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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=625141621-10062006>Well, my original
question about the Zem ear plugs never even got addressed, but the thread turned
into something interesting anyway. Now let's take it a step further.
</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=625141621-10062006></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=625141621-10062006>I had an experience
yesterday that suddenly slammed this subject home for me. While prepping a new
piano at a store the manager claimed to be hearing a squeak in two adjacent
keys. I could hear a slight rubbing, but no squeak. Everyone else in the store,
(<STRONG>much</STRONG> younger than me btw), could hear it. Just by chance a
fellow tech walked in. This person is a little younger than me but what makes a
real difference is that this person is female, and it has been proven that women
have much better hearing then men, and keep it longer. She could also hear it
fine. She also found the problem and fixed it. Turned out to be a small piece of
wood shaving between two of the keys. She blew it out and the squeak was gone.
</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=625141621-10062006></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=625141621-10062006>So, today I decided
to check out just how my ears were behaving. Just what COULD I still hear?
Surely there must be an online resource that could provide some clue prior to
actually paying to see a doctor. Well my friends, there is! A company called
Digital Recordings offers a <STRONG><U>free</U></STRONG> "professional" hearing
test online. It offers 24 test frequencies from 20 Hz to 20KHz with SPL ranging
from 0 - 80 db in 1 db steps. It requires the Java plug in, some VERY good
headphones and a VERY quiet room. I could not get it to run in IE but on Firefox
it ran perfectly. Check it out.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=625141621-10062006></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=625141621-10062006><A
href="http://www.digital-recordings.com/hearing-test/www-ht-pro/ht_help_p.html">http://www.digital-recordings.com/hearing-test/www-ht-pro/ht_help_p.html</A></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=625141621-10062006></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=625141621-10062006>Needless to say I
was extremely disappointed in my results. But, as an excuse, I have old crappy
headphones, live next to a busy street and there is street construction going
outside. I plan to find some decent headphones and try it again in a quiet
place, but I don't expect significantly different results. (- sigh -)
Fortunately the top note on a piano, (C8), is only around 4186 Hz. Well below
where my HF degradation started to kick in. (Whew!) Still...</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=625141621-10062006></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=625141621-10062006>Enjoy. I expect
reports.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=625141621-10062006></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=625141621-10062006>-- Geoff
Sykes</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=625141621-10062006>-- Assoc. Los
Angeles</SPAN></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>