Is This New Tinnitus Spike Because of My Earbuds?

It's true. It is because there is a lag in the headphones. For noise cancellation, the waves have to be inverted. Invert 180 degrees too late, and you have just doubled the amplitude. Noise cancelling is better for lower frequency, repetitive sounds, like road/airplane noise.

 

John, you should have read my comment fully

Yes, if there was a lag on a high frequency, it could potentially double the volume. BUT noise-cancelling headphones don't treat high frequencies for this exact reason. They only treat lower frequencies, that they are sure to cancel, because they are fast enough to treat the information.
So again, no worries on that matter.

 

As JohnAdams has pointed out, some waves might not get cancelled out - but might instead get amplified. This could happen at frequencies that one can't hear.

Search this forum for "noise cancelling headphones" and you will find multiple people reporting getting permanent problems following the use of those headphones.

 

Ok, so let me tell you the same I did John; this can't happen. Noise-cancelling headphones don't treat high frequencies, only lower ones, and they are fast enough to treat it in a manner that that can never happen. These have been tested thoroughly by the company making these headphones.

Problem is:
That could be nocebo.
That could be because of wrong use, i.e. still listening to high volume when the goal is to listen to low volume.
I could probably find people saying the exact opposite and how it saved their life.

Anyway guys! @wonderful9235 I remember that bone conduction "earphones" exists, and I was actually thinking about buying a set (but I bought normal in-ear ones in the end).

I think this is it, the solution

https://www.amazon.com/AfterShokz-Wireless-Conduction-Headphones-AS650SG/dp/B075FMK7SD/

This device doesn't use sound waves! It uses bone conduction, which means zero impact on eardrums.

It goes from 80 to 170 euros, but I find some other models on the web for 50 euros.

Cheers.

 

Well, the highest ones they do treat, apparently can get amplified and hurt one's ears.

 

Bill, I just told they don't treat high frequencies, and you are replying me they treat it lol.

No, they don't treat high frequencies because they can't, this has been tested out, and they only treat frequencies where there is no (or almost not) "shift" in the counter wave sound.

These products are tested by sending a signal and then recording the signal after cancelling, so they see what frequencies are perfectly cancelled, and when it starts to cancel less. That way, they configured the treated frequencies to be the only ones working well.

Also, higher frequencies are the easiest to be cancelled passively, which means they don't even need to apply the active noise cancelling technology, because the foam of the headphone already passively cancels them. That's because higher frequencies are very easily stopped, contrary to low ones. That's why when your neighbour play loud music, you only hear the bass, and can't really hear high notes.

I hope this is clear.

Cheers.

 

I didn't say they treat high frequencies. I referred to the Highest frequency that they Do treat.

Perhaps that "almost no shift" is enough to cause serious problems for those of us whose ears have been compromised.

The passive cancellation is not enough to prevent one from not hearing human voices around one...

 

The next generation of noise induced tinnitus are the young people who have their ear buds turned to maximum volume. I talked with my audiologist on this subject. She said that at this point over 60 percent of those coming for hearing are kids between ages 14 to 20 years of age.
Noise induced tinnitus. Sad to know. Those of us with any form of tinnitus know the pain and how it's changed our lifestyle

 

The next generation of noise induced tinnitus are the young people who have their ear buds turned to maximum volume. I talked with my audiologist on this subject. She said that at this point over 60 percent of those coming for hearing are kids between ages 14 to 20 years of age.
Noise induced tinnitus. Sad to know. Those of us with any form of tinnitus know the pain and how it's changed our lifestyle

 

I think you don't understand.

The highest frequencies they treat might not be attenuated completely if there is a little shift, BUT this means it will be attenuated anyway, just not as effectively as the lower ones. So in all cases, there is an attenuation or total cancellation of the outside noise. There is no augmentation of the outside sound.

Human voice is in the lower frequencies. It's around 125 Hz to 300 Hz.

 

What are the odds that this spike will be permanent?