Musician & Concert Hearing Protection
Musicians have unique hearing protection needs to protect their ears from excessive volume. Regular hearing protectors offer too much sound reduction, particularly in the low frequencies. This can affect how they hear tonal balance and perceive other singers and musicians. There are many specialty products available to overcome these limitations; custom in-the-ear monitors, custom high fidelity earplugs with acoustic filters, and generic flat frequency response earplugs.
Dr. Mills is a musician and very aware of these products and how they can used to offer the best fidelity and greatest hearing protection.
ES49 Custom Fit Earplugs for Hearing Protection
The earpiece of choice for preforming musicians and concert attendees, the style 49 is also a great option for anyone who needs to hear accurately in high-noise environments. Popular with music teachers, DJs, flight attendants, bartenders, waitresses, dentists and dental workers, the style 49 is a canal-style earplug that is virtually unnoticeable. The flat attenuation characteristics allow the wearer to hear accurately — but at a safer volume. Can be ordered with a choice of either 9, 15 or 25 dB filters.
Available in a variety of materials and colors. $205, ear impression and fitting fees included.
Hearing Protection for Common Noises
Our ears are frequently subjected to loud noise from our noisy lives; hobbies like hunting, shooting, and racing; enjoyments like music, performance, and woodworking; homeowner chores like chainsawing, home repair, and even vacuuming. These sounds often exceed safe levels and can even create permanent hearing loss with single exposures. More commonly damage occurs with repeated exposures over a period of time.
A wide variety of custom hearing protectors are available for specific purposes.
- Active custom electronic hearing protectors are used for hunting, racing, and musicians.
- Passive custom earplugs with filters are appropriate for more common exposures where speech still needs to be understood despite the noise; target shooting, industrial protection, even some music applications.
- Passive custom earplugs without filters are the most basic protectors that provide the greatest protection against all offending sounds.
Typically ear impressions are required for most personal hearing protective devices.
Style 39 — Hearing Protection Earplugs
Designed for hunting and other high-level impact noise environments, this full shell earpiece features a valve that instantaneously closes once a certain noise level is reached. This allows hunters to hear clearly until the weapon is fired and still have full hearing protection from the gunfire. $125 inclusive.
Style 40 — Hearing Protection Earplugs
A multi-purpose earpiece for any high-noise environment, the style 40 is very popular with shooting enthusiasts, heavy equipment operators, construction workers and others. Available as shell 40-6, half shell 40-8, and canal 40-4 (sleep plug). $150, inclusive.
Style 47 — Hearing Protection Earplugs
For hearing protection in a high-noise environment where basic communication is necessary, we recommend the style 47. The filtered earpieces are often used by heavy equipment operators, motor sports enthusiasts, construction workers, dental hygienists and shooting enthusiasts. Available in a number of styles, colors and materials, with a noise reduction rating of 18 dB. $150, inclusive.
AQ Swim Molds
Originally designed for use while surface swimming or showering to prevent moisture from entering the ear canal, the AQ is also a superb sound attenuator. Available in a variety of colors and color combinations, with a noise reduction rating of 27 dB. $125, inclusive
Dr. Mills is experienced with most forms of personal hearing protection and can provide direction on what is most appropriate for your particular need.
