Music Audiology Services
Hearing Health Care for Musicians
How loud is too loud?
Average human ears can accommodate the sound of an explosion, but also hear a pin drop. Our ears are delicate powerhouses, so we should treat them with care. Prolonged exposure to sound levels around 85 decibels (dB) is when permanent damage starts to happen. The greater the volume and exposure, the greater the risk.
Learn how to rock out responsibly
Turn it down - Keep stage volume at a minimum. Rehearse at moderate volume levels and save it for the show.
Protect your ears - Use custom hearing protection (earplugs)
Know your levels - Measure the decibel level.
It's not just musicians and the audience who need ear protection.
Many professional public address (PA) systems are cranked up! Everyone present is risking noise-related hearing damage. Filtered hearing protection devices are great for musicians, audio engineers, photo and video personnel, management, concert enthusiasts, bartenders, etc.
Why do my ears ring and my hearing sounds muffled after a concert?
You're experiencing a temporary threshold shift. If your hearing is muffled after noise exposure, it's likely your hearing system was overloaded. Ringing ears after a show signal damage to the ear.
Sound levels at modern concerts are typically 100-120 dB. These intense sound levels at concert venues, practice spaces, and recording studios can cause permanent hearing loss.
Why are my ears ringing and my hearing is muffled after a concert?
You're experiencing a temporary threshold shift. If your hearing is muffled after noise exposure, it's likely your hearing system was overloaded. Ringing ears after a show signal damage to the ear.
Sound levels at modern concerts are typically 100-120 dB. These intense sound levels at concert venues, practice spaces, and recording studios can cause permanent hearing loss.
How loud is too loud?
Average human ears can accommodate the sound of an explosion but also hear a pin drop. Our ears are delicate powerhouses, so we should treat them with care. Prolonged exposure to sound levels around 85 decibels (dB) is when permanent damage starts to happen. The greater the volume, the greater the risk.
When is the sound around you reaching the danger zone? Try speaking to someone who is three feet away; if they can't hear you clearly, it's time to employ some hearing protection. Get a sound level meter app! If it's over 85 dB, then wear ear plugs.
How can I protect my hearing?
To schedule a hearing evaluation, call the Marion Downs Center at 303-322-1871.
We will assess your hearing sensitivity, offer solutions to mitigate any hearing loss or tinnitus, and find a solution to protect your future hearing.
Regular foam ear plugs block out lots of treble and very little bass, which ruins sound quality. Using state-of-the-art sound filters, custom music hearing protection reduces the volume that reaches your ears without sacrificing good, natural sound quality.
We offer CUSTOM HEARING PROTECTION including custom-fit, filtered earplugs with medical grade silicone.
We conduct fit-esting at our clinic to ensure comfort and verify they're blocking out the required amount of noise, while still allowing speech to be heard.
Your hearing can last a lifetime. Protect it!
How can I protect my hearing?
Schedule a hearing evaluation by calling Marion Downs Center at 303-322-1871.
We will assess your hearing sensitivity, offer solutions to mitigate any hearing loss or tinnitus, and find a solution to protect your future hearing.
Regular foam earplugs block out lots of treble and very little bass, which ruins sound quality. Using state-of-the-art sound filters, custom music hearing protection reduces the volume that reaches your ears without sacrificing good, natural sound quality.
We offer CUSTOM HEARING PROTECTION including:
custom-fit, filtered earplugs, medical grade silicone.
We conduct fit-testing at our clinic to ensure comfort and verify they're blocking out the required amount of noise while still allowing speech to be heard.
Your hearing can last a lifetime. Protect it!
Specialized Musician Hearing Tests
- Case history with questions regarding your hearing health and background in the music industry
- Comprehensive hearing evaluation from 125-20,000 Hz (rather than the standard 250-8,000 Hz)
- Tympanometry (measurement of eardrum mobility and middle ear function)
- Personalized education on hearing loss prevention and recommendations for hearing protection devices
Custom In-Ear Monitors
Fully custom earpieces are sculpted, and polished by hand from impressions we take of your ears, resulting in the best fit and acoustic seal possible.
If used properly, in-ear monitors can prevent hearing loss from high volumes on stage by letting the user choose their own listening volume.
Balanced-armature drivers provide enhanced sonic detail and frequency range that extends beyond typical stage monitors or non-custom in ear monitors.
Custom in-ear monitors maintain the dynamic lows that musicians have come to expect for on-stage performances, while still providing the shimmering highs
Custom Filtered Music Hearing Protection
Sound levels at modern concerts are typically 100 – 120 decibels. These intense sound levels at concert venues, practice spaces and recording studios can often cause permanent hearing loss in just minutes of sound exposure. Foam earplugs block out lots of treble and very little bass which ruins sound quality.
Using state-of-the-art sound filters, custom music hearing protection reduce the volume that reaches your ear without sacrificing good sound quality. Filtered hearing protection devices are great for musicians, audio engineers, photo and video personnel, management, concert enthusiasts, bartenders, etc.
Innovative Tinnitus Management
Tinnitus refers to the perception of sound in one or both ears despite the absence of any actual external sound. The most common cause of tinnitus is hearing loss, which can be caused by exposure from loud sounds.
In a complete tinnitus evaluation, our doctors test your hearing and learn about your lifestyle so that they can give you strategies to reduce the tinnitus.
Sound Exposure Assessment
Our audiologists can come to your show, recording studio, or rehearsal and map out the sound levels and noise dosages that you may be exposed to. This can help the audiologist decide what type of hearing protection and in-ear monitors would be best for you.
Ear Wax Removal
Using specialized tools, our audiologists can safely remove ear wax before your hearing test or ear impressions.
House Calls
We can come to the venue or studio and do on-site hearing testing and ear impressions for bands and other musical acts.
About MDC Music Audiology
MDC Music Audiology was founded by Dr. Caleb Kronen, a local musician and audiologist. Dr. Kronen has played music his entire life and has been playing live shows for 12 years around the state. During this time, he has learned about the challenges that people in the music industry face when it comes to hearing. From internationally famous artists playing Red Rocks to local community members, our audiologists provide evidence-based practices and state-of-the-art equipment to ensure excellent outcomes for all our patients.