[intoflatlines]

Can someone please tell me what makes a custom IEM/earplug different from a universal IEM/earplug in this occlusion effect?

When I use foam earplugs that go deep (just as far as customs), how would that be different than a custom? I am just curious and I do not understand this concept, so hopefully someone brighter can shed some light here.

 

[mrarroyo]

intoflatlines one word ... comfort! The customs are much more comfortable and you are more likely to used them specially if the event is a long one. Cheers.

 

[vYu223]

Not just comfort, though. Any musician whose sound source comes from the head or near the head hears their own sound as distorted. For example, if you don't have plugs or anything in your ears, and you use your fingers to plug your ears, try saying something vocally - you will hear a weird resonating echoing sound in your head, with mostly the low frequencies seemingly amplified. This happens to all sound-source-in/near-head musicians when wearing non-custom ear plugs. Try singing at a concert with your fingers plugging your ears. You will not hear how you are actually sounding.

From wikipedia:

""
* In audiology, occlusion refers to the phenomenon that when persons with normal hearing close off the opening into the ear canal, the loudness of low pitched sounds (presented by bone conduction) increases.
""

Custom ear plugs are supposed to prevent this from happening so that your voice/saxophone/violin do not sound distorted to you. The universal, non-custom musicians plugs that etymotic offers severely affects my playing on the sax. My tone basically sucks when I have them in. When I take the plugs out after playing for a while with them in, I play something and realize how bad I sounded.

 

[Vinyl]

There are many things that give you feedback while you play: your lips, bone transmission, beatings, the conductor making faces... There actually was some occlusion effect for the first few weeks or so, but my brain got used to it, just like it does when you don't see your nose or the rim of your glasses. Pitch is not altered by the plugs. Tone is a more delicate issue. To me, it sounds a bit wierd, that's why I practice at moderate volume without the plugs; to others, there is no difference: muscle memory does the trick, I presume.

Anyway, I gladly accept some pinpricks: unfiltered music is utterly painful to me and my ears have no price.

 

[bcpk]

ER20s are 4 bucks on Amazon for the clear/blue... any reason not to buy them?

Amazon.com: Etymotic Research ER20 High-Fidelity Earplugs (Baby Blue with Clear Stem): Electronics

EDIT : Argh, $25 shipping to Ireland!

 

[NicDaniel]

Got a pair last week and they are awesome !!!
There are no any Etymotic-certified centers here in Russia so i went this way:
-ordered pair of ER-15 filters in the UK online shop (72 UK pounds incl. delivery)
-came to local hearing aid center, gave them my filters and showed them a lot of pictures how the earplugs must look like
-grabbed my earplugs after a week
Total price is 110 uk pounds or aprox. 160 usd.

 

[ClieOS]

Good thinking on the reversed engineering.

 

[mweinberg]

which are the most comfortable ear plugs for noise reduction, music and hearing.  i also like to use them in my ears at night for sleep and typically lean on my side  some ear pieces that are long can penetrate into the inner canal causing irritation form the pressure of my head against the pillow.  I wonder how these compare for comfort both for regular use and at night if anyone tried them in their ear canal lying on their side. please help and answer this. 
 
msweinbeg
kininmd@aol.com

 

[EARPLUGGUY]

EARASERS won't plug up your ears, or sweat or tickle.   Better than custom for a fraction of the price.