by Dionne Payn
Custom earplugs have many advantages over traditional forms of hearing protection (foam earplugs and earmuffs), such as increased levels of sound quality, comfort and cost effectiveness.
Why sound quality is important
High frequency sound is reduced more than the mid to low frequencies by traditional forms of hearing protection. This is one of the reasons that sound seems muffled when you are wearing foam earplugs. This makes it difficult to hear the fine detail in music, hear warning signals and hear conversations.
It is a common misconception that the highest level of attenuation (noise reduction) in hearing protection is best. Unfortunately, if you cut out too much noise it can make you feel “closed in” and isolated from those around you. Traditional forms of hearing protection are often only available in one attenuation level and as a consequence, more than 50% of people that should wear them don’t.
Another downside to overprotection is that you may remove your hearing protection so you can take part in conversations, but this reduces the effectiveness of the hearing protector.
There are custom earplugs available with a range of filters that allow you to choose the correct filter to suit your noise environment, whether you are a musician, motorcyclist, or a professional working in the noisy industries. This means you aren’t going to have too little or too much attenuation, both of which are situations you want to avoid.
For custom earplugs, it is important to get ear canal impressions that extend past the second bend of the ear canal. This means that a deep seal is created with the bony part of the ear which minimises the closed in feeling (or occlusion effect) and makes for a more natural sounding earplug.
Custom earplugs also reduce the occlusion effect as they contain vents which allow trapped low-frequency sound to escape.
Custom earplugs and comfort
Around fifty per cent of people that should wear hearing protection don’t, often because they find them uncomfortable to wear. Ear muffs are often uncomfortable in extreme heat as they cause sweating and ear soreness. Ear muffs can also interfere with other personal protective equipment such as eye protection, which can lead to reduced effectiveness of your hearing protection.
Disposable and reusable foam earplugs need to be inserted deep into the ear to reduce noise levels effectively. Unfortunately, because they place pressure on the ear canal, they can be uncomfortable to wear for long periods of time. Its tempting to remove them to give your ears a break, but if you are in a noisy environment this really reduces the effectiveness of your hearing protectors.
The better quality custom earplugs are made from an impression of the ear which extends past the second bend of the ear canal. As they are moulded to the ear, they provide a perfect fit.
The comfort factor of custom earplugs is also determined by the material they are made of. Some manufacturers use acrylic, which some people report is hard and cold in the ear. In addition, acrylic doesn’t flex as the body moves and can result in air gaps between the earplug and the ear canal. These air gaps allow noise to leak into the ear and treduces the effectiveness of the earplugs.
The better quality custom earplugs are made from a soft silicone material which flexes with body movement. Regardless of whether you are dancing, eating or talking they always maintain a good seal.
How cost effective are they?
The low upfront cost of traditional hearing protectors seems to give them the edge of custom earplugs. However, the costs soon mount up if you use disposable earplugs regularly. As a conservative estimate, professionals involved in noisy industries use on average three pairs of foam earplugs per day. The cost of a pair of foam earplugs can be as low as 16 cents per pair if they are bought in bulk, but for small quantities (less than 200) can be as much as 30 cents per pair. This equates to between $115 – $216 per year (based on a figure of 240 days worked per year)
On the other hand, custom made earplugs often cost much less than this when you consider how long they last for. High quality custom earplugs last for four years and even the most expensive will cost only $88 per year!
Of course another cost relates to the environmental waste of using disposable earplugs. If we take the previous example, if you use three pairs of disposable earplugs per day, over four years you will have thrown away 5760 earplugs!
Imagine a pile of 5760 used disposable earplugs sitting next to 2 custom made earplugs.
Custom earplugs do have a high upfront cost, though you can find companies that offer a money back guarantee which will reduce your risk.Also try and find a company that will replace or repair your custom earplugs in case the material or filter is defective.
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earPLUG are passionate about helping you to lose the noise … not your hearing. Visit our website to read more information on
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Tags: Music by Dionne Payn
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