Weird Hearing Problems...

[18reisd]

For some reason every time I go to a loud concert the next day when I practice it seems like the bass is at half the volume it was the last day, even though I didn't change anything. It also seems that the low frequencies get really accentuated and I lose a lot of mid range punch, like I turned down the volume knob on my bass or something...
Is this normal?

[jkramer5]

It's why people that value their hearing wear ear protection.

[999Brent]

Sounds like a temporary hearing loss, last for approx 24hrs?
Sounds like you are damaging your hearing.

Temporary hearing loss is due to the tiny hairs in the ears getting overloaded, they do recover mostly, but the are getting weaker all the time.

Get some hearing protection or you will require hearing aids sooner or later, it can take 20 years for the damage to come through...

Otherwise, I will be happy to sell you a hearing aid, I work for s hearing aid company....

[HereIGoAgain]

With age-related and occupational-related hearing loss, there are two types that are common: 1) you develop a mid-range "scoop" in your hearing, 2) you lose the highs and lows.

That "missing bass" could become permanent.

[xgator4u]

Originally Posted by jkramer5

It's why people that value their hearing wear ear protection.

This. I wish I had known 30 years ago. Now it's too little,too late for me. DON'T let this happen to you.

[Demon_Hunter]

Originally Posted by xgator4u

This. I wish I had known 30 years ago. Now it's too little,too late for me. DON'T let this happen to you.

This. Now I have tinnitus. And it sucks royally.
Ear Plugs with anything that's loud.

As for your problem, see a Doctor.

[xgator4u]

Originally Posted by Demon_Hunter

This. Now I have tinnitus. And it sucks royally.
Ear Plugs with anything that's loud.

As for your problem, see a Doctor.

You ain't kidding. Tinnitus SUCKS. And it is irreversible.

when your hearing is gone, it's gone.

[SunnBass]

ALWAYS WEAR EARPLUGS!!!

Extended exposure to loud music can stress the cilia ("hairs") in your ears. When they get too stressed they will sort of "bend" this causes temporary tinnitus (ringing or buzzing in the ears). They CAN eventually relax and everything is fine. Repeat this over and over and they WILL break off causing permanent loss and permanent tinnitus. There is a cilia for every frequency.

In extreme cases the "bones" in the middle ear can become weak and will actually sort of "fuse" together. when this happens lower frequency is lost and eventually Meneer's Disease can set in. This causes permanent low frequency loss and CONSTANT vertigo.

Save the sound. Protect yourself.

http://www.hearnet.com/at_risk/risk_aboutloss.shtml

[Joe Nerve]

Another "this" on the tinnitus and hearing loss stuff. I'd like to add something about tinnitus too. I've had it probably for the last 20 years on some level, and never really cared. I could just tune it out, and thought people often made a big deal out of something not so big. A few years ago the tinnitus raised to a level that was previoudly unimaginable to me. Imagine a ringing in your ears that's pretty much louder than everything else, and doesn't go away. If that scares you, and it should, then wear earplugs. All the time.

Another thing is that hearing loss in addition to tinnitus isn't really what I ever expected it to be like. It often makes things sound weird, as opposed to simply quieter.

[Spectrum]

I wear earplugs, but I wish I could find some that have a flatter frequency curve. The ones I use seem to cut the highs more than the lows, which I guess is why a lot of people don't like to use them, since it makes the music less bright sounding and more boomy.

Still, it beats going deaf.

Somebody once fired a rifle next to my left ear without warning me first, and that ear rang for half a day. It's still slightly off to this day, which really irritates me, as I'm very good at protecting my ears. It's a habit I learned working around jet engines. All those TV shows and movies with cops shooting indoors and then casually talking to each other afterwards? Yeah, uh, no, that's not how it works.

[Bassamatic]

Get the "musican's earplugs" that are fairly flat in response for when you practice, play and for concerts (that are now ungodly loud). You can still "feel" the sound.

Your ear has a "shock absorber" built in to lower the sound pressure in the inner ear when there is a super loud sound, but it can only handle so much - then the inner ear starts to get damaged.

Tinnitus and hearing damage really suck - don't let it happen to you.

[Silver Blues]

I once had a bike tire explode on me at 110psi. Couldn't hear for like fifteen minutes afterwards, and it took a while for my hearing to fully recover. That was a few milliseconds of super loud close-range noise. Imagine what repeated extremely loud aural assault would do.

--Silvie

[iammr2]

Huh...you say something???

[18reisd]

I've only been playing bass seriously for about 2 years, but I do practice pretty loud for long periods of time(I have a decibel meter and try to keep the level at below 100 db, but sometimes it goes a bit over that). Is that enough to permanently damage my ears?

[xgator4u]

Originally Posted by 18reisd

I've only been playing bass seriously for about 2 years, but I do practice pretty loud for long periods of time(I have a decibel meter and try to keep the level at below 100 db, but sometimes it goes a bit over that). Is that enough to permanently damage my ears?

WAY more than enough.

YOU alone are practicing @ 100 db ???
absolutely excessive.

[KPJ]

Originally Posted by 18reisd

I've only been playing bass seriously for about 2 years, but I do practice pretty loud for long periods of time(I have a decibel meter and try to keep the level at below 100 db, but sometimes it goes a bit over that). Is that enough to permanently damage my ears?

Yes. No need to practice that loud. If you are exposed to sound levels that high for extended periods of time WEAR EARPLUGS!

[Hactar]

Originally Posted by 18reisd

I've only been playing bass seriously for about 2 years, but I do practice pretty loud for long periods of time(I have a decibel meter and try to keep the level at below 100 db, but sometimes it goes a bit over that). Is that enough to permanently damage my ears?

OSHA Workplace SPL Limits

This should give you an idea of what's "loud".
100dB is Loud.

You should definitely be using hearing protection.

[placedesjardins]

Originally Posted by 18reisd

For some reason every time I go to a loud concert the next day when I practice it seems like the bass is at half the volume it was the last day, even though I didn't change anything. It also seems that the low frequencies get really accentuated and I lose a lot of mid range punch, like I turned down the volume knob on my bass or something...
Is this normal?

I wear hearing protection anytime I know the volume is going to be loud and for an extended period of time. Lawn mowing, flying in a propeller airplane, loud music event, gun shooting, car racing, etc.
If there's a place that is playing music loudly and I don't have hearing protection, I'll just leave. Like a DJ at a wedding reception. The volume is normal in the beginning but after everyone has eaten and the whole first dance business is done, he tends to crank it up to arena concert level but in a reception hall space.

[1958Bassman]

Originally Posted by 18reisd

I've only been playing bass seriously for about 2 years, but I do practice pretty loud for long periods of time(I have a decibel meter and try to keep the level at below 100 db, but sometimes it goes a bit over that). Is that enough to permanently damage my ears?

You need to look at the OSHA specs for noise exposure. At 100dB, I think your limit is about 1/2 hour PER DAY.

Rules of hearing

#1 if you notice a difference in the way things sound after exposure, you probably have damaged your ears permanently.

#2 You can't change Rule #1

Your ears will recover a bit of the loss, making it short-term but they will not recover completely. Wear hearing protection. Your ears aren't better than everyone elses, so don't push your luck- your hearing may be needed to get you out of trouble some day and if you're stone deaf, you'll be screwed.

[PlungerModerno]

Originally Posted by jkramer5

It's why people that value their hearing wear ear protection.

This^^^

I have mild tinitus - a teenager with earphones and loud metal does damage over a decade.

Like the rest I say: TAKE EVERY PRECAUTION. I have started to bring earplugs out when I go to small shows - usually I don't need them, but if I'm near a PA it can be well over 100 or 110 dB by my estimate. Better to have them and not need them.

I have found some earplugs (the cheaper kind) don't offer balanced attenuation. Eg. my cheapo foam plugs cut highs more than lows - good for me 'coz 95% of the time I find I prefer slightly cut highs - in some cases severely cut.

You can get ear protection in a number of ways - I find for jamming a set of old school :

Does do what I need. Cut the SPL nicely, while blanketing some of the trebley harshness of large splashy hats and cymbols in a pretty harsh acoustic environ.