I’m considering upgrading to Roon by searching this forum and the KB, and not by the free trial, because as of yet I am unsure as to which hardware/software package I’ll end up with, (although I am pretty familiar with Roon’s hardware/software requirements/limitations).
Also, I am a satisfied ELAC Discovery/Roon Essentials user for about a year now, so I am certain that I would.enjoy using the full Roon. (Plus, the ELAC is bow a certified end-point - yay! At some point in time I am sure that I will have a specific question or two about Roon, vs. Essentials, (this community seems to love to help!) but for now my questions are about compensating for tinnitus’ with EQ. But, I love the idea of having a software EQ, rather than another black box!
So, specifically, my 3 questions are:
Is tinnitus considered as just another addition to ambient/background noise - that can be compensated for by simply increasing the volume? OR…
Does the tinnitus frequency/perceived volume level actually create a “hole” in one’s hearing of the spectrum? IF true, then…
Is the solution to boost that offending frequency, or to lower all the rest?
Tinnitus is caused by a number of things, more often it’s loss of hearing in a certain range will trigger it as your hearing/brain is compensating for the loss and and filling in the blanks. That’s what was explained to me by the Audiologist. Mines a low level hiss most of time and more noticeable when it’s quiet. You cant EQ your way out of it but some find listening to the frequency of their tinnitus as noise can help relieve it.
I tend to hear it less when listening with headphones but prolonged sessions can be a stain.
I’ve experienced tinnitus since 2009 when I wore my dirt helmet on my supermoto and encountered a cross wind for ~10 mins. that walloped my right ear. One ride of many, many thousands through the years. I used earplugs on 99% of rides but not this one
I don’t believe I have it all that bad but I’ve also learned and practiced things to help me not recognize or dwell on it. Exercise, good food and sleep are my best remedies. My hearing tests ‘normal’ from a pure frequency perspective for my age (53).
Regarding Roon and how I hear…increased volume doesn’t help me at all, usually. Though after I’m warmed up I do enjoy a song or 3 at 85dB but usually about 60-75db depending on the track. I have a trusty old RadioShack analog dB meter.
Our brains make up for many holes in our hearing range. Same with our sight. There is a central dark spot in our vision that our brains completely map out. Try looking directly at a night time star (distant sun). If you slightly avert your vision, you’ll see it more clearly, albeit for just a moment.
I find my system has become more pleasing and less fatiguing as I’ve ‘improved’ it. This time around has been a 2 year build and I’m quite happy with it.
Tuning and upgrading a few items has produced less ‘noise’ across the spectrum, power, phase, decoding, vibrational have all contributed to the improvement.
Roon EQ is fantastic for shaping the sound. Try something like this to ease your tinnitus.
Convolution can go even farther in removing the room from the sound, not completely, but closer to nothing. It can also be used to tune out problem frequencies in the time domain. Reflections and cross-feed being a couple. I’m not sure if Essentials has the convolution engine or DSP at all.
I forgot using full range pink noise at night some months ago. I found relief using it. I think it was instrumental in ‘teaching’ my brain to reduce the noise of my particular hearing damage.
I often hear mine when my thoughts wander…or if someone mention the word like now I’m conscious of it but generally my brain has over the years been able to tune it out so to speak.
As you probably know, there are a couple of things that can accentuate tinnitus: high blood pressure, and tonic water (think Perrier or San Pellegrino). (EDIT: I have been corrected on the tonic water issue, see post below). I watch my BP and I no longer drink tonic water, but I still do notice it, like @wizardofoz, when it gets mentioned!
Definitely do not do anything like increasing volumes or SPLs to get around it. This will start a positive feedback loop that can cause you to entirely lose your hearing.
The Hans Beekhuyzen @HBz YouTube channel has two videos on the topic…
As usual with his channel, the information is delivered matter-of-factly with no hyperbole. Refreshing on YouTube!
More information on the design of the clinical trial is availableonline. Recruitment for the next clinical trial will begin in early 2018, with the trial expected to start in late summer. Information will be posted on ClinicalTrials.gov six months before its start and is also available by emailingtinn.trial@umich.edu.
Ibuprofen and Aspirin are also meant to increase it as they can and in some cases cause hearing loss. I think this combined with an excessively loud desk cooling in my office over a prolonged period has brought mine on as I take ibuprofen regularly for my back pain. That or too many loud gigs or could be just age. There are lots of factors that can bring it on and exacabate it. I can’t take high frequencies now without wincing these days, so overly bright kit is a no no.
Find out the cause. Mine is due to Meniere’s disease. I too had wondered about DSP, but have mostly migrated from lyrics-heavy pop to instrumental jazz in the past 6 months.
I’ve had tinnitus since 1988. It is a constant, and I mean constant, high pitched sound at around 4khz, I believe. Mine is noise induced hearing loss at that frequency. I was a drummer and pilot exposed to loud music and noise for years. I also have lymphoma that is supposedly terminal, but I would rather have the lymphoma than tinnitus. My wife and I have two white noise machines we use for sleeping. There are masking devices people use, but there is no way to stop the sound. Over time, you just learn to ignore it as best you can.
My tinnitus was just an annoyance until 5 years ago when I had wax in my left ear and some dead skin on the ear drum. I was sent to a “speacialist” who uses a special vacuum through tiny tubes to suck out the wax. He was trying to get the skin off of my ear drum and I was literally screaming at him to stop, it was like a jet engine in my ear.
Now my tinnitus is so bad that I feel like I want to repeatedly stab a knife in my ear.
I was so shocked and stressed by the whole situation that I never followed it up with court action against him. His assistant was holding me in the seat whilst i was screaming.
I have never considered that DSP may be able to offer me something regarding my music listening experience, so thanks for this thread.
I don’t think DSP could do anything for tinnitus. Masking is about the only thing that can be done. A tinnitus instrument is basically a hearing aid that emits a sound at the same frequency as your tinnitus. If you hear the sound coming from another source, it is more tolerable.
