Ear plugs?

[bazza]

hello? why do you want to block the music out?

 

[The Sad Punk]

hello? why do you want to block the music out?

No, no, you don't block the music out, you block the lame stuff that isn't music out. It doesn't really make any difference once you're used to them... unless you consider happy ears a difference!

 

[Fano]

I did not use them for the Croke Park shows, but I will use them for the Atlanta show since it is indoors. My ears hate me for what I have done to them without wearing them.

Well you didnt need ear plugs in Dublin due to volume limit enforced by the residents and environmentalists.65% of normal.
It was the quietest gig I have ever attended .

 

[achtung_girl]

my little sister used some in Gelsenkirchen. We were standing in the first row, but it was 'very quite' in my opinion (in comparison to other artists I have seen live). One of the security guys gave her his plugs. But she didn't wear it all the time cause it sounded a bit like underwater LOL!

 

[Hewson]

You will hear the words much more clearly - especially when Mr. B speaks between songs...

ouizy, you're supposed to be advocating the use of earplugs, this will deter that.


Seriously, I always use them, didn't when I was younger and that was a mistake. Never got full on tinnitus, but had some seriously bad ringing after shows. (Strangely, the loudest band I ever experienced was not the type of band you'd expect, it was The Alarm when I was at UMass at the Fine Arts Center, my ears rang for days after that, thought they'd never stop).

At a Who show about 7 or 8 years ago, Pete looked in the crowd between songs and said "I can see the little yellow things in your ears, it won't help"...great advice from the tinnitus poster boy.

I buy a box of 200 pair at a construction wholesaler for about $25, beats the 2 bucks a pair they charge at the venue if they even have them.

 

[Saracene]

I (almost) always wear earplugs at rock concerts. I hate waking up half-deaf the morning after, plus I often find that when my ears get blocked during the show the vocals tend to get distorted and singers sound like they've swallowed helium.

 

[cdparky]

I don't but probably should. I generally go to about 30-40 gigs a year, clearly some damage has been done as I do sporadically get a ringing in the ears but I've learnt to tune it out. The run that triggered it was going to The White Stripes 4 times in 5 days in London back in 2005 not long after the U2 Boston / MSG run.

 

[BEVERLY56]

This is a great topic, thanks for bringing it up! During Vertigo, my husband popped his in, we were standing right in front of Edge against the stage. I thought I would die of embarrassment. I have a very old dog who for some reason has decided he needs to howl down in the kitchen starting at 3AM every single morning, and I have started sleeping with ear plugs. I still know he's howling but I can fall asleep anyway. I may just take them to Toronto and see what happens (even though I will feel like a complete DORK!) Can you get the packages of them in any drug store, or do you have to go to some specialty store? (Mwa-ha-ha, envisions making a fortune selling her little ear plugs in GA line)

 

[RedRocksU2]

I ended up buying some ER-20's from eBay.
About $9.

 

[nicv]

I ended up buying some ER-20's from eBay.
About $9.

Good deal! I checked out that brand and found they even sell some smaller ones too, always have problems w/earbuds fitting my wittle ears

Baby Blues(TM) Hi-Fi Ear Plugs<br><font size="2">Now get the same legendary flat response as the ER-20 Ety-Plugs in a new smaller size!</font> - Child Ear Protection

Great topic

 

[dsmith2904]

Can you get the packages of them in any drug store, or do you have to go to some specialty store? (Mwa-ha-ha, envisions making a fortune selling her little ear plugs in GA line)

I picked up mine at the drugstore. They're reusable and come in a carrying case so I take them with me everywhere (just never know when a concert might come up). The brand is Hearos.

And lately I've been noticing venues selling earplugs at the merch stands.

 

[thelaj]

I have used Etymotic ER-20 earplugs for my shows. It was prompted by the realisation that 4 shows in 6 days was likely to trash my ears. I had also read that the clarity of the music was enhanced as well, so I bought some.

I didn't wear them at Dublin 2 because the sound was fairly quiet, but in the pit they are a must. When I heard Elbow's trumpet blast at Sheffield yesterday, I hurriedly stuck them in my ears.

I occasionally take them out during the crowd-singing bits so I can hear how loud it is

On the downside, it can make the experience marginally more clinical because you can hear the music and not feel your eardrums being damaged which I suppose is "part of" a rock show for some people.

 

[Silver'nGold]

This is a great topic, thanks for bringing it up! During Vertigo, my husband popped his in, we were standing right in front of Edge against the stage. I thought I would die of embarrassment. I have a very old dog who for some reason has decided he needs to howl down in the kitchen starting at 3AM every single morning, and I have started sleeping with ear plugs. I still know he's howling but I can fall asleep anyway. I may just take them to Toronto and see what happens (even though I will feel like a complete DORK!) Can you get the packages of them in any drug store, or do you have to go to some specialty store? (Mwa-ha-ha, envisions making a fortune selling her little ear plugs in GA line)

Yes, wear them in Toronto.....we can be dorks together!

 

[RedRocksU2]

lol

 

[U2FloridaFan]

Good deal! I checked out that brand and found they even sell some smaller ones too, always have problems w/earbuds fitting my wittle ears

Baby Blues(TM) Hi-Fi Ear Plugs<br><font size="2">Now get the same legendary flat response as the ER-20 Ety-Plugs in a new smaller size!</font> - Child Ear Protection

Great topic

Those are the exact ones I just ordered today from amazon...6.99 then 3.99 shipping. I've never thought much about the sound but it really is better to be on the safe side. If I can't hear well then I guess I'll take them out.

Thanks for this topic.

 

[Irishteen]

hello? why do you want to block the music out?

Blocking music out = cheap ear plugs not designed for music
Turning the volume down without ruining quality = good ear plugs, designed for music

 

[mo786]

wel lyou need to pick your earplugs out properly

anything cheap that just fills you ear will probably ruin the sound.

a cusotm made pair will set you back quite a bit

 

[sdunn]

I will bring some with me just in case. I wore some during the Kaiser Chiefs at a Kaiser Chiefs/Green Day show. Then I took them out for Green Day. I didn't want my ears to already be shot before Green Day came on. I could tell During Green Day that my ears were starting to be affected. By the end everyone sounded a little bit like they talking on helium. My daughter described it as her ears being "blurry." Good description, I thought.

 

[Val]

My husband is a trap shooter and makes custom earplugs. He charges $35. I bet if you called a shooting range, they could direct you to someone who does custom work in that price range.

A good pair will not affect the quality of sound, but protect your hearing.

 

[Pop Artist]

For years I've been wearing earplugs to most shows - exceptions would be some outdoor shows (not when I'm close to the stage), and acoustic shows. I usually do Hearos, although I usually don't wear them as deep as the instructions say. Also recently got the ear planes type and will be testing them.

 

[Salome]

the volume was very kind on the ears in Amsterdam
ears not even ringing when leaving the stadium

 

[xtrmx]

Never again, I tried them during 1 song both from the GA at the outer circle and the seats. The music did sound a bit better yes but I like it loud more. The lack of audiance sound made the whole experience quite dull for me. My earplugs removed almost all audiance sound, I don't know if that's the case with all models. But I didn't like it, so after 1 song I took them out.

edit* both days in amsterdam.

 

[rjhbonovox]

Ear plugs wtf? If your going to a rock show then you go to listen to loud music. The sound quality on this tour has been superb. The sound quality on the Vertigo tour was awful. Well it was at the Manchester show I went to. But Sheffield blew my ear drums off. Just the way it should be! Can't imagine ruining Edges solo in Unknown Caller by stuffing some damn ear plugs in my ears! So the answers yes of course I used ear plugs!

 

[WildMiele]

When my boyfriend suggested we get earplugs in preparation for our 7 concerts I thought he was crazy. Having been to 7 and worn them at 5/7 (Forgot to take them to the others) I fully endorse the use of ear plugs, the sound was much clearer. We had the ER-20's with a handy string attachment which ensured we didn't lose them.

Another bonus was being able to speak to each other clearly without having to strain our voices. So long as you spoke in the direction of the ear it was easy to hear what the other person was saying.

 

[UberBeaver]

I don't see the option "Earplugs are for women" so I can't place my vote. Can we get that fixed?

 

[bonoschild2009]

Earplugs for BEP, tossed aside for U2

 

[mo786]

I don't see the option "Earplugs are for women" so I can't place my vote. Can we get that fixed?

Its that kind of atitude that elads to people having hearing loss later in life and regretting it

 

[smitefull1]

with u2 you should have them on you in the least, they are known to play very very loud, if it aint that lud, dont wear them, i fucking rule

 

[redkat]

I don't see the option "Earplugs are for women" so I can't place my vote. Can we get that fixed?

that's because men would rather not hear their wives when they get older. My dad turns his hearing aid off all the time.

The sound is better, clearer. If not you might have the wrong type. I thinks it similar to using good headphones over standard ear buds. You can keep the volume lower and get better sound.

Also, it sorta depends on where you are in the arena.

and going to concerts and listening to mp3 players.
I'd bet we all have hearing damage, probably quite a bit.

 

[RedRocksU2]

that's because men would rather not hear their wives when they get older. My dad turns his hearing aid off all the time.

Bingo!