[Vash-GR]

Quote:

I try to keep headphones low and raise the volume until the music has 'presence.'
 
However, one thing that I feel is missing from many headphone reviews (everywhere) is the volume at which each headphone sounds good. I find that different headphones 'focus' at different levels of sound. For some people, a headphone with sucked out mids for instance could sound good at lower volume perhaps? (because the way that we perceive sound at low volume is different)
 
For me, the Senn HD650 sounds better at high volume.
The AT AD700 better at lower volumes.
 
It may be that the AT headphone turns a little sibilant for me as I turn up so I prefer it down.
 
I've always wondered whether it would be useful to add most appropriate listening levels to headphone reviews.

That could be because Headphones with a U shaped curve tend to sound better at low listening volumes, while headphones that sound flatter tend to be better at higher volumes.

 

[raff012]

just thought that i would add my two cents... i usually do all my IEM listening calibrated at ~80dB SPL using iphone software resulting in ~70dB at eardrum (avg of 2cm depth resulting in ~10dB drop) whereas i find that i need about 85dB ( between 75 and 80dB at ear drum) SPL when using fullsize phones (probably due to higher floor noise and detail still does not compete with IEM imho). also due to the nature of hearing wrt frequency response (AKA sound quality) i find that the array of phones i have are suited to different levels at what i deem to sound "perfect" ( which is why i find that there is no such thing as a single perfect earphone solution but multiple phones which are perfect for specific listening

). for example the babystax i own only ever gets played at 75dB as i find the lower mid(bass) (warmness) tends to catch up very quickly as the volume knob heads north resulting in a skewed presentation of music towards the lowerend resulting in a fatiguing sound...  (another thing i find with ear fatigue is that a quick swap of phones (different frequency presentation) results in a quick recovery of ear fatigue)

 

[nonsupremous]

I stand corrected.  That's actually what I meant, I was just thinking the pressure to the ear drum and went with it. 
 
80 db will not cause hearing damage, but most studies indicate that 85db is the danger zone you want to avoid.  Although most studies indicate that you can take 85db for 8 hours before permanent hearing damage is done, it's probably safer to keep it at lower than 85db. 
 
80db really isn't that loud.  Typical conversation is about 60.  And interestingly enough, there was a story on the news yesterday morning about sun chips bags.  They put a meter to one and crinkled it and it registered 95db.  So if your music is louder than a crumpled bag of sun chips, you're in the danger zone!  lol. 
 
All kidding aside, I'm kind of surprised that the US hasn't started enforcing the volume limit law on mp3's here. 
 
Quote:

 

Also, the ear drum does not get damaged, its the sensory neurons that get damaged.
 

 

 

[Macgirl]

Quote:

just thought that i would add my two cents... i usually do all my IEM listening calibrated at ~80dB SPL using iphone software resulting in ~70dB at eardrum (avg of 2cm depth resulting in ~10dB drop) .....

what software or app are you using?

 

[raff012]

Quote:

what software or app are you using?

i'm using Studio Six Digital SPL meter works pretty well without calibration (+/- 3dB at factory for mine before calbration with proper spl meter (on +16.4 trim now))

 

[K.I. Unlimited]

Use your body, your head and ears. Once the volume starts causing discomfort by merit of its own loudness, it's your cue to turn it down.
 
I let my head do all the job. On my Voyager my volume pot is so low that if I go that little lower, my L/R channels becomes unbalanced. I turn it up even a little (I'm using custom IEMs) I start feeling this discomfort in my head, so I turn it down.
 
Sometimes even at such low volumes, I actually feel my music is getting louder after a while - contrary to most people. So I turn it down.

 

[Nightslayer]

Haha I only feel my music getting louder if I'm in a quiet place like my room. Right now I've got a technical glitch with my LOD and amp which renders my minimum volume about 40% iPod volume control approximately, and it's pissing me off to no end cause now I can't use my IEMs at home (where I listen to around 5% vol). Am I too paranoid if I avoid going above 30% even on a train? (I do use triflange-to-biflange modded tips which isolate pretty well, on the other hand)

 

[K.I. Unlimited]

Make an estimate with your body/head, the ambient noise, and the music volume. This sort of thing cannot be taught, unfortunately...

 

[nickosiris]

I should start by saying this post will be completely unscientific and based purely on my experiences. I am not an audiologist or anything like, but I'm sure there is another factor here that nobody has mentioned yet.
 
I've found that "loudness" (ie the decibel level) is only part of the equation, albeit a large one. You know that "ringing" sound and subsequent dullness of hearing that accompanies a particularly loud show? Well I've been to shows that I would consider only medium loud, and had far worse ringing/dullness afterwards than some other shows where the quality of the sound system employed and the frequency balance has been clearer and/or had less uncontrolled distortion.
 
A good example would be Sunn 0))), which is about as loud a show as you're ever likely to experience, and yet (imho) because the artists take a lot of care over the quality of the sound (and most of the sound is coming from their own amps, and carefully mixed by their own sound man who they bring with them, rather than the house PA) there is very little screeching distorted trebly nonsense which you might get from the overdriven and carelessly uncontrolled PA at other shows.
 
My point being: Is cleanly produced loud sound less damaging than screechy/distorted treble mush at exactly the same decibel level? I have found that to be the case. The same would translate to lower bitrate mp3 tunes played through a lower-end source/amp and cheap headphones. Feel free to shoot me down scientists, but that's my firm opinion.

 

[Skylab]

There is only one way that this could be even remotely true, and that would be if the "cleanly produced" music actually had a lower long-term lower SPL average than the "screechy distorted" music. Otherwise, while it may be more annoying, SPL's are SPL's as far as your ears are concerned. And in fact, one school of thought says the cleaner the sound, the louder you may accidentally listen, since there would be less distortion that gives clues you need to turn down the volume. But to an SPL meter, "Clean" has no meaning or value.

To be sure you are listening safe, you have to measure, using an SPL meter. Keep it below 80 dBA peak, and you will be fine. But you cannot guess - you have to measure.

 

[Nachash]

however, I'm using the spl like this.. .is right?


link:
http://img837.imageshack.us/img837/6762/img0887h.jpg

 

[Skylab]

Better than nothing, but to be accurate, you need to couple it to the headphone fully:
 

 

[Nachash]

Did you made an hole in the middle?

 

[Skylab]

Yes, you cut a hole for the microphone.

 

[ChavaC]

Quote:

 
My point being: Is cleanly produced loud sound less damaging than screechy/distorted treble mush at exactly the same decibel level? I have found that to be the case. The same would translate to lower bitrate mp3 tunes played through a lower-end source/amp and cheap headphones. Feel free to shoot me down scientists, but that's my firm opinion.

 
I don't know about quality, but a higher frequency sound is more damaging to your hair cells (cells in your cochlea that perceive sound) than a low frequency.
 
 
Does anyone know if the % volume levels on an iPhone are the same on an iPod in terms of db?