optimisticzoomer
Salutations my children
- Joined
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TLDR: concerts/festivals are too loud even with earplugs in most cases. Do your research to find the most protective earplugs if you are going to attend
I already have tinnitus and so try to be protective in general
Went to A State of Trance on Sunday, outdoors. Was apprehensive about going, but my brother had booked it, so I went with the idea of having high protection earplugs and not standing close to the front
When I got there, it was ridiculously loud. I put in my foam earplugs (33 dB NRR) for the first 4 hours. I then made the stupid mistake of thinking switching to my "high fidelity" concert earplugs (26 dB SNR, 19 dB NRR) earplugs would give more protection against low frequencies, since these were still extremely loud with the foam earplugs. In hindsight, idk how I thought switching to lower protection (33 vs 19 dB) would provide better protection. It's the higher frequencies that do the most damage anyway. I used these earplugs for the last 2 hours
Here's where the issue is: apparently earplugs rarely reach close to the dB reduction stated in real-world. Actual dB reduction can be even less than half of the advertised value. If we take the high fidelity earplugs, and use the NRR value (19 dB), as this is more conservative than the SNR (26 dB), I can estimate they provided maybe 10-15 dB protection, considering I think they were inserted pretty well
I was maybe 20m from the speakers on a smaller stage (first 4 hours, with the 33 dB foam earplugs, which I will estimate as 15-20 dB actual protection), and 30m from speakers on the main stage (last 2 hours, concert earplugs, 10-15 dB estimation). I was near the sound engineer guys, which is usually around 105 dB average. I was therefore exposed to 85-90 dB for 4 hours, and 90-95 dB for 2 hours. 90 dB is safe for around 2 hours, 95 dB for around 1 hour. So I basically probably exposed myself to double the safe duration before hearing damage occurs
My ears felt fine on the way home. No muffled hearing, no noticeable extra ringing (already have tinnitus). But my tinnitus does seem more pronounced now. Could be partly psychological, due to finding out I was getting less protection than I thought, but it also sounded lounder as soon as I woke up, so idk
Things I am annoyed about: not buying higher protection "high fidelity" earplugs (I thought I was, because I was looking at the more optimistic 26 dB SNR, as opposed to the more realistic 19 dB NRR, which still likely wasn't reached); swapping out my foam earplugs for the concert earplugs for the last 2 hours, mistakenly thinking the foam ones were letting in more low frequencies and that it was damaging; not leaving the stages or the venue entirely once I realised it was too loud. I only stayed because I was with my brother, but should have done what I felt I needed to
I've decided that's the last concert/festival I'm attending. Was meant to go to another with my brother next month, but I'm not gonna go. I only go cos he books them anyway. Interestingly enough, the first proper show I went to 3 years ago, where I likely developed tinnitus (didn't wear earplugs) was Armin van Buuren. The last set on Sunday was also Armin.
@MoggerGaston
I already have tinnitus and so try to be protective in general
Went to A State of Trance on Sunday, outdoors. Was apprehensive about going, but my brother had booked it, so I went with the idea of having high protection earplugs and not standing close to the front
When I got there, it was ridiculously loud. I put in my foam earplugs (33 dB NRR) for the first 4 hours. I then made the stupid mistake of thinking switching to my "high fidelity" concert earplugs (26 dB SNR, 19 dB NRR) earplugs would give more protection against low frequencies, since these were still extremely loud with the foam earplugs. In hindsight, idk how I thought switching to lower protection (33 vs 19 dB) would provide better protection. It's the higher frequencies that do the most damage anyway. I used these earplugs for the last 2 hours
Here's where the issue is: apparently earplugs rarely reach close to the dB reduction stated in real-world. Actual dB reduction can be even less than half of the advertised value. If we take the high fidelity earplugs, and use the NRR value (19 dB), as this is more conservative than the SNR (26 dB), I can estimate they provided maybe 10-15 dB protection, considering I think they were inserted pretty well
I was maybe 20m from the speakers on a smaller stage (first 4 hours, with the 33 dB foam earplugs, which I will estimate as 15-20 dB actual protection), and 30m from speakers on the main stage (last 2 hours, concert earplugs, 10-15 dB estimation). I was near the sound engineer guys, which is usually around 105 dB average. I was therefore exposed to 85-90 dB for 4 hours, and 90-95 dB for 2 hours. 90 dB is safe for around 2 hours, 95 dB for around 1 hour. So I basically probably exposed myself to double the safe duration before hearing damage occurs
My ears felt fine on the way home. No muffled hearing, no noticeable extra ringing (already have tinnitus). But my tinnitus does seem more pronounced now. Could be partly psychological, due to finding out I was getting less protection than I thought, but it also sounded lounder as soon as I woke up, so idk
Things I am annoyed about: not buying higher protection "high fidelity" earplugs (I thought I was, because I was looking at the more optimistic 26 dB SNR, as opposed to the more realistic 19 dB NRR, which still likely wasn't reached); swapping out my foam earplugs for the concert earplugs for the last 2 hours, mistakenly thinking the foam ones were letting in more low frequencies and that it was damaging; not leaving the stages or the venue entirely once I realised it was too loud. I only stayed because I was with my brother, but should have done what I felt I needed to
I've decided that's the last concert/festival I'm attending. Was meant to go to another with my brother next month, but I'm not gonna go. I only go cos he books them anyway. Interestingly enough, the first proper show I went to 3 years ago, where I likely developed tinnitus (didn't wear earplugs) was Armin van Buuren. The last set on Sunday was also Armin.
@MoggerGaston
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