Probably been discussed before but…
My tinnitus has got worse over the years mainly due to working in noisy environments.
My hearing is now not the best.
I do have some high end audio equipment, DAP and IEMs, is it now worth having it?
Anybody in a similar situation and if so
what route have you gone down?
I find now I resort to my iPhone and air pod pro v2 and turn the volume up to try and counteract the tinnitus.
It just isn’t the same listening experience I once had.
You will definitely need to make an appointment with an audiologist and maybe even an occupational therapist, especially if your tinnitus was caused by your work environment.
I can offer some personal experience and that's don't let tinnitus stop you from enjoying the headphone experience. If yours is like mine, it's highly variable, depending on allergies, weather conditions, etc. You can certainly enjoy the very best of what the headphone world has to offer in those subdued-tinnitus times. Also, one might suggest that age has more to suspect with not enjoying the very best headphones and equipment because of the reduction in hearing higher frequencies. I've found that neither is true. There is so much more to world-class headphone listening than just frequency response that a reduced ability to hear the very highest frequencies has little to do with it. Tinnitus falls under that, too, because it usually occurs at a specific frequency(s) and you may learn how to tune it out with some practice and concentration.
All that said, pbui44 has given the first and best recommendation.
I can offer some personal experience and that's don't let tinnitus stop you from enjoying the headphone experience. If yours is like mine, it's highly variable, depending on allergies, weather conditions, etc. You can certainly enjoy the very best of what the headphone world has to offer in those subdued-tinnitus times. Also, one might suggest that age has more to suspect with not enjoying the very best headphones and equipment because of the reduction in hearing higher frequencies. I've found that neither is true. There is so much more to world-class headphone listening than just frequency response that a reduced ability to hear the very highest frequencies has little to do with it. Tinnitus falls under that, too, because it usually occurs at a specific frequency(s) and you may learn how to tune it out with some practice and concentration.
All that said, pbui44 has given the first and best recommendation.
Hi
Thanks for that, appreciated.
I’ve already been assessed by an audiologist. He advised permanent hearing damage.
My tinnitus is a high pitched hiss, I’m not always conscious of it , especially if I’m preoccupied with something.
Hi
Thanks for that, appreciated.
I’ve already been assessed by an audiologist. He advised permanent hearing damage.
My tinnitus is a high pitched hiss, I’m not always conscious of it , especially if I’m preoccupied with something.
So now you can see an occupational therapist on possible ways of dealing with your occupational hearing loss. Here are some articles on what to do at this point, with the last article on what to expect when discussing solutions with an OT:
I have had bad tinnitus for most of my life, probably because of ear infections in early childhood. The ringing and whining in my ears is very loud and does everything between a constant 8kHz whine to a random beeping sound that mutes all normal, real-world sounds. I still love music and the cost of my setup alone is probably proof of that.
I actually find that higher quality equipment and streams reduce the sound signatures that make my tinnitus worse. I got into HiFi once I noticed that Spotify + Skullcandy exacerbated my tinnitus whereas CDs + my Sennheiser Momentum 1 didn't.
Specific, practical things that have helped me enjoy my music:
* Avoid IEMs. I think because they are directly in my ears, they have the worst effect on my hearing after extended listening. Over-ear cans, especially open ones, seem to have the best results.
* Listen at low volumes. Anyone who's been to a rock concert likely has experienced short-term tinnitus afterward. Same effect comes from extended listening at high volume. If external noise distracts you while listening quietly, try closed back cans.
* Use DSP or an analog equalizer to tune your output until it compensates for whatever range your tinnitus operates in. I recommend checking mynoise.net, which has a variety of noise generators that have 10-band adjustment. I've found that these help me locate where the ringing is happening, and tweaking the right frequencies a bit can convince my brain to mute the irritating whine. This also works if your setup has a bit of sibilance.
* Use earplugs when not listening to music. I recommend this especially if you're still working in loud environments. I use Loop Engage earplugs when I visit datacenters for work (the datacenter floor runs at about 80ish decibels constantly because of all the server fans, cooling equipment, etc.) Benefit to Loop is that they reduce all but vocal frequencies by 18-25 decibels, allowing you to have a conversation but muting external noise.
* On the same note (pun intended) avoid active noise cancelling. ANC creates an acoustic pressure that is both painful to me and increases my tinnitus.
Been around a while, mainly for research and reviews. Purchased some quality equipment over the years from here.
Based on the information you have kindly provided, I’m now looking for suitable headphones to pair with this:
Hiby R6 2020 Copper Chassis.
Been around a while, mainly for research and reviews. Purchased some quality equipment over the years from here.
Based on the information you have kindly provided, I’m now looking for suitable headphones to pair with this:
Hiby R6 2020 Copper Chassis.
I've had good experiences with Meze. The sound signature on most of their headphones is warmer than some brands and thus doesn't trigger the tinnitus. If the R6 2020 is anything like my R6III, the Advar should pair well for portable use (contra my earlier advice about IEMs. Just use in moderation).
Though slightly less portable, I like my Meze Lirics a lot with the R6III, but people's opinions on Liric are mixed for some reason. If they run too bright, a tiny bit of DSP adjustment helps. 99 classics were a bit muddy for my tastes but they're a nice high-lower-end option.
Try to find a headphone with a sound signature that doesn't irritate it as much as others. Brighter headphones such as the HD800S or Beyerdynamic DT990 always made mine worse. I've migrated over towards softer sound signatures like much of what ZMF offers.
Try to find a headphone with a sound signature that doesn't irritate it as much as others. Brighter headphones such as the HD800S or Beyerdynamic DT990 always made mine worse. I've migrated over towards softer sound signatures like much of what ZMF offers.
Agreed, ZMF has served me well (I've owned two different models now). Excellent quality and good customer support, and their headphones are all works of art.
Hi
Thanks for that, appreciated.
I’ve already been assessed by an audiologist. He advised permanent hearing damage.
My tinnitus is a high pitched hiss, I’m not always conscious of it , especially if I’m preoccupied with something.
I work in the medical line and sign off on audiometries. A consideration is to use bone conduction gear, which bypasses the eardrum and usual hearing channels, so it preserves residual hearing health and might perhaps not further aggravate tinnitus (YMMV).
Basically, on a normal day to day basis, humans hear via both air conduction (AC) and to a lesser extent, bone conduction (BC).
AC is the usual route we hear - as its name suggests, sound waves travel thru the air, and the outer ear funnels these to the middle ear and thru the eardrums, into the inner ear nerves, which are converted to electrical signals to the brain.
BC is the alternative route, whereby sound is transmitted thru vibrations along the skull or jaw bone. They bypass the outer/middle ear and eardrums, and directly go to the inner ear nerves. For example, BC is in play when you cover your ears and you speak; you can still hear words, because sound goes thru the skull bones to the inner ear.
BC tech has actually been around for centuries. The famed composer Beethoven lost his hearing (possibly from Menierre's disease or lead poisoning), and his livelihood would have been affected should he not be able to compose or hear music. He used a creative DIY fix by sticking a rod to his piano, and clenched it in his jaw, thereby using BC to hear transmitted sounds.
BC has widespread use in hearing aids for folks who have conductive hearing loss or tinnitus, to bypass the eardrums, and are also used in the military (BC headsets can transmit commands, but still allow soldiers be situationally aware through AC).
But granted, as of 2023, BC sound isn't as refined as AC - audiophiles may think a pure BC gear is not as good sounding, and isolation also is an issue with pure BC gear. Though this technology might be a useful compromise for folks with damaged hearing.
Try to find a headphone with a sound signature that doesn't irritate it as much as others. Brighter headphones such as the HD800S or Beyerdynamic DT990 always made mine worse. I've migrated over towards softer sound signatures like much of what ZMF offers.
Try to find a headphone with a sound signature that doesn't irritate it as much as others. Brighter headphones such as the HD800S or Beyerdynamic DT990 always made mine worse. I've migrated over towards softer sound signatures like much of what ZMF offers.
Thanks for the excellent feedback.
ZMF appear the real deal from reviews etc.
Unfortunately they are not in my budget range of £1,000, plus limited availability in the UK
This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
