Tinnitus, Listening Question

[wvu80]

I've got a 72 year-old buddy with tinnitus he probably got from being on the US Army Pistol Team back in the day.  He gets a 10% disability from the Army due to that.  Recently he has become interested in good music, and good sound systems.  He listens to his music most through Youtube on his small computer speakers.

 

I'd like to have him over to the house to listen to some movies on my Khorn based 5.1 system which has got a decent amount of horsepower.  I can also access Youtube via the TV. 

 

In addition I have my computer based CF-4 setup, which sounds great especially when played at reference level, ie, loud.  So we have two separate systems which I can demo for my friend.

 

I am concerned that listening to my large speakers can damage his hearing even worse.  I am equally concerned that due to his inexperience in listening loud, he could create some pain to his already damaged hearing.

 

Any advice or comments, please? 

[muel]

I have some tinnitus in one ear but your buddy might have it worse.  Loud noise can cause physical pain in that ear.  It tells me when to leave the area, use ear plugs, or back off on the volume.  For a 2 hour show I'd keep it under 90db.   105db hurts after about 5 minutes.  80-85db and I could go for a long time.  Keep track of the SPL and if in doubt turn it down.  

[oldtimer]

What I do with guests is give them the volume control.  If they don't want the responsibility, then they tell me to either make it louder or softer. 

[jimjimbo]

39 minutes ago, oldtimer said:

What I do with guests is give them the volume control.

Uh, no.

[oldtimer]

1 minute ago, jimjimbo said:

Uh, no.

Only the trusted ones.

 

[BigStewMan]

I believe it may have been Ian Pace of Deep Purple that would tell his sound guy, “just make everything louder than everything else."

[mike stehr]

Yeah...right after Ritchie said, "Turn up everything louder than you."

[IB Slammin]

45 minutes ago, jimjimbo said:

Uh, no.

 

"Uh. no' applies to my wife.  100db peaks are loud enough for me most of the time.   

But at that volume my wife still gives me the old "thumbs up sign" meaning TURN IT UP.....

[derrickdj1]

I would go easy if his tinnitus is real bad.  It does not get better and can get worse with loud listening.

[BigStewMan]

i have tinnitus...actually my hearing is almost gone.  last trip to the specialist was about 2 or 3 years ago, and hearing in my right ear was 85% gone and left ear was 50%-60% gone. i pull out my hearing aids and it’s a very quiet world...except for the blasted high pitch ringing.

It sucks. Not often; but, sometimes, i go out in public without hearing aids. I’ll go to the store and it’s just so trippy seeing cars drive or people talking by and not hearing a sound. 

[thebes]

9 minutes ago, derrickdj1 said:

I would go easy if his tinnitus is real bad.  It does not get better and can get worse with loud listening.

I'm with Derrick on this one.

 

Depending on room size you shouldn't have to listen beyond 80 to let him experience the sound.  Remember he's going from computer speakers (probably not even Klipsch) to real music through speakers that are horn loaded and directional.

 

I keep a sound meter by my side just so I don't scare the neighbors or damage my own tinny hearing. You don't have to blast it to appreciate it.  If he wants to push it in a later session then that's a a different deal,but for know let prudence be your guide.

[oldtimer]

38 minutes ago, thebes said:

let prudence be your guide.

I remember her.  Don't trust her, folks.

[Grizzog]

I've got tinnitus as well.

For me, I'm sensitive to loud sounds and loud listening will make it worse.

Overly bright sounds will also aggravate it. I had some issues with the RF-7II but no other Klipsch.

I'd imagine as long as you keep the volume reasonable, it should be ok. Maybe turn the treble down a hair on the CF-4 if he will be listening a while.


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[rebuy]

My system sounds good at low volume or high volume.

Loud speakers do not have to be turned up loud to sound good

if they are set up properly. 

I tend to listen louder when alone--but when the room is occupied with others

I generally do not turn it up too loud unless asked.

At moderate volume levels--my system has Great Sound Texture.

[Rivervalleymgb]

I have it both hears, but different frequencies. Can be a real bummer, but load music makes it go away. I suffer when it goes quiet. I wear ear plugs at concerts anymore trying to prevent further damage. The only concert I have been to in the last few years I didn't need ear plugs was Neil Diamond. 

[Paducah Home Theater]

I have tinnitus due to shooting too much.  I don't like loud music anymore to be honest.  I like loud low bass but once I get to the point where it's encapsulating and overriding any background noise on the highs, then what's the point in getting louder?  It's just going to make my ears ring worse than usual for 4 days straight.  If I demo stuff or go to a concert, I am adamant about wearing earplugs.  

[Schu]

Sign me up for the issue also... Ive always had it since fairly young. Probably from concerts and racing events.

Seems like its worst at night while laying quietly in bed when there is no other sounds. During normal life its much more tenable.

Ive never been to a dr but I am affraid of the bad news... 

[Paducah Home Theater]

Here's the problem with tinnitus.  When you have hearing loss, your brain more or less turns up the gain.  Think of tinnitus as amplifier feedback of sorts.  Basically when you have it, your hearing can be very sensitive due to this gain increase.  Material that seems fairly quiet to some can seem ridiculously loud.  When you get tinnitus it's typically due to a loss of a certain range of frequencies.  That doesn't mean that other frequencies are affected.  My hearing chart as shown below shows this.  I have hearing loss in the dip but as you can see, the upper frequencies are nearly perfect.  Add in some boosted gain and I have super sensitive hearing in that range.  With most setups I simply cannot stand the frequencies on the top end.  8 khz and on up better be buttery smooth with no distortion and preferably with a rolloff or else I'll be putting my plugs in.  What's weird is that somebody who has hearing loss due to general noise such as in a factory may be the opposite with hearing loss on the top end but without a dip like mine.  Such people tend to like the treble cranked and enjoy loud music.  Tinnitus due to shooting sports may not be the same though.  

 

 

[Schu]

I thought tinnitus was the brains attempt to make sense/fill in of missing nerve impulses from the ear?

[dtel]

Same problem for me, it seems worse at times and it doesn't seem to match up with how I have been listening, just randomly better or worse.

 

So let's get this straight, everyone here has searched for many years finding the best sound they can considering, most here also have some kind of hearing damage.  ....................Probably more to do with the average age than anything ? Maby the half deaf prefer the same kind of sound, I'm good with that. 

 

I would say like many have here, take it slow and see how it goes, it will all be a big improvement for him.