Has anyone here ever had a bout of ‘Diplacusis’ before? My hearing in one ear is severely sharp vs. the other (almost a full half-step difference).

[Rooster_Ties]

Well more than a quarter-step — damn near a half-step. I’ve tested it holding an A440 YouTube video on my phone next to one ear, and then moving the phone over to the other ear — and it’s quite a difference.

Here’s what it is, apparently (what I found from just googling about it)…

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diplacusis

It just started 5-6 days ago, along with some ringing in my right ear (the ear that’s perceiving things almost a half-step sharper than reality).

I’m not incredibly worried about it YET — I’m assuming I have some fluid and maybe an infection too — in my right ear (the one ringing), but no pain. And I assume it’ll sort itself out in a week or two, on its own.

I had tons of ear infections as a kid, got tubes in my ears (tiny tube in the eardrum) at least twice (as a kid) — and I eventually grew out of it.  And for the most part, I haven’t had more than a half-dozen ear infections in the last 35+ years.

I’m also assuming maybe I’ve actually experienced this effect — but more in BOTH ears at the same time (if it is fluid behind the eardrum) — but rarely in just one ear only.

Anyway, let me also tell you this is anoying as fuck. It’s like everything is double-tracked 24/7 — with the second track a half-step sharp — aka perpetual half-step-dissonance. (Maybe Charles Ives would have loved it!!)

I can sorta listen to MONO recordings, as long as they don’t have lots of piano chords (especially delicate ones). So listening to piano trio recordings  is absolutely out — but most early horn-driven bebop is a little more tolerable (better with 2 horns, not just one — but not 3 or more either).

But stereo recordings — especially with some instruments hard-panned to the left, and others entirely to the right — and especially listening on earbuds — is absolute torture.

Anybody here ever experienced this before???

There was a public holiday event at work on Sunday, with Xmas music on the PA — and let me tell you Alvin and The Chipmonks just about did me in.

Edited 1 hour ago by Rooster_Ties

[Rooster_Ties]

Oh, and my annual physical is 7 days from now — so I will definitely bring it up with my GP. (I’m also hoping it’s at least somewhat better by then.)