A Warning

Eccles · #1 11-21-2010, 10:03 AM

It has been 2 weeks since the day that I now believe that I permanently damaged my hearing and possibly destroyed my capacity both to make music.

I have been using headphones for practice, with the guitar mixed via an amp-modeler with my PC. I adopted this method for practicing about six months ago so as to not disturb my family late in the evening. I practiced two hours a day and much more on the weekend.

A fortnight ago, when I unplugged, I was left with a ringing in both ears. This has not receded but has since grown steadily worst. I now find all loud and high sounds uncomfortable. It has now stopped in my right ear but I have a constant steady high-pitched whistle in my left. This swells in the silences like a compressor. Playing the guitar has become an unpleasant experience and listening to music is painful. I cannot sleep at night or concentrate at work.

I like to think that I was improving fast on the guitar and that within a year or so I would be playing gigs and jam sessions - I was totally hooked on it and pleased with my progress. Now I cannot imagine ever going to a live gig again let alone playing.

Please, beware of the risks of using headphones. I believe my tinnitus has been caused by synthetic symbols sounds.

billkath · #2 11-21-2010, 10:15 AM

Easy thing to happen. And it's the main reason that recording engineers only use headphones for critical editing--they use monitors set at 81 to 85 dB max spl at ears to do their daily work. You can turn it up a bit to check of couse-it's the continuous high SPL's that mess your ears.
Go to an Audiologist-you may be lucky, and all you'll need is total ear rest for a month . Don't think you can do this yourself-you can't. If you are lucky, change your headphones to open-backed ones, and prefereably ones with a high impedence (mine are 600 ohm, AKG K240 DF's--special ones for engineers, but you can get other ones) so that it'll be difficult for you to over-drive them into dangerous levels.

Eccles · #3 12-23-2010, 02:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by billkath

Easy thing to happen. And it's the main reason that recording engineers only use headphones for critical editing--they use monitors set at 81 to 85 dB max spl at ears to do their daily work. You can turn it up a bit to check of couse-it's the continuous high SPL's that mess your ears.
Go to an Audiologist-you may be lucky, and all you'll need is total ear rest for a month . Don't think you can do this yourself-you can't. If you are lucky, change your headphones to open-backed ones, and prefereably ones with a high impedence (mine are 600 ohm, AKG K240 DF's--special ones for engineers, but you can get other ones) so that it'll be difficult for you to over-drive them into dangerous levels.

Bill,

Thanks for the sound advice and merry Xmas to you. I was in a pretty dark place for a while. Now the tinnitus has faded, I’ve seen a specialist who extracted a lump of wax the size of a marble from my ear. I’ve still got ringing but I don’t notice it so much (just late at night). I’ve replaced my headphones with a pair of cheap monitor speakers and I’m back on the road.

Eccles · #4 12-23-2010, 02:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by billkath

Easy thing to happen. And it's the main reason that recording engineers only use headphones for critical editing--they use monitors set at 81 to 85 dB max spl at ears to do their daily work. You can turn it up a bit to check of couse-it's the continuous high SPL's that mess your ears.
Go to an Audiologist-you may be lucky, and all you'll need is total ear rest for a month . Don't think you can do this yourself-you can't. If you are lucky, change your headphones to open-backed ones, and prefereably ones with a high impedence (mine are 600 ohm, AKG K240 DF's--special ones for engineers, but you can get other ones) so that it'll be difficult for you to over-drive them into dangerous levels.

Bill,

Thanks for the sound advice and merry Xmas to you. I was in a pretty dark place for a while. Now the tinnitus has faded, I’ve seen a specialist who extracted a lump of wax the size of a marble from my ear. I’ve still got ringing but I don’t notice it so much (just late at night). I’ve replaced my headphones with a pair of cheap monitor speakers and I’m back on the road.

docbop · #5 12-23-2010, 03:11 PM

That is good to hear your getting better I hope you have a full recovery.

I hope more read this and consider the consequences of high volume playing and listening. I have worked as a musician and in audio for decades and have seen the damage that can be done. I wish more young rockers understood that loud concert is mainly the PA and not the stage volume. Yes, there are a few bands whose stage volume is ridiculous, but most its a reasonable level and PA does the rest.

Where I work now the house band is a lot of old rock and R&B touring musicians. Some there hearing is so bad you're more than a few feet from them they won't hear you talking to them. One even sitting next his amp he has to crank is bassman to hear himself play.

Playing loud can be fun, but it can also cause real damage years down the road. Even when recording lots of recording engineers have to retire young because the loud mixing they start losing too much range in their hearing.

Take care of your ears.

billkath · #6 12-23-2010, 07:31 PM

Glad you'll be OK. The ear/brain has a natural "compression" circuit built in, to save your hearing. It's that "circuit" that people keep ignoring and keep turning up the volume. Think of it like using the makeup gain on a compresser. You don't want to overdo it. There's only so much your ears will take before they're zapped. When I trained to be an engineer it was all day on day one in college about this. Tell all your friends.