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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
b_limo's avatar
b_limo OP
2,277 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
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jafant
19,730 posts
 
OP-

where one can listen for hours of uninterrupted music, the other can only listen for a shorter period of time (does not get the same musical satisfaction).

The above can be from overly bright speakers and/or gear!

Happy Listening!
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soundings
4 posts
 
Actually the main and only significant cause of listening fatigue, assuming your equipment is of a reasonable quality, is that your speakers are not properly set up in the room.
The only thing the ears do is measure time and volume.AKA phase and amplitude. Since the singer is coming from both speakers it is imperative that the singer pressurizes both ear drums at exactly the same time. Since this a matter of pressure change and NOT distance it is a difficult thing to accomplish. One way to check this out is to dis-connect one speaker and listen to your music and see if you still get fatigue. By eliminating one speaker you have taken away the inner-modulation distortion caused by the two speakers banging into each other My guess is that you will not get any fatigue at all. This is where a set up of your speakers using the "Master Set" technique is absolutely essential for any quality system. There is a great article on "Master Set" on Audio Circle in the acoustic circle. Or get hold of me and I can go over things for you.

Thanks,

Rod...........
mezmo
516 posts
 
B -- rock on with the Chris Whitley. Solid. Living With The Law and Dirt
Floor are my favorites. Different, but brilliant, each. And do check out his
daughter, Trixie Whitley (yes, for real). She did a you-tube video of rather
go blind with Brian Blade and Daniel Lanois that is one of the best things
ever. No BS, one of the best things, ever. And that band, Black Dub,
dropped a studio album last year (or the year before, damnitt if i can
keep track anymore), that though radically over-produced, has
moments of brilliance. Check it out, you won't regret it.
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b_limo OP
2,277 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.
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