In February this year my trusty Naim/Dynavector/Shaihinian system started to sound terribly distorted just at the frequency where electric guitars tend to frequent. 1500Hz perhaps, who knows. Anyway I originally thought that the amps needed some TLC so off they went to be serviced. They cam back just the same... I then went into my car to listen to the system in that and, lo and behold, the same problem. It had to be my ears. As syringing didn't do very much either I thought about buying some speakers that were perhaps less exciting. One of the great things abut early Arcs is that they can grab you by the throat. This is sometimes a good thing, sometimes not. To cut a very long story short I bought a pair of Dynaudio Heritage Specials a couple of months ago, thinking that they would be easier on the ear. And, yes of course they are an excellent speaker. But, they didn't really help actually as if you have a hearing problem at 1500Hz then you will have this problem whatever the speaker unless it has a massive dip at the point in the spectrum.....And, then of course they will sound terrible! The Arcs are now back in place (I am listening to less rock music currently!) and the Dynaudios are sitting forelornly. If anyone wants to have a piece of Dynaudio heritage at a saving over than the normal price then please PM me. They are numbered, receipted and fully legit. They have done perhaps 20 hours before I found that they didn't do the trick.
I have a similar problem, which is most apparent with massed violins, choirs and with many solo piano recordings. I suspect that moderate hyperacusis (which is probably the cause) is much more common than audiologists think; it just doesn't bother most people much, because most people are not hi-fi buffs. The answer, for me anyway, is DSP:
http://www.dspeaker.com/en/products/20-dual-core.shtml
This is not only a room correction device; it is as powerful a tone control as you will find. Learn to use its many facilities (the parametric equaliser is probably what you need) and you will be able to adjust the sound of your system to accommodate the failings of your ageing ears. That's what I have done. Result: an end to box swapping in the pursuit of a sound I can live with. I will never part with my DSPeaker.
http://www.dspeaker.com/en/products/20-dual-core.shtml
This is not only a room correction device; it is as powerful a tone control as you will find. Learn to use its many facilities (the parametric equaliser is probably what you need) and you will be able to adjust the sound of your system to accommodate the failings of your ageing ears. That's what I have done. Result: an end to box swapping in the pursuit of a sound I can live with. I will never part with my DSPeaker.
JezmondTutu
pfm Member
Sorry to hear about your problems, Shahinians are about as natural speaker as you will find.
The idea of DSP sounds like a perfect remedy.
The idea of DSP sounds like a perfect remedy.
Salamander
pfm Member
I may have the same problem, it seemed to occur after an afternoon of using an electric drill, whether this was the cause I don't know, but higher frequencies seem to sound distorted especially female vocals. This happened a couple of months ago, I went to see a doctor, I'm staying in Cambodia at present so a little sceptical of the answer I received which was I've permanently damaged something in my inner ear, although I will go and see a doctor when I return to the uk. I do feel it has improved, I listened to something I knew would be troublesome, and it didn't sound as bad as it would have done 2 months ago, although this was later in the day which I've now found to be better than earlier in the morning.
Should have added, don't be changing anything until you have seen a specialist, and good luck with the outcome.
Should have added, don't be changing anything until you have seen a specialist, and good luck with the outcome.
Chops54
pfm Member
Ear plugs or defenders are the way to go when using power tools. I wear ear plugs pretty much all day if I'm on a noisy site. Like many contractors I used to think it was cissy to do such things but after years of having it drummed into me I've come to appreciate the very real benefits.
First thing to do is go and have your ears tested properly by an audiologist. They will be able to give you a very comprehensive report on the condition of your hearing, complete with a frequency response graph for each one. Armed with this information then I would suggest that a decent EQ might be the better way to go rather than looking for particularly 'trebly' speakers. I have worked in live music for most of my life and have reasonably regular check-ups and thankfully only have a very minor dip in HF response in my right ear.
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jimification
pfm Member
Of course best to consult a professional and find out what's what first....
Not sure exactly what your setup is but if it will work with Roon you could install the trial version to see if some specific eq'ing helps: Roon has a very good and easy to use built in eq system that will let you "notch" out specific frequencies, adjust the "q" and move them around. At least it could be a good free way to test out this method to see if it helps.
Here's what it looks like: you just add points, drag them around in the frequency spectrum and then you can define the "q" (width) and "gain" (depth) of the boost or cut around that frequency.
Not sure exactly what your setup is but if it will work with Roon you could install the trial version to see if some specific eq'ing helps: Roon has a very good and easy to use built in eq system that will let you "notch" out specific frequencies, adjust the "q" and move them around. At least it could be a good free way to test out this method to see if it helps.
Here's what it looks like: you just add points, drag them around in the frequency spectrum and then you can define the "q" (width) and "gain" (depth) of the boost or cut around that frequency.
Snufkin
pfm Member
My shift from Harbeth to Shahinian was hampered because the mid-range and the top of the M30 I had was so good; the Shahinian Obelisks (mk1) sounded harsh by comparison. I have grown to love what Shahinians do and now have the more refined mk2 Obs but if you want (or need) a smooth, detailed speaker, the M30 is hard to beat.
Yes, the midrange and treble of the M30 are incredibly smooth, too smooth for me. If someone finds them bright, it's the ears and not the speakers.
Chris
pfm Member
I now know that for years previous to just before the start of the pandemic I had been losing my hearing in my right ear but strangely it began with lower frequencies which is apparently not very usual. Why were the bass players always on the left channel ? For years I struggled with this blaming it on a dodgy cartridge, anti skating adjustment, wax build up, lousy room acoustics, bodge work on my crossovers for my diyspeakers, huge bureau thingy in between my speakers etc., etc. Not once did I question my hearing, being a bit of a non- believer in non urgent GP check-ups as my health has been disgustingly good for the last 40 odd years Anyway, in February 2020 the process spread virtually overnight to total deafness in my right ear and I went to see a specialist. He ruled out infection and contradicted my supposedly “overnight” theory and insisted it had been going on for some time, although he was a bit bemused that it had started in lower frequencies - I don’t think he had had a foreign hifi loony as a pacient before and he said he thought I had a vestibular Schwannoma, a benign tumour, affecting my audio nerve as in enters my skull. MRI scans show that he was right and it is very small as yet and needs to be checked for growth every so on. If it grows too much it will have to be “destroyed” by radiotherapy but as a preventive measure only, no way will I get my hearing back. At present tinnitus is present as a low level sshhh sound and I would be happy to leave things as they are. I listen to my system, sat at right angles to my speakers, and I can detect an impression of stereo but I don’t really pay much attention to it preferring to concentrate on more tonal aspects like decay and impact and I enjoy it that way. In actual fact there is a good side to it all: I no longer worry about hifi and get on with concentrating on HOW the musicians are or were for recording and not on WHERE or WHO they are. Quite a liberation.
My recommendation, pay a bit more attention to yourself and don’t be so old school, stiff upper lip Brit (exaggerated in my case, as I live abroad). Chill out, life’s too short.
Forgot to add that my right ear works as an ear defender ´cos I have recuperated some hearing there - all mids and treble and harshly distorted but normal deafness is resumed when I turn the volume down to normal (for me).
My recommendation, pay a bit more attention to yourself and don’t be so old school, stiff upper lip Brit (exaggerated in my case, as I live abroad). Chill out, life’s too short.
Forgot to add that my right ear works as an ear defender ´cos I have recuperated some hearing there - all mids and treble and harshly distorted but normal deafness is resumed when I turn the volume down to normal (for me).
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I have a couple of comments both on the ear defender issue and on possible alternatives to Shahinian.
On the former point I play guitar in a pub band and I wear in-ear defenders for every rehearsal and gig. When I forget or if I go to a bigger gig by a touring band without them I get ringing in my ears. None of my band mates bother which I find surprising.
On speaker characteristics- and whether this is affected by 40 plus years of going to live gigs - I have noticed a harsher vocal presentation in recent years with both Shahinian Arcs (mark1) and Compass (mark2) - with Naim amps.I also have a lively room which doesn’t help.
in any event I am currently auditioning Sonus Faber Sonetto iii and v - which my dealer - ( shout out to Robert Ritchie Montrose) has kindly lent to me to compare - and both are a much smoother presentation which I prefer in my room - so I would recommend the OP consider these as well as , of course, taking medical advice.
On the former point I play guitar in a pub band and I wear in-ear defenders for every rehearsal and gig. When I forget or if I go to a bigger gig by a touring band without them I get ringing in my ears. None of my band mates bother which I find surprising.
On speaker characteristics- and whether this is affected by 40 plus years of going to live gigs - I have noticed a harsher vocal presentation in recent years with both Shahinian Arcs (mark1) and Compass (mark2) - with Naim amps.I also have a lively room which doesn’t help.
in any event I am currently auditioning Sonus Faber Sonetto iii and v - which my dealer - ( shout out to Robert Ritchie Montrose) has kindly lent to me to compare - and both are a much smoother presentation which I prefer in my room - so I would recommend the OP consider these as well as , of course, taking medical advice.
Pine Marten
pfm Member
Riding a variety of 70's and 80's Italian sporting motorcycles something like 200 000 miles over 25 years has not been kind to my hearing, knees,neck,wrists, back, etc.......
Marchbanks
Hat and Beard member
I have a similar problem in my left ear at a particular frequency, although at normal domestic listening levels it isn’t a problem. But when it is triggered it is like a combination of dentist’s and pneumatic drills an inch from my ear, and I turn involuntarily to try to get away from it. I have friends who had wind chimes at exactly the right/wrong frequency. I should have measured it, but they have chucked them out now. Jack White hit the spot with a sustained note at a gig once, the bastard. I think its origins are with a little herbert who screamed with all his might into that ear when I was about nine years old. I couldn’t hear anything on that side for a minute or so.