OFF: Earplugs---last word (status report:)

[Paul Mather]

I'd like to thank everyone for all the earplugs advice and info.  I field
tested the Sonic IIs at the Metallica gig last night, and was rather
amazed that I had no ringing in the ears whatsoever afterwards.  That was
despite the fact that the concert still sounded bloody loud at the time.
Mind you, unlike other concerts I've been to that were loud, this one was
not *painfully* loud whilst listening; a big difference, qualitatively.

The only downside was that the Sonic IIs were less comfortable than the
foam earplugs I'd tried.  (Acoustically, the Sonic IIs are better,
though.)  They work by passing the sound through a filter in the earplug,
and so you have to make sure you have a nice seal for it to work at its
best.  Maybe I had mine jammed in too tight, I don't know.  All I know is
that they sounded great, and left me with no ringing in the ears
afterwards (which is still hard to believe, given all the explosions that
went on!)

Btw, the gig was great!  I'd advise anyone to go and see them.  They put
on a hell of a show.  And you can't really say you've heard "Sad But True"
until you've heard Metallica play it live through a humongous P.A. (can we
say "trouser-flapping bass??" [literally!])... :-)

Cheers,

Paul.

obCrushingHeaviness: Metallica, "Sad But True"

e-mail: paul at csgrad.cs.vt.edu               A stranger in a strange land.