My IEM Manual says: Do Not Use IEM over 1 hour per day. Is this true?
Apr 29, 2007 at 7:33 PM Post #46 of 65
Hm, isnt it true even very short periods of listening to sounds at >85 dB are damaging? When at a regular pop concert (which is, I believe, at around 100 dB) if Im not wearing protection my ears start ringing after as little as 5-10 minutes.

Oh and something else: I read somewhere that prolonged exposure (for a very looong time) to a certain frequency can cause you to no longer hear that particular frequency, even if the sound had a very low volume. Is there anyone who can confirm this?
 
Apr 29, 2007 at 7:38 PM Post #47 of 65
Quote:

Originally Posted by edstrelow /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Koss tried an interesting approach to the noise dose problem. Sound level monitors on the earcups.

ESP6.jpg


The Red LED's flash when sound level gets up to about 95 dB, so you can check the levels before you put the phones on your ears.

The photo shows my refurbished set.

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=236902

These are still pretty nice phones, if you can get them running.


Hey! pretty cool. I'd never seen those before. Isn't 95 dB. a bit too loud though? -an absolute max. I guess, the ear bleed light.
 
Apr 30, 2007 at 1:45 AM Post #48 of 65
Quote:

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

Oh and something else: I read somewhere that prolonged exposure (for a very looong time) to a certain frequency can cause you to no longer hear that particular frequency, even if the sound had a very low volume. Is there anyone who can confirm this?


This is true...
you hear via some small hairs is in your ears, specifik hair for specifik frequens and if the hairs break you get what is called a dip, but it is not going to happen by low volumes AFAIK
 
Apr 30, 2007 at 4:01 AM Post #49 of 65
I just recently got my first IEM, the ER-6. I listen at, what I believe to be, relatively low volumes comparable to my headphone listening (SPL meter tested ~ 75 db plus or minus 5). What bothers my ears, and what I worry about more than the sound levels, is the change in pressure when inserting and removing them. I try to be careful, slowly inserting or removing with a twisting motion, but changes in pressure in my ears tend to cause me a bit of fatigue. I have always believed that I may be more susceptible to this than most, but if it is pressure they are talking about in that warning, I would believe it.

If it is my volumes that are out of whack, please let me know. I am currently using the ER-6 (not the ER-6i) straight out of my G4 photo at 1/8 to 1/4 volume.
 
Apr 30, 2007 at 4:57 PM Post #50 of 65
Quote:

Originally Posted by scompton /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Do you know of an accurate way to test sound levels for IEMs.



No.

But..if you search, there's some great older threads on how to get measurements from regular headphones. Once you know the safe level on your regular cans...then just guesstimate to approximately the same noise level with your IEM's. If ever in doubt as you compare, opt for the lower volume setting as your target. This is the approach I used with my UE5c's.
 
Dec 14, 2007 at 6:32 PM Post #51 of 65
Quote:

Originally Posted by Culverin /img/forum/go_quote.gif
hmmm, i listen to my headphones about 9 hours a day.
the volume isn't loud.

at work, i use a pair of sony nx-1s (think ex-51)
and everywhere else it's my um2s


hello pal,
I would like to know something about custom tips on wetone um2: I 've received them few days ago, and I'm wondering if the sound could (if posible!) increase more in sound quality!
 
Dec 14, 2007 at 6:58 PM Post #52 of 65
Quote:

Originally Posted by Claus-DK /img/forum/go_quote.gif
My hearing is acutally becoming somewhat better, I really can not explain this but my listening is done at lower and lower volumes...


I don't know if my hearing has gotten better, but since using IEM's and generally better quality listening equipment, I don't need to listen at high volumes anymore, and like you, I find myself listening to music lower and lower volumes with IEM's. Partially due to good isolation, I can still hear all the ear candy at non-hearing damaging levels.

Sometimes at work, I'll just leave the IEM's in w/o music playing to block out all the chatter. Silence is golden and space is the place, man. Groovy!

np: cover of SF Sorry (originally by Pretty Things) done by SF Seals (Barbara Manning)
 
Dec 14, 2007 at 10:12 PM Post #55 of 65
It doesn`t matter that you listen at low levels, it still does damage to your ears, especially if you listen at night. Your ears are supposed to get a chance to rest and recuperate at night. As far as I can remember, this does as much damage as listening at high volumes for shorter time periods. I`ll try and find the information and post it.
 
Dec 14, 2007 at 11:36 PM Post #57 of 65
Quote:

Originally Posted by kuzzz /img/forum/go_quote.gif
how about pressure?? cince im using the bi-flange(witch build up a lot of pressure in my ears) my ears have become a bit tinnitussy


I've experienced that too. By comparing the "perception" of loudness between IEMs and full size (the reference was HD 650 at average of 78 dB), I think I have to listen to IEMs at much lower volumes, of around 72 dB.
 
Dec 15, 2007 at 7:06 AM Post #60 of 65
I own some Creative IEM's and being my first IEM, really loved the isolation and had them on all the time when I first got 'em. After about 2 weeks I had an ear infection, from time to time I would hear frequent and painful buzzing sounds in my ear which lasted about 5-10 seconds.

Doctor's orders to ditch them for a while let my ears heal. I now only use them about once a week and have not had a problem since.

So yeah I can see why they give these disclaimers.
 
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