Turns out Dave’s hearing might be the reason behind all this - as someone who spent a bit too much time at desert raves and warehouses in my youth and now wears hearing aids - PLEASE - for those of you who do not suffer from tinnitus or wear hearing aids - TAKE. CARE. OF. YOUR. EARS.
Not much else to say besides that. Hearing loss sucks. I wouldn’t trade my memories for anything but if there was one thing I could change, it would hands down be taking risks to hearing loss seriously. I dont care if its headphones or 50,000 watt sound systems, once its gone its gone folks and it will be a pain in the ass for the rest of your years.
taking a break was a right move. i’d say try to put yourself in a place where you’re not dependent on headphones. if you’re unable to do that just be aware of what you may or may not be doing to your senses and take the proper care accordingly.
…serious sonic working is a totally different thing than just listening to music for the fun of it…
if ur really working on mix details u don’t need loudness…!!!
u might need some bump in the air when jammin’…yeah…feel it…
but not for finishing mixes…
always have breaks from time to time…never get lost in mixing for hours in a row…
especially not under headphones…
use a monitor controler…where u fix a work and a fun level…
ur ears get tired after a while…don’t push loudness then…stop for a moment or two…and start a little quieter…before u get back to old level…
it’s so good to have a decent work level…and then lean back from time to time and turn up the volume to shake the room…then have a coffee break…and then start mixing again on lower work level…
and always keep in mind…the real pros always leave the sweet spot and the room to listen to the track during mix sessions from the room next door just leavin’ the door open for many good reasons…
That’s what you will hear every waking moment if you don’t take care of your ears. I don’t even remember what silence sounds like anymore. Please take care of your ears.
Yes, studio mixing/mastering vs listening, playing at venues are two different animals. For mixing another reason to be aware of or adopt the K-System, the listening levels are safe and comfortable for long periods as well as good practice for mix levels and headroom.
It does require the right setup and environment properly calibrated though.
It may sound like a marketing bs, but those Flare audio earplugs can soften some high-range harshness and can be used with normal cans on top, no problem.
Out of interest, what is about headphones that makes them especially dangerous for tinnitus? For the same level of apparent volume (to the listener) do they cause more damage and if so why?
Proximity to the eardrum and the high level IME, I tend to avoid using them wherever possible, also I rarely use earbuds, but always keep levels low in any case.
Yeah I wondered if this was part of it. I do also find it’s more tempting to crank headphones than speakers (partially I guess because you aren’t disturbing anyone with the noise level).
Yeah I only use my headphones every now and then, and my days of clubbing etc. are over more or less, but it’s always good to be reminded to take care of your ears. I do have a tiny bit of tinnitus but I don’t notice it unless I think about it, but I know people who have had a miserable time with it from DJing etc, so feel quite fortunate to have dodged that.
Also remember that with headphones you don’t feel the bass in your chest like you do with a massive sound system. This could possibly fool you into thinking that it’s not as loud as in the club.
Is it simply the irritating sound, or did your ear (s) become sensitive to sound/noise?
About 3 months ago, I started hearing a very loud sound in my right ear, but it also became sensitive.
If I completely avoid music, and wear a earplug in right ear, it becomes much softer after a couple of days, but the first time I listen to even the television it is back. I do know the sound of what I always presumed tinnitus would sound like, because I have heard it for a very long time when it is quiet, but only very softly, so it never really bothered me. That sound (in both ears), is like a sine wave. The thing I’ve been suffering from recently, is much louder (I hear it quite loudly, even if television/music is at a decent level). Also, the sound has a more ‘sparkly’ aspect, like some slight saturation/distortion. It is also slightly different pitch - when it’s quiet, I can hear both the ‘sine wave’ in both ears, and this new sound only in my right ear.
Does this sound like a bad case of tinnitus, or maybe something else? My right ear is pretty sensitive now, and I rather do not use headphones at all, because it is not enjoyable at all.
after the fact yes, im glad i can hear subhumans and stevie wonder. not much else matters. but generally speaking, yeah, who needs it 
