Ear protection

[Steven Shea]

Something that occurred to me last night as we were seated pretty close to the DJ speaker. In this line of work, we deal with a lot of receptions, which means lots of noise. It's rarely *that* loud, but it's loud enough where I'd have to imagine sustained exposure isn't good.

Any of you wear earplugs or any kind of ear protection?

[Andrew Smith]

Buy yourself a set of eers plugs by Sonomax. They are the only form of hearing protection that gives sufficient attenuation of outside sound due to being custom molded to your ear canal.

After looking after my hearing all my life (including keeping the yellow foam plugs handy for loud concerts etc), a few years ago I found myself with tinnitus after filming a protest rally. Most annoying. I now use the eers plugs and they are a permanent part of my kit bag.

These plugs have the added bonus that you can also connect them to a headphone jack for audio monitoring, or to use hands free with a mobile phone.

Andrew

[Paul R Johnson]

Indeed - when I am performing on stage, I use IEMs, because I can turn them down - but only last week working from the audience side, I was far too close to the PA and my slight tinnitus became bad for three days, and still has not returned to the old level. I use my stage IEMs either unplugged as simple volume reduction, but also you can plug them in to the camera for isolation and monitoring.

[David Barnett]

Definitely look to use ear plugs. I began a few years ago & haven't looked back. I think I was working a wedding where the photographer had a pair in, and I was standing there, shooting dance floor footage, standing right in front of the DJ speakers. I felt like I was just wasting my own self.

I asked her where she gets them, she said just a local CVS. I picked up a box of them, and use them, along with my headphones, although usually at that time of night I'm not even monitoring the audio. Most times I don't even have them plugged into the camera, they're just to help reduce noise. Works well.

[Jim Feeley]

There are a bunch of companies that make custom-fitted earplugs. And a bunch that make "fit most pretty well" plugs. I've used various brands. But to get a sense of what's out there, how they work, and what you might need/want, the Etymotic website is a decent place to start. Check out their background info...sure, it promotes their products but their products are pretty good...and their info will give you a decent grounding in what's what. BTW- Etymotic is one of the companies that make custom and off-the-shelf plugs:
https://www.etymotic.com

And here's a good online dealer's stock of moderately-priced plugs aimed at the music industry.
https://www.sweetwater.com/c1174--Earplugs

And maybe think about off-the-shelf or custom in ear monitors (IEMs) if you need to monitor audio but don't want to wear big headphones designed for high-noise environments:
https://www.sweetwater.com/c1045--Earphones

So read up, maybe see an audiologist or doctor, try a few things...but don't wait too long. I've been wearing good ear protection for decades, but under high SPLs, my left ear reminds me that I waited just a bit too long...

Good luck!

[Paul R Johnson]

You can buy moulding putty from sources even on ebay! Two part stuff that you mix, then squeeze into cone shapes and then you poke it in your ear hole, smooth it into the ear folds and don't move for ten mins. Works really well!

[Chris Hurd]

Try these Etymotics, highly rated everywhere and available from B&H:

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...2855/KBID/3801

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...2855/KBID/3801

[Steven Shea]

All great suggestions. I think it's time to bite the bullet and invest. It's funny, it another occured to me over the years until my most recent wedding. Then it hit me very suddenly, that this prooooooooooobably isn't healthy for the ol' ears.