2. misc-audio
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How do you all manage mild hearing loss?

I’m 37, and have done a significant amount of concert going, clubbing and loud music listening in my life. As a result, I have what I perceive to be 3-6db of permanent hearing loss in my left ear. I don’t notice it as much when listening to my headphone setup, or home theater, but with 2-channel I end up needing use the balance controls in order to get a perfectly centered image.

I don’t particularly like using the balance control, because I see it like any other tone control, as affecting the output negatively.

So my question is, how do those of you with some hearing loss handle this situation? I’ve noticed that if I take my left finger and push my left ear about 3mm outward, I can center the image that way, without the need for the balance controls. This has led me to start experimenting with pieces of foam, shaped like a C with a graduated wedge that I can fit behind my ear to make it pop out a few mm. I’m wondering if a solution already exists for this problem? If not, I’ll probably keep playing with my design until I have something that works really well, and then have my brother in law 3D print it for me when I arrive at a final design.

Thoughts?
dougeyjones

Showing 2 responses by oldhvymec

oldhvymec
5,101 posts
 
Ya know they use to make BIG ears, for hearing issues, could use them and cut them down, one smaller for the better ear..

They had a few different names...

The best thing you can do.. Take care of what you got left.. You can learn to listen around it.. believe it or not.. You’ll learn... I’m a retired HD mechanic, you know how many of my fellow mec friends are deaf, A LOT. NO MORE LOUD.. plug those babies... I lived with muffs and plugs my whole life....Still do in my personal shop.. I never waver.. Take care of them FIRST....I’m 65 and still hear above 16KHZ, and some lose in the 60-200hz region, very little... No leaf blowers, lawn mowers, gunshots (especially magnums), heavy equipment idling or just running.. concerts (partial plug um). Be wise....

Regards
oldhvymec
5,101 posts
 
Reality check: no ones hearing is what it used to be. We all lose it. There's a fool-proof cure that will stop hearing loss dead in its tracks. Its called: death. Until then its all downhill.

LOL, holy going deaf, Batman!! You learned to get around tendonitis, MC, Big ears, made me quite the barrel of laughs for the kids..
I never needed them. But I had a few close to deaf buddies, and a few cousins that were stone cold deaf.. love to dance though.

Something you got to LEARN to live with. Protection from now on will go a long way towards you future hearing, loss. Those little hairs in your ears can recover, A LOT, with rest. Don't drive with your windows open. Gargle with salt water. Take care of your throat, don't smoke cheap weed, make sure it's cured, no really fresh pot.. cure it.

Watch any tobacco, smoke or chew, CHEAP smokes are even worse.
If it has a filter, don't smoke it at all.  Get good pipe tobacco.  It is the best if your gonna use the stuff, and add a filter in your pipe or roll your own and add a filter.  Like the old guys use to say, they add filters to cheap tobacco, to make it taste better. LOL

Watch the boozin' it will cook your throat too, where your ear canals are, you know, ears outside, there are canals on the inside to take care of too.

I wish you well, young man.

Regards
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