[BluesDaddy]

I really do try not to listen too loudly. First of all, even with the HD-25s, if I turn it up too loud, my family can hear and they complain. With the Ety's, well, I don't want to damage my ears. And the Grados are going to be my "work" phones, where I need to be able to hear external sounds to some extent, so I don't want to play too louldy there as well.

Being almost 50 and having stuck in my head in way too many PA stacks in my mispent youth and apparently come away unscathed, I have no desire to damage now what I consider my most precious physical sense (well, okay, *almost* most precious).

 

[Canon]

I would classify my listening as low volume for the most part. Occassionally (a few times a week) i'll turn the volume up for a song or something but I don't normally listen at high volumes for extented periods of times.

As for turning up your music for loud environments... I used to do this before I had IEMs and I hated to do it but if I didn't I couldn't hear the music (lyrics especially). I got my Shure E2Cs and now I can listen at a normal level once again. I don't think I'd want to use anything except IEMs when mobile anymore. They are compact and the isolation is extremely nice.

 

[Jigglybootch]

I try to listen at as low a volume as possible. I usually turn the volume up just enough to overcome any channel imbalance that migth be present at low volumes. All-in-all, I'd say I rarely go past 9 o'clock, but on occasion, I like to rock out a bit (though not often).

 

[Shoewreck]

I just keep the volume comfortable enough to listen to. Kinda compromise between background noises, environmental awareness, distortions, ear aches and fun.

Surprisingly many people ask me "why is it so quiet?". Of course, mummy always tell me that I'm gonna become deaf of continuous loud listening in headphones. Some closed cans might solve the problem.

 

[Jam_Master_J]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jonnywolfet with e4c's i rarely listen above normal conversational levels, when i take one ear out to commuicate, the outside world seems really damn loud.

I notice this too. The outside world is definetely louder than my e4 listening volume.

 

[iancraig10]

I became neurotic about high volume because of a loud bout with some Grados which left me with tinnitus for 9 months. At least that was when I noticed it. Currently, the tinnitus comes and goes with my levels of tiredness/stress but it has amazed me to read that some people admit that they need to have their music loud because their headphones don't sound good at low volumes. (I would recommend changing the headphones)

If you suffered the ear noises as I did, this amount of bravado doesn't impress.

My noises are starting to go but there is nothing worse if you enjoy music so I adjust just enough for a little bit of presence and that's it.

Ian