[turnstyle]

A few comments...

1) I can't imagine that wearing IEMs would affect whether your ears pop, or not.

2) Many here have suggested chewing gum or swallowing -- to unpop my ears, I force myself to yawn. It's actually easy to get yourself to yawn. In fact, just thinking about yawning will get some people to yawn. Yawn. (did that get anybody to yawn?)

3) I was recently on a plane, and I had my IEMs plugged into the armrest -- it was at a reasonable volume for the video playing on the back of the seat in front of me -- but when the pilot made an announcement, the volume was then at super-max, and it nearly blew a hole through my head. That sucked, anybody else experience that?

4) Speaking of pressure on a plane, try this: when you're up at cruising altitude, finish a bottle of water, and then (with the bottle empty) screw the cap back on, nice and tight. Leave it alone, and take a look again after you land -- it'll be totally crushed.

 

[Halftrack]

Quote:

Originally Posted by turnstyle /img/forum/go_quote.gif 3) I was recently on a plane, and I had my IEMs plugged into the armrest -- it was at a reasonable volume for the video playing on the back of the seat in front of me -- but when the pilot made an announcement, the volume was then at super-max, and it nearly blew a hole through my head. That sucked, anybody else experience that?

UE includes a volume attenuator with some of their canalphones (definitely with the SF4, don't know about any others), it helps with the pilot-blowing-out-your-ears thing.

 

[Crazy*Carl]

Most jetliners today set the cabin pressure to around 8000ft above sea level. Shortly before or after takeoff, the cabin pressure begins to drop as it makes its way down. If you stuck the IEMs in your ears while the cabins has not yet reached 8000 ft, and the IEMs are relatively air tight, then there can be a difference of pressure between the inside and outside of your IEMs which I guess could lead to some negative effects. Also there is a tube which leads from your middle ear to your upper mouth, and when you "pop" your ears all you are doing is opening this tube and equalizing the pressure. So if your having any issues, I would remove your IEMs, pop your ears, then put them back in. There should be no issue after that.

 

[dwongrade]

u can leave the IEM in....just tell them the device is power off.


Quote:

Originally Posted by scompton /img/forum/go_quote.gif x2. I've been told to take them out but only after the announcement to stop using electronic devices in preparation for landing.

 

[turnstyle]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Halftrack /img/forum/go_quote.gif UE includes a volume attenuator with some of their canalphones (definitely with the SF4, don't know about any others), it helps with the pilot-blowing-out-your-ears thing.

Sure, you can turn the volume down *after* they blast you -- shouldn't the pilot's volume just be roughly the same as whatever else they're playing?

It was so loud, it made me worry for my ears, and for my IEMs.

 

[turnstyle]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crazy*Carl /img/forum/go_quote.gif Most jetliners today set the cabin pressure to around 8000ft above sea level. Shortly before or after takeoff, the cabin pressure begins to drop as it makes its way down. If you stuck the IEMs in your ears while the cabins has not yet reached 8000 ft, and the IEMs are relatively air tight, then there can be a difference of pressure between the inside and outside of your IEMs which I guess could lead to some negative effects. Also there is a tube which leads from your middle ear to your upper mouth, and when you "pop" your ears all you are doing is opening this tube and equalizing the pressure. So if your having any issues, I would remove your IEMs, pop your ears, then put them back in. There should be no issue after that.

That's why I don't think this matters -- I doubt IEMs are sufficiently air-tight to maintain pressure.

And, if they were, I would expect the IEMs to push themselves out (if you put them in on the ground, and wear them up to cruising altitude) -- though, I suppose, they could also pull themselves in if you put them in at cruising altitude, and then keep them in for the descent...

 

[Bilavideo]

You should really have them off during take-off and landing, just in case the plane goes down and you want your last memories to be the adrenalin rush off hurtling to your death rather than the soundtrack to Glee.

 

[swmtnbiker]

I've been flying with IEMs for years. Using foamies I've never, ever had a pressure issue.

 

[Bilavideo]

Good point!

 

[eddiewalker]

When the flight attendants tell you to take your headphones off, I don't think they're worried about your ears. It's a regulation so that you'd be able to hear any announcements during an emergency.

However, there might have been a recent rule change because someone else who flies a lot told me that on a recent United flight they announced that it was OK to keep your 'phones on so long as your DAP is powered off.