Mine is like the old fly back transformer whine in tube TVs. That's just what mine sounds like. And having sensitive hearing I've always been able to hear that high pitch from a CRT TV immediately if one is in the vicinity. Like, as soon as I'd walk in to someone's house, or in to a store, even if the sound was off that transformer whine was blazingly obvious to me. BTW, there was a good thread we did when another member complained of hearing sensitivity, likely hyperacusis. I had a wicked flair-up of my hyperacusis due to having an air-show - various jets - flying low overhead, and I've been treated for over a year now. I was given tiny hearing-aid type devices that don't amplify sound but instead push a carefully modulated type of white noise in to my ears all day long to re-orient my auditory system. Seems to have worked pretty well so far as most of my hyperacusis is gone. (And of course I take them out to listen to music. With the devices out my hearing is as good as ever). |
Thanks to everyone for this informative and, frankly, somewhat reassuring thread.
Last summer, on a flight back to CA from Prague, I sat in front of a family with a continuously shrieking infant. The child must have been sick; a week after getting home, my wife and I came down with severe fevers and, in my case, an ear ache. Long story short: I suddenly lost almost all the hearing in my left ear.
My GP sent me to an ENT who "diagnosed" the condition as "sudden idiopathic hearing loss" (more a description than a diagnosis, in my opinion). Apparently, this strikes about 1 in 10,000 people annually, and--as "idiopathic" indicates--it has no known cause nor any known reliable treatment. There's high-dose steroids (e.g., prednisone) injected directly into the ear canal (no thanks!), and the experimental "hyperbaric oxygen" (risk, besides cost: bursting into flames; again, no thanks!), but otherwise, I was told not to expect any improvement.
However, my own impression was that there was congestion in my Eustachian tubes; sometimes, swallowing hard would partially clear the problem temporarily. Besides, I'd just had a severe congestive illness. Sorry, the ENT said; a hearing test through the bone showed the same results as through the ear canal, indicating cochlear nerve damage.
I'm happy to say that he was mostly wrong. After some months, the ear began to clear more frequently, and now, it's almost--not quite--back to normal. I don't think I'm deceiving myself because, when this was in crisis, I was adjusting the balance on my audio system far to the left to compensate; now, the balance is set almost back at center.
As for tinnitus, yes, there's some of that, too. I think most of us past 60 have some problem with tinnitus. It varies in intensity, as several here have noted, and one gets used to it.
What interests me primarily about all this, though, is something few have remarked on and that may in fact be sort of taboo among audiophiles: the importance of subjectivity in the experience of audio bliss. After all, if you want to convince someone else of the superiority of your system, or of this or that component or tweak, you have to appeal to "objective" facts. Your friend can't have a pain in your tooth, nor can he have your experience that grounds your enthusiasm (he...or she--but face it, the vast majority of us are hes, another subjective factor surely).
Age related hearing loss should wake us all up to this fundamental feature of human experience. We may want to validate our enthusiasms as objectively justified, but they rarely are. Objectively, few of us can hear, coming from our many thousands of dollars of audio equipment, what our children can hear from their iPods playing MP3s through earbuds.
I know this is depressing, and kind of heretical. But... |
had Tinnitus long ago,,,not sure causes,,Stress? Loud radio listening? Age? (I am 64, had it when i was like in my 50's for a few months*),,,there is a chinese herb that seemed to work. But yeah, no car radio,,quiet time in park, things like that. But like 4 yrs ago, when i worked as a scaffold helper valero gave a surprise hearing test,,like i flunked the super high range,,,which all my coworkes laughed when i showed them by graph test results,,that i was *deaf*,,anyway,, no big deal..just the upper range of violins a bit soft,,,
hope some of that helps ya
paul
Snakeoil buster all things\
Stereo
audiophile since 1970's
new orleans |
I am 66 years old, I have no tinnitus issues but after a
lifetime of noise exposure in industrial work environments my hearing tests
indicate very significant hearing loss above 4k in both ears.
I have habitually used tone bypass in the past but I now
crank up the treble. It helps a great
deal. I have been told that hearing aids
do not boost missing frequencies but instead indiscriminately simply making
everything a lot louder.
In the past when using firearms or near heavy (loud) equipment
I always used both ear plugs and ear muffs at the same time. Evidently those precautions were not sufficient.
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I’ve had tinnitus, worse in my left ear, for the past two years. Mine sounds like a constant hiss; a sink on full blast. It’s not super loud but as others have mentioned, stress, caffeine, lack of sleep all make it worse. I notice that I listen to music “through” the tinnitus; I always hear the tinnitus on top of the music, but when I am engaged in the music I am able to tune the tinnitus out.
I will say this: tinnitus can be extremely distressing at first, but I advise those in this initial phase of experiencing it to take heart that the brain is an amazing organ, and you too can adapt to it. I know it’s there, and it can bother me at times, but in the grand scheme of things it is quite tolerable. I remember a time when it felt like it never would be, and I wish someone had told me what it was like to reach the other side. |
@zm
Good advice. The initial phase can be crushing, but habituation is possible.
For those in the US, consider joining the American Tinnitus Association (ATA). They raise money through contributions from many sources to fund research. For about $40 you can join and get their quarterly magazine which describes the latest research and coping strategies. The UK has a similar organization, the BTA. |
I’m not trying to brag, in fact I might be a freak of nature, but I can hear up to 19kHz. I’m 62, my last hearing test was about five years ago and I only had some hearing loss in the low frequencies.
When I was younger, the high pitched whine of a tube TV was intolerable. I could also hear the pilot tone of a department store’s alarm system.
Having such sensitive hearing isn’t always a blessing, it’s been difficult to tune my audio system just right and early digital and CD players were torture.
Now I have mild tinnitus and severe hyperacusis. I really enjoy listening to my system but there are some albums I’ll never be able to listen to. With hyperacusis comes pain from high frequencies, and as one member mentioned, the sound of kitchen cabinets and pots banging hits me in the brain.
Going to the symphony is such a pleasure, taking in the full spectrum of sound. Meanwhile, playing recorded music isn’t always enjoyable.
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I am 71 and have had tinnitus for a long time. I was the crew chief for am M60 machine gun as a Sergeant in the Army, then loud rock from the late 69s and early 70s did me no good. That said I will forever remember seeing Duane Allman, Janis Joplin and Jim Morrison to name a few.
I recently have gone to hearing aids and the help a good bit. I accept my limitations, and now embrace the music my system provides. My desire to critique and analyze is gone and I just fall into the music I love (which is very esoteric).
I know I haven't been able to hear above 14k for many years and accept that getting old is Not for the weak, LOL |
I don't have tinnitus but have had hearing loss for many years and tried a lot of different hearing aids and frankly the only ones that worked for me were Widex brand hearing aids. I am also a professional classical musician (viola) and again, the only aids that worked for me while playing were Widex. There may be others our there but I could only test so many so went with Widex. I am very happy with them and they are recommended for musicians. |
I find headphones, especially Stax electrostatic phones a great help. |
Absolutely great thread! A big Thank You to Pfeiffer for starting it, and a Big Thank You to everyone else sharing the experiences of what works to try to combat this. We spend so much time discussing equipment here but rarely discuss topics like this, which are equally, if not more, important. Thank You 👍 |
Once again consulting my PhD wife, Dirk De Ridder is a Belgian Neurosurgeon who is arguably the preeminent authority on tinnitus. I guess he is just crazy smart. My wife has met him. I suggest anyone who wants more information should research his findings. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dirk_De_Ridder_(neurosurgeon) |
I am a long time audiophile with a moderately hi end system. I have had mild tinnitus and significant hearing loss for some time. My hearing drops about 35db from 2k to 3k. I went to a good audiologist 4 years ago, which I would highly recommend. Based on my audio interest, he was very interested in how I would perceive the benefits in music listening with latest hearing aids. I was able to try a few brands and technology levels before settling on a Phonak mid -level model. It was helpful for Speech intelligibility and TV but I didn't like the electronic sound when listening to music and the audiologist couldn't suggest anything better. I recently went back to see what new technology was available and found Widex 2020 hi end models interesting. They have very fast chips and many points of control. They also allow different levels of direct sound to mix in so the hearing aid boost is primarily in the area of hearing loss (this mix effectiveness is obviously a function of processor speed). Based on this decided to purchase the expensive hi-end model (with 90 day return). The high end model has a Music mode which sounded appealing but I find it to be too much. The level I like is PureSound which I can adjust to just enhance hi frequencies a bit with the convenient app on my iPhone. Some recordings benefit a lot and some I just take them out. Overall, I am happy to have them.
My latest, compensation attempt is using the Roon Parametric Equalizer to boost based on my hearing loss. It actually works pretty well but I keep it at only10db boost. Anything more starts to sound weird.
Also Widex is a leader in Tinnitus treatment which the Audiologist can set up in most of their models. Apparently, it can play relaxing tones in the background to minimize Tinnitus discomfort.
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Interesting about the vitamin D. I just started taking it for this COVID stuff. Maybe it will help my tinnitus. Most Americans are Vitamin D "insufficient" I've been told. My doctor said I was "dangerously low" following my annual blood panel. It made sense because I was receiving little sun exposure due to spending most hours indoors studying for my masters. It had gotten so bad that I was having blurry vision spells and speech issues. Taking D supplements changed my life. Thinking back, I suspect I was probably deficient for years, but it wasn't until I switched PC physicians that they noticed. Even if it doesn't cure anyone's tinnitus, probably a good idea to take it anyway. Apparently it's needed for maintaining normal hormone levels. |
My cousin has been a carpenter for 40 years, the skil-saws past 35 years is hard on his hearing.Me also, operating engineer for almost 30 years now, screaming Diesel engines for 25+ years is damaging.
Even with earplugs, the 130DB DETROIT DIESEL, 3 feet from me for years, has taken its toll.
I wear plugs at concerts,p for which I’m ridiculed, for, I don’t cares, trying to save what I have left.
my Father, local 150, as well, hearing loss young, high freq were gone. Cancer, and dead by age 74 (WAY TO DAMN YOUNG!!!!)
im in the same ship, chemicals, dust, haz-mat jobs, loud machines, etc etc.
I can hear a difference , certain speakers, recordings, etc.
take care of your hearing brothers/sisters., you only have a short time to protect your hearing.
I still hit as many metal shows as I can, and OF COURSE EARPLUGS!!
THEY ACTUALLY MAKE THE MUSIC SOUND BETTER TO ME. |
I have tinnitus but no loss of hearing compared to average people’s hearing, a test revealed that a have much greater sensitivity and range. It’s a bit of a curse, as every noise is more intense to me than to others around me. The shrieking and squealing of children and babies is particularly unpleasant to me. On the positive side, ambient background noises drown out the tinnitus, and very fortunately, music at moderate levels completely masks it. It’s only in the very quiet moments (such as when trying to fall asleep at night) that I most notice it. |
Well, same here but thankfully I also can still hear quite well to about 11kHz.
And I am quite aware if some mostly CD recordings are unpleasantly 'ear-flossing'.
Though it's helpful to hear of the existence of more folks in audio persuits saddled with this rather unpleasant debility.
Not that I wish this on ANYONE, to be quite clear about it, please 😌
Michélle |
Yes, I have tinnitus and some hearing loss in left ear which has gotten worse because of tension neck problems. The more I sit on a couch, the worse it gets.
Because of it my left ear is extremely sensitive to any problems in the rig. I have found out that ribbon tweeters and DACs with very clean highs are mandatory. |
I am one of the lucky ones I guess. I have stereo tinny. And mine is a high pitched whine, like walking into a forest full of insects. Some serious hearing loss in the left eat due to a bad flu. But, I still enjoy music. It gets a wee bit uncomfy when the music hits the tinny frequency though.
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I’m 65 and have tinnitus in both ears, a higher pitched tone all of the time. I have a vintage stereo system and listen almost daily. I refuse to let it interfere with my enjoyment of music.
If it can be of use I found one exercise that I use before listening and usually before bed as the tinnitus will prevent me from falling asleep. I have no affiliation with this YouTube video or the Dr. but it worked for me. I do the exercise before listening and it will quiet the tinnitus for awhile ( varies in length ). Looking at the video comments and with most things YMMV.
Search a YouTube for “Stop Tinnitus: Quiet Your Brain With Your Hands - (Discovered by Dr. Alan Mandell, DC)
Good luck, enjoy your music.
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Got tinnitus some 5-6 years ago, like someone walking over gravel, fluctuating with my heart beat...up to the level that I had sometimes problems falling asleep...however that never kept me away from enjoying music, in fact I continued to invest a considerable amount of money to get the equipment I deemed necessary to achieve the level of reproduction I was aiming for. Strange enough, one day in the early morning when going to work I realized that my tinnitus was gone, I mean totally gone, scary silent... no particular reasons, no medication. I was so happy with that little miracle... however, unfortunately, last year it started to come back again, but this time just a high whistle, although luckily not as bad as before, can live with this very well. Have serious hearing loss in my left ear as well. Yet I'm very well able to identify slight differences in sound like using different cables, like amplifier upgrades and so on. All I'm saying is don't let tinnitus spoil your listening experience too much (if at all). You may play a little louder, or let your brain do the job by focussing on an all other sounds except for the tinnitus generated frequencies. Currently being 63 years young, left ear limited to 11K Hz, right ear 14K Hz. Yet, I'm very well able to hear if a tweeter works properly or not. I hope that basically I get another 7-8 years or so to be able to enjoy the music, after that I will certainly scale down, simplify everything, so that when I'm gone, my children don't have to deal with moving some 1500 - 2000 kg of equipment around. :) On a different note, my tinnitus is more profound in my left ear, and after having read the above, it seems that a lot of people seem to experience the same.
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I have tinnitus. I went to see a loud Japanese band (Acid Mother's Temple) and afterwards the ringing didn't go away. I have been seeing bands since the late 70's and saw an awful lot of punk, industrial and free jazz concerts in small clubs. Worked in the basement of a hospital for years under the ventilation system. I took a hearing test and it was awful when was in the booth where I could hear how loud it was. I nearly cried. However I could hear into the noise fine and they said that my hearing was consistent with my age. I am sensitive to sounds like ambulances and such. I know this can get worse so I quit going to live music. I only go to the opera. I quit audio for a long time. This year I set my system back up but after I listen for awhile my tinnitus kicks up and gets louder. I've been looking into equalizer or tone control possibilities. I hadn't though too much about ibuprofen or caffeine but should look into changing some of those habits. The hospital didn't offer much in the way of guidance, but I probably should go to a specialist.
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So I'm 74 during the day I am not aware of the tinnitus (white noise)sort of a low grade hum sounds almost electrical in nature. However, when I listen to music at any level that humm becomes a bit louder so much so I thought it was coming from my gear ( my system is dead silent at all listening levels just music is audible), that is until I turn my gear off and the buzz remains. Getting old sucks. I am doing nothing about it sadly I have bigger fish to fry. |
@scott22
In layman’s terms, the reason it seems louder when you are playing music is because the tinnitus is "competing" with the music. Sadly, there is no cure, but sound enrichment (maskers) can help with coping. Also, benzodiazepines can help with tinnitus induced anxiety.
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My best advice for working with tinnitus is watch your mental response to it and just let it be, get on with your life. Certainly, take precautions in loud environments, but don't let the new sound effect(s) push you around. Learn to let go of the idea that something big is happening. Make it a small thing. My symptoms began to appear within the last year, and you will find that there is evidence indicating that some of the tinnitus symptoms are impacted by the degree to which we keep checking in on it, worry about it, trying to get past it, etc. I go for hours and days without any awareness of my tinnitus. My music listening is barely impacted because I'm not attuning myself to my tinnitus. I'm attuned to the music. |
Hi all, returning to the subject: has anyone had experience with the use of hearing aids to try and manage the tinnitus as well as the hearing loss (6-8k in my case)?
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I've just started looking at various forum comments about tinitus, and I am surprised at how little content I see on a topic for which I expected to see tons of attention: What sources and equipment do the most to irritate vs sooth the situation. For my tinitus, it is usually forgotten and in the background unless I am in a quiet environment or something "sets it off." Harsh sounds can set it off. And "less good" audio systems can set it off. I have assembled a good system and a better system, and I am often reminded that I have tinitus when listening to the "good." The better (tube) system gets closer to a "liquid" sound, which totally affects how much tinitus trigger I experience. I am not a very technical audiophile, so I hardly have this figured, but I would have expected that more advanced members would have reported a lot of opinions on how to minimize tinitus trigger throughout the audio chain (e.g., start with vinyl front end (or certain exotic $$$$ digital), then run through this or that tube systems, and end in warmer (Spendor or Graham) speakers, etc.). Perhaps my experience is somewhat uncommon, where relatively modest advances in smoothing the edges of the sound can have a BIG impact on my tinitus level.
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