Anyone else in my shoes? Ears going.........

My ears are getting so bad that when my wife of almost 30 years yells at me to get away from the stereo and talk to her I can't hear her. Could that be considered an upgrade?

You know you're getting older when...;*)

Everything that works hurts, and what doesn't hurt doesn't work.

You feel like the morning after, and you haven't been anywhere.

Your little black book only contains names ending in M.D.

Your children are beginning to look middle-aged.

Your mind makes contracts your body can't keep.

You look forward to a dull evening.

Your knees buckle and your belt won't.

Your back goes out more than you do.

You sink your teeth into a steak, and they stay there.

You know all the answers, but nobody asks the questions.

I just turned 50 and have slight high frequency hearing loss in one ear. I also have a never ending extremely high pitched squeal (tinnitus) in both ears that is louder in the one with some hearing loss. I have suffered from earaches my entire life. Even with these issues I can enjoy my system and hear the differences when swapping cables and equipment. I can tell a good accurate speaker from muddy ones or those that roll off. I agree with Raks - Enjoy the music!

I turned 49 in February. I have been a carpenter since I was 18, and have always listened to pretty loud music as well. About 5 years ago really started to pay attention to my hearing. I have had tinnitus for a while too with more hearing loss in my right ear than my left. I have become as OCD about my ears as I have about my gear. Earplugs when I work and run any machinery.
I can actually get my ringing to lessen a great deal with a 20 minute hot bath, ears below the water line, and concetrating on quieting the noise, calming my breathing, and trying to create a feeling of complete relaxation.

I have read that tinnitus is a result of your brain compensating for the frequencies that you have lost the ability to hear, hence the high frequency ringing. I figure if my brain is compensating for the loss subconciously, and the tones are actually generated from within, with enough concentration, maybe I can shut them down. It may sound crazy but real or imagined (does it matter?) I can quiet it down for periods of time, even though it doesn't seem to be getting any quieter as a whole I don't think it has gotten any louder either.

The addition of an equalizer (no groans please) to my main audio system has not only helped me more finely set what I'm hearing but also enables me to adjust out some of the more harmful sounds that I find impact my hearing most. Redbook CD's are definately more of a problem then vinyl or SACD. Radio varies with station.

For support of my personal finding read on ... .

This system is deliberately very naturally sounding. I don't find the equalizer to negatively impact that. Plus I can always push-button it out.

I'm 56. Lost 40% of hearing in my right ear as a child. Lost notably more over the past 5 years for some reason. I have been around loud music for many years although my years with a band are now mostly limited to church service. I have learned to compensate for the loss since I pay for days with the ringing in my right ear if I'm not careful.

I usually like to listen to my music loud. I like to feel it and jam along most times. I believe I have quite a good sounding set up (my musician friends seem to agree and they are to say the least, CRITICS). It sounds very good at low levels BUT I like it loud more often.