EARS!

[KevMaverick]

To us DJ type people, ears are great things! We couldn't do our job without them...

So here's a little story about ears...

Some of you might remeber that I had to do several gigs over Christmas and New Year whilst suffering from an ear infection that left me deaf on the left side. Well it cleared up partially, and finally, today I saw a specialist who did some stuff that cleared it up completely.

This was at 10am on the morning, and I then rushed to set up my gear for a booking at 12.00 - a wake. So I get to the gig and find that the only place I can set up the speakers is BEHIND me!

I started at 12.00 and finished at 11.00pm - a long 11 hours! And because the speakers, at EXACTLY my ear level had to be loud in a very full room, I have awful ringing in my ears!

Funny things ears!

[daniel clark]

smilieys dont have ears so many things wrong but you survived better luck at your next gig

[KevMaverick]

Thanks Daniel. It was very noisy for me! But I got to try my new speakers out, and they were GOOD! They were WAY more powerful than I expected, and I had the amplifiers only set to half-way, and the same on the mixer. I was too frightened to push them any further, but in that room, and with my poor ears so close, I didn't need to do it!

[daniel clark]

good idea ,chance to test then at a better oppunity, shhh

[KevMaverick]

I need lots of shush right now!

I'd like to take that test again that the doctor gave me - I'd like to bet that the reults wouldn't be as good!

It's the price I have to pay - music is my life, and if it has to be loud, it has to be LOUD!

Now shush please... I'm off to read a book - very quietly!

[christiankoopmann]

Hey,

I use always my ear protectors like when mixing at parties or going to club to make party ( not mixing just visiting with friends and have fun )
I forgot them two times and it also ends in this ring tone at the way to go home. I protect them as often I can because without my ears working 100% I can't do my job. So every gig or party where I go I leave my home not with my little blue ear protectors they are special for loud noises. They protect the dangerous frequencies up to 23db and some of them up to 31dB. The good thing is that I can speak with other people Without taking them out because of its active filtering.
The result is I can hear with my mp3 player on the lowest volume (I have to push lower 3 times when enabling my little iPod shuffle for jogging) much friends asked me when taking my iPod if there is something on because they can't hear any music at this volume level.
But it can also be a problem to hear as detailed. Some of my power supplies and lamps create noises so I hear them at night and can't left my computer running to do something.
But I prefer you to buy those ear protectors. Good things costs round 30€ and do a good job and are also not really visible in the ears so no body will ask you what you have I the ears;) you can use them also under the headphone so no need to take them out.

Regards
Christian

[daniel clark]

Hey,

I use always my ear protectors like when mixing at parties or going to club to make party ( not mixing just visiting with friends and have fun )
I forgot them two times and it also ends in this ring tone at the way to go home. I protect them as often I can because without my ears working 100% I can't do my job. So every gig or party where I go I leave my home not with my little blue ear protectors they are special for loud noises. They protect the dangerous frequencies up to 23db and some of them up to 31dB. The good thing is that I can speak with other people Without taking them out because of its active filtering.
The result is I can hear with my mp3 player on the lowest volume (I have to push lower 3 times when enabling my little iPod shuffle for jogging) much friends asked me when taking my iPod if there is something on because they can't hear any music at this volume level.
But it can also be a problem to hear as detailed. Some of my power supplies and lamps create noises so I hear them at night and can't left my computer running to do something.
But I prefer you to buy those ear protectors. Good things costs round 30€ and do a good job and are also not really visible in the ears so no body will ask you what you have I the ears;) you can use them also under the headphone so no need to take them out.

Regards
Christian

:!:
think i needed to repeat this from cris because kev needs to HEAR this

[christiankoopmann]

Hey,

thanks daniel for thie information. Kev it was not my intension to speak bad down or something else just as an information. I had this too in the past and I just want to say that we need your ears and to protect them should be one of our first missions on every gig.
I know sometimes the only way to setup the speakers is behind or right and left of the DJ stand and its very loud. The problem then is not only the volume of the speakers to hear sound of the CUE of the headphone you have to higher the volume of the headphone so there is the second danger for us. I know from my headphones they can create 120dB and this is not good for ears .

I have some of them but in a blue edition (was limited now it is white or silver) http://www.thomann.de/gb/alpine_musicsafe_pro_white_edition.htm

They have changeable filters and a nice box to store them save for transport.

regards
Christian

[Blackbrook]

I can only agree with Christian! If I am out (clubbing or gigging), I always have my ear protection with me. If I am a guest and out for clubbing I wear them if it is getting over a treshold. If I am djing I am wearing them till I have to play, because then I am mixing with my headphones on (which I do not take off until I finish my set).

[KevMaverick]

Hey,

thanks daniel for thie information. Kev it was not my intension to speak bad down or something else just as an information. I had this too in the past and I just want to say that we need your ears and to protect them should be one of our first missions on every gig.
I know sometimes the only way to setup the speakers is behind or right and left of the DJ stand and its very loud. The problem then is not only the volume of the speakers to hear sound of the CUE of the headphone you have to higher the volume of the headphone so there is the second danger for us. I know from my headphones they can create 120dB and this is not good for ears .

I have some of them but in a blue edition (was limited now it is white or silver) http://www.thomann.de/gb/alpine_musicsafe_pro_white_edition.htm

They have changeable filters and a nice box to store them save for transport.

regards
Christian

Thank you for this information Christian. If I'd known about those before I would have used them myself. I know the venue well and have seen the djs with their speakers on the floor, which doesn't look or sound very impressive - I wanted to use my stands and should have realised that I'd have to set them up behind me.

I'm going to a DJ equipment store next week, so I'll add a set of those to my list of things to buy, otherwise I'll get some from the internet.

Thanks for the advice - I'll protect my ears next time!