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dj tips on hearing protection

DJ man returns with a word to the wise...

This month we welcome back our very own DJ-Man, who passes on some good advice on a very important topic - hearing protection!

Take it away DJ-Man...

Hey AudioMan.  Thanks for having me back. 

As sound systems become more powerful, and new portable listening devices hit the market an increasing number people are experiencing a loss of hearing, this group consists mostly of grade school students and musicians.  It's important that you think about your hearing before the damage may have been done.   It’s not cool when you can't hear, so you might want to listen up.

Exposure to excessively loud levels of noise can't always be avoided, but we can do things to prevent damage to our ears.  At first, the hearing loss may only be temporary, with hearing returning to normal after several hours or days.  But, if exposure occurs repeatedly the ears will eventually lose their ability to bounce back, resulting in permanent hearing degeneration.

There are three kinds of hearing loss:

  • Acoustic Trauma - This causes immediate and permanent hearing damage. This happens when a person is exposed to a sudden, extreme noise, in excess of 140 decibels.
  • Temporary Threshold Shift - This is a noise induced chemical imbalance in the inner ear and will go away when time is spent away from the noise source.
  • Permanent Threshold Shift - This is noise induced hearing loss caused by damage to the cochlea, an organ covered with tiny hairs and nerves. The higher frequencies are where this type of hearing loss is first noted because the hairs for those frequencies are more fragile. This is the usual type of damage that leads people to believe that they are "getting used to the noise."  What is really happening is that the damaged ear can no longer hear the damaging frequencies as well and therefore the perceived volume is lower.
So what can you as a musician do to help protect your hearing? Here are some suggestions:

Position the band or DJ setups behind the dance floor speakers. It's obviously not nearly as noisy behind the speakers as it is in front of them. If you're working in a venue where the dance floor is overpowering your monitor, turn the monitor off. With a little practice and warm-up you can learn to compensate for the delay created by signal processors, remote amplifiers, and echo. 

For beginning DJs, train yourself to mix and monitor at very low volume levels. You'll find that there is a natural tendency to turn the headphones and or monitors too loud while learning to mix thereby requiring the same (possibly damaging) level once you've gotten the knack for it. Leave the headphone slightly off your ear to soften the impact. If you've learned your music well enough, you don't need to hear the music clearly, just well enough to discern the beats. I use JVC's HANC100 DJ Headphone, it's noise canceling enhances listening even at low volume levels!

Purchase headphones tailor made for DJs. DJ style headphones provide better sound quality and are much easier on your ears than the small ear bud style headphones often used with portable CD MP3s and I pods. This small style of earphone was originally meant for listening at much lower decibel levels due to the fact that they pump directly into the ear canal. There is a full spectrum of DJ style headphones to use with portable listening devices, and the sound quality of these headphones are far superior in addition to being safer on your ears.

Consult a physician. If you perform regularly and are exposed to loud noises for extended periods of time, you should see an audiologist to make sure your hear remains in check. Many people don't think twice about getting their eyes examined on a regular basis, readily purchasing glasses or contact lenses if necessary, and yet neglecting to take care of their ears. 

Grandma's chicken soup. Nutritional supplements are another way you can protect yourself, Research in this area has found correlations between serum magnesium levels and noise induced permanent hearing threshold shifts. What does that all mean? Go down to your local drug store and buy a bottle of magnesium supplements. You'll be less likely to receive permanent ear damage once you do. 

Lastly give your ears a rest for 24 hours after exposure to dangerous levels of noise.

These simple tips will greatly help you keep your hearing, a cause most definitely worth the time and effort. A musician's hearing is their ultimate gift, without it, it is very difficult to perform, and you will miss out on a lot of life too.

Back to you AudioMan...AudioMan...Hey! AudioMan!

What?...Huh? Did you say something?

Thanks a lot DJ-Man. Another great article! 

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