Seriously? As long as he's been doing it...why magically at 6mo?

 

He mentioned one time that he tops out his system AT LEAST once a day. That's 150+ deebeez of violent bass air! I feel like I've done damage if I listen to someones system that barely breaks 140

 

He said his hearing is fine and that low bass does not effect hearing :/

 

its not bad, I top my system out at least once a day at 153 dB and I have been exposed to 150 and 160 + for 13 years and my hearing is excellent.

 

I wonder how it will be when you turn 40?:blush:

 

If he goes deaf after installing his new subs then that wouuld a very great marketing technique, one he should consider.

 

Thats what I was referring to LOL!!

The guys insane!

Whether or not the dude thinks his hearing is fine is irrelevant, he keeps that **** up, he will lose it, cut and dry.

I played in bands for years, was exposed to what I suspect to be DB's in the 130's to 140's, maybe much higher what with cymbals crashing right next to my ears.. All this for 2 hour sessions, twice, often three times a week when rehearsing. Not to mention live gigs and all the concerts I've been to.

I still don't think that comes close to what this nut is doing to himself, and I'm half deaf!! I have a constant ringing in my ears, which is the death of my hearing. People always sound like they are mumbling to me, I'm always like "WHAT? WHAT YOU SAY?"

I'm very sensitive to tweeters, thats why I prefer a sound that has very fast, tight impacting low to mid end, with very soft smooth mids and highs. MB Quarts kill me!!

$10 bucks say 6 months with the new 18's, legally deaf.. We'll get a mutual 3rd party to hold the funds in Escrow Via Paypal..

I'm in, any takers?

 

Steve Meade......................


Wow.........

 

DIYMA automatic dupe feature

 

Chad, what's with the Avatar? Looks like Franklin on the day he flew his kite. Good stuff.

 

The human ear is not as sensitive to low frequencies as it is to mid and high frequencies.
So exposure to 150 dB at 50 hz is much safer than exposure to 130 dB at 5000 hz.

 

Hence the cells in my ears singing the Swan Song of death..

But what about the massive sound pressure this guy is generating, isn't that enough to screw things up a bit?

Forget all that, you in on the pool? LOL!!

 

Never saw the fascination with the guys work really!

Sure he can do big, but by no means is his work good!

For the dollar value of the systems he's building and being a pro/semi pro installer I'd put his fabrication skills at ok.

But he is correct low freq's are not as harmful as higher freq's or fullrange sounds.

Example 140db @ 50 hz doesn't hurt it just gives a pressurised feeling in your ears maybe, much the same at 150db. Now go sit next to a military jet in full afterburner (with no hearing protection), about 140db supposedly, but I can guarantee you'll be in a lot of pain (and probably suffer short term to permament damage depending on exposure time) even though it's still only 140db.

 

Never saw the fascination with the guys work really!

Sure he can do big, but by no means is his work good!

For the dollar value of the systems he's building and being a pro/semi pro installer I'd put his fabrication skills at ok.

Now this is just pure hatred right here. Steve's work has inspired thousands of people, and have generated millions of youtube views, given him a invite to RF "top gun" training, of which he's the only amature ever invited to RF top gun, has a woofer named after him, the list goes on.

Obviously this is your opinion, just stating that the guy has accomplished alot for the world of car audio.

 

Being a percussionist all through jr and high school I've been exposed to constant abuse from the marching snares. I played in the pit during football season because of a foot related issue that kept me from marching so I played the crash cymbols in the stands and sat right in front of the snares. Each year the snares bothered me less and less. Combine that with logging a lot of hours on a rear engine snapper with the 11hp (loud as ****) my hearing is nothing like it should be for only being 26. PROTECT YOUR EARS PEOPLE!

 

Don't hate the Player, hate the game. Maybe you should make this a private password protected thread, "For Haters only." Then you can swing the jealous stick at the Steve Meade pinata all you want.

Wishing misfortune on others is unethical and shallow. Threads like this one are a waste of this websites bandwidth and should be deleted.

Ok I'm done, plz continue with your **** talking, it obviously makes you feel better about yourself(selves).

 

Idiot, did you read the part where I clearly state the fact that I am not hating on the guy? I quote: "I'm not hating on the guy" HUH, NO, YES, MAYBE?

Obviously NOT. And I'm not wishing bad on him, just betting on when it will happen. There is a difference.


Now place your bet or shut up and get out, you and the other Nitwit..

 

I don't understand all the Steve Meade hating around here. The guy embodies DIY... all of the work he does, and he's done a LOT, is done by him and one or two of his buddies at his house.

And sure, he's not an SQ guy, he likes a heavy bottom end. So what?? To each his own.

Like I always say, DIYMA gets all cunty and annoying any time somebody is doing something that is 100% SQ focused... that's pretty stupid if you ask me. SPL and flashy show system builders have lots to offer in terms of fabrication, product application, and enclosure design information, I really don't see how anybody could ignore their value in a community like this one, and I cannot believe that people are **** talking the way they are.

 

I'll take the OP up on that bet that he will still have his hearing for the next 6 months. I'll also bet him $100 that Meade will still have his hearing in 2 years.

I don't know why this myth about people losing their hearing from bass is so common. I have listened to a system @ 155 dbs for 30 seconds and I felt fine. I had a firecracker explode a foot away from my head, lost my hearing completely for 10 seconds, had ringing for the following 5 minutes and a headache the next day. I later detonated the same type of firecracker 1 foot away from my SPL mic and it did a 150.3. Just goes to show you how much the frequency matters.

 

It seems like the dude is constantly exposing himself to bursts of ludicrous DB's. Constant exposure to any DB's over a certain level will cause hearing loss. Might not make you deaf, but you will lose some of your hearing.

Arguably, what he's doing can cause permanent hearing loss. What I do know for sure, prolonged exposure to any noise in that DB range is not safe on the ears, regardless of frequency. If a firecracker going off in ones ear was enough to make one deaf, I guess 50% of the population would be a bunch of mutes. We have all been exposed to ludicrous levels of noise at one point or another, happens in our day to day lives.
Thats not the point.

Yes, higher frequencies may cause more damage than lower ones, but are there any Ear specialists in here that can prove, disprove any of these points?

You do realize that this whole post is a joke right? I'm not actually hoping the guy goes deaf, don't actually believe he will. I posted this as a tongue in cheek way of saying, "If you're gonna do the SPL thing, put some earplugs in" use ear protection regardless of what you do.

I would never accept money if the guy in fact went deaf, or lost part of his hearing. In fact, I would think it a terrible thing.

My ears are ringing as we speak.. Normal conversations sound like Mumble to me, and I never did what he does.

Just saying "protect what you got" you can't get replacement parts at the local Hospital..

 

one of my professors in college told me that he read a report on hearing loss and the article said that some jungle birds squak so loudly that they damage their own hearing....however they heal them selves. So researchers are looking into figuring out how to do this for people.

One other thing to remember is the movement ration of your osiclese (SP?) if your at 1:1 you are much less likley to experience damage.

 

I don't think that applies to the interior of an SPL vehicle, where you are confined within it's tiny space, engulfed by the massive force of Omni directional sub frequency sound pressure.

If what I understand is correct, in a car, with subs below a certain frequency (80HZ and down?) you are within the sound wave, it is not aimed or pointed or guided the way mids and highs are.. I think of it in terms of a pressure cooker.. Am I off in this?

CHAD?? What say you?

 

I'm not sure why everyone hates on the guy. For a simple, untrained hobbyist he does good work. I mean at least all his installs look finished. Some people's trunks look like yard sales. I can think of a dozen "professional" places in my area that do a lot worse.

 

No one is hating, read the thread again. Well, maybe one is hating, can't win em all..

He's not a bad installer, and I have seen shops making money with worse installs, but I think some of the points being raised about SPL is that it is easier to accomplish than good SQ.

Now show me a guy that pegs meters with a single driver, seriously designed box, budget oriented, that's something to talk about. Talk to me about a correctly built 8th order reflex quasi whatever it's called box, one with a single 15" doing damage to another system with 4 15's..

If I had the money to buy 4 top notch 18's, top notch amps, all the gear and goodies, I could peg meters too. It's not that big a deal.. Anyone that can calculate and build a box, do a basic tune and install can do that stuff.

I had 2 Solobarics doing ridiculous things in a 9 CF ported box with 1 MMats amp backing them. AND the same setup was able to be tuned to play music quite nicely.. Childs play..

I see kids from the Ghetto that are clueless as to what impedances are, they installed their own systems and have Ghetto bass blasting 3 miles down the road. So what?

I was and continue to be a Basshead, but SQ has been introduced to me. Now I want both.. Not an easy task to get a fine balance between a sub section that will force bowel movements, then be turned back to match a good imaging front stage.. This in a small footprint..

 

And ask him, he'll tell you all about it.

 

You guys have to be kidding me. Saying he doesn't do "good work" and has "ok" fab skills, well........that's just ignorant.

I know of a lot of guys on here who "showcase" there work and it doesn't hold a candle to what this guy has done. Just because the guy is into more SPL than SQ doesn't mean he does bad work. Some of the fab work in his old Honda and in the Cady are way superior to "most" of the work I see in the DIY forum. For someone that's been in this industry for over twenty years it still amazes me what some people think.

Shane

 

BTW - Steve Meade and Ascendant Audio are releasing a subwoofer in February...

http://www.stevemeadedesigns.com/board/index.php?showtopic=31127&st=220&p=464138&#entry464138

That thing is gonna be a monster.

 

to those that support a brotha on the come-up....thanks!!

to those that THINK they know.....you dont. My hearing is as good as it ever has been. Now the last 2 indoor concerts i have gone too (Motley Crue and recently Down/Metallica) tore me a new ear-hole......so yes, higher frequincies do FAR more damage then the subwoofers in my truck do (at 20db higher). Ive had nothing smaller then 15's since i was 15 and now im 37 - so what makes you think the next 6 months is going to change anything other then maybe my system will be louder?

also thanks for pointing out that my skills are barely average....i already know this, thats why i dont work at a shop, i am in the commercial roofing business . BTW: have you seen any of my work? My personal vehicles dont usually get the same love that the ones i do for others will.....

i could multi-quote every single person here because i have an answer for everyone, including the guy above who mentioned my civic and had all the facts 100% wrong, but i just dont have time -

anyway, ill be around here from time to time, depending on how "warm" my welcome is really......

 

to those that THINK they know.....you dont. My hearing is as good as it ever has been. Now the last 2 indoor concerts i have gone too (Motley Crue and recently Down/Metallica) tore me a new ear-hole......

That's because the idiots behind the wheel are half deaf themselves. That was one reason I left the road and the sole reason I own kickass hearing protection. The "vocal presence" thing has been passed down thru generations of performance sound sluts, I tried my best to buck the system but I gave up for my hearing health and a new family.

If you saw some of these EQ strips on these channels you'd **** bricks, I **** you not!

Chad

 

The Type-R 10 was in a purple SC2 at a small show at Tunez 4 U in Grass Valley... about 2000 or so... I remember that like it was yesterday. I didn't believe the meter... but I believed my ears...

My roommate is gonna have his bubble burst here, he's a DD head a swore up and down that you competed for them. I think he might be your biggest fan... haha.

BTW - heard the GOT SPL truck the other day on I80... I think I was driving 80mph with my windows up and stereo cranked... my windows still shook when I drove by you...

 

you are probably thinking of John Nolte.....he had a loud ass Type R 12 - and it DID do a 147 on the old meter, not the new one. It was DAMN loud and DAMN deep

oh and where at on I80 did u see me? i was indeed out on i80 a few times during my 4 day weekend and we were slappin it pretty hard a few times

 

Could've been a 12" easily... I never caught the dude's name. I just remember how loud it was.

I saw you on I80 just before Madison... we were going east. I think it was a Saturday...

 

Will car audio kill your hearing? YES. I just turned 40, got out of the audio business at 28, and YES, I am about deaf to high notes. Mostly from the 140+dB without protection in my early 20's. You won't notice the hearing loss at first. Took about 8-10 years for me to really notice it. Huh seems to be a daily word. That is the main reason I can't have a SQ system. Couldn't tune it or hear it properly. Surround sound does nothing for me. Will Steve Meade go deaf? Give it a few more years. Bet he notices it then...

 

sorry but the systems of 12 years ago are NOTHING like today......even the metering is way different. That 140db that hurt your ears 20 years ago is PROBABLY only a 130 by todays metering standards....and i dont know anyone that has hearing problems from a 130 or a 140. A 140 "A-weighted" will seriously hurt you...a 140 "C-Weighted" (low freq. bass) isnt NEARLY as bad. Maybe your screaming mids and highs at 120 did more damage then your subs....i know if i listen to metal at a higher then normal volume, it dont take but a song or two before my ears will ring a little after getting out. The bass in my ghetto rap music at MUCH higher DB levels doesnt bother me. It bothers my liver and spleen and vision more then my ears really.

 

the differnce is 8-10db and more accuracy. 2004, the new Term Lab sensors came out and almost everyone lost that much from their most consistant Audio Control scores. Also, with the old way of metering, one day you might do a 145, the next, on someone elses mic, you might do a 160. The new sensors, if you own one in New York and i own one in Cali, they should STILL read within a few tenths of each other.

put it this way, my tahoe has done mid 156 (dash) mid 157 (kick) on the new sensors.....the old mics i have done 163, even a 167. There was one kid on the net a few years ago talkin about he did a 180 with his 4 15's and audiobahn flame amps - new mics would have told a total different story, maybe a story of a 135.

thats the difference ^^^

 

So we are basically looking at MUCH more accurate calibration and more advanced technology in the mic elements to handle the higher SPL? those AC mics never really impressed me in their accuracy, but then again it's designed for 1/3 octave measurement whereas most now are using vastly higher resolutions.

we dont run different weightings "to bring the numbers up". When we compete we measure "sound pressure level", aka bass because thats just how we do it. Its not for any special reason (other then its more fun) its just two different things.....and most of us HAVE lots of mids and highs you just dont measure it, but hopefully it can keep up with the bass at least

I was not implying that you use it go get the numbers up more so as I use A weighted to keep the numbers down when mixing live

For example I can be sitting at a cool 94-100 DbA and be at a comfortable level for the crowd for solid a rock show. BUT if I flip to c weighted said numbers will be much higher and people start tapping my shoulder, because they are fearing numbers and not listening.

In other words I spec a rig to perform c weighted, during the show I measure A weighted to keep me out of trouble


Chad

 

What's up Steve!

People hate on you when they are jealous... I know you know what I mean and you don't take it the wrong way either. I like it when people hate on me! Makes me feel more special! LOL!

Would be a good idea to protect your hearing though... But I know what everyone means by the A-weight and C-Weighted measurements.... The high frequency, high volume will hurt your hearing faster, but low freq over time will still do damage, the real question is "how much exposure" does it really take to do the damage.... What is the relation between exposure time vs exposure quantity (i.e. 160 db for 5 mins vs 150 db for 10 mins...) This chad guy sounds really smart and he could do an experiment.

Peace!

 

i dont get it?

a dbs a db innit?

what does how much it weighs have to do wit anythin?