[Strogian]

I was just reading old threads about ety seals, and I noticed what I think may be some really good advice. Someone mentioned that what he could do with a good seal is to sort of wiggle the ety back and forth in his ear, and if he can feel the pressure on the eardrum then it's sealed. (he said that it's basically sound of less than 1 Hz, so that's pretty much the lowest bass you can get..) Is this actually a good tip? Or is there some flawed logic there? Because if it's correct, then I think that this could be the best way of knowing if you're sealed or not.

 

[chych]

I always put them in my ear and make sure I cannot feel any pressure - which is uncomfortable to me, in the ear... I just make sure I cannot hear very well the outside, but the pressure inside the ear is equalized to the outside...

 

[archosman]

Quote:

Originally posted by chych I always put them in my ear and make sure I cannot feel any pressure - which is uncomfortable to me, in the ear... I just make sure I cannot hear very well the outside, but the pressure inside the ear is equalized to the outside...

I do the same thing, too. Makes me wonder if you put them in far enough to really make a seal... would that condition be pulling on the eardrum itself? The Ety's not going to give way... that's for sure. Makes me wonder if a tight seal will fatigue you ears faster...

 

[Wes]

I think what's going on with an Ety seal and eardrum pressure is that:

1) There should not be noticeable pressure, either negative or positive, from trapped air on the eardrum, or what we seem to feel is the eardrum--these sensations can be deceptive. This should be the case when the transducer and cable are not disturbed and are "at rest" for listening.

(There will obviously be sensations of pressure from the sealing material, foam or silicon, against the lining of the ear canal. In order for the seal to persist there must be some force against the surfaces that make up the seal. If Ety's are uncomfortable to someone, this is one of the reasons; but usually this sensation declines to a tolerable lever or disappears with habituation.)

So, we don't want to trap air "under" the Ety as we push it in place. Some owners wiggle the transducer or pull the outer ear aside as they place the 'phones in final position to vent any pressure.

2) That said, however, if one wiggles or disturbs or, more particularly, pushes and pulls lightly on the transducer making it move in a piston-like fashion slightly into and out from and along the general axis of the ear canal, then--if a proper seal is in fact obtained--there should be a matching motion of the eardrum, a small, fleeting (because the Eustachian is venting and equalizing the pressure from the other side of the eardrum) feeling of pressure, both positive and negative, on what is perceived as the eardrum.

You should be able to feel the eardrum--or something deep within your ear--wiggling along with the transducer. That, indeed, should indicate a stable seal.

Well, did I clarify or muddy the waters--or the earwax?

 

[gerG]

It isn't flawed logic, it's gerGlogic! Probably worse.

Wes described it correctly. When you have a good seal, and the outer ear has equalized, moving the headphone a bit makes it act as a piston, and flexes the eardrum (TM). If you have a poor seal, this effect will not occur.

One correction. The eustacean tube equalizes the middle ear (the cavity on the opposite side of the eardrum from the Ety). Unless you have a hole in your TM, the outer ear has to equalize by leakage past the Ety. This is why I can't use the rubber tips. They seal so well on me that every time I move my head or open my mouth the pressure in the outer ear changes, mutes the sound, and drives me bonkers. For whatever reason a sustained pressure imbalance across my eardrums drives me crazy (well, crazier). The foam tips seal great for me, but allow sufficient leakage that minor changes will equalize within a second. This effect is very apparent on an airplane.

Let me know if I can confuse you further

gerG

 

[MacDEF]

I test whether or not I have a good seal by turning the music off and rubbing my thumb and finger together right next to my ear. If I have a good seal, I can't hear a thing. If I don't, I can.

Sounds simple, but works like a charm