isolation headphones

[Andy Le Blanc]

Any body have a good recommendation for high isolation headphones?

The current gig is going to require 100 to 115 db at the booth and a constant live mix.

I want a pair of fight deck phones with a gated talk back.

I keep seeing this EX29 pair all over the web, any good?, I keep thinking there's better.

[selloutrr]

AKG makes a pair and boss has been advertising a new pair on late night television.

Might i suggest another angle... I work in a similar situation. I have tried the headphones and found them to be a bit to isolating leaving me feeling detached from the music and tired from the high volume tweeters. I've had better luck with custom molded ear plugs I have a set that allows me to change the DB filters from 5db 10db 15db 25db and 40db. while still offering a surprisingly flat frequency response. nothing like the throw away 40db foamies. they are far more comfortable then wearing headphones as my ears begin to get clammy after an hour or so... and nothing is weighting down my head if i need to quickly address an issue. If monitoring is a concern consider a custom molded IEM or in ear monitor with an adaptor to go from 1/8" mini to 1/4", so you can plug into your console or a belt pack. You can get molds made at the ear doctor for custom ear plugs, as well as AES. if you go the route of IEM Ultimate will send you an at home kit. My plugs ran me about $200 for the set but after 6yrs my hearing has not dipped that is priceless!!! My IEM's were over $1k and still comfortable after several hours each night.

[Andy Le Blanc]

That sounds good. What was the brand of plugs allows changing the db filter?
Its to that point, I'm sick of it, I've got a Remote Audio HN7506 coming.
I do understand the ridiculousness of it but the position of the booth and the
demands of the venue are gonna burn the ears off the side of my head.

Already at 105db.... several acts coming through have a tech rider for 115db.
Its 5 - 6 sets no breaks and that's the second day. ..... what.... huh.. really
too loud ?.... say it again......

[selloutrr]

i believe they are H.E.A.R. ear plugs ultimate should also be able to provide a similar product.

[CapnCrunch]

Just googled the recommended options and didn't come up with anything for H.E.A.R but ultimate has these:

www.ultimateears.com/_ultimateears/prod ... _plugs.php

look very interesting. I have tried earplugs a couple of times live, but the standard foam plugs just don't allow you to hear what you need to hear when you are playing live. I have some hearing loss (my wife says a lot of hearing loss) and I'm in my early forties. I may give these a try. If they work as advertised, they will be very cool.

[paulster]

I've got a set of the Ultimate Ears custom earplugs, which use the Etymotic inserts. You can pop them out and pop in the level of attenuating filter you like. Great earplugs.

You can also get the same thing from Etymotic themselves, or a whole load of manufacturers that also use their inserts. These are kind of the industry standard, and you can't go wrong with them.

They are great for gigging too because of the essentially flat frequency response.

It wouldn't help with the mic angle, but the Ultimate Ears IEMs are amazing too, in terms of both attenuation and sound quality. I actually tried popping them in at an arena show when the support band were particularly awful and could happily listen to something completely different on my iPod!

[Andy Le Blanc]

thank you......

When the lead singer has to use foamies you know your in for it.

running two bands a day in a venue where everything is an after thought.....
I don't think the owners have a clue.... whats the OSHA limits for exposures
to high db levels?.....

[Sonny ReVerb]

OSHA noise exposure. Just for you, Andy

[Andy Le Blanc]

Awesome..... many thanks.

The remote audio set came to day. The slightest program thru the thing makes
out side sound vanish, crazy...... the OSHA info is critical. The venue has not
informed or made any considered effort to inform the staff at all, I'll be the
only one in the joint with their ears covered.

[Andy Le Blanc]

The Remote Audio is wonderful, I can understand some of the criticisms
I've seen in reviews. The bass gets lost in high out side volume levels
if you try too hard to keep the program level in the head set too low. But....
it is a nice refuge in a 105db + environment. The mix is better as a result.