What did you say, Mel? Speak up, I can't hear you.
If anyone's ears ring after listening at loud levels, they have suffered more hearing damage, in my non-professional opinion. Regardless, I love to crank it up at home, but I bring foam earplugs with me when I attend live amplified shows or any event with a DJ, just in case, since I can't control the volume in those venues.
I was eight years old when I started shooting. A different era, then, and the first time that I fired a shotgun, I wasn't offered, required, or wearing any hearing or eye protection. I am sure that I suffered some hearing loss over the years from shooting and from working on boats and spending some time in the engine rooms. Since hearing damage is cumulative, I always wear hearing protection when I shoot or when I operate machinery, even the snow thrower. I also find myself frequently asking my 12 year old daughter to turn down the volume on her iPod (oh, no, I've become my father!!).
