hearing protection

[Lance Lafargue]

Why are the filters useless??  I use 25 db filters, lowering the volume,
but NOT distorting the frequency at all.  Mine cost about $125 total.  They
are custom fit by Westone- "musician's earplugs".  I occasionally take out
the plug (in the ear faced away from the volume) when tuning the high
treble because of the quick decay.  Well worth the $.
Lance Lafargue, RPT
New Orleans Chapter
Covington, LA.
lafargue@iamerica.net

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> From: Leslie W Bartlett <lesbart@juno.com>
> To: pianotech@ptg.org
> Subject: hearing protection
> Date: Monday, August 04, 1997 10:42 PM
> 
> Dear List	
> 
> Some months ago there was a thread going on "hearing protection".  I
> mentioned I owned a set of Rock Stars II plugs, very expensive, with
> which I'd not had enough experience to report about their effectiveness.
> 
> Recently the audiologist who ordered my plugs did a program for the
> Guild, and she did significant research before her presentation, since we
> are a unique challenge to the field.  Evidently the RS II plugs with none
> of the filters offers about a 10db attenuation across the spectrum.  The
> plugs come with six sets of little plastic filters, which, to my
> experience, are virtually useless. But the open tube, offering minimal
> dampening has been a delight to use.
> 
> Yesterday I tuned in a school room where the music teacher had a radio
> playing softly.  I put the plugs in with the open tube, which is elbow
> shaped, and can be rotated, pointing to the piano, and there was no bleed
> over from the radio.  I did have a bit of a challenge when, in another
> classroom, two teachers were singing childrens' songs while I tuned!
> (It's incredible how either ignorant or inconsiderant folks can be about
> how their noise affects others.....)  On large grands, it might be that a
> filter, which adds further attenuation at specified  hertz levels, would
> be worth using.  I don't tune a lot of those, so can't offer an opinion
> in that regard.
> 
> I seldom tune without the plugs anymore. I am sold on their value. After
> a full day of tuning my arm was tired, but my ears were not.  Expensive,
> they are, but the cost could be lowered quite a bit if the plugs came
> only with the open tube in them, since the filters seem to drive the cost
> up quite a bit. 
> 
> 
> Leslie Bartlett
> 
> lesbart@juno.com