ACS Pro 17

[steantval]

Just received my new earplugs from ACS this week.

Tried them out this afternoon in my house in isolation at gigging level and the sound was definitely lower but I could still hear my amp.

Had a rehearsal tonight at full gigging level and could not hear my bass at all, not a thing, I only knew what I was playing by looking at my fingers on the fretboard, pulled them out after two songs, very disappointed.

I understand ACS have a 30 day return policy that I can have different attenuaters fitted, I will be contacting them tomorrow and will be considering having the 10db ones fitted, hopefully I will still be able to hear my amp and have some hearing protection.

Anyone else had this problem with the Pro 17’s ?

[Bobthedog]

Nope. If anything, mine amplify the bass due to a slight deadening of the trebles. 

[Sibob]

I’ve got Pro17s and they’re perfect (for me). Maybe you just play much quieter gigs/rehearsals?!

Or your hearing is already knackered.

Si

[peteb]

My ACS work fine. However, I think that mine are the Pro 10s. Perhaps you could try the 10s? 

Another thing is that I usually only wear one plug, in the ear nearest the drum kit. I feel too isolated with both in, like I'm in a different room to the rest of the band / audience...

[steantval]

56 minutes ago, Sibob said:

I’ve got Pro17s and they’re perfect (for me). Maybe you just play much quieter gigs/rehearsals?!

Or your hearing is already knackered.

Si

I play in a rock band, so we are far from playing quietly.

Had a hearing test when I had the impressions done for the earplugs, surprisingly the results came out pretty well.

[Acebassmusic]

2 hours ago, steantval said:

Had a rehearsal tonight at full gigging level and could not hear my bass at all, not a thing, I only knew what I was playing by looking at my fingers on the fretboard, pulled them out after two songs, very disappointed.

I've got the 17's and love them.....no more ringing ears.

It might be worth persevering with the plugs for a little longer before changing the inserts. You say that at rehearsal you couldn't hear your bass at all....this is strange as the Pro17's are supposed to reduce ALL frequencies pretty evenly. If the band has a balanced sound, all you should experience with the plugs in is the same balance....only quieter!

[FinnDave]

I've had the pro 17s for several years - wouldn't play without them. They did take some getting used to, maybe half a dozen or so gigs. When I first gigged with them it felt like I was in a different room to the rest of the band, but persevere, you'll get used to it.

I also have a set of 20dB filters I use in the same plugs for loud bands or venues where I am very close to the drums.

Edited November 22, 2018 by FinnDave

[Sibob]

Yeah I will say, if it’s your first time with ‘proper’ plugs, persevere!

Si

[Leonard Smalls]

Took me a while to get used to them as well - bass did seem quieter than it was with my Etymotic plugs. But that was because the Etymotics filtered much more at higher frequencies.

I turned up my amp a bit - and funnily enough the rest of the band have said things like "I didn't know what you were playing before", the drummer is actually drumming to my bass line and the singer is writing lyrics that follow the bass... So everybody's happy!

[only4]

I also have Pro17’s and they took a little getting used to but I wouldn’t play without them now.

 

I agree with Leonard Smalls, I just turned my amp up a bit until I could hear everything perfectly and then consulted the band to get their view of the mix, everyone was happy so that’s how things have been ever since.

It’s in your best interest to stick with them, good luck 👍

[steantval]

Thanks for the advice guys, I have a gig this Saturday and will try them again, a couple of guys have mentioned turning up my amp volume, my fear doing this would upset the sound balance of the band and then the vocals and guitarist volume will need to go up, whereas it was spot on before.

[Sibob]

30 minutes ago, steantval said:

Thanks for the advice guys, I have a gig this Saturday and will try them again, a couple of guys have mentioned turning up my amp volume, my fear doing this would upset the sound balance of the band and then the vocals and guitarist volume will need to go up, whereas it was spot on before.

My experience is that if you're not being put through the PA (ie relying on backline to fill the room), you will always be a bit louder on stage than perhaps sounds correct in order to sound balanced out front. If the band complain, have them stand out front during soundcheck to listen.

The amount of times that it sounds nice and mixed onstage, then the singer has gone out front and subsequently told me to turn up (no PA support) is innumerable.

That stage mix then settles in over a couple of tunes.

Si

[phil.c60]

I had exactly the same issue. 17's were too much for me, so I had them changed for 15's  and they are fine at our normal gig volumes however when we have to drop the levels for the more "intimate" (!) venues they are still a bit much. I would leave them out but I'm extremely sensitive to cymbal "crash", so I have used only one nearest the drummer which is OK but I am thinking about getting some spare 10dB inserts. I'd have them swapped for 15's if I were you.

Edited November 22, 2018 by phil.c60

[Sibob]

My feeling, and this is very personal, is that at the point where I'm struggling to hear anything with the Pro17s.....I wouldn't wear plugs, as long as I'm not sat right next to a cymbal.

Si

[jazzyvee]

I have had those same ones for maybe 5 years now and they do take a while to get used to. I find that although they reduce the volume evenly, if your ears , like probably most of us over a certain age,  have lost a bit of the top end then it may be more challenging to hear the upper harmonics in the notes that help when hearing your pitch.

I only use mine for loud gigs and with a reggae band there is not much top end happening on the bass anyway so it can sometimes be harder to hear my pitch, but because I know the tracks well it does not matter.  We have a lot of dynamics in the music so early on in my use of them I found i needed more concentration to match my volume with the rest of the band who do not have ear plugs. But now it's not a problem.

I have a second pair with 21db filters but they are a bit much and so I only use those when I'm in the audience listening to live music. 

Not sure if anyone else notices but when slapping the note always sounds slightly flat with the earplugs in. 

[spencer.b]

I've got pro17s and I find the opposite , I'm often a bit overwhelmed with low end and struggle to hear enough guitar , I'd say persevere a bit it took me while to get used to them 

[Owen]

Make sure you get used to them, becaue not using them will mean you will have to stop playing sooner than you want to. 

[jazzyvee]

4 hours ago, spencer.b said:

I've got pro17s and I find the opposite , I'm often a bit overwhelmed with low end and struggle to hear enough guitar , I'd say persevere a bit it took me while to get used to them 

Interesting. I get what you mean, I was probably not as clear as I should have been. I can hear the bottom end fine but because there isn't much going on in the higher frequencies, sometimes it's hard to hear the pitch clear enough for me to play confidently so I do end up opening up my bass controls to allow me to hear those better. 

[tedmanzie]

I'll add this in case anyone isn't aware:
https://www.musicianshearingservices.co.uk/musicians-union/musicans-hearing-health-scheme/

£40 (£30 mu member) and you get a pro consultation, ear test, and a pair of custom moulded ACS pro ear plugs with choice of filters (and colours). Amazing deal I reckon. The ear plug technology has come on a bit (I had my last pair made 12 years ago) and they are now vented which apparently helps the feeling of being shut in.

My ears were doing ok last time I had them tested in 2006, slight dip around 4k. However the test I did yesterday shows the 4k dip is now into the zone where it is classified as slight hearing loss, and as you may know there is no coming back once it's gone. I was surprised to learn that it is ALL frequencies of prolonged volume that cause the damage, not just the high end. I will be much more careful going forward - my last pair of plugs spent 99% of their life in the drawer.

I went to a bar a few weeks ago (Heavenly Social upstairs) and it had the worst loudest sound I have heard in years.  I was there for a mate's record launch and I felt embarrassed about constantly asking the djs to turn down, and also I didn't want to leave early. Stupid decision - that 3 hour period (spent mostly with my finger in one ear) appears to have brought on tinnitus and sensitvity that wasn't there previously. 2 weeks later and it's still the same, hence the visit to the ear specialist.  

Be careful out there!

 

 

 

[dmccombe7]

I've also got the Pro17's but our band don't rehearse very loud at all so i've not really been using them but anytime i have i can still hear my bass ok just a little quieter and less hi end but won't take me long to get used to them again.

I bought them for a previous band that were very loud at rehearsals.

Dave

[lurksalot]

I have pro 17’s and if I’m honest if 10’s were a flat response I’d prefer them .

I do feel a touch disconnected when at gigs though when I’m playing they are fine.

its a bit odd feeling the thump from the bass drum at a show yet without the corresponding thud 🤔  

with the bass, if I am standing in top of the cab it can sound a bit quiet.

[steantval]

Gig tonight, so I shall be seeing how I get on with them, will just have to crank up my amp until I can clearly hear myself.

[Sibob]

Put them in 20 or 30mins before you play, acclimatise to the volume drop! Louder things being ‘better’ is obviously just psychoacoustics.

Si  

[FinnDave]

5 minutes ago, Sibob said:

Put them in 20 or 30mins before you play, acclimatise to the volume drop! Louder things being ‘better’ is obviously just psychoacoustics.

Si  

That's a good tip, I usually put mine in as soon as I arrive at the venue. Not only does it give your ears time to acclimatise, it also protects you from drummers dropping cymbals right next to you, or someone turning the PA on with the volume right up - my ear plugs have saved me from ringing ears more than once from both of these. 

[steantval]

Put them in a good thirty minutes before the sound check, same problem, could not hear my bass, cranked it up till I could and drummer complained it was mega loud.

The guitarist and vocals then had to turn up a bit to get the balance with my loud bass volume, too loud for the whole band, so we all turned down a touch, at which point I was struggling to hear my bass again, played the first three numbers and then resorted to taking one ear plug out for the rest of the gig.

Will be contacting ACS again tomorrow to arrange getting them changed to either a 15 or possibly a 10, as there is no way I’m going to get on with these 17’s as they are.