Re: [microsound] tinnitus?

[Joshua Maremont <thermal@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I think it was the ringing following Ride's concert here over a decade 
ago that convinced me to wear earplugs in loud musical environments, but 
the cheap US$3 -30dB foam plugs, recommended on the box for hunting and 
machinery, brought the experience of live music into too close kinship 
with that of hearing music through a wall of mud.  The high price of 
high-end plugs put me off the idea, but then I discovered that something 
close in sound quality could be had for about US$12 without the custom 
fitting:
http://www.etymotic.com/ephp/er20.aspx
(The same plugs appear to be marketed as Hearos in music shops.) 
Suddenly, live music sounded more as if a volume knob had been turned 
counterclockwise and less as if a wall of mud had been poured in front 
of the stage.  I now carry both pairs in my bag, the harsh foam for 
dance clubs (in which you know the DJ suffers from hearing loss if the 
EQ sounds better through the plugs), the milder (-20dB) and more musical 
Etymotics for live shows.  Safe sound is another sad necessity, but it 
is not terribly expensive or painful to get a start.

Christoph Marek wrote:
> thanks for everyone's advice. I've also got specially designed earplugs with good filters.
> cheers,
>
> christoph
>
>
>
>
> -------- Original-Nachricht --------
> > Datum: Thu, 27 Sep 2007 09:35:30 -0400
> > Von: bruce tovsky <bruce@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> > An: microsound <microsound@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> > Betreff: Re: [microsound] tinnitus?
>
> > hi christoph
> > i've dealt with tinnitus for many years, and sadly there is no cure,  
> > though if you google it you will find many ideas about diet,  
> > vitamins, herbs, etc. as you know, in a normal noisy environment the  
> > problem is masked by environmental sound, but get into a quiet room  
> > and it can be painful. i was in the IRCAM anechoic chamber a few  
> > years back and i had to get out of there fast - it was like a siren  
> > going off in my head. definitely follow the advice to see an  
> > audiologist, and keep earplugs handy for situations where you might  
> > be exposed to high decibel sound. i use a pair of e.a.r. plugs with a  
> > special passage that allows some hi-end through, so you can hear full  
> > spectrum but at a much reduced volume. nice for concerts.
> > good luck
> > bruce
> >
> > On Sep 26, 2007, at 8:20 PM, Christoph Marek wrote:
> >
> > > Hi!
> > >
> > > Has anyone of you ever suffered from tinnitus? If yes, what's your  
> > > strategy to conquer it?
> > > I'm a musician in various experimental fields (also djing) and got  
> > > tinnitus from a concert a few years back. it got slightly better,  
> > > but as a musician, composer and performer you got certain noise  
> > > levels you just cannot avoid. I am wearing specially configured ear  
> > > plugs when playing live and going out though. If I'm in a totally  
> > > noise- and sound-free room (imagine a totally closed toilet or  
> > > sth.) I can clearly hear a sound - like some far away white noise -  
> > > in my ears. I just cannot remember how it was before I got tinnitus  
> > > or whether it's normal to hear at least sth. I mean what's normal  
> > > hearing anyway? I think that most long time musicians hear some  
> > > kind of extra noise produced by their ears/brain. I imagine hearing  
> > > music without this extra must be much more powerful. Sometimes when  
> > > I am not exposed to music for a week when I am back playing and  
> > > listening the sounds are much more intense. just like after a diet  
> > > or sth.
> > > Unfortunately I started goin to gigs when I was very young and back  
> > > then I was quite careless, no earplugs, standin in the front rows etc.
> > >
> > > thanks and kind regards,
> > >
> > > christoph
> > >
> > > --
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> > bruce tovsky
> > www.skeletonhome.com
> >
> > "Reality is whatever refuses to go away when I stop believing in it.."
> > Philip K. Dick

--
Joshua Maremont / Thermal - mailto:thermal@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Boxman Studies Label - http://www.boxmanstudies.com/

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