Ear Plug Superstore - Official Blog

Westone Custom Series AC20 Earphone Review - A Drummer's Perspective

No matter how much we can tell you about Westone AC20 Earphones, actual customer reviews from professional musicians are always going to tell you more than we could. I'd like to share this recent Westone Custom Series AC20 In-Ear Monitor Earphones Review from a customer:

High Quality at an Affordable Price with Sufficient Bass for Performing

I've been using AC20s for 5 years now and they are still holding up well. I'm a drummer who occasionally sings. My preferred monitor mix for many years (before IEMs) was essentially a house mix with a little extra kick. I can get the same vibe using the AC20s in a smaller space, where I get a little reinforcement of low end off of my drums themselves. I usually ask for the kick through the drum wedge(s) to get the low sub-bass for a bigger show in a large space or outdoors. These wouldn't be my first choice for critical listening or bass heavy music, but I hear everyone one stage very clearly and I get enough low end to get the feel of a groove (and that's using a Beta 81A in my kick which focuses more on attack than sub-bass). If you want a quality set of earphones for live performances (even if you a re a drummer or bass player), this should be adequate if you keep your expectations realistic.

Pros:

• Have lasted 5 years and still going strong
• Build quality is great
• Sound clarity is very good
• Ample low end for performance

Cons:

• Sub-bass is lacking

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Based on input from customers, we can say that the AC20 is well-built and provides great value and solid performance at its price point - $379.99 at the time of this writing. There are a handful of cheaper models, but the AC20 is really an excellent workhorse monitor for a professional musician looking to step up to a "real," reliable in-ear monitor earphone.

You don't have to take it from us - according to our customers, the Westone AC20 should perform satisfactorily for most musicians. Its subpar sub-bass means potential buyers should temper their expectations; these won't please demanding audiophiles or musicians who need excellent bass, but most performers should find the AC20 to be a reliable choice for a pro-level in-ear monitor, at a very reasonable price.

For more demanding audiophiles looking for a top-tier product, better solutions are, of course, available. Some of the high-end Westone in-ear monitor earphones offer far more powerful bass - the Westone W60, for instance, features two dedicated bass drivers for a phenomenally-enhanced low-end. But with a current price of $999.99, incredibly faithful, powerful six-driver monitors like the W60 are only likely to be a reasonable choice for serious performers to whom heavy bass and stunning clarity is absolutely critical.

Until next time, be safe and do the right thing.

Tom Bergman, Vice President
Ear Plug Superstore

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What are the Best Band Ear Plugs?

With football season well underway, it's an important time to re asses the safety of the music students in your life. Does your band kid need ear plugs? How quickly does noise exposure damage a child's hearing? And which band hearing protection is best, anyway?
 

Which Band Students are at Risk of Hearing Damage?

That depends on which band instruments are the loudest. The drumline might sound like the biggest contender, and for good reason: a snare line can easily sustain an intimidating 100dB of sound output. While it's generally safe for music students to practice for around 2-3 hours a day, at 100dB+ any musician is going to hit the limit of their safe daily sound exposure in under fifteen minutes. After that, hearing damage is imminent. And that damage is also cumulative over time, so it steals a little bit more of your ability to hear every day, week after week, year after year.

But despite their significant volume output, drums actually aren't the loudest standard marching band instrument.

Instead, blame the brass: the trombone and the trumpet are actually the most common offenders. Their volume peaks at around 110dB (trumpet) and an ear-blistering 115dB (trombone)! The pitch and quality of sound matters too, though. With their sharper, brighter sound, the relatively-quieter trumpets are often easier to hear than the trombones. So beware the brass, but also be warned that even quieter instruments can sound extremely loud - especially to the other musicians sitting right next to them and trying to focus.

Fun fact: The loudest instruments in the world aren't found anywhere in a marching band. They aren't even mobile! The carillon, a series of more than 20 bells that can be found in the bell towers of some churches, is an instrument so loud it can be heard over 6.8 miles away.

Do Musicians Suffer from Hearing Loss?

Yes, unfortunately, hearing loss is extremely common among musicians. A huge number of famous musicians from many different backgrounds, including Eric Clapton, Pete Townshend, will.i.am, Ozzy Osbourne, Chris Martin, and Danny Eflman, all suffer from hearing loss and/or tinnitus from too much exposure to loud music. In some particularly tragic cases, hearing damage is a literal career-killer. Protecting a music student now will have a profound effect on his or her future.

Hearing protection is also critical for music instructors! Because they will likely have more exposure to dangerously loud sound than most music students, it is critical for these educators to start using hearing protection - and to start right away. The artist Grimes had to cancel an entire European tour due to tinnitus at just 26 years old; it doesn't take a lifetime for the damage to your ears to stack up. This is also exactly why students should start using hearing protection as early as possible.

What are the Best Ear Plugs for School Bands?

Finding the "best" band ear plugs can be tricky, because there are so many kinds of ear plugs available, and because everyone's ears are different. However, there are two good approaches here:

1 - Musician's Ear Plugs: low sound blocking, clear hearing
2 - Foam Ear Plugs: high sound blocking, muffled hearing

Musician's Ear Plugs will allow you to hear everything going on around you, including music. Unlike regular ear plugs, they contain special filters that lower the volume but won't muffle and distort the sound you hear, so music and voices stay clear. This lightweight, hi-fi noise blocking makes musician's earplugs perfect for both loud and quiet instruments, all the way from practice to performance. This is the type of hearing protection professional musicians rely on. So for band kids, music teachers, music students (and for students on the cheer squad or color guard, and for parents and siblings...), musician's ear plugs are the best band earplugs, hands down.

To find the perfect musician's ear plugs, I cannot recommend our School Band Ear Plug Pack highly enough. This assortment pack has six different pairs of ear plugs to try for under $8. The discount is nice (the pack costs 50% less than the plugs would cost individually), but the best part is getting a whole selection of band earplugs to try in one go. It's a big time-saver for busy families. This pack includes three different types of fairly inexpensive musician's ear plug to try out. It also contains three pairs of regular old foam ear plugs so you can try those, too, and compare.

Speaking of foam ear plugs, they are the most likely alternative to work for band kids who need even more hearing protection. Foam plugs muffle sound dramatically, so you won't be able to hear clearly while wearing them, and you will need to take them out to understand voices or have conversations. They will distort the music, blocking some frequencies more than others. However, the noise blocking capabilities of foam ear plugs really can't be beat. So when you need the maximum possible noise blocking, foam plugs are perfect. They are also super cheap and come in a variety of colors. The colors included in the band pack range from hi-viz red to low-profile beige, which could be important for self-conscious kids.

More Sophisticated Options

All of the earplugs recommended so far are quite inexpensive, and will work great for most music students and instructors. However, some musicians may have more exacting needs in terms of the quality of the sound they need to be able to hear while they play.

If fidelity is your primary concern, consider the following musician's plugs instead:

• Etymotic ETY-Plugs Hi-Fi Musician's Ear Plugs - well-known music ear plug from a prominent audio brand, always popular, tried-and-true, reasonably affordable
   
• Flare ISOLATE Solid Metal - Made of solid aluminum, these hot new concert ear plugs feature a super dense core that sound waves can't penetrate, unique and on-trend
   
• Crescendo Drummer/Vocals/Woodwind - These high-end musicians ear plugs are each specialized for a specific range and volume of music, for the most precise performance

Need More Info?

Looking for more information about band ear plugs, musician's hearing protection, or anything else hearing-related? We are here to help! Stop by on Facebook, write us at [email protected] with questions any time, or give us a call during business hours. A real person will answer.

Until next time, be safe... and do the right thing.

Tom Bergman, Vice President
Ear Plug Superstore

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The Risk of Ringing Ears: Why 60% of Festivalgoers Don't Wear Ear Plugs, but Really Should

Alpine Hearing Protection recently studied the way people perceive ear plugs in relation to live music, and the results of the study were surprising. While an overwhelming 92% of music festival attendees agreed that ear plugs are the best way to prevent hearing damage, 60% of them admitted they don't wear ear plugs themselves.

With ringing ears being such a common, obvious affliction the night after concerts, it seems surprising that more people do not take action to protect their ears. After all, noise-induced hearing loss is cumulative, and permanent. But what's clear is that people at music festivals know their hearing is at risk, and they know how to protect themselves, and they're still not wearing ear plugs.

So, why not?

The study identified three major pain points people have with ear plugs:

1. Ear plugs aren't comfortable enough. With 35% of those surveyed indicating that comfort was their primary concern, Alpine was able to identify this as the most common misconception people have about ear plugs.
2. Not being able to converse while wearing ear plugs. 20% of respondents expressed the concern that they wouldn't be able to talk and listen without having to take the ear plugs out. Since concerts and festivals are social events, this makes perfect sense!
3. Not being able to enjoy the music. 19% were worried that wearing ear plugs would make it harder or impossible to enjoy the live music. After all, the music is the whole point.

But these are old-fashioned concerns, only relevant to a bygone era.

The times have changed, and for the better. Modern ear plugs designed for music and concerts now use a variety of different noise filters to effectively lower the volume, without muffling or distorting the sound quality. These filters allow the user to hear clearly and enjoy the music without risking hearing damage. Speech remains equally clear, and holding conversations while wearing the ear plugs feels natural.

The level of comfort available from a quality concert ear plug has also shot way up over the past 20 years. Now ear plugs designed especially for music can come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, most made of foam or silicone (though there are a smattering of others exist; one company is becoming known for using solid metal). A pre-molded silicone body with a noise filter in the center is the most popular design for a good music ear plug, covering the majority of the models currently on the market. And these silicone models feature multiple silicone flanges that help the ear plug gently flex to fill the shape of the ear. The low-pressure fit conforms to the natural curves of the ear canal.

Don't stay sucked into those old misconceptions. Shake off that outdated perception of what ear plugs can do, and stop subjecting yourself to ringing ears the day after the show.

Check out our broad selection of musician's ear plugs, which range from highly affordable to professional quality. Taking a nice scroll through Alpine's products will also give you a good look at these types of plugs, too.

TL;DR?

Ear plugs designed for music eliminate all the most common problems that prevent people from wearing ear plugs at festivals. Don't let old-fashioned misconceptions stop you from saving your ears. Not sure where to start? Alpine PartyPlug is a really nice middle-of-the-road musician's ear plug that wears comfortably, allows you to hold conversations, and doesn't muffle or distort the sound quality so you can hear music clearly. If concerts are a huge part of your life, you might even want to consider the pricier Alpine PartyPlug Pro.

Until next time, be safe and do the right thing.
Tom Bergman, Vice President
Ear Plug Superstore

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A Letter from a Customer: Custom Ear Plugs Review

Sometimes we get customer feedback that warms our hearts. When our hearing protection solutions make a real, positive difference in someone's life, we've done our job right. There are few better feelings. Here is one such letter from our customers, with a review for our Perfect Fit Custom Musician Ear Plugs:

The whole process was easy, and the company extremely responsive to my individual needs. I made a series of impressions, chose the best, and they reviewed them visually, I felt like I had my own personal sales/tech assistant during the process. The result were extremely comfortable and high-performing earplugs.

Since I end up standing right next to the drummer, I opted to only use one for my working band gigs, and then I just used a brute-force, crappy, "kill all noise" cheap earplug on my drummer-side ear.

Note that custom earplugs don't kill as much sound as cheapos, that's not the point. It lowers the volume equally along the whole frequency spectrum. If you're just looking to kill the noise, and don't care how it sounds, non-custom-fit ones will work fine. Using a custom-fit earplug on my monitor side meant that I could hear myself so much better, and could actually turn my monitor down, to the delight of my bandmates.

HIGHLY recommended!

We cannot thank you enough for providing feedback like this - both positive and negative! - so we can see how we're doing, and connect better with you. Our goal really is to help people cope with our noisy world. The more feedback we get from you, the more we can help. And being able to provide real solutions that really do change our customers' lives warms our hearts on these cold winter days.

Oh, if you want to check out the custom plugs mentioned in the above review, you can find them right here: https://www.earplugstore.com/er915and25pr.html

Until next time, be safe and do the right thing.
Tom Bergman, Vice President
Ear Plug Superstore

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6 Ways to Avoid Summer Disasters

You can enjoy your holiday to the fullest with Alpine earplugs!

Ready to enjoy your summer holiday! How will you spend your summer? By making a long distance flight to the tropics? Partying with friends at Sziget Festival or Ibiza for a week? Relaxing with the whole family at a campsite? Or are you planning a beautiful tour on your motorcycle? Whatever your plans, do not let your holiday joy be ruined by snoring campers, noisy hotel rooms, ear infections caused by contaminated water, sore or clogged ears from flying, hearing damage from loud music, or ringing in your ears due to wind noise when you ride your motorbike. Be sure to put some earplugs on your packing list and save yourself from a lot of holiday troubles.

1. Earache and clogged ears due to air pressure changes during flight
   Will your vacation start in an airplane? Then you may experience a tedious and even painful pressure on your ears during take-off or landing. Some travellers are still bothered by clogged ears or deafness even days after landing. That is not very pleasant, and may even ruin your trip. Make sure your Alpine FlyFit earplugs are in your carry-on. The filters in these earplugs regulate the pressure difference between the middle ear and the nasal cavity and the pharynx, like a kind of valve. This prevents painful pressure on the eardrum. The exhausting engine noise and bustle of passengers is also muted. Speech remains audible, though. You can feel free to take a nap during the flight, as the earplugs still feel comfortable when lying on one ear. They have soft and flexible filters for extra comfort. This means you will arrive more well-rested and ready to enjoy your vacation even more! Tip: you can take Alpine Pluggies Kids earplugs along with you to prevent children’s earaches on the plane, too.
   
   
2. Sleep deprivation due to noisy hotel rooms or snoring campers
   Every time you want to nap during your vacation, it seems like the tourists in the room next to you have entirely different plans. With good sleep earplugs, you are prepared for noisy hotel rooms or snoring campers. Also very useful if you sleep in the dormitory of a hostel! The Alpine SleepSoft earplugs have a high level of attenuation and are made of a soft material that adapts to the shape of your ear. Just like the Alpine earplugs for flying, they have flexible filters that are perfect for people who sleep on their side. Is your alarm clock set for the morning? Don't worry, it will remain sufficiently audible.
   
   
3. Earache or ear infection after swimming
   Bacteria and fungi in water can cause inflammation of the ear canal. After swimming, the moisture level in the ear is higher, and the acidity is lower. This increases the risk of infection. You do not want an ear infection, especially during your holiday. Do don’t forget to pack Alpine SwimSafe earplugs for yourself, and Alpine Pluggies Kids earplugs for children under 12. These earplugs keep the water out of the ears, so you can swim without having to worry. They are also ideal if you suffer from an unpleasant feeling of pressure on your eardrums when you put your head underwater.
   
   
4. Tinnitus after riding a motorcycle
   When you get off your bike after a long ride, you may feel like the wind is still rushing past your ears. This sound indicates that the cilia, deep down in your inner ear, are overburdened. These cilia are essential for hearing. The hard noise of the wind damages them. If this happens, you will notice you start hearing less or hearing a permanent buzz or ringing in your ears. This damage cannot be reversed. Remember to use earplugs when riding your motorbike. Alpine’s special motor earplugs are super comfortable underneath your helmet, even on long rides. They have flexible filters for extra comfort.
   
   
5. Hearing loss or ringing in your ears from loud music
   Make sure you do not return home with a permanent ringing in your ears after partying at Ibiza! Enjoy the music, but seriously, wear hearing protection. This applies to all events where loud music is played. MusicSafe earplugs from Alpine filter out the harmful noise. The music experience is preserved, and conversations remain audible. It’s a win-win! The earplugs are comfortable all day and night long and are almost invisible in your ears. Are you taking a child to an event with loud noises? Protect the ears of your children with the Pluggies Kids earplugs or Muffy earmuffs.
   
   
6. Noise-induced hearing loss and tinnitus due to DIY jobs
   Summer is the perfect time to pick up a renovation or other do-it-yourself project. Or maybe it is time to thoroughly redo your garden. You’ll be working on your house more comfortably when you wear hearing protection. A lot of tools produce harmful loud noise. Earmuffs from the DIY store may be warm and sweaty in the summer. This makes Alpine WorkSafe earplugs the cool choice for DIY jobs. These reusable earplugs filter out harmful noise but let through warning signals and speech. Thanks to the included carrying cord, you can easily hang them around your neck when you need to take them out for a moment. The extended stem makes them easy to insert and remove. (Are there any children near? Don’t forget their sensitive ears, either.)

With Alpine hearing protection, you are well-prepared and can optimally enjoy your well-deserved vacation!

Until next time, be safe and do the right thing.
Tom Bergman, Vice President
Ear Plug Superstore

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Letters From You: Bass & Drums are KILLING ME

Hello,

I'm a guitar player in the Praise & Worship band at my church and we use the AVIOM monitor system. I’m currently using a set of Shure SL2 earbuds with Comply foam pieces on the buds, but the bass & drums are STILL KILLING ME. What do you recommend for me to use so I can cut out majority of the bass and drums and can adjust them in my earbuds so that the level is not causing my freaking ears to ring & ache every time I play? Help!

Thanks,
Darrell

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Darrell,

Well, first, have you turned the bass line all the way off in your feed? If not, start there... my guess is you did this of course, but had to ask.

To get better isolation than you have with the SL2 + comply foam tips, moving to a set of Challengers would be your best bet. I suggest these, rather than a more expensive set of IEMs because the IEMs are made of acrylic, which is not especially good at noise blocking, while the Challengers are made of silicone, which is much better. Since these will not have the solid plastic stem (which I think is mainly responsible for funneling the ambient drums and bass into your canals) you should experience a reduction in unwanted ambient noise of as much as 50% related to what you now suffer.

I would also add that hearing damage is a cumulative phenomenon. You can stand the loud for a short time, but the longer you are exposed during any 24 hour period, the worse will be the effects. If you are practicing with the same setup, you might want to try wearing a set of ear muffs over your monitors during practice to reduce the cumulative dose of noise you are getting. Maybe you could even wear them during services, but that could be a little dicey, I understand…might not look right to the powers or the people. I would suggest a nice subtle black set of low profile muffs like these or these.

By the way, your congregation may be suffering right along with you, so maybe you could convince the powers that be to turn it down a little? Or failing that, provide ear plugs to the members who choose to use them. We have some nice neutral beige ear plugs they are sure to like. They are just $.12 a pair.

Thanks for writing, Darrell!

Until next time, be safe and do the right thing.
Tom Bergman, Vice President
Ear Plug Superstore

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Does Listening to Music at Work Help or Hurt?

Whistle while you work: A good tune can seem to make the time at work go faster, but is music at work really a good idea? And what about hazardously loud workplaces?

With digital media on the rise, most of us have never had easier access to music on the go. And for many of us, getting to work is our cue to put in earbuds or turn on the office radio. However, music may not be getting us better results in the workplace. How do we tell if music at work is helping or hurting?

The key, according to one researcher, is that what determines whether music is a good idea at the workplace all depends on what kind of work you're doing.

Mental tasks, such as reading, concentration, and memory are actually impaired while background music is playing. So if you're writing up a report, researching, or working up invoices, consider turning off the music and working in silence: your brain may thank you, and reward you with faster, higher-quality results.

But for physical work, the opposite is true: fast-paced music can actually increase the speed at which you can perform the task at hand. A little dance, pop, or rock can get your blood pumping and help your body move faster and maintain a consistent pace. Workers who move from one type of work to another, such as an employee who does paperwork in the morning and does stocking work in the afternoon, may find that turning on the music can provide a nice energy lift when transitioning to more active tasks.

Interestingly, a music break may be a good idea regardless of the type of work you're doing. Music breaks up the hours of the workday and melts down the monotony of repetitive tasks or long hours at a desk. Having a 10-minute music break can lift performance and morale for workers doing a variety of tasks, particularly when music is not otherwise available to in that workplace.

The music itself also matters: according to NPR, employees are most productive when they actually enjoy the music they're hearing. While this seems like a simple idea, in practice, choosing a station on the office radio can turn into a battle of the buttons, as different employees enjoy very different genres of music.

Earphones for individual listening, then, may be the solution. With personal earbuds or earphones, everyone is able to listen to their own favorite music -- no arguments or compromises necessary. However, before letting your employees plug themselves into their iPods and smart phones, consider the impact music could have on your workplace's culture and workflow. Could everyone work together as effectively when listening to their own music? Can co-workers still hear each other talking when they need to? It depends on your workplace, and your employees. Still, the ability to allow each employee control over his or her own music is a powerful possibility.

If you're going to allow individual listening in your workplace (which many workers assume will be the norm, anyway), then carefully consider the type of earphones your employees will be using. If your environment is relatively quiet, then any inexpensive earbuds will probably do. But what about a noisy workplace, such as a garage or factory? Hearing protection is obviously required in any hazardously loud setting, particularly in industrial workplaces. That usually means using ear plugs or ear muffs, both of which could prohibit music listening.

Even in very loud workplaces, earphones can still remain an option, thanks to earphones with built-in hearing protection. Workers can get the benefits of personal earphones and personal hearing protection, both, from one set of earphones designed especially for workers. These serve as ear plugs and earphones all-in-one, protecting the wearer from hazardously loud noise and providing those sweet, sweet tunes at the same time.

Of particular note are these Plugfones Contractor VL Earphones. These offer good hearing protection, music listening, and they also include a built-in volume limiter. The volume limiter keeps the volume to a safe 82dB, which passes muster in OSHA workplaces, and ensures employees cannot listen to music that is loud enough to cause noise-induced hearing damage -- which would go against the whole idea of using hearing protection in the first place.

Choosing whether to allow music in the workplace, allowing music listening for all employees or just those doing physical jobs, deciding between a shared radio or individual earphones, and determining whether an earphone with hearing protection is required, are all important topics to consider. Ultimately, whether listening to music in the workplace is a good idea or not depends on a lot of factors -- but if you can find a way to make it work, and work safely, your employees will thank you.

Until next time, be safe and love your ears!
Sarah Bergman, Web Developer
Ear Plug Superstore

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March is Music In Our Schools Month® (MIOSM).

Music In Our Schools Month® (MIOSM), a national month-long holiday observance founded by the National Association for Music Education, is a program dedicated to raising awareness about the many benefits of providing high quality music education in schools. School music programs enrich students' lives both immediately and for years and years to come. During this month-long celebration of music in our schools, we at Ear Plug Superstore encourage you and your family to celebrate by playing music and singing together, attending concerts, and supporting music programs in your local schools -- all while striving to raise awareness about the importance of hearing protection for musicians.

Noise-Induced Hearing Loss: The Threat for Music Students

School-age children are quickly becoming the most likely group to suffer from permanent noise-induced hearing loss. In our increasingly noisy world, with headphone and earphone usage reaching an all-time high, this isn't such a surprise. Ignoring the problem, however, is no longer an option for savvy parents.

Noise-induced hearing loss is permanent -- and so it has become not only wise but necessary to provide hearing protection for school-age children. This is especially true if your child participates in a marching band or orchestra. While inexpensive foam ear plugs will absolutely provide the much-needed protection from noise, a pair of musician's ear plugs (such as the extremely popular Etymotic ER-20's, or the new Mack's High Fidelity Ear Plugs with two sizes of fit tips) will dramatically increase the quality of sound your child can hear.

Note that college students require proper hearing protection, too. Some universities are beginning to require undergraduate students to have yearly hearing tests and education in noise-induced hearing loss topics, including the use of hearing protection devices. For older students, a set of musician's ear plugs are a very practical must-have item, and even a very good quality, high-end pair of earplugs will still only cost a fraction of what a typical college textbook costs. Students who invest in hearing protection are making a life-long investment in their hearing. It really is that simple.

Music Educators are at an Exceptionally High Risk of Hearing Loss

78% of music teachers are exposed to noise levels exceeding the safe maximum sound levels set for an OSHA controlled industrial workplace. That means an average band teacher could actually be taking in as much noise as a worker using a jackhammer for eight hours a day!

Indeed, up to 86% of music teachers have been shown to suffer from some degree of noise-induced hearing damage. This statistic represents an incredible sacrifice on the part of music educators who dedicate their time and talents to teaching students how to play and enjoy music -- at the cost of their own ability to hear.

Fortunately, awareness about the need for hearing protection among music educators is rising. This is likely due to an overall increase in hearing protection awareness, combined with an explosion of new hearing protection products created specifically for musicians that make wearing ear plugs a much more comfortable and attractive option.

As always, any hearing protection at all is better than nothing. But for music teachers, our strong suggestion is to invest in a pair of professional lab molded musician's ear plugs. These ear plugs provide Natural Sound hearing, which means minimal sound distortion and faithful sound quality don't have to be sacrificed to get that important protection from noise. Lab molded custom fit ear plugs are also the most comfortable ear plugs available, and they're incredibly durable, making them ideal for hours of daily use, from morning band rehearsal all the way to private lessons in the evening.

Until next time, be safe and love your ears.
Sarah Bergman, Web Developer
Ear Plug Superstore

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More Ways to Connect With Us:

Have you done your good deed yet today? We’re donating child ear muffs to needy students. Learn more & help now: http://sharetherelief.earplugstore.com/

Stunning Christmas Gift Ideas from Ear Plug Superstore

Cross It Off Your Shopping List Baby Ear Muffs Earphones for Work Electronic Shooting Ear Muffs Ear Plug Hats Great Gadgets Sound Oasis S-850 Travel White Noise Alarm Clock PlaneQuiet Solitude X Noise Cancelling Headphones 3M Tekk Worktunes AM/FM Radio Ear Muffs Sleep-Eze 2013 In-Ear White Noise Generator Just for Kids Disney Princess Little Mermaid Aqua Ears Ear Plugs Disney Cars Aqua Ears Ear Plugs ReVO Earmuffs for Babies and Children Etymotic Ety-Kids Safe Listening Earphones Featured Gift Idea Music Muffones Fashion Ear Muffs with Built-In Earphones Alpine MusicSafe Pro Musician's Ear Plugs Etymotic ER20 Musician's Ear Plugs Crescendo Drummer Ear Plugs for Musicians Stocking Stuffers NFL Ear Plugs Snoring Relief Kit Hatphones Fashion Winter Hats with Built-In Earphones Mack's Dreamgirl Soft Foam Ear Plugs Bargains & Bundles KonoAudio KidzSafe Earbuds for Kids + FREE Earphone Cord Winder (a $5.99 value) Sleep-Eze In-Ear White Noise Generator - with FREE Ear Pillow Howard Leight Sync AM/FM Radio Earmuffs - Now 23% Off! Try 'em All Ear Plug Assortment Pack: 48 Assorted Pairs

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from all of us at Ear Plug Superstore.

Until next time, be safe and do the right thing.
Tom Bergman, Vice President
Ear Plug Superstore

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More Ways to Connect With Us:

Have you done your good deed yet today? We're donating child ear muffs to needy students. Learn more & help now: http://sharetherelief.earplugstore.com/

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Are Your Child's Earphones Causing Hearing Damage?

As smart phones, MP3 players, handheld games, and other gadgets become a more prolific and permanent part of our society, children are using earphones much more frequently, and for more extended periods of time.

Earbuds in particular have become very popular with kids, teens, and college students. A cheap pair of earbuds is usually included with most smart phones and MP3 players.

If you're not familiar with the terminology, earbuds are small earphones that come in many colors and styles, are worn inside the ear canal, and feature a low profile fit that allows listening in a wide variety of situations. (Many folks get the terms "earphones," "headphones," and "earbuds" confused! Earphones are small speakers that fit inside your ear canals. Headphones have larger speakers that sit over the ears, connected by a headband. Earbuds are just one type of earphone.) Despite their small size, earbuds are usually capable of pumping out just as much sound as their larger counterparts.

The soaring usage of earbuds (and earphones and headphones in general) as accessories for the multitude of new devices which allow us to access music and video content practically anywhere has caused a lot of worry over whether all that listening may be causing hearing damage, especially among young people. Noise-induced hearing loss is cumulative and permanent, so there's a lot of concern circulating about whether or not the kids who use earphones for hours on end to watch videos, listen to music, or play games could be doing serious damage to their ears. And indeed, more than five million kids in the U.S. between the ages of six and 19 report some degree of noise-induced hearing loss.

So are your child's earphones causing hearing damage...?
Unfortunately, the answer isn't a simple yes or no. There are just too many factors to consider. Here are a few:

• First off, all of us -- children and adults alike -- are much more likely to turn up the volume to dangerous levels when we're in a place where there's a lot of background noise. We also naturally tend to listen at more reasonable volumes when there aren't other noises we feel the need to drown out with our own music. So watch where your child is using his or her earphones: your kid is much more likely to be listening at a safe volume if he or she is doing so in reasonably quiet environments.
• Secondly, kids who listen via in-ear style earphones -- including those ever-popular earbuds -- are actually four times less likely to turn the volume up to dangerous levels than kids who listen with over-the-ear headphones.
• Finally, how loud is too loud, anyway? In general, the maximum safe sound dosage limit is eight hours of exposure to 85dB of constant sound in one day. However, most earphones and headphones tend to top out at around 100dB, which is only safe for fifteen minutes of listening during any 24 hour period!

So it is indeed possible that your child's earphone listening habit is causing hearing damage -- but that's not a guarantee, just a possibility. The only way to know for sure is to get involved. Monitor your child's earphone usage habits closely. And if you fear your child may indeed be damaging his or her young ears, there are many solutions available to help combat this problem:

1. If your child is using over-the-ear headphones, switch him or her over to in-ear earphones or earbuds instead.
2. Consider choosing isolation earphones that offer some noise reduction in addition to music listening capabilities. This will help block out many outside sounds, so the volume won't need to be turned up as high in noisy situations for your child to be able to hear the music as clearly as he or she would like to. E-A-R Buds Earphones, for example, feature both noise blocking and a built-in volume limiter, for safe and peaceful listening anywhere.
3. Monitor your child's earphone usage. How many hours a day is your kid plugged in to his or her earphones? If your child listens all day long, make sure the volume is turned down to a safe level. As a very rough rule of thumb, having the volume setting turned about three-quarters of the way up is the maximum limit for long periods of listening with most earphones. (Note: Earphones and sound source devices vary quite a lot, so I highly recommend trying out your child's earphones so you can actually check the volume levels yourself!) Then again, if your child only listens for a couple of hours a day, keeping the volume down isn't quite as critical: over one 24-hour period, two hours of listening to constant sounds as loud as a considerable 90dB is generally considered safe! So you need to consider how much time your child spends listening, not just how loud the volume is.
4. Consider getting earphones with built-in volume limiters. KonoAudio makes KidzSafe Earbuds specially designed for children: the earbuds are a smaller size to fit those little ears, they come in bright colors kids will love, and they also feature a built-in volume limiter that prevents listening at dangerous volumes. Alternatively, add an EarSaver volume limiter to your child's favorite headphones or earphones: this handy little device is a short cable that plugs in between the sound source and the earphones, and keeps the volume down to a safe level. (Tip: A little super glue on the plastic parts when you plug in the volume limiter to the earphones' cable will prevent any mischievous tampering with the volume limiter when you're not watching!)
5. Finally, and most importantly, talk with your child about the very real dangers of noise-induced hearing loss. Not only will this help your child understand why keeping the volume down is important, but starting to have this type of discussion with your child at an early age could also open the door for better communications about hearing health and hazards when your little one grows up and hits those rocky teenage years.

It is possible that earphones could be damaging your child's hearing.

But don't panic: before you pull the plug on your kid's earphones, get involved, monitor your child's actual listening habits, and consider the above solutions for safe earphone listening.

It is possible to ensure that your child's ears stay safe without taking away those earphones -- and with them, the ability to listen to music on all the exciting new devices that have become such a pervasive part of our daily lives.

 

Until next time, be safe and do the right thing.
--Tom Bergman, Marketing Director

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