new monitors--- tinitinitus --OT

shiba_dad · Post by **shiba_dad** » Thu Feb 15, 2007 8:27 pm

For several months I have been using M-audio BX5as. I recently upgraded to Event ASP8s. They sound phenomenal, but ever since I've started using them I have been experiencing a pretty severe ringing in my ears. I know the dangers involved with this back from my DJing days. I'm pretty sure that I am not mixing at volumes greater than I did with the Bxs, so I'm wondering whats up ? I have them set up such that my head is at the apex of an equilateral triangle with sides about 4 feet long. I've trimmed back the h HF trim 2db and still having problems. Any suggestions ? I'd hate to send them back because they do sound great.

Tone Deft · Post by **Tone Deft** » Thu Feb 15, 2007 8:31 pm

The only thing you can do is rest your ears, seriously, that's irreversible damage that you must chill on. It's not the monitor quality, its the volume. MAYBE a higher quality monitor would let you mix at a lower volume, but put the music down and get some QUIET relaxation.

breedsound · Post by **breedsound** » Thu Feb 15, 2007 9:18 pm

dude. SERIOUSLY.
2 week break or something. your ears WILL feel a little bit better. that should also ease your mind about it.

you DO NOT want to go thru what i'm currently dealing with. its self imposed to a great extent, which makes you feel SOOO stupid once you really have "fucked your shit up".

about 1-2 years ago i started noticing ringing and buzzing in my ears...and smokin' my treez started making my ears get stopped up. bad. so i'm constantly tryin' to clear my ears up by popping them and blowin' my nose and shit...and caused more problems. they became very sensitive and the ringing / buzzing type deal was almost unbearable at times. broke me down to tears a couple of times. i went to see a couple of ENT doctors and everything looked good except for a 10db hearing difference at certain frequences between my ears. my ears would hurt, ring, and be stopped up at the same time for the majority of my waking hours...

i had to stop smokin' my treez...stay out of headphones COMPLETELY...start monitoring at low levels...AND most importantly took a few weeks off...before my ears started feelin' better.

they are no where near comfy now...but they do feel much better lately. sporadic ringing...sporadic stuffy sensation...

but trust me man...you don't want NO part of any of this shit.

keep it easy.

_breed

thelike5 · Post by **thelike5** » Thu Feb 15, 2007 9:25 pm

Take a break and watch "It's all gone Pete Tong"

Johnisfaster · Post by **Johnisfaster** » Thu Feb 15, 2007 9:31 pm

I've had nonstop ringing in my right ear for the last few years. ent told me I have a 10db loss in my right ear in certain freq. but that was a few years before the ringing started so I'm sure it's worse now. comes from the days where I used to play keyboards to the left of a very loud drummer in a hardcore band so my right ear was facing the drummer who was smashing the shi* out of his set. alot of fun of course but it's done it's damage.

Nod · Post by **Nod** » Thu Feb 15, 2007 9:38 pm

breedsound wrote:...stay out of headphones COMPLETELY...

Slight tangent but do listen to what the man sayeth...cos otherwise it won't be long before you ain't able to. If you value your hearing, at all, then you should NOT be using headphones for anything other than checking, posting tracking phase, the constituent pieces of a mix for minor errors and certainly not for enjoyment given their 'reproductive capacity' is, in audio engineering terminology, shite.

You most definitely should NOT be walking around with buds in your ears or cans over them, for an iPOD or anything else, as these, due to their proximity to the eardrum, can generate approx 112dB and above inside your ear. That ear will start to become damaged upon lengthy exposure above 90db and an iPOD running full whack gives you around 1 MINUTE before permanent damage occurs.

http://www.hearingreview.com/issues/art ... -03_04.asp

And for those who think this is all a bit serious - there's no cure and by the time you notice it, in most cases, it's already too late.

laurence · Post by **laurence** » Thu Feb 15, 2007 10:35 pm

dont stay out of headphones- just turn it down, train your ears to monitor at a lower level, and if you play in clubs/with big soundsystems, wear some ear plugs, or better yet, get some of those mouldable ones for comfort (oh and make sure they let sound in but cut the dangerous frequencies- no use getting builders plugs!

And breedsound, sorry to hear you went through that- but a +ve thats come out of it is that now people are starting to become aware of the dangers of many dbs. Just to inform- your ear drum IS repariable (within reason), its the senstive hairs (deep) in your ears that are not.

And watch "its all gone pete tong"- really brought home the tinitus dangers to me and many others (thats the second time ive recommended it on this forum in 2 days- seriously- TURN IT DOWN- and wear protection

)

shiba_dad · Post by **shiba_dad** » Fri Feb 16, 2007 5:25 pm

Thanks for everyones advice. Actually I'm really aware of the dangers. I quit DJing completely about 4 years ago because I noticed some hearing loss. These days I rarely use headphones and the sound levels I mix at easily allow for normal talking. I know that it is somehow related to the new speakers, maybe I'm mixing louder and am less aware of it ? Nonetheless, the warning signs are defiantly there, so I guess I'll have to take a break. I have a friend that has lost a lot of his hearing (he was a musician and liked to shoot guns also) and I certainly dont want to join him !

By the way, at a given SPL (sound pressure level), which are more damaging, high or low frequencies ? Anyone know ?