Flare Audio Calmer — Does It Help Tinnitus?

A friend sent me this:

https://flareaudio.freshdesk.com/su...s/43000583034-will-calmer-help-with-tinnitus-

"[...] There are many different types of tinnitus but often tinnitus can present itself as a constant ringing which in audio terms is a resonance.

Calmer removes resonance from within our ears as it acts like a mini waveguide and channels sound into our ears without it bouncing around the concha (shell-like part of our ear). Our initial thoughts are that this may be the reason why some people are seeing an improvement with their tinnitus."​

From reading other parts it seems to work also in the range up to 8 kHz though, while many cases of tinnitus are at much higher frequencies, but I might be wrong.

"Here's a graph to show you how Calmer is affecting energy in our ears. As you can see, the blue area shows a reduction in unwanted energy (distortion) between the frequencies of roughly 2 kHz - 8 kHz when Calmer is worn."​

Has anyone tried this? My tinnitus is > 11 kHz so this won't help I guess.

 

Got this sent to me by friend recently too. It doesn't sound as a scam since it was a surprise to them that tinnitus got better for some people. The product was developed for something else entirely, although I'm not quite sure I understand exactly what this product does. On the other hand, their explanation of tinnitus doesn't make any sense to me:

"Everyone is born with resonance in their ears – due to the shape of the ear itself, but this does not mean that they will hear any ringing. When ears become damaged by loud noise, illness or infection often the frequency response of the ears changes. This can mean that our brains have to adjust the EQ perception which could mean that our brains tune into the resonant frequency of the ears which in turn might lead to the constant ring tinnitus suffers hear."

 

I agree it does not make sense, I don't see the way this might work. Anecdotally some people had relief, but by which mechanism is a mystery to me.
Their main page is here

https://www.flareaudio.com/products/calmer

The mechanism is rather simple but I don't see how it can affect tinnitus. If that worked, cutting all external signals should work too. Perhaps it can help a little with reactivity but even that seems strange. It costs $20-30 so it's not too expensive to try.

 

On this page there's a video with a patient testimony. She got tinnitus from bullous myringitis.
https://www.flareaudio.com/pages/calmer-life

 

It is so unclear to me how this affects tinnitus. I suppose if it is mild and specific, this might help? I don't know. I could see how calmer might help someone with mild hyperacusis / recruiting acclimate to everyday noises, though.

Fine... I'll buy a pair.

 

I stumbled upon these the other day and found it curious. At this point, I'm willing to try anything. Just ordered a pair.

 

And this is why tinnitus scams thrive. @Contrast, people will never learn.

 

I'm fully aware that the chances of this lowering my tinnitus is slim to none. I'm more curious as to how the product softens higher frequency sounds which could have the potential of mitigating some of my high frequency "reactivity" around electronics, television speakers, etc.

 

This isn't a scam. It's a special kind of noise filtered headphones. I see no harm in this product, however they are making one special claim relating to loudness hyperacusis and tinnitus being related. (which is true) However they use the word "sensitive hearing" instead of hyperacusis.

 

Going through a rough patch. Cicadas army angry af. I'm willing to try ANYTHING at this point. Please share experiences with this you people getting it.

 

I have these, they do nothing for my tinnitus.

 

Hi, I came across Flare Audio a few years ago and purchased their ‘Isolate’ earplugs that only let in the sound via bone conduction and they work well.

I think they are being honest in their claim that ‘Calmer’ may work for some people and it wasn’t the intention of the product. They are serious about their ‘Isolate’ ear plugs so I don’t believe it to be a scam and they also don’t claim ‘Calmer’ was developed with tinnitus as the target. Interesting theory presented but everyone’s tinnitus comes as a result of different causes and affects people in vastly different ways. So not a scam but a possible solution or mitigation for some people.

My tinnitus is at 13.5kHz with harmonics above and below.

Tinnitus Talk is very important to battle the mongrels that market snake oil cures - thanks to all contributors.

 

I've considered these but I'm unsure. I don't believe them to be a scam however. The product was made for entirely different reasons and they happened to get people report lowering tinnitus. Since it must have been more than one they decided to make a mention of it.

They also mention it MIGHT work, not that it is a cure or anything close to. I think they've just added it so people are aware, with good intentions.

May try them out. Not sure yet.

 

I just ordered a pair of these, will let you know how they go. In the help section, it explains why they think it might help with tinnitus and they offer a 30 day money back guarantee, so if it doesn’t work you can just return them.

https://flareaudio.freshdesk.com/en...s/43000583034-will-calmer-help-with-tinnitus-

 

Calmer Music or Calmer Life? Any idea which one is better for mild tinnitus/hyperacusis?

 

As I understand it, this is basically a passive hearing aid. As hearing aids help a lot of people with their tinnitus, I don't see why this wouldn't help some people. Of course it's not going to heal anyone.

I've ordered a pair too and will report back here how it goes.

 

I've tried them for a week or so. It does seem to help with reactivity. Especially helps when watching tv. Usually after a while my tinnitus gets loud but that doesn't seem to happen with these in. They don't seem to reduce incoming sound but makes it er softer I guess, hard to explain. These are definitely not a replacement for earplugs that reduce the sound if you are in London environments. Only tried for a week wearing them a few hours here and there so could be just a coincidence.

I find it quite hard to find the correct placement of the plug as it seems to be quite easy to fall out when I can hear it is doing its job, ie preventing the ringing-like distortion, which I find is quite close to the rim of my ear canal. If I push them in further they seem to accentuate the distortion rather than reduce it so you really have to find the sweet spot which will depend on your ear canal size.

I have stopped for now as they started making my TTTS-like symptoms worse. Though I expect that is more to do with putting something in my ear for a long period of time rather than anything it is doing to the sound.

 

Could you please describe your tinnitus?

 

Almost 3 years old. Very changeable at the moment. 2 base high pitch tones in left, 1 in right which I hear all the time. Then probably 2 or 3 much lower constantly changing tones which come and go but usually aren't loud enough to hear through the day. I think it is all caused by ETD caused by allegies. Though it could just be an aggravating factor and maybe it was initially caused by working in loud bars for 6 years. When I have nose congestion my ears feel clogged but curiously tinnitus is lower. Then when they clear the tinnitus is higher. So it's kind of a cycle.

 

@NewLionel - They are the same as far as I know. Got mine today. Might be helpful for certain frequencies such as wind noise etc. If you have mild hyperacusis/tinnitus these may be nice to wear in the gym.

 

I was thinking something for watching tv/listening to music... that would be very good...

Let us know how you get on with them?

 

Will do

 

I ordered it as well. I'm desperate. Chances it works for me are below 1% but as I said I'm desperate.

 

Just got them. But what does it really do? Cut the high frequencies that are already cut because of hearing loss (for me)? But it's too early to say anything.

At the moment I feel my tinnitus is feeling worse while wearing them.

 

I think the effect should be immediate or am I wrong? I got them but they don't do much for me either.

 

I have used them once so far, at the gym. I have mild hyperacusis, and I felt they took the edge of sounds that feel harsh to my ears from time to time.

But I have very narrow ear canals, so for me they could have been a little smaller for a better fit.

 

I bought these mainly to improve my headphone listening experience. I was also aware that some people had commented on an improvement in their tinnitus.

I realise now that I've had tinnitus from childhood and it manifests itself as a type of hiss. It's easily bearable but in the last couple of years has started to become louder. I noticed an increase after a period of dental work two years ago but don't know if this is related.

Back to the Calmers - they definitely attenuate my tinnitus! Whether this is because my tinnitus is in the audible range that the Calmers are supposed to work I also don't know. I've got the Calmers in now and my tinnitus is virtually zero. I take them out and it immediately gets louder.

I think that insertion depth is important - as shallow as possible. And Flare are correct about their ability to improve the sound from headphones but I also know why.

 

What bothers me, is that they also use 'specialists' like a producer (Chris Kimsey... ehhhrmm, who??) and a Dr. Mike Lower to make us believe something and to make us buy their product. Those people don't mention if they're suffering from tinnitus/hyperacusis or not; they've just no clue. If it was real, the purpose of research is to come up with a device that works and it wouldn't be so much of a big surprise (see enclosed screenshot), would it? The principle of the product is sound in the ears. Well, tinnitus is NOT AN EAR PROBLEM! Again; they just don't have a clue!
That dr. is a sound and not a medical specialist (http://www.isvr50.soton.ac.uk/documents/mike-lower.htm), as an academic he really shouldn't get involved into this.

Then they claim there's a patent (patent pending technology). Really... it is pending! And where is that patent filed so we can look it up?

In the Consultancy Report https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1721/0649/files/ISVR_Offical_Report_on_Calmer.pdf?v=1592400088) tinnitus nor hyperacusis are even mentioned in the whole 37 pages. Nowhere! But they use that report in their topic 'Calmer/support' though.



So yes they want us to believe something. And yes I am skeptical for cures and aides for tinnitus and hyperacusis. When it comes to these 'one size fits all' solutions (quite literary in this case) that's a red flag to me and I become even critical. There's no such a thing that solves or relieves the problems for all of us, with one single device. So maybe there might (...) be some research in the product, but most definitely not in the results. It is not a lot of money that you have to spend for it, but that's not the point. Making money out of people's desperate hopes, using quotes and reports from people in the music industry is despicable so:

I am sorry but I cannot see it as anything else but another scam.

Anybody returned the product and claimed a refund yet? Wondering how that goes... According to the review on the UK TrustPilot, there's troubles getting a refund. A lot of negative reviews too from tinnitus people, by the way.

https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/www.flareaudio.com?languages=en&stars=1

 

Oh I found another thread about these guys on this forum:

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/flare-audios-isolate-ear-plugs.17086/

 

I overlooked this thread, and made one about the product, which understandably got deleted.

I think I am going to order a pair too. They are pretty cheap so not much to lose, and it isn't like it's a scam, as some of you have already pointed out, as these weren't even made for tinnitus/hyperacusis sufferers. I don't expect them to help tinnitus at all, but hoping they'll help maybe just a tiny bit on hyperacusis and/or make certain frequencies less less harsh in my ears.