EQ Compensation due to hearing lost?

[Rockdog]

The hearing test is just a series of different frequency beeps in each ear that you press a button to capture when you can hear it, generating a threshold of hearing curve.

it’s a really simple test and the only challenge is generating a known reference volume. I haven’t tried any but there are plenty of free ones on the Apple App Store, as an iPhone with its standard earbuds is a common platform that the developer can make decent baseline measurements from. Nothing to lose as there are a few free ones available.

One of my previous Droid phones had a listening test that you went through, then apparently applied an EQ curve the output. Don't remember but something like "custom tailored sound" and it was a native app. Who knows if they had any science or auditory research behind it, but the implication was certainly to EQ to individual hearing.

 

[RayDunzl]

One of my previous Droid phones had a listening test that you went through, then apparently applied an EQ curve the output. Don't remember but something like "custom tailored sound" and it was a native app. Who knows if they had any science or auditory research behind it, but the implication was certainly to EQ to individual hearing.

Depending on the playback chain, that would be a combination of gear and hearing EQ.


"Can you hear this?"

"No. Is the headphone producing it at the same level as the last tone?"

"I dunno."

 

[Rockdog]

Depending on the playback chain, that would be a combination of gear and hearing EQ.


"Can you hear this?"

"No. Is the headphone producing it at the same level as the last tone?"

"I dunno."

Good point.

 

[MRC01]

I don't try to EQ for my deficiencies, as it would be bad for anyone else listening (and it doesn't help me anyway). ...

At my age, my HF hearing is way down on what it was in my youth, but it still sounds 'normal' to me. The loss has been gradual, and I've completely adapted to what I can hear now. Boosting the HF just makes it sound bright, ...

I agree. EQing for hearing loss will by definition make it sound unlike natural sounds. Yet some people may have reasons to do that...

I noticed that even now, watching movies I am having a hard time with the dialogue. Sometimes I have a hard time making out what people are saying more so than before. Either way, I am trying to get into an audiologist appointment book. Hopefully it might share some light. ...

Some amount of hearing loss (attenuation of high frequencies) is normal with age. The difference between "normal", and "having a condition" is not whether there is loss (there always is), but the amount of loss. One of the common first signs is being harder to discern dialog in noisy environments. 8 kHz is roughly around where hearing loss begins to affect dialog. When watching movies, my wife has the same thing you do, always asking, "What did he say?", and wants to turn up the volume.

When EQing for dialog, try a smooth boost to the upper mids and treble. For example, a shelf with corner frequency around 2 kHz, Q=0.5, amplitude +3 dB. You can start there and tailor the frequency & amount of boost to taste.

When I've visited the audiologist, they showed me the curve, amplitude vs. frequency. With comparison to what is considered normal for various age ranges. Also, you can test yourself online for free, if you have a good set of headphones.

PS while at the audiologist, ask about musician's earplugs. They make molds of the insides of your ears up to the eardrum. Then they fit them with filters that snap on. Etymotic makes filters for 9, 15 and 25 dB. These musicians earplugs have some key advantages over normal earplugs:
1. They have flat(ish) frequency response, so they dial down the loudness without muffling it
2. They eliminate (or reduce) occlusion
3. They have adjustable attenuation (snap in different filters)
4. They fit all the way into your ears without sticking out much, so they are discreet
In noisy environments (movie theaters, restaurants, practicing music etc.) I hear better with the earplugs in, as they dial the volume down to a normal level.

 

[Destination: Moon]

I agree. EQing for hearing loss will by definition make it sound unlike natural sounds. Yet some people may have reasons to do that...


Some amount of hearing loss (attenuation of high frequencies) is normal with age. The difference between "normal", and "having a condition" is not whether there is loss (there always is), but the amount of loss. One of the common first signs is being harder to discern dialog in noisy environments. 8 kHz is roughly around where hearing loss begins to affect dialog. When watching movies, my wife has the same thing you do, always asking, "What did he say?", and wants to turn up the volume.

When EQing for dialog, try a smooth boost to the upper mids and treble. For example, a shelf with corner frequency around 2 kHz, Q=0.5, amplitude +3 dB. You can start there and tailor the frequency & amount of boost to taste.

When I've visited the audiologist, they showed me the curve, amplitude vs. frequency. With comparison to what is considered normal for various age ranges. Also, you can test yourself online for free, if you have a good set of headphones.

PS while at the audiologist, ask about musician's earplugs. They make molds of the insides of your ears up to the eardrum. Then they fit them with filters that snap on. Etymotic makes filters for 9, 15 and 25 dB. These musicians earplugs have some key advantages over normal earplugs:
1. They have flat(ish) frequency response, so they dial down the loudness without muffling it
2. They eliminate (or reduce) occlusion
3. They have adjustable attenuation (snap in different filters)
4. They fit all the way into your ears without sticking out much, so they are discreet
In noisy environments (movie theaters, restaurants, practicing music etc.) I hear better with the earplugs in, as they dial the volume down to a normal level.

See my earlier post, Etymotic also makes silicone plugs that attenuate about 20 db and are only 14 bucks vs several hundred for molded ones. They are fantastic for loud spaces and cheap enough to keep on a key ring. For big loud concerts, there are better more effective plugs

 

[MRC01]

See my earlier post, Etymotic also makes silicone plugs that attenuate about 20 db and are only 14 bucks vs several hundred for molded ones. They are fantastic for loud spaces and cheap enough to keep on a key ring. For big loud concerts, there are better more effective plugs

I've tried them. I found them better than normal earplugs, but only marginally so. The custom molded ones sound more clear, and are more comfortable. YMMV

 

[Destination: Moon]

I've tried them. I found them better than normal earplugs, but only marginally so. The custom molded ones sound more clear, and are more comfortable. YMMV

A lot depends on your ear configuration and learning how to properly insert and check the seal. Properly used, the cheap etys are NO WHERE near as good as foam plugs in high noise environments. Where they work is loud restaurants, loud concerts that are loud but not ear splitting loud. They have graphs that you guys probably understand better than I do.

The brain is amazing in how it can adjust to sound stimulation. At first anything you shove in your ears will make the sound muffled. But if you give it some time your brain will adjust and your hearing accommodates so it's not so muffled

I had custom ones but I found that the foam ones were easier and more reliable to keep sealed. The molded ones would move sometimes and because they are rigid they had zero tolerance for sealing properly.

I used to manage a large industrial factory. One of the things we did was monitor hearing for all employees and provide several types of plugs and train how to use them. Noise on the floor was constant around 90 DB plus in most places

 

[Cuniberti]

I have a question for anyone that is over 30 years of age and may or may not have gotten tested by an audiologist. When you get tested do they tell you what frequency range one's is deficient at? I am asking because I am considering going to an audiologist to get tested, because when I did the Samsung Adapt test, all my high frequencies I am not able to hear. I also wanted to know if the audiologist provide me information the range so I can compensate for it with EQ.

TIA.

Yes, you will get a chart that will show your eq curve for each ear. They only test up to 8k. Most people over 30 will have cuts in the 3k-6k range. It depends on many factors like genetics, age, and exposure. If you received any chemotherapy that can also affect your hearing. I'm a mastering engineer and I get tested every two years.

 

[Jim Matthews]

Finally, dialog mix for video content often is poorly done so we all suffer from that to some extent.

I didn't realize how much I was reading lips until everyone in public wore a mask. The best illustration I have of this is the cunning dub of "Kung Pow! Enter the fist."

The first generates frustration when ordering at Five Guys.
The second generates sinus cleansing Beer Neti.

 

[MRC01]

... Properly used, the cheap etys are NO WHERE near as good as foam plugs in high noise environments. Where they work is loud restaurants, loud concerts that are loud but not ear splitting loud. They have graphs that you guys probably understand better than I do.
...
I had custom ones but I found that the foam ones were easier and more reliable to keep sealed. The molded ones would move sometimes and because they are rigid they had zero tolerance for sealing properly.
...

Agree, the custom mold earplugs are not for extremely loud environments (factories, firearms, flight decks, etc.). They are for noisy environments like movie theaters, loud restaurants, playing acoustic music on stage / in a band, etc. Their purpose is to provide moderate attenuation with emphasis on clarity / flat frequency response. Manufacturers use different materials for the molds, which can be relatively more or less flexible.

I've observed that the inside shape of the ear canal gradually changes over time. It takes years and the changes are slight, but enough that after 5-10 years, custom molds may not fit as well. That depends on the material from which they're made (some are more flexible than others, and thus more accommodating) and how much personal variation.

 

[Destination: Moon]

Agree, the custom mold earplugs are not for extremely loud environments (factories, firearms, flight decks, etc.). They are for noisy environments like movie theaters, loud restaurants, playing acoustic music on stage / in a band, etc. Their purpose is to provide moderate attenuation with emphasis on clarity / flat frequency response. Manufacturers use different materials for the molds, which can be relatively more or less flexible.

I've observed that the inside shape of the ear canal gradually changes over time. It takes years and the changes are slight, but enough that after 5-10 years, custom molds may not fit as well. That depends on the material from which they're made (some are more flexible than others, and thus more accommodating) and how much personal variation.

I went with the molded ones for shooting because even with foam plugs AND over ear headphones I was still getting too much noise. The molded ones were supposed to be especially for shooting. Even doubled up I was hurting my hearing so I quit the activity

I'm sitting here listening to Handle's Op 6 and the music competes with the tinnitus I have from that time in my life

 

[MRC01]

I went with the molded ones for shooting because even with foam plugs AND over ear headphones I was still getting too much noise. The molded ones were supposed to be especially for shooting. Even doubled up I was hurting my hearing so I quit the sport \ activity

For shooting the best thing I've found is over the ear muffs typically rated around -30 dB or better passive, with electronic noise reduction that detects and attenuates sudden noises like gunshots for even more attenuation. Yet they allow normal ambient sounds like speech through and even amplify it, so you can hear the rangemaster or instructor commands clearly.
Then wear my custom molds under them, with the -25 dB filters.

 

[Destination: Moon]

For shooting the best thing I've found is over the ear muffs typically rated around -30 dB or better passive, with electronic noise reduction that detects and attenuates sudden noises like gunshots for even more attenuation. Yet they allow normal ambient sounds like speech through and even amplify it, so you can hear the rangemaster or instructor commands clearly.
Then wear my custom molds under them, with the -25 dB filters.

Yup, that's what I used, made by Peltor. I think it was the conduction from resting your cheek on the stock that made it impossible. I was shooting clay birds with a 12Ga.....100 rounds at a time. I found no way to protect myself. I tried everything