2. tech-talk
  3. 1362330306

Listener fatigue: what does it really mean?

Okay, so I used to think that listener fatigue meant that your ears just kind of got tired from listening to speakers that were overly bright. I don't have a good understanding of the make up of an ear, but I believe there are muscles in an ear that, I guess, expand and contract while we listen to music and I figured that's what it meant to have listener fatigue. Now, I'm thinking that listener fatigue is maybe more than your ears just getting tired but actually, your whole body getting tired and feeling drained. I experienced this time and time again listening to my paradigm studio's. They are somewhat bright and provide quite a bit of detail in my oppinion, so I'm wondering if, since there was such a great amount of detail coming through, that it was physically draining because I'm sitting there analyzing everything that's coming through the speakers. I would wake up and first thing in the morning, grab a cup of coffee and start listening to music (my daily routine) and 20-30 minutes later start nodding off and I couldn't figure out what was going on. I've been sitting here this morning listening to my new vandersteen's for two hours and can't get enough. I feel like I could listen all day and that I'm almost energized from listening vs. drained.

Soooo, what are your oppinions about what listener fatigue is and why it's caused?
128x128b_limo

Showing 6 responses by b_limo

b_limo's avatar
b_limo OP
2,288 posts
 
It's funny that I think I might be a detail freak. I love detail, but I'm not so sure that I prefer "dry" and "clinical" and I think that's actually slightly what I have. I think Jmcgrogan hit the nail on the head when he said that it's stimulation overload that sometimes leads to listener fatigue.

So this leads me to another question: can you have all the "juicy" detail, and yet have a warm sound too? I really enjoy pinpoint imaging and detail but I'm wondering now if a "musical" sound backs off the detail and pinpoint imaging that I've grown to love. I see how people can collect enough gear for two or three nice systems and end up keeping it all. It's like having the truck for camping, the sports car for track days and canyon carving, and then the luxury seden for cruising.
b_limo's avatar
b_limo OP
2,288 posts
 
Bonhamcopeland and Mezmo, thank you, you made my night. That was great!

Robsker, that's something I haven't thought about yet it is so true. Thanks for another insight on listener fatigue.
b_limo's avatar
b_limo OP
2,288 posts
 
Lol, Sonic. You know, my musical tastes have vastly widened over the past 9 months. I'm listening to a little classical, some country (Chris Whitley), some jazz, alot of music I never had an interest in before but I can honestly say, Kenny G. has not once been played, nor Michael Bolton.

"Michael Bolton? Are you serious? Your name is Michael Bolton? We love Michael Bolton. What's your favorite song??" "I don't know, I mean, I guess I like all of them". ---Quote from Office Space
b_limo's avatar
b_limo OP
2,288 posts
 
Mezmo, I actually have all of Trixie Whitleys songs that I could get from Spotify too. I love female vocals and wouldn't say that she has the best or most refined voice out there by a long shot, but she is my favorite female vocalist. I absolutely love her music; it's just dripping with emotion.
b_limo's avatar
b_limo OP
2,288 posts
 
Atmasphere answered my thread :-)
I'm so excited!!
b_limo's avatar
b_limo OP
2,288 posts
 
Learsfool, I remember seeing that one too. I recently downloaded a db app for my iphone and find myself listening in the 75-85 db range when I'm really rockin out but normally listen in the 65-75 range. Something I found scary, and stupid, is the accepted db work levels set by osha - 90 db for eight hours a day? 100 db for 2 hours a day? Are you kidding me?

Anyways, back on topic, alot has changed recently in my system, as usual, but I haven't experienced the physical fatigue that I had felt in the past which made me start this thread in the first place.

I think the factors that helped were switching to speakers that are way more laid back in there presentation and reducing distortion that I didn't even know was there through the use of acoustic panels.

I'm really loving my system now and it is not fatiguing in any way anymore :-)
More to discover