i got my earplugs, and you should too..

[ill-esha]

fiiinally got my etymotic er-15s in the mail last night. they are puurrrfect.. with the precise amount of reduction i need. getting them in took a bit, and i'm sure it's going to take a bit to get used to them.

i don't think i correctly made the seal in my left ear, because it seemed a bit wobbly and i still had a tiny bit of ringing after the Fresh show lastnight.. but the difference was ENORMOUS. i could hear everything with absolute clarity, with volume reduced enough so it was comfortable but not so much that i couldn't hear the music.

both psidream and another musician friend of mine that was there, mark petersen, own a pair of er-25s (with 10 db more reduction than mine). neither of them were wearing them. when i asked jeff why, he said "it's not really loud enough for me to wear them yet!) - oh the irony!

i would think the er-25s suitable if you play drums, if you do construction, or if you're doing security by the stage in front of the speaker stacks at GM place.. but my 15s are amazing.

i sure got some funny looks by girls in the washroom when i was squirting lube onto these funny-looking pieces of silicone.. but oh well. my hearing this morning is crisp and lovely.

[nabs]

how much did they cost? i need them! cuz my right ear is fucken literally going deaf.

[dj_soo]

you're looking at around $200

[nabs]

its worth it if it saves whatever hearing i have left.

[JamesShepard]

I really want to get some. Are they covered under insurance or did you pay?

Also where did you get them?

[FeelGood]

where did you get them, pm me with more information please.

ive been wanting a pair for a while now, and only $200 to protect my hearing thats well worth it.

[nabs]

ya is it covered by insurance?

[ill-esha]

After tax, and shipping it was $203.68.

I don't have insurance, I just paid - but since I register as a musician/DJ on my taxes every year I can claim it back. I just got a huge tax return for 2004 once all my makeup, clothes, yoga, records, and gear were subtracted.

This place rules! Call them and they will refer you to a rep in your area, who will actually COME TO YOU and fit them! She came to my office, and had the fitting done in 10 minutes.

Custom Protect Ear

[FeelGood]

Originally Posted by ill-esha

After tax, and shipping it was $203.68.

I don't have insurance, I just paid - but since I register as a musician/DJ on my taxes every year I can claim it back. I just got a $3500 tax return for 2004 once all my makeup, clothes, yoga, records, and gear were subtracted.

This place rules! Call them and they will refer you to a rep in your area, who will actually COME TO YOU and fit them! She came to my office, and had the fitting done in 10 minutes.

Custom Protect Ear

Merry Christmas to me! lol

thanks very much!

[<mouse~]

We sell earplugs at my work for 35 cents. I'll hook you up.

:D

[nabs]

ya thanx a lot, really hepful.

[mux]

hmm - when I had mine done, they were about $50 cheaper, though I had to go to the audiologist's office to get them fitted. Then I had to go back again when they came in to pick them up, get a quick lesson on how to use them, clean them, put them in and take them out, etc...

It's a *lot* easier to get them in if you stratch your ear up a bit... like, if you're putting the left plug in, reach over your head with your right arm and pull up on the top of your left ear, it straightens out the ear canal and lets them slide in much easier. You shouldn't need lube either; if they're trouble getting in, just use a little bit of water or spit, lube may do yucky things to your ear canal...

[wishbone]

while I didn't find fresh all that loud last night, i've come from some nights absolutely ringing.

However, I have a car with a rather loud exhaust system on it. Yea, i know my fault for it, but I do think the long endurances of low bassy sounds frm my exhaust has begun affecting my hearing.

Just curious if from what people have read about these, if they would make sense for me and driving.

[ill-esha]

Originally Posted by mux

hmm - when I had mine done, they were about $50 cheaper, though I had to go to the audiologist's office to get them fitted. Then I had to go back again when they came in to pick them up, get a quick lesson on how to use them, clean them, put them in and take them out, etc...

It's a *lot* easier to get them in if you stratch your ear up a bit... like, if you're putting the left plug in, reach over your head with your right arm and pull up on the top of your left ear, it straightens out the ear canal and lets them slide in much easier. You shouldn't need lube either; if they're trouble getting in, just use a little bit of water or spit, lube may do yucky things to your ear canal...

My instructions told me that for the first couple of times, I should use a little bit of the lube just while I get used to them, and it was the first time.
hahaha.. "use a little lube for the first time"

Mux - I just don't have that kind of time. I'm honestly so busy that there isn't more than a half hour in my day free. Right now I'm making the rounds of fashion shows/sales selling my jewelry, making my jewelry, producing music, DJing at shows, producing a one-hour radio show on Vancouver music producers for an internet station, filming an instructional DVD for an IT company as its spokesmodel, working a 9-5 job, and parenting 2 stepkids. I did try to get an appointment at the clinic in Oakridge where Psidream went, but with my availability they couldn't fit me in for a month, and I needed to get them before my next round of gigs.

Yours were $150 even after taxes? or before? Because mine were $175 before taxes, I'm inclined to think that your $150 figure is before taxes. There shouldn't be such a dramatic difference.

[ill-esha]

Originally Posted by wizzfish

while I didn't find fresh all that loud last night, i've come from some nights absolutely ringing.

However, I have a car with a rather loud exhaust system on it. Yea, i know my fault for it, but I do think the long endurances of low bassy sounds frm my exhaust has begun affecting my hearing.

Just curious if from what people have read about these, if they would make sense for me and driving.

Well, you don't really need custom fitted earplugs for that. You could get the ER-20s, which are ready-fit earplugs which greatly reduce noise but are still very high quality. The ER-15s reduce frequencies evenly across the spectrum for musicians, mixing engineers etc. who NEED to hear an exact representation of what's happening. You just need something to reduce noise.. I don't think you really care if you can hear the 1K better than the 50hz frequencies in your car exhaust =).

[wishbone]

Originally Posted by ill-esha

Well, you don't really need custom fitted earplugs for that. You could get the ER-20s, which are ready-fit earplugs which greatly reduce noise but are still very high quality. The ER-15s reduce frequencies evenly across the spectrum for musicians, mixing engineers etc. who NEED to hear an exact representation of what's happening. You just need something to reduce noise.. I don't think you really care if you can hear the 1K better than the 50hz frequencies in your car exhaust =).

see that was the exact information I needed :) Thank you!

[Grapes]

It's all gone Pete Tong

[cubed]

I had a pair fitted years ago for work.

The only problem I had was when they were taking a mold of my ear canal it ended up compacting some crap in my ear which lead to a really bad ear infection.

I lost mine a couple years ago, I'm long over due for a new fitting.

I found the best way to get them in was giving them a slight twist while putting them in.

Definitely worth the money.

[Senior]

For non musicians I suggest the cheap foam ones you can get. You can get a box of 200 pairs for $10-$15.

[Skyles]

this is were I went..

http://www.soundidears.com/

local place, more price than illy's but I also got my hearing checked for reduction and such.

I got the 15s, and I still can't spin with them.. just really hard for me to get use to.. feels a bit hollow or muffled in the ear when i play :/ have to take them out before i step up.. Any ideas???? what am I doing wrong here ha, ive had them for over a year too.. but that being said, it still helps me for walking around the club, going to concerts and general loudness!

[oddmud]

Originally Posted by ill-esha

I just got a $3500 tax return for 2004 once all my makeup, clothes, yoga, records, and gear were subtracted.

i'm reporting you to revenue canada. ;)

j/k

[oddmud]

Originally Posted by Skyles

this is were I went..

http://www.soundidears.com/

local place, more price than illy's but I also got my hearing checked for reduction and such.

I got the 15s, and I still can't spin with them.. just really hard for me to get use to.. feels a bit hollow or muffled in the ear when i play :/ have to take them out before i step up.. Any ideas???? what am I doing wrong here ha, ive had them for over a year too.. but that being said, it still helps me for walking around the club, going to concerts and general loudness!

how many times have you practiced with them in?

[FeelGood]

I'm going to get mine fitted on Wednesday woooooot!

[Skyles]

yo J, like I use to every week for a couple months.. finnaly gave it up as I wasn't seen any progression, and after talking to a few people, I wasn't alone in that problem...... but it would be nice to be able to use them when I spin, without noticing a big difference in my ability to do so..... any tips? do you just wear them in one ear thats not in the headphone or what........ grr. seriously i'm like the west coast express with them in.

[ill-esha]

Originally Posted by Skyles

yo J, like I use to every week for a couple months.. finnaly gave it up as I wasn't seen any progression, and after talking to a few people, I wasn't alone in that problem...... but it would be nice to be able to use them when I spin, without noticing a big difference in my ability to do so..... any tips? do you just wear them in one ear thats not in the headphone or what........ grr. seriously i'm like the west coast express with them in.

eek! i just decided to try it cold during my set tonight.. big fucking mistake.. i ended up doing a lot of cheap mixes - "oh shit, this sounds so fucking weird, wait, i think i might trainwreck, quick cut the fader over!" - and then i had to take them out halfway through. it's weird. it's like the audio equivalent to covering one of your eyes and then trying to figure out depth perception.

yet, i hope i can get used to them, because even taking them out for the last half hour of my set gave me the ringing.

jason, report me all you want! it was all totally legit - my mom is the best accountant EVER =)