It’s a miracle that my hearing is still in good condition. At 38, I’m truly of the Discman and iPod generation. I spent countless hours tuning the world with these devices from his teens to her twenties. And then there are all the concerts. In the early days they included some terrible (and obnoxiously loud) punk shows. These days I take pictures at most of the concerts I attend. It’s right in front of the stage near the professional speakers that fill the arena.
all this is what i say should do it Damage to my hearing accumulated along the way, but I managed to recover. Every few weeks, you may hear a faint tinnitus that disappears within seconds.I please do not I want that sound to become a stable and lasting aspect of my life. So I try to wear hearing protection consistently at concerts and other intense events, even if it takes too long.
Foam earplugs are readily available and inexpensive at any pharmacy, and you can buy them in bulk on Amazon for less than $10.they will do a better job without you Any protection. But stuffing your ears with foam is nothing elegant. Using the cheapest earplugs can significantly degrade the listening experience at concerts and eliminate the clarity and accuracy of live music.if you want to protect your ears and To maximize performance, it’s worth stepping up to earplugs that focus on maintaining fidelity.
Over the last few weeks, I’ve been experimenting with Sennheiser’s $39.95 SoundProtex earplugs. Inside the box are three sizes of triple flange ear tips that insert deep into the ear canal and two sets of filters that fit in the middle. One is a “full block” filter that completely blocks out ambient noise. This option is ideal if you want near-total silence for sleep and relaxation. Another “Medium” option includes an acoustic filtering membrane and a sound deadening mesh, suitable for concerts, air travel, and other scenarios involving large amounts of noise.
Sennheiser also sells a ‘Plus’ version of the SoundProtex with two features (at a much higher price of $79.95). addition A filter that allows various levels of noise to pass through. Too many options are too complicated and tricky to handle, so I prefer the simpler two-filter approach. But if the cacophony of everyday life bothers you, the ‘Light’ filter that comes with SoundProtex Plus can remove common noises without dropping the decibels as much as a midrange filter. (The latter’s single-number rating is about 17dB.) But there’s no denying that $80 is steep for earplugs. This assumes there is still no resistance at his $39.95 for the standard pair.
I always default to the large tip size when wearing earbuds and the SoundProtex was the right choice. These tips are made from his hypoallergenic TPE material and stick deeper into your ear canal than earbuds (each tip has a long strip sticking out so it’s easy to remove), but you don’t have to worry about sticking too deep. . I use it when it’s in the hollow of my ear or when I go to the embarrassing emergency room. When the show is over, just rinse off and you’re ready for the next concert.
My first test with the SoundProtex earplugs was while filming the Dave Matthews Band at Forest Hills Stadium in Queens. Let me tell you, this isn’t his DMB ensemble for his 90’s gentle, acoustically oriented. No more violins, a full-time electric guitar, a two-piece horn section, and a keyboardist doing their part. noisy. It’s not Metallica, but you don’t want to stand directly in front of the speakers on stage for too long. No matter how much you love the band’s music, it can be offensive and carries a great risk of causing hearing damage.
According to Sennheiser, SoundProtex is designed to maintain the overall audio balance of a concert and “maintain enough high frequencies to maintain awareness of the surroundings so that users can have normal conversations during the concert.” It is said that Once the band took the stage, it didn’t feel muffled or stuffy at all, but I can’t say that’s the case with disposable foam earplugs. I’m not confident that I can have a casual conversation from the photo pit where the stage speakers are ringing. But this was an extreme test case, and after we finished filming and sat in the general audience, we had no trouble understanding people.
No matter how “hi-fi” earplugs are designed, concerts always lose their vitality and power. A friend of mine wears this for the majority of his shows, but for a song or two of his favorite songs to feel the maximum power and intensity of the performance. take it out to If you’re happy to leave it in all the time, that’s even better. We’ve added a small SoundProtex carrying pouch to your keychain so it’s readily available when you need it.
$40 for earplugs isn’t cheap, but it’s on par with what other brands like Loop charge for hearing protection that puts fidelity first. More and more people are experimenting with AirPods Pro and other noise-cancelling earbuds to ease their hearing. I think this is perfectly fine for many day-to-day scenarios, but I would be cautious when using this method in a show. can they help? Of course, if you use earplugs, you don’t have to worry about the battery. The deeper the seal, the more secure. And companies must comply with stricter standards and thoroughly test decibel attenuation.
But any of these measures, even the most basic foam earplugs, are better than nothing. If you’re like me and have had trouble getting into the habit of wearing earplugs, this summer’s concert season is the perfect time to improve your hearing and start taking care of your hearing.
Photo: Chris Welch/The Verge
