Hearing and aging

[Sound Chaser]

Like a lot of people here, I have been mixing for many, many years. In my case over 25 years and 10 years playing in bands before that. I wish I had taken better care of my hearing way back then...but, what the hey....It's only rock & roll.

While I know from continual testing that my hearing has dramatically fallen off, I am still confident that my work is up to snuff, in some ways better than ever. Other people don't seem to notice my ears are off. To me albums sound much the same as they always did, and if anything I long ago stopped adding false harmonics and frequencies for aural stimulation. The only disadvantage today is that I can no longer take the abuse before my hearing closes down, but it is something I constantly worry about.

A'm I fooling myself. Can someone still be effective if their hearing has degraded enough to show a big change in a response graph? A shame really, because knowlege and musicality improves with age, but the hearing doesn't. Other than being extremely careful, any advice.

Thanks in advance, Akira.

[Bruce Swedien]

Originally Posted by Sound Chaser

Like a lot of people here, I have been mixing for many, many years. In my case over 25 years and 10 years playing in bands before that. I wish I had taken better care of my hearing way back then...but, what the hey....It's only rock & roll.

While I know from continual testing that my hearing has dramatically fallen off, I am still confident that my work is up to snuff, in some ways better than ever. Other people don't seem to notice my ears are off. To me albums sound much the same as they always did, and if anything I long ago stopped adding false harmonics and frequencies for aural stimulation. The only disadvantage today is that I can no longer take the abuse before my hearing closes down, but it is something I constantly worry about.

A'm I fooling myself. Can someone still be effective if their hearing has degraded enough to show a big change in a response graph? A shame really, because knowlege and musicality improves with age, but the hearing doesn't. Other than being extremely careful, any advice.

Thanks in advance, Akira.

Akira.....

Audio Speakers & Amplifiers and volume levels in the control room....

Over the years I have been very fussy about the volume levels that I use in the control room. I have always tried to observe the American OSHA sound exposure standards.

I like to test my mixes at a variety of volume levels, and on a variety of different speaker systems. This will make sure that the mix will sound good anywhere. If a mix sounds good at a low SPL, it will sound great at higher levels..... Save your ears, we only get two!!!

Here are the standard monitoring settings that I use for all my sessions. To set these values I normally use my Simpson [Type 2] SPL Meter. Or a Radio-Shack Sound Level Meter Catalogue #33-2050....

A-Mid-field monitoring - > Westlake Audio Lc3W-12s....
(Placed on top of meter over-bridge of mixing desk.)

1- To adjust the Westlake speakers for an SPL level of approximately 93 SPL -(Sound Pressure Level).

a-Set SPL meter.

1-'A' scale(OSHA).
2-speed-'slow'(OSHA).
3-range-90.

b-Play wide-range complex program material.
1-Set playback for +3 buss peaks on VU scale.

2-Observe SPL results. (+3 buss peaks = 93 SPL peaks)

c-Make mark on monitor level control.....

Note: This will result in a good loud level for mixing Popular music. It can be used for a total listening time of 4 hours of mixing per day. When I mix at this level for 2 and 1/2 hours and then take a 30 minute break, I don’t experience any ear fatigue when using my Westlake Lc3W-12’s.

Note: If lower record buss levels are to be used, adjust SPL resultant peaks accordingly.
e. g.-If absolute '0' VU buss peaks are to be recorded, then add 3 db of monitor level before marking the monitor level control.

B-Near-field monitoring - > Auratones....
(Placed on top of meter over-bridge on mixing desk.)

1-To adjust the Auratone speakers for an SPL level of approximately 83 spl.

a-Set SPL meter.

1-'A' scale(OSHA).
2-speed-'slow'(OSHA).
3-range-80.

b-Play wide-range complex program material.
1-Set playback for +3 buss peaks on VU scale.

2-Observe SPL results. (+3 buss peaks=83 SPL peaks)

c-Make mark on monitor level control.
Note: This will result in a good Auratone level for mixing Popular music. It can be used for a total listening time of 8 hours of mixing per day. If lower record buss levels are to be used, adjust SPL resultant peaks accordingly.

e. g.- If absolute '0' VU buss peaks are to be recorded, then add 3 db of monitor level when marking the monitor level control.

Do not monitor at extremely high speaker levels. You should be able to carry on a conversation in the control room while you are mixing. If you have to shout to be heard, turn down the speaker level. You will only get one set of ear drums in your lifetime, treat them like the precious things that they are. Who knows, they might be worth a million dollars some day. Go easy on your ears. Permanent hearing loss can occur very quickly in a control room, especially with some of the new, super high-powered monitor systems in use in modern studios today.

This I believe in most definitely, and I have used these axioms all my working life!!!

You ask - "Am I fooling myself. Can someone still be effective if their hearing has degraded enough to show a big change in a response graph?"

I will answer - "You are not fooling yourself. I speak from personal experience - "Someone CAN MOST DEFINITELY still be effective, EVEN if their hearing has degraded enough to show a change in a response graph..."

Bruce Swedien