[nsjong]

That interview he did... why would you believe him? I think there are users here that have been listening to hi-fi cans for years as long as that guy... and I doubt they had problems like him.

Did he even say how loud he had his headphones on? Maybe we'd like to listen to how loud he had it on.

Rock concerts = LOUDER than possibly most volumes of whatever he thinks (studio?). This interview is more on the dumb side.

 

[muckluck]

You ever hear how loud people listen to thier iBuds? Full volume, you can hear the drivers rattling few feet away from them. People swear by $3 Coby or cheap sony cans because they are loud.

 

[nspindel]

I fully believe that there is a huge difference between listening to music loudly through headphones versus being at a concert. Let me tell you a bit about my wife.

For years, I've been listening to her complain that I must be going deaf. Every time we're watching tv, listening to music, etc., she's always telling me to turn it down, it's hurting her ears.

Coincidentally, she happened to have an appointment with an ear doctor and had her hearing checked. Turns out.... she's some kind of bionic woman. Her hearing is registering approximately TEN TIMES what a normal person's hearing should be.

Getting to the point:

You can see my kit in my sig - I've got a Micro Amp and Senn 650's. I've had her listen to the cans when the Micro Amp is at a volume setting that I consider way too low for any kind of enjoyable listening - zero volume is about 6:30-7:00 on the Micro Amp's volume knob. I've had her listen at about 8:00. She couldn't even put the phones on her head - she had to pull the cans an inch or so away from her ears in order for it to not physically hurt her. This is at volumes that were really, really low by my standards.

However... She loves rock concerts. We've been to so many of them. Cranking loud. We saw Roger Waters in the front row. We've seen The Who from about 20 rows back. And many other shows. She didn't complain at all.

I don't think it's just about the volume. I'm no ENT, but it's got to have something to do with how close the source of the volume is to your ears. Don't discount Pete Townsend's comments here - he's been under serious care from ear specialists for decades now....

 

[maarek99]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nspindel Coincidentally, she happened to have an appointment with an ear doctor and had her hearing checked. Turns out.... she's some kind of bionic woman. Her hearing is registering approximately TEN TIMES what a normal person's hearing should be.

Does she have any other hypersensitivity to sounds?

http://www.hyperacusis.org/

 

[nspindel]

Well, I can think of a few sounds I make that she's pretty hyper-sensitive about

Nah, I don't think so, it's just loudness when she's in close proximity to the source, the closer she gets, the worse. Headphones are the worst, in a car second worst, in a room third....

 

[jimmyjames8]

"WHAT?" ---Lemmy Kilmister from Motorhead, who turned 60 last year. Really it's a miracle that he is alive or can hear anything at all.

 

[Blitzula]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nspindel .I don't think it's just about the volume. I'm no ENT, but it's got to have something to do with how close the source of the volume is to your ears.

I wonder about that too. I know that the ringing in my right ear started after a day of use of an IEM, which is why I wonder if they're so good for preserving hearing (although I can see that arguement for outside use to supress other sounds).

Quote:

Originally Posted by maarek99 Does she have any other hypersensitivity to sounds? http://www.hyperacusis.org/

I was having symptoms like those when I was using headphones and after, I happened upon that very link when I was trying to figure out what was wrong during my headphone use.

 

[Aman]

Quote:

I wonder about that too. I know that the ringing in my right ear started after a day of use of an IEM, which is why I wonder if they're so good for preserving hearing (although I can see that arguement for outside use to supress other sounds).

Think about how close these sounds are to the ear drum! The closer they are to the ear drum, the more directly angled these sound waves are to whatever target they are hitting. Even if the sound may be as loud as normal headphones, or even the concert you are seeing, the sound isn't nearly as 'direct' to your ears. The result is that while you may get temporary hearing damage or ringing in your ears from any event, your risk is much higher when the sound is coming closer to you.

What I'm getting at is that to prevent hearing loss with IEMs, you may actually have to turn them down lower than they would be 'acceptable' for you, because the ear can get used to a lower volume, and since they are in-ear, there's not nearly as much outside noise fighting against them.

I hope that makes sense. This is what I discovered by using them in my band.

 

[Blitzula]

That does make sense, and it's what I was thinking myself. I personally did have the IEMs lower than my normal volume, which was already pretty low.

 

[Jam_Master_J]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dux I've been listening to a pair of Shure E4's since mid-December and have found that the E4 is great at low volumes. On my Powerbook, I usually listen at between 1 and 4 bars (out of 16). My iPod first-gen is usually set at a 1/4 of volume or below. And the E4 satisfies! It has such a clean and balanced sound that is plenty dynamic. And the isolation provides a significantly lower sound threshold. I can pick out sounds I never heard before in my music... (we need an E4 smilie...) I've actually been progressively listening to my music at lower volumes since I started with the E4's... which is a healthy trend methinks. Its clarity does not necessitate the volumes el-cheapo headphones require in order to present the music enjoyably. My old headphones (Sony MDR-Q33's) sound so "muddy" in comparison to the E4, and their open design invites either monasticism or unsafe volume levels. So I think good headphones (and good IEM's in particular) can be key to hearing conservation amongst us avid listeners.

This is my thinking as well. I find with my current EX71s they are not clear enough to be satisfying at low volumes. I'm hoping with the E4s(just ordered) I can reduce my average listening level in noisy environments.

 

[technobarbie]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Turnaround The article calls hearing damage rock's dirty little secret and names/quotes/discusses rock musicians who have suffered hearing damage, including Mick Fleetwood, three of the guys in Pearl Jam and Phil Colins (whose hearing loss the article says was due to a viral infection).

Interesting!

I developed seasonal allergies and thought I was developing hearing lost. I constantly have a soft buzzing sound in my ears. Even after being treated with various antibiotics the buzzing – along with my swollen lump node - won’t go away. My doctor says I have a chronic infection, even though my ears don’t feel clogged. The only time it goes away is the summer months or when I quit smoking.

 

[gurp13]

... please allow me to add mine.

I've had an iPod for about a year and half. I've been to probably well over a hundred concerts in my life. I've worn ear protection at some and not at others. I've listened to headphones for several years.

Every night since I got my iPod I go to sleep listening to it. I started with Sony EX-71's but got Shure E2c's after my wife complained about being able to hear my music. I just got some Grado SR-80's for Christmas and have put about 30 hours of listening on them. I listen to Sony MDR-E828's when I ride my bike. So, I do a lot of listening to headphones.

I have had ringing in my ears. I have gotten especially after concerts without ear protection. When I was in my teens I got in when listening to my Walkman. Now, in my 30's, I try to be more careful. There's no doubt I have some hearing damage. I know what it's like to not be able to hear the TV well or hear what someone's saying at a crowded event. Background noise really messes with my ability to hear people talking.

That being said, I almost never have ringing in my ears after listening to music in headphones at reasonable levels. If it hurts, I turn it down. I think, but I could be wrong, I suppose, that it comes down to common sense. I have a hard time believing that quiet, or low, noise at close proximity is as damaging or more damaging than loud sounds further away. It just doesn't make sense to me.