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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.

  • Put on headphones, listen to the same signal in each ear. Right ear sounds great, left ear has a screeching resonance on certain music.
  • Listen to speakers, plug one ear at a time with earplugs.

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.

magon
magon OP
41 posts
 

@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.

howardlee's avatar
howardlee
52 posts
 

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.

symphonicsoul
2 posts
 

I just had an audiology exam, as I've been experiencing what I can only describe as amplification on certain frequencies. s this what you mean my resonance? As a former orchestra conductor, to have any distortion or hearing loss is devastating.

The audiologist told me it's called "recruitment" and she tested for it. She told me as hearing loss begins, your range shortens and certain frequencies get amplified. What used to be just loud, becomes intolerable. For me the subway trains coming in and out are deafening, along with sirens. The orchestra at full steam gets distorted at certain frequencies, like distortion from an amp that can't handle the power.

Does this "resonate"? Sorry, I couldn't help it ;)

asvjerry's avatar
asvjerry
4,632 posts
 

Chiming in with mark200mph, howardlee, and symphonicsoul....

Get thee to the best audiologist rated in your area for the cleaning and through test.
I found mine who was appreciative of my 'phile concerns to the point of not only dialing in on my tinnitus, but also printed out my response measurements for the frequencies he tests at.

Other than the 2 outboard eqs' I run on my various pairs, I've in my main 'puter (Win10Pro...for the time being...) I'm running the APO equalizer 
 https://sourceforge.net/p/equalizerapo/wiki/Documentation/

with the plug-in that makes it a bit more 'friendly' and/or obvious in intent....

https://sourceforge.net/projects/peace-equalizer-apo-extension/?source=typ_redirect

Either way, you can carve a notch 30db deep in your perceived resonances' center and parametric it as desired....

Free.....I like soundforge....some nice room eq 'wares as well..

There's a cute lynx app called sndpeek

https://soundlab.cs.princeton.edu/software/sndpeek/

....that allows for r/t waveforms, the big 3, inline or with your calibrat mic....

You can actually see what your DRC is doing or has done to that location of the mic.  
Obscure fun, for some.

I hope you can get to the ear issue, something 'transient' in it's nature would drive me more nutz....

Good Fortune, J

magon OP
41 posts
 

@symphonicsoul "An amplification at certain frequencies" is very similar if not identical to what I mean. I don't have any hearing loss according to the audiologist's report, or at least my hearing is currently within the normal range. My condolences for hearing difficulties like not being able to enjoy orchestra at full tilt. I listened to the LA Phil perform Bruckner's 9th last year and powerful brass music is thrilling, but would be disappointing if it were distorted. I don't notice any problem with live music at this time. 

@asvjerry I don't use PC Audio any more once I discovered the Aurender N100. I'm a bit of a purist, too, avoiding EQ. I think it sounds way, way better that way. I think I'll first try some of these other suggestions first. It would be good to have an audiologist dial in the frequency of my tinnitus and also do a thorough ear cleaning.

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