Ear fatigue / ringing with low volume headphone use - linked to frequencies?

    Morning All,


    First off - apologies for starting a separate thread - but I'd like to ask this question without posting it in my previous headphone one.


    First night with the Kemper I was using the headphone out too loud - silly me - but was excited to try all the new tones and it got pretty late so did not want to continue using my monitors. I noticed I had some ringing in both ears the next day (when everything was quiet - not when normal noise levels around me.)


    So, when jamming a bit last night - 99% to Lasse Lammerts rig - but this time headphone volume reduced to -34, and in the end -48db. With both of these settings I could hear me hitting the guitar strings through my cans - so not too loud.


    I did notice that with all the LL rigs, I was reducing the treble and presence, boosting mids and then going to cabinet , lowering high shift about -0.4 and character to make the cab/tones smoother.


    As soon as I switched to a rig called 'Holdsworthy' - BAM! The cab tone / eq match was there - that's what I was after (Tills Recto Cab 065). It also made me realise that the highs on the more metal patches where maybe too boosted for my ears?


    This morning, the ringing is still there, but not as bad. With lowered headphone volume, is it possible certain frequencies have done this?


    Background -


    I have used my ATHM50 cans since 2008 for mastering, mixing, production work and guitar use through the Eleven Rack. In the beginning I recall something similar - and now I know what levels are sensible - but the Kemper is very new to me. Ckemper said himself the headphone amp is VERY loud and I have always tried to look after my hearing, and wish to remain doing so. Especially now I have such a plethora of tonal nirvana in the Kemper!!


    So, I'm going to try the following -


    SPDIF to 11r - use headphones to monitor volume and check levels - as I previously said, I know my 'goto' spot on the volume here - so will match that to the Kemper headphone out.


    Mp3 player in via alt. input - Again, I know my mp3 player inside out - and what volume level I use - so can use this to check also.


    Apologies for the wall of text - I'm no scholar when it comes these things.


    One last thing, when running the Kemper main outs to my monitors the output volume does not need to be over 0.3 for it to be pretty darned loud for bedroom use. I'm using KRK VXT 4's and they are sitting on vibropads, then a wooden desk around 6" from a wall. Monitor volume is -62.4db.


    Edit - should 'headphone link' be checked on the output section?


    Main goal is to get optimum sound at a sensible level, set and forget - and get on enjoying / playing / writing guitar!


    Cheers,


    -Tonerider

    Hey Tonerider,
    I developed ringing in my ears several years ago when I was doing something similar. This is a medical condition called Tinnitus. You can google it. It can be caused by loud noises, but I dont think that's what caused it in my case, and probably not yours either. I actually went in to have my hearing checked and it was perfect. So I hear everything fine, except I have an additional frequency that is boosted (the ringing). Mine kind comes and goes too. In my case the audiologist concluded it had to do not so much with loud noises, but with "critical listening". Tinitus is like the hiccups, or a twitch in your eyelid that some people get. It's a sort of like a feedback loop that has run away. The brain sences something, then asks the gain to be turned up and waits for the response, it's still, not quite right, so it turns up the gain even more. Pretty soon you have a runaway stimulous that the brain now comes to accept as normal. Mine happend when I was doing a lot of mixing in headphones (but not loud), hence the critical listening prognosis. It can be exaserbated by cafine and stress, but I don't know how to gett rid of it.

    FWIW, here is my 2 cents on this topic:


    If this is the first time you have experienced the ringing, you should be fine and it will probably go away in a couple of days. If this is a recurring problem then you might have the start of Tinnitus as stated above. If the ringing doesn't stop, I would suggest getting it checked by an ear doctor. I would also make sure you don't have any wax buildup in your ears, which is an understated culprit of the need to crank things and/or boost frequencies.


    For me personally, I am very protective of my hearing. Back in the 80s, I attended a concert with Poison opening for Quiet Riot (ahh, those were the days) and it was so loud that every time Bret Michaels screamed into the microphone the room would turn on funny angles because the high volume was throwing my equilibrium off. My hearing was shot for almost 3 days. I have been wearing earplugs to concerts ever since.


    I have been exposed low guitar volumes for a long time, with some moderate levels, and the very rare ear-crushing levels. I've had my ears checked multiple times and the doctors are usually surprised that my hearing is actually pretty good (as soon as they hear you are a musician they usually write you off as being deaf). I only have lost the utmost extreme lows and highs - probably from sitting in front of my studio monitors for the past 14 years.


    So what's my point? You get one set of ears in their natural state, so do your best to treat them well. If something ever seems too loud it probably is. We all love music, and as guitar players we like them loud, but if you want to be able to hear it in all its glory for years to come you really have to avoid overdoing it on the volume. You should also take frequent breaks while playing, even if you just reach over and turn the volume down for awhile.


    Sorry if I sound like a lecturing parent (not my intention, believe me) but a lot my friends and my dad who all played in bands years ago can't hear squat now from all the years of exposure to loud music without ear plugs. I actually feel sorry for them because they cannot hear music in all it's glory like I can.


    As much as I love loud music, I love my ability to hear well even more.


    Just sayin' :)

    Appreciate the replies all - I'm have the weekend off headphones - and only playing quietly through monitors - ringing is getting less. Try to be very aware of ear issues after perforating ear drum some time back. Hearing is generally very good and clear - just not having a reference volume must have meant hammering it for a few hours initially.