Ear getting tired

[Andysu]

I think fatigue can occur due to several things:
- A distorting chain/environment
- A compromised recording
- Inability to get "in the mood"

use the REW sound generator , multi tone , set at full range and sound press start .
with that tone should have you turning it down and you may notice a discomforting ear feeling that will take maybe minute or two to ware off

 

[nerdstrike]

I'm interested if people here experience fatigue listening to live symphonies and the like (unamplified concerts) or is fatigue mostly a product of reproduction? (hi-fi)

It's pretty fatiguing sitting in front of the brass section! Thankfully the audience are not usually so close.

I don't think I've ever gotten fatigued at an acoustic concert. I've certainly lost the will to live (2/3rds into Bluebeard's Castle...).

 

[kaka777]

Great post, provoked us to think and got our ear to the ground, fantastic please continue!
Prolonged exposure to low to moderate intensity continuous noise can cause chronic hearing damage, known as noise deafness. The main damage site is the cochlea, which can cause cochlear nerve degeneration, and the main symptoms are progressive hearing loss, tinnitus and other parts of the sensory abnormalities.

 

[jsilvela]

Good topic.

And I think it's not just ears getting fatigued. I think continual exposure to high levels of sound can have other effects.
I've seen reports that e.g. traffic noise, and general high levels of noise in a busy down-town can lead to chronic mental stress.
My experience corroborates it. Even if it's not "ears getting tired".

But I've also seen comments of people saying that anechoic chambers are very unpleasant for the ears.
And there are people who get white noise machines to help them sleep / relax in apartments with street noise.

Could there be a "natural" level / kind of sound that we "need" to relax?