Custom Molded Earplugs

[Gottastopbuyinggear]

I know the subject of hearing protection has been done to death, but it still bears repeating regularly I think.

I’ve had a bit of tinnitus since gig going days when I was younger, which was made worse by my first practice after deciding to join a band a couple of years ago at the tender age of 48 having forgotten how chuffing loud an acoustic drum kit is, and I’ve used generic plugs ever since.

Move on a couple of years and I’ve just got some ACS Pro 17 earplugs.  Not had a chance to try them out properly yet, but doing the same "test" as I’ve done with the different generic ones I’ve used (ACS and Alpine), i.e. listening to some music through full over the ear headphones, all I can say is “wow!". 

I was quite nervous about parting with £140 quid for these, but they really are a world apart from the generic stuff.  It may not be absolutely 100% perfect, but it is 99% - it essentially is just like turning the volume down.

To be fair I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone say they’re not worth the money,  but for anyone thinking about going the custom molded route and, like me, wondering whether it’s worth it for the improvement over generic plugs, I’d say absolutely yes - do it.

 

[ezbass]

It was the best £170 I’ve spent on accessories when I bought my custom fit Elacins, donkey’s years ago. Never gig without them.

[Acebassmusic]

+1000000000000000000000000000

In all the thousands of pounds I have spent over the years on different guitars, amps, pedals, cables etc I can easily say that the molded earplugs I have are the best money I've spent on musical equipment. No more ringing ears, discomfort etc. I can hear the band better. Mine are the earlier Elacin ER15's (about 10+ years old), still going strong but I'm thinking of treating myself to a new updated pair.

[PaulWarning]

couldn't really get on with custom ACS's made me feel isolated, I've lost one and I don't think I'll replace it tbh

[Acebassmusic]

They do take a little bit of getting used to but worth persevering. I'd rather feel slightly isolated for short periods than very isolated 24/7 from not using them. YMMV :-)

[gareth]

Moulded earplugs bought from a qualified audiologist is the way to go

not cheap but priceless if you value your hearing and wish to help avoid tinnitus 

[PaulWarning]

I just wonder if they're overkill, has anybody suffered hearing damage while just using say, the generic ER 20's?

[phil.c60]

Pardon? 

 

[chris_b]

14 minutes ago, PaulWarning said:

I just wonder if they're overkill, has anybody suffered hearing damage while just using say, the generic ER 20's?

IMO there's no such thing as overkill when it comes to protecting your hearing.

I have tinnitus and while it's not quite at to the intrusive stage it's close. I had the usual cavalier attitude to loud noises when I was younger and didn't do a very good job of keeping my hearing safe. Playing "chicken" with your hearing is the most stupid thing a musician can do. When I finally started doing something about it I used foam plugs, then went straight to ER15's.

Moulded plugs every time for me. I just wish they were around 30 years ago and I'd started using them sooner.

[mcnach]

3 hours ago, Gottastopbuyinggear said:

I know the subject of hearing protection has been done to death, but it still bears repeating regularly I think.

I’ve had a bit of tinnitus since gig going days when I was younger, which was made worse by my first practice after deciding to join a band a couple of years ago at the tender age of 48 having forgotten how chuffing loud an acoustic drum kit is, and I’ve used generic plugs ever since.

Move on a couple of years and I’ve just got some ACS Pro 17 earplugs.  Not had a chance to try them out properly yet, but doing the same "test" as I’ve done with the different generic ones I’ve used (ACS and Alpine), i.e. listening to some music through full over the ear headphones, all I can say is “wow!". 

I was quite nervous about parting with £140 quid for these, but they really are a world apart from the generic stuff.  It may not be absolutely 100% perfect, but it is 99% - it essentially is just like turning the volume down.

To be fair I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone say they’re not worth the money,  but for anyone thinking about going the custom molded route and, like me, wondering whether it’s worth it for the improvement over generic plugs, I’d say absolutely yes - do it.

 

 

They're a vast improvement over the usual 'xmas tree' plugs for sure.

However I find with mine that the seal is not perfect when I move my jaw. We made the mould as I was biting on something keeping the ear canals open but it clearly wasn't perfect.

They work. 

However, I started using the Isolate plugs and I prefer them. They shouldn't be that nice, being just a plug of foam and some metal... but I like the attenuation they give me and I can hear everything I need to hear very clearly. They're just around £30. 

[mcnach]

36 minutes ago, PaulWarning said:

I just wonder if they're overkill, has anybody suffered hearing damage while just using say, the generic ER 20's?

 

probably not, but they don't sound nearly as good.

[Gottastopbuyinggear]

2 hours ago, PaulWarning said:

I just wonder if they're overkill, has anybody suffered hearing damage while just using say, the generic ER 20's?

I think the most important thing is to use something to protect your hearing, and I'm sure the generic ones do the job fine.  If you can afford the extra for custom ones then the difference in fidelity is pretty marked.  It did make me wonder, though, why the difference is so marked - if you can get a reasonable seal with a generic plug then could they be made with better quality filters?  Mind you, the filters are £50 a pair if you buy additional ones.

 

1 hour ago, mcnach said:

However I find with mine that the seal is not perfect when I move my jaw. We made the mould as I was biting on something keeping the ear canals open but it clearly wasn't perfect.

I've heard that it can be a problem, in particular for singers.  Fortunately (for everyone concerned...) I don't sing.  On top of that, I have absolutely no stage presence, so breaking into a smile is about as animated as I get when I gig.

I tried smiling with my new plugs and all seems well.  Now I can go back to my customary scowl!

[mep]

My custom molded plugs with Elacin ER15's are amazing. The clarity is superb.  I have tried the Isolates but they cut too much of the guitar for me so I now use them on my motorbike. 

[PaulWarning]

2 hours ago, Gottastopbuyinggear said:

  Mind you, the filters are £50 a pair if you buy additional ones.

 

 

 

I do think the filters in the ACR's are very expensive for what they are, I lost one and thought I'd been well and truly ripped off a considering they're not custom made unlike the moulded inserts, which cost around £130 and include two filters

[Dad3353]

45 minutes ago, PaulWarning said:

shame you can't hide posts anymore...

'Report' the post concerned, asking for it to be removed, and one or other of the great Mods here will oblige, hiding the offending post as I have just done. No need to thank me. 

[Owen]

If I could drop £5K on new ears to get rid of my tinnitus which is beginning to make it tricky to actually play then I would be flogging vintage kit right left and center. I am not joking. £140 for being able to play for the rest of your life is absolutely nothing. Just peanuts. And if you do not like the isolation but play with a drummer or guitarist who has no restraint, and we all do, then get over it and look after yourself. Until you have tinnitus then it is just something which happens to idiots. When get that 'oh :(' moment it is just too late. It is not if but when it will happen. No, really. 

Edited April 22, 2018 by owen

[PaulWarning]

13 minutes ago, owen said:

If I could drop £5K on new ears to get rid of my tinnitus which is beginning to make tricky to actually play then I would be flogging vintage kit right left and center. I am not joking. £140 for being able to play for the rest of your life is absolutely nothing. Just peanuts. And if you do not like the isolation but play with a drummer or guitarist who has no restraint, and we all do, then get over it and look after yourself. Until you have tinnitus then it is just something which happens to idiots. When get that 'oh :(' moment it is just too late. It is not if but when it will happen. No, really. 

I'm not saying don't use any ear protection, just do you really have to pay out £140 when £20 ones will do the job? I realise when tinnitus and hearing loss has kicked in (as it has with me) the first reaction is to throw money at it, but mine has got no worse just using generic ER 20's and I don't suffer the isolation problem I got with the custom ones, plus they're a lot easier to take out when someone wants to talk to you. 

 

Edited April 22, 2018 by PaulWarning

[mcnach]

4 minutes ago, PaulWarning said:

I'm not saying don't use any ear protection, just do you really have to pay out £140 when £20 ones will do the job? I realise when tinnitus and hearing loss has kicked in (as it has with me) the first reaction is to throw money at it, but mine has got no worse just using generic ER 20's and I don't suffer the isolation problem I got with the custom ones, plus they're a lot easier to take out when someone wants to talk to you. 

 

 

If you are just talking protection, then sure. If you want a better sound experience, then it may be worth spending more, it depends on your situation, your band and venues you play, and your goals. From 10p foam plugs all the way to IEM systems, they all offer protection, the main difference is how well they allow you to hear what you want to hear. There's no 'one size fits all'/

But use some kind of protection.

[Owen]

Custom moulded give a better seal. They give you more of a fighting chance. I would not think twice about it. The reason I am banging on here is that people read message boards and apply it to themselves. I have done it and doubtless will do it again. You only get one pair of ears. Do not go cheap on them. If you physically do not have the money then obv the 20 quid ones are where it is at. I carry a set of earpeace ones on my keyring as emergency spares. If not going out for a month will get you that 140 quid then that is what you should do. 

[lurksalot]

I have been considering moulded plugs for a while , mainly due to vanity 

i have etymotic er20 which I always use for rehearsal , but not so much gigs , my thinking is that rehearsing I tend to be facing drums and guitar amps , but gigging I mainly have the protection of facing  away from the noise source.  

Now I reckon on that score that if I bought the ACS pro 10 's , I would get enough protection for gigs both playing and attending , though the 17's seem to be the ones they recommend for this , has anyone tried both or either for a comparison of both spl reduction but clarity of sound ? 

Edited April 22, 2018 by lurksalot

[chris_b]

33 minutes ago, lurksalot said:

but gigging I mainly have the protection of facing  away from the noise source. 

The direction you face won't save you. It's your proximity to the sound source that matters, and on a stage you're in the middle of an ear drum's nightmare.

I can't say what filters would be good for you but I started with ER15's (I was advised that these were the base level recommended for bands. That was good advice). I used them for about 8 years. With these I could hear a whisper on stage and survive a crazy loud guitarist. I've now got the PRO17's and they are working well from the quietest gigs to the loudest.

As I say I have tinnitus and don't want to retire so the cost of hearing protection is the least of my concerns. I'd go with the 17's. They work very well for me.

[mcnach]

49 minutes ago, chris_b said:

The direction you face won't save you. It's your proximity to the sound source that matters, and on a stage you're in the middle of an ear drum's nightmare.

I can't say what filters would be good for you but I started with ER15's (I was advised that these were the base level recommended for bands. That was good advice). I used them for about 8 years. With these I could hear a whisper on stage and survive a crazy loud guitarist. I've now got the PRO17's and they are working well from the quietest gigs to the loudest.

As I say I have tinnitus and don't want to retire so the cost of hearing protection is the least of my concerns. I'd go with the 17's. They work very well for me.

 

+1

I wouldn't want less than 15/17

 

[phil.c60]

6 hours ago, chris_b said:

The direction you face won't save you. It's your proximity to the sound source that matters, and on a stage you're in the middle of an ear drum's nightmare.

I can't say what filters would be good for you but I started with ER15's (I was advised that these were the base level recommended for bands. That was good advice). I used them for about 8 years. With these I could hear a whisper on stage and survive a crazy loud guitarist. I've now got the PRO17's and they are working well from the quietest gigs to the loudest.

As I say I have tinnitus and don't want to retire so the cost of hearing protection is the least of my concerns. I'd go with the 17's. They work very well for me.

And if you start with 17's like I did and find it's a bit much (we are not a loud band) then within the first month you can have the filters changed for no cost. I ended up with 15's, but you might need 20's. And The difference with the proper filtered ones is you can have a conversation without taking them out and hear every word. YMMV.

Edited April 23, 2018 by phil.c60

[FinnDave]

I'm another satisfied user of the ACS pro 17s, had mine for nearly 5 years now and still going strong. I bought a pair of 20db filters last year and use them for particularly loud gigs, otherwise the 17s are spot on. It takes seconds to change the filters, and a spare set costs about 40 quid, from memory.

 

 

[goingdownslow]

Foam filters did nothing for me except made my ears itch. The Alpine ER17 xmas trees did not fare much better as regards sound reduction so when getting my moulded plugs I went for 25s. They cut the loud music level right down yet I can still hear speech at normal level. I wear them as player and punter. Money well spent.

Edited April 23, 2018 by goingdownslow