Clear plastic earplugs

[Suilebhain]

Does anyone know what those clear plastic earplugs many of the pros wear are called and how to get them or find more info on them? They look like they are fitted.

[sunken.anchor]

You're probably looking for custom molded in-ear monitors. Ultimate Ears is a big name company that makes them, but there are other options too. I've heard the custom molded ones hurt like crazy when they pour the liquid in your ears... like your head is going to explode. I believe it.

[Suilebhain]

Ahh, there are monitors in those plugs? Interesting, but probably very expensive and far more than I was hoping for.

[sunken.anchor]

Well... I'm pretty sure you can get similar ones with no monitors. I didn't realize that's what you wanted.

[basti moon]

You meant the ones that dampen frequencies equally across the spectrum, aye?
Those shouldn't be too expensive, after what I've heard. I want those! Can probably call them cheap when you think of what they do: You get the same sounds without going deaf or wearing plugs that compromise the sound quality of what you're playing. Might even call them priceless.
If you play loud, that is.
We play loud, we do.

[Suilebhain]

you were absolutely, totally, 100% ker-rect! Ultimate Ears DOES sell what I want but you have to really, really dig to find it on their site. It is under the Custom link.

There is a company in the UK witha different name that seems to sell the identical product.

Cost? Well, they cost $170 for the units themselves, but getting the molds made (they are custom fitted) costs anywhere from $50-100 and require a visit to an audiologist.

You are correct, Basti, they are priceless, considering one only gets one set of eardrums.

[sunken.anchor]

getting the molds made (they are custom fitted) costs anywhere from $50-100 and require a visit to an audiologist.

That's the part that I heard feels like your head will explode. I believe it... a few months ago I got some shampoo bubbles in my ear that I couldn't get out, so I put my head sideways on the couch and my wife made some concoction and put it in a medicine dropper... even just a few drops and the pressure was too much for me.

As far as ear plugs, I either use the standard "muffle everything" ones or I have a pair of the tiered ones (hearos, I think) that look kind of like a christmas tree. Maybe someday I'll invest in fitted ones, but I don't play gigs and I hardly ever go to shows anymore...

[sev]

I've been fitted for the custom molded earplugs twice in my life.
In my experience, it didn't "hurt" at all. It's a little uncomfortable and feels weird....but never approached anything like pain.

They stick a small piece of cotton in your ear canal attached to a string (so they can pull it back out). Then they shoot some liquid foam into your ear, which then swells up to retain the shape of your ear. They let it harden for a minute, and then pull it out......then they pull out the cotton with the string.....and that's it.

I got the plugs with the swapable 15db and 25db filters. They are great for going to shows, because they filter evenly across the frequency spectrum.
But, I'm a drummer, and even the 25db filters weren't enough for gigging (for me).
I switched back to 33db foam plugs from the drug store. Ha.

[Mudfuzz]

up we go

[wdinc01]

I have a pair of custom fitted earplugs. What would you like to know, Muddy?

[Mudfuzz]

not much I I'm fine. But I am doing a sift of ILF every now and then to pull up what I consider interesting things from the past here to expose newer peoples to history It's something bugged me and I don't remember what exactly but I thought this would be fun or odd

[wdinc01]

Oh good thinking. Well, I'll impart some wisdom on any new ILFers or musicians in general...

EARPLUGS ARE THE BEST INVESTMENT YOU WILL EVER MAKE. BETTER THAN YOUR BILLY CORGAN FUZZES, BETTER THAN YOUR JACK WHITE AIRPLANE SYNTH GUITARS, AND BETTER THAN YOUR $62 MASS PRODUCED TRANSPARENT OVERDRIVES THAT PRODECT YOUR GLASS LIKE HIGHS.

I always wear mine when I go to shows, and if its at a show where I think there will be moshing or at a festival or something, I pick up some cheaper ones at Guitar Center or off Amazon. Works the same, just not as comfortable.

[Mudfuzz]

And I agree! personal choice though is the tyedied safety ones that industrial safety suppers sell the gum ball machine like dispenser adds to the fun too

[goroth]

Fucking love my moulded ear plugs. Also got 2 pairs of filters. 15 and 25. Our drummer uses 25s and regular over the ear thingers. 25 is not enough if you play the drums properly. For non drummers like me it's good.

One of my ears has always fitted less well than the other, and I can lose a bit a couple of dbs of dampening when in sweaty and moshing. No risk of en flying out though, must be just a fraction of a mm they move.

[coldbrightsunlight]

I got a pair of slightly better than the cheap foamy ones recently and it was a hella good investment. Sound is a bit muffled with them on so I still want to get a proper moulded set sometime, but they do the job and I can still hear music ok.