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No need for best treble...

Nov 25, 2020

So, my hearing has gone down hill somewhat in that past 10 years. I do not hear past 10-11khz. So now I'm thinking... buy headphones that are the best at midrange, bass, and all other things that great but not so much in the mid-higher treble area. Thoughts and ideas?

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Ruger

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Whitedragem

185

Nov 26, 2020

The hearing range that you ‘have left’ isn’t as bad as you might think; my favorite audio opinions come from the Hans Beekhuyzen Project/channel. He has quite a few youtube vids up and some debunking myths. I have heard him give explanation with regards to our hearing ranges, and MOST of the music we listen to isn’t as badly affected as the numbers suggest. I would recommend some Meze99classics, for a few reasons, but as Evshrug has already pointed out, some closed backs might ultimately let you block out some external/environmental noises, and allow lower listening levels. Ultrasone headphones have some models and literature to suggest that their method of not shooting sound straight at the ear canal, rather the ‘whole ear surface’ generally allow listening to music 3-4dB lower volume levels and yield as much info and detail. Hearing being logarithmic by design, it is at the threshold of sound that we are very sensitive, and I have always chosen lower levels vs louder levels for listening preferences (actually, I generally set the volume to the level of the vocalist to perform correctly for the piece being played, with the exception of maybe some NineInchNails, where whispering being mixed into a wall of rock/industrial sound isn’t unusual. ). The Meze99 (Drop do them in a sexy black colour) are incredible headphones from a company that doesn’t have a lot of pricepoints. I kinda think they are bargains in the audio world, and real ‘undiscovered gems’. Many people HAVE discovered them, and my daughters observation is that ‘its like they were built to play Tool’, when she auditioned prior to purchase. She had listened to some Tori Amos, (female vocals), Crowded House (male vocals), Nine Inch Nails (soundscape/dynamic range), Marcy Playground and Tool just to be sure they would be what she wanted. Her hearing is spot on and she will immediately tell me off for ‘doing something’ to the stereo, telling me quickly what is wrong (accurately) every time, even just casually walking through the room. Feeding 44khz out at 48khz is ‘dead’ to her’. She was pretty right between the ages of 7-12 with every headphone she tested against her Sennheiser ‘on ears’, preferring them to the Momentum Over Ears for female vocals.. a consensus I found Headfiers conceding on occasion to the cheaper on ear parts vs the over ear variants. (unlike some reviewers who offer safe opinions, she speaks honestly and without fear) After seven years with those ‘on ears’ and me trying to get her replacements, the Meze99 was the preference. (Even over some Audeze planars). Her tastes in music are exceptionally wide, and so might be worth .02 $ to others, in general. Ruger, I would definitely want to know the genres of music you listen to before recommending a headphone, and arguably what equipment it may get hooked up to. Headphones benefit from system synergy, and ultimately affect the sound more than any other variable. Matching them to your preferred music styles makes the most sense, and I wouldn’t factor your ‘reduced’ upper frequency hearing (standard, arguably, for many humans really and so not dissimilar to many other people, and their search for great ‘cans.) (You are not alone) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxFCnZ5pBp4&noapp=1 (Hans’ on hearing loss)

(Edited)

Evshrug

3779

Community

Nov 26, 2020

Super treble loss is something that happens to most of us. I’m really careful with my hearing and test well for now, but I know that things will get tougher for me in my late 40’s and 50’s (both of my grandfathers had hearing aids, my mother and grandmother probably should). That said, our brains are pretty amazing. A neutral headphone should still sound neutral. You might not be able to hear mosquitoes as easily (is that all that much of a loss? Haha), but getting a dark headphone will still sound dark. I don’t know if you have any treble fatigue sensitivity or tinnitus to go with it, but I still wouldn’t recommend a bright headphone to try to compensate because it might hasten your loss of those high energy frequencies. A closed headphone could be beneficial. Blocking out the HVAC, water pump, or any other environmental sounds will make the music signal clearer without the need to turn volume up high. And if you do pick a closed headphone, look for an earcup with really good resonance dampening and backwave “echo” reduction. These traits will help keep the notes from blurring into or masking eachother. Not all people suffering from high frequency loss also lose clarity, but clearing out that extraneous energy is easier on your ears and again helps you enjoy the music at a modest volume. I have a pair of HD 650 (longer cord version of HD 6XX here) that I can wear and listen to all day. Look up reviews on how they treat mids and bass. They’re not closed headphones (I’d love to have a pair of HD 820), so I only use them in my office, but they came bundled with an Apogee Groove which does a nice job of keeping it clear sounding and honest, though I admit tube amps suit it well too.

audiogeariscool92

Nov 26, 2020

Most of what enables us to enjoy music is in the midrange anyway. A warm-sounding pair of headphones that have a relatively neutral sound signature would be your best bet. Pair with a tube amp for best results.

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jgillingham

177

Nov 25, 2020

Anything above 1 or 2 kHz is typically perceived as treble.

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