[NotSoUnsteadyKen]

Since I had a stroke in 2004 I've had all sort of problems with my
hearing, at times I have thought that I was going round the bend.
I had a hearing test not long after, but it was a rather cursory effort
at my opticians, the verdict was very good no problems.
A couple of weeks ago I had a much more thorough test in quieter
surroundings and the results were surprising for me and for the
audiologist conducting the test.And also go a long way towards explaing
all the disturbing effects.

First the good news. My hearing is really very good. The tester
remarked that apart from that one anamoly, if he were to judge my age
from the results he would put me in the 25-30 age bracket.
59 next month and I can hear to 14khz. Yahoo.

Now the not so good news. The "anamoly" affects my right ear only and
takes the form of abnormal gain. The response follows the curve for my
left ear and the population norm to start then has a very steep rise to
a peak of +16-18db at about 1khz followed by a shallow valley then
another rise to a +8-10db peak at about 4khz. It then drops slowly back
to the norm. It appears to be a gross modification of the loudness
response curve or somesuch caused by the brain damage.

It would appear that around that freqency range, sounds that would be
inaudible or on the threshold of hearing for 'normal' people are
readily heard and can be startlingly loud to me.

I've never been able to get my head round db's and loudness, could some
kind soul explain in simple terms just what sort of amplification i'm
exeriencing

I'm horrified and delighted, mainly delighted by this news.

Horrified because my dream of supplanting Michael Fremer as chief
turntable reviewer at Stereophile has gone down the crapper.All those
'fawning' (c) 2009 Arny; posts praising it wasted

Delighted because it means that the phantom footsteps, voices, creaks,
drones, whistles, hums, whirs and other disturbing noises that no-one
else can hear are just that. Normal background noises that most people
are not aware of.

The imbalance between ears must also have affected my sound location
mechanism and would explain why normal and phantom sounds can appear
from the most unlikely places.

I'm shortly booked into the Audiology dept of a local hospital for
further tests in their soundproofed room so it looks like I'm going to
end up in a padded cell anyway.

Based on these preliminary results I think I can lay claim to one of
George's hand knitted RAO Ear of the Year t-shirts. Perhaps it could be
discussed at the next 'posse' meeting, Shushies place Friday night
according to my mole. Thanks Jenn. So get knitting George. Any colour
you like, whatever you've got the wool for. Large size please, plenty
of stomach room, thanks.

Gotta rush folks, the bloody fridge is playing the bagpipes on the roof
again.

--
A happy Ken

Feeble audio links site
http://unsteadyken.sitegoz.com/