[billybob_jcv]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dan1son /img/forum/go_quote.gif Dr. dan1son* concludes listening to more efficient speakers at the same volume setting increases hearing loss. Dr. dan1son* also concludes sitting closer to speakers at the same volume setting increases hearing loss. These articles sound like the same old "blame anybody but yourself" stuff. If the maximum volume setting on a PMP can cause hearing loss... is that the PMP manufacturers problem? I think not. Do we blame car manufacturers for people driving too fast? [size=xx-small]* dan1son is not a real doctor.[/size]

Why bother? The automakers are broke, no payoff there. I was going to suggest blaming the State for making the roads too smooth, but my state is broke too. I'll have to think about it and get back to you - there's gotta be someone I can sue.

 

[Get_Zwole]

If at your listening position on your home stereo is at 85db's of course its going to be louder if you sit closer that is just common sense it has to be louder at the speaker to make it 85 at your position. So its the same exact scenario, ad700's will have to play just a tad bit louder then 85db's to make them 85 at your ear drum, iems are closer and so on, the difference is minute but 85 db's at the eardrum is still 85 db's no matter where its coming from. Subway, bus, racetrack, or 100thousand dollar speakers in a house.

 

[oqvist]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dan1son /img/forum/go_quote.gif Maybe it's just me, but I totally disagree. I don't find myself cranking the volume... in fact I usually turn it down after a few minutes. I never go anywhere near max volume on any device or amp. Even at my more involved listening levels I can still hear the phone ring, wife yell to me from downstairs, doorbell, etc. If it's ever louder than that, it's for a song or 2 max (which does happen... but not even once a week). I don't have any tinnitus, and at 28 I can still hear CRT tvs/monitors that are on from across the building. I treasure my hearing and take precausions to keep it. I carry ER-20 earplugs in bags and my car in case I go to a loud bar/club or concert. I buy better headphones and speakers because they sound great at any volume. Even my "crappy" headphones are WAY too loud far before they start to distort.

Strange you say you disagree since you seem to agree fully??
You agree that crappy headphones tend to distort more then hifi headphones. And they thus hurt your ears more at the same volume? High or low

 

[dan1son]

Quote:

Originally Posted by oqvist /img/forum/go_quote.gif Strange you say you disagree since you seem to agree fully?? You agree that crappy headphones tend to distort more then hifi headphones. And they thus hurt your ears more at the same volume? High or low

I'm saying they hurt your ears the same at the same volume (not volume setting on the device, but actual SPL) whether they distort or not).

I've never really attempted to test whether 'crappy' phones distort sooner than higher quality ones... it's too loud to test, I don't want to damage my hearing. 'crappy' phones get way too freaking loud before they distort (assuming the amp/device can power them).

Distortion at the same SPL as non distortion will damage your hearing just the same, is what I'm saying

. Now... distortion sounds worse to me, so it mentally hurts more

 

[oqvist]

hehe... Well I read that as you have never owned crappy crappy headphones then

. I have had my share of 20$ headphones when headphones was to be the cheap complement to speakers and I bought them on the low to high frequencey graphs pretty much

I was not born rich or audiophile. Those jbl speakers I got was just horrible even by my lower standards back then. We do agree it´s spl that matters. I mentioned the distortion thing just because it tend to make people find the volume control and turn the spl down.

But I have found the higher fidelity gear you have the smoother it plays with less distortion and the perceived volume is often less. I wonder how many low level listeners here would find that if they got a spl metre they where actually above 75 db for example.

 

[Abu Som3a]

Quote:

Originally Posted by hur1214 /img/forum/go_quote.gif

This is merely a diagram. In reality, the ear canal is longer and narrower than shown in this figure, and it curves at some point. When you put your finger in your ear, you aren't touching the eardrum, but the part where the canal curves. Also the inner parts of the ear are much much much smaller than the pinna.
The Malleus and Incus bones also help protect the ear against high volume by making the ear drum less tense, reducing the intensity of the sound transmitted to the inner ear.
Noise-induced hearing loss technically does not happen in the ear drum nor in the middle ear, but in the cells responsible for converting the sound waves to signals sent to the brain (the hair cells). When exposed to high intensity sounds for long periods, these cells become overloaded, fatigued, and eventually burn out and die. The problem is they can't be regenerated, so the damage is permanent.
The same happens with alcoholics and results in liver cirrhosis. The liver cells (responsible for converting the toxins into harmless substances) become overloaded with alchohol, die, and are replaced with a fibrous tissue.
That's why the only things that matter are the sound intensity and listening period. It doesn't matter if you are using IEMs or Over-the-ear, or if they are distorting or not. Just don't exceed a certain listening period and sound intensity.
IEMs are more efficient than Over-the-ear headphones, so you have to reduce your player's volume or you will be exposed to higher sound intensity than when using the Over-the-ear phones. But otherwise they are the same.

I also remember a nose-ear-throat professor telling me to avoid headphones as a whole and use speakers instead because I'm less liable to increase the volume over the acceptable levels in the speakers without noticing it.

I'm writing this on top of my head, and I'm still a second year student, so I may be wrong.

 

[jonhapimp]

i have a small question, since alot of iems cancel out noise say about 20-30 dbs, would that equate to it damaging your ears as if you were listening to an "open" iem/earphones at the same volume?
if you don't understand what i'm saying no problem cause i forgot too, it sounded good earlier today and now i'm drawing a blank

 

[Abu Som3a]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jonhapimp /img/forum/go_quote.gif i have a small question, since alot of iems cancel out noise say about 20-30 dbs, would that equate to it damaging your ears as if you were listening to an "open" iem/earphones at the same volume? if you don't understand what i'm saying no problem cause i forgot too, it sounded good earlier today and now i'm drawing a blank

No. Cancelling noise means that the sound intensity reaching your ear from the enviornment surrounding you is reduced by 20-30dB. This is not relevant to the sound intensity the IEM itself produces.

 

[jonhapimp]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Abu Som3a /img/forum/go_quote.gif No. Cancelling noise means that the sound intensity reaching your ear from the enviornment surrounding you is reduced by 20-30dB. This is not relevant to the sound intensity the IEM itself produces.

cool thanks

 

[nylan8301]

I think we can all agree on one thing...

...Miley Cyrus must be stopped...

Nylan

 

[Billyk]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nylan8301 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I think we can all agree on one thing... ...Miley Cyrus must be stopped... Nylan

This thread is about hearing damage from the music being to loud, not brain damage from the music being to lousy... You must have been confused for a moment.