I have been DJ’ing over 12 years and in the last two years I developed tinnitus from antibiotics. Anyways it’s mainly in my left ear and it’s pretty loud the frequency if i were to guess is 10,000hz so it’s hard to mask it. I am a mobile DJ, not a club dj so I’m not exposed to 97 -105 db’s when I play but I play longer typically 4 hours. If I were to guess the average db level it would be around 87 decibels but it can get in the mid 90 decibels from time to time.
Most EDM is recorded way too freakin loud and Traktor’s auto-gain sometimes doesn’t lower the track enough. When I DJ I wear 15 db musicians ear plugs, I got accustomed to them and I actually now can play effectively with them on. I messed up a lot at 1st with them on, sometimes it’s harder to hear effects I’m using. Sometimes I will keep my headphones on monitoring music but sometimes there off and I’m just using it as extra protection.
I’m going to have to measure the volume in my headphones to make sure I pre set the level to something that will not be too loud. I don’t want my tinnitus to get worse it already really distresses me. Would a 15 db filter be fine or should I use a 25 db filter? I don’t think I can dj with a 25 db filter. Even if you don’t have tinnitus what would you do? quit? keep using the 15 db ear plugs? bump up to 25 db filters? I will appreciate your advice.
It took me awhile to start dj’ing again I had a great fear of it for awhile.
Unfortunately hearing damage is irreparable, so you should stop expose your hearing to loud nosies. But that don’t mean you should stop DJing! Just spend some serious money on good earplugs (best one will be made especially for your earshape), and put the booth/monitor volume knob down!
I personally always wear earplugs, even if I go dancing to club Our ears are our tool!
You could use IEMs which basically act both as ear plugs and headphones, and you could even wear isolating headphones on top to block out more noise if it gets really loud.
If you decide to keep doing it, please please please do everything you can to protect your ears. Use musician’s earplugs, IEM’s, DJ at low volumes, turn down booth monitors, anything and everything you can think of. Tinnitus only gets worse over time.
Thanks guys I’m using molded Westone Etymotic musicians ear plugs. When you smile or eat the seal loosens up and some noise slips through. I’m sure a few seconds of exposure shouldn’t worsen things. I also use my headphones to protect my hearing too. If you have tinnitus for some reason it gets temporarily really bad after wearing earplugs for a long time. Chelated Magnesium sometimes helps it and Xanax surprisingly works better than anything. I hope all you guys and girls wear ear plugs, tinnitus is worse than having a swarm of eye floaters.
When I got my molded ear plugs, my ENT gave me some great advice on managing the ringing. So far, so good.
The 15dB plugs have been GREAT. I was able to use them effectively almost from day one to DJ. When I am in the audience, I do have a set of the 25dB plugs…and those are AWESOME…but take out just a bit too much for my to DJ. If I am still doing this in a few more years, I will be getting a wireless IEM system.
The latest research suggests that while noise may aggravate the problem, that the actual “ringing” is not in the ears, but in the brain. I find that Mindfulmess Meditation has been VERY helpful in managing the effects of the ringing on my day to day life.
Thank you for the links I’ll read it and play the audio file. I have habituated to a certain extent but I can get really volatile from time to time. My message to the rest of the DJ’S stay away from otoxic medications if taken In high doses.
I’m going to bump this thread because it’s very import for anyone here who happens to be playing out often.
I have tinnitus in my right ear. Audiologist tells me I have hearing loss at the frequency of my tinnitus but can hear well above and below that range. It’s only in my right ear and this is the ear I queue and listen with for beat matching so sometimes my HD-25s got pumped loud. At the same time I was always on the monitor and head phone volume and only really bumped things when I needed it loud to keep the beat mix tight..
What I want to say is that I cut back DJing live in 2006 upon a move and a career opportunity and played out a bit until 2009.
I woke up one day with tinnitus in 2012, I hadn’t stepped into a night club in over a year! I was playing often for about eight years, I’m old now
Audiologist tells me it’s not unexpected to damage your ears and only realize it later.
Earplugs folks! There’s no reason not to use them, it’s easier to mix when it’s at a relaxed level and you can hear everything fine. It’s so important to protect your ears and tinnitus is a nasty bite.
I’ve learned to cope with it and let it just be part of life now and it’s not as nerve wracking as it was for the first year I had it. I’ve only started mixing records again for the last 6 months, it hit in the fall of 2012 just after I hit 40. I just can’t stop!
I provide PA and work as a sound engineer for other DJs. I fight a HUGE battle at every event over the SPL. It seems that no DJ believes that a channel fader can actually go down.
I almost never have to wear ear plugs at events where I run the sound. That is until I get a rock-star wanna be who just can not stand not to have their ears bleeding while they play.
Westone Etymotic musicians ear plugs. Go to an Audiologist and get them fitted.
Our ears are our tool!
