Comment by Barrin92
I think that's most people. I never even knew that I had tinnitus (still don't know if I do frankly) because if you've put me in a dead silent room I've always heard some very low kind of 'static' for a lack of a better term. Most people I've ever talked to say the same thing, very few people have ever told me they hear absolutely nothing. Only after I kept reading about it did I start to notice it more, I think there's a really big psychological element to it.
Tinnitus (at least mine) sounds like a quieter version of the high pitched noise that movies like to use to emulate tinnitus due to a loud noise (explosion).
It's a quieter version of the tinnitus you can personally get if you are close to a loud noise (don't do this intentionally, it is an indication that you've caused yourself some hearing damage).
I've never heard static, I think that honestly sounds closer to what might actually be termed a noise floor. I know what a noise floor sounds like, and I've never heard a noise floor just due to quiet conditions...
IDK, like I said, unfortunately science hasn't found a way to easily and temporarily swap ears.