[dulath]

Howdy folks,

I've come to think that there is some kind of problem with my right ear. For the past several weeks, whenever I listen to music it feels as if the right channel has been louder, and puts more pressure on my ear drum. Swaping stereo channels at my source doesn't seem to help, and recently it was suggested that I simply wear the cans on opposite ends to see if something was physicaly wrong with my cans. To my surprise, I still had the same uncomfotable pressure on my right ear. My left ear, on contrast, feels absolutely fine, with no discomfort.

I think I listen to music at a moderate volume. My earwax is the yellowish kind that clumps together, dries out, then falls out of my ear on its own. Should I go to an audiologist?

 

[infinitesymphony]

Yes. Even if it's only due to air pressure changes or seasonal allergies, it's worth having your hearing evaluated.

 

[CuriousVoiger]

No, you don’t need to go to an audiologist, (yet). Also because the audiologist cannot do much if you damage your hearing, apart maybe for giving you some hearing aids.

What you need to do is give the Grado cans a rest or better still get rid of them altogether. That pressure you’re feeling is a warning sign from the eardrum that is in difficulty. I speak from personal experience; I loved my MS1 till I damaged lightly my right ear; not sure what kind of damage but it never felt quite the same ever since; in fact I now suffer from a mild form of tinnitus that I never suffered before, which is not a problem but a bit scaring nevertheless.

The MS1’s sound good but they’re not worth your hearing; there are better cans out there that’ll sound a lot better and won’t make your ear bleed!
A very friendly advice.

Btw, too much info about the wax...

Disclaimer: before I get flamed by some Grado fans (I used to be one of them), this is not a case of all fit all (or whatever the word is); it seems to me that some ears are more sensitive to Grado’s than others; alas, I’m one of them.

good luck to you

cheers!

 

[infinitesymphony]

Even though he doesn't need to go to an audiologist, he should. They can do more than just give hearing evaluations and distribute hearing aids. For example, if there's earwax build up, they can flush it out. Not going to an audiologist because you think you might have hearing loss is akin to not getting a MRI because you think you might have cancer. In both cases, it's better to be up-to-date about what's wrong.

I don't understand what relevence the sound signature of a headphone has to do with sudden hearing loss. Listening at high volume will do more damage than simple ear fatigue. I'm not sure what caused your unilateral hearing loss, but chances are good that it wasn't your headphones unless you received an extremely loud blast of noise.

 

[CuriousVoiger]

Hi,
infinitesymphony, it wasn’t a sudden loss of hearing but the continuos use of the ‘phone, even when I knew I should not have. I am 100% positive that was no season change or sudden loud noise, but the Grado’s cans - I know, (im sorry it’s getting late here and cannot go into much detail). the symptoms he described are pretty much the same I felt before the final damage.

I went to see three or four docs after but couldn’t find anything wrong with it

but, well.. it is always better having the ears checked, sure.