How loud is too loud?
NIOSH considers 85 decibels safe for eight hours. Every 3 decibels above that doubles the rate of damage and cuts the safe exposure time in half. It adds up faster than almost anyone expects.
| Sound level | Safe exposure time | Roughly |
|---|---|---|
| 85 dBA | 8 hours | Heavy city traffic |
| 91 dBA | 2 hours | Gas mower, power tools |
| 94 dBA | 1 hour | Loud machinery |
| 100 dBA | 15 minutes | Nightclub, motorcycle |
| 106 dBA | under 4 minutes | Loud concert |
| 112 dBA | about 1 minute | Front of a stage |
| 115 dBA | about 28 seconds | Siren at close range |
A loud concert commonly sits between 100 and 110 decibels for two or three hours. The arithmetic is not close.
Figures are NIOSH recommended exposure limits, which use an 85 dBA eight hour limit and a 3 dB exchange rate. OSHA's enforceable workplace limit is less protective at 90 dBA with a 5 dB exchange rate.
Why custom, and not foam
Foam plugs do work, and they are far better than nothing. The problem is that they muffle everything indiscriminately, which is why most people take them out partway through the thing they were protecting themselves from.
Custom protection is molded to your ear from an impression we take in office. It seals properly, it stays comfortable for hours, and it can be built with filters that reduce volume evenly so music still sounds like music, or that attenuate a specific frequency range for a specific job.
That last point matters more than people realize. A dental hygienist working around high-pitched handpieces and ultrasonic scalers has a very different exposure profile than someone running a chainsaw, and the right earpiece for each is not the same earpiece.
Built for what you actually do.
Shooting & Range
High attenuation protection molded to seal completely, built for repeated impulse noise at the range.
Hunting
Protection that still lets you hear your surroundings, so situational awareness is not the thing you trade away.
Concerts & Musicians
Filtered to bring the whole spectrum down evenly, so the music stays clear instead of turning muddy.
Industrial & Trades
Corded options for daily use on the job, comfortable enough to keep in for a full shift.
Yard Work & Equipment
Mowers, blowers, and power tools sit in the range that does damage over years of Saturdays.
Swim, Sleep & Dental
Watertight swim plugs, sleep plugs molded for side sleeping, and protection tuned for high frequency dental instruments.
Product photography provided by our custom earpiece laboratory and used with permission.
How it works
- We look in your ears first, and clear the canal if needed
- We take an impression in office, which takes only a few minutes
- We talk through filters and attenuation for your specific use
- The lab builds them, and we fit and check them when they arrive
If you already wear hearing aids, custom protection is still worth having. They are different tools for different situations, and the protection is what keeps the hearing you have.
Come get impressions taken. It takes minutes.
Call us, or send a request and we will follow up. Please leave medical details out of the form; we will cover those in person.
Request an Appointment