An article on yesterday’s Slashdot warns of the dangers of hearing loss from earbuds.
I’ve played some music in my time, and a I’ve done a whole lot of listening, usually with headphones. My father used to run a small recording studio out of our home, so I’m acquainted with the dangers of volume.
I recently measured the decibel levels I listen at, and found I’m usually between 70 and 80, which should be fairly safe. The article mentions an audiologist found people in the wild listening at 110-120 decibels. I tried to turn my headphones up to that level and they simply would not go that high; they topped out around 95dB. I tried listening at that level. It was far, far too loud. I can’t imagine how anybody could enjoy that. I certainly can’t imagine how anybody could enjoy four times that volume. (115dB – 95dB = 20dB; each 10dB = twice the perceived loudness)
I have been guilty of really cranking it up now and then, especially in my car. Mostly good ’70s rock and roll (Chicago, Vanilla Fudge, Ten Years After, In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida) and some modern stuff: tunes that are meant to be loud, dammit!. But not really that loud, and for a few minutes at most. We’re going for “powerful”, not “deafening”.
Have you ever heard 110 decibels? It’s immensely loud. 120dB is frightening. But even 85 can cause damage.
So folks… turn your earbuds down! Better yet, go get yourself an HD 201. Your ears will thank you.