[EternityInParis]

Does earwax have any effect on sound frequencies? Does it have any sound absorption properties? Could some reviewers find a headphone veiled because they have build up? Others find it sibilant because they have none? Stupid question I know. Thanks.

 

[Charles E Flynn]

Earwax reduces transmission of the higher frequencies.

If you take the nail on your thumb put it under the nail on your ring finger, and make a sound by quickly flicking the thumbnail, you can hear a high frequency noise. Do this before and after having your ears cleaned by a doctor, and you will really notice the difference.

 

[Charles E Flynn]

Does earwax have any effect on sound frequencies? Does it have any sound absorption properties? Could some reviewers find a headphone veiled because they have build up? Others find it sibilant because they have none? Stupid question I know. Thanks.

It turns out that wet wax reduces sound transmission more than dry wax:

From https://www.jscimedcentral.com/Otolaryngology/otolaryngology-3-1087.pdf

Results: Wet cerumen caused considerably more hearing loss in all grades of occlusion compared to dry cerumen.
Conclusion: To standardise the results of further studies on this topic, a uniform classification of the grade of external ear canal occlusion needs to be developed.

 

[castleofargh]

It turns out that wet wax reduces sound transmission more than dry wax:

From https://www.jscimedcentral.com/Otolaryngology/otolaryngology-3-1087.pdf

Results: Wet cerumen caused considerably more hearing loss in all grades of occlusion compared to dry cerumen.
Conclusion: To standardise the results of further studies on this topic, a uniform classification of the grade of external ear canal occlusion needs to be developed.

Thank you for this pdf. Almost everything was relatively easy to predict, but now instead of intuition and educated guess, I have actual data. Which always makes me happy.

 

[Charles E Flynn]

Thank you for this pdf. Almost everything was relatively easy to predict, but now instead of intuition and educated guess, I have actual data. Which always makes me happy.

You are welcome, and I agree about having actual data.

John Atkinson of Stereophile magazine tells a good story about earwax:

https://www.stereophile.com/asweseeit/107awsi/index.html