A night at a club or festival is often loud enough to damage hearing in minutes, not hours. The good news: protecting your ears is cheap, easy, and doesn't ruin the music. A pair of decent earplugs and a few habits are all it takes.
If you're new to raves or big concerts, now is the best time to start. Noise damage adds up over years, and once it's done it doesn't heal. Here's what every newcomer should know before the first drop.
How loud is too loud?
Sound is measured in decibels (dB), and the scale is deceptive: every 3 dB increase doubles the sound energy hitting your ears. US safety researchers set the safe limit at 85 dB for 8 hours, and cut that time in half for every 3 dB louder. Concerts and EDM shows commonly run 100 to 120 dB on the floor.
Signs you overdid it
Your ears usually tell you when a night was too loud. Watch for these the next morning:
- Ringing, buzzing or hissing. This is tinnitus. After one loud show it often fades within a day or two.
- Muffled hearing. Voices sound like they're behind a wall, or you keep turning the TV up.
- Fullness. Your ears feel plugged, like on a plane.
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Sound sensitivity. Everyday noises, like dishes or traffic, suddenly feel harsh.
Earplugs 101
The best earplugs are the ones you'll actually wear all night. There are three main types:
- Foam
- High Fidelity
- Custom Molded
High-fidelity earplugs like Downbeats, filters lower volume evenly across bass and treble, so the music still sounds like music. Foam blocks more sound, but it dulls the highs, which is why many people pull foam out halfway through a set.
Built for the dance floor: DownBeats
We make DownBeats for exactly the nights this guide is about: long sets, big systems, and music you actually want to hear.
- 18 dB of noise reduction (NRR 18). That's more than many musician's earplugs, enough to take the edge off a loud floor without killing the mix.
- Even, high-fidelity filtering. Sound is reduced evenly across frequencies, so vocals, hi-hats and bass all stay clear.
- Comfortable and low-profile. Soft, clear silicone in a double-flange shape that's nearly invisible once it's in.
- Two sizes for a better seal in smaller or larger ear canals.
- Reusable, with an aluminum carrying case in black, purple or blue, so they live on your keys or in your bag, not in a drawer.
Grab a pair before your next show and keep them with your ticket.