[Nick3D]

Well guys,

I'm aware of the pleanty of other threads of the kind but they were either too general or about other situations.

After a hard day at work I blasted the HD580s + cheap thing that doesn't deseve to be called an amp but sorta does the basic function + iPod and family members started bugging me about going deaf.

So I told them to leave me alone and was thinking they don't realize that open-air cans leak like half of the sound or more out...

in any case I got the iPod hooked to my PortaPros and was listeining to some rock track with the iPod maxed out and my dad approached me to tell me he didn't feel like having a deaf son. Alright, this might be getting to me because of the too many exausting hours at work but now I'm thinking about it...

Is it weird that I like to feel the drums from my Matrix Reloaded OST (Fluke - Zion) hit? is it odd that maxed out feels fine, clean sound or is that the scary part? previously my crappy phones'd distort the sound terribly when I'd approach the maximum point so I'd avoid it for quality reasons.

Lastly, I don't listen to loud music non-stop. In a day I blast the music for a usual 15-30 minutes at most, before and after that it is quiet levels that I enjoy about as much really.

I also hope my future Cmoys/Metas/Gilmores and who knows what else I'd be getting would provide the fullness of the sound at the lowest volume possible. I mean while sometimes I max my iPod other times I LOVE having it at min, at the point where it looks like it's completely silet but it is just a single notch up from that, not even updated on the display but the music can be heard.

Ahhh I should go to bed, guys I'd really appriciate some input on that, I don't constantly listen to loud music but perhaps I should stop myself from even the "little sessions", eh? what if my family is right...scary stuff as I can't imagine getting to a point where I can't appriciate music because I had "overappriciated" it previously ... scary stuff...

Nick out.

 

[blessingx]

Quote:

cheap thing that doesn't deseve to be called an amp but sorta does the basic function

WOWThing or RS Volume Booster?

 

[Nick3D]

Quote:

Originally posted by blessingx WOWThing or RS Volume Booster?

grrr ... off topic

but no, since you're asking it's some cheap speaker with unknown origin's headphone out

... hoping I'm not damaging my HD580s with that thing but I only use it once in a great while when I really wanna blast some song and ... you know ... today was one of these days ... ANYHOW that's getting replaced by a META-42 or a Glimore V2 soon, don't worry about it, I'm worried about the likelyhood/possiblity/etc etc of goin' deaf actually

Nick

 

[ls20]

youre gonna go deaf

 

[Duncan]

It depends on the level of volume...

I doubt that PortaPros have the oomph for long-term listening fatuige??

Whichever way, I myself like volume where it can be perceived that the vocalist is singing at a natural 'volume'... They weren't whispering when they stood in front of the mic were they?

If you go louder than that, and its like they're shouting and screaming at you ~ well thats different... but a moderately loud volume suits me fine

 

[Knocturnal]

I know exactly what you mean. You can listen to music for eternity at 85 decibals or lower and have NO hearing damage but if you have it higher than that, you will get hearing damage...and quick. I dont know how much time but if I were you I would try to avoid doing this. I would recommend that you get a high quality amp where you can have full quality sound at relatively low volume levels. I am not sure exactly how loud 85 decibals is but im sure its an adequate volume. Hope this helps

 

[AIM9x]

I wouldn't doubt that the ipod can power the portapros to unsafe levels.

 

[blessingx]

Like a relationship... if you start doubting it's over, it probably is. If you start wondering if your phones are beyond safe level, the odds are extremely likely that they are.

Turn it down and readjust.

 

[MacDEF]

Quote:

Originally posted by Duncan I doubt that PortaPros have the oomph for long-term listening fatuige??

Duncan, you're gonna go deaf! The PortaPros can easily be driven to dangerous levels. The original post in this thread describes the path to permanent hearing damage.

 

[blessingx]

Duncan, where's your avatar? You had the nicest, least sarcastic one here. Bring it back.

 

[Nick3D]

Quote:

Originally posted by MacDEF Duncan, you're gonna go deaf! The PortaPros can easily be driven to dangerous levels. The original post in this thread describes the path to permanent hearing damage.

so I'm doomed, eh?
good to know

Just got done watching Showtime for the first time ... That movie's funny and without an amp the Sennhieser HD580s with the Headphone out on the Audigy 2 Drive at 2/2.1 speaker setting with Dolby Headphone 3 (Theater Mode) sounded amazing and had most depth even if the bass could've been fuller...anyhow, yes the PortaPros can go loud but not insanely loud, else my measure ways are messed up

Scary stuff as I'm only 19 at this time.

Anyone know of a dB meater of some sort that I can test headphone output levels with? I don't think that alone'd change my habits but unamped PortaPros + iPod on max sounds great at this point, even if decently loud...Half-way volume and some of the bass is gone, suppose that's what makes me go up...I want highs but exessive highs/brightness I guess/ annoy me and I suppose I'm bass-head-biased if there's such term...thus my next and possibly last cans will be BeyerDynamic DT770s.

Alright, now time to go to bed all freaked out and stuff...

Nick out.

 

[KJ869]

I would like to repeat 1 advice to determine good listening level.
In the morning when you are fully woken up, but the headphones on and but the volume to level where you feel its normal (ask your familymembers opinion as well if you fear your loosing your hearing), but mark to the volume knob at this point. then take em off from your head for 15 mins and then turn em on so loud as it feels unsafe (again ask your better hearing family members if thye feel its unsafe at lower volume), and but mark to there. You should try to keep on the first mark, getting to the second is warning sing. Why to determine in the morning? Because your ears have rested. When you listen to music your ears adapt to the noise and it wont sound as loud. I hope this advice gives you some help in saving your ears. I have heard hearing implants are crap for music...

 

[acs236]

I would try KJ869's idea or something similar. Some headphones leak so much that people assume that it must be incredibly loud for the person wearing them, but it really is not. I have both the Portas and the 580s, but I'm sorry to say that I don't have any insight on whether ithis is the case these phones. But give someone who isn't used to listening to them a try and ask them to set the volume level which is comfortable to them and give it listen -- then compare how much louder you'd want it, and have them listen to that.

 

[Gojira]

Any phone can. I thought I read something a while back (maybe on headwize?) about a technique for setting volume levels with an SPL meter from Rat Shack. I wish I could remember what it was. Maybe just buying the meter (I've been meaning to do that) and pressing the meter right up against the pads (not sure what you would do with plugs or canalphones) where your ears would be and trying to note (or even mark) a precise SPL for each source paired with each phone you use it with. Then you just pretend that that is your max level. I suspect that, if you go by SPL guidelines for hearing damage, you may find that in a lot of cases the volume is unsatisfyingly low. That's life I guess. You have to enjoy your hearing and your music (like many other things) while you're young.

I have had hearing tests at times in the past to see if I've caused any damage over my many years (over 20 by now) of headphone listening. The tests came back negative, which is why I consider them to be not of much use. Those tests are just not all that sensitive. I think you need to have lost a significant level of hearing for it to show up on those.

I have definitely lost quite a bit of hearing IMO, particularly in my right ear, but mostly in the higher frequencies (which is where it almost always starts). I have never attended one live concert in my entire life, and when I was younger and used to go to clubs sometimes with friends I would always wear those 29 to 31 rated foam earplugs despite ridicule from my friends (and warnings that girls would laugh etc). And yet I've still lost some sensitivity due to my headphone listening.

I have reached the conclusion that vulnerability to hearing damage varies to at least a small degree between people. IMO, everyone's ears are slightly different, and some people can withstand higher SPLs for longer times and some less. I think I am on the less side, unfortunately.

The nice thing about listening to loudspeakers instead of headphones is that the SPL meter technique would seem much easier and more effective. You just take a measurement from where you are listening and mark the volume dial on the amp.

 

[Spyro]

It's funny how your brain works....that a car with a bad muffler or a screaming toddler can literally make you ears hurt but a great piece of music at the same dB is soothing to the ears.