stabby ear syndrome

[Paducah Home Theater]

Wow that's not good. What speakers do you have now?

RF-7ii, RC-64ii, RS-62ii. However this same thing happened at least to some extent 15 years ago in the early 2000's way before I had rifle damage and tinnitus, with a Wharfedale setup that had soft dome tweeters.

Well mixed music at sane levels doesn't bother me much but movies mess with me quite a bit. Stuff like road noise hurts them quite a bit too, I keep ear plugs in my truck. On trips that are longer than 30 minutes I'll usually wear ear plugs on the interstate, otherwise the same thing will happen. This was the case before the rifle damage and tinnitus.

Edited April 19, 2016 by MetropolisLakeOutfitters

[RoboKlipsch]

My limited understanding of hearing loss is that there is only so much compensation that the brain and ear can provide to make up for loss due to loud volumes.

 

After enough damage, which is generally considered permanent, some are left with hearing loss, tinnitus, or other issues. 

My caution would be that if you are doing ANYTHING that causes you to have temporary hearing loss, you are likely listening too loud...even if that volume is one that you are used to and feel is OK.  That particular range of frequencies is almost for sure where the damage has occured.  

 

You get one set of ears in this life, and although there are aids you don't want to use them any sooner than necessary.  Also, as you know tinnitus can be a particularly awful experience if it becomes severe enough.  Get it checked out ASAP and don't listen to anything that triggers the problem until you do.

 

You've got a lot of listening left to do in this life!  

[garyrc]

this same thing happened at least to some extent 15 years ago in the early 2000's way before I had rifle damage and tinnitus

 

Tell the ENT or a otoneurologist this.  Interesting that it predates the rifle damage.  Maybe there is something else going on.

Edited April 19, 2016 by garyrc

[Paducah Home Theater]

 

this same thing happened at least to some extent 15 years ago in the early 2000's way before I had rifle damage and tinnitus

 

Tell the ENT or a otoneurologist this.  Interesting that it predates the rifle damage.  Maybe there is something else going on.

 

 

What's messing with my head the most is that my right ear is doing the same thing.  It was proven to be in perfect shape.  In fact the ear doctor lady said it was better than hers and seemed rather shocked at that.  She's not old either, smoking hot and straight out of college.  The way that I shoot rifles it blasts my left ear, that's the one that is hurt.  Frequencies around 3,000-4,000 hz was damaged.  Went to a 3-gun meet and it was very humid, couldn't get my ear plugs in all the way, even tried to double up but the muffs I used did more harm than good I think.  A week later I had tinnitus.  

Edited April 20, 2016 by MetropolisLakeOutfitters

[Paducah Home Theater]

Just booked a follow up with the doctor in a week.  We'll see what's going on.  

[eth2]

I hope this is  temporary problem.

[nlt6mor]

Getting old is a *****. I grew up playing a a band and living on a farm driving old johnny poppers. Did dumb shit like sticking my head in Jefferson Airplanes speakers while Grace was singing White Rabbit. My ears have always had some problems. But notice 10 years ago tinitus in my ears after long drives home from work. Now I have nothing left above 4K in either ear! Lot of sound left to listen to, but I have to imagine the cymbals sometimes. Good luck, take care of your ears.

[dtel's wife]

Your diet could play a role also. Just a thought.

[dtel's wife]

Here's one link. Just had this problem recently.

https://www.tinnitusformula.com/library/diet-and-tinnitus/

[Paducah Home Theater]

Curious as to if Audyssey Dynamic EQ could aggravate sensitive ears in this manner.  I usually keep it on but I just watched part of Tron Legacy with it off and it seemed to be more comfortable.  Many of the effects wasn't nearly as intrusive.  Would have to spend more time with it to tell for sure.  It's off for now.  

Edited May 1, 2016 by MetropolisLakeOutfitters

[Grizzog]

I have tinnitus as well. Just woke up one morning and the ringing started. I find that quick, loud sounds aggravate it the most. Some movies are tough at any sort of exciting level. Music seems to be much easier.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Paducah Home Theater]

The explanation from the audiologist is that super high frequencies are setting me off.  Apparently I have hyper-sensitive hearing at 8 kHz and probably above, they think that sounds at 6 kHz and above are appearing to my ears as way louder than what most people hear.  On the chart below, apparently above 30 is considered normal but I'm like at 0.  At 8 kHz I was detecting sounds at the lowest setting their equipment could pump out, at what she said was 0 db on the equipment, which is apparently not normal at all.  They seemed to think that it is probably causing damage at other frequencies, which was surprising to me or maybe I misunderstood since I thought damage was frequency specific, but they also think that this is why I can't hear for a few days afterwards and is why lots of seemingly normal things seem very loud to me.  

 

Apparently when your ears detect loud noises they can do something along the lines of constrict or whatever to try to lower the noise floor and they think this is what is happening.  There is an acoustic reflex test that can be done to measure this, they are setting me up for an appointment in a different city to do this.  They referred me to an ENT and thought that maybe blood pressure or some kind of ear structure issue may be the cause or aggravating the sensitive high frequency issue.  For the time being, they said for me to lower anything above 6,000 hz in the theater room if possible, basically to counteract the right hand side of this chart.  

 

 

Edited April 26, 2016 by MetropolisLakeOutfitters

[RoboKlipsch]

When you go to a rock concert and it sounds crazy loud at first but then you get used to it...that is the effect you are describing.

[JJkizak]

Just don't clean your ears out and let the wax build up. That might work.

JJK

[garyrc]

Curious as to if Audyssey Dynamic EQ could aggravate sensitive ears in this manner.  I usually keep it on but I just watched part of Tron Legacy with it off and it seemed to be more comfortable.  Many of the effects wasn't nearly as intrisuve.  Would have to spend more time with it to tell for sure.  It's off for now.  

 

I don't have tinnitus and I prefer it OFF for almost all movies.  To me it sounds gumpy and dense.  For any given Main Volume setting (except at reference) it will tend to have a little more treble, which could trigger a tinnitus reaction, especially with movies that push the envelope.  If a given movie needs more bass, I use the bass control.

[Paducah Home Theater]

 

Curious as to if Audyssey Dynamic EQ could aggravate sensitive ears in this manner.  I usually keep it on but I just watched part of Tron Legacy with it off and it seemed to be more comfortable.  Many of the effects wasn't nearly as intrisuve.  Would have to spend more time with it to tell for sure.  It's off for now.  

 

I don't have tinnitus and I prefer it OFF for almost all movies.  To me it sounds gumpy and dense.  For any given Main Volume setting (except at reference) it will tend to have a little more treble, which could trigger a tinnitus reaction, especially with movies that push the envelope.  If a given movie needs more bass, I use the bass control.

 

 

 

I've only watched 3 movies with it like this at this point but in terms of comfort while I watch it as well as recovery and comfort afterwards, using the default high frequency rolloff of Audyssey Pro as well as turning Audyssey Dynamic EQ off seems to be way more livable than usual while retaining dialogue intelligibility.  Time will tell but this helps for now.  Turning Audyssey Dynamic EQ on seems to exaggerate the upper midrange and high frequency stuff at lower volumes which aggravates this stuff.  Will probably have to turn the subs up though.  I'm hoping to go to an active setup so I have more control over everything.  If I want a certain slope above 6,000 hz then I should be able to get it.  Only way that's going to happen is with the nicer MiniDSP stuff in an active setup.  I'm a Marantz dealer, I'll probably get some of their amps and do this.  

Edited April 27, 2016 by MetropolisLakeOutfitters

[RoboKlipsch]

You rep all the fun toys! What lines do you sell if im not hijacking here...

[Paducah Home Theater]

I'll PM you, didn't mean to get into all that, was just talking a bit too freely.  

[garyrc]

The explanation from the audiologist is that super high frequencies are setting me off.  Apparently I have hyper-sensitive hearing at 8 kHz and probably above, they think that sounds at 6 kHz and above are appearing to my ears as way louder than what most people hear.  On the chart below, apparently above 30 is considered normal but I'm like at 0.  At 8 kHz I was detecting sounds at the lowest setting their equipment could pump out, at what she said was 0 db on the equipment, which is apparently not normal at all.  They seemed to think that it is probably causing damage at other frequencies, which was surprising to me or maybe I misunderstood since I thought damage was frequency specific, but they also think that this is why I can't hear for a few days afterwards and is why lots of seemingly normal things seem very loud to me.  

 

Apparently when your ears detect loud noises they can do something along the lines of constrict or whatever to try to lower the noise floor and they think this is what is happening.  There is an acoustic reflex test that can be done to measure this, they are setting me up for an appointment in a different city to do this.  They referred me to an ENT and thought that maybe blood pressure or some kind of ear structure issue may be the cause or aggravating the sensitive high frequency issue.  For the time being, they said for me to lower anything above 6,000 hz in the theater room if possible, basically to counteract the right hand side of this chart.  

 

 

 

Sounds plausible; it is surprising that your hearing gets more acute at higher frequencies ... but ... wait and see what the ENT says.  Audiologists can have training up to and at the doctorate level, and requirements in the United States are becoming more stringent, but they are not necessarily as expert as ENTs concerning diseases of the hearing mechanism.  If the ENT can't give you satisfaction, there are also otoneuroligsts.

 

The people who make Lipoflavinoid claim that their product increases circulation to the inner ear, and [sometimes] can reduce the symptoms of tinnitus.  But who trusts TV commercials?   

Edited April 30, 2016 by garyrc

[Quiet_Hollow]

I usually keep it on but I just watched part of Tron Legacy with it off and it seemed to be more comfortable.

I'm not entirely surprised by this, as the entire movie's DTS-Master soundtrack is clipped to high heaven. It's complete hash from top to bottom. Unfortunately not all digital soundtracks are created equal.

 

We enjoy this one loud too, but the multi-channel soundtrack has clearly been run through DTS's "fun" blender.

 

For a real-opener as to just how much? Try watching it again using the Dolby 2.0 option.

 

...or compare to any other movie that offers an uncompressed PCM soundtrack like Chicago or Kill Bill 1&2