Ears, audio and allergies

[JohnMichael]

I have known for years that if I need to listen to a component or speakers at an audio shop I needed to avoid diet beverages and any products that used Aspartame as a sweetening agent. What I did not realize was the other side effects. I was having pain in my knees and other issues when I read a post about Aspartame poisoning. Two weeks ago I stopped diet beverages.

Here is a list of side effects for the ears.

Ear
tinnitus - ringing or buzzing sound
severe intolerance of noise
marked hearing impairment

Now I understand my constant tiring of a pair of speakers after a week or so. I also find I am listening at lower volumes judging by the numeric display of the Krell. The good news is my system sounds better than ever.

I was using the Mobile Fidelity OML1's to check different wiring configurations. This was after a few days away from diet pop and sugar free products. I was amazed at how the system sounded single wired as I had described in another post. Since I had bi-wire cables I went back to listening with them. Again things were sounding better in most every aspect of sound.

My hearing is much better and appreciation of music is greater. I did not realize the subtleties I was missing. The OML1's are beautiful sounding. I remember liking them when I first bought them but something faded but now it is like I am hearing them completely for the first time.

The Sony balanced into the Krell and bi-wired to the OML1's is sounding very good. I had not listened to Rickie Lee Jones version of "Show Biz Kids" in a year or more and that song blew me away. It is like a layer of audio congestion has been removed.

It is good to have my ears back.

[Feanor]

Interesting observations, JM, thanks.

I can't say I've ever noticed any effect from Aspartame but then (a) I've never consciously listened for it, and (b) I only drink two or three Aspartame-sweetened beverages per week. I do drink black, unsweetened coffee, 2/day, and sometime wonder if it has any effect.

[TheHills44060]

I'm a water and beer guy. No sodas, flavored drinks or coffee. I should drink more juice but I don't. It always seemed like a good idea to cut out the diet drinks for several various health reasons but it never occurred that it could affect the way i hear. Very interesting.

[JohnMichael]

Interesting observations, JM, thanks.

I can't say I've ever noticed any effect from Aspartame but then (a) I've never consciously listened for it, and (b) I only drink two or three Aspartame-sweetened beverages per week. I do drink black, unsweetened coffee, 2/day, and sometime wonder if it has any effect.


What was strange I did not know it was having a day to day effect until I stopped it. I knew it was worse right after consumption but had no idea it continued to effect how I hear.

What I was hearing I attributed to the system and not my ears. I would put a pair of speakers in the system and think they sounded good and then tire of them quickly. I was making myself crazy and the dog would shake his head when I began to haul speakers back and forth.

My system now sounds consistent day to day. Losing the distortion, slight though it was, I am glad I still appreciate the neutrality of the Krell. Of course I was not aware of how well it does with high frequencies. I am feeling very lucky that as my hearing returned to normal I find there is nothing about my system that I do not like.

[JoeE SP9]

Gee! I always stayed away from artificial sweetener because it leaves a nasty aftertaste. Maybe my taste buds were warning me.

[JohnMichael]

Here is a link to some other side effects. Even some toothpastes now contain Aspartame.

Aspartame Side Effects (http://www.sweetpoison.com/aspartame-side-effects.html)

[Jack in Wilmington]

I cut out diet sodas about 2 years ago when the reports started to surface about the side effects the studies were showing. I only have soda when I'm out at a restaurant or bar, so I don't indulge that much anyway. When is someone going to come out with a diet soda that is safe?

[Mr Peabody]

I usually have one diet soda a day for lunch. Maybe more on Friday or weekend. JM once you stopped how long before you noticed a difference? Was the effect of drinking a diet beverage temporary like lasting hours, or, was it sort of constant until stopping all together? I may stop a week to see what happens.

[JohnMichael]

I usually have one diet soda a day for lunch. Maybe more on Friday or weekend. JM once you stopped how long before you noticed a difference? Was the effect of drinking a diet beverage temporary like lasting hours, or, was it sort of constant until stopping all together? I may stop a week to see what happens.


I began a thread on my trying single wire cables with bi-wire speakers on 3/10 and I think I quit 4-5 days before that day. I would think a week would give you a good idea. Of course like so many things that cause a reaction not everyone will experience it. Some can eat peanuts and some cannot.

At first I attributed it to a warm sunshiny day. I thought my brighter outlook had helped. Disc to disc I was enjoying the music so much. I no longer heard what I thought was a strange dome tweeter artifact. Focus and musicality was better without any changes and I had gone back to my AQ Rocket 44 internally bi-wired cables.

I noticed my ears no longer sounded like I had water trapped in them. If I moved my jaw around I would hear strange internal noises that now no longer exist since stopping the Aspartame. My system did not improve but my hearing has. Cheapest tweak ever is removing that artificial sweetener.

[JohnMichael]

Still free of artificial sweeteners. My system sounds consistently good day to day which is something new and enjoyable. Of course improvements could be made with better speakers. Of course now that my hearing is better I would trust a speaker audition.

One of the things I have changed is the cable between the Sony SACD player and the Krell. I have begun to notice a lack of tonal color with the AQ Diamondback XLR's. The sound was a little whitish and I am not sure if it was from the balanced mode or the AQ cables. I am now using the DNM Reson IC in standard mode. I did not like this cable with the SA8001 and it is unshielded so it would not work from phono preamp to the Krell. Now with the Sony the music is beautiful.

[Jack in Wilmington]

I use an Audioquest digital coax cable from my Rotel cd player to my Bryston DAC and have thought about upgrading. I just have the itch to try something new. Just upgraded my subwoofer cable to a WireWorld Oasis 7 and it made a huge improvement over the Audioquest cable I had used previously.

[Mr Peabody]

The only artificial sweetener I consumed to my knowledge was from diet soda. I quit about a week ago. This could be a coincidence but I noticed a couple things, I had more energy in the evening and I think my hearing did improve some. I don't remember ever changing my stereo settings based on season but not long after cutting the diet soda I cut the midrange control down a notch from middle position. I haven't had a good sit down listen to my main system yet.

[JohnMichael]

I have to say it has been fun with my new improved hearing. I did pull out the MA RS6's and they have less of the metallic sound I attributed to the speakers and now I know were caused by my aspartame consumption. I enjoyed the MoFi OML1's but now know I need 26 inch stands for proper height. I have not had the Focal's out yet.

Another moment as I mentioned was determining that I no longer liked the contributions of the Diamondback XLR's. I did switch to the DNM Reson IC's which were an improvement but not shielded at all. I do live close to a radio station and while I was not hearing anything I decided to try my Alphacore/Goertz TQ2 IC's. One of those wow moments happened so I replaced the IC's from the Moon 110 and SA8001 to the Krell with Micropurl IC's. I am still using the Rocket 44's as my speaker cables. I have always thought, from my experience, that IC's carrying a less powerful signal can influence sound more than the larger gauge speaker cables carrying a higher voltage siganal.

[JohnMichael]

I am so enjoying my stereo without aspartame. It is easy to hear little changes in speaker positioning and toe-in. The plus of having things sound the same day to day is a great one. Knowing that a change was a good one instead of all the self doubt and unending tweaking lets me enjoy the music.

I am enjoying the RS6's and even removed the tweeter grilles for greater resolution. The Goertz TQ2 have certainly tightened up the bass of the speakers and are more open through the midrange. Sounds I used to think were a problem of room acoustics were actually a distortion caused by my drinking too many diet drinks.

Now that I have my core system set it is time to compare phono cartridges and phono preamps. Cartridges are the Ortofon OM20, Benz MC Gold, Grado Statement Sonata, AT F7. Phono preamps are the Rotel RQ970BX, Cambridge Audio 650P, Graham Slee Fanfare3, Simaudio Moon110LP. I also have PSU's for the Fanfare3 and the Moon 110LP.

Once I have everything sorted out I can with confidence begin to sell speakers, cd players, phono preamps, speaker stands, cables and maybe the Onkyo A-9555 int. amp. Then I could walk in my walk in closet again.

[harley .guy07]

yeah I am a water, tea, and beer guy too and I usually drink my tea unsweetened. I have never noticed it changing my hearing but none of it as aspartame in it either. Good to know though.

[frenchmon]

Thanks for this thread JM! I've not known about this issue...I'l have to monitor my situation.

[JohnMichael]

Thanks for this thread JM! I've not known about this issue...I'l have to monitor my situation.

Some have allergies to peanuts and shellfish and I discovered the problems aspartame was causing my hearing and joints. It may not affect everyone but it is so nice not to have the distortion that was giving me trouble evaluating differences. It was not too severe luckily because I still like my components. I would have hated for my hearing to have improved and find I had an unlistenable system. The changes in cables have helped and since I was comparing cables I already owned no expense involved.

I could never figure out all the raves Monitor Audio speakers were receiving. Now I know and that metallic sound I kept *****ing about was my ears and not the speakers. The MoFi OML1's are also very good sounding but it is obvious I need 26 inch stands for them instead of the 24 or 28 inch stands I have.

[JohnMichael]

I continue to enjoy the Monitor Audio RS6's more than I thought I could. I removed the adjustment part of the rear feet so the speakers are lower in the rear and angling the tweeter to my ears. I am using slight toe-in of the speakers. I removed the metal protective grill from the tweeter for a little more transparency.

One of the shifts in my listening has more to do with not deciding which speaker sounds best but which speaker produces the best and most natural music. The Focal's are a little warm, the MoFi OML1's are a little sweet but the MA RS6's seem to be just right.

I am happy that I am finding such pleasing sound from components I already own.

[JoeE SP9]

Your situation makes me wonder how many others are experiencing what you've gone through. As for me, aspartame, besides not tasting like sugar has always left me with a bad aftertaste. I've never been able to understand how others can consume such awful tasting stuff.

[JohnMichael]

Your situation makes me wonder how many others are experiencing what you've gone through. As for me, aspartame, besides not tasting like sugar has always left me with a bad aftertaste. I've never been able to understand how others can consume such awful tasting stuff.



Those of us who are diabetic thought we were doing well to eliminate sugar. Now the news is we were causing more harm to ourselves.

[JoeE SP9]

Diabetic or not, Aspartame has always tasted awful to me but then so does saccharine. I'm a "super taster".

[Feanor]

Those of us who are diabetic thought we were doing well to eliminate sugar. Now the news is we were causing more harm to ourselves.

Also, those of us who suffer from GERD, (gastroesophageal reflex disease), do much better without sugary carbonated drinks. I haven't noticed any ill-effects or taste from Aspartame personally, but then I drink only 3-5 cans per week.

[JoeE SP9]

As a "super taster" my taste buds are especially sensitive. Broccoli, Cauliflower and Brussels Sprouts smell like rotting garbage to me and taste even worse. The smell of Asparagus cooking is enough to make me nauseous.

[Jack in Wilmington]

As a "super taster" my taste buds are especially sensitive. Broccoli, Cauliflower and Brussels Sprouts smell like rotting garbage to me and taste even worse. The smell of Asparagus cooking is enough to make me nauseous.

I would get yourself a set of nose plugs Joe. All those vegetables are very good for you. Very high in antioxidents.

[JohnMichael]

As a "super taster" my taste buds are especially sensitive. Broccoli, Cauliflower and Brussels Sprouts smell like rotting garbage to me and taste even worse. The smell of Asparagus cooking is enough to make me nauseous.



So sad as I like all those vegetables. Nothing better than asparagus fresh from the garden. Makes my tastebuds dance.

[Jack in Wilmington]

So sad as I like all those vegetables. Nothing better than asparagus fresh from the garden. Makes my tastebuds dance.

We have Asparagus at least once a week and broccoli and green beans also. Our favorite produce stand opens this weekend for the season. They usually have fresh shelled peas also.

[JoeE SP9]

I would get yourself a set of nose plugs Joe. All those vegetables are very good for you. Very high in antioxidents.

Holding my nose doesn't help. Those particular vegetables simply do not smell or taste like food to me. It turns out there is a specific chemical in those vegetables that some people (me for one) are particularly sensitive to.

Unlike those children who grow out of not liking certain foods I never did. In addition to not liking those specific vegetables most artificial flavors don't taste right to me either.

At one time I was the IT person for a company that specializes in food flavorings, especially Vanilla. They created and mixed most of the Snapple flavors and other things like Oreo O's cereal. Their specialty was Vanilla. Bryers Ice Cream used to buy all their Vanilla from them.(before being sold and moving away). They would randomly select employees to taste test the labs latest creations. They found I was consistently able to detect any artificial flavoring that was added to otherwise identical samples. Their head food chemist was the one that explained "Supertaster" to me. A couple of years ago there was a special on PBS about food and taste. The narrater host mentioned "Supertasters". See the link below for the Wikipedia entry.

Supertaster - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supertaster)

I don't feel like I'm missing anything. How can I miss eating what doesn't smell edible to me.

BTW: Peas, Carrots, Beans, Greens and many other vegetables do not smell bad to me. Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Spinach and especially Asparagus do. I'm not terribly fond of Cabbage either. However, that's because it gives me indigestion.

[Jack in Wilmington]

Holding my nose doesn't help. Those particular vegetables simply do not smell or taste like food to me. It turns out there is a specific chemical in those vegetables that some people (me for one) are particularly sensitive to.

Unlike those children who grow out of not liking certain foods I never did. In addition to not liking those specific vegetables most artificial flavors don't taste right to me either.

At one time I was the IT person for a company that specializes in food flavorings, especially Vanilla. They created and mixed most of the Snapple flavors and other things like Oreo O's cereal. Their specialty was Vanilla. Bryers Ice Cream used to buy all their Vanilla from them.(before being sold and moving away). They would randomly select employees to taste test the labs latest creations. They found I was consistently able to detect any artificial flavoring that was added to otherwise identical samples. Their head food chemist was the one that explained "Supertaster" to me. A couple of years ago there was a special on PBS about food and taste. The narrater host mentioned "Supertasters". See the link below for the Wikipedia entry.

Supertaster - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supertaster)

I don't feel like I'm missing anything. How can I miss eating what doesn't smell edible to me.

BTW: Peas, Carrots, Beans, Greens and many other vegetables do not smell bad to me. Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Spinach and especially Asparagus do. I'm not terribly fond of Cabbage either. However, that's because it gives me indigestion.

I like cabbage cold (cole slaw) but I don't care for it cooking. I usually avoid Irish restaurants during St Patty's Day.

If I can pick your brain Joe, what it your favorite brand of ice cream.

[JohnMichael]

Still aspartame free and still enjoying my system. The Monitor Audio RS6's are still in place. They are sounding so good that I have not given the Focal 806's or JBL Studio 530's a chance. Aspartame caused me to make some regrettable choices and miss enjoying my music. The speakers are not regrettable just the purchase of them before I knew how pleased I am with the RS6's.

[JoeE SP9]

I like cabbage cold (cole slaw) but I don't care for it cooking. I usually avoid Irish restaurants during St Patty's Day.

If I can pick your brain Joe, what it your favorite brand of ice cream.

Sorry. I didn't see your post until now.
The ice cream for me is Bassetts. I get it freshly made at the Reading Terminal Market. In a pinch it's Haagen Dazs. If I'm really "jonesing" I'll eat Bryers but only the Vanilla.

BTW: I love coleslaw even though it gives me indigestion.

[Jack in Wilmington]

Sorry. I didn't see your post until now.
The ice cream for me is Bassetts. I get it freshly made at the Reading Terminal Market. In a pinch it's Haagen Dazs. If I'm really "jonesing" I'll eat Bryers but only the Vanilla.


BTW: I love coleslaw even though it gives me indigestion.

Bassetts is hard to find. One of our local restaurants serves it and when I eat there, I always save room for dessert. I like Bryers, but my wife is not a big fan. She's more partial to Turkey Hill "All Natural" and Ben and Jerry's. We have a Brewster's near us and we like their ice cream. We see them popping up in different areas, so you may have one near you. Thanks for the input Joe.

[JoeE SP9]

In the early 70's while going to college and working a summer job (GI bill didn't cover all my expenses) I drove a Mister Softee Ice Cream truck. Once in a while the ordinary mix wasn't available and the owner had to buy mix with a higher butterfat content. That's the only time I would eat the stuff. The higher butterfat mix was what Dairy Queen used. That higher butterfat mix was what got me started in higher quality ice cream. Bassetts has the highest butterfat content and least amount of air I'm aware of. Bryers used to use the best Vanilla available. It doesn't taste the same as it did when they were located in Philadelphia.

[JohnMichael]

Back to audio. You might want to start a food thread.

[Jack in Wilmington]

Back to audio. You might want to start a food thread.

Sorry JM, you're right, we sort of high jacked this thread.

[JoeE SP9]

My apologies also.

[JohnMichael]

It was interesting and I think it should continue but let's start a thread about foods dislike and likes. Curious how many Andrew Zimmern's we have and who likes the most bizarre foods.

[JohnMichael]

Well the ears are still working better than ever. The Monitor Audio RS6's did not sound bright or metallic as they did before. They still sound good but they are definitely leading transient speakers. Lots of attack with little sustain to the notes. I would now describe them as being slightly aggressive.

I had to check out the Focal 806V's and have to admit they are too dark in the midrange for me. I was surprised now how little I like them. They need to be partnered with bright electronics.

Interestingly I find the JBL Studio 530's as better than I mentioned when they first entered the system. They are currently playing some Patricia Barber and doing a fine job. Remember I am only speaking of the two way Studio 530's and not any other JBL lines.

[Finch Platte]

So many things can cause your ears to 'malfunction', so to speak. My ears are currently messed up due to many things; allergies, mostly. Salt is bad, alcohol is bad, tobacco, bad.

Having been diagnosed with Meniere's disease, I've been fighting hearing problems for about 12 years now.