Piano high notes very bright


Ever since I rediscovered my hearing aids as an audio enhancement, I’ve noticed that piano high notes almost sound shrill.Not all recordings, but enough to bother me. Is this a speaker or an amp issue? Or the hearing aids?

troutbum

Who else can help you listen, are the bothersome highs there for others, younger ears?

After my SPL meter on a tripod, I use three albums I am most familiar with to help me adjust my tweeter’s level controls as my 76 year old ears don’t hear what the meter hears.

Eurythmics Sweet Dreams Album

Andreas Vollenweider, White Winds

3 Guitarists play last 2 tracks, frequencies and l/c/r balance, final anti-skate adjust

After that, I listen to Pianists and Violins, both Classical and Jazz

then I get my younger friend’s ears over to make sure I didn’t go too far.

It’s best to have both CD and LP versions, start with the CD, know what the imaging and frequency content is when correct, then compare the LP, which CAN be preferred, but EVERYTHING has to be ’right’!

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I am happy listening with or without my hearing aids, the primary difference is I need less volume when using my hearing aids, and high pitch female vocals like Tori Amos, Lorenna, ...

 

I would agree with eric_squires on the room comment.  When researching what room dimensions work best for music, the subject of sound waves either cancelling each other out, or conversely, amplifying certain frequencies came up.  I'm probably not explaining it correctly but,  they used the piano as an example, stating that certain notes could appear much louder than others. Such that it's like a slap on the ear.  

"Not all recordings"

Might just be the actual piano. They're all different. Mine is annoyingly bright.

I agree, pianos can vary widely in timbre. Yet there is another factor. Piano recordings typically are made with the microphones very close to the open lid of the piano. (Do you listen that way in person? I don’t.) One result is that recorded piano sound often is very bright. A producer or mastering engineer might adjust that brightness or use a microphone that minimizes it. Still, many recordings are too bright, leaving you to do something about it.

Your statement, "Ever since I rediscovered my hearing aids as an audio enhancement," suggests it is a hearing aid issue.  I don't have hearing aids or know much about them, but as one ages the high frequency hearing is lost first.  I wonder if your hearing aids are compensating for that by increasing gain at the higher frequencies.  I know some hearing aids can be customized to perform differently at different frequencies.  You might investigate yours and make the preferred adjustments.