A few months ago I read an article in MIX magazine (high end recording and concert sound reinforcement) where sound protection was discussed. It stated that the ear protects itself after hearing a loud noise by clamping down with the muscles around the bones in the inner ear. This prevents loud sounds from further damaging our hearing. However, it takes **twenty-four hours** for those muscles to let go and return hearing to normal. That is why everything sounds muffled after a rock concert or target shooting (or both, if you are Ted Nugent). I wear custom made Westone musicians earplugs with a 9 db filter. Acoustic energy-wise it cuts the energy to around a third, it seems to me that the sound seems about half as loud. I explain to my customers it is like wearing sunglasses: your iris opens in order to give you greater focus. As my ear is relaxed, I feel I hear more details, not less. If you have some upper end hearing loss, I suppose it could make it more difficult to hear high frequencies. Most of us will get there someday, I just hope I am putting that day off for a bit longer. Dave Stocker, RPT Tumwater, WA -------------------------------------------------- From: <ljinno at googlemail.com> Sent: Tuesday, September 08, 2009 06:38 To: <brhebert at verizon.net>; <pianotech at ptg.org> Subject: Re: [pianotech] Hearing Protection > Blaine Hebert wrote " > I wear them religiously when I tune and even when I drive and listen to > the radio (it improves sound quality)". > _______________ > > Improve sound? I have read posts about ear plugs, but assumed tuners who > use machines use them. Is this a correct assumption? Is it not hard > enough to hear those treble frequencies without earplugs. > > Lee > > > ------Original Message------ > From: Blaine Hebert > Sender: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org > To: pianotech at ptg.org > ReplyTo: brhebert at verizon.net > ReplyTo: pianotech at ptg.org > Subject: [pianotech] Hearing Protection > Sent: 5 Sep 2009 00:07 > > When I developed permanent tinnitus (with only slight hearing loss) I > became a serious devote of ear plugs. > > These are my favorite: > http://earplugstore.stores.yahoo.net/ultrafit25.html > > I wear them religiously when I tune and even when I drive and listen to > the radio (it improves sound quality). Unfortunately, being religious > about this, most of my friends and relatives who also tune or play music > tend to avoid me or change the topic when I start to preach. I even > have bought these in quantity to pass out for free and no one is > interested. The memories of my grandfather fighting with his hearing > aids (while tuning) seem to have faded fast. > > A little hearing loss doesn't sound like a serious problem, but your > hearing damage may come in the form of constant, painful screeching; not > a pleasant consequence. > > Tuning is harmful to hearing! Wear the plugs! > > Blaine Hebert > > >
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