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Speaker placement for brightness control.

I've been involved in several threads involving, among other subjects, my near preoccupation with controlling shrill sounds. I have a hearing issue called hyperacusis which makes me very sensitive to certain frequencies and dB levels. I've tried many things such as changing speakers, amplifiers, interconnects, speaker wires and added DACs and experimented with speaker toe in.

These changes did not solve my problem in any a way noticeable except for a tube DAC between the two CD players and the amp.

THEN, we remodeled the listening room ( living room) adding a large area rug over the wooden floor which I think helped a little. I was also forced to raise the bookshelf speaker pedestals about 10" in order for the speakers to fire over some newly placed furniture. Although this places them well above what I've seen is recommended, the improvement is quite noticeable even for me.

This may seem like an unorthodox approach to reducing brightness and in this case it was accidental and I possibly compromised some other aspect of listening. However, I'm leaving it this way.

One thought that comes to mind is that the tweeters are now directed about a foot above my ears and not directly in line with them. I wouldn't recommend this to anyone else and am not even entirely sure that some of this is not just in my head. Any responses / opinions will be appreciated.
128x128broadstone

Showing 4 responses by lowrider57

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lowrider57
5,397 posts
 
Broadstone.... I feel for you since I too have Hyperacusis. I'm very happy with the sound of my system, but my tower speakers have metal tweeters and sometimes can cause some killer pain from high frequencies.
I can only suggest what I've tried and it's been very successful, but there will always be certain CDs that I can't play. (LPs are much more kind).

I tried many different speaker cables (as you probably have) and am using 2 different cables in a double-run configuration. Cardas for highs, which sound smoother and rolled-off. But the biggest improvement was to use a lot of room treatments for standing wave absorption. Acoustic panels on side and rear wall and a tapestry hung behind my listening position.

Raising the speakers sounds like a good idea, but what is your room treatment situation?
lowrider57's avatar
lowrider57
5,397 posts
 
Hang in there, Broadstone, and I also have tinnitus...didn't know about that relationship. My tinnitus is very mild, however (I've been tested). I haven't looked for any forums, but after seeing the ENT and Audiologist, I'm now going to a migraine center for treatment...my diagnosis is called "Atypical Migraine" which includes the symptoms we have without the headache. The hyperacusis pain comes from the same area of the brain as a migraine.

I hope you're getting some type of therapy. The ENT had nothing for me, so I now see a neurologist specializing in head pain.

Also, there are devices sold to treat tinnitus; google it (but ask a doc about it since they might just be selling snake oil).

And it really does suck when you're grooving to a song and some loud trumpet starts in and I have to shut it down.
lowrider57's avatar
lowrider57
5,397 posts
 
Right on Timo62, my next step is a soft dome tweeter. BTW, hanging the tapestry on my rear wall was such a significant improvement in trapping high frequencies.
lowrider57's avatar
lowrider57
5,397 posts
 
Broadstone, yes I was part of a EQ thread but cant find it. Basically the recommendations were only add it if being used in the digital domain. If it's in the analogue chain, then there's more processing being done, noise being added, possible change in imaging and soundstage and buying more ICs.
I've worked in recording studios (analogue) and you would need to spend some $ to get professional results at home. Plus the result would be attenuating already compressed frequencies on the recording.

Look in the archives. I found lots of pros and cons on adding an EQ to the system. Many users are using EQ to balance their rooms, some using it for the reason we're talking about. (there are also some recommendations of good EQs; I think in the $1000 range)
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