RTP-area local music and culture

[Mick du Roque <mnick AT nc.rr.com>]

I have some and they are called UltimateEars. Here is their site:

    http://www.ultimateears.com/custom/Musician-Earplugs.htm

The place I got them is in Raleigh... ENT & Audiology. It's off of Blue 
Ridge Road near the Fairgrounds. The Audiologist is Dr. Jenny Head. Here 
is their site:

    http://www.entandaudiology.com

I have the 25 dB model. You can change just the filters so you can 
conceivably have multiple levels of protection with just one set of 
inserts.

The Audiologist make casts of your ear canal. They then send that off to 
UltimateEars and you get your earplugs back in a week or so. The 
cast-making procedure is a little weird. She squirts this gunk in your 
ear that takes about ten minutes to harden before she pulls it out. It a 
strange sensation but not unpleasant. They give you some water-based 
lubricant with them for a super tight seal.

I forgot them when I went to Atlanta to play a show and had to wear the 
dreaded foam plugs. Everything sounded wrong. 

There is an adjustment period and singing will be weird at first because 
you REALLY can hear yourself. Weirdly you can start to hear things that 
you couldn't without them in a loud situation. I can hear the phone ring 
at 506 at the sound board when a band is playing even when the bartender 
cannot and he is standing right by the phone!

Hope this helps!

M

-- 
http://www.stratocruisermusic.com