Safe listening levels

[BubbaJay]

Now that I'm getting older I'm trying to be more conscious of my volume level while listening to my headphones. I used to listen to a loud volume and now I have slight tinnitus in my left ear. I don't notice it unless it's silent so it's not too bad but I don't want it to get worse so I'm trying to listen at lower volumes now. I don't know for sure what dB my headphone is at but I'm guessing from all the charts and things I've looked at that it's around the mid 80's at most. Now some charts say like 4 hours at that level and others are less. I'm wondering if 4 hours is too much because I do listen that long and even a bit longer from time to time. Even if I do listen that long it's not straight, I do take them off for 5 or 10 minutes a couple of times as well as pause the music from time to time as well.

 

[oqvist]

Do you have a spl metre? It´s a bit individual so but if the average sp is 80 db I do recon for the average joe it would take more then 4h for it to do any real damage. But it all depends on what statistics you trust. 75 db is by all sources I found considered safe for marathon listening.

 

[BubbaJay]

By spl meter do you mean like the apps you can get on your phone because I never thought those to be very reliable? I know I'm not in the 90dB range or anything so I'm guessing I'll be fine, but I bet I used to listen in the 90dB range a few years ago.

 

[BubbaJay]

I downloaded a couple of different spl meters to try and they all read between 65dB and 73dB (I was listening to some tech house). I went up to 80dB on the meter and that was extremely loud to me, there's no way I could listen to music that loud. I still think they might be off by 5dB to 10dB but even so I'd still be in the low 80's which is fine.

 

[oqvist]

No there is dedicated SPL metres you can buy

 

[Fox2twenty]

No there is dedicated SPL metres you can buy

Dedicated works better

 

[BubbaJay]

There are some ranging in price from around $30 to $400 and I'm not spending $400 on a meter. I think I'm fine with my levels because I never get fatigued and my Elear is never sibilant. Most of my ear damage I feel like came from my club and festival days.

 

[oqvist]

Sibilance dont matter. I can comfortable listen at 100 db don't mean it's safe. Buy a cheap one they may be of a db or two but you know the ballpark if you are serious about your hearing.

 

[Trihexagonal]

Now that I'm getting older I'm trying to be more conscious of my volume level while listening to my headphones. I used to listen to a loud volume and now I have slight tinnitus in my left ear. I don't notice it unless it's silent so it's not too bad but I don't want it to get worse so I'm trying to listen at lower volumes now.

I've had tinnitus half my life. It's least noticeable when I wake up but gets louder the more tired I become. After living with it so long there are times I don't really notice it, but it's always with me from the time I wake up til I go to sleep. There are times when it's been bothersome enough that I actually go to bed to get some relief, and times when it was bothersome enough it kept me from going to sleep.

I used to limit the time I spent listening to music through headphones, and when I did was sure to keep it at a low level. However, for the last 10 years I've lived in an apartment complex where listening to the stereo through anything but headphones would end my tenancy posthaste, and I love to listen to music when I use the computer, so I use my headphones a lot. I also had jobs where I used them all day, for 10-12 hrs a day.

It usually doesn't make it any worse, if so only for a short period, and if my ears start to hurt I know I've go t it too loud and will turn it down and/or take a break. But I'm at the point in life where I'd rather listen to music than worry about my hearing to an excess, and have more pressing matters than that to concern me so I enjoy myself to the fullest.

Not that I recommend you not take steps to preserve your hearing.

 

[Fox2twenty]

I've had tinnitus half my life. It's least noticeable when I wake up but gets louder the more tired I become. After living with it so long there are times I don't really notice it, but it's always with me from the time I wake up til I go to sleep. There are times when it's been bothersome enough that I actually go to bed to get some relief, and times when it was bothersome enough it kept me from going to sleep.

I used to limit the time I spent listening to music through headphones, and when I did was sure to keep it at a low level. However, for the last 10 years I've lived in an apartment complex where listening to the stereo through anything but headphones would end my tenancy posthaste, and I love to listen to music when I use the computer, so I use my headphones a lot. I also had jobs where I used them all day, for 10-12 hrs a day.

It usually doesn't make it any worse, if so only for a short period, and if my ears start to hurt I know I've go t it too loud and will turn it down and/or take a break. But I'm at the point in life where I'd rather listen to music than worry about my hearing to an excess, and have more pressing matters than that to concern me so I enjoy myself to the fullest.

Not that I recommend you not take steps to preserve your hearing.

Beautiful manifesto man.

 

[BubbaJay]

Sibilance dont matter. I can comfortable listen at 100 db don't mean it's safe. Buy a cheap one they may be of a db or two but you know the ballpark if you are serious about your hearing.

I understand sibilance doesn't cause hearing loss but it can be an indicator that your listening to loudly if you have headphones that aren't normally sibilant, like the Elear.

I really don't need a meter at this point because I have the wherewithal not to blast my music anymore. Back when I Dj'ed was when I started to get mild tinnitus and it hasn't got any worse since then. It's really only in my left ear which was the ear I had the headphone on when I was mixing, which had to be quite loud so I could hear properly.

 

[Jake142]

The way i look at it is like this. Everything else i take precautions with. Like shooting guns, or power tool ext. I will always use hearing protection. When it comes to music/movies, all bets are off.

 

[Fox2twenty]

The way i look at it is like this. Everything else i take precautions with. Like shooting guns, or power tool ext. I will always use hearing protection. When it comes to music/movies, all bets are off.

Seems legit.

 

[Brooko]

The way i look at it is like this. Everything else i take precautions with. Like shooting guns, or power tool ext. I will always use hearing protection. When it comes to music/movies, all bets are off.

Unfortunately that outlook is probably an outlier for eventual hearing loss.

I had perfect hearing through my 20's. Used to listen to music sometimes at a loudish level - but never excessive. And always got the ringing signals if I was too loud for too long - nothing permanent, just the body's warning. Fast forward to my mid-30's and my wife and I were invited by her boss to a Jimmy Barnes concert. He's not my favourite artist - but the tickets were free, and it was her boss - what could happen right? Three hour show, in a largish room (about 150-200 people), but low ceiling, definitely not concert hall. Stupidly - I didn't take any hearing protection - a decision I've regretted for the last 15 years now.

Speakers were too large for the room, volume was excessive, and if you know Jimmy - he screamed for the entire 3 hours.

I left the room and basically couldn't hear anything properly for the next 72 hours. I knew I'd done damage - just didn't know how much. Turned out the tinnitus was permanent and I'd pretty much lost everything above about 15 kHz. The problem is that its now replaced by a permanent ringing. Most of the time you block it out - btu I would give anything to hear the simple sound of silence again.

I now listen at 65-75dB, which most users would consider "quiet". Its amazing how enjoyable it is, and what you can train yourself to enjoy. Your hearing is precious, and you get one shot at it. My advice - apply caution to all loud noise environments ......

 

[Fox2twenty]

Unfortunately that outlook is probably an outlier for eventual hearing loss.

I had perfect hearing through my 20's. Used to listen to music sometimes at a loudish level - but never excessive. And always got the ringing signals if I was too loud for too long - nothing permanent, just the body's warning. Fast forward to my mid-30's and my wife and I were invited by her boss to a Jimmy Barnes concert. He's not my favourite artist - but the tickets were free, and it was her boss - what could happen right? Three hour show, in a largish room (about 150-200 people), but low ceiling, definitely not concert hall. Stupidly - I didn't take any hearing protection - a decision I've regretted for the last 15 years now.

Speakers were too large for the room, volume was excessive, and if you know Jimmy - he screamed for the entire 3 hours.

I left the room and basically couldn't hear anything properly for the next 72 hours. I knew I'd done damage - just didn't know how much. Turned out the tinnitus was permanent and I'd pretty much lost everything above about 15 kHz. The problem is that its now replaced by a permanent ringing. Most of the time you block it out - btu I would give anything to hear the simple sound of silence again.

I now listen at 65-75dB, which most users would consider "quiet". Its amazing how enjoyable it is, and what you can train yourself to enjoy. Your hearing is precious, and you get one shot at it. My advice - apply caution to all loud noise environments ......

Dang. That's intense. Thanks for sharing.