Worried about my ears

Bob-Dubery

The company I work for is getting very excited about the soccer world cup. There are mandatory launch presentations.

I just got back from one. At rough count there were 130 people present. EVERYBODY got a little whistle to blow (mine is a fetchingly lurid shade of orange). When the actors who were doing their presentation started doing their little dance and exhorted us to blow our whistles I got this massive dose of distortion in both ears. Their was no loud musical backing, just people hollering and blowing whistles. This is indoors, in a class room. Really ugly distortion, like something was massively squaring off the wave forms.

Should I be worried about this?

I've noticed this before on occasion at loud in-door concerts. If it's like this for everybody then I don't know why so many of us bother. Big soccer matches with vuvuzelas all over the place must be a most disconcerting experience.

The last time I recall getting this "distortion" was at a Richard Thompson band show in Wolverhampton in 2007 - indoors, capacity 700. Thompson's sound guy knows where the "loud" button is. Mind you, I was standing right in the front. I had a good view of his pedal board. Getting a good view of himself meant getting a pain in the neck as well.

BMU

Mandatory company ra-ra sessions. Yippee.

If it's not ringing (tinnitus) you're prolly ok?....dunno. Earplugs - too late I know.

I'll often be the only sissy with fingers in ears when everyone else is 'toughing it out'. Without music the world would end, I need my eardrums.

NorioDS

Just ordered mine from here:
http://www.earplugsonline.co.za/

Going to watch Chile vs Spain this year and don't want the vuvu's to make me deaf ? Also should keep our marriage going strong(er) as I snore and Tanya stays up late, so we can both sleep better ?

(Made out of natural stuff and molds to your ear. That's why I picked them. Hope this helps!)

Corne

Yeah man. Agree with BMU.
If your ears aren't ringing you should be okay.
I have like three pairs of ear plugs. A set in my car a set in my guitar case and a set for my girlfriend (also in the car).

If you band practice as loud as we do you really need a pair.
Also for when we perform of attending someone elses live performance.

You can go to your Pharmacy or DisChem. Both should have a nice variety and fit fo anyones pocket.

Preparedness makes us powerful.
Get youself a set, one less thing to worry about

Keira-WitherKay

talking a bout ears distorting.........

i heard a true story 1st hand from an old cape Town musician ..... who apparantly in his 60's bought a biggish guitar amp ...... since he still played tribute shows..... and returned it to he music store since he claimed the amp was blown and the speakers even on the clean channel were distorting ............ they replaced it without question and trusting his word...... since it was a new product ....and then he returned next day to say the replacement amp too had a problem and distorted on the clean channel........... only then did they test it ...and the amp was fine............ but my friends ears were the problem............. too many years of cranking up amps......... he now has hearing aids........

so moral of the story is..if you have any ear probs get them examined immeadiately ...... in this case definitely prevention is better since there aint no cure .......

Riaan

The last time I recall getting this "distortion"

Believe it or not, my two girls, when screaming really loud and in unison near me, create that effect in my ears. I don't know if it happens at high frequencies only - the sound is pure up to a point, then it sounds like a speaker that's blown.

aubs1

Norio wrote Going to watch Chile vs Spain this year ................

Hey Norio, ......... a bit confused????........... Chile vs. Spain ???? ............... ? ? ?

(Apologies guys, could'nt resist)

Riaan wrote Believe it or not, my two girls, when screaming really loud and in unison near me, create that effect in my ears. I don't know if it happens at high frequencies only - the sound is pure up to a point, then it sounds like a speaker that's blown.

Hahahaha.......I know this is serious, but perhaps I should send my boys to you for a weekend, and you will appreciate the "blown speakers"...

Bob-Dubery

Riaan wrote
The last time I recall getting this "distortion"
Believe it or not, my two girls, when screaming really loud and in unison near me, create that effect in my ears. I don't know if it happens at high frequencies only - the sound is pure up to a point, then it sounds like a speaker that's blown.

Yep! It's the tops especially. Hence the problems I had when every Tom, Dick and Harriet started blowing their whistles.

FenderBender

Same here. It happens only on the tops and only with more than one source at a similar high frequency. It's almost as if two or more frequencies are modulating with each other and causing the effect.

Corne

So.................I guess the moral of the story is............
Get ear plugs for safety reasons.........and............when you have kids...........invest is some serious ear plugs???????????