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I almost lost my hearing from the lid on the tank of a toilet

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Re: I almost lost my hearing from the lid on the tank of a toilet

#241

Post by sulam »

aylons wrote: post #233
sulam wrote: post #231

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have had the same solution to the same problem for enough years now that I finally realized I could have just invested in some custom in-ear monitors and pay it back in terms of new headphones purchased after non-replaceable cables wear out. I did that over 4 years ago now and haven't regretted it yet. https://jhaudio.com if you're looking for a specific recommendation, but there are many alternatives.

Thanks! I'm definitely not an audiophile and I listen mostly to voice podcasts, such as NPR programming. Besides sound quality, is there any real advantage on these over low-end, detachable-cable Shure?

I'd check the level of noise isolation, since that is likely to be the main difference. Custom in-ear with wrapped tips (Comply) seems to be the best you can get (roughly -26 dB). They aren't total isolation -- I have fairly good hearing and can still hear people talking next to me if there's nothing playing through them -- but put any kind of sound through them at almost any volume and I might as well be alone.

Re: I almost lost my hearing from the lid on the tank of a toilet

#242

Post by Symbiote »

matte_black wrote: post #236
JohnJamesRambo wrote: post #229

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is one of the weirder things I’ve ever read here and I read a lot of strange behaviors here. You wear earplugs full time man, that’s not normal, you are missing out on unimpeded hearing due to a fear of hearing loss that likely is not based on science. Normal level sounds don’t degrade hearing as far as I know and loud sounds aren’t that common, certainly not enough to warrant wearing earplugs full time. https:/…

It’s not that strange. I wear earplugs (although they are low profile hidden ones) if I’m going to a loud venue, such as a really loud bar, or club, or a concert. It increases my enjoyment of these places and also makes it easier to have conversations with people.

I do that, they cost about €20. Many people wear them at a metal concert, I'm a bit unusual in wearing them in an ordinary metal bar (or even a loud pub) too. If I'm taking a crowded metro train home, I might keep them in since I don't want to hear the drunk people.

But I wouldn't wear them outside those times.

Re: I almost lost my hearing from the lid on the tank of a toilet

#243

Post by abalone »

kuschku wrote: post #227
abalone wrote: post #196

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ok, as an American I have to say I marvel at the toilet technology in other countries. For example you guys often have two buttons on your toilets -- a #1 and a #2 button. It just makes sense. What are the lids made out of then?

Typical toilets here look like this (before/after): https://www.bauen.de/media/media/Ratgeber/Ausbauen/Bad/Vorwa...

I see.. you mean tanks that are enclosed in a wall. This supports the theory that heavy lids on unenclosed tanks help with noise suppression.

OMG I just realized that may be why the author experienced temporary hearing loss! The lids are designed to capture and reflect noise back into the tank water!!

(Sorry, a little too excited about toilet lids today.)

Re: I almost lost my hearing from the lid on the tank of a toilet

#244

Post by imdsm »

brandall10 wrote: post #170
lttlrck wrote: post #149

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It may recover with time. When I was a teen I dismantled a shotgun cartridge and removed the shot and paper charge (lots of tiny paper discs). I stuffed them down the thick end of a car telescopic antenna cut to about 4” with the end folded over. I threw in a couple of pieces of lead shot, tamped it down with a piece of paper, stuck the tube under a rock and set up a paper target 6” away. I was optimistic. Then, with…

I'm 42 years old and spent much of my teens and early 20s going to loud rock shows, raves, etc. I was rather stupid and always tried to get right up to the PA speakers at the front. I did not wear hearing protection. Many times I left shows with ringing for hours and that feeling like there is cotton stuffed in your ears for days. Not a handle of times - dozens of times. By my mid 20s it appeared I had tinnitus aroun…

Interestingly, when I was about 16 I was at a friend's gig in a pub. I hadn't gone to many before and haven't been to many since, but on this particular occasion I was stood talking with friends near the stage with my left ear directly next to the speaker cabs. I wasn't aware of the activity behind me, but the opening band had come on to do a sound check, and being heavy metal, it was basically just a mechanical, metallic sound, 30 cm away from my ears at max volume.

Here is what is funny though, the wavelength at which my hearing "kazoos" is the wavelength at which my young son cries. So while he was a baby, and even sometimes now as a toddler, if he's upset and I'm holding him, it's gotta be my right shoulder, otherwise my left ear bugs. It's a strange feeling too, a mixture of pain and grinding and broken audio that really sets me on edge.

Peculiar.

Re: I almost lost my hearing from the lid on the tank of a toilet

#245

Post by adrianmonk »

abalone wrote: post #196
kuschku wrote: post #148

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Why are lids made from ceramic anyway? I get why the bowl is, but the lid? Beyond the loudness / hearing loss issue, it’s just so darn heavy! I've never seen a toilet that had a ceramic lid in Germany. Is this just a US thing?

Ok, as an American I have to say I marvel at the toilet technology in other countries. For example you guys often have two buttons on your toilets -- a #1 and a #2 button. It just makes sense. What are the lids made out of then?

You can buy a toilet with two buttons in the US as well. Home Depot's web site says they have 17 of one model of them in stock at the store near me.

Re: I almost lost my hearing from the lid on the tank of a toilet

#246

Post by adrianmonk »

sah2ed wrote: post #75
tnorthcutt wrote: post #65

Tank lid, or bowl lid? The author repeatedly switches between the two.

Tank lid: > "I was fixing the mechanism inside the tank of the toilet. The only thing left to do was to put the ceramic lid back on the tank. Unfortunately it slipped out of my hands and banged on the ceramic of the toilet rim." I'm guessing every other occurrence of "toilet bowl lid" is a typo due to the medium being Twitter.

Or the tank lid slipped and hit the bowl. That's not where it's supposed to go, but gravity might take it there anyway if you fail to get it on top of the tank.

Re: I almost lost my hearing from the lid on the tank of a toilet

#247

Post by Symbiote »

johnchristopher wrote: post #35
cian wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, I always find it amazing how patients can have a sudden sensorineural hearing loss and wait days before presenting. In my opinion patients and the public should treat it as urgently as a sudden sight loss. High dose steroids are regularly prescribed in this sort of scenario in an attempt to minimize damage, and are likely to be more effective the sooner they are given.

I experienced an audio trauma when I was 17. Tinnitus followed. Parents told me "let's wait a week or two and if it isn't gone away then we'll make an appointment". Once the verdict of definitive hear loss and permanent noise was confirmed my dad told me: "don't stay too close to hammers next time". To this day I still wait until I can't move/breath/feel to go to the doctor. edit: unfordable health care and/or bad mo…

Europeans know American adults don't have free healthcare.

If you really want to shock a European, tell them that American children don't have free heathcare either.

(I remember discovering this when I was about 14, on holiday in the US, when my younger brother caught pneumonia.)

Re: I almost lost my hearing from the lid on the tank of a toilet

#248

Post by idlewan »

berberous wrote: post #85
flyinglizard wrote: post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I get to visit clubs/shows every few months and I always use a pair of musician earplugs, (Etymotic, standard - not custom fitted). It gives a nice and even attenuation, which after few minutes you don't even notice (other than perhaps slightly elevating very low frequencies relative to the rest). Your mind is very quick to normalize the volume level anyway, no matter if you're with or without protection. Why suffer…

Which ones? I have these ( https://www.amazon.com/Etymotic-Fidelity-Earplugs-ETY-Plugs-... ) and to be frank, I dislike wearing them -- it just sounds worse. That said, clubs/shows play music way too loud, and I occasionally hear the beginning of tinnitus, so I 100% agree that people should get a pair.

I use the happyears: http://www.happyears.co/ I recommend them, they're cheap, easy to clean and quite comfortable. Sound quality is always harder to tell (and subjective, it's hard to own hardware to measure it), however they're fine if you ask me. I own pairs of ER-20 XS and pluggerz music, and the happyears are my favorite (pluggerz is quite good as well, happyears are slightly more difficult to fit in the right place. ER-20XS are just uncomfortable in my ears).

Re: I almost lost my hearing from the lid on the tank of a toilet

#249

Post by aylons »

sulam wrote: post #241
aylons wrote: post #233

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Thanks! I'm definitely not an audiophile and I listen mostly to voice podcasts, such as NPR programming. Besides sound quality, is there any real advantage on these over low-end, detachable-cable Shure?

I'd check the level of noise isolation, since that is likely to be the main difference. Custom in-ear with wrapped tips (Comply) seems to be the best you can get (roughly -26 dB). They aren't total isolation -- I have fairly good hearing and can still hear people talking next to me if there's nothing playing through them -- but put any kind of sound through them at almost any volume and I might as well be alone.

These Comply tips seems perfect to me! Now I'm thinking on fitting them on my current JBL instead of upgrading my phone.

Many thanks!

Re: I almost lost my hearing from the lid on the tank of a toilet

#250

Post by bfuller »

ficklepickle wrote: post #187
timonovici wrote: post #155

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Oh, I just took a shotgun cartridge (the one used for hunting, but the old kind, made completely out of brass), flipped in with the primer up, and hit it with a hammer. Good thing my father stored those ones without the lead. The bang and flash made dizzy, and as I heard my father coming from backyard, I took cartridge to hide it - it was freaking hot, burned my hand as well.

I took all the powder out, wrapped it in tinfoil, and put it in the fireplace. I was impatient, and sprayed it with cooking oil spray. The instant I closed the door again, boom. Makes me cringe to think I was only 7 or 8 years old. Shortly after that, a retired cop saw us throwing rifle bullets down cement stairs with rocks taped to the primers, trying to set them off. He very calmly and sternly told us how dangerous…

none of that is really that dangerous
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