Back when I was young, which sometimes seems an eternity ago,
someone taught me the "before closing the front door catechism." It consisted
of saying, "testicles, spectacles, wallet and keys..." while physically touching
the places they were located on my body. It works. After more than 60 years on
earth I've never locked myself out of my domicile. But in recent years I've
made a couple of changes in the routine. Now I include "iPod and earplugs" at
the end of the list.
Why earplugs? Because I still can hear 12 kHz test tones (most
recent test a month ago), and I'd like to keep it that way. It's amazing how
many situations I encounter out in the world that call for sound level
attenuation. And if you don't have earplugs readily available, your hearing
suffers. I can't tell you how many times I've resorted to earplugs in movies,
and once I get on an airplane the earplugs or sound-isolating in-ears go on and
don't come off till I reach my destination.
Which earplugs do I favor? Over the years I've tried almost
every type and I usually gravitate toward the passive noise-blocking soft
triple-flange variety available from companies like Etymotic and Hear Now. Etymotic also has some "active" earplugs that
employ noise cancelling, but I've never tried those. For my needs the passive
varieties have always worked quite well. As with in-ear monitors, the most
important thing is a comfortable but completely sealed fit for maximum
effectiveness.
The reason I include an iPod in my list of "must haves" is less
for its ability to play music than the apps inside. For me, the must-have app
is an SPL meter. The question, "Exactly how loud IS that?" is one that I have
constantly rattling around in my brain. I keep three apps on my iPod Touch to
keep me informed - Decibel, Decibel Ultra, and Audio Tools. There are probably
others, given the way apps tend to proliferate, but these three give me more
than enough choices. Etymotic also has a new app called, "Awareness" that
features "programmable noise isolation" when listening to music via Etymotic
noise isolating phones. While it doesn't offer more isolation, it does allow
you to blend in outside noise to reduce the isolation so you can hear outside
noise, which would be handy if you need to hear when your plane is landing...
So, the next time you leave home, think about adding earplugs
and an iPod with and SPL meter app. Your ears will thank you for it.
