[vkx86]

There is nice hearing (audiometry) tests on the web:

http://www.digital-recordings.com/he...-products.html

OK, it's not as accurate as professionally performed audiometry,
but still what your opinions about it?

 

[cosmopragma]

I've just performed the easiest and shortest of this tests three times and dependent on the gain of my amp I'm deaf

or blessed with superior hearing capabilities

I have no measurement equipment at hand (and no clue how to use it properly).
I think I will get much more precise results by simply visiting an otologist.
Warning:this might be dangerous for your gear.I once met a guy who blew his speaker tweeters by turning the volume to the extreme 'cause he couldn't hear anything at 20 KHz

 

[vkx86]

Quote:

Originally posted by cosmopragma I've just performed the easiest and shortest of this tests three times and dependent on the gain of my amp I'm deaf or blessed with superior hearing capabilities I have no measurement equipment at hand (and no clue how to use it properly). I think I will get much more precise results by simply visiting an otologist. Warning:this might be dangerous for your gear.I once met a guy who blew his speaker tweeters by turning the volume to the extreme 'cause he couldn't hear anything at 20 KHz

Less or more the same result , except that my sound card is uncapable to produce sounds above 17000 Hz (I tried most advanced one), or maybe I'm unable to hear above 17000 Hz, age.

I think the interesting thing is the capability to test your hearing frequency range, common audiometry will test 125 - 8000 Hz range.

They write that if use SPL meter to calibrate volume, then the test is quite accurate.

 

[gorman]

Well... when I went to have my ear impressions taken for my UE-10, I took an appointment to get a full audiometry exam. I was not happy with what I found. 25+db of hearing threshold for my left ear on 4 KHz...

I redid the test using the link provided in this thread, and I got similar results. So this test is pretty reliable if you conduct it seriously and multiple times.

I don't know what caused my impairment. I guess, probably, twenty years of bad headphones that got me cranking up the volume to get somewhat decent sound of them did not help. Now I'm so cautious with my UE-10... on the border of paranoia.

I'm desperately trying to get an idea of what SPL they get inside my ears when coupled with my Rio Karma. No luck so far... Mindy Harvey from UE mentioned a professional mini microphone probe inside my ear, toghether with the canalphone playing.

 

[gorman]

On the same site, I found this review a very interesting read.

 

[gorman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cosmopragma I've just performed the easiest and shortest of this tests three times and dependent on the gain of my amp I'm deaf or blessed with superior hearing capabilities

But did you recalibrate every time?

 

[Earwax]

Quote:

Originally Posted by vkx86 Less or more the same result , except that my sound card is uncapable to produce sounds above 17000 Hz (I tried most advanced one), or maybe I'm unable to hear above 17000 Hz, age. I think the interesting thing is the capability to test your hearing frequency range, common audiometry will test 125 - 8000 Hz range. They write that if use SPL meter to calibrate volume, then the test is quite accurate.

But still, the accuracy is very dependant on your equipment. The first time I did that test I was shocked to find that I couldn't hear 20hz at all. Then, later, I found that it was actually my soundcard that was incapable of 20Hz.

 

[vkx86]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gorman Well... when I went to have my ear impressions taken for my UE-10, I took an appointment to get a full audiometry exam. I was not happy with what I found. 25+db of hearing threshold for my left ear on 4 KHz... I redid the test using the link provided in this thread, and I got similar results. So this test is pretty reliable if you conduct it seriously and multiple times. I don't know what caused my impairment. I guess, probably, twenty years of bad headphones that got me cranking up the volume to get somewhat decent sound of them did not help. Now I'm so cautious with my UE-10... on the border of paranoia.

Age, it's age...
Our hearing fades with age, it's natural

 

[gorman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by vkx86 Age, it's age... Our hearing fades with age, it's natural

If I interpret this document correctly, on average a male human being of my age (34) should have an 11dB hearing threshold at 4 KHz. I have 26db...

 

[vkx86]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gorman If I interpret this document correctly, on average a male human being of my age (34) should have an 11dB hearing threshold at 4 KHz. I have 26db...

Audiometry performed in 0dB noise level sound-sealed room, you can easily hear your heart beats in that room, I do it recently, to check my right ear after otitis.
Even at night, at silence, there is 30-40dB noise level in your living room, take it into account, or better go and perform real audiometry.

 

[gorman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by vkx86 Audiometry performed in 0dB noise level sound-sealed room, you can easily hear your heart beats in that room, I do it recently, to check my right ear after otitis. Even at night, at silence, there is 30-40dB noise level in your living room, take it into account, or better go and perform real audiometry.

What I said is that I did take a real audiometry test, in a sound sealed room, from a professional audiologist, etc., etc.

But the web-based test that I conducted at home, at night, using my UE-10 (around 26dB of isolation) gave similar results.

 

[vkx86]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gorman What I said is that I did take a real audiometry test, in a sound sealed room, from a professional audiologist, etc., etc. But the web-based test that I conducted at home, at night, using my UE-10 (around 26dB of isolation) gave similar results.

Sorry, didn't read your post carefully

In that case you do have hearing loss, and nothing will help you, sorry

 

[halcyon]

Gorman,

did you talk with your audiologist about the results? What did he say?

Was you whole treshold elevated throughout the frequency range or just that 4kHz frequency range?

Be warned that "self-made" audiometry can border on gimmickry. I have the Digital Recording CD hearing Check CD and while useful, it is not a substitute for a test done by a trained audiologist using dedicated equipment.

Reasons:

1) no <15 dB isolate room
2) no audiology headphones (different frequency response than normal headphones)
3) no calibrated gear
4) different test tones (pulse tones are more accurate than the sweeps used by home made tests)
5) no training in conducting, retrying and verifying the test results

Ref: Introduction to Audiology 8th ed., Martin Clark, Allyn & Bacon, 2003.

As such, I wouldn't give too much credit to home made audiometry results.

Also, be noted that there is no accepted and accurate standard to gauge listening treshold beyond 11 kHz.

Why? Because the results can vary with the same test subject from one day to another c. 30 dB. Not very accurate, is it.

Regardless, I've been tested by a local leading audiology research up to and including 14 kHz (flat in both ears up to 11 kHz, slow decline after that, normal for my age).

I can still hear 19 kHz though, if I use insane playback levels for single 19kHz simple tones.

However, this is not useful as at those levels I'm only damaging my ear/hearing more and not gaining any useful musical experience.

So to sum it up:

- home tests are not reliable, pro measurements more so (but even they have reliability issues after 11kHz)
- if you are interested, get your hearing tested by a professional audiologist, pays off
- don't try to play back test signals at loud volumes (even if it doesn't _sound_ loud to you): you will only hurt your equipment and your hearing

Play safe.