IEM Warning
Jan 19, 2008 at 2:38 AM Post #46 of 67
Quote:

Originally Posted by shigzeo /img/forum/go_quote.gif
at the least, headphone listening is way more damaging than speaker or usual listening as it is closer to the ear: i am not condeming but warning. we have to be careful. there was a thread earlier this week that said a usual person had 1/5 chance to have tinnitus and offhand, that headfi members were 4/5... thas shows you that even as a joke, we are subject to way worse listening techniques whilst saying we are fine. by the way, do not use these words against me as i ahve been to two drinking parties.

EDIT: still quite drunk!
most users of earphones will not use earphones as long as we do. they will use them for much less time and make fewer excuses. we do use iems as a godsend for basically our weak ears. but they are closer to the centre of our hearing mechanisms. be safety!


Moderated IEM usage is of course always a good thing, but do you have any actual scientific research to back those^ up?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Febs /img/forum/go_quote.gif
While I agree in principle that we should always treat manufacturer's claims with skepticism, bear in mind that Etymotic has been in the hearing aid business for quite a while, which shares a great deal of technology with the IEM business.


Not to mention all the government grant Etymotic received (for developing hearing aid technology) and all the hearing related research papers they published over the years! Beside, Etymotic doesn't come up with those claim - those are research data from National Institute Of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), which is part of CDC.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeTinux /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Is there a way to examine how hard my music is playing? I don't have a clue and I always listen to my music at the maximum level. This is classical music. The maximum level of my brothers hip hop on my player seems so many more times louder.
(


The rule of thumb when using any headphone is:
[size=small]Set it on the lowest volume needed, not the highest volume you can bear![/size]
 
Jan 19, 2008 at 4:42 PM Post #47 of 67
Quote:

Originally Posted by Michael_B /img/forum/go_quote.gif
With some of the current lawsuits, and advent of 'parental volume locks', it might not be long before we see some kind of limiters built into DAPs


the zvm has that. but what parent will read the manual and know they can do that?
 
Jan 19, 2008 at 5:25 PM Post #48 of 67
Quote:

Originally Posted by ClieOS /img/forum/go_quote.gif

The rule of thumb when using any headphone is:
[size=small]Set it on the lowest volume needed, not the highest volume you can bear![/size]


OMG I must have been drunk when I wrote that. You are right. But I analyzed some of my loudest classical recordings and they ARE recorded on a lower volume then some random chosen examples from my pop collection.

I don't know where the wish for loud volumes come from, but now I am fully aware of the risks involved I limited the volume on my iPod and my roomies know the password (I don't).

Why is it that (some) people (myself included) enjoy listening to loud volumes?
 
Jan 19, 2008 at 7:18 PM Post #49 of 67
High sound pressure over time will do damage to your hearing regardless of this pressure being generated by an IEM, normal headphone, loud speaker, subway.

IEMs are special because they block out noise enabling the user to turn down volume and still be able to fully hear what is going on in the music. Because your ear is being exposed to a lower sound pressure you are less likely to develop tinnitus and loss of hearing.

Anyway that is just what I have learned.

I completely agree with Febs and the theories he has tried to explain.
 
Jan 19, 2008 at 7:21 PM Post #50 of 67
On Dutch television I saw a professor from Leiden University claiming that air could not escape from your ear when using IEMs. I don't know what his exact explanation was as it's quite some time ago and I'm not at all medically trained.
 
Jan 19, 2008 at 7:31 PM Post #51 of 67
Quote:

Originally Posted by DeTinux /img/forum/go_quote.gif
On Dutch television I saw a professor from Leiden University claiming that air could not escape from your ear when using IEMs. I don't know what his exact explanation was as it's quite some time ago and I'm not at all medically trained.


I notice after several hours of listening (NOT at loud volumes) that my ears seem 'wet' - like they've been sweating. It's definitely not wax - it's more like when you've had a shower and your ears are still damp. I guess if air is not escaping - the ears can sweat? Anyway, I'm not about to put deodorant on them!
 
Jan 19, 2008 at 8:39 PM Post #52 of 67
Quote:

Originally Posted by soozieq /img/forum/go_quote.gif
I notice after several hours of listening (NOT at loud volumes) that my ears seem 'wet' - like they've been sweating. It's definitely not wax - it's more like when you've had a shower and your ears are still damp. I guess if air is not escaping - the ears can sweat? Anyway, I'm not about to put deodorant on them!


Yeah, I experienced this too with my E2C but normally I don't listen for so long time. Now I bought some supraaural headphones because the Shure's cable is broken. It's quite cold here and when I'm outside then the E2C gets cold too and then I have something cold stuck into my ear..this is not very comfortable and I don't think it's very healthy either.
 
Jan 20, 2008 at 1:23 AM Post #54 of 67
No offense or anything but I think the first post/this thread is really dumb. I'd advise people to not pay any attention to that guys claims.
 
Jan 20, 2008 at 2:04 AM Post #56 of 67
Quote:

Originally Posted by soozieq /img/forum/go_quote.gif
I notice after several hours of listening (NOT at loud volumes) that my ears seem 'wet' - like they've been sweating. It's definitely not wax - it's more like when you've had a shower and your ears are still damp. I guess if air is not escaping - the ears can sweat? Anyway, I'm not about to put deodorant on them!


No need for deodorant, jus remove the IEM from your ear a couple of times during use to allow air circulation than you should be fine.
Quote:

Originally Posted by berniebennybernard /img/forum/go_quote.gif
I'm just wondering if it was possible to measure the decibels of volume coming from my iPod and/or headphones.


Sure, get a Sound Lever Meter / Decibel Meter than you can get a very rough idea of the dB you headphone produced. If you want something accurate, you will need an Artificial Head Measurement System, like this guy.
 
Jan 20, 2008 at 2:12 AM Post #57 of 67
Quote:

Originally Posted by ClieOS /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Sure, get a Sound Lever Meter / Decibel Meter than you can get a very rough idea of the dB you headphone produced. If you want something accurate, you will need an Artificial Head Measurement System, like this guy.


Thanks. I'm very conscious of my hearing health and getting one of these meters will most likely help me to limit the max volume I should be listening to.

Decibel Meter, Industrial Electrical Test, Pro Audio items on eBay.com

Would any of the above be perfect, or should I goto an audiologist? (they should have them, right?)
 
Jan 20, 2008 at 5:53 AM Post #58 of 67
Quote:

Originally Posted by EsthetiX /img/forum/go_quote.gif
No offense or anything but I think the first post/this thread is really dumb. I'd advise people to not pay any attention to that guys claims.


how would it ever be possible to take offense to that?
 
Jan 20, 2008 at 6:46 AM Post #60 of 67
Quote:

Originally Posted by berniebennybernard /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Would any of the above be perfect, or should I goto an audiologist? (they should have them, right?)


Those are fine. If you are in the U.S., you can finds them in RadioShack (or any large electronic store).
 
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