DJs expound the importance of ear safety at showsSunset Music Festival

DJs expound the importance of ear safety at shows

It takes a mere 15 minutes to damage one’s ears at a show, where the volume more often than not exceeds 100 decibels. For avid music aficionados who prefer to spend their free time seeing their favorite artists live, the consequences can be disastrous. Some might develop permanent hearing loss in one or both ears, while others—like crossover icon Zedd, as a prime example—might develop the headache-inducing ringing that comes with tinnitus. This is why it is of utmost importance to protect the ears at all costs if one intends on safely enjoying concerts well into old age, and thankfully, the conversation around ear safety is quite literally getting louder.

Despite more activism on the hearing front and increased emphasis on ear protection, it’s easy to see just by walking through a crowd how many people continue to risk it and choose to observe their music with bare ears. Those who do risk it often attribute their choices to not being able to hear the music fully with ear plugs, having issues talking at a show, or plain discomfort. Many ultimately decide that if they can’t afford the $150-200 for a pair of custom ear plugs, then they might as well not use any at all.

Here’s where we’d like to take the time to gently remind these people that luckily, in today’s modern age, companies have risen to the demands of average consumers. A whole mid-tier range of ear plugs now exist that are built to offer comfort and quality at an affordable price. Take the brand Zound, for example, which makes their earplugs specifically with a concert-goer in mind. With a retail rate of $40 for a 22 decibel noise reduction (very high for this price range), plus a “one size fits all” approach with its sleek design, ear plugs like these are more than worth the investment. Not to mention, if one loses their pair, it won’t break the bank to replace due to the accessible pricing.

If earplugs like Zound mentioned above still don’t encourage proper ear protection, Dancing Astronaut has assembled a rising DJs Rinzen, Jarvis, and Shadient to explain just how crucial it is to preserve ear health when going to shows.

DJs expound the importance of ear safety at showsRinzen Prologue Press Shot
Photo credit: Michael Drummond

Rinzen

“As producers and DJs, our ears are the most valuable tools we have. Protecting them is paramount. I couldn’t imagine doing this job without my hearing.”

DJs expound the importance of ear safety at showsJarvis Credit Chelone Wolf Photography
Photo credit: Chelone Wolf Photography

Jarvis

“I make sure to carry my ear plugs on me at all times. Good quality ones filter out the high frequencies but still allow you to enjoy the bass clearly. That ringing you hear in your ears after a loud night out is caused by damaged ear hair cells, they never grow back so you’ll never hear those frequencies again. If you value your hearing you have to protect it as much as you can!”

DJs expound the importance of ear safety at showsShadient Credit Ishashah Photography
Photo credit: Ishashah Photography

Shadient

“Protecting my ears has always been a crucial principle of mine. having already lost 30% of my hearing in one of my ears and suffering with tinnitus – i cannot express how important it is to take care of your hearing as much as you do your other parts of your body. especially if you love music!”

Zound is having a 50% off their earplugs during EDC week. Head here for more information.

Feature photo credit: Alex Perez

Tags: , , , ,

Categories: ,