From: data@cs1.bradley.edu (Mark Hall)
Subject: Re: Earplugs for audiences?
Keywords: earplugs, hearing
Organization: Digilog Technologies : Music/Midi software that works for you.
Date: 15 Sep 92 09:08:08 GMT

In <1992Sep13.163152.10785@ccu.umanitoba.ca> laucht@silver.cs.umanitoba.ca (Matthias Laucht) writes:

>I am glad to hear there is growing interest in ear plugs.

>Have you considered the audience's perspective on performances with such
>high SPL levels that earplugs are needed?

Yes.  The shows I run never have "excessive" SPL.  I couldn't quote numbers,
but the shows have a volume that is COMFORTABLE for the average person to
listen to.  This means *NOBODY* needs earplugs (especially ME) :).

>I have attended several performances where the SPL levels were such
>that I wore earplugs, David Bowie Glass spider tour some years back for example.
>The SPL at my end of the stadium (farthest from the stage - some additional
>speakers at mid field) was up to 135 dB. Who knows what the max level was closer
>to the stage.

I don't see what the point in such excessive SPL is.  I CAN understand though,
that when listening to a ROCK show, you *MAY* wish to "feel" the music
(especially the BASS), but there is a FINE line between appropriate and
Excessive.

>Recently I have become concerned about the effect of such levels
>on my children.

Great!  I applaud you.  You're obviously a concerned parent.  Those are
getting fewer and farther between.

>It is difficult to control the environments my children are exposed to.
>I won't even take my kids to the circus (Shrine and others) because of the
>excessively loud sound levels. My efforts to have levels reduced have failed
>miserably.

Keep trying.  Sometimes these people need a boot to the head to realize what
to the rest of us is common sense.

>If the SR people need to wear ear plugs (I realize
>they are in greater danger because of the number of shows they do)
>what about the audience?

Good point.

>Do  show promoter, performers and SR people not have a responsiblity to keep 
>volumes at a safe level?

YES!  The promoter should express to ALL people that the volume should be
acceptable to all, and if all do not understand what acceptable is, the
promoter should define it.  The SR crew is not always at fault though.  I have
heard stories about sound techs at clubs where the club owner kept at them to
turn it up even though the music became distorted, etc.  When the sound tech
objected he was informed to either do it or be fired.  This isn't right, but
it has been known to happen.  In general though (from my own experience) and
IMHO, the final choice of volume is usually left to the SR team's discretion.
This leaves the master engineer the problem (is it too soft, is it too loud?
or is it just right?).  Our mixing stations usually are half to 2/3s back (or
even ALL the way at the back), and we keep volumes to a point where it is
comfortable for us.  We very seldom have problems with complaints of "too
loud" or "too soft."  Since our hall can be fairly large, we have to run the
mix kind of hot on our board, sometimes resulting in high SPL near the
speakers, and we try to keep those away from most seating, and sometimes those
seats complain...:)  being 20 feet from a speaker feeding about 1200 people in
a place that holds 7000 can make that kind of loud though...:)

Mark

Disclaimer : Not everyone agrees with me.  I don't always even agree with me.
	   :-)
--
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	Today's couples live together until they learn to detest one
	another.  Then they get married.

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