Just wondering how many dj's avoid hearing damage? I've been playing for several years now and am starting to wear ear plugs for protection. I also have read recently that taking a mangesium supplement helps prevent hearing loss. Anwyone else have any recommendations for preserving hearing loss? This topic was made famous by the excellent film...... It's all gone Pete Tong.

what plugs do you go for? I need to invest in some for myself.

The best one are the ones that are molded precisely for your ear.

I just got my first pair of audio quality earphones (brand Hearos), and they are fantastic. Loud music sounds crystal clear but without the tinnitus afterwards. You can find these type of earplugs at any major music instrument website.

You could just get ear plugs if your lookin for a cheap way

I got mine custom made for my ear cannal. They shave off 25 decibels from the music but still make it sound clear. Im only 23, have been djing for about 4 years now, and already have tinnitus. Mainly in my left ear. Its not cool but only really bothers me when im going to sleep at night and eveything is silent, but thats only if i dont have music playing while going to sleep. Which i usually do. But I havent even been gigging everyweekend either so it can happen quite easily to some people.

Its worth the investment. Im now at a point where i have to decide if i want to keep djing and just roll with the tinnitus, risking it getting worse. Or giving up djing and having it stay the same or maybe even go away.

My advice is go see your docter, get a referall to an ear specialst or someone who makes custom plugs.
Its worth the investment. I wish i had done it about 2 years ago. My ringing might go away if im carefull they tell me, but its hard being carefull about your ears when music is your passion.

After 13 years of on and off DJing (and clubbing in general)

My hearing is fux0rd.

i do wear protection when i go out clubbing

I'm actually a physician and this is an area I have been researching. Do most dj's that have been playing for years wear ear plugs underneath their earphones? I can only imagine how much decibel loss most dj's must have after 7 to ten years of playing.

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Posted by patopeaking
i do wear protection when i go out clubbing

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I don't think your side arm and Condoms count in this Pato

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Posted by statdoc
I'm actually a physician and this is an area I have been researching. Do most dj's that have been playing for years wear ear plugs underneath their earphones? I can only imagine how much decibel loss most dj's must have after 7 to ten years of playing.

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A good percentage of DJs do now yeah. Even though a lot of them have been DJing for years already, they are now more aware then ever about making sure how important it is to protect what hearing they have left.

I recommend custom-made hearing protectors to both DJs and clubbers. You can choose between different filters that reduce the volume about 15 or 25 db. Especially for DJs who have to stand in the booth for several hours and who love their ears should invest the money - they are worth it.

Anyone know of any good websites to check out where i could find some?

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Posted by Boddingtons
Anyone know of any good websites to check out where i could find some?

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Ask in local store for hearing devices. I'm using the "Elacin ER-15".
Just googled it for the UK... Try: this one
But you need to go to store because they have to make a mould of your auditory canal.

I play in a band and try to wear earplugs as much as possible, but since we don't have anyone to mix, each person is responsible for their instruments' volume and tone individually. Since my crappy earplugs comeplety change the tone and cut out a lot of guitar, they have to stay out a lot of the time..

I use the Elacin ER 25 which were about 163 € in a local shop for hearing aid devices and similar products. When I use them I am perfectly guarded against hearing damage. I have tinnitus since a couple of years but with this ear protection I prevent myself from making it worse. I recommend ear protection to everybody.

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Posted by Evai
I play in a band and try to wear earplugs as much as possible, but since we don't have anyone to mix, each person is responsible for their instruments' volume and tone individually. Since my crappy earplugs comeplety change the tone and cut out a lot of guitar, they have to stay out a lot of the time..

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you can buy custom ear plugs that just take dB off of the overall sound, and not muffle anything. from -5 to -30 dB of gain reduction that hits your ears..

what?

Yeah That what custom plugs do. They shave off the db but still allow you to hear the crispness of dem snare drums and dem hi hats.

Serioisly every dj should invest in a pair. Even if your just a mad clubber who hits the clubs every (and i mean every) weekend, u still need a pair. If your worried about them making u look like a chump u can get them in a clear translucent form that sit right in your ear canal where u cant even notice them so you dont have to look like a twat with fluro corks poking out of your ears.

It only takes 30 minuets of continuous exposure to noise above 65 db (If i remember correctly this is what the ear specialist told me but correct me if im wrong someone) to cause permanent damage to your hearing.

There has been a lot more awareness of this going on recently and for good reason. Music is fucking rad. But its not when u cant hear it.

Plug it up people!!

I use the high fidelity ER-20's purchased at www.etymotic.com. That site has a few different options, both expensive and inexpensive.

They work well, you still hear the music clearly just not as much of that pounding bass. Its easier to have a conversation with these on for some reason, and they do stick out of the ear a bit but most people don't notice.

With these earplugs in I feel fresh all night long and when I come out of the club I don't have trouble hearing , or any ringing, none of that, its like I wasn't in a club all night long.

as an avid clubber, and a *bedroom* DJ, i was told by my mentors to wear earplugs, because my hearing has got mothered over the past few months. Every weekend, 8 hours straight in front of the speakers, aint the best thing for ur ears.. It's all gone pete tong had me psyched, i swear there was this time when i thought that i was gonna go deaf too!

The best earplugs are apparently silicon ones molded specially for your ears.
apparently, it just reduces the decible level, rather than affecting the sound quality..

I've been clubbing for about 10 years, djing for 7, and doing carpentry for 3 - so I'm pretty creeped out by the likely possibility of hearing loss. A friend told me that he had custom made plugs for about $250 US. I think there might be cheaper tho. From what he tells me, he usually train wrecks w/ them on, but uses them primarily when he goes to hear other ppl play. Even just wearing them then has to do a lot of good.

http://www.audiorelief.co.uk/shop/index.php?cPath=54&osCsid=f1ed5f66f07eb465e95d789d53fd10b2

Any time I'm out clubbing I always try and take a couple of pairs of the foam earplugs. If you loose them it doesn't matter because they are disposable! I've had mates that take the piss... but to be honest when we're 30 and I'm the only one who can still handle the clubs I think we'll know who'll be laughing

It's better to be laughed at and hear it...

I wear some pretty cheap ones when I go out and it's great. They still filter properly, just aren't custom made. Suddenly I can hear what people say on the dance floor again

I don't use them for dj-ing; instead I keep my headphone and booth volume reasonable.

Oh yeah, and I don't care if I might look a bit of a twat with them, as I usually forget I'm wearing them after a short while.

I actually prefer the sound with them on to be honest. I find the high frequencies on a lot of systems just give out far too much! Clever use of booth monitors and head phone levels when DJing does make a lot of difference.

how can you still dj properly with earplugs in? are they small enough that your headphones fit on over it?

whenever i play a gig, i have the ear plugs in before the set, remove them during the set and put them back in after. I still get some ringing if its a large rig, but its minimal. I also make sure i have the plugs in if im going out somewhere, its just not worth the risk.

totally agree with you... a deaf dj is not a cool dj is only a person who lose all

however all the audio system in the disco should be lower volume... i mean... high volume doesn't mean good volume... if a song is cool and danceable is also at a lower volume... so best music, lower volume

pump up the volume (at a right volume!!)

I think the spelling is right if not google Etymotic Research, good stuff...!

been djing/clubbing for about 7 years now and i am just starting to see the benifit of ear plugs...so nice to come home after a long night and not have your ears ringing.

Also nobody wants to be the 70 year old guy always saying... WHAT? TALK INTO MY GOOD EAR

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Posted by dj_otter
how can you still dj properly with earplugs in? are they small enough that your headphones fit on over it?

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Yes they are. It depends a little bit on your ear, but in most cases they do not disturb you at all.

also with those high quality "in ear headphones" like shure, etymotic, v-moda, etc. when i take them off i hear that "beeeeeep" a little worried

It doesn't matter if you wear "in ear" phones. You still have to be very carefull with the volume.

I try to keep the booth and headphones volume quite low.

The usual volume at any club is 110dB or higher sometimes, and there's some studies about it that your ear can stand that amount of sound pressure only for 20 min a day.

So, I think the best thing is to wear any plug that can cover your ear and reduce the amount of sound pressure received.

Try to get some good ones, the ears are almost impossible to repair.

do u wear plugs even when ur headphones are on mixing and beatmatching etc?

i've been playing almost 20 years now. got my elacins 5 years ago and still haven't really learn how to play with them.. doing a live pa with them is ok, but playing records seems to be out of question for me. i have some ringing on my left ear, but i wouldn't call that tinnitus. so, at the moment it doesn't bother me.

but, now that i'm doing about 70-80 gigs a year, i'm bit worried. so, i probably just have to do couple crappy gigs with elacins on and try to get used to it. any hot tips?

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Posted by occultist
do u wear plugs even when ur headphones are on mixing and beatmatching etc?

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i use them mostly in the middle of the track that is playing, and take it off to do the beatmatch and mixing. you get used to it, and it's better for your ears.

I think the cheapest option can be, if u are just going out to a club, wear the swimming earplugs. But sound quality it's no so good so for dj i don't think it's a good option

I'm new in this, hope i helped

I've got a husband who's a DJ and several of our friends are also DJ's. One of them is a fulltime DJ and he's been having some big problems with his hearing over the past two years. But as producing and dj'ing is his sole income, he can't quit the game (he hasn't got a degree ...).

I don't know whether earplugs help, but if they do, please all use them right from the beginning! Nothing is worth losing your health over ... And being deaf must be horrible! Especially for music addicts ...

i use filterz. and never go without them. while deejaying i take them off.

i even take them to concerts and i think the sound is better withem in. more clear

haha!!!! im 30 and i whent to the ear doctor and he told me that my ears are like an 80 years oldman ears .... guys so many years at the clubs without protection is a torture for the ears
we have to protect them like the other parts of our body !!

there is a Dr on Harley St. in London called Geraldine Daly where i got my first plugs about 6 years ago and she is amazing- every big dj in London goes to her as well as musicians like Coldplay - expensive plugs and consultation but the best!

i have -15db and they are completely clear, when take them out in aclub now i simply can't believe people go out without wearing something, esp if you're a dj!

look her up !

I'm currently putting together a documentary piece for radio and am looking for DJ's who have had their hearing affected from DJing over the years. The main point of the project is to highlight the dangers of exposing your ears to prolonged high sound levels and the impact it can have.

If anyone thinks they would be interested in being featured or interviewed, please get in touch. You can PM me or email me at paul.gmoran@hotmail.com

turn down your monitors and headphones in between mixes. most of the damage I think happens while mixing and leaving your monitors BLARING in your ear. Took a little to get used to but I trained myself to do it. Especially now where everywhere you go everyone has a mackie or eon monitor all in your face. I used to get that ringing in my ear but have had it less and less when I do this.

I personally suffer from Tinnitus, as a result of prolonged exposure to loud noise whilst playing out and clubbing, and for the past two years have been using custom moulded er 15's both whilst dj'ing and clubbing. If your in the UK you can get the Elacin ER 15's ordered with the moulds made from most specsavers branches strangely. (where I got my impressions taken)

Anway although expensive I'd say they were absolutly worth the money, and when i've left them at home by mistake I've often ended pissed off at Dj's overrdriving systems.

Considering you cant repair damage to your hearing £150 quid for protection is really a bargain.

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Posted by Pang-Lo
turn down your monitors and headphones in between mixes. most of the damage I think happens while mixing and leaving your monitors BLARING in your ear. Took a little to get used to but I trained myself to do it. Especially now where everywhere you go everyone has a mackie or eon monitor all in your face. I used to get that ringing in my ear but have had it less and less when I do this.

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you're right, it's very tempting to turn on the monitor and forget how f-ing close those things actually are. to make matters worse the automatic reaction is to turn open the headphone volume as well . also, I haven't noticed a lot of dj's who wear earplugs in the booth.

I'm lucky to still have pretty decent hearing, no tinnitus, just a little ring after a party. Still, years of listening to my ipod with its volume maximized (always )I've noticed that I sometimes have trouble following conversations in large groups or loud bars. I can hardly imagine the inconveniences (to put it mildly) if it got worse, and trust me it does. One of my friends already has mild tinnitus, and he's 21, just like me. Sure, earplugs might cost a lot of money, but a professional hearing aid when you're 40 probably even more.

I got some 'Alpine' plugs from Juno for £15.. come with 3 different filters.

Always wear them when going to clubs/bars and can't recommend highly enough, can still hear everything clearly, it just takes the edge off.

The peace of mind knowing your ears aren't as exposed to damage is reassuring.

I've got party plug,but i use them for home only they are ok.Cost about 10 euros www.alpine.nl/EN/consumer_musicsafe_pro.htm

SHIT!!!!



I listen to loud music, Dj & go clubbing all the time!

I better invest in some protection!!!

Thanks for the tips!

Had my ears tested at St.Georges hospital today after ten years of DJ'ing and fifteen years of clubbing and gigs. My 4kHz frequency is damaged, below what i should be, due to being rinsed by monitor speakers, in ear headphones and general abuse.

Thank for the tips, I can't bear to live without music, so its time to take steps to prevent any further damage.

I began to use earplugs last year...because I broke my tympanic membrane.
Even if I'm an amateur dj, frankie wilde's story made me so scared...every time I go to the club I wear earplugs...and at home I'm trying to reduce the time I spend using headphones...