[haloxt]

Quote:

 
And coffee too.  Most coffee is grown at high altitudes and catches more cosmic rays than something at sea level.
 
That reminds me, DON"T GO TO RMAF!  Not just high altitude, not just headphones, but LOUDSPEAKERS!  Think of all the 'radiation' you'll be exposed to!

Speakers are actually preferable to any headphone, even Ultrasones, in terms of low emf.

 

[matthewh133]

Is it glowing green? If not you're golden!

 

[Amarphael]

Quote:

my meter couldn't pick up any difference between ultrasone and any other dynamic / ortho headphone. stax on the other hand

What are your readings then?
 

 

[gsilver]

If you want to really feel a magnetic field, try sticking your head really close to an old CRT monitor while it's degaussing, especially larger ones (for both the curious and skeptical crowds).

 

[haloxt]

Imo you should be testing long duration emf. My suggestion would be to get as many cellphones as you can, sit in a car, and use half the cellphones to call the other half. Leave on and sit in the car for 15-60 minutes. If you think you feel no ill effects, no headphones will.

 

[maverickronin]

Quote:

Speakers are actually preferable to any headphone, even Ultrasones, in terms of low emf.

I do know that.  The kind of people who will be scared by the scare-mongering I'm imitating don't.

 

[grokit]

 
Quote:

Imo you should be testing long duration emf. My suggestion would be to get as many cellphones as you can, sit in a car, and use half the cellphones to call the other half. Leave on and sit in the car for 15-60 minutes. If you think you feel no ill effects, no headphones will.

Even better than a car, try it in a tanning bed for full effect.

 

[Epoch]

New modification trend of lead lining headphones to dampen EMF?
 
Now if there was any sort of study that looked at health effects instead of pure measurement of field strength that would be much more useful.  The other thing lacking in that link is measurements of Ultrasone headphones, both with and without their added shielding.

 

[haloxt]

They don't provide a lot of information on emission of their own headphones, that's correct.  When they say the mu-metal shielding reduces "up to 98%" emf compared to other headphones, it is easy to misconstrue it as meaning 98% reduction in the same headphone, using a mu-metal instead of, say, a plastic bufferboard. For all we know, it could be comparing Ultrasone's least emf emitting headphone with the world's most emf emitting headphone, and maybe testing at a spl most favorable to the mu metal bufferboard, or unfavorable to the worst emf emitting headphone. Unless more of these things are specified, "up to 98%" is open to a lot of interpretation.
 
Emf likes to travel the path of least resistance, and there are holes directly over the driver and pointed at the head on Ultrasone headphones. The mu-metal board will attract some emf, especially peripheral, but I speculate there might be less than 80% reduction in emf on average. The ican or zino should have less emf reduction from bufferboard due to the smaller size of the board. Due to the holes directly over the drivers, I wouldn't be surprised if you saw 150nT+ at higher spl.
 
It's also possible to apply material like mu-metal to most headphones if you're paranoid about it. I would suggest you get a trimeter first and see how saturated your environment already is with emf though before you try to save your health with reduced emf headphones hehe.

 

[Epoch]

Oh, I have zero concerns about the EMF at this point, my only concern is that there is a total lack of data on their own products to back up their claim of a reduction.  To top it off there is no research presented about health effects of that level of exposure being attached to your head for an extended period of time.
 
Really, its just shoddy work with no real substance.  Its almost pure marketing fluff at this point.

 

[leeperry]

We already had a long topic about this: http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/473894/health-issues-associated-with-prolonged-headphones-use-due-to-emf-pollution
 
I've posted a pic of the T50RP driver in the last post, it looks as mu-shield™'ed as can be.

 

[haloxt]

 
Quote:

Oh, I have zero concerns about the EMF at this point, my only concern is that there is a total lack of data on their own products to back up their claim of a reduction.

 
There's been decades of research into emf safety and no resolution to the controversy, little consensus between the two sides. In my opinion, Ultrasone is right not to provide measurements, as it would suggest that it was important enough to, and that can be considered borderline illegal. I think they should simply state there is a mu-metal bufferboard that reduces emf radiation, with no numbers whatsoever. If people want numbers they should be measuring it themselves and finding out what those numbers mean, it hardly behooves one to trust money-making companies with something as important as your health.
 
 
Quote:

To top it off there is no research presented about health effects of that level of exposure being attached to your head for an extended period of time.

 
Some people believe in the precautionary principle.
 
 
Quote:

Really, its just shoddy work with no real substance.  Its almost pure marketing fluff at this point.

 
I respect Herr Koenig, the head engineer at Ultrasone and guy responsible for the mu-metal, because from what I read he appears well-informed on the topic and sincerely cares about reducing emf and not frightening people. Believe you me, if he wanted to frighten people he could post all sorts of studies suggesting the horrible dangers of emf.

 

[maverickronin]

double post

 

[maverickronin]

Quote:

 
 
There's been decades of research into emf safety and no resolution to the controversy, little consensus between the two sides.
 
snip...
 
Some people believe in the precautionary principle.

 
Its about as resolved as its ever going to get because its impossible to prove a negative.
 
Also those people who believe in the precautionary principle should shield all the power conduits in their house, relocate their bedroom to the largest room in it, place their bed in the middle of the room, and put a Faraday cage over it. Either that or move to a cave in the middle of nowhere.

 

[carledwards]

Pure advertising hyperbole, IMO.