[Yuvalfrr]

Still waiting to get my minidsp 2x4 HD but would love to hear suggestions on the matter.

Past year I've developed bad distortion in high frequency speech (sssssibilance). I am NOT implying sensitivity or dislike of sibilance. I am talking full on distortion. Depending on the microphone used in the recording (most prominent in video content rather than music) it can go from unpleasant to unlistenable to the point of not following dialogue and getting migraines from listening to distorted speech any more. Of course this condition affects me in real life too.

So I have Wharfedale Diamond 8.2s, Sonos Amp and SVS Sb1000pro. Unfortunately due to my condition I have to keep Amp treble at - 10 and together with Wharfedale warm sound, the sound stage is simply dead. Maybe easier to hear the dialogue but sound is ruined in the process.

I've been trying to figure out which frequencies are messed up but even after heavy EQ on my headphones I can't fully pinpoint the culprit. I think it's 5-7 KHz.

Would love some equalization tips before I get my minidsp.

Which frequencies would you boost/cut to get as much of the sibilance out without damaging all the high frequencies.
Would you boost the lower frequency speech frequencies? Or only stick to cutting certain high frequencies?

Please two requests:

I know EQ is about adjustment in real time and my minidsp isn't here yet. I am asking for suggestions so once it's here I can try different options.
Also please don't point me to sibilance EQ guides. This isn't a slight sensitivity where you wanna take the edge off, it's a sensory disorder. Plus I am well aware of all the EQ guides. If you read through all these websites you will believe sibilance can be anywhere from 20Hz to 20Kh. While I do realize sibilance is a wide range type of sound I'm sure I can pinpoint the frequencies that affect it most. Because after research one person says sibilance is 4-6khz, another says it goes beyond 10khz and a third person will say it's actually 2-3khz.

Thank you very much.

 

[Leeliemix]

Im no help for info on where exactly sibilance is located but its possible the best thing you can do is be very moderate with the volume control for a while and see if that helps.
(An Audiologist may be very helpful to find out what you should/can do and not do)


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[Yuvalfrr]

Im no help for info on where exactly sibilance is located but its possible the best thing you can do is be very moderate with the volume control for a while and see if that helps.
(An Audiologist may be very helpful to find out what you should/can do and not do)


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

HI thanks. I should have mentioned my hearing test is fine after three ENTs and am audiologist said there's nothing he can do. Besides, hearing aids amplify, my problem is distortion not low hearing volume. Anyway with my test coming out OK the Dr refuses to approve hearing aids anyway.

P. S.

When you say he moderate for a while.. I've had this for a year. To not notice the distortion you have to keep the volume at inaudible levels

 

[Dolus]

Instead of trying to EQ your system what about EQing your ears, so everything sounds great.

Modern hearing aids are pretty clever bits of technology. (not speaking from experience, just from what I have read.)

From this site How do hearing aids work? | Oticon
To understand how hearing aids work, let’s take a look inside a typical hearing aid. All hearing aids include five basic components:

• Microphone
• Amplifier
• Speaker
• Battery
• Computer processor

The computer chip is programmed by your hearing care professional to ensure your hearing aid works according to your hearing loss and individual needs.

Whoops! Looks like I posted the same time as you.

 

[Alex F.]

A few years ago I used the parametric equalizer (PEQ) in a Yamaha AV receiver to greatly reduce the sibilance of female voices being output by a pair of loudspeakers in our master bedroom.

I set the PEQ to a moderately wide Q (that is, a range of frequencies) and a deep gain cut of about 10 db. While playing a female news anchor, I moved the center frequency up the spectrum until I found the area of sibilance. Then I narrowed the Q to the minimum range of frequencies needed. Finally, I adjusted the gain cut to the minimum amount of dbs needed. The sibilance problem was solved.

It appears you can do the same with the miniDSP 2x4 HD according to the user manual (pages 31-32) linked below.

I hope a parametric equalizer helps reduce the hearing issue for you. Wishing you success!

https://www.minidsp.com/images/documents/miniDSP%202x4%20HD%20User%20Manual.pdf

 

[Yuvalfrr]

A few years ago I used the parametric equalizer (PEQ) in a Yamaha AV receiver to greatly reduce the sibilance of female voices being output by a pair of loudspeakers in our master bedroom.

I set the PEQ to a moderately wide Q (that is, a range of frequencies) and a deep gain cut of about 10 db. While playing a female news anchor, I moved the center frequency up the spectrum until I found the area of sibilance. Then I narrowed the Q to the minimum range of frequencies needed. Finally, I adjusted the gain cut to the minimum amount of dbs needed. The sibilance problem was solved.

It appears you can do the same with the miniDSP 2x4 HD according to the user manual (pages 31-32) linked below.

I hope a parametric equalizer helps reduce the hearing issue for you. Wishing you success!

https://www.minidsp.com/images/documents/miniDSP%202x4%20HD%20User%20Manual.pdf

Thank you for a helpful reply.
Yes I know the MiniDSP has a PEQ, thats the only reason I purchased this thing.
I wish my situation would be as yours or any average jo out there where sibilance is "emphasized" by a mere 3,4 dB of certain frequencies. Even with a 10dB drop, a bad recording, or specific (mainly female) voices still are super sharp. It is honestly like someone knifing my ears every few seconds. Gives me terrible headaches that make the distortion even worse. I think I've watched maybe a few hours of news broadcasts in the last 6 months. It just becomes unbearable.

I must admit though that I find much relief in music, then I can turn the treble up and enjoy sound. Since music recordings are usually done in good acoustic environment, plus HQ microphones and post recording processing and EQ,then it sounds much smoother than if I watch video.

Can I ask you what is the central frequency you cut? Do you remember the Q? Was it 5?closer to 10?

 

[RayGuy]

 

[Yuvalfrr]

That is a wonderful chart. Thank you. Slightly confused though. If I read it correctly, on the bottom sibilance is goes from 4k to 10k.
On the top female voice goes up to around 8k.
Sibilance is part of a human voice. So how does that make sense?

 

[Alex F.]

Thank you for a helpful reply.

You are welcome.

Can I ask you what is the central frequency you cut? Do you remember the Q? Was it 5?closer to 10?

I do not remember the specific Q I utilized (as stated earlier, it was moderately wide) nor the exact center frequency. I do recall that, based on online research, I was expecting a center frequency at about 1-3 kHz. But I found the problem was much higher at either 7 or 8 kHz, which was a surprise. Of course, your hearing and mine differ, so your center frequency may be different as well.

 

[RayGuy]

That is a wonderful chart. Thank you. Slightly confused though. If I read it correctly, on the bottom sibilance is goes from 4k to 10k.
On the top female voice goes up to around 8k.
Sibilance is part of a human voice. So how does that make sense?

Just giving you the averages, not the extremes. You now have the framework for attacking the sibilance issue. I would experiment with EQing at the lower end of the scale first and see how your ears react. Then move up the scale to the next "level". Continue until you find the offending frequency range, then you can target it specifically.

 

[Alex F.]

Addendum to Post 9:

It occurs to me, regarding center frequencies, that not only is the frequency area of the problem dependent on an individual's hearing, it is also loudspeaker dependent. As we know, different speakers vary in frequency response characteristics. The speakers I equalized likely were smooth from about 1 kHz to 6 kHz but had a peak in the 7-8 kHz area, thus emphasizing the upper sibilance range, which the PEQ fixed.

 

[RayGuy]

Addendum to Post 9:

It occurs to me, regarding center frequencies, that not only is the frequency area of the problem dependent on an individual's hearing, it is also loudspeaker dependent. As we know, different speakers vary in frequency response characteristics. The speakers I equalized likely were smooth from about 1 kHz to 6 kHz but had a peak in the 7-8 kHz area, thus emphasizing the upper sibilance range, which the PEQ fixed.

Addendum to your addendum. The room can also play a role.

 

[Cam Man]

@Yuvalfrr, do you know if both your ears have this sensitivity...or just one? Like @Dolus said, each hearing aid can be equalized to help where that ear needs help with PEQ (as I understand it). It may be possible for you to control this to some extent yourself via a computer interface. It's likely not an inexpensive hearing aid, but it might be a better route to go. Also, I'd get a second opinion from an ENT. Something is going on there.

If you go the system PEQ route, try centering at 10K and experimenting with various bandwidth/Q. Perhaps up to an octave. You could also shift the center down to 8KHz or 9KHz and test the same to see how you do. The other thing that this reminds me of is house curves in room correction. For instance, if you are using xt32 and the Editor App, you could try curve 2 which has a bit more roll-off of the highs just where you might need it. Another thing to try is "cinema EQ" or similar turned on. Brainstorming here.