When your ears ring after a show or rehearsal, your auditory system is telling you that damage is being done to your hearing. For most people, the ringing stops after a while, but the collective damage of every loud concert or rehearsal you attend gradually builds up over time, resulting in Music Induced Hearing Loss (MIHL).
MIHL occurs at the level of the auditory nerve. Common symptoms include a decreased ability to hear soft sounds, a constant ringing in the ears known as tinnitus, decreased ability to perceive subtle changes in pitch, and decreased tolerance for loud sounds. Unfortunately, because these symptoms develop slowly over time, they are not perceived as problems until the damage incurred is already permanent and irreversible.
The good news is that you can protect your hearing now, without sacrificing any fidelity.
Cheaper foam and one-size-fits-all plugs generally have too much reduction in the high frequencies, making the music sound dull or muffled. The unfortunate tradeoff is that they alter the natural frequency response just to attenuate loudness, sacrificing sound quality for protection. Furthermore, these plugs can become uncomfortable and constantly need adjustment. In striking contrast, the ER-9, 15 and 25 filtered molds are designed to reduce sounds across a flat frequency range, evenly cutting low and high frequencies while they attenuate loudness. They thus provide outstanding hearing protection while preserving the natural clarity and tonal quality of the music. And our products are custom-fit to your ear with a soft silicone that delivers a comfortable but tight acoustic seal.
