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Why would any different style of speaker be any more or less likely to cause hearing damage vs another? Surely the only thing that really matters is the volume at which the sound hits your eardrum.

Earbuds may be closer to the eardrum, but the sound that comes out of them is far less loud than that of a speaker (for comparison, plug your earbuds in and listen to them from the same distance that you'd listen to speakers from. clearly they're FAR more quiet). Therefore they make up for the closer distance to your eardrum by being less noisy. As a result, you should be just as likely to get hearing damage from speakers as from earbuds, assuming you listen to both at the same perceived volume.

All that the article seems to indicate is "In a study published last year in the journal Ear and Hearing, researchers at Harvard Medical School looked at a variety of headphones and found that, on average, the smaller they were, the higher their output levels at any given volume-control setting.". So basically smaller earphones are more sensitive. Duh? Basically all they're saying is that you dont have to turn the volume knob up as high for small buds vs big headphones.

At any given volume, earbuds aren't any more likely to cause hearing damage than headphones or speakers.. it's just that it seems people are too dumb to realise that they have to turn the volume knob down when they change to different brands/styles of headphones.

The research doesn't show that earbuds cause hearing damage, it shows that excessive listening to music at excessive volumes causes hearing damage. It just so happens that portable music players gives the option for many people to listen to music for large amounts of time, and that most portable music players come with earbud style headphones. This is not causation.

In the end, the best way to prevent hearing damage is probably "in-ear phones" or "canalphones". See etymotic, shure, sony, sharp. They are just earphones that go deep inside the earcanal and use a material (usually silicone or foam) to make a seal with the earcanal to prevent any external noise from "leaking" in. Thus, you dont have to turn up the volume to allow you to hear your music over cars, computer fans, tvs, etc... Thus, your music is at a lower volume and your hearing is happier

For proof, btw, I personally got hearing damage when i moved away from canalphones and instead bought some full-sized headphones. They were both very bright in sound (lots of shharp trebble) and open (lots of sound leaking in, meaning i turned it up more). That combo did more damage than earphones ever have

Would wake up and realize that North American FM covers different frequencies and spacings than Europe or Japan. I'm sure they could make it a worldwide reciever, but FM (in the US anyway) sucks. That is why other manufacturers are making ones with FM, 'cause they can buy a $1 chip, and say, "hey look we've got MP3 and FM". The ipod has a global market. A good FM reciever costs money, and won't work well in a stainless steel case. Not to mention the EMF from a hard drive motor. I've got a toshiba FM stereo reciever from the '80's that is the size of a 9v battery and runs off a AAA cell for hours. If you guys like your FM so much, get an FM radio, they make them even smaller now. Here is one with AM and FM that is about the size of a type I pcmcia card (ok, I know it is "PC Card" now): http://www.audiocubes.com/images/f_sony_srf220.jpg Oh, it's a Sony. It costs $60 but I bet it sounds better than my 20 year old FM only Toshiba.

Don't fuck with the ipod that I like just as it is. I'm sure I'm not the only one.

The Kondo KHR-1 Robot Kit sells for $1,499.00 at AudioCubes.

Or, you could get yours now for only $20 more...

PSP Playstation Portable.

The MDR-EX81SL's are better. They have very comfortable earclips that keep the cord from pulling the buds from your ears.

I'll be damned if this isn't true. Prior to Apple introducing the White in-ear headphones, iPod users were buying Japanese imported Sony MDR-EX71SL headphones at really high premiums just so they didn't have to wear the black variety which is available in the states.

White headphones are like a status symbol now. I'm not sure if it's sad or funny.

(Full Disclosure: iPod + white headphones managed to brainwash me also)

• Sony D-NE10
• iRiver iMP-550
• Panasonic SL-J905

• Sony D-NE10
• iRiver iMP-550
• Panasonic SL-J905

• Sony D-NE10
• iRiver iMP-550
• Panasonic SL-J905

If you don't mind having earphones shoved way into your ear canals, these are great.

They don't have actualy noise-canceling abilities, but they go a long way to block outside noise, and they have a longer cord for the right bud so you can wear them behind your neck.

Well, on a portable CD/MP3 player at least.

This Panasonic protable CD/MP3 player comes with a magnetic induction charger.

(Click on the "enlarge image" and you'll see a tiny pic of the power adapter connection.)