Taos Hum

Kamili

Riamfada wrote: »

Sounds like it might be a good idea to apply some of the metering equipment used to search for ghosts in this case.

Might put my mind at rest too cOs I've had several people say they can't hear it, a few said they can though. Which is making me feel like I'm losing the plot!

Riamfada

Stolen from Wiki

Tinnitus
Generated by the body, the auditory or the nervous system, with no external stimulus. However, the theory that the Hum is actually tinnitus fails to explain why the Hum can be heard only at certain geographical locations, to the degree those reports are accurate. There may exist individual differences as to the threshold of perception of acoustic or non-acoustic stimuli, or other normal individual variations that could contribute to the perception of the Hum by some people in the population and not by others.

While the Hum is hypothesized to be a form of low frequency tinnitus[12] such as the venous hum, some sufferers claim it is not internal, being worse inside their homes than outside. However, others insist that it is equally bad indoors and outdoors. More mystery is added as some notice the Hum only at home, while others hear it everywhere they go. Some reports indicate that it is made worse by attempted soundproofing (e.g., double glazing), which serves only to decrease other environmental noise, thus making the Hum more apparent. Tinnitus is also generally worse in places with less exterior sound.
People who both suffer from tinnitus and hear the Hum describe them as qualitatively different, and many hum sufferers can find locations where they do not hear the hum at all. An investigation by a team of scientists in Taos dismissed the possibility that the Hum was tinnitus as highly unlikely.

Spontaneous otoacoustic emissions
Human ears generate their own noises, called spontaneous otoacoustic emissions, which about 30% of people hear. The people that hear these sounds typically hear a faint buzzing or ringing, especially if they are otherwise in complete silence, but most people don't notice them at all.

Colliding ocean waves
Researchers from the USArray Earthscope have tracked down a series of infrasonic humming noises produced by waves crashing together and thence into the ocean floor, off the North-West coast of the USA. Potentially, sound from these collisions could travel to many parts of the globe.[15][16][17]

Kamili

Definitely not tinnitus I already have that plus doesn't explain how my mum can hear it also.
It's gotten loud enough for me to hear outside now too and my dog has started barking at things that aren't there (could be his over reactive imagination though)

Bit sceptical about the waves thing, it's a droney vibration that's constant.

I think the neighbours central heating is the closest I can get to an explanation

kylith

I get a hum in my house too, but it's caused by small-scale manufacturing in the house behind mine, so be on the look out for any home factories in your area.

I get the high-pitched squeal too, but I've always believed that it's some kind of effect from the telly that I'm just more sensetive to it than OH, and I know that one of my friends gets it the odd time too.

Kamili

kylith wrote: »

I get a hum in my house too, but it's caused by small-scale manufacturing in the house behind mine, so be on the look out for any home factories in your area.

I get the high-pitched squeal too, but I've always believed that it's some kind of effect from the telly that I'm just more sensetive to it than OH, and I know that one of my friends gets it the odd time too.

I get the telly squeal too, can vary depending on brand, tis wierd.

the hum hasn't voiced its opinion all day today so I'm a happy camper. Still would love to know what it is.

squonk

I always used to hear a hum in my house because it was very quiet. There are a couple of possible causes that I've always put this down to. Firstly, fridges. They make a fairly low frequency noise and they're pretty quiet but you do notice the sound when it's quieter and I would believe that some elements of the noise are low frequency enough to travel around the house. Secondly, some power supplies make a noise. Again, it's a low frequency thing that could travel around the house. Thirdly, any sort of fans e.g. hard drives on a computer etc could cause that noise. My thought is that the intersection of the frequencies could cause the alternating sound like a diesel engine.

Kamili

After a respite of three months the noise is back again only louder. We've since installed triple glazing windows and it's not making a difference. It's like hearing a diesel engine idling in the distance, only I can feel the vibrations too. Not tinnitus as I can feel the sound. I can actually hear it outside now also. It has been constant for the last few days getting louder after midnight. So much so that the white noise app I have no longer drowns it out....

maccored

I havent heard this in a while, but a few years back there used to be what sounded like a diesel car or van idling outside our house some nights, but yet you'd go outside, there'd be no noise, and nothing there. I would hear it again though when I'd go back inside. Always made me believe it was something to do with wiring or something in the house since in reality, the the sound was coming from inside the house, not outside.

kylith

Kamili wrote: »

After a respite of three months the noise is back again only louder. We've since installed triple glazing windows and it's not making a difference. It's like hearing a diesel engine idling in the distance, only I can feel the vibrations too. Not tinnitus as I can feel the sound. I can actually hear it outside now also. It has been constant for the last few days getting louder after midnight. So much so that the white noise app I have no longer drowns it out....

Have you ruled out causes inside the house? Some suggestions off the top of my head: fridge, fish tank, PC fan, something in the heating system, it could even be in your neighbour's house.

dmcronin

Another Irish hum in the news lately, in Kerry...

http://www.kerryman.ie/lifestyle/getting-to-the-root-of-that-annoying-beaufort-hum-3076905.html

krd

A place I lived down the country. There was an audible hum. It was weird. I eventually found what it was. It was a wooden telegraph pole - and for some reason - I think there may have been some booster attached to it - the whole wood pole vibrated and hummed.


Power transformers for domestic and farms hum. And where there is little other sound, that hum can travel.

nierbo

I know it is a while since you posted,but I have heard this hum since end of last year:mad: I know for a FACT it is not tinnitus as my aunt has suffered for years with it and I know all the symptoms. I hear it mostly at night,but hear it in the day also,it actually hums through my pillow:mad:. I thought that the drilling had started in Dalkey already. Apparently mostly men hear bass line notes or e# more than women,well I am female and my hearing is too good I would be glad if I was not the only one hearing this, as my partner doesnt,he just knows I have good hearing.

Kamili

kylith wrote: »

Have you ruled out causes inside the house? Some suggestions off the top of my head: fridge, fish tank, PC fan, something in the heating system, it could even be in your neighbour's house.

Definitely not anything in the house as I can hear it outside too. It's a lot deeper of a rumble to be any of the above, it's almost a drilling sound. Very low frequency deep vibration that seems to make the ground shake. Even when I'm outside.

nierbo wrote: »

I know it is a while since you posted,but I have heard this hum since end of last year:mad: I know for a FACT it is not tinnitus as my aunt has suffered for years with it and I know all the symptoms. I hear it mostly at night,but hear it in the day also,it actually hums through my pillow:mad:. I thought that the drilling had started in Dalkey already. Apparently mostly men hear bass line notes or e# more than women,well I am female and my hearing is too good I would be glad if I was not the only one hearing this, as my partner doesnt,he just knows I have good hearing.

Yep you've pretty much described what I'm hearing/feeling. I have tinnitus which definitely doesn't cause the same sound. It's a deep deep noise like one you would nearly feel more than hear if you were standing near a huge subwoofer at a concert or the like.

Very frustrating!

nierbo

you know I think you could be on to something there,I wont settle until I find the reason for this hum, thank`s for that link. I rang my dad who plays trombone,and I asked him what e# (flat) sounds like,so i hummed it to him first,he said I knew my music,I said no I dont I just hear it all the time!!!!!

nierbo

sorry,I am new to this and just posted ,not sure if I have it right yet so just put up with me a while.......this thing is so driving me mad ,I also want to state that I first heard this hum at the end of last year,I lived in Raheny,I have moved to a more solid older house on the same side of town and I can still hear it.Also,my theory is that the drilling for oil has started in secret ,or at least prep work has.My reason for this is,the sound is almost 24/7 BUT there are times when it is silent and when it starts you can put a time on it,for instance it was quiet yesterday before 12pm,then at approx 12.30 it started.Last night it was quiet until 12am,then shortly after it started,because I had to reach for the ear plugs.Im sorry to seem like a crazy lady but if there is a reason then it is almost acceptable,so I like to know why, where,and what for???????????????

guinnessdrinker

I just seen this thread now. I thought I was the only one to hear this. I only started to hear this noise about two years ago when I moved into my house. At first I thought it was something electrical in the house but as the noise was so annoying I tried in vain to locate it. I turned off everything electrical on numerous occasions including the fridge and freezer and walked around the house in circles trying to find where the noise was coming from.

One night it seemed so loud, around 3 or 4am so I got up and got a torch and went outside the house. I could still hear the noise outside, this was when I figured out for the first time that the noise was not coming from inside the house. I walked down the road a bit and could still hear the hum. I eventually went back to bed after failing to figure out where it is coming from. I have tinnitus also but this noise is completely different, my tinniutus is high pitched where as the noise I am describing is a low frequency humming noise that seems to vibrate.

My only guess is that maybe it is coming from an overhead powerline somewhere. Also I thought maybe it was coming from the sea, i.e. waves crashing but it is an almost constant hum so I am not too sure about my waves theory.

At least I know other people are experiencing this noise also. I think if I knew what the noise was or where it was coming from I would not find it so annoying.

Kamili

Yep it deffo does stop and start alright. I find it gets louder at around 4am too.

I agree with guinessdrinker if I knew what it was I'd be less annoyed by it. I've downloaded an app in iTunes called ambience that has a cat purr which drowns it out just about. It's my saviour. There are times where this doesn't work though.

nierbo

Yes I too agree,if I knew where it was from It would be half the battle. OK I have to ask this now,at the risk of being mad,but did any one notice a big quiet time the last 2 days?and nights?
could it be bad weather stops play?? Also what are they doing in the liffey? that involves pounding into the ground pylons? not sure that is what they are called,are they building another bridge?If it is that ,they have build a bridge not so long ago and would explain others hearing the noise way back,if it involves drilling deep in the ground we may hear it! Some music friends of my dad said there is some building work going on in town(I use music because it is an E# sound) ,a 3 story car park under ground,that involves drilling deep.

Kamili

Yep have noticed the quiet time alright!
The bridge on the Liffey is for the Luas. You might be on to something with that... Bad weather and risen water levels might have stopped play.

I definitely think its drilling of some description, it has the same sound as when they were drilling the rock on the section of Dundrum M50.

maccored

that hum sound in kerry ... isnt there drilling off the coast of cork? If that was affecting a shelf of ground that then ran on to Kerry, surely that could cause some kind of vibration hum/sound?