a resonance in my left ear
(This is a general question but I'm posting here because DACs affect the problem. That might be some clue. I also posted in "Tech Talk" but not sure if I'll get any response.)
I have a "resonance" in my left ear. At certain frequencies the sound will get a lot louder, very similar to a high-Q resonance. It's especially obvious on piano notes.
I can demonstrate to myself it's my left ear and not my equipment in two ways.
One clue is that I have tinnitus in my left ear. It varies in intensity and the resonance is definitely worse when the tinnitus is worse. However I can't tell if the resonance is at the same frequency as the tinnitus, which is very high pitched, while piano notes around 500 Hz typically stimulate the resonance the worst. I've even put a parametric filter on the music to demonstrate a notch at roughly 500 Hz silences the resonance.
I've been evaluated by an ear doctor. My hearing is within the normal range. He didn't really even seem to understand my description of the resonance and said there was no test that could be performed. I asked for a brain MRI and they did that, but it was normal.
The resonance is pretty much intolerable as a listening experience for the music and equipment that triggers it strongly. I can tolerate it if the equipment and music doesn't stimulate it too much.
Here's the weird thing. Different DACs will stimulate the resonance to different degrees. For instance the Terminator 1 barely stimulates the resonance, while it goes completely nuts on the Gustard A26 and even more so on the Gustard X20 Pro. The iFi iDSD doesn't stimulate it at all and the Gustard R26 only slightly.
Also the digital front end affects the resonance. When I used a NUC computer as a PC-based system, the resonance was bad on the x20Pro but tolerable. When I switched to an Aurender N100 the overall sound quality improved hugely on the kind of music that doesn't hit the resonance, but the resonance got twice as bad on certain music like piano.
Wondering if anyone might have any theories.
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I’ve had a lot of ear problems. Several times I’ve experienced situations similar to what you described, and the problem was wax in my ear. Have an ENT, or qualified doctor look into your ear with an otoscope. This may seem silly or too obvious, but my problem was solved by cleaning my ears. A tiny bit of wax in the wrong place can cause real problems. The wax can vibrate, and narrow the ear canal. Cleaning should be done by a good specialist. I don't recommend doing it yourself. |
@magon I can tell you this: I used to have massive, chronic sinus allergies that made my life miserable. After I stopped eating gluten (for unrelated reasons), my allergies began to ease. Within 6 to 8 months they were entirely gone. I haven't had a single Claritin in years. Not sure how closely this relates to your particular issue, but unhealthy sinuses can definitely mess up your hearing. Good luck!
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@howardlee They measured my hearing. That's why I wrote that the ENT mentioned my hearing was normal. Is that an audiology exam? @devinplombier Yes! My asthma disappeared shortly after stopping gluten. Some GI problems stopped. We'll see how the next year goes. Maybe other things will improve. @unclewilbur I should ask about cleaning, yes. @barts I don't have any analog equipment at the moment. That would be an interesting test. I don't often listen to other people's systems, so I don't know if it was triggered. It depends on the music, so maybe I never listened to music that triggers it on some other system. |
Do what @mark200mph said!!!! That was a free consult! Your best bet for finding a neurologist ear specialist is probably a university doc but you could look online. I think I remember you’re in central Wisconsin so you’ve probably got some good options. |
