Hearing Protection: My Journey
The other day, I was sitting in the lounge watching TV with my housemate Sid. We’d just landed in Bali for a little vacation, and she was getting into a series.
“Can you turn it up?” I asked.
She looked at me, a little confused. “Sure, but… it’s already pretty loud?”
I couldn’t get into it—I felt disconnected. Without it being louder, I felt like I was missing something. How loud is too loud? I wondered.
Fast forward to Friday night—I was playing a two-hour opening set at Hatch (shout out to Hatch 💛), and everything felt fine… until it didn’t. After the set, I felt like my ears were blocked. What if I’ve done damage? My earbuds had arrived just before the trip, but I hadn’t been consistent with using them. The next day in the villa, my right ear suddenly ‘popped’, and it felt like I’d lost some hearing.
That’s when I decided to write this post.
About why hearing matters.
And how earbuds—custom ones—help reduce the noise pollution that comes with our loud, beautiful, chaotic scene.
How I Got Here: A Story of Sound and Self-Care
When I first started out in the music industry nearly 15 years ago, ear protection just wasn’t a thing. If people wore anything, it was those giant orange industrial muffs—definitely not a vibe when you’re trying to flirt with pseudo-celebrity DJs.
But the more time I spent on dance floors, and the more serious I got about DJing as a craft and a career, the more I realised: longevity means protecting the assets that matter. Your ears.
My older brother Shane had been DJing for over a decade, running weekend parties at The Marlin down on the South Coast. I’d catch the train down and play everything from trap to commercial house. I learned a lot from him—but one thing really stuck with me.
During a back-to-back session, I noticed how loud his headphones were. “Whoa! That’s insane! How do I turn it down?” I asked, half-laughing, half-concerned.
Then one weekend, Shane told me he had to take 3–6 months off. His hearing had deteriorated so much that he needed time to recover. That really hit me.
Around the same time, my friend Justin mentioned casually, “I have hearing loss. It’s a real problem—it’s actually a type of disability.”
His honesty stayed with me. And it made me think: How many men in my life are silently suffering from this?
My First Earplugs
So I headed to a local DJ store and bought my first pair of earplugs. Figuring out the right size was a bit tricky, but the staff were super helpful (as always).
I felt proud—like I was taking my music journey seriously. I was playing more locally by then, so I wasn’t constantly traveling to the South Coast. But the habit stuck: every time I lost a pair, I replaced them.
Then one night at Sweethearts Rooftop, I was watching Ludovic play a killer sunset set. He had custom earplugs in—and I thought, Hmm… he’s definitely taking this seriously. I asked a mutual friend about it and they said, “Yeah, Ludo’s always got them in. He’s good with that stuff.”
That was the nudge I needed.
Investing in Custom Earbuds
I did a little research and found a place called Pacific Ears. Turns out, it wasn’t as expensive as I thought. I also learned that professionals like dentists and tradies also need hearing protection—loud environments affect way more people than just DJs.
They took putty moulds of my ears, and the specialist helped me choose the right filters based on my needs. The whole process took about two weeks. Easy.
Using Them in the Club
At first, it took a bit of adjustment to mix while wearing them. I’d switch them in and out during sets until I felt fully comfortable wearing them the whole time.
Eventually, I lost one. (Classic.) But the great thing about Pacific Ears is they had my ear shape on file—so I could just order a replacement online. $319 for a new set, and they even made the left earbud a different colour to make it easier to find.
I now love using them.
They:
- Cut out harsh high frequencies
- Preserve the bass (where most voices live)
- Help with focus in noisy environments
- Come in a cute case (with pockets for USBs!)
- Make conversations easier without removing them
Also… cleaning them with alcohol wipes is a must. Trust me.
My Tips If You’re Considering It
- Go for a coloured set—you’ll find them faster in a dark booth.
- Get the string attachment if you’re worried about losing them.
- Practice using them during sets—it takes a couple of weeks to get used to.
- Invest in your hearing before it becomes a problem.
DJ stuff.
Final Thoughts
Taking care of your ears isn’t optional if you want to be in this game for the long haul. My first custom set lasted over 3 years, and the replacements are still going strong.
Now, when I leave a club, I don’t go home with ringing ears or muffled hearing. I don’t stress about needing to take time off. And that peace of mind? Priceless.
Protect your ears.
You only get one pair. 💕
— Jasmine x
HearingHealth #DJLife #CustomEarplugs #pacificears #BuildBaliBetter
— Jasmine x
#HearingHealth #DJLife #CustomEarplugs #BuildBaliBetter
Happy hearing lovelies!
Jasmine Speers Music Blog 