I installed a dual 8 box under my seat, powered by 250 watts. No big deal, but it hits hard.

Here's the problem... I also covered my flapper vents with edead. Then I played it loud (but not stupid loud) for about 3 days...and here's the kicker... with the windows rolled up.

So, I'm in a sealed cabin with a couple of pistons pushing 60 Hertz. The doors and windows aren't going to flex when the air pressure is increasing and decreasing 60 times per second, but my ear drums did. It didn't bother me at all until I woke up on day four with a sinus headache, and pressure in my head. It's now 5 days later and my ears are ringing and they feel like they need to "pop", like when you're in a plane and you yawn or swallow, except there's no pop. It's just constant pressure. And the ringing makes it hard to get to sleep.

I mixed live music in clubs for 15 years and I have never experienced anything like this. I'm afraid that I might have permanent hearing damage. I've always associated mids and highs with ear-damaging volume. I never thought that low frequencies could do this kind of damage, but in hindsight, it does make sense.

I'm seeing the doc on Saturday if it doesn't improve. I wanted to share so others can learn from my stupidity.

 

2 8s? sounds like you have a cold

i have 5 15s and 9000watts and its never done that, and my foors flex like an inch, and the seal of my front window is gone lol.

ive sat in a van with 9 15s and 150,000+watts and it hurt but didnt affect me like that

 

Second vote for a cold. 2 10's 1000 watts no such problem in my truck. 2 12 2k watts in my maxima no such problem. Its been windy here in Phx and I am having the same problems.

 

2 12s 1200w no problem, daily driver

 

Do you all have your vents sealed?

I'd love to believe it's a cold, but I've never had a cold or sinus infection that gave me tinnitus along with the pressure. There's no nasal congestion - just sinus pressure, and it even affected my equilibrium for the first two days.

 

My maxima was sealed. Honestly 250, I cant see it causing that much problems, I have 200 watts in my front door speakers. But to answer your question no my truck vents arnt sealed.

 

have to agree with all of the above. My vents are sealed over and my single 10 pushing 500w kicking some serious notes and I just get a normal "ack my head hurts gotta turn it down" headaches. Take some decongestant and call me in the morning.

 

I appreciate the feedback and I really do want to believe that this is a head cold, but it's not. At first I thought it might be and I did take some sinus meds. They did nothing but make me tired.

I wish I could put you guys in my head for 30 seconds. You wouldn't feel sick or congested. You'd just have pressure behind your ears and ringing that hasn't gotten any better in five days.

 

I have my vents sealed with 500w rms to a ported 8... no probs here

 

haha WTF... must be a special pair of 8's
hope it gets better

 

Cold

 

Might make a trip to the doctor if you think it's serious. Have you tried to decompress you ears? You know hold your nose close your mouth and try blow. Maybe you have a ear infection starting.

 

Tried that, thanks. Can't get an appt. until Saturday.


Hey - At least it's not a single 8.

 

Thats crazy, maybe you just have really sensitive ears? I wouldnt think so since youve been used to music in clubs for so long and had no problems though.

Ive never had a feeling like that either. Hopefully it's nothing to serious

 

Got in to see my doctor this moring.

No fever (no infection), no congestion. I'm officially not sick.

Diagnosis: Retracted eardrums

The first thing he asked me was if I had flown recently. I explained the whole air-tight cab & subwoofer thing to him and he couldn't rule it out as the cause, but hadn't seen it before. The typical cause (other than exposure to pressure changes) is blockage of the Eustachian Tubes that run between the midle ear and nose. That blockage is usually caused by mucas and inflamation due to colds and infections. But of course, I'm not sick.

Treatment: Allegra & nasal spray

That's how Eustachian Tube blockage is typically treated, so he wants me to try it for a week before ending me to a specialist. He also recommended the Valsalva Maneuver like Impact9 suggested.

This is probably more than anybody wanted to know about my ears, but since my doctor can't rule out the air pressure in my cab as the cause, it might be a good idea to crack a window if your vents are sealed. Can't hurt, right?