I suffer from tinnutis and rely on filters.

The MusicSafe Pro system has been a godsend to me over the past couple of years - three different levels of filter offering varying levels of protection that come in a tidy little case.All at a reasonable price of twenty odd quid.

sometimes. Recently been using silicone ones that are very comfortable. Can't recommend them enough.

I bought some Elacin plugs from www.hearingprotection.co.uk to wear whilst I was drumming. I'm losing hearing in my right ear and get bouts of tinnutis and almost certainly came to practice of protecting my hearing way too late.

The harder you push them in the more sound they exclude and they come on a lanyard which makes them easy to take in and out. They are comfortable for up to about an hour or so.

I've worn them a few times at gigs; I'm sure people think "soft git / lightweight" but I'm past caring. They do change the sound - a lot of the top and bottom goes which usually makes things better. I do find that if I don't put them in straight away (i.e. if I'm trying to work out if I need them or not) it never sounds so good once they are in.

More recently I've started taking the foam ones I get given on flights. They do enough to take the edge off and you can chuck them away afterwards.

Living in house with 3 teenagers and squeaky floors, the only way I get a good nights sleep is with these http://bit.ly/g9bbVk .

the problem is that they tend to shut out the high end more than the low end and , if you are like me, it is the upper register where the hearing loss is worst .

All those who think plugs at gigs are for lightweights should see if they can cope with tinnitus 24/7 as I have done after standing too close for too long in front of the speakers at a Sadies gig last December. Didn't think it was especially loud at the time and had a ball that night but it's left a permanent high-pitched reminder and after seeing various ENT consultants and had MRI scans etc, I'm now in the process of managing it. There were loads of other people standing near me that night and I doubt they all came away with permanent tinnitus but it does show how easy it is to be affected.

I'd advocate that all promoters and venue owners (especially the smaller ones) be required to provide free earplugs and warning notices as to the potential dangers of hearing loss and tinnitus.

I use Alpine MusicSafe at loudish gigs and also find good old cotton wool helps as well - it's not so muffled. I got through Glastonbury this year with no problems. I also try and stand towards the back if I can.

two unused pairs from My Bloody Valentines's return tour three years back. With criminal disregard for my own hearing i never used them. On the drive back to Aberdeen after the gig (in Glasgow) "Virginia Plain" came on the radio. Bryan sounded like he was underwater and the only person clear in the mix was Andy Mackay. Radio Five it had to be.

I always take my alpine musicsafe ones these days. There's a choice of attenuation levels and they're very comfortable.
There's quite a lot of info on the rnid site.

If you're in the sticks, just drop into your nearest Huntin' Shootin' and Fishin' establishment; the Countrywide chain are ideal. Buy some earplugs designed for clay shooters, they're about £10 to £15, and come in a little placcy box. They filter out the sharp loud stuff (like the crack from nitro cartridges) but allow enough 'normal' sound through so you can still converse without having to hoik them part way out or bellow like an elephant seal at everyone.

What you want is generally referred to as 'musician's earplugs' and attenuate the volume without changing the frequencies, thus ensuring it still sounds good. Personally, i think it is appalling that some people who pay money for a good time are coming away from gigs with permanent ear damage. Why, you might ask, do the musicians protect their hearing but think it is ok for the audience to suffer potential tinnitus, a condition which is not curable, and is deeply unpleasant for many? I know it's old fart territory but it can be plenty loud without reaching ear damage levels. I was naive once, but now I am very wary of people who think volume is some sort of macho assertion and/or a substitute for musicianship. I would say always pack a pair of those earplugs as an emergency option, for safety. The people at the gig don't care about your ears, you definitely should, if you love music. As witnessed above, one exposure to extreme levels can be enough for some people to be stuck with tinnitus for life. Others will get away with it, but find the cumulative effect of such encounters has the same result. Seriously not worth it.

http://www.etymotic.com/ephp/erme.html

They do a range of musicians earplugs which filter differing combinations of frequencies depending on what sort of music you're playing/listening to.

Enough for ten gigs.

My thoughts on excessive volume at gigs echo those viewed above.

Someone will be sued soon, and rightly so. What happens at too many gigs constitutes physical assault leaving lasting damage. And we hand over money to suffer it.

I must thank the above for the suggestions. After a lifetime of Sony Walkmans, gigs, recording studios etc I now suffer from permanent Tinnutus which, frankly, is not good. When I walk down the street and now look at people with headphones on listening to music on the ubiquitious Ipod or MP3 player I now think well it really is a bonkers thing to do isn't it, stuff a headphone in your ear and blast it with noise.