[hohohohi888]

Okay, so I was stupid one day and used Audacity to bassboost all my rap songs, because I loved the feel of strong bass.
I had the notion that no matter how loud the bass I played, I will be fine (I thought it was treble that causes hearing loss).
Well, I maxed the volume and listened to 1 hr of heavily bassboosted songs with the XB800.  Every day, for 1-2 weeks.
 
Now, having decided to give my un-bassboosted music a listen, I discovered that I could barely make out the bass in the songs.  What would have been a loud booming bass note sounds like a weak "thud."
 
Overall, I don't feel like my hearing on the rest of the spectrum has been damaged.  Treble and midrange hearing is fine.
 
I am quite afraid that I will never be able to enjoy rap music anymore.
 
Is this permanent?  What can I do to help my ears heal, if they are going to?
 
Thanks

 

[shockdoc]

You may just have brain "burn in" from having the bass boosted that much for so long but I would absolutely see an audiologist or ENT asap just to be on the safe side.

 

[hohohohi888]

Would listening to bassless songs for a month or so "re-burn in" my brain, then?
 
I want to enjoy my bass again, but not hurt my ears!

 

[Gnomeplay]

  Would listening to bassless songs for a month or so "re-burn in" my brain, then?
 
I want to enjoy my bass again, but not hurt my ears!

It's almost definitely just that you're accustomed to hearing the music boosted rather than experiencing hearing loss. You wouldn't only lose sensitivity to one range, you would notice it through the whole spectrum. You would likely experience some ringing as well.
 
Just start listening to music in neutral again, the same thing happens to me when I listen to my RS1s for a while and switch to my LCD2 or visa versa. Not necessarily just the bass, but everything sounds off for a while. 

 

[hohohohi888]

  It's almost definitely just that you're accustomed to hearing the music boosted rather than experiencing hearing loss. You wouldn't only lose sensitivity to one range, you would notice it through the whole spectrum. You would likely experience some ringing as well.
 
Just start listening to music in neutral again, the same thing happens to me when I listen to my RS1s for a while and switch to my LCD2 or visa versa. Not necessarily just the bass, but everything sounds off for a while. 

The thing is, I am experiencing some ringing.  And the bassboost was 30+db over treble.  I can barely feel any bass on my HD 518, a supposedly bassheavy headphone.
 
But again, the rest of my hearing is fine (I think).
 
I should probably see an audiologist?

 

[Gnomeplay]

 
The thing is, I am experiencing some ringing.  And the bassboost was 30+db over treble.  I can barely feel any bass on my HD 518, a supposedly bassheavy headphone.
 
But again, the rest of my hearing is fine (I think).
 
I should probably see an audiologist?

I probably wouldn't worry that much about it yet, just take a break and see if the ringing goes away. Everything is going to sound thin after listening to a +30db bass equalization. 

 

[gikigill]

+30db bass boost is possible??
 
I own the XB900 btw.

 

[StanD]

 
The thing is, I am experiencing some ringing.  And the bassboost was 30+db over treble.  I can barely feel any bass on my HD 518, a supposedly bassheavy headphone.
 
But again, the rest of my hearing is fine (I think).
 
I should probably see an audiologist?

The HD518 is not a bass heavy phone, it's a rather neutral set of cans, so don't panic. Seeing the audiologist is probably a good idea. Maybe you should switch to folk music for a few weeks,

 .
If you're comparing the HD518 to the XB-800 that might be part of what's freaking you out

 

[Gnomeplay]

I just think it's a little unnecessary to jump the gun if you last listened to them today. 
 
Wait a few days and let things even out before you go off and rack up audiologist bills, unless you're fully insured.

 

[hohohohi888]

  +30db bass boost is possible??
 
I own the XB900 btw.

Audacity.  But don't go crazy, or you'll end up in my position.

  I just think it's a little unnecessary to jump the gun if you last listened to them today. 
 
Wait a few days and let things even out before you go off and rack up audiologist bills, unless you're fully insured.

It's been a few days, and both the ringing and low frequency hearing loss is still there.
I'll probably abstain from listening for a week and see how that goes.

 

[shockdoc]

If you have ringing in your ears that has lasted a few days I would definitely get it checked out. There are some DIY hearing tests you can take online but ringing that lasts more than a few hours could be a sign of permanent hearing damage. At very least I would avoid any loud noises of any kinds for the foreseeable future and see if you notice any improvement. JMO

 

[FancyDan]

I get ringing in my ears all the time after DJing. I went to the audiologist to have it checked out and they actually ended up freaking out saying my hearing was like impossibly good or something. You should probably just abstain from loud music for a while, especially if you bass boosted +30db that's just insanity. 

 

[hohohohi888]

  I get ringing in my ears all the time after DJing. I went to the audiologist to have it checked out and they actually ended up freaking out saying my hearing was like impossibly good or something. You should probably just abstain from loud music for a while, especially if you bass boosted +30db that's just insanity. 

Do damaged ears ever heal if the pereson avoids loud noises for, say, several months?
I am 17 years old.  I don't want to lose my hearing this early on, and frankly am quite nervous right now.  Definitely going to an audiologist, too.

 

[FancyDan]

Do damaged ears ever heal if the pereson avoids loud noises for, say, several months?
I am 17 years old.  I don't want to lose my hearing this early on, and frankly am quite nervous right now.  Definitely going to an audiologist, too.

No, ears don't heal over time to my understanding. I could be wrong, I'm not expert, but as I understand it when you listen to something there is a loudness threshold at which it begins doing damage to your hearing. Damage to your actual hearing is not reversible. Your hearing is finite through your life, so do your best to protect it (although I myself am not a good example of this really haha).

 

[hohohohi888]

  I get ringing in my ears all the time after DJing. I went to the audiologist to have it checked out and they actually ended up freaking out saying my hearing was like impossibly good or something. You should probably just abstain from loud music for a while, especially if you bass boosted +30db that's just insanity. 

By "a while" do you mean days, weeks, or months?