Best possible audio upgrade you can buy for £60

[JiiPee]

I have never tried the ear wax removal, so I'm not qualified to offer any meaningful judgement other than it kind of feels at least reasonably logical concept.

However, there is another low cost upgrade I have tried several times with great results: Alcohol. In my younger days I tested mainly with beer and various shots, but nowadays it is usually with red wine, sometimes also with single malt whisky, if it is a cold and dark winter evening. The results have always been sensationally good, although somewhat controversial, because next morning I always find that the volume has been set way louder than what I usually have. There is also a downside, which is that this method should absolutely not used on daily basis.

I'm aware that some people propose various chemical/herbal solutions for similar sound improvement effects, but I find those concepts thoroughly abhorrent.

 

[Sgt. Ear Ache]

I use either a car key or a pen cap to clean out the wax. Just need to be careful and not jab in there too far. But my ears stay pretty clean.

that's not going to do it for a real blockage. It's deeper in the canal than you'd go with anything pokey...or SHOULD go anyway. Not really a great idea at all generally.

 

[kyuu]

You should definitely not be sticking anything further into your ear canal than, say, an IEM would normally go. It's not going to do great things for your hearing if you accidentally perforate your ear drum. If you really need anything cleaned out further in, have a medical professional do it please.

 

[antcollinet]

Yes, in most cases, the problem is not the technical measuring devices.

But I am surprised that you have to payed for it. In Germany, this is a service that every health insurance company covers (and everyone is in a health insurance company in Germany).

Used to be free on the NHS, but no longer.

Most peeople don't have insurance here, we have healthcare free at the point of delivery paid from taxes. I don't begrudge the odd service being paid - its not that expensive. Much cheaper than insurance would be.

 

[antcollinet]

You should definitely not be sticking anything further into your ear canal than, say, an IEM would normally go. It's not going to do great things for your hearing if you accidentally perforate your ear drum. If you really need anything cleaned out further in, have a medial professional do it please.

Seconded. Good advice is don't stick anything into your ear further than you can get your elbow.

 

[raindance]

Apparently here in the USA it costs between $100 and $250. Still worth it considering the cost of audio gear.

 

[Mark the Monk]

Hmm. But did you do any double-blind testing with ear wax in versus out?

But more seriously, does ear wax really build up to the point where it interferes with hearing under normal circumstances?

Yes definitely it can be that bad it sounds like your underwater

 

[LTig]

This varies from person to person.
It's like growing a beard.
It doesn't depend on the shaving itself, but some people simply have more beard than others.

It could be genetics. My father once had a problem with hearing on one ear and the doctor found a big block of ear wax. Happened to me twice as well.

 

[Greenman]

Went for an ear wax removal appointment this afternoon.

It is without doubt the most effective upgrade you can buy for your audio system - and only £60

My system sounds absolutely amazing tonight.

I trust we can confidently dismiss all your opinions in the past year then?

 

[antcollinet]

I trust we can confidently dismiss all your opinions in the past year then?

Well, not for the last 6 months. Perhaps for the 6 months before that. (you are replying to a 6 month old post)


But even then, probably only in as much as you can ignore anyone's opinions on what they can or cannot hear if it is not done blind and controlled.

 

[nerdstrike]

It could be genetics.

Wax texture(?) is heritable.

 

[Greenman]

But even then, probably only in as much as you can ignore anyone's opinions on what they can or cannot hear if it is not done blind and controlled.

Or in your case Deaf and controlled

 

[MattHooper]

What method are people using for removing the earwax?

I don’t seem to suffer much from blocked ear in terms of earwax wax. But I remember a long time ago maybe it was in my 20s my doctor did a water irrigation of my ears.
That was spooky as hell - it just did not feel quite right or safe the way that water was plunging through my ears. Never wanted to do it again. (and especially as I have bad tinnitus and can suffer from hyperacusis I don’t want anything f*cking with my eardrums).

 

[MattHooper]

Seconded. Good advice is don't stick anything into your ear further than you can get your elbow.

This reminds me of father Guido Sarducci’s bit on the missing Commandments.
I remember seeing it when I was young and never forgetting the part related to this thread …

 

[pablolie]

earwax removal is a solid investment.

 

[Doodski]

What method are people using for removing the earwax?

I don’t seem to suffer much from blocked ear in terms of earwax wax. But I remember a long time ago maybe it was in my 20s my doctor did a water irrigation of my ears.
That was spooky as hell - it just did not feel quite right or safe the way that water was plunging through my ears. Never wanted to do it again. (and especially as I have bad tinnitus and can suffer from hyperacusis I don’t want anything f*cking with my eardrums).

The first time I became aware of a hearing frequency response issue was when I worked at a major huge AV retailer. The staff told me for months that I was using excessive amounts of treble control, EQ etc and that I might have a hearing issue. I went to my doctor, he looked in the ears, confirmed the ear wax was there, immediately grabbed a rather large aluminum big tube with a squirt nozzle that fit in my ear and hand plunger on the end and had me place my head over a kidney pan. He had the nurse hold me firmly and I mean firmly. I was actually wondering just what was coming because they where really getting prepared. The doctor shoved that plunger handle hard, the aluminum big tube with the nozzle stuck in my ear was hurting and there was a large large amount of the water that he had used a thermometer to precisely set the temperature of squirting and swirling inside my ear(s) and it was a rush for sure but I held fast and let him finish. He showed me in the kidney pan 2 round cylinders of ear wax. As round as the inside of my ears and maybe 1 cm to 1.25 cm in length. I was amazed to say the least. After my ears dried and I was going about my usual daily matters I could hear my feet on carpet, used less treble and EQ at work and listening to people talking was better too. The hearing my feet on surfaces was a big improvement. Like the first time I hear it I was thinking what the heck is that noise. I was told in the past 2 years that doctors do not use that procedure anymore because there is a risk to the ear.

So I went to the drugstore and bought a small blue squirt bulb made of rubber. it is designed for babies so that the parents can squirt in water to thier noses ear etc or even suck stuff out with it. They are a few bucks but not expensive. I keep it in the shower. I suck hot water from a container with the bulb and then squirt that using the bulb into my ears and it get the ear wax out. Sometimes I have seen actual dark wax come out after I squirted warm/hot water in with the little blue rubber squirt bulb. The temperature of that water matters as I found out but is easy to figure out.

Olive oil drops in the ear will soften the wax in maybe 10-20 minutes and then use the blue rubber squirt bulb and rinse the ear out.

 

[MattHooper]

I went to my doctor, he looked in the ears, confirmed the ear wax was there, immediately grabbed a rather large aluminum big tube with a squirt nozzle that fit in my ear and hand plunger on the end and had me place my head over a kidney pan. He had the nurse hold me firmly and I mean firmly. I was actually wondering just what was coming because they where really getting prepared. The doctor shoved that plunger handle hard, the aluminum big tube with the nozzle stuck in my ear was hurting and there was a large large amount of the water that he had used a thermometer to precisely set the temperature of squirting and swirling inside my ear(s) and it was a rush for sure but I held fast and let him finish. He showed me in the kidney pan 2 round cylinders of ear wax.

Yup. that was my experience. Don’t want to repeat it.

 

[Doodski]

Yup. that was my experience. Don’t want to repeat it.

Hehe. Same. I was actually scared and concerned about my head, brain and ears.

 

[antcollinet]

Yup. that was my experience. Don’t want to repeat it.

Had the same the first time. Later on they used a machine which used pulsed water to get the wax out. This is much gentler.

Now they seem to use "micro suction" A small probe which vacuumes the wax up or just holds onto larger pieces so it can be withdrawn. I'd never let anyone other than a professional stick anything in my ear - and that includes me.

 

[gwing]

Advice from my doctor (for my wife not me as I don't suffer wax buildups) was a few drops of warm (blood heat) olive oil in one ear then sleep on that ear with a cloth underneath for it to drain out, then the other ear the following day.