Study Links Personal Music Players To Hearing Loss

fprintf writes "A recent NY Times article discusses links between personal music players and hearing loss. This is not anything new; personally, I have hearing loss from listening to my Sony Walkman cassette player many years ago. However, given the widespread use of the personal music players, I see people using earbuds everywhere; is there a technical solution to the potential danger?"

Comments

Turn down the volume

[mbone]

s there a technical solution to the potential danger ?

Yes - very technical. Turn down the volume.

Re:Turn down the volume

[LWATCDR]

Yea that was going to be my suggestion.
The problem is that earbuds don't really cut down the ambient sound so people crank up the volume to over power the noise.

Re:Turn down the volume

[hedwards]

This is very old news, a large part of it is indeed poorly fitting earbuds and ones that don't block all the noise. None of the ones shipped by most companies are worth using, but the iPod ones are pretty bad and people seem to resist paying for a decent pair.

Yes, $50-100 is a fair amount of money, but what exactly is the monetary value of not losing ones hearing prematurely? Plus my shure e2c do a pretty good job of giving me a quality listening experience in most places.

And if that's too much money, one can always just pay for a cheaper set and deal with the over the head variety.

Re:Turn down the volume

[entgod]

As a later commenter suggested, the use of passively insulating earbuds (such as in ear monitors) or actively insulating ones (the ones that try to make noise that cancels out background noise) would help.

Re:Turn down the volume

[Chris Pimlott]

But you wouldn't have to turn the volume up so loud to drown out road noise if your headphones did a better job of blocking out noise in the first place. That's the point.

Re:Turn down the volume

[Colonel Korn]

Some of us listen to our music loud because we enjoy it. I exercise a lot and I need loud music to distract me from pain as well as road noises.

We know it's bad for us just as every smoker should know that smoking's bad for them.

I think that many or most listeners actually don't know how much listening to loud music can cost. Most kids listening to music on earbuds in the subway turned up so loud so that I can hear lyrics from across the aisle probably know it's "bad" but don't know that doing it for just an hour can (and likely will) affect their hearing for the rest of their lives. My hearing suffered from rock concerts, and after I few years the loss had become noticeable (which is a difficult thing unless you get your hearing tested, since there's no easy standard for comparison when your hearing gets worse over a timescale of months or years). I knew it was potentially destructive before I went to so many shows without any sort of ear protection, but I thought, as you say, that it was worth it because I enjoyed it. Had I realized the extent of the risk, I might have behaved differently.

Maybe the "technical solution" is to include hearing tests in every medical checkup, since they only take a couple minutes.

Re:Turn down the volume

[IndustrialComplex]

Honestly, road noise is probably the last thing I'd rank as a safety feature. I'm sure there is some situation where it would be helpful, but I haven't yet experienced it. I used to drive approximately 1000 miles per week, for several years, and never once found a noise that helped me drive. In my opinion, here are things you can do that will provide several times more benefit.

1. Leave early, and don't be in a rush.
2. Don't drive while tired.
3. Take breaks, and stretch your legs for 10 minutes to refresh your body and mind.

4. Adopt a policy that 'dangerous driving, not speed, kills' and enforce it as such. I've seen more highway accidents that were caused by police than I thought was possible.

Why? In the US, it is not a fun thing to see a cop car pretty much ever. You could be doing 50 in a 55 mph zone and you would instinctively want to press on your brakes when you see a cop on the side of the road, then for a few seconds, you will look at your speedometer, check your mirrors, and generally be on edge.

What weren't you doing for those few seconds?
Paying attention to the road and other cars.

When people become more worried about if there is a police car behind the next bend, and not a deer, that causes significant risk in driving.

Re:Turn down the volume

[nine-times]

Young people think they're invincible and fail to realize that actions they take now can hurt themselves for the rest of their lives-- News at 11.

Re:Turn down the volume

[pazu]

Maybe the "technical solution" is to include hearing tests in every medical checkup, since they only take a couple minutes.

Too bad most doctors are too biased or ignorant enough to stop listening to you as soon as their hear the word "iPod".

I own an iPhone and a pair of Etymotic HF2 earphones. These are in-ear, noise isolating earphones, and I use them exactly because I don't want to turn my volume too high. Most of the time, I hear to music just one click above silence (I mean, turn the volume to zero, than press up just once), two if I'm in a very noise environment, like walking in the streets.

I seriously doubt hearing music at these levels could cause any long term hearing loss, but I've noticed my ears started ringing a few months ago -- maybe it's always been there, I don't know, but I only noticed recently.

I've visited an ENT recently and he completely dismissed everything I've said as soon as he heard I had a music player. I mentioned the low volume, the noise isolating earphones, but he just ignored me. He "prescribed" me to stop using earphones, period.

So, yes, include hearing tests in every medical checkup, but please educate doctors about modern equipment and their actual effect on hearing.

Re:Turn down the volume

[hairyfeet]

Oh,they know,they just don't give a crap. Just as I didn't give a crap when I was playing rock in bars through the 80's and 90's and going to see bands like AC/DC live without earplugs. It was MY choice,I made it,and I live with the results. I am so damned sick of this nanny state "nobody should have any kind of choices that could actually have negative effects" crap. Allow me to predict what will happen.

Those that believe Mommy State should save us from ourselves will throw a living shitfit and have laws passed that makes the max volume on all MP3 players so low as to make them worthless. Then you will either have to hang onto your "Pre-suck" MP3 player(Thank the Diety my Sandisk M260 is built like a tank and uses AAAs) or pay higher prices for an "illegal" import from China that doesn't follow the rules.

I Know! How about all those that are about to scream "Oh Noes! Save the childrens!" we stick a warning label on the MP3 player box! Nope,won't work. Why? Because the little busybodies that have a royal fit are never happy unless they make you live THEIR way,because they know what is best for you,after all. Mod me as flamebait if you want,but you all know that is EXACTLY what will happen. The government just LOVES to make decisions for you,because we are all just too stupid to make our own choices.

Re:Turn down the volume

[hairyfeet]

Yeah because thanks to our excellent modern recording techniques it really sounds like hammered shit at anything less than 100%. Of course I think most of the new stuff ALSO sounds like crap at 100% again thanks to our fabulous new recording techniques,but that must be just me,right?

Re:Turn down the volume

[BigGar']

$50-100 on better earphones is better money spent than on one or two of these: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hearing_aid

Re:Turn down the volume

[Half-pint HAL]

Nobody needs to mod you flamebait. The volume-limiter debate has been done to death. The powers-that-be were suitably educated and now realise that the widely-varying efficiency difference between headphones makes any electronic limiter useless. A limit that would stop you killing your hearing on a mid-range pair would make the music inaudible on a â1 pair, and would still allow you to kill your hearing with a set of â100 isolating earbuds. Not to mention the existence of portable passive speakers, combined headphone/line-in and other such fun.

It won't happen. It can't happen. The manufacturers won't let it.

HAL.

Re:Turn down the volume

[electrictroy]

There is one way that Ipods are better than the Cassette Walkmans I used as a teenager. - Due to the often-extreme amount of AAC or MP3 compression, they sound like utter crap when turned to loud volumes (lots of metallic-sounding noises). Ipods actually sound best when they are low in volume, so as to hide the compression artifacts.

>>>I exercise a lot and I need loud music to distract me from pain as well as road noises.

(20 years later)

"Sorry wha? I cannae hear ya! Yeah my ears are shot, but I got a body of a 30-year-old!!!"
"Yeah you look hot."
"Do I need a cot? No, no, I'm not tired. Thanks anyway."

Re:Turn down the volume

[hairyfeet]

I'm sorry if I came off a little pissy,but I'm so damned sick of these nanny state lovers trying to tell us how to live our damned lives! If I want a cigarette,a beer,or a joint,or if I want to blow my damned ears off listening to AC/DC,what right does the damned state have to tell me what to do with my own body? I don't expect the nanny state to buy me hearing aids if I blow my ears off,and if I'm doing something that could endanger others like a DUI then please slap me for being stupid(point of fact:I don't drink or smoke weed,but that ain't the damned state's business).

But if I want to set in the comfort of my own home or take a leisurely stroll while obeying the traffic laws what business is it of some busybody to tell me what volume to listen to Rammstein at? Did they pay for my MP3 player? No? Then please MYOB and let me enjoy my music. We have seen it happen again and again: somebody comes out with a "duh" study(smoking is bad for you! Loud music hurts your ears!) and the next thing you know politicians are tripping over themselves to ban it.

You see,I remember a time when we had smokers bars and nonsmokers bars. It was nice,everyone who worked at the smokers bars were (surprise!) smokers,and those who wanted a nonsmoking environment went to one of the multitude of bars where smoking wasn't allowed. You see,that is how a free market works. If there is a demand someone will fill it. So there were nonsomking clubs and smoking clubs because both could fill a demand. But then the busybodies decided they liked OUR clubs better. So instead of just putting up with it(like we did when we went to THEIR clubs) they went "Cough Cough. You shouldn't be able to smoke in public" so there went our clubs.

But,silly old me,I still believe in two little words called "personal responsibility". If I go into a club that is smoky I'm not retarded,I KNOW I'm going to breathe others smoke! I know,it's amazing but true! And if I turn my music up too loud or see AC/DC in concert then I KNOW that I'm risking my hearing. But too many busybodies have decided that THEY know how WE should live and are going to make DAMNED sure that we can't hurt ourselves,because like little children we need nanny government to hold our hands to protect us from ourselves. How about just like cigarettes you put a warning on them and then leave us alone? Does anyone believe that they will do something as simple and sensible as this? Nope,me neither.

And I apologize for the length. I'm just tired of being treated like I'm 4 or too stupid to understand risks. We are all given brains on the day of our birth. If some choose not to use theirs I don't want the entire world padded just to make it safer for morons.

Re:Turn down the volume

[EdelFactor19]

I have a better idea, don't contact your senator and make your problems ours. Leave the party

screw you people and your legislation of mp3 volumes. IF YOU DONT LIKE IT GO SOMEWHERE ELSE. TURN DOWN THE VOLUME, FILE A NOISE COMPLAINT.

if you are going to a party and are concerned with your hearing and volume, bring your own god damn ear plugs. Why should it be my problem? your health is your job. I bring ear plugs to every concert I go to; i don't expect someone else to do it for me.

I dont want to hear it either but dont tell me how to fix a problem that doesnt exist.

Your friend took a job with high risks and sold his health for money. go cry to your mom about it.

Re:Turn down the volume

[Dutch Gun]

I'm cool with that, so long as I'm not asked to foot the bill for anyone's health care later in life for idiotic choices they make now.

Unfortunately, we seem destined in the US to push forward universal health care. At that point, I'll be obligated to pay for the mistake of every nitwit who blew their ears out with 110dB music, fried their brain with drugs, smoked their lungs black, etc. I fear this will be yet another excuse of those who inexplicably need to control and regulate others' behavior.

Re:Turn down the volume

[Geekbot]

We discuss volume limiters because we don't have an objective way to gauge volume.

In our cars we have speedometers. We are aware when we are traveling at dangerous speeds. If we did not have speedometers we might look more seriously for speed limiters for cars.

While some sort of decibel meters in our PDL's might seem like a good idea, some earlier post pointed out that decibels will vary according to the headphones. That makes a decibel reading built into the PLD unreliable.

I don't like the nanny police either. But keeping products safe doesn't seem unreasonable.

Solution - lower the max volume

[Registered Coward v2]

Unfortunately, most people play them way to loud so the only technical solution is to limit the output.

However, since many people find louder music *sounds* better unless every device maker does it those who don't may be at a competitive advantage; leading none to do so other than as Apple did as an option; which was probably more about limiting legal liability than anything else.

The problem is gradual increase in volume

[JustKidding]

I've noticed, many times, that I start out with a fairly low volume (maybe 10% or so), and when a good song comes along, I turn it up a bit. However, by the end of the song, I don't really notice the higher volume anymore, and the next time I get a good song, I turn it up a bit more, until the player is at its maximum volume.

If I take the earphones out of my ears, put them back in an hour later, and turn on the player, I'll pull them out of my ears as fast as I can because the music is so horribly loud.

So the solution, I think, is having a "volume boost" button, which boosts the volume for the duration of the current track, and gradually decreases to the normal level during the next track, to avoid stacking up the boosts.

Bone conduction anyone?

[DaveV1.0]

Does bone conduction cause the same problem? If not, Vibe Body Sound Headphones may be an answer.

ipod earbuds are to blame

[nedder]

Sadly, the white ipod earbuds are the primary cause of hearing loss/damage.

The earbuds aren't designed to seal the ear canal so people have to run the volume so high on them to get above the noise level.

Apple's only concern is to include the cheapest headphones possible. Unfortunately, the white earbuds are a (pathetic) fashion statement, and they sound good enough that most people keep them.

Non-issue, really?

[Max Romantschuk]

Just as has already been stated: If you listen to stuff too loud it will damage your hearing...

But is this so much of an issue? You can turn down the volume yourself...

I find that places where you can't affect the volume are a much bigger problem. I always have earplugs when I go to nightclubs these days, I don't want my tinnitus to get any worse. I can't tell the DJ to keep it down, but I also want to go out.

A lot of movies are insanely loud these days, but fortunately there usually are quiet passages to let the ears rest.

For me the worst damage to my ears has actually come from a rather surprising source: My own kids. We even measured 110 dB (in front of the mouth) from one of them when they were little. So what to do when they are crying? I'm not gonna go running for earplugs every time I need to attend to them...

I guess the bottom line is everything taxes our hearing. Wise people protect it to a sensible degree.

Social responsibility

[jotaeleemeese]

Even if you can pay for things that does not mean you are not affecting others.

In places with a socialized health care system (civilized countries mostly) it is to state the obvious that the state will protect innocent bystanders of the carelessness of others as well as promote socially responsible conducts in order to maximize health care resources.

In places where the law of the jungle prevails, even if you can afford to pay for care, the health resources are still a finite resource, and by people carelessness demand (by making sick themselves) they increase the cost for everybody of having medical care.

So in as much as you would like to think you are completely free to do whatever you damn please, your actions will have social consequences no matter what but smokers are legendary for their lack of manners and their sens of entitlement, so it is hardly unsurprising to read their rants parading as defense of freedom their perceived entitlement to be socially irresponsible.

The irony to mention the free markets as the solution to social irresponsibility is very poignant today, but I will not labor the point, such attitude nowadays is frankly preposterous.