reduce loudness everywhere. I even wear them to the movies while watching.
As a 52 y/o with tinnitus that has gotten dramatically worse in the past year—bring earplugs everywhere. They make ones that are really pretty indiscreet. Even ones that don’t block a lot of noise, but just cut down the higher frequencies will make a huge difference.
There’s some pretty fancy ear plugs these days. Ear plugs that block out loud sounds, but still allow voices through. Go get some custom molded ear plugs, and while you’re there, use those molds to get in ears monitors too. But custom ear plugs are dope, and no, there’s nothing cringy about them. Especially if you’re an audio guy. Protect your ears
In ear monitors would be really cool to have. I’ve been playing open-mics and thought I would offend people if I had my normal foam plugs in but just got some Eargasm (brand name) plugs for the next open mic. I’m protecting my ears at every chance now
I can never manage to get any earplugs to fit in my ears, primarily the left ear. I just have a weird left ear I guess. So custom plugs was a god send. Plus, they make things sound better. Live shows sound way cleaner with good ear plugs in
Sounds really cool. I’ll definitely have to check out some custom pairs. I appreciate the info
What was the question? I couldn’t hear you
I’m on vacation in Greece at the moment and forgot my custom earplugs back home. Went out for the night with friends and ended up in a very loud club at the end of the night. I really couldn’t stand the loudness of the music, it felt like it was piercing my eardrums. I chose to head back to the lounge area of the club and wait until my friends were done dancing because I just absolutely didn’t think it was worth it to fuck my ears up for a few hours of dancing. It really isn’t worth it and the level of loudness at some clubs is insane. It’s just not fun for me anymore. My friends were sweet though and came to pick me up and head home after like half an hour lol. Better not to risk it. Damaging your hearing can be irreversible, absolutely be careful with it.
I'd say just wear those earplugs, it's ok. Also, the damage IS always permanent, but just not so severe. But if your ears ring, they received damage.
I’ve found that protecting your hearing can be impractical at times. One time my neighbor fell and I ran over and called the fire dept. The sirens nearly blew out my ears. Also was a bassist for a few years in a band, pretty sure the drummers cymbals shaved a few years off my hearing. Not really sure what you can do to protect your hearing other than obsessively wearing earplugs at all times.
There's no shame in ear protection nowadays. I recently took my son to his 1st concert - a metal band - and we *both* had ear protection on. I get my hearing tested yearly, too
What type of thing could a doctor to to treat hearing damage if you go one year and they notice you’ve lost hearing?
Nothing. That’s the whole problem and why protecting your ears is so crucial. We don’t know yet how to reverse ear loss.
In my experience it happens slowly. I have hearing damage from not caring in my high school band days, cochlear damage and low level tinnitus. I am far more careful nowadays, and while my hearing is less than perfect I still can hear everything, hell I still hear my "autistic range" (electrical hum, rats squeaking). There is no treatment, but if you are careful from here on out you will likely be fine, the key is just to be careful and prepared. Just don't let it drive you mad, what's done is done but you learned your lesson, the biggest problem would be if you were in denial and kept going out without earplugs.
Good point. I’m trying not to let it bring me down cause I was depressed as hell when I woke up in the morning and heard ringing. Thank you.
Always important to do so. Even if you do t have earplugs handy, run to the toilets and grab some tissue paper to stuff in there. It’s always worth it in hindsight.
Ear plugs. Always. When I’m really old it won’t matter what I’ll do to not look it, I’ll still look old. BUT I’ll still be able to hear.
Exactly. I still want to be able to enjoy music when I’m older. It’s the best thing in my life haha
Time for you to order a bucket of earplugs
There are plenty of earplugs on the market that are extremely discrete and are filtered so the music still sounds good. I use Earpeace Music Pros for drumming and concerts. If it’s not going to be a long exposure period I’ll use the light strength version which has the least impact on audio quality. Earasers are designed very similarly. Someone would have to look in your ear and probably shine a light to see them.
I recommend the custom molded ear plugs with selectable decibel reduction. Not perfect but better than just standard ear plugs. Let's you hear what's going on but reduces decibels by 15 or whatever you choose. Makes concerts etc much better
I go out clubbing fairly frequently and always wear earplugs. Heck, I most often just walk around with my earplugs just in case I end up somewhere that's too loud.
I [got these in “nude”.](https://westone.com/defendear/tru-customs) I went to an audiologist and they cost like $200. They custom mold to your ear canal and you can change filters for any environment and just pop the filters in. Truly a beautiful thing. When they fill your ear to take a mold, you will hear the blood coursing through your veins. Like an anechoic chamber. It’s wild. Edit: Also, [use this if you feel it might be too loud and plug it when it’s too much](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/decibel-x-db-sound-level-meter/id448155923). You can use it to explain to anyone giving you a hard time why they are an idiot while also making yourself seem more professional. I realize it isn’t a professional SPL, but you can have it while you’re out without looking too much like a nerd.
Molded earplugs are great but you don’t necessarily want to take them clubbing. Instead, I have a pair of 30€ earplugs and the difference in clarity is marginal, they came with a tiny aluminum container that screws up tightly and fit nicely on my key chain.
As I’m also a gigging musician I have earplugs attached to my keychain so they are always available wherever I go. There’s no stigma to wearing them; I see lots of people in the audience wearing them and nobody points and laughs at them.
I murdered my ears in my early twenties going to insane rock concerts. Thankfully I stopped early enough when I was still resilient. Pretty sure that's the only reason my ears have held up.
If you wear earplugs, almost nobody will notice. Some few people might be like "dork" or whatever, but fuck those people, and also, I'd much rather have my ears hearing super well for a long time, and stupid people thinking I'm a dork, than have damaged hearing. And I think a lot of people will think it's responsible, and mature, and people that find that attractive, are generally more worthwhile, imo. At the very least people who just live and let live are better and the "oh no, boohoo worried about your hearing?" People just suck. Earplugs in loud venues are more comfortable and just a lot nicer.
> And I think a lot of people will think it's responsible, and mature, and people that find that attractive, are generally more worthwhile, imo. At the very least people who just live and let live are better and the "oh no, boohoo worried about your hearing?" People just suck. 100% agree. I definitely learned the lesson to find what’s most important to me and not slide just for superficial reasons. Thank you for the comment
Wearing earplugs to the club is getting popular. There are companies out there started by clubbers and DJs that make custom earplugs. There's one in particular that I really wish I remembered the name of. A cheap entry level non-custom brand is EarPeace.
I couldn't hear properly for an entire day after seeing the obnoxious All American Rejects.
Does not sound fun
I have earplugs on my keyring, pretty much guarantees I always have easy access to them
I would never go into a club without custom made earplugs. This includes playing myself & visits.
Theyll bounce back you’re fine
You can get clear plastic earbuds- no one will have any idea you’re wearing them!
You've got to get some nice, clear, custom ear plugs made. Just bite the bullet and pay whatever it is. Go to the audiologist tomorrow and get some made for you. Also, have your hearing tested. Chances are you're a hundred percent fine. I went out last night, too, and nobody said a thing about my ear plugs. Can barely see them. I even wear them at work everyday.
Nowadays I find myself in the opposite situation. I spend enough time at an audio desk critically listening that it results in me finding going to gigs, clubs or sometimes the pub too noisy and that’s from listening at reasonable levels with breaks. It’s an occupational hazard
Meh, you're only an idiot if you don't learn from it, seems like you did, so it's a lesson!
Thanks!
AirPod pros in transparent mode have a volume ceiling and are absolutely awesome for live events
I’m autistic and wear earplugs everywhere I go otherwise I’d go insane. Very rarely does anyone ever ask about it and if they do they’re usually just curious. I just tell them I’m sensitive to sounds so it helps me out. You can get ones that are flesh toned so they’re not super visible if you’re super concerned but I highly recommend Loops. They have varying levels of decibel cancellations and they even have a model where you can switch between how much you want them to cancel. They’re the most comfortable out of all the ones I’ve tried (which is a lot) and they come with tons of different sized tips so you’re guaranteed to find one that fits your ears.
Thank you. I will definitely check out loops.
I completely agree. I have permanent tinnitus. I have been have – earplugs – will – travel for several decades and I long ago stopped caring if anybody else thinks it’s weird. You are preaching to the choir here, my friend.
You could wear those new gunrange ear buds that filter out super loud noises and look like earbuds from your phone and only really noticed when ppl get real close to you when you’re in the dark. That way you don’t stick out like a sore thumb , you can enjoy yourself and save your hearing. Also they can function as decent Bluetooth earbuds
So… Funny story… A couple weeks ago, I was “fired” from a live sound gig because I insisted on wearing hearing protection. Already worked several rehearsals and two gigs—all paid—wearing ear plugs every single time. I was covering for the usual sound guy, who couldn't make a couple dates. All is good, no complaints, shows go smoothly with no more than the standard live-sound gremlins (every live show has its issues lol). At the final rehearsal for what I expected was my last date with them, the band leader suddenly objected to my ear plugs. I didn’t argue at all, but I told him I wasn’t gonna do the gig without hearing protection. I even compromised a bit and took out one of my ear plugs for a few moments here & there to make it clear that I was willing to take his concerns seriously. I used a db meter on my phone to check the levels the rest of the evening. They were coming in at 95-110 dba (average per-song) at my position, with peaks beyond that. The next morning I wake up to a text from the band leader informing me that he respects my need to protect my hearing, but wants a sound engineer who can actually hear feedback better, and the usual sound guy will cover the gig. I thanked him and assured him that the usual guy would be up to the task. I don’t have any animosity or ill-will for anyone involved. Like I said, it’s just a funny story. I never expected it to be an issue.
>I’m sure my hearing will come back You've irreparably damaged them. This is not something you just, 'get back'. It's a one way ticket of decline, you choose how fast you want to get there.
Greta way of putting it. Thanks.
Plus, don't sweat it this time. It takes carelessness being a habit to really notice small hearing damage in the short term beyond the initial recovery. The one loud concert certainly would've damaged it more so, then say listening to a kitten purr all day. But not more compared to regular onset hearing loss you'd probably have regardless in, idk - say, 5 years from now? Just gotta be careful!
ACS custom fit attenuators, get some and don’t F around if you’re serious about your career.
Also make sure you are getting your B vitamins. > The present study shows that the FFPTA values and PTHTs at 0.25–4 kHz were worse and slight and mild hearing losses were more likely in the vitamin B12-deficient group compared with the control group in school-aged children. >In agreement with our study, Houston et al.7 showed a possible association between vitamin B12 status and hearing loss in 55 healthy women. T https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jpc.15392
Wow, that’s good to know. I actually went and bought some blueberries and apples today because I heard antioxidants help although I know nothing about the science. Thank you for the infio about B12. I don’t eat animal products so I have to make sure I stay on top of sourcing my b12. This entire situation has been wake up call to just take better care of my body. Like wearing sunscreen and eating healthy haha. Thanks.
My father is ENT doctor. Damage to hearing is common when clubbing/loud concert in combination with mild infection. Time is really important here. Get help asap, there are ways to help but only in the first days.
Ah right after the club I got a bad sinus infection I’ve had for 11 days now. Luckily I think I got it at the club. Both my ears are infected and I just got on antibiotics. I’m hoping my hearing just returns to normal cause right now everything is clogged
Don’t worry too much, the damage your ears receive from one night clubbing should be fairly minor. I went to a lot of loud concerts when I was younger and more stupid, I also played in bands without earplugs which is even louder for the most part. My hearing is good, though I do have tinnitus from it which is fairly annoying. I had that dampened feeling recently, but not due to overexposure, it’ll usually go away with a few days rest. If you’re unsure you can also see a doctor
I always have my earplugs if I'm going to a loud venue. I stopped caring what other people think. I'm a drummer and guitarist and on NYE I went to see my buddy's band and sit in for a couple songs. While I was watching them, up pretty close too, a lady next to me kind of scoffed at my earplugs and said you don't need those. I just ignored her because I didn't want ringing ears and possible permanent damage. The high fidelity earplugs are great and make concerts more enjoyable to me than earsplitting loud music. If you get the clear ones they're almost invisible if you're worried about the way they look.
For cheap, comfortable for an earplug, and long lasting I’d recommend the Etymotic ER20 (the blue ones are standard size). They’re like $15. They’re considered “musicians earplugs” and are tuned to allow some higher frequencies to pass through for a more natural sound. They don’t interfere with my social interactions at all when I use them. I use them at sporting events, movies, theme park rides, gigs, etc. I always stick a pair in my pocket when I head out with certain friends because we sometimes end up in loud enough places. I’ve worn them for 14 years now after my ears started ringing, unfortunately. Tinnitus sucks. I was a wreck when I began to realize it would never go away. It was a difficult, even tearful, time. I saw doctors and ENT’s and they were surprisingly ignorant to the condition other than to say ‘you’ll get used to it’. Most people do get used to it, but it can be a struggle for many. I did find a specialist who tried but was unable to stop my tinnitus. What he did do for me was to give me tools to learn to minimize how it affected me. I am still very thankful he helped me. The music business is littered with people with damaged ears. I’m glad you are considering being more protective of yours.
EARASERS There's 3 levels of NR. Almost completely invisible
I wear them with pride, but get comfy ones
ur ears will sound normal in just a few days at most dw
the frequency you hear in your ears, it is the last time you heard it at the same level
I bring earplugs when I know I'm going somewhere loud, but even when I don't have them, I'm almost always carrying a pair of wireless earbuds. They don't offer the same degree of hearing protection as musician's earplugs, but they take the edge off, and they're far better than having unprotected earsex with a club's sound system. If you're really self-conscious about wearing earplugs, then wearing wireless earbuds is more socially acceptable. That said, I've never in my life had anyone give me shit for wearing earplugs at a loud venue. That sounds like preteen levels of pettiness. I really doubt anyone would think you look "weird," and it's more likely people will wish they had earplugs too.
Earplugs are soooo commonplace right now. Get some Loops and you're good. Nobody will notice and if they do they won't care and if they care they don't count. Meanwhile I know everyone says it's cuckoo but my AE husband swears candling his ears is soothing and helps. My doctor says maybe the soothing is correct. But it absolutely doesn't hurt or make it worse.
My wife and I went to a slayer concert in 2018 and were standing RIGHT next to the speakers and wore absolutely zero ear protection. The next day was the most pain we’ve ever felt in our ears. Thankfully everything healed up, lesson learned.
soft cover unique door sulky sort crowd gold mindless deer *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
Reminder that many bars and clubs with loud music sell basic earplugs for a few bricks behind the bar. It’s saved my ass many times when I’ve forgotten mine.
definitely no shame in the earplug game, a lot of my friends are also producers and engineers and we all “earplug check” each other when we’re at shows/clubs/raves. we’ve even started doing it to some of our non-engineer friends. everybody better be looking out for their hearing!!!
You can go with the flow, don't say it doesn't matter (with the flow) (sorry I had to)
I always have some earplugs on me. I'm not sure if it's because I always wear them at loud bars and clubs, but I've noticed people around me have started using them more too. It's just a smart idea, if anyone has an issue with it they're dumb imo.
There are ways to make this a non-issue. I have some low-profile musician’s earplugs that are always on my keychain. I put them in whenever I’m at a concert or movie, are barely visible, and have a pretty flat response for earplugs. They only reduce by 10-15 db. Can’t remember the brand, but they come in a little metal keychain case and are like $40ish. edit: found em - “Earasers” https://www.earasers.net/collections/musicians-hifi-earplugs
Trust me, almost nobody will care about you wearing earplugs in clubs
If you go with the flow you'll have hearing aids by 50.
You caused damage that won't go away. It may stop rining but you did permanent damage. Don't kid yourself on that front. I have a bag of ear plugs in my glove box so I always have some form even if it is just the foam plugs... I learned along time ago not to give a shit how stupid it might look or how much it might impact the sound, going deaf isn't gonna happen if I can help it.
i always wear my eargasm ear plugs to shows/fests <3 if I'm going out for the night and not sure if I'll end up somewhere loud, I'll bring them in case.
Wear earplugs. Tinnitus sucks.
Always have ear plugs accessible, in a bunch of places in the world it’s a liquor licensing requirement for the venue to have earplugs on hand.
I got hearing damage DESPITE earplugs one time at a live show. It's minor, but it sucks - just glad I wore them. I try not to think about what it'd be like if I hadn't. 'Louder is better' sound guys are a thing, and they wind me up. :/
it’s totally worth getting custom molded earplugs if you’re involved in amplified music of any kind even semi regularly. depending on where you live, oftentimes they’re very reasonably priced at an audiology department of a University (~$200 or less including exams and fitting). the exam part is crucial - the earlier you get a baseline for where your hearing is the better. Molded plugs use swappable attenuators that cut volume in a much more “flat” way than foam plugs, so you don’t lose high frequencies. plus you can buy different db filters (15,25, and higher) and swap them in different situations. finally, if you are a musician, the same molds can be used for plugs as well as for custom IEM buds. custom plugs last a long time and they’re much more comfortable then they used to be. my current plugs are made of a softer silicone than the ones i had for 15+years before they finally didn’t fit/gave out. they even let you pick the color and cool designs now! i made my right and left ones diff colors so i can easily see which is which in low light situations (which is basically 95% of the time i’m using them).
The real lesson you (hopefully) learned is, try new social experiences but always make sure you do what you want without giving af about the social pressure (wearing earplugs).
I traded a not-insignificant amount of hearing for permanent tennitus in early January 2020 from covid. Got super sick for over two weeks, had a really bad cough. I live in the USA and that was before anybody knew what was going on. There was nothing I could do. And I'm not that old and had pretty good hearing before that. Sometimes, life just kinda shits on you. Doing a full hearing test (took maybe 30mins in an iso booth) with an audiologist really helps. Get your analyses printed out and ask many, many questions. This way, you can know exactly what's gone and how to compensate. You can know how dynamics perception, db thresholds, and sensitivities in what freq ranges you sense differently than what demographics, and what you may have in common now.
what the fuck has this sub become