Submitted by mikhailoveduard t3_z5io58 in headphones

Been chasing sound for a couple years now and got to know my hearing better. Recently discovered pretty bad imbalance in my ears. In short, I have higher ear gain on my left side. I do have different shaped earlobes and slightly narrowed canal.

It is bothersome, after owning over +20 headphones including most TOTLs and some IEMs, yet only to settle with stinky hd800s as they don't unveil above mentioned imaging issues. It is particularly bad with IEMs.

TL;DR: Me grunting about hearing issues.

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Manson2 t1_ixw9md1 wrote

If you have peace and equalizerAPO installed, you can have different settings for different ears afaik. You can choose between left speaker and right speaker, then adjust gain till balanced for you.

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AyeYoYoYO t1_ixwbfv7 wrote

Find appropriate jaw and neck exercises to attempt to get a more symmetric seal.

Whichever lobe protrudes more, try to be conscious of really flattening it as much as you can when your head rests on that side of the pillow.

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chandrassharma t1_ixwc5gc wrote

Simple balance control is the easiest solution. Play a track with a well-defined center image and adjust the control until it sounds like it's in the middle.

If you want to get more accurate, you can use individual L/R graphical EQ's to adjust for it by frequency - easier to do with something like 10 or 14 bands but you can go full ham and do 31 if you don't mind taking the time.

Begin by just using a center image vocal track and setting the balance control, this will correct for most of the imbalance overall. Then use a tone generator to start playing a mono tone at each individual frequency on the EQ, and while listening, use each L/R eq slider as an individual balance control for that band, moving one side up and the other side down, until it sounds like that frequency is centered. Keep going until you've balanced them all, then enjoy.

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Titouan_Charles t1_ixwcfi4 wrote

I use my EQ software for balancing out the L/R canals. The sound option in your computer's system preferences should include a L/R slider to adjust the balance

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milotrain t1_ixwcui3 wrote

Everyone does at some point. It's just like having a dominant eye. If I focus correctly then my imbalance goes away, if I focus wrong it gets fairly extreme. Makes me chase IEM wax issues all the time. Annoying but it is what it is, just use an inline channel specific EQ if you want to trim it out as much as you can.

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TheRadiantSoap t1_ixwdnhw wrote

Both my canals are wide enough to put my thumb in, so the music just goes right in with an iem lol

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fuazo t1_ixx717g wrote

if it a health issues

GO SEE A DOCTOR NOW GO GO GO GO GO GO

no seriously the longer you left it untreated the worse it gonna get

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TagalogON t1_ixxmtr5 wrote

Yes, use (Peace) Equalizer APO if you're on Windows 10 PC.

But ya, the Qudelix 5K is the ultimate device right now to pair with headphones/IEMs as it has parametric EQ (you won't really be able to find parametric EQ with Apple phones/devices) and other extra features in its app. It's normally $110 on Amazon USA (Amazon USA ships to some other international countries like those in Europe) but it's often out of stock these days and so it's $130 from the Qudelix website, international express shipping (be aware of extra courier (express shipping companies) processing/handlings fees, maybe add another ~$20+) from Korea. Sometimes it restocks on Amazon, so check it out there from time to time, try to make a price/in-stock alert for it.

The Qudelix 5K will be really good with Apple/etc. stuff as they often don't have access to easy parametric EQ.

As in theory any device you pair the Qudelix 5K with will apply that parametric EQ. So that includes Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, and other video game consoles, TV, tablets, et cetera.

See this recent thread for the Qudelix 5K's features: https://www.reddit.com/r/HeadphoneAdvice/comments/vo8dua/what_are_the_main_differences_between_the_qudelix/

Somebody recently did stickers/etc. for the Qudelix 5K if you want to remember the button functions: https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/v627gl/qudelix_5k_sticker_final_design_with_file/

For the Qudelix 5K, there's also a new FW 2.0 coming probably this end of November or year: https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/yqbe0z/qudelix_5k_fw_20_update_coming_late_november/. It will have more parametric EQ customizability, so you can now better EQ one side or the other for any channel or hearing imbalances and so on.

This is the main Qudelix 5K thread (on Head-Fi): https://www.head-fi.org/threads/the-qudelix-5k-thread.914628/page-243. Don't forget to check the official Qudelix forums though it's not as active as other more generalist audio forums.


For IEMs specifically, try using Spinfits in different sizes. They have a rotation gimmick that may help with that.

Especially the Spinfit W1, I liked that one for fixing channel imbalance from IEMs (usually it's louder on the left side if the IEM/headphone is the problem, for your ears, it'll depend on your hearing imbalance and how it perceives the other issues). This ear tip (and many medical grade silicone ear tips) does lower/alter the bass quite a bit though, so it's up to you.

The new FiiO HS18 is oddly enough really good with fixing that channel imbalance too. But the problem with that one is that Small and Medium size can be quite a big difference due to its shape (think trapezoid). So basically it tapers off or like flares right and so you might need a size between Small and Medium or say Medium and Large. For now there's only those three sizes, so you'll either have to shove deep one side or shallow fit the other side and so on.

Same with Final Audio E ear tips. It's probably like the length/height of the ear tip. Or like the umbrella shape (especially if it's more of a triangle, cone, trapezoid, etc.). Like a similar situation happens with Spinfit CP155 and CP145, as in you just wiggle it a bit and you can fix some of that channel and hearing imbalance.


Here's a bit more info on ear tips: https://www.reddit.com/r/HeadphoneAdvice/comments/z0d7br/need_advice_for_purchacing_tips_for_my_pair_of/ix63xfz/ and https://www.reddit.com/r/HeadphoneAdvice/comments/z0gqhb/iem_tips_recommendations_for_someone_who_hates/ix60a53/ and https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/xixh4y/iems_never_work_for_me/ip9gwan/

Here's the reviews of someone with a lot of ear tips: https://www.audioreviews.org/guide-to-iem-silicone-eartips/

Here's the ultimate ear tip thread: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/best-iem-tips.626895/page-146

This is how you should use Etymotics or really any IEM or TWS earbud to make sure you have that good/perfect fit for that vacuum seal (necessary for the bass to be properly produced): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8KwXEqe6Gq4


For headphones, try aftermarket earpads from Dekoni, Brainwavz, etc. Maybe the angled versions will work if you shift them in different positions. It's been so long since I've used my Brainwavz/etc. earpads though so I can't really confirm that.

Otherwise, research more about allergy medicine (antihistamines/etc.) and how they can clear your ears (there's things like Eustachian Tube Dysfunction, etc.). Sometimes it's placebo for hearing loss, tinnitus, etc. but it can help a lot when you have blocked sinuses, so kinda worth it anyway.

But ya, just talk to your medical doctor first. Usually visits/tests/etc. with ENTs and audiologists are covered fully or partially by local/state/national/etc. governments, especially if under or over certain ages, and so that can help you figure out any remedies for the problem.

Though yes for the most part it's just learning to live with the hearing loss as there's no cure for now. Visit /r/tinnitusresearch and so on for hope though as it seems this upcoming decade we'll finally have actual products for general consumers, might be say 2025 or so though.

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IfTheGloveFits t1_ixxvwy6 wrote

Wavelet on android devices does have channel volumes. As do many(most?) android phones with android 12 and up in accessibility settings. For PC equalizerAPO works, as mentioned already in this thread

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