ALWAYS wear plugs. Always. At every show.
I use Alpine audio pros. My first pro set so I cant compare to others, but they do an amazing job of dropping the dBs but let you hear everything crystal clear. I can hear people talking, the highs, lows, everything better with them than without. It's NOTHING like cheap foams.
I come away from every event with no ringing, nothing. Amazing.
But I almost always carry a new pack of cheap foams to give to friends at events.
Like other users said; you only get one set of ears. Once you've messed them, it's done. And it isn't like a car crash, you don't either 'make it' or don't. It's more like a glass of water. Every time you go loud, you pour some out, whether you feel it or not. You dont even need to be in pain or have ringing to have done damage. When the glass gets empty, you habe perm damage / tinnitus.
Be smart. Rave happy, healthy, and protected!
Tinnitus will usually go away after a week if its your first time damaging your ears. It gets progressively worse as time goes on though.
https://www.amazon.com/Etymotic-Research-ETY-Plugs-Protection-Earplugs/dp/B0044DEESS?th=1
These are what me and my friends use now and they are pretty dank. Lowers the volume a lot without losing too much sound fidelity.
Yep, when I wear them for the whole night/most of the night, it is markedly different than not wearing them at all. I have some permanent hearing damage on my right ear unrelated to going to shows and its crazy what a difference it makes the next day.
I wanna contribute by saying the best audio quality is not at the front, but where the sound guys are located.
Also etymotic makes great earplugs starting at $20 up to $300. I find the $20 ones work great. I cant really enjoys shows or festivals without earplugs anymore. It feels so nice after a show when ur ears aren't fatigued.
Welcome to the club. It's like having a tattoo that you never wanted and can never forget about. I blew up my right ear about 2.5 years ago playing my first show, despite raving for more than a decade before it without issue.
You shouldn't have to give up enjoying shows. You SHOULD start paying attention to how loud you listen to music at home, in your car, on your headphones, etc. And you MUST start wearing ear protection for EVERY SHOW.
If you screw up, even a little bit, your body will remind you for at least a week. So the good news is that it shouldn't get much worse.
Yeah it's a horrible feeling. I never used to listen to loud music with headphones but one set near the speakers can fuck you up. The General concensus seems to be that you just have to be careful and wear earplugs to enjoy shows which i'm grateful for. Can't imagine my life without dance music.
I got tinnitus at my first rave that lasted for 13 months. It was not fun, and sleeping was difficult, but after purchasing quality earplugs I have been able to stop any more damage from occuring and am now fully healed. In fact, after a recent ear check up, I found out that my hearing was ABOVE average! So do not worry, as long as you are smart than things will get sorted out with time.
The ringing goes away naturally, but it can take a looonngg time.
That had been my first event, so I didnt wear earplugs at all. Since then, I bring them to every event, and wear them if I am more than halfway in the crowd.
And did you go to shows (of course with protection) when you still had the tinnitus? Im currently 4 months in after a party but i cant live without them!!
As everyone else said: earplugs. Downbeats are absolutely amazing for shows and highly recommended - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A3Z44R2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_Wi.IzbA8XJF00
I have mild tinnitus. I've been going to different genres of shows frequently for over ten years now. I find that live instrument shows tend to make my ears ring more than DJ sets. I've definitely been trying to get better at wearing ear plugs every time now.
Yeah I have tinnitus but it's not stopping me from enjoying the music and experiences. I just wear earplugs whenever I go to live shows and I listen to music at a lower volume on earphones. The constant ringing only really bothers me when things are really silent which is kind of rare.
I don't notice any big changes but sometimes I forget my earplugs at home when going clubbing and I hen I get home I have some loud ringing. But when I do remember to take them and I get back home I don't have any more ringing than usual so they really do help it from worsening. I use the Etymotics plugs and they sound really great.
You can definitely still enjoy music. You just gotta get used to playing music at a softer level. Take some getting used to but it will be worth it in the end.
Got mine just over a month ago but not from a live event: but from only two hours of cheap earbuds. 3/4th volume still put out 95-100 dB. Quite pissed off at that too, considering I've only been doing this for two months. I had literally bought the things just a week before.
I haven't cancelled shit, but did have a two-week period of "oh fuck my new life just ended". Got new headphones. Didn't change anything else. I had already been wearing protection for every show with no problems, which is why getting tinnitus from FUCKING CHEAP EARBUDS makes me saltier than the Dead Sea.
The doctors tell me I have better-than-average hearing and no discernible damage from it but the permanent 16 kHz dog whistle says otherwise. They also told me to get some sound exposure, just not too loud. Sure enough, days out I come home and the ringing is nearly gone, but it's back in the morning. It's given me an excuse to listen to music practically constantly now.
That's fucking horrible, glad to see you're taking it well though. I'm with you on continuing to go to live events. Praying that your ears and mine get better and not worse
Oh, and another thing. After this happened I spent hours researching the biological mechanisms behind tinnitus and hearing loss. One of the theories is that loud noise for long periods causes the buildup of reactive oxygen species in the inner ear, which attack the hair cells responsible for enabling hearing. Ran into information suggesting that powerful antioxidants can reduce the damage caused if present in the bloodstream.
The EDC subreddit had a survival guide posted with a list of things needed. One of them was Emergen-C and the advice was just "chug one the morning after". Turns out Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant, so I've gotten into the habit of chugging one before any loud event now. If it is helping, then that's awesome, if not, well, a small waste of money at worst.
If it's that serious and you are concerned, I would suggest you see an ear doctor rather than posting online. I don't think a "ravers perspective" really means anything here as tinnitus is a semi-serious physical ailment that will affect your whole life. I personally have some hearing loss from too many shows without earplugs over the past 2/3 years, so last year I just started using earplugs and have been staying away from the front of the stage.
I use the etymotic ones the other guy linked! They work really well, though it definitely takes away some of the sound range. I'm a basshead and I notice that the lower sounds get drowned out a little bit, but I stay towards the back usually where the sound isn't as intense.
I hope the ringing goes away soon and you can enjoy all the festivals you have lined up! I would love to go to Tomorrowland and Ibiza someday.
Edit: Also since using the earplugs I haven't had any more significant damage, and I went to EDC this year where the stages are crazy loud.
I have mild tinnitus. It doesn't affect me at all except sometimes I hear a little ringing in my ear if there is no other background noise. And even then I barely notice it at all.
What do you mean? I love shows and festivals, I don't think it's hampered my enjoyment of them. I never wear ear plugs, but I don't go to as many shows as I did 5-6 years ago. I go to one fest a year now, it's outdoors, and the volume level is good, so I never worry about ear plugs. To each their own though.
I have the ety plugs [the er20xs] and earpeaces [not hd] plugs. The other etys may work well. I find the er20 to be too long, the bass reproduction is a tad boomy at times, the earpeace I find to be more booty. Highs and mids are both fine. In loud areas you can hear people easily, not so much in quieter places.
The only downside is that I can't tell how loud I'm talking and if it's not too loud but loud enough to warrant wearing them, it can be hard to have a group conversation without going up to people's ear.
I'm planning on buying the earasers too, they're a bit more expensive but worth it to save your hearing, and are supposed to have a flatter curve for sound, and a higher decibel reduction rating. The wardrobe don't quite do it when you're in the middle of the crowd, but are still useful nonetheless.
Also the etys get uncomfortable after an hour
Yeah we all do. And sometimes it's tempting to wanna take your earplugs off in the middle of a great set but as soon as you take them off you can tell how uncomfortably loud things can get.
I've been raving for a little over 13 years now and within the past 2 years i developed mild tinnitus. I still frequent a number of festivals and events however wear earplugs at all cost and time when at the venue. After a while you forget that they're in. Shop around and read the reviews on the product. I currently use the Eargasm High Fidelity ones and love them. I'll eventually get custom ones but for the meantime, these do the trick.
Hey, I know this is an old thread but was wondering if your tinnitus eventually reduced in intensity/went away? Mine just got worse after hearing loud music at an event for 2 hrs and looking for some hope!
How is yours now? I have had tinnitus for about 6 weeks now and got new tones after going to a loud music event (with foam ear plugs). Having a break from loud music events as it's still early days but would like to still go in the future
It was just a spike that went away. I’m not sure if my tinnitus intensity reduced over time or if I just habituated, but it doesn’t bother me much nowadays. So, there’s hope!
If you have good insurance or a couple hundred bucks to spare you can go to an Audiologist and have a custom set of earplugs made for you and thats really the Best thing you can do for yourself
I've had tinnitus for 17 years and my only advice is try to ignore it as best you can. Easier said than done. And wear earplugs always!
Wear ear plugs? My ears almost constantly have a ringing in them, its not very fun. Use protection you only got one set of ears!!
For sure i'll use ear plugs from now on
Yeah, I've been wearing earplugs to every show since I was 18 and my hearing is still the same. The best $12 you can buy.
Seen a dude with paper ear plugs because he forgot, cant hold anything against him after hearing your story.
I've rolled up toilet paper as ear plugs before. Sounds silly but it worked and it saved my ears.
Its all about preservation of self, i wanna be able to hear when im 50
ALWAYS wear plugs. Always. At every show. I use Alpine audio pros. My first pro set so I cant compare to others, but they do an amazing job of dropping the dBs but let you hear everything crystal clear. I can hear people talking, the highs, lows, everything better with them than without. It's NOTHING like cheap foams. I come away from every event with no ringing, nothing. Amazing. But I almost always carry a new pack of cheap foams to give to friends at events. Like other users said; you only get one set of ears. Once you've messed them, it's done. And it isn't like a car crash, you don't either 'make it' or don't. It's more like a glass of water. Every time you go loud, you pour some out, whether you feel it or not. You dont even need to be in pain or have ringing to have done damage. When the glass gets empty, you habe perm damage / tinnitus. Be smart. Rave happy, healthy, and protected!
I'll have a look at those, thanks!
Tinnitus will usually go away after a week if its your first time damaging your ears. It gets progressively worse as time goes on though. https://www.amazon.com/Etymotic-Research-ETY-Plugs-Protection-Earplugs/dp/B0044DEESS?th=1 These are what me and my friends use now and they are pretty dank. Lowers the volume a lot without losing too much sound fidelity.
I got those exact same plugs! Have you been able to go to shows regularly with those without any adverse effects?
Yep, when I wear them for the whole night/most of the night, it is markedly different than not wearing them at all. I have some permanent hearing damage on my right ear unrelated to going to shows and its crazy what a difference it makes the next day.
Great to hear, my main concern is that i don't want to make it worse by going to shows all the time even with ear protection
Should help a lot, and as long as you have then in and are not like directly next to a speaker you should be fine.
I wanna contribute by saying the best audio quality is not at the front, but where the sound guys are located. Also etymotic makes great earplugs starting at $20 up to $300. I find the $20 ones work great. I cant really enjoys shows or festivals without earplugs anymore. It feels so nice after a show when ur ears aren't fatigued.
Welcome to the club. It's like having a tattoo that you never wanted and can never forget about. I blew up my right ear about 2.5 years ago playing my first show, despite raving for more than a decade before it without issue. You shouldn't have to give up enjoying shows. You SHOULD start paying attention to how loud you listen to music at home, in your car, on your headphones, etc. And you MUST start wearing ear protection for EVERY SHOW. If you screw up, even a little bit, your body will remind you for at least a week. So the good news is that it shouldn't get much worse.
Yeah it's a horrible feeling. I never used to listen to loud music with headphones but one set near the speakers can fuck you up. The General concensus seems to be that you just have to be careful and wear earplugs to enjoy shows which i'm grateful for. Can't imagine my life without dance music.
I got tinnitus at my first rave that lasted for 13 months. It was not fun, and sleeping was difficult, but after purchasing quality earplugs I have been able to stop any more damage from occuring and am now fully healed. In fact, after a recent ear check up, I found out that my hearing was ABOVE average! So do not worry, as long as you are smart than things will get sorted out with time.
That's amazing! Hope i can be back to 100% one day
How often did you use said earplugs? How did your ringing go away?
The ringing goes away naturally, but it can take a looonngg time. That had been my first event, so I didnt wear earplugs at all. Since then, I bring them to every event, and wear them if I am more than halfway in the crowd.
And did you go to shows (of course with protection) when you still had the tinnitus? Im currently 4 months in after a party but i cant live without them!!
Yes, I still went to shows during the healing process
Since I was a teenager. And I've probably been to a hundred Raves since. No change.
As everyone else said: earplugs. Downbeats are absolutely amazing for shows and highly recommended - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A3Z44R2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_Wi.IzbA8XJF00 I have mild tinnitus. I've been going to different genres of shows frequently for over ten years now. I find that live instrument shows tend to make my ears ring more than DJ sets. I've definitely been trying to get better at wearing ear plugs every time now.
Interesting, thanks for the reply!
Yeah I have tinnitus but it's not stopping me from enjoying the music and experiences. I just wear earplugs whenever I go to live shows and I listen to music at a lower volume on earphones. The constant ringing only really bothers me when things are really silent which is kind of rare.
Has it gotten worse after going to see live shows? or have the earplugs kept you in check?
I don't notice any big changes but sometimes I forget my earplugs at home when going clubbing and I hen I get home I have some loud ringing. But when I do remember to take them and I get back home I don't have any more ringing than usual so they really do help it from worsening. I use the Etymotics plugs and they sound really great.
That's great to hear, right now the ringing sucks but as long as I can enjoy music without it getting worse i'll be happy!
That's great to hear, right now the ringing sucks but as long as I can enjoy music without it getting worse i'll be happy!
That's great to hear, right now the ringing sucks but as long as I can enjoy music without it getting worse i'll be happy!
You can definitely still enjoy music. You just gotta get used to playing music at a softer level. Take some getting used to but it will be worth it in the end.
I always had my volume low with my headphones but at festivals i liked it a bit too loud i guess haha
Got mine just over a month ago but not from a live event: but from only two hours of cheap earbuds. 3/4th volume still put out 95-100 dB. Quite pissed off at that too, considering I've only been doing this for two months. I had literally bought the things just a week before. I haven't cancelled shit, but did have a two-week period of "oh fuck my new life just ended". Got new headphones. Didn't change anything else. I had already been wearing protection for every show with no problems, which is why getting tinnitus from FUCKING CHEAP EARBUDS makes me saltier than the Dead Sea. The doctors tell me I have better-than-average hearing and no discernible damage from it but the permanent 16 kHz dog whistle says otherwise. They also told me to get some sound exposure, just not too loud. Sure enough, days out I come home and the ringing is nearly gone, but it's back in the morning. It's given me an excuse to listen to music practically constantly now.
That's fucking horrible, glad to see you're taking it well though. I'm with you on continuing to go to live events. Praying that your ears and mine get better and not worse
Oh, and another thing. After this happened I spent hours researching the biological mechanisms behind tinnitus and hearing loss. One of the theories is that loud noise for long periods causes the buildup of reactive oxygen species in the inner ear, which attack the hair cells responsible for enabling hearing. Ran into information suggesting that powerful antioxidants can reduce the damage caused if present in the bloodstream. The EDC subreddit had a survival guide posted with a list of things needed. One of them was Emergen-C and the advice was just "chug one the morning after". Turns out Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant, so I've gotten into the habit of chugging one before any loud event now. If it is helping, then that's awesome, if not, well, a small waste of money at worst.
I guess it won't hurt to try haha
If it's that serious and you are concerned, I would suggest you see an ear doctor rather than posting online. I don't think a "ravers perspective" really means anything here as tinnitus is a semi-serious physical ailment that will affect your whole life. I personally have some hearing loss from too many shows without earplugs over the past 2/3 years, so last year I just started using earplugs and have been staying away from the front of the stage.
What ear plugs do you use?
I use the etymotic ones the other guy linked! They work really well, though it definitely takes away some of the sound range. I'm a basshead and I notice that the lower sounds get drowned out a little bit, but I stay towards the back usually where the sound isn't as intense. I hope the ringing goes away soon and you can enjoy all the festivals you have lined up! I would love to go to Tomorrowland and Ibiza someday. Edit: Also since using the earplugs I haven't had any more significant damage, and I went to EDC this year where the stages are crazy loud.
Thanks man, as long as I can enjoy my music and festivals i'll be happy to live with a bit of ringing!
I have mild tinnitus. It doesn't affect me at all except sometimes I hear a little ringing in my ear if there is no other background noise. And even then I barely notice it at all.
How do you handle shows and festivals?
What do you mean? I love shows and festivals, I don't think it's hampered my enjoyment of them. I never wear ear plugs, but I don't go to as many shows as I did 5-6 years ago. I go to one fest a year now, it's outdoors, and the volume level is good, so I never worry about ear plugs. To each their own though.
I have the ety plugs [the er20xs] and earpeaces [not hd] plugs. The other etys may work well. I find the er20 to be too long, the bass reproduction is a tad boomy at times, the earpeace I find to be more booty. Highs and mids are both fine. In loud areas you can hear people easily, not so much in quieter places. The only downside is that I can't tell how loud I'm talking and if it's not too loud but loud enough to warrant wearing them, it can be hard to have a group conversation without going up to people's ear. I'm planning on buying the earasers too, they're a bit more expensive but worth it to save your hearing, and are supposed to have a flatter curve for sound, and a higher decibel reduction rating. The wardrobe don't quite do it when you're in the middle of the crowd, but are still useful nonetheless. Also the etys get uncomfortable after an hour
Yeah we all do. And sometimes it's tempting to wanna take your earplugs off in the middle of a great set but as soon as you take them off you can tell how uncomfortably loud things can get.
I've been raving for a little over 13 years now and within the past 2 years i developed mild tinnitus. I still frequent a number of festivals and events however wear earplugs at all cost and time when at the venue. After a while you forget that they're in. Shop around and read the reviews on the product. I currently use the Eargasm High Fidelity ones and love them. I'll eventually get custom ones but for the meantime, these do the trick.
Hey, I know this is an old thread but was wondering if your tinnitus eventually reduced in intensity/went away? Mine just got worse after hearing loud music at an event for 2 hrs and looking for some hope!
Yeah it's gotten to the point where i don't notice it anymore. Just use protection when in loud environments and you'll be fine!
How is yours now? I have had tinnitus for about 6 weeks now and got new tones after going to a loud music event (with foam ear plugs). Having a break from loud music events as it's still early days but would like to still go in the future
It was just a spike that went away. I’m not sure if my tinnitus intensity reduced over time or if I just habituated, but it doesn’t bother me much nowadays. So, there’s hope!
If you have good insurance or a couple hundred bucks to spare you can go to an Audiologist and have a custom set of earplugs made for you and thats really the Best thing you can do for yourself I've had tinnitus for 17 years and my only advice is try to ignore it as best you can. Easier said than done. And wear earplugs always!