Protection - Audiologie Centre-Ouest

Hearing is the main working tool for musicians.

It is therefore important to protect it properly!

Hearing protection can however be used in many contexts! If you fear for your hearing health during noise exposure in a context of work, sport, leisure, etc., we can also help you! Do not hesitate to contact us to ask your questions.

Several types of earplugs exist on the market, but are they all effective and pleasant to use?

No! Universal earplugs that are not right for your ears can create distortions in the music, an « echo feeling », reduce the perception of high frequencies, cause discomfort and not be as effective as what is written on the packaging.

What do we recommend?

See our products

Earplugs for ”musicians” (filtered personalized earplugs)

Comfortable.
Decrease of the occlusion effect (« echo feeling »).
Better perception of high frequencies.
Built-in filter designed to restore the natural resonance frequency of the ear and thus allow equal attenuation across all frequencies.
Prescribed attenuation respected to allow exposure to a safe level.

Did you know?

In orchestral musicians, strategies used to reduce noise such as plexiglas are not sufficient. Indeed, the main source of noise comes from their own instrument, which makes customized filtered earplugs the only effective solution!

3 attenuation levels : 9dB, 15dB, 25 dB

Note that a person may decide to have more than one pair of filters and interchange them according to the situation.

The 9 dB filter: provides attenuation of 9 dB up to 2000 Hz and 15 dB for higher frequencies. It is often recommended for solo practices or any other situation where the 15 dB of attenuation is too important.
The 15 dB filter: provides equal attenuation across all frequencies and is generally the most appropriate for most musicians.
The 25 dB filter: provides equal attenuation across all frequencies. It is designed for drummers or bassists, but can also be useful when the level of ambient noise is very high (ex: concerts).

The audiologist will make recommendations to help you choose the filter that best suits your situation!

ER-20 High-Fidelity Earplugs

An economical solution that offers transparency in the frequency response.

Equipped with a filter allowing attenuation of about 20 dB on all frequencies. On the other hand, the attenuation can vary from person to person since the earplug is not custom made.
Recommended for people attending many concerts and / or music festivals.
Reusable.

Warning!

Wearing earplugs does not completely eliminate the risk of tinnitus and / or hearing loss. You should always be aware of the level of intensity you are exposed to as well as your exposure time at this intensity.

In Ear Monitors

Who can use the In Ear monitors?

Musicians
Singers
DJs
Dancers
Music lovers

Avantages

Facilitate movements on stage.
Every musician on stage has his ”own sound”.
Better sealing to the ear when they are custom made, reducing the volume you are expose to since the ambient noise will be significantly reduced.

Possible inconvenients and solutions

Isolation of the musician in relation to the stage and/or crowd:

Using mic in the audience that is then added in the “mix” that you hear from your monitors.
Using the 3D-AARO: External microphone integrated in the In Ear monitors that allows you to choose how loud you want to hear the surrounding noise and it is possible to vary this intensity easily.

Uncertainty of the intensity to which the musician is exposed:

Using the dB Check (upcoming photo, new product on the market soon): Only tool that allows us to measure the intensity you are exposed to in your external ear canal with the In Ear monitors.

Did you know?

Hearing memory means that a musician will want to use the same volume as before using In Ear monitors to get “the same sound”. That’s why it’s important to consult an audiologist to educate yourself and practice reducing volume for safe use of the In Ear monitors. Indeed, when used without taking into account the risks, these can be harmful for your hearing health.