Re: I Finally Found Myself a Christmas Present (Better Late Than Never)

On Jan 5, 3:35 am, Rita <R...@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
On Sun, 4 Jan 2009 22:39:16 -0800 (PST), mg <mgkel...@xxxxxxxxx>
wrote:



On Jan 4, 8:33 pm, Rita <R...@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
On Sun, 4 Jan 2009 18:14:01 -0800 (PST), mg <mgkel...@xxxxxxxxx>
wrote:

On Jan 4, 12:05 pm, Rumpelstiltskin
<PleaseDoNotReplyByEm...@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
On Sat, 3 Jan 2009 21:17:30 -0800 (PST), mg <mgkel...@xxxxxxxxx>

<snip>

What I'm really hoping for is a little more clarity in the voices
since I have a hard time hearing the words with most all modern songs.
One of the reviewers said the voices were so clear you could hear the
singer breathing -- I dunno we'll see. In any case, that will still
allow me to get rid of some cheaper rear speakers and replace them
with my current front speakers which really aren't too bad.

   I often don't bother even trying to understand the words in
singing, classical or popular.  I could understand the words in
most groups of the '60's, but Creedence Clearwater, though I
love their work, was always unintelligible to me.  Classical I
think is worse.  Maybe one can understand one's mother when
she's screeching at one, but it's much harder to understand a
complete stranger screeching at one.  It's usually in Czech or
Italian or some other furrin' language, though with Classical
music it might be in English but I don't even recognize it as
English.

I generally listen to my stereo with the actual CD, but when I
transfer them to my computer, I always use 320Kb/sec although I do
have some "borrowed" MP3s compressed at 120 and 160. Can I actually
tell the difference between 320 and 120kbs, for instance? I don't
know.

   I habitually use VBR.  I understand some players won't play
that though.  My worse problem is that I put text and graphic
files on the end of MP3 CD's, so I have to have a dedicated
CD player to play them, because a player that plays DVDs or
something like that will see the last tracks and think the whole
disk has no music on it.  I've never seen a player with an
override - there is such a thing as "too much automation".
Also, it seems like control makers are really liberal with buttons
for things I don't use or can't figure out what they're for, and
make up for it by eliminating clear indications for essential
features that I do want, hiding stuff instead in unintelligibly
cryptic ersatz hieroglyphics, as my digital camera does, so
that I have to carry the manual around with me if I want to do
anything at all out of the ordinary.  I guess the idea of using
the weird symbols is that nobody from any culture
understands them, so the manufacturers can't be accused
of showing preference to anglophones.  I'd rather the
symbols were in Chinese or in real hieroglyphics, because
then at least there'd be some consistency and I could learn
enough Chinese or ancient Egyptian to get by.

   Or maybe it's just that the people who make up those
symbols do lots of drugs.

With me, the problem isn't just with song lyrics. I also have a
problem with many movies. So, I'm hoping the speakers might help a
little bit with that also. Of course one can always turn the captions
on, but it takes a lot of fun out of it

I hate to mention it, but have you had a hearing test?  I ask because
when my hearing started to go it was certain ranges that went first.
And it took me a long, long time to pick up on what was wrong.

I use an infra red device, wireless and with a very lightweight
headset that plugs into the TV and I can adjust the sound and keep
the sound on the TV low.  But even if I have the sound turned way
up -- which would certainly annoy my neighbors -- the clarity is
not there.

With the portable mp3 player I recently bought I use ear buds a
daughter sent me as a gift -- they go in the ear far better and
I can hear the music in all ranges clearly. They are ear buds that
conform to the ear and shut out outside noise which helps a great
deal.

If I listened to a regular stereo I'd buy wireless headphones made
especially for hard of hearing folks.  There are many gadgets out
there now that help.

I've always had hearing problems since the day I was born. I imagine
I've also suffered some normal additional hearing loss that comes with
age, though. It didn't used to be to much of a problem until the
modern music came along. The movies have got worse over the years
also. Now days when they make a movie, they must use 4 or 5
microphones when two people walk down the street talking to each
other, instead of just one. It sounds like they have one microphone
next to a bread board, where a guy slams a pair of shoes up and down
on the board. Then they'll have another one next to a fan and then
throw in some canned highway sounds on top of that. There's also a new
trend in entertainment that involves dialogue speed. I would guess
talking speed on sitcoms, for instance, has probably doubled since the
50s.

I actually am on a path towards trying the things you suggested,
except I didn't know they made headphones especially for people who
have a problem. I'll have to check that out. Thanks. One thing I've
discovered that helps quite a bit is that with a surround-sound
system, most of the voices come through the center speaker. So, you
can dial the center speaker up somewhat and the rest of them down and
that helps quite a bit. When I bought these new speakers, I actually
bought 3 of them, one of them to replace my current center speaker and
I'm wondering if that might help.

Awhile ago I bought an ART HeadTap Headphone Tap.
http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com/product/ART-HeadTap-Headphone-Am...
I'm going to hook it up to the center speaker output and then go
wireless from there to a headphone. Like I say, though, I never did
think of looking for special headphones, or a special amplifier unit.
So, I'll bet that will help also.

I have had my hearing tested several times, incidentally, but not with
the idea of getting a hearing aid, etc. Those tests were done in
connections with safety issues when I worked at a steel plant (and I
always flunked). Thanks again, Rita.

The device I use to listen to TV is a Sennheiser DirectEar TI 150.
I have had it for almost 10 years and there surely are newer models
out now. It has two built in batteries and one is recharging while
the charge of the other is about 3-4 hours.  The range is good -- so
long as no large object gets between you and the headset as you walk
about.

But there are lots of other devices now as well.  Probably some
made especially for listening to music. I do get great voice clarity
with this device on TV.  If I just turn the sound way up without it I
it is not the same.  But it is not for listening on a stereo.  Just
for TV.

I have hearing aids, don't like them, but wear them when I am with
other people conversing.  I got a new phone for Xmas from a son that
is made for hard of hearing people.  Not only does it boost the sound
on the phone, it has a loud ring and lights that flash.  Other
features as well that clarify sound.

Not long ago I couldn't hear my phone ring and conversations were
awful.  I thought my hearing had deteriorated even more -- and
that my hearing aids were broken as well.  When I finally got
sensible and went to the doctor wax was removed from both ears,
my hearing aids worked and also I discovered on my cell phone
the ring was set at beep not ring.  I felt like an idiot.

I credit my hearing loss to working 7 years in a newspaper
composing room with linotypes creating a dreadful clanging
noise level.  Those were in the days before workers in noisy
environments wore noise blocking ear muffs.

If you do a web search for headphones hard of hearing you will
turn up many websites for all kinds of devices.

Infrared technology is available in some theaters and churches
and lecture halls, etc.  A transmitter covers the entire area
and hard of hearing people are given headsets to use.

I think I have one of those phones you are talking about. It's white
and has a red light on the top. I have a set of Seenheiser HD580
headphones. So, once I get everything set up, I'll be looking for a
transmitter/receiver set, hopefully made for those with a hearing
problem. If that doesn't work, I'll just look for special headphones.
The thing is, I've never really wanted to admit, I'm hard of hearing
because mostly my only problem is with movies and lyrics on the new
songs. I do also sometimes have problems, for instance, when I'm
driving a car and everyone in the car is talking all at once, or
talking when the radio is on, etc.
.