Preventing hearing damage in loud nightclubs

[Prune]

My ears are pretty sensitive and the loudness of Vancouver's nightclubs bothers them quite a bit. I got worried about hearing damage when my father found out he has lost 20% of his hearing, and he used to hang out in loud establishments during his youth (he's in his 40s). Are there any types of ear plugs that will help me but still allow conversation (which already consists of yelling in people's ears at these places anyways). It's not that I like the music and dancing, but the nightclubs are the only places where I can manage to pickup women...

[Cal Weldon]

Pickup women?

Are they the kind that only go with guys in trucks?

Prune, have you tried the squishy foam ones that I refer as as ear tampons? I think they go by the name Deci-damps or something like that. Find them at any hardware store or free if you go to a construction site trailer.

Are they too dampening? Or do you just not like the fact you look a little like Frankenstein when you wear them?

Cal

[audio-kraut]

Hey, if you use deci damps you're gonna have a hard time (not the other hard...) picking up women.

They are very attenuation - I use the around gensets, but I think in work safety shops they have them with various db attenuation ratings av ailable.

And - pickup women are only the ones up here in the north - beware of tehm!

[SY]

Try wearing noise-cancelling headphones. When you get a bit older (I'm older than your dad, cough, cough), you'll bless not being able to hear the stuff that women in nightclubs say.

[audio-kraut]

headphones in a nightclub? - beware the attack of the nerds!

[Prune]

I decided to get the ER-20 from Etymotic, as they have a fairly even frequency response (so speech should remain intelligible), yet are much cheaper than musicians' earplugs (for which you need to get a custom earmold). I'm just wondering how visible they are. I couldn't find any photos of them in use around the Web. I'll post a review when they arrive.

As for women, I'm reminded of a Slashdot post where someone listed the five qualities you can find in a woman: looks, personality, intelligence, sanity, and availability. When looking for a woman, availability has to be a given (not much chance for most guys to steal a woman unless the relationship is already in trouble). From the other four, well, pick any three... I'd rather compromise on sanity (as long as she's not a murderous psycho). Time to start checking out the babes at the local mental institution.

[Geek]

Heh, did the nightclub scene in Maple Ridge and Abbotsford. Here's my discoveries:

Originally posted by Prune
looks

Important. There's reasons the tubes are on the outside of the amp - guy's don't do "look-like-everyone-else" plastic boxes!

personality

The best way to find out a girl's "real" personality is to ask her friends what they think of her.

intelligence

A must. Beware of the mindless, you'll get bored with them.

sanity

This is the MOST important quality. Avoid the insane at all cost. My first wife was insane. Literally and I never knew it. When she went on a destructive rampage, the cops said there's nothing they could legally do, because she was certified.

availability

I have *never* met a girl at nightclubs in the above mentioned towns that *weren't* cheating on their husband's or boyfriend's. Mind you, I was interested in the 30+ crowd.....

[Prune]

There's reasons the tubes are on the outside of the amp - guy's don't do "look-like-everyone-else" plastic boxes!

Too bad girls don't wear their tubes on the outside.

My first wife was insane.

Should have sent her to me.

I have *never* met a girl at nightclubs in the above mentioned towns that *weren't* cheating on their husband's or boyfriend's.

I'm afraid you misunderstood me. When I was talking about qualities, I was talking about long term relationships; when I was talking about nightclubs, I was talking about one night stands. I wouldn't be looking for a wife at a nightclub. Indeed, I probably won't be looking for a wife on this continent...

Mind you, I was interested in the 30+ crowd.....

The Yale on Granville here has that type of crowd. Of course, I go there because I prefer R&B to the rock/pop of the other clubs (though some of these older women can give one a pretty good time).

[Geek]

Originally posted by Prune
Should have sent her to me.

Nah, I like you.

(though some of these older women can give one a pretty good time).

You betchum!

[Prune]

The ER-20 work as advertised. The curve does dip in the highs, but above what's necessary for conversation. They do look kind of funny, with parts sticking out of your ear canal, but on the other hand it can make for a conversation subject. The only problem is that I'm not too happy with the comfort level, but I tend to have the same problem with other earplugs and canalphones, so they probably feel better for most people.