[slidemasterx]

I’m planning to get an IEM and this got me thinking. When I’m listening to my Iriver H320 with the stock earphones, I never let the volume go past 10 even if the music is completely drowned out by outside noise because I have tinnitus and I’m really cautious about it.

When you guys listen to your IEMs, do you set the volume until you can hear every instrument? Or do you still have it low because you fear that maybe it’s loud? How do you know that the volume level hasn’t reached dangerous levels?

 

[kwitel]

Scared?
Im terrified. Which is why I refuse to buy a "true" IEM. I have some basic partial IEMS by JVC.
Heres my theory: people say they are better for you since they are blocking out any outside noise thus eliminating the need to listen to the music at ridiculously loud levels. Sounds good but I dont buy it. I feel that with a good "seal" youve essentailly created a little sound proof room where the music gets trapped and has nowhere to go but in!

Something about the lowered air pressure in the canal that bugs me out. Sounds a bit dramatic, I know-but I things are not meant be that close to the brain, period.

 

[Connectz]

I would love to own some audiophile level IEM's but I just HATE anything in my ear. I don't have a lot of wax (I guess you could call mine dry) but I just hate earphones in my ear. I never even used the Apple iBuds that come with the iPod.

 

[smeggy]

I wouldn't say scared exactly, mildly concerned on occasion as I know I have a habit of blasting when I'm having fun with my IEMs. I know it's too loud, common sense tells me I should turn it down a bit but my ears seem to have this strange control thing going whereby they refuse to let my wrist turn anti-clockwise when they are having fun.

 

[Ingo]

IEMs are based on hearing aid drivers. At a listening level that is reasonably comparable to everyday natural sounds I would think that they would be comparable to hearing-aids. I don't think that hearing aids are designed so that they might cause further damage to the users ears. My KSC-75s are definately more fatiguing than any of the IEMs that I've owned, especially in an enviornment that is not totally quiet.

 

[JohanK]

Not really. I removed my IEMs from my ears on the bus home. In spite of sitting in the front of the bus where the noise was the lowest, I was still blown away by the sound level in the bus. OK, I have to admitt that I was listening to a King Crimson album, hardly the loudest music style ever, but still, I believe that even if I listed to loud music, the sound level in the bus could still exceed the SPL of my music.

 

[mikeliao]

Quote:

Originally Posted by slidemasterx I’m planning to get an IEM and this got me thinking. When I’m listening to my Iriver H320 with the stock earphones, I never let the volume go past 10 even if the music is completely drowned out by outside noise because I have tinnitus and I’m really cautious about it.

In that case, you're going to love high quality IEMs. It'll block out outside noise and let you listen to your music clearly...and at a even lower volume if you want.

I listen at lower levels with any types of headphones because I'm used to it. Too loud a noise just bugs me. That you already have tintinitus may be because you're being expose to high unsafe levels of sound? Have you identified the source? It might even be your general surroundings like JohanK pointed out about the bus.

Quote:

Originally Posted by slidemasterx When you guys listen to your IEMs, do you set the volume until you can hear every instrument?

Turning up the volume won't help you hear faint/distant instruments. The quality of the IEM/headphone (and your ears) dictate if you can hear fine details.

 

[Icehawk]

This is getting ridiculous - look if you listen to ANYTHING loudly it will hurt your ears. The distance of the noise, whether it is a sonic boom a mile from you or an IEM playing 100dB in your ear isn't going to matter. So do yourself a favor and listen to your music at a reasonable volume and stop worrying.

 

[aaroncort]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kwitel Scared? Im terrified. Which is why I refuse to buy a "true" IEM. I have some basic partial IEMS by JVC. Heres my theory: people say they are better for you since they are blocking out any outside noise thus eliminating the need to listen to the music at ridiculously loud levels. Sounds good but I dont buy it. I feel that with a good "seal" youve essentailly created a little sound proof room where the music gets trapped and has nowhere to go but in! Something about the lowered air pressure in the canal that bugs me out. Sounds a bit dramatic, I know-but I things are not meant be that close to the brain, period.

I understand that it freeks you out but with IEM's the sound isn't genereated in you ear. Like any earbud the drivers sit outside. IEMs just have a little tube that funnals it to your ear and some foam that blocks out ambiant noise. I definitly listen at lower volumes than I do with open cans, even though when I'm useing open cans I don't think i'm listening very loudly.

 

[Purgatos]

Not at all. I know if something is quiet or loud and won't turn my IEMs up to what I would call 'too loud'.

There's a line between careful and paranoid guys!

 

[slidemasterx]

Thanks for your replies. My tinnitus is only mild. I only hear it in complete silence and when I'm wearing my earplugs. I got it when I was playing in a ska band but when I noticed the tinnitus, I stopped completely. Even after that incident, I still have more sensitive ears than others.

I'm planning to get a UM1. The reason why I asked this question is because 85db might not be too loud for some but it's already dangerous. But as long you say that an IEM's sound can go lower that outside noise and you can still be able to hear the fine details. I have not problems with hearing small details with my ears because I'm a composition major and work as an audio engineer on the side so I'm used to hearing each inst separately. I know this kind of a difficult question but is there a big gap between a volume level where you can hear at the lowest enjoyable level and a volume level that's already dangerous?

 

[trevor1189]

Quote:

Originally Posted by slidemasterx Thanks for your replies. My tinnitus is only mild. I only hear it in complete silence and when I'm wearing my earplugs. I got it when I was playing in a ska band but when I noticed the tinnitus, I stopped completely. Even after that incident, I still have more sensitive ears than others. I'm planning to get a UM1. The reason why I asked this question is because 85db might not be too loud for some but it's already dangerous. But as long you say that an IEM's sound can go lower that outside noise and you can still be able to hear the fine details. I have not problems with hearing small details with my ears because I'm a composition major and work as an audio engineer on the side so I'm used to hearing each inst separately. I know this kind of a difficult question but is there a big gap between a volume level where you can hear at the lowest enjoyable level and a volume level that's already dangerous?

Here this is from the Um1 box paperwork that came with my um1's
Please feel free to correct me if I am wrong, but from what I understand the iPod can output a total of 115dB (This is very high)

OSHA's Chart for Hearing Safety (notice that every 5 dB time is cut in 1/2 this is because dB level is exponential and few a few decibels can mean serious damage)
dB maximum exposure time
85 dB= 8 hr.
90 dB= 4 hr.
95 dB= 2 hr.
100 dB= 1 hr.
105 dB= 30 mins.
110 dB= 15 mins.
115 dB (maximum iPod output)= 7.5 mins
Ok so from what I understand and I could be completely wrong

, You would have to listen to your iPod at 100% vol. for 7.5 mins to start to do damage.

P.S. I usually only have to listen to the um1's @ 40-50%
(favorite parts of songs sometimes like 75%

)

 

[7even]

Quote:

Originally Posted by trevor1189 Here this is from the Um1 box paperwork that came with my um1's Please feel free to correct me if I am wrong, but from what I understand the iPod can output a total of 115dB (This is very high) OSHA's Chart for Hearing Safety (notice that every 5 dB time is cut in 1/2 this is because dB level is exponential and few a few decibels can mean serious damage) dB maximum exposure time 85 dB= 8 hr. 90 dB= 4 hr. 95 dB= 2 hr. 100 dB= 1 hr. 105 dB= 30 mins. 110 dB= 15 mins. 115 dB (maximum iPod output)= 7.5 mins Ok so from what I understand and I could be completely wrong , You would have to listen to your iPod at 100% vol. for 7.5 mins to start to do damage. P.S. I usually only have to listen to the um1's @ 40-50% (favorite parts of songs sometimes like 75% )

OW who would expose themselves to 115 dB for that long?

 

[jumpinjohn1234]

How I feel, IEM are safer. People mostly turn up their headphones in order to out balst outside noise, which leads to hearing damage. IEMs are safer because when you put them on, they pretty much block external noise. So I listen to my shures at volume lever 4-10 out of 30. Be careful not to accidently plug your headphones on anything set to full volume. Happened to me a couple times.

 

[rem7]

yeah, I'm afraid of IEMs. I don't hear music that loud on my IEMs, but when I use them my ears get tired so quickly. I can listen to music louder and more comfortable when using open cans.