Protect Your Hearing Health with Musician Earplugs and Monitors

Musician playing a piano wearing ear plugs

A study published in the British Medical Journal reported that professional musicians are almost four times as likely to develop a noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) as the general public and are 57% more likely to develop tinnitus as a result of the ongoing exposure to excessive noise levels.

While conventional OTC earplugs provide plenty of hearing protection, they also muffle speech and distort tone and pitch, making it difficult to hear your instrument or voice so you can adjust while you perform. Additionally, most musicians don’t need maximum protection, just mid- to low-frequency protection.

The audiologists at Audiological Services understand the specialized ear protection for musicians, which is why we provide custom earplugs for musicians.

Created by potrace 1.16, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2019
Musician Earplugs

While musicians need to protect their hearing, they also need to be able to hear their own music clearly as well as hear other musicians’ music and voices while performing.

Musicians earplugs come in custom and non-custom options. Ready-fit musicians earplugs can reduce sound levels by approximately 20 dB, which is enough to reduce harmful sound without distorting speech or music.

Ready-fit earplugs do not fit deep enough, while custom earplugs seal the bony portion of the ear canal, reducing occlusion, which causes the hollow or boomy sound of the musician’s own voice that comes from lower quality earplugs.

Deep-fit custom earplugs are popular with musicians because of the quality of sound they allow them to hear while practicing and performing, but they are also a popular hearing protection option for:

  • Sound crews
  • Recording engineers
  • Bodyguards
  • Band teachers
  • Concert-goers
  • DJs
  • Airline personnel
  • Athletic coaches
  • NFL football players
  • Referees
  • Motorcyclists
  • Medical professionals
  • Construction workers
  • Industrial workers
  • Truck drivers
Created by potrace 1.16, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2019
In-Ear Musician Monitors

Where stage monitors pointed toward the musicians during a performance are common, in-ear monitors (IEMs) are the current standard in musician technology. IEMs allow the musicians to clearly hear their instrument or voice as the audience would hear it while protecting the musicians’ ears from extremely loud amplification systems and audiences.

IEMs work best if they are custom molded to fit the individual ears of each musician, but there are universal fit musician monitors which usually come with interchangeable foam or silicone tips to allow for a semi-custom fit.

Created by potrace 1.16, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2019
Custom Fitting Earmolds and IEMs

Both earmolds and IEMs are custom made using a mold that coincides with the unique contours of your ear, allowing for a snug fit that provides maximum comfort and protection.

The ear impression that is used to make the earmold or in-ear monitor is the most important part of the process in getting a good custom fit. Because this part of the process is so crucial, it’s important that you hire someone who is experienced and trained in making impressions for high-quality musicians earplugs.

The quality of the ear impression material and technique directly impacts the sound quality, sound isolation, and comfort that is achieved with the earmold, a process most audiologists understand and are trained to perform.

Find Out More About Our Custom Earplugs and IEMs

Musicians not only need protection from exposure to high volumes of amplification and crowd noise, but they also need to hear their instrument or their voice in order to keep tone, pitch, rhythm, and communication while performing.

Audiological Services understands the unique ear protection needs of musicians, so we offer custom earplugs and IEMs for professional musicians and others who require similar protection.

Submit the adjacent form to find out how our comfortable, effective hearing protection can help safeguard your hearing while enhancing your auditory experience.

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