[LizardKing1]

I checked and the last thread about this was almost 3 years ago, so I decided to create a new one.
 
It's ridiculous how loud clubs are. I went to one yesterday which is rare for me, and it was painful just to be inside, even in the back. You have to scream at your friend's ears just to have a conversation. I realized I had payed quite a lot just to have cumulative ear damage. The thing is it takes away any enjoyment of listening to music. If you ever listened to something really badly mastered, like a dynamic range 2 album, you'll know what it's like. Music sounds like a car horn that changes pitch on these volumes. Even if you enjoy the type of music, it's hard to focus on it. I had to come outside every 30 minutes.
 
Why do they do this? I mean I wasn't blessed with supernatural hearing, so everyone else must be hearing it too. Why do people pay good money to be inside a crowded smoky place with overpriced drinks listening to eardrum-blasting music? Has any of you damaged your hearing from going to clubs?
 
Also, I've heard that there are special earplugs made to reduce the sound pressure level that reaches your ears equally across the frequencies we can hear, so instead of the regular earplug that blocks out some better than others, this tones down everything equally. Have you tried it? I have no problems with looking like an alien as long as I can reach old age with better hearing than everyone else in the old folks home.

 

[tk3]

Cause it's cool. Don't you wanna hang with the cool kids?
 

 

[HiFiGuy528]

I always wear ear plugs. I like my hearing and I like to keep it.

 

[obobskivich]

http://www.etymotic.com/hp/er20.html
They go everywhere with me. 
 
Pretty subtle (especially if you don't hook up the cord) and you do maintain speech intelligibility and auditory orientation. 
 
Really though, if the club is absurdly loud (>100 dB), those won't be enough. For that, I'll direct you to Howard Leight - they make isolation muffs for competition and practice shooting. You *will* look like a dork, and you *will not* be able to hear anyone talking to you. Might make a nice political statement though:
http://www.howardleight.com/ear-muffs/leightning-l3
 
Got a pair of those for running the snow thrower or edger machine (both are ungodly loud). Fairly comfortable. 
 
Quote:

Also, I've heard that there are special earplugs made to reduce the sound pressure level that reaches your ears equally across the frequencies we can hear, so instead of the regular earplug that blocks out some better than others, this tones down everything equally. Have you tried it? I have no problems with looking like an alien as long as I can reach old age with better hearing than everyone else in the old folks home.

 

 

[MorbidToaster]

My plugs kill 26db but they do muffle the sound. 
 
If you're a big club goer I'd recommend just doing a pair of custom plugs. They're not that expensive.

 

[Hellbishop]

 
Quote:

 
Really though, if the club is absurdly loud (>100 dB), those won't be enough. For that, I'll direct you to Howard Leight - they make isolation muffs for competition and practice shooting. You *will* look like a dork, and you *will not* be able to hear anyone talking to you. Might make a nice political statement though:
http://www.howardleight.com/ear-muffs/leightning-l3
 
Got a pair of those for running the snow thrower or edger machine (both are ungodly loud). Fairly comfortable. 
 


 

 
Yea i've got a pair of Peltors which do the same thing along with earplugs. Needed them for some crazy old woman who lived below me who loved to slam doors at all hours of the night and at one point even slammed it continuously for one whole straight hour this past december. All the while complaining to the Police i was the noisey one with my nearfield bookshelf speakers,headphones,music that was off by 9pm and bare foot walking on a creaky floor. The Police have seen this plenty of times before and just told me to keep it a little quiet for a bit that she's old and not all there in the head and not to talk or respond to her since it could give other people a bad impression. 
 
Boy those Peltors were a real stress reliever. Thank goodness she moved about a month ago. At last i can listen and do things at a normal level without getting defensive. I could have before but some times one needs a mental breather to step back and realise not to pay mind to crazy folk and just keep on doing what i enjoy. Funny thing is i would have been quieter if she had just given me my space. Next time i'll let her old school kind roast in her own misery instead of trying to be nice.  
 
So i can understand the loud noise levels being irritating when one is just trying to enjoy ones self at an event or home at normal volumes only to find ones self yelling into a friends ear from obnoxiously loud noise. Its doesnt exactly inspire the best in one.
 

 

[lee730]

I've never understood this myself and it gets very annoying. Seemingly most people don't experience the ear crackling I get when music volume are too high. I'm guessing that most people in general have damaged their ears by exposing themselves to such loud volume levels on a regular basis. I'd rather cherish my hearing and enjoy quality over quantity any day, that's for sure.
 

 

[matthewh133]

 
Quote:

Originally Posted by LizardKing1 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 
Why do people pay good money to be inside a crowded smoky place with overpriced drinks listening to eardrum-blasting music?

 
There's a lot of morons in this world man, you should know this by now.
 
It's OK, in twenty years time 50% of our generation will have terrible hearing loss and we'll still be able to enjoy our music

 

[LizardKing1]

This also happens to me when someone borrows my Clip+ and my IEMs, and return them. It's all fine, so I put them on to keep on listening... And I get a sonic hell of 100dB or something. These are IEMs, they isolate well, they don't need to be listening at the sound of a jet plane taking off.

 

[kiteki]

 
Yeah, I hear people complain about "don't use X mp3 player on max volume" all the time, and yet I think clubs, or even a crowded restaurant, are easily louder, so I'm like... what's the issue?
 
 
Anyway, our ears adjust to loud volumes, a protection mechanism, but if you play acoustic drums or shoot rifles without hearing protection, the "shock" of loud volume will damage your ears, resulting in tinnitus (permanent ringing).
 
Also don't exercise at really loud volumes, if you have a sudden fainting spell and lose blood to the head, the volume adjustment might deactivate for a moment.  That's why old Discmans had "AVLS", to use while exercising, I think I read that in a Discman manual or somewhere.
 
Anyway the day after a concert or club, when your ears ring, that's not tinnitus (damage), that's one of the bones in your ear pulling away from another bone, I read somewhere.
 
I remember the first time I ever heard the Sony EX700, I thought it was amazing, half an hour later, my ears are ringing, hahaha.
 

 

[LizardKing1]

Thanks for the information. So prolonged exposure to loud noises isn't as harmful as an instantaneous sound shock?

 

[kiteki]

 
You're welcome.  Yeah that.
 

 

[Assimilator702]

 
Quote:

Thanks for the information. So prolonged exposure to loud noises isn't as harmful as an instantaneous sound shock?

 

I've been going to Metal concerts for the past 25 years....more so 10 years ago.
 
Most of the concerts I used hearing protection....but the first 4 or 5 years I used no protection.
 
I also play drums and much of my earlier days practicing I never wore earplugs.
 
Lately I use them 90% of the time when playing drums and I actually can't enjoy any live shows without protection since my hearing is still so good.
 
I can be watching the TV and hear people whispering about me in the next room so I guess we can take alot of abuse periodically but you can't abuse your ears night after night.

 

[Assimilator702]

One more thing to add.....many  people that go out will go to a club Thurs, Fri and Sat night and of course wear no protection if they're in a dance club.....so I notice those people actually have worse damage than people that are musicians like myself.
 

 

[lungStruck]

A few years ago I remember somebody writing that being bombarded with loud music at clubs/concerts was equivalent to having your eyes stabbed when you go to an art gallery.  It doesn't make any sense to destroy people's senses like that.