Klarinet Archive - Posting 000153.txt from 2007/10

From: Jason Tiller <jason@-----.org>
Subj: Re: [kl] Hearing Protection?
Date: Mon, 15 Oct 2007 23:48:51 -0400

Hi, All, :)

On Wed, 26 Sep 2007, Jason Tiller wrote:

> I'll try [some earplugs] out tonight and report back tomorrow.

Well, it's not exactly *tomorrow*, but I did try a couple of brands of
foam earplugs that night. Unfortunately, I didn't have any luck. I
ended up going through three different "rounds" of trials of various
reducers before I settled on something I like.

(Quick summary: I have mild tinnitus, and I found that extended
clarinet practice left my ears ringing. My custom molded earplugs
didn't work well because the bottom register became very "fuzzy" and
"buzzy." My original message to klarinet detailed this and the kind
responses inspired me to try out other strategies.)

Round 1: Soft foam earplugs
===========================
The brands I tried: Hearos "Ultimate Softness Series" 32dB reducing ear
plugs, and Mack "Original SafeSound Soft Foam" 29dB reducing ear
plugs.

Neither of these did much for me. I don't like soft foam earplugs all
that much, because I feel that I have to insert them *deeply* into my
ear canal to get any benefit. Shape of my ear, or whatever. That
makes them uncomfortable.

I still experienced the buzziness in the low register, although they
both did an adequate job of limiting the high frequencies.

I kind of gave up and went on to round 2.

Round 2: Headphones
===================
I own a *big* set of headphones called "DirectSound Extreme
Isolation." They were developed by a studio drummer to use as
monitors because he was losing his hearing. They look like gun-range
ear protection but have speakers integrated into them.

Unfortunately, they were *really* buzzy. I'm not quite sure why, but
while they're great for knocking out ambient noise, they didn't like
the low range of the clarinet.

Next, I tried my wife's Bose noise cancelling ("QuietComfort 2")
headphones. They did pretty well. Without the noise cancellation,
they didn't buy me much at all. As buzzy as the "extreme isolation"
'phones, although definitely more comfortable.

With the noise cancellation activated, though, they were fairly
helpful. The cancellation seemed to help the low-register buzz - that
didn't make a lot of sense to me, but it did help.

I wasn't yet satisfied, and at my local music store (Allegro, in
Fremont, CA), I happened to see another product by Hearos that I
wanted to try. On to round 3.

Round 3: Hearos, take 2
=======================
I picked up another Hearos product, called "Hearos Jam Session Series
with Cord." They're rated at 22dB, significantly less than the foam
earplugs. These are foam, too, but shaped more like a ball
(spherical) and less like a tube. For some reason, they fit my ear
well.

I found them to be comfortable and, (::drum roll::) not buzzy in the
low register! Yay! They weren't as effective as the standard foam
plugs at cutting out the high register, but they did a good enough
job, and I'm using them now for all of my practicing. They survive
the high F's and G's (well, I can *barely* play the latter...),
without totally fuzzifying the low notes.

I'm satisfied. :) I hope this might be of use to someone,

---Jason
Sonos Handbell Ensemble
http://www.sonos.org/

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