Rory's Dad Posted September 3, 2012 Share Posted September 3, 2012 Thems them Rory's Dad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blatman Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 As Gadget has mentioned I have custom moulded earplugs from Green Leopard I use them every day on the bike as well as in the Westfield. They are about 7 or 8 years old now, show no signs of wear and still fit perfectly. I woudn't be without them. They do take a little getting used to as they go in much further than "universal" earplugs. And no matter how clean your ears you'll need a tissue handy when you take them out... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rory's Dad Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 (Thread resurection). Just got mine from Specsavers - nice and comfortable but not tried them out in anger yet. Having taken moulds I thought I would enquire about a second set but they are the same price as the first. Surprisingly I can still have a 'normal' convesation with them in. The Westie in bits while I sort out the bird's nest behind my dash. There are so many tangles and just so much spare wire!!! Start soldering tomorrow . Rory's Dad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NikUK Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 Sorry for a late entry, I have a set for work from Minerva (http://www.minerva-hearingprotection.co.uk) and they are great. I have used them in the Westfield and they help a lot of the noise! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pistonbroke Posted October 10, 2012 Share Posted October 10, 2012 I use two of them foam washing up pad thingy's , one in each lug hole , works a treat and can't hear the wife nagging when I'm driving Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete g Posted October 10, 2012 Share Posted October 10, 2012 http://www.protecthear.co.uk/index-2.html these are the ones we used at work Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KugaWestie Posted October 22, 2012 Share Posted October 22, 2012 Anybody tried these? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/230865637941?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rory's Dad Posted October 22, 2012 Share Posted October 22, 2012 Anybody tried these? http://www.ebay.co.u...984.m1423.l2649 I had quite a fuss getting mine moulded as they put some protective foam down the ear canal first - well second actually cos I needed a syringe first. I would worry about stuffing some stuff down my ear too far... Rory's Dad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the stoat Posted October 22, 2012 Share Posted October 22, 2012 Anybody tried these? http://www.ebay.co.u...984.m1423.l2649 I also got the SpecSavers ones and the difference is a filter that lets you hear relatively normally while blocking out the 'bad' noise. This lets you hear other cars etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dhutch Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 Ive always worn the etymotic research ER20's which I started wearing when working as a lighting techition at the students union which reduce the noise but still allow you hear traffic and conversation. £8 or so on ebay with a case. But I agree that if your starting to have issues with damage I wouldnt hasitate to splash £50-100 on custom made kit if I needed it. But try them first so you know what your asking for. Have a look on this thread too http://www.blue-room.org.uk/index.php?showtopic=54996&st=0&p=453990&fromsearch=1entry453990 Daniel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
congorobot Posted October 26, 2012 Share Posted October 26, 2012 As an NHS Audiologist this topic and the posts make for some interesting reading. Protecting your hearing while in a Westy or similar is essential unless you have no problem with the probability of more than just age related hearing loss in the future. Hearing is a very complicated system which when damaged does not just mean that you cannot hear, or that things need to be louder before you can hear. Other symptoms include recruitment, distortion, and tinnitus. Recruitment occurs where a sound that would be loud to someone with normal hearing become intolerably loud. This can happen at an intensity as low as 80 - 90dB (no more westy fun). There are two types of sensory cells in the cochlea, outer and inner hair cells. The outer hair cells act as a fine tuning mechanism whereby they expand and contract changing the resonance of the membrane on which the inner hair cells are located. The inner hair cells change sound energy from a travelling wave into an electrical impulse which is transmitted to the cortex (very simplified!). You are born with a finite number of these cells and they do not replicate so any damage is permanent. They have about the highest oxygen requirement of any cells in the human body and any disruption can be catastrophic to them. Exposure to loud sound causes metabolic fatigue, and eventually their death. There is a nice graph of safe noise/time exposure here http://www.dangerousdecibels.org/education/information-center/decibel-exposure-time-guidelines/. As hair cells become damaged they loose their frequency specificity, meaning that sounds of other frequencies cause them to start to fire. For the individual this is experienced as a distortion of sound (imagine listening to something with you head under water). Subjective tinnitus very commonly goes hand in hand with hearing loss. Subjective tinnitus is a perception of noise created by the auditory system and is commonly a buzz, whoosh, ringing sensation. Most people habituate to tinnitus, however, at the other extreme some resultantly become suicidal. There are many different brands and types of hearing protection available, disposable, moulded in the ear, and over the ear. One important thing to remember with any of these is that they are only able to attenuate sound via air conduction. You will still be exposed to sound conducted via your backside so to speak. The vibrations of you car will transmitted through bone conduction directly to your inner ear. At most a good set of noise plugs will attenuate about 40dB. I think the different types of protection used will suit each of you differently. I personally use solid moulded silicone plugs and try to reduce as much noise as possible. I also use these when using power tools, especially the grinder! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robo1968 Posted October 26, 2012 Share Posted October 26, 2012 Anyone tried driving with a helmet for more ear protection? I agree with the above post (and long suspected it) regarding vibration going through bones as even with good ear plugs and defenders I still seem to get a ringing in the ears after a blat... almost as if the vibration alone is doing the damage? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blatman Posted October 27, 2012 Share Posted October 27, 2012 Helmets offer little protection for your hearing as there can be significant wind noise generated by the helmet itself. Ask any biker... I wear my earplugs when driving the Westfield as well as on my daily commute on the bike. I have also been known to wear them when driving long distance in a transit van 'cos they can be quite "boomy" when they get going. And I use them when using the grinder and chop saw at work... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman Posted October 27, 2012 Share Posted October 27, 2012 Yeah, back in my aeroscreen days, even with a helmet on, any blat more than half an hour or so used to see me with a ringing headache. (And heaven knows what damage). I tried using earplugs under the helmet and never looked back, no more headaches, it makes a huge difference, and much better for your ears. Even now I've got the windscreen, and don't wear a lid on the road, I still use the ear plugs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rory's Dad Posted October 27, 2012 Share Posted October 27, 2012 I reckon helmet + aeroscreen + no ear protection is noisier than no helmet + windscreen (with deflectors) + no ear protection. I tried putting some tape over the various slots on my helmet to no avail. Rory's Dad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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