• The move to the new server is done. There are some software and database maintenance updates in process. This has us passing the hat around to help out. We appreciate any donations. Seriously, even a dollar helps. The payment page may be found here - https://www.audiokarma.org/support.html

Ears as part of the audio chain.....

dragondad said:
I have about 30% loss in my right ear due to numerious infections and ruptures over from childhood through adulthood (all on the right side). I first noticed it when I thought my stereo was out of balance. Turns out it wasn't the stereo. But what has been amazing to me is the brain can within limits ADAPT! Now when I listen to a stereo, even headphones, it doesn't sound out of balance. Partly I think because in stereo sound the right and left are different anyway so you are not expecting them to sound the same. The right does not even sound quieter than the left. However if I do a direct sequential comparison, i.e. hold one side of the headphones to the left ear and then move it to the right I can instantly tell the attenuation. But under normal listening in stereo or surround, I do not pick up on it.

As far as cleaning, I use cotton swabs with mineral oil.
Click to expand...

This is exactly why I believe that equalizing a system to compensate for diminished hearing acuity is a bad idea. What do you do for the rest of life?

You can't approach the symphony conductor and ask him to change the spectral balance because of your diminished hearing. Just as you can't ask the guy running the PA system to compensate for hearing deficiencies.

Trying to make a system sound like what you think you remember from 25 years ago just doesn't work. I'm not trying to tell someone to not use an equalizer to get the sound they want. That's your prerogative. However, as I asked, what do you do about the rest of life. You can't equalize the sounds of every day life on your stereo.
 
One of best friend's son is an audiologist and he checks my ears from time to time. He says I am good to 14-15K hz which is above average for my age. He coaches me to use ear plugs quite often. Running any equipment and riding my motorcycle as an example. He has told me funny stories about people with dirty ears. It seems some people have serious wax problems and don't know it. When he cleans their ears they are often startled how well they can hear. Agree that all audio tuning should start with the ears...
 
Now this is a right sober subject - and the first time I have seen it raised on any of the audio sites I visit!! Bravo!

One hesitates to think about all those very convincing soap-box utterings regarding how your hi-fi should or should not be - full stop! I occasionally and very meekly ask when the commentator last had his/her ears checked: SILENCE!

Apart from the usual h.f. limit [censored], I also have a strange, quite sharp attenuation in the right ear below about 230 Hz (de-formation of stapes in the middle ear). Sound of live music: Rather screetchy. I recall the days when one designed a switchable h.f. sharp cut-off into tube amplifiers to curtail record hash. At 10 KHz barely noticable, at 7 KHz quite noticable, and at 5 KHz - awful! Now I have the latter permanently built in!

Medically ear candles and cotton swabs are frowned upon for various practical reasons; not everybody has the knowledge to interpret where the devise is going. Depending in the expense, I visit the doctor about once a year in this regard; at least he can see where he is going with things inserted in ears - also digitally portrayed enlarged on a tv/led screen!

Some years ago I read an alarming statistic following research on young people in the USA: From memory, in general most people above 28 years have permanent damage in hearing. Over 35 - 45 or so, many of them ended with early requirement of a hearing aid to follow speech at all ....
 
We've had a few related threads on this topic, including hearing aids and audio.

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk
 
I've always protected my ears and in the garden/shed (whipper snippers/mowers/power tools etc), I use foam in-ear 28dB protectors and 35dB earmuffs over the top. Combining two has kept my ears safe.

Recapping periodically also helps. I like Auricons but they don't fit in my ear very well.
 
Having served in army artillery units I probably have some hearing loss.

We were required to wear ear plugs and communication was near impossible while wearing them.

When someone yelled "cook off" it meant a round was stuck in the chamber and you'd better take cover as it would likely explode from the heat. If you failed to hear that command you may be sh*t out of luck.

Needless to say I never wore ear plugs.
 
Poultrygeist said:
Having served in army artillery units I probably have some hearing loss.

We were required to wear ear plugs and communication was near impossible while wearing them.

When someone yelled "cook off" it meant a round was stuck in the chamber and you'd better take cover as it would likely explode from the heat. If you failed to hear that command you may be sh*t out of luck.

Needless to say I never wore ear plugs.
Click to expand...

Friend of mine was artillary, iirc he said he always used hearing protection even tho most did not.

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom