earplugs? what are you using?

[BJWOK]

yeah, we all use them, so lets see what are the best ones around from peoples experience?

i just had my ears syringed, all the wax removed and a mold of my canals taken as i am looking at purchasing musicians plugs fitted to my ear. after years of using the foam disposable ones i finally realised they are crap! they muffle all the sound, not just the high end frequencies. and i drop them all the time!!

[blackshadow]

I use these

http://www.vater.com/newproducts/product.cfm?M=287

and find them excellent. They cost about $35 from a drum shop. I'm on my second set in two years (only because I lost one of the plugs).

[Dwh Photo]

I had some custom moulded in my old job in heavy engineering and they are far better than the little foamy friends

[snyderman]

as a gigging musician, I have the kind that block decibels (-20 db, IIRC) but retain natural sound, just lower the volume very accurately. I want to say the product name is Hearos, but can't remember as they are in my stage kit which is stored for the winter months.

On stage, I can still hear every drum stick on cymbal beat ... just a lot quieter. My guitar still sounds like a strat through a VOX amp, only much quieter. Wished I would have started using these in the 80s when I began to lose my hearing due to playing loud music and standing 20' from a loud drummer!

dave

[René Damkot]

I use custom ones. http://ronell.nl/otoplastieken.html

Another okay alternative I've used are these: http://www.alpine.nl/bedrijven_unifit_universeel.htm

[narlus]

etymotics, which look quite a bit similar to the ones that Richard posted. the model i believe is the ER-20. i bought 3 sets and stash spares in a seldom-used pouch in my bag in case me or a friend of mine forgets to bring them. they do work a lot better than the foam ones, and are only about $12 or so. highly valuable investment.

[90c4]

I've got custom etymotics that I had made by an audiologist in 1990. At the time it seemed like a lot of money but it turned out to be one of the smartest investments I could have made, and I haven't lost them yet. It's like turning the volume down - flat attenuation across all frequencies. I'll occasionally use foam ones for a super loud show as the pads I have are just 15db in mine, but that's sufficient for most of the shows I see.

http://www.etymotic.com/ephp/erme.aspx

[SleazyMermaid]

I use ones similar to blackshadow but talking to a few not quite professional (but I'm sure they'll get signed soon) bands this weekend they had moulded plugs and said they're worth every penny.

Until I start gigging with my band I don't see the need for moulded ones.

[BJWOK]

looks like i'll be getting a set of phoenix musicians plugs, they come in five different filtered levels:

-10-13dB
-14-16dB
-17-19dB
-20-22dB
-23-25dB

I'm gonna grab the -20-22dB ones :)

will report back once i have them and tried them. the good thing is, if the -20-22dB are not the best filters for my needs they will swap them over for other ones.

whole process is costing about $AU 150.

[mykllynyrd]

I use the $15 etymotics too, they sound good.

[BJWOK]

just got back from shooting the pixies with my new -20-22db plugs and i have to say they are BRILLIANT!!! i took them out at one point and the high ends (particularly when joey is doing his thing) were WAAAAAY loud, but putting them back in and it was down a notch, yet not even slightly muffled! awesome investment!!