Protecting Your Ears

[DazzyD]

I would never use earplugs as I want to hear properly so I don't make it too loud for the audience (which I check by going out front occasionally). If it's too loud for me behind the speakers then heaven knows what it's like out front!
There may be some situations where a Dj may need ear protection but for most of us it sounds like a bit of a silly thing to consider.

I've got to totally disagree with this statement.

...
Being right next to the speakers can and will take it's toll if you've been doing it long enough. Saying the need for ear protection is a silly thing to consider is quite a silly comment to make really (no offence intended ). Being placed close to loudspeakers frequently over an extended period of time and years WILL eventually cause some damage. As it will in any profession where there is loud volume.

And I have to totally agree with Shaun that it is a silly thing to say. As DJs, one of the most important tools that we use is our hearing and it's something that we should really be looking after. It's a bit like a footballer not looking after his feet. Once your hearing is damaged it's gone. There are no second chances. And I'm sure my brother will testify to that.

If your music was playing at 88 decibels, it would take four hours for it to start damaging your hearing. At 94 decibels, it's an hour and at 100 decibels, it only takes 15 minutes.

It's not silly to think about ways of preventing damage to one of our five senses.

Benny, it's actually quite refreshing to see people considering their hearing in our industry. To me, it's a crazy situation to consider anyone not doing that. Without our hearing we can't be DJs - it's as simple as that. Whilst the cheaper earplugs will do the job to some extent, I'd recommend investing the extra and getting a decent set of plugs. Something like this from Canford:

http://www.canford.co.uk/PROGUARD-ATTENUATING-EARPLUGS

I'm also wondering if those in-ear monitoring systems will do the job of attenuating the external noise levels at ear level. I've never tried them but that could be the perfect solution if they do.

[Chris1984]

While this may no be for everybody i use a set of custom moulded (and colourd!) ACS PRO15's
http://acscustom.com/uk/product/acs-pro-15/

Touring industry standard along with the ER range while this may seem expensive you can still hear correctly and talk at FOH at a festival while the PA is pushing over 115db. When you take them out you can hear fine with no ringing!
There are cheaper universal ones from ACS that work well and i keep a set as a back up incase i loose my moulds (again!)

With regard to sound DB meters... have seen on many occasions people using the cheap ones and then someone with a correctly calibrated one turn up and the cheap ones can be so far from the truth they aren't worth the small expense.

[Excalibur]

I also refrain from turning up the sound as the night goes on (I'm a believer that our ears become 'jaded' to loud volumes, so what seems a bit quiter to us may not be to the clients and their guests).

I don't subscribe totally to that view. I read years ago that our ears ( and the guests also ) do indeed become accustomed to the volume, and if it were at a constant volume all night, they'd believe it had been turned down. A good reason not to start the evening at high volume levels.

Therefore, I ( almost ) always start at a low volume, and gradually increase the volume as the night goes on. Also, I feel this can help to structure the mood of the night. Quiet, relaxed beginning, exciting and frenetic middle, and calming wind down end.

Or people that think you can't hear anything so they shout in your ear.

I've found the Ladies worst in this respect. While it's quite nice to have them lean in to give requests, it's not nice to have them make that request at a high volume right in your ear, and it's made worse if their voices are a little " shrill". Toby,I think you're correct, they think that because we're so close to the speakers, we can't possibly hear a word!

Reminds me of a function many many years ago. Guests were seated at tables, and one group arrived late, when there was only the table nearest to me left. It was instantly obvious that they were worried about the noise, so I popped across, and told them that they had the quietest table in the room, as like me, they were behind the cabs, and they're designed to push sound forwards, not backwards. As they left at the end, they said they were pleased to find I was right.

[Tom]

I used to wear earplugs when out djing every weekend. I have sensitive ears and always had earplugs to hand when needed.

Used to keep the sound level to a comfortable level but always asked to turn it up. :/

[yourdj]

I've found the Ladies worst in this respect. While it's quite nice to have them lean in to give requests, it's not nice to have them make that request at a high volume right in your ear, and it's made worse if their voices are a little " shrill". Toby,I think you're correct, they think that because we're so close to the speakers, we can't possibly hear a word!

Drunk women voices are irritating even when there is no ambient noise so being shouted at in an annoying tone really hurts.
whistles are worst though. its always prats who do it too. On one occasion I was mid announcement at the end and I actually commend on it by saying OWW.

Whats also important is a well balanced sound and good quality kit as that will certainly have a huge influence.
I was at a heavy metal gig the other day and they had a turbo sound rig at god knows what SPL.
It was actually not too bad as it was well eq'd and played through a decent touring rig.

Compare that to a crap sound lab system being redlined and all mid/top (at a quarter of the volume) and hearing damage will happen quicker. Whats also important is that your guests will also get hearing damage and it may also dissuade people from dancing. I can't believe so many "professional dj's" have such bad hearing perception & eq skills.

[ckpr2]

A few years ago Status Quo had their hearing checked and they were fine after many years of loud music.
I found this a bit surprising because in 1977 I went to see them at the Apollo in Glasgow and they were deafening.
For 3 days afterwards I couldn't hear properly.
In those days there weren't any limits on music levels.

A few years back I went to see Quo again and this time the music was at a very bearable level.

[Chris1984]

A few years ago Status Quo had their hearing checked and they were fine after many years of loud music.
I found this a bit surprising because in 1977 I went to see them at the Apollo in Glasgow and they were deafening.
For 3 days afterwards I couldn't hear properly.
In those days there weren't any limits on music levels.

A few years back I went to see Quo again and this time the music was at a very bearable level.

You'll find that onstage is very quite. Lots of the guitar speakers and amps are either dud or sparers incase the main breaks mid show they can just swap quickly.
This is the case with many bands, most bands these days use in-ear monitoring also which not only gives them the exact mix they want at a sensible level right in their ear but cancels out all other noise.
I was doing a festival tour a couple of years back and the Stone Roses were on before us, some shows i was at FOH where it was very very loud and plugs were a must but some were on the stage and you could have a conversation with no hearing protection what so ever! From memory they had a row of wedges along the front also.

[Andy P]

this is very timely as 2-8 feb is tinnitus awareness week

[Benny Smyth]

Someone sent this to me today. Worth a watch.

[Benny Smyth]

I'd recommend investing the extra and getting a decent set of plugs. Something like this from Canford:

http://www.canford.co.uk/PROGUARD-ATTENUATING-EARPLUGS

Thanks to this advice, I've been using these earplugs for the last six months. Absolutely spot on (and perfect for that drunken bridesmaid who wants to shout their thoughts into your ears).

So thanks, Darren - great recommendation!