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Do you get Ringing in the Ears from your hi-fi?

Lets face it, any prolonged exposure to loud sound can produce a permanent hearing loss. Even ONE exposure to sound over 120 DB for a few minutes can permanently damage the delicate ear apparatus. Have you found yourself buying higher powered amps and turning the volume up over the years, or have you joined the ranks of those listening to 6" speakers and 2 watt triodes? I limit my exposure to under 15 minutes per day. Some say that a person can listen an ultra clean sounding, low distortion system without any hearing loss, such as in a recording studio. I have found that listening to sealed enclosure speakers(klh or AR) produces more hearing loss that a bass reflex speaker will. Have you ever noticed RINGING IN THE EARS after listening to your stereo? This is actually an indication of damage to the hearing mechanism.
mint604
elvis_costello
3 posts
 
I have found that listening to sealed enclosure speakers(klh or AR) produces more hearing loss that a bass reflex speaker will.

Please explain how you measured this increase in hearing loss.
marakanetz's avatar
marakanetz
5,473 posts
 
in my childhood due to a freequent and destructive ear infections i lost hearing on my right ear. after this period is gone(underwent adenoids surgery when i was 10) the infections had ceased and the hearing started to come back but still not completely.

when i listen to the music especially rock i could say that none could stand in same listening room.

i use Totem Forrest and biamp them with 250W Sunfire SRA and VTL MB100.
trelja
3,223 posts
 
Does Shawn Colvin's "Sunny Came Home" qualify as a happy song or an angry one???
rar1's avatar
rar1
1,769 posts
 
Trelja:

I wasn't quite going there ... obviously, I was referring to the overall sound or tone of the music. Lately, I look to music to be soothing and beautiful. Opera works, because even though I may know the plot, I can't understand the words ... which leaves me free to focus on the vocals and the music.

Dylan is interesting though. I enjoy his music so much and own just about every album, yet I find "Hurricane" very angry and "Idiot Wind" not so. Go figure.

Regards, Rich

P.S. Shawn Colvin is equally intriguing. "Avalanche" is a great song, but man there is some anger there.
mint604 OP
59 posts
 
Elvis-costello: The test I frequently use to test myself for hearing loss is based on a century-old medical exam called the "watch tick test". A person with normal hearing can usally hear the ticking of a pocket watch held at approx. arms distance from the ear. After listening to efficient loud Altec single frame speakers my hearing actually improves, however after listening to the same music over KLH or other sealed enclosure speakers even at lower sound levels, I am unable to hear the pocket watches ticking. Also, the only way to test for ringing in the ears (tinnitus) is to lay still in a bed for ten minutes in a very quiet room. You may then hear the sound of the "ringing" is a constant high pitched sine wave tone (800Hz to 2000Hz). This is what the Beatles referred to as a muscian being "tuned to a natural E(tone)". I have found that after a few half hour exposures to loud music that this high pitched ringing in my ears lasts for several weeks. I cannot believe that none of the other readers have heard this ringing in the ears. This sound indicates that the nerves and cochlea have been overstressed. It is the bodies way of telling you to "STOP WITH THE LOUD MUSIC OR YOU'LL BE DEAF" Sometimes this tinnitus can become permanent, and becomes louder with more exposures to loud music, there is no cure but this ringing may stop after 5 to 10 years of NO LOUD SOUNDS. Please give your ears a rest. One way to restore eharing is to place soft rubber ear pllugs in the ears for 4 to 12 hours, this allows the entire inner ear to have full rest and recovery.
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