[johncarm]

I've got a strange problem which was noticeable in the past, but became really noticeable with a couple of DACs I tried recently (a Gustard x20pro and a Gustard R26).

When I listen through headphones, there's a resonance in my left ear around 500 Hz. For example, if I play piano tones from a synthesized-modeled piano through the DAC, amp, and headphones, when I hit C5 or a few half steps above or below, the sound becomes much louder and muddied. There's a bit of resonance at C6 as well. This is not as noticeable in full-spectrum music, but in a, say, close-miked jazz recording, the instruments will stimulate the resonance pretty strongly when they come near the C5 or C6. Recording of piano also stimulates it a bit (not as much as playing a single modeled piano note).

It seems to be mainly in my left ear. I've tested this by turning the headphones around. Also by switching the left and right channels of the source signal (to put it through the opposite side of the DAC)... and putting it through both sides of my amp. It's pretty consistent... left ear has a lot of resonance, and right ear very little.

I really love the Gustard DACs in other respects and would like to keep the R26 long term.

There are two other DACs in which there's not much resonance... the iFi iDSD nano and the PS Audio DirectStream Mk. 1. My guess about the difference is that these DACs are leaner and brighter in tonal balance. The Gustards are warm with full midbass.

It happens with two headphones: the classic LCD-2 (pre fazor) and the AKG K712 pro. I'm looking for other headphones to test.

So first question is: what is going on? Second question: does it have something to do with the headphone, or more with the Gustards, or something else? I know I need to run some more tests.

But: the answer the question "what is going on?" could guide the tests.

One other clue: I have a lot of tinnitus in my left ear but not much in my right.

 

[Ghoostknight]

i think you can more precisely test the resonance with a tone generator (tho be care with volume) https://www.szynalski.com/tone-generator/
if you can pretty much exclude hardware here, and also the tinnitus is imo a big clue, it might be worth checking a doctor

if you just wanna "ease your pain" i would just EQ the left channel, so you preferably have a linear frequency response with both ears again, again, test with a tone generator

 

[Ghoostknight]

There are two other DACs in which there's not much resonance... the iFi iDSD nano and the PS Audio DirectStream Mk. 1. My guess about the difference is that these DACs are leaner and brighter in tonal balance. The Gustards are warm with full midbass.

the brighter sound of the dacs might just mask the lower frequency resonance a bit better

 

[gregorio]

So first question is: what is going on? Second question: does it have something to do with the headphone, or more with the Gustards, or something else?

1st question: I don’t know.
2nd question: If I’ve understood the quote below, then the answer must be “something else”.

I've tested this by turning the headphones around. Also by switching the left and right channels of the source signal (to put it through the opposite side of the DAC)... and putting it through both sides of my amp. It's pretty consistent... left ear has a lot of resonance, and right ear very little.

If you turned around the headphones (IE. You also tried with the earphones on the opposite ears) and the resonance problem was still in your left ear then it cannot be a hardware issue, because if it were a hardware issue the problem/resonance would have switched to your right ear. So the answer to your 2nd question must be “something else” and I don’t understand why you’re guessing it has something to do with your DAC? The answer to your 1st question would seem to be “something to do with your hearing”, especially in light of your tinnitus.

If that is the case, do NOT follow any of the advice given previously in this thread or on the internet in general, with the exception of consulting a doctor/specialist! Playing around with tone generators and EQ might exacerbate the condition.

G

 

[johncarm]

@gregorio Thanks for emphasizing seeing a doctor. I'll do that. When I say "the problem could be in my DAC" what I mean is that, because not all equipment triggers the resonance equally, it would be nice to find some equipment that doesn't trigger it yet still sounds good to me. I might need to understand more clearly what is going on in a technical sense in order to guide my search.

 

[Joe Bloggs]

I've got a strange problem which was noticeable in the past, but became really noticeable with a couple of DACs I tried recently (a Gustard x20pro and a Gustard R26).

When I listen through headphones, there's a resonance in my left ear around 500 Hz. For example, if I play piano tones from a synthesized-modeled piano through the DAC, amp, and headphones, when I hit C5 or a few half steps above or below, the sound becomes much louder and muddied. There's a bit of resonance at C6 as well. This is not as noticeable in full-spectrum music, but in a, say, close-miked jazz recording, the instruments will stimulate the resonance pretty strongly when they come near the C5 or C6. Recording of piano also stimulates it a bit (not as much as playing a single modeled piano note).

It seems to be mainly in my left ear. I've tested this by turning the headphones around. Also by switching the left and right channels of the source signal (to put it through the opposite side of the DAC)... and putting it through both sides of my amp. It's pretty consistent... left ear has a lot of resonance, and right ear very little.

I really love the Gustard DACs in other respects and would like to keep the R26 long term.

There are two other DACs in which there's not much resonance... the iFi iDSD nano and the PS Audio DirectStream Mk. 1. My guess about the difference is that these DACs are leaner and brighter in tonal balance. The Gustards are warm with full midbass.

It happens with two headphones: the classic LCD-2 (pre fazor) and the AKG K712 pro. I'm looking for other headphones to test.

So first question is: what is going on? Second question: does it have something to do with the headphone, or more with the Gustards, or something else? I know I need to run some more tests.

But: the answer the question "what is going on?" could guide the tests.

One other clue: I have a lot of tinnitus in my left ear but not much in my right.

What's your music source? Any DSP applied there?

 

[johncarm]

What's your music source? Any DSP applied there?

I'm using an Aurender N100. It's not capable of DSP. I did some sweeps and sine tones around 800 Hz and 2500 Hz sound like they are stimulating the tinnitus in my left ear. They sound more natural in my right ear. It makes sense that a matching tone would stimulate the tinnitus, but what's odd is that I'm not aware of tinnitus changing when I'm listening to music. Instead it sounds like a high-Q resonance. Certain notes will sound loud, especially from close-miked instruments, and then change by a whole step and sound almost normal. When listening to synthesized piano tones, I'm using a MacBook running a DAW feeding an iFi iLink S/PDIF output feeding my DAC via its S/PDIF input. Curiously, it's mainly 500 Hz or 1000 Hz piano fundamentals that stimulate the resonance. All of this (the frequencies, the sense of resonance) is not being measured objectively as it's in my ear/brain that it's happening, so I would say there's some uncertainty about all these numbers.

 

[droid23]

Not have seen you in person obviously, but trying to give it a shot here, since it's anyway not a medical forum, my guess is, it might be something anatomical or physiological with your left ear.
Why? because different headphones and source gear might emphasize on certain frequencies more or less, so certain hardware might trigger your "resonance" effect, others not. This leaves me to consider an effect your body produces, and these are my "suspects" i'm going to throw in in terms of "brainstorming" and "troubleshooting":

a) Cerumen (ear wax) in your external auditory canal, or on your tympanic membrane...
b) as we grow older, our hearing physiology changes with it. So, such "hyperacoustic" effects on certain frequencies can arise naturally. >> Go make a professional audiogram and ear checkup at your ENT professional.