57 replies to this topic

[kusaba]

About a year ago someone told me about how damaging headphones can be. Damage to your ears is basically permanent and news articles and other things also came out saying how ipods, and other mp3 users should beware of using headphones too much.

After getting this info from almost every where I went that week, I decided it probably would be a good idea to stop using headphones. haha But my love for music was too strong and a couple weeks later i was using head phones again.

Today in my physics lecture, (yes. im taking physics during the summer x . x  *kill me now*), we were learning about sound waves and about how humans can hear frequencies from 20 to 20,000 Hz. Our professor brought out a machine and let us listen to the frequency range. Not everyone could hear the higher frequencies, but most went pretty far.  

So after using headphones since the 7th grade (FYI a whopping total of 7 years), how damaged have by ears become?

Damaged to the point where I couldn't hear anything after a frequency of 11,000 Hz!!!  O.O!!  In other words. I've already lost about half of my hearing from my head phone use...... My best friend Ty, haha..ahh he heard everything pretty much and shook his head at me... tsk tsk tsk

Oh and you know those tuning forks that doctors will whack on a table and then ask you when you stop hearing it as he/she puts it behind your ears? .. yeah .. iiiiiiiiiii didn't know well with those either. 5 seconds after my friend whacked it and tried to put it behind my ear i couldn't hear it anymore. haha.

Aww man.. can i really give up DBSK, Utada Hikaru, Linkin Park, Fort Minor, N.E.R.D, and OMG! BOA!!!!! >.<  

I'm still thinking. How 'bout you?

Edited by kusaba, 28 June 2007 - 05:07 PM.

[Rhythum_of_my_heart]

I can't stop using my headphones! Anyway, then how would people be able to use iPods, mp3 players or CD players?? I think people just have to be aware of high they are turning up the volume.

[Cori]

Well its mostly due to the volume. You just need to stop listening to things at FULL BLAST, maybe change your volume limit on your iPod (mine can do that) and maybe cut it in half? Music shouldn't be such a threat, but EVERYTHING in some way is harmful to you, hell, breathing is harmful for your body most of the time due to the chemical intake. So im not cutting BoA out for good or even limiting it because, its my music, its something that makes me happy. I got a talking about this like a month ago by an old active member and they were talking about there headphones (that cost like $70) being the way to go...the thing is, not everyone has that kind of money to spend on little headphones that you can easily break or they just die over time...;

[RisingSunRocks]

depends on the volume

I heard about as well, so I only use headphones when I watch dvd on my laptop

[Korea's Greatest]

if you raise the volume of your earphones where you cant hear anyone outside, its too loud. if you control your volume and put it under a certain decible you should be fine.

[V-ni@star]

i will continue to use it.
but my earphones always broken or lost every three months i buy the new one.
sorry i love music much more

[Sweet Impact]

Well, I used to have that problem...but its partially because itunes by default makes the music at 128 kbps..and i didn't know that i could change the kbps of all of my tracks to a higher bit rate...and i did...to 320 kbps and I bought new headphones from Phillips...and sure enough, I don't turn up the volume as much anymore....its all about the volume...and also the bit rate...which if the bit rate is low...causes you to want to turn up the volume...

[kusaba]

volume is definitely a key factor. But I never considered the volume i listen at to be that high. On my ipod i never went more than i think 1/4. I can't remember. Ipod is currently dead. I go up to 4 in a 1-14 range on my zune though.  
Music so good though. I can't give it up. It just gets me worried though. VOlume's never that high but after 7 years and my hearing is that bad? makes me worried. I would like to be able to hear when i'm 60, heck, i would like to be able to still hear when im 30!

*sweet impact* - Nice display pic of Utada HIkaru!  its cool.

[kuraudo]

I have spent some hours studying audio science. TO damage your ears they need to be a specific Decibel level at a given duration.<br>The problem is that people are wearing "open air" headphones and are countering the outside sounds by turning up the volume.<br>Getting earphones that are CLOSED will shut out volume and will allow u to turn the volume lower , better yet a SEALED earphone for noisy environment. Then earphones are relative to distance and volume next to the ear drum.<br>A lot of ear damage comes from concerts at close distance and without using ear filters.There is a specific OSHA standard , and if you follow it you can preserve your hearing like mine.
I feel a condolescence towards your hearing impairment sorry.

              

OSHA's Permissible Noise Exposure

                                                                                                          

                                                        90 dB 8.0 hours                                                      

                                              

                                                        92 dB                                                                                                        6.0 hours                                                      

                                              

                                                        95 dB 4.0 hours                                                                                                    

                                              

                                                        97 dB 3.0 hours                                                      

                                              

                                                        100 dB 2.0 hours                                                      

                                              

                                                        102 dB 1.5 hours                                                      

                                              

                                                        105 dB   1.0 hours                                                      

                                              

                                                        110 dB 30 minutes                                                      

                                              

                                                        115 dB   15 minutes                                                      

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A much better comparison
http://www.headwize....hearing_art.htm

Edited by kuraudo, 28 June 2007 - 08:35 PM.

[Korea's Greatest]

^true yo. i remember going through all of that in my psych class haha.

[Mikenyhk]

i know some ppl listen to music very loud.. n longer that goes.. it will damage their eardrum..  i rarely listen to my ipod.. maybe less than once a month~

[BAMF]

Continue use...duh. How else am I supposed to use my iPod on the go?

[Aizen]

knowing this im still gonna use them

[a_rdi88]

V-ni@star, on Jun 29 2007, 10:11 AM, said:

i will continue to use it.
but my earphones always broken or lost every three months i buy the new one.
sorry i love music much more

same like me, maybe caused by i still using it when i'm sleeping..

[Mardy Bum]

rofl. I always/most of the time raise my volume to the max when I listen to rock music.