930 Forums
=> GENERAL DISCUSSION => Topic started by: sweetcell on April 06, 2007, 01:02:00 pm
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no, not talking about THAT kind of protection (although it's important too, kids). i'm talking about hearing protection.
last night's stooges show was a lot of things - intense, energetic, chaotic... and very LOUD. i was about 15 feet away from one of the stacks, and even with my earplugs they were deafening. i was surprised at how few people i saw with anything protecting their ears. several people have complained about still having ringing in their ears this morning - no wonder. i met Joe M in the corridor behind the soundboard, he told me the PA was so loud he couldn't hang out in the main room. the loudness was preventing him from enjoying the show.
cheap and not as sonically destructive as pieces of foam are etymotics earplugs. i have a pair of these with me at every show. highly recommended.
am i just a wimp?
edit: link for the etymotics is http://www.etymotic.com/hp/er20.html
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Originally posted by sweetcell:
no, not talking about THAT kind of protection (although it's important too, kids). i'm talking about hearing protection.
last night's stooges show was a lot of things - intense, energetic, chaotic... and very LOUD. i was about 15 feet away from one of the stacks, and even with my earplugs they were deafening. i was surprised at how few people i saw with anything protecting their ears. several people have complained about still having ringing in their ears this morning - no wonder. i met Joe M in the corridor behind the soundboard, he told me the PA was so loud he couldn't hang out in the main room. the loudness was preventing him from enjoying the show.
cheap and not as sonically destructive as pieces of foam are etymotic's earplugs (http://www.etymotic.com/ephp/er20.aspx). i have a pair of these with me at every show. highly recommended.
am i just a wimp?
We are on the same wavelength today,my man! I was just gonna post and ask where I could purchase a set of these earplugs.....you read my mind...I went without protection last night..ears....and will be paying for it for at least a day or two....after around 1,000 shows...A LOT at max volume....I think I'm getting to the "permanent damage" level...not good...you are not a wimp....it's just common sense for a young lad these days... :D
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I don't drink non-alcoholic beer.
And I don't use earplugs.
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I use the Etymotic earplugs and they are well worth it. No ringing in the morning though the sound still remains crisp. The only concern is that sometimes the music still feels loud enough to hurt. While seeing Rollins Band I actually switched to the foam ones that have less protection just because it deadened the volume a bit.
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I don't but really should.
Maybe I'll grab some of these.
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I take Viagra. AND I use protection.
<img src="http://msnbcmedia1.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/050830/050830_palmeiro_vmed_8p.widec.jpg" alt=" - " />
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earplugs?? what?? what did you say?
on the rare occasion i find someone to go to a real rockin show i may use them. generally i dont (earplugs at a sparklehorse concert dont seem necessary to me)
last time was the dinosaur jr. show a couple years back.
however, when working at a show, i always wear em. go figure.
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Sure, last night was loud but I've heard louder: Dream Syndicate and LCD Soundsystem. DS was in '84, opening for REM at the Warner; my right ear took a two day break. LCD was two years ago; the volume was just short of the pain threshold.
I don't go to nearly as many shows as I used to. Somehow, my ears seem to recover very quickly. My ears rang after last night (everything sounded higher pitched) but they're fine today.
If I went to more shows I might consider protection. I probably just got lucky when my ears were handed to me.
BTW, kudos to the soundmen; they did an outstanding job.
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i use those for my ipod. but i also have other earplugs for shows. im a big fan of their products. i also figure, that ive been to enough shows in my life and go to more shows than ever now, that i dont wanna be deaf in 10 years :)
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I have the Etymotic ones which I used once and haven't used them since. The sound is clear but I suppose the foam ones are better for me for volume resistance. I don't go w/o them and no one should either! (And thanks 9:30 for having them when I forget mine.)
A guy at work has a teenage daughter who has started attending shows. I asked him if she wore earplugs and he said "she has many years to inflict damage." Her next show is Fall Out Boy, 8th row center. My response to him: "earplugs". That's right kids, use protection. Be the other "one less"!
Sucks when a show is too loud it's beyond enjoyable. I found them to be far between at 9:30. Other local clubs, I think tend to go overboard at the majority of their shows.
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I didn't use to use earplugs, but I do now. Two decision makers for me were a) my ears ringing for 3 days after a show in the 90s (hey, there's plenty of space to stand over there--in front of the speaker!), b) having a significant other with music-induced tinnitus. It took a while for it to sink in that tinnitus means ringing in your ears that never ever stops.
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The closest I've got to wearing some are when I bought the cheapo foam ones for the Dinosaur show a year or two ago, but never did break them out.
Loudest show I think I've ever heard was the Soundtrack of our Lives show about 3-4 years ago. Not sure why, but that one seemed deafening. And then a J Mascis show at the BC a few years ago was also really loud (which is why I'd got some for the Dino show).
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I've used ear plugs at two shows in my life...both of which were Mogwai. I almost never even bring them with me, even though I keep a pack in my car just in case.
Funny story about non-alcoholic beer. I went out to happy hour for my birthday last Thursday, and we pressured right away to start drinking heavily (I know, I know, twist my arm ;) ). So I hastily grab the beer menu, and, because I was feeling adventurous, decided to select the first name I saw that I had never tried...a Kalibur. Of course, I didn't read the description, so imagine my surprise when I took a big swig and then saw the "Non-Alcoholic" label on the side...
Originally posted by vansmack:
I don't drink non-alcoholic beer.
And I don't use earplugs.
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Yeah, I should wear them. I usually just stay in the back if I expect a show to be loud/very loud. But thanks sweetcell for the link...I'll buy a pair :D
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Aural contraceptives, they keep your ears from getting fucked.
I get paid for hearing damage. I wear plugs to bars often.
I use the foam ones, once you get your ears used to the different eq, your brain can work well with them.
Loudest show, Skinny Puppy at College Park. 125 dB at the sound board the whole night. With plugs I had to leave to give my ears a break.
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Originally posted by Joe Marshmallow III:
I usually just stay in the back if I expect a show to be loud/very loud.
It helps, but to loud and repeated exposure, ears can become senstive...not just hearing loss.
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Originally posted by nkotb:
I've used ear plugs at two shows in my life...both of which were Mogwai. I almost never even bring them with me, even though I keep a pack in my car just in case.
Funny story about non-alcoholic beer. I went out to happy hour for my birthday last Thursday, and we pressured right away to start drinking heavily (I know, I know, twist my arm ;) ). So I hastily grab the beer menu, and, because I was feeling adventurous, decided to select the first name I saw that I had never tried...a Kalibur. Of course, I didn't read the description, so imagine my surprise when I took a big swig and then saw the "Non-Alcoholic" label on the side...
Originally posted by vansmack:
I don't drink non-alcoholic beer.
And I don't use earplugs.
[/b]
ooh, i have one too. so me and some friends are on our way to Summersault festival and we stopped by a liquor store and each got a 12-pack. we got to the hotel and got wasted and what not.
the next morning we woke up and were getting ready for the show, and i was cleaning up beer bottles, when i noticed that someone had bought a 12-pack of St Pauli Girl, non-alcoholic.
not only did this dude not seem to notice it was non-alcoholic when he bought it, he didnt seem to notice that he wasnt getting drunk either!!!
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The etymotics are great. I take them to every show, whether I think I'm going to need them or not. I almost always end up using them though.
Just because your ears stop ringing doesn't mean you're ok. The damage is probably already done. After years of shows, it adds up.
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Originally posted by vansmack:
I don't drink non-alcoholic beer.
And I don't use earplugs.
cool, i'll chalk that up as one "yes" vote for the "am i a wimp" question :)
loudest soundsystem i ever exposed myself to (!) was a trance party at the Marc ballroom in NYC... ear-bleeding. 5-6 hours of deafening sound, i'm very thankful that i had plugs with me 'cause a lot of people couldn't tolerate the dBs for more than 15-20 minutes at a time (and they had some GREAT djs and live sets that night). of course, a number of people were so out of it they had no idea what they were doing to themselves. kinda pathetic.
i had both etymotic and foam plugs with me last night, foam does indeed cut the sound more (but screws it up more too, kills too much of the highs)... beforehand i thought i might switch to foam at some point but got so wrapped up in the show that it didn't occur to me again.
like chutney, the etymotics are standard pocket-stuffing whenever i go out for live music, right up there with cash and ID. use them most of the time.
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I can't remember the last time I had an aural hangover. My hearing sucks, but it's sucked since I was a kid and got ear infections every summer like clockwork. One of my ear drums has burst twice. I probably should wear plugs, but I am of the vansmack mindset also.
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Originally posted by nonameface:
Originally posted by Joe Marshmallow III:
I usually just stay in the back if I expect a show to be loud/very loud.
It helps, but to loud and repeated exposure, ears can become senstive...not just hearing loss. [/b]
And the SPL difference is not usually that great from front to the board.
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Originally posted by Sir HC:
And the SPL difference is not usually that great from front to the board.
dB's are base-10 logarithmic. If the SPL is 120dB ten feet from the sound source, it will be 110dB @ 100ft, 100db @ 1000ft, 90dB @ 10,000ft, etc. This is why space shuttle launch observation posts are miles from the launch pad.
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When I went to my first show at 930 a couple years ago, my parents made me wear ear protection. Not like I needed any convincing once I got there. Ow!
I just use a small ball of tissue/Kleenx. Going into the club without some kind of ear protection is painful and it detracts from the enjoyment I get from the show.
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If anyone was at the Amina show last sunday, you definitely did not need earplugs for that. I don't think you would hear 1/2 of it with plugs.
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I didn't use protection in my youth, except for *really* loud bands, and now I have permanent tinnitus and hearing loss that makes me say "what" all the time... I'm sure firing AK-47s and flying in helicopters hasn't helped, but I think it mostly was the music... watch yourself kiddies... use plugz for everything...
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After going to a bunch of shows circa 1988-1991 left me with my ears ringing, I landed 8th-row seats for Lollapalooza in 1991 (Jane's Addiction, Siouxsie and the Banshees, etc.) and decided it was time to start using earplugs.
I've been using the Mack's silicone earplugs ever since.
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<img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/94/259256240_95c15743f9.jpg" alt=" - " /> (http://www.flickr.com/photos/alexdc/259256240/)
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I have partial hearing loss from severe ear infections from childhood. Add to that, years of rock shows and other environmental madness.
My hearing is so bad that I can't hear any ringing in my ears.
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Originally posted by Sir HC:
Aural contraceptives, they keep your ears from getting fucked.
I get paid for hearing damage. I wear plugs to bars often.
I use the foam ones, once you get your ears used to the different eq, your brain can work well with them.
Loudest show, Skinny Puppy at College Park. 125 dB at the sound board the whole night. With plugs I had to leave to give my ears a break.
Have you tried wearing ear defenders over top of the plugs? You'll get near double the reduction.
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Originally posted by Jaguar:
My hearing is so bad that I can't hear any
ringing in my ears.
my ears used to ring after shows. i had a period of time where i did wear earplugs at shows for a while, but now i dn't anymore and my ears don't ring anymore, even after shows like mogwai.
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I bought a pair of just before the Stooges show, and I am glad I did. I actually didn't use them for the entire show, but put them in about midway when I started getting dizzy! Pretty clear sound overall, and I was surprised at how much more distinct Iggy's vocals were with them in. A good purchase, which I will use again.
Good topic!
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Originally posted by Dupek Chakra:
Originally posted by Sir HC:
Aural contraceptives, they keep your ears from getting fucked.
I get paid for hearing damage. I wear plugs to bars often.
I use the foam ones, once you get your ears used to the different eq, your brain can work well with them.
Loudest show, Skinny Puppy at College Park. 125 dB at the sound board the whole night. With plugs I had to leave to give my ears a break.
Have you tried wearing ear defenders over top of the plugs? You'll get near double the reduction. [/b]
I have, but when you get down to the low bass your skull still gets it through regardless of the plugs.
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Originally posted by Sir HC:
Originally posted by Dupek Chakra:
Originally posted by Sir HC:
Aural contraceptives, they keep your ears from getting fucked.
I get paid for hearing damage. I wear plugs to bars often.
I use the foam ones, once you get your ears used to the different eq, your brain can work well with them.
Loudest show, Skinny Puppy at College Park. 125 dB at the sound board the whole night. With plugs I had to leave to give my ears a break.
Have you tried wearing ear defenders over top of the plugs? You'll get near double the reduction. [/b]
I have, but when you get down to the low bass your skull still gets it through regardless of the plugs. [/b]
Then that's bone conduction. The only solution to that would be to stick knitting needles all the way thru the ears until they poke out on the other side of the head.
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Originally posted by Sir HC:
Aural contraceptives, they keep your ears from getting fucked.
Love it!
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Originally posted by westendgirl:
Originally posted by Sir HC:
Aural contraceptives, they keep your ears from getting fucked.
Love it! [/b]
although very cute, this expression has got it wrong... contraceptives allow you to get f*cked, they don't prevent it. they prevent pregnancy.
have i just enriched your day, or what?
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Originally posted by sweetcell:
although very cute, this expression has got it wrong... contraceptives allow you to get f*cked, they don't prevent it. they prevent pregnancy.
have i just enriched your day, or what?
Actually, it depends on the context of "fucked" in each instance. One refers to fucking, as in intercourse, while the other refers to something being damaged, as in "That dumbass hit my car and fucked up my bumper."
Of course, the second reference could be used in the former, too, if it's done right. :D
Oh, and on the topic, I absolutely carry earplugs for shows. I'm currently debating if I want to see Andrew WK or Robyn Hitchcock tonight...if AWK wins, I'll definitely break out the earplugs.
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Originally posted by sweetcell:
no, not talking about THAT kind of protection (although it's important too, kids). i'm talking about hearing protection.
last night's stooges show was a lot of things - intense, energetic, chaotic... and very LOUD. i was about 15 feet away from one of the stacks, and even with my earplugs they were deafening. i was surprised at how few people i saw with anything protecting their ears. several people have complained about still having ringing in their ears this morning - no wonder. i met Joe M in the corridor behind the soundboard, he told me the PA was so loud he couldn't hang out in the main room. the loudness was preventing him from enjoying the show.
cheap and not as sonically destructive as pieces of foam are etymotic's earplugs (http://www.etymotic.com/ephp/er20.aspx). i have a pair of these with me at every show. highly recommended.
am i just a wimp?
Have you heard about that new life threatening disease called 'Hearing AIDS ?' You catch it by listening to assholes.
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Originally posted by sweetcell:
no, not talking about THAT kind of protection (although it's important too, kids). i'm talking about hearing protection.
last night's stooges show was a lot of things - intense, energetic, chaotic... and very LOUD. i was about 15 feet away from one of the stacks, and even with my earplugs they were deafening. i was surprised at how few people i saw with anything protecting their ears. several people have complained about still having ringing in their ears this morning - no wonder. i met Joe M in the corridor behind the soundboard, he told me the PA was so loud he couldn't hang out in the main room. the loudness was preventing him from enjoying the show.
cheap and not as sonically destructive as pieces of foam are etymotic's earplugs (http://www.etymotic.com/ephp/er20.aspx). i have a pair of these with me at every show. highly recommended.
am i just a wimp?
at least we know he protects those ears! now think about brushing those teeth and washing that crust off your face.
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I didn't wear earplugs for years. Note even after the Buzzcocks at the old 9:30 Club -- my ears rang for over a week. I should have gotten earplugs then, but I HATE those foam plugs and just take them out.
I've got Etymotics, and I bought a dozen additional pairs to give out to my music friends. I think it's the best gift I can give! The etymotics can be twisted tighter or looser depending on the show, and I find the sound better. I forget them once in a while when I switch show purses, but I'm getting better at remembering them.
A co-worker went to Iggy and said he thinks it's time to get earplugs. I ran back to my office and brought him a pair of Etymotics!
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I don't get people who don't wear earplugs.
I *have* to at this point.
I had plugs in at the stooges and still thought it was punishingly loud. I mean that in a good way.
But still, i can't imagine not having earplugs. I always have some on me because you never know when a rock show is going to break out.
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My ears are ringing as I type and I've only been to one concert this year and that was about three months ago. I have to sleep with a fan on and sound machine just to try and block it out. Now If I can only block out the voices in my head, I'll be able to sleep at night. :confused:
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Originally posted by tigers scare me:
I always have some on me because you never know when a rock show is going to break out.
This cracked me up. Wow, what a life! :D Kind of like those impromtu Stones and U2 shows on rooftops and floating down the street.
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Thanks jaguar.
It's a philosophy that has served me well...
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Originally posted by tigers scare me:
I don't get people who don't wear earplugs.
That's strange, because I don't get people who don't wear buttplugs.
Go figure...
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Originally posted by Buck Satan:
My ears are ringing as I type and I've only been to one concert this year and that was about three months ago. I have to sleep with a fan on and sound machine just to try and block it out. Now If I can only block out the voices in my head, I'll be able to sleep at night. :confused:
yikes. what show was that? did you see a doctor about it? the longest i've ever had ringing in my ears was 3 days and that was after a whfstival years ago. that scared the hell out of me. i started wearing foam plugs more often after that. maybe i should look into those etymolic thingies.
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Originally posted by Dupek Chakra:
Originally posted by tigers scare me:
I don't get people who don't wear earplugs.
That's strange, because I don't get people who don't wear buttplugs.
Go figure... [/b]
We don't eat a lot of olestra.
I have had ringing for 17 years and counting...
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I've had a general high-pitched sound with me for as long as I can remember. I don't know if I was born with tinnitus or if it's just the sound of my nervous system.
John Cage loved to tell his anecdote of stepping into an anechoic chamber in an attempt to hear actual silence. He told the technician that he could still hear two sounds, one very highly pitched and the other very low. The tech told him that the high sound was his nervous system while the low was his circulation.
Cage had a similar story at his last DC appearance in 1991. At a different concert of his music where the sound was amplified, some patrons complained about the high volume. Cage checked it out for himself, putting each ear against the speakers "like a toaster" (IIRC). His ears rang for several days. On his way to the doctor the ringing stopped. I wish I could remember when he said this took place (he was 78 in '91).
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Roger Miller's story in "Our Band Could Be Your Life" is pretty good. Since Mission of Burma played so loud, he would get ringing, and as a classically trained musician he could pick out the notes that were coming in and the like. I just have the 16k that you get from a TV. Had it since college, not sure if it is concert or antibiotic induced (the latter is a cause too).