Genres and their corresponding volumes

[mspangl2]

[size=10pt]Hey guys,[/size]
 
[size=10pt]As you can see, I'm new here and rarely make posts. However, I would like to ask a question that I can hopefully communicate with you all [/size][size=10pt]clearly.[/size]
 
[size=10pt]If I'm posting this in the wrong forum, let me know and I'll try to get it moved. I've seen threads posted on this forum that are similar to the question that I am about to ask.[/size]
 
[size=10pt]I've found myself in a situation where I am required to use headphones for my main music listening, and have decided that the Sennheiser HD-558s were the headphones for me, as they fit my budget and generally described what I wanted in a set of headphones. I'm considering upgrading to the HD-650s a few years from now, but these will do! I really enjoy the sound of these headphones.[/size]

 
[size=10pt]Like I said, I've seen threads on this forum that were asking "How loud is too loud?" That is sort of my question, but with a different focus.[/size]
 
[size=10pt]I feel that I have a hold on what is too loud for me. I get to that stage where I feel is comfortable and then turn it down a bit in order to ensure that I am in the safe range. I only listen to music in my otherwise silent room, at night, for about an hour and a half. I can hear my finger tapping on a desk and I can hear my fingers snapping, which are two common tests that I've read posted here. [/size]I do not have something that can measure SPL, however. I'm roughly playing it by ear. When I had an iPod, the highest I would go would be about a quarter of max volume.
 
[size=10pt]When speakers used to be my main way of listening to music, I'd listen to a lot of drone metal and noisier rock music, such as Sunn O))), Boris, Earth, Melvins, and Swans. [/size]That's not all I listen to, but I've found myself listening to these types of artists more lately.
 
So, I guess my question is, is hearing loss affected by what type of music I listen to? Say if I was to play a song by The Beatles and then I was to play a song by Sunn O))), with the same volume, source, headphones, etc. (let's assume that the recordings are at equal volume level), would it have the same result with regards to hearing loss? This might be hard to answer, but I'm just not sure. I know that there are so many factors involved in this, but let's just assume this is so. Should different genres have different limits on how loud we should listen to them?
 
I just want to safely listen to my "dronier" / noisier music without having to worry that I'm endangering my hearing, because I really enjoy these headphones.

 
Please let me know if the question is unclear.
Thanks in advance!
-Mark

 

[thelostMIDrange]

I follow what you're concerned about. While I can't say for certain whether Sunn will give you tinnitus or hearing loss quicker than the beatles at comparable volumes, I can relay a bit of advice from a professional audiologist whom I consulted when I investigated my tinnitus after decades of headphone/stereo/live music playing/listening....and that is Duration. He recommended that 10-15 minutes of high exposure listening and then give it a rest is the key to keeping safe. Other than this is the obvious advice of limiting the overall decibel level. I wouldn't let the whole concern ruin your listening pleasure though, but i'd encourage using your own common sense and you will likely find the balance of what is safe and what is not. Good luck and happy listening.....

 

[KamijoIsMyHero]

Quote:

[size=10pt]Hey guys,[/size]
 
[size=10pt]As you can see, I'm new here and rarely make posts. However, I would like to ask a question that I can hopefully communicate with you all [/size][size=10pt]clearly.[/size]
 
[size=10pt]If I'm posting this in the wrong forum, let me know and I'll try to get it moved. I've seen threads posted on this forum that are similar to the question that I am about to ask.[/size]
 
[size=10pt]I've found myself in a situation where I am required to use headphones for my main music listening, and have decided that the Sennheiser HD-558s were the headphones for me, as they fit my budget and generally described what I wanted in a set of headphones. I'm considering upgrading to the HD-650s a few years from now, but these will do! I really enjoy the sound of these headphones.[/size]

 
[size=10pt]Like I said, I've seen threads on this forum that were asking "How loud is too loud?" That is sort of my question, but with a different focus.[/size]
 
[size=10pt]I feel that I have a hold on what is too loud for me. I get to that stage where I feel is comfortable and then turn it down a bit in order to ensure that I am in the safe range. I only listen to music in my otherwise silent room, at night, for about an hour and a half. I can hear my finger tapping on a desk and I can hear my fingers snapping, which are two common tests that I've read posted here. [/size]I do not have something that can measure SPL, however. I'm roughly playing it by ear. When I had an iPod, the highest I would go would be about a quarter of max volume.
 
[size=10pt]When speakers used to be my main way of listening to music, I'd listen to a lot of drone metal and noisier rock music, such as Sunn O))), Boris, Earth, Melvins, and Swans. [/size]That's not all I listen to, but I've found myself listening to these types of artists more lately.
 
So, I guess my question is, is hearing loss affected by what type of music I listen to? Say if I was to play a song by The Beatles and then I was to play a song by Sunn O))), with the same volume, source, headphones, etc. (let's assume that the recordings are at equal volume level), would it have the same result with regards to hearing loss? This might be hard to answer, but I'm just not sure. I know that there are so many factors involved in this, but let's just assume this is so. Should different genres have different limits on how loud we should listen to them?
 
I just want to safely listen to my "dronier" / noisier music without having to worry that I'm endangering my hearing, because I really enjoy these headphones.

 
Please let me know if the question is unclear.
Thanks in advance!
-Mark

no, no and no
 
if your ears hurt at a certain volume level after just 30 min of play, then its probably too loud

 

[jupitreas]

Hi, hearing loss is not genre dependent, it is caused by excessive loudness. Listening to noise and drone records certainly won't cause any more hearing damage than any other genre.

With this said, as someone who also occasionally enjoys listening to noise music - noise often has an extremely huge dynamic range so you should watch out as a track might suddenly get louder than expected. It is best to use ReplayGain on all your music to make sure that it is all adjusted to more or less the same loudness level.

 

[mspangl2]

Quote:

I follow what you're concerned about. While I can't say for certain whether Sunn will give you tinnitus or hearing loss quicker than the beatles at comparable volumes, I can relay a bit of advice from a professional audiologist whom I consulted when I investigated my tinnitus after decades of headphone/stereo/live music playing/listening....and that is Duration. He recommended that 10-15 minutes of high exposure listening and then give it a rest is the key to keeping safe. Other than this is the obvious advice of limiting the overall decibel level. I wouldn't let the whole concern ruin your listening pleasure though, but i'd encourage using your own common sense and you will likely find the balance of what is safe and what is not. Good luck and happy listening.....

Alright, glad it made sense! When I listen to music, I usually listen to the first half / side of the album and then take about a 15 minute break. That's pretty much how I've always done it. Good to hear, though! I don't want this to be another thing that I have to be OCD about... heheh...
 
Cheers
-Mark

 

[thelostMIDrange]

I'm not sure it's entirely not a factor? I mean have you ever listened to Sunn? It's quite the sonic assult. When compared to the beatles, there is much less of a break on the senses. I would guess it doesn't matter a whole lot, but to say all genres are the same doesn't seem correct. Opera, for example may have much more 'downtime' in terms of quiet passages etc comapred to the Drone metal genre. My bigger concern for the OP, is what is attracting him/her to such a megadepressing sound, but that is another topic.

 

[thelostMIDrange]

 
btw, to surmise why that band came up with their name....I've stood in front of a Sunn full stack with 8 12" speakers, like pete Townshend (who also has tinnitus) and let me tell you it's a sonic assult that almost makes a person physically sick. It's awesome.

 

[mspangl2]

Quote:

I'm not sure it's entirely not a factor? I mean have you ever listened to Sunn? It's quite the sonic assult. When compared to the beatles, there is much less of a break on the senses. I would guess it doesn't matter a whole lot, but to say all genres are the same doesn't seem correct. Opera, for example may have much more 'downtime' in terms of quiet passages etc comapred to the Drone metal genre. My bigger concern for the OP, is what is attracting him/her to such a megadepressing sound, but that is another topic.

 
LOL! I listen to 'happy' music too, I swear! Happy guy in his early twenties with a girlfriend of four years, a reasonable amount of money, and an ever growing interest in music... No worries here.

 

[thelostMIDrange]

good, just checkin!