the key to audio bliss... turing up the volume?
May 25, 2004 at 1:05 PM Post #16 of 34
Quote:

Originally Posted by plainsong
On my Perreaux, using Senns 600s, the volume usually rests at 9 o'clock.. but never gets past 11.

Using the ety 4s it never gets past 9.



On the full monty I'm mostly between 10 & 2, but I think the SA may be calibrated differently...?
 
May 25, 2004 at 1:16 PM Post #17 of 34
Quote:

Originally Posted by plainsong
On my Perreaux, using Senns 600s, the volume usually rests at 9 o'clock.. but never gets past 11.

Using the ety 4s it never gets past 9.



You will when you get the DT531's... I was listening on mine to certain music up to 3 o clock, but normally 12 o clock or somewhere in between! Those Beyers certainly were not very efficient!! OTOH, with my MDR-CD3000, the volume rarely goes far above 9-10 o clock.
 
May 25, 2004 at 1:36 PM Post #18 of 34
It's also the key to tinnitus.
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May 25, 2004 at 1:50 PM Post #19 of 34
Quote:

Originally Posted by pbirkett
At 80+ db, the brain releases chemicals which gives the user a "high". I always listen at about the point where music starts to give me this "high".


That explains why I am so addicted to music. I do not use drugs, but I sure need my fix of loud music
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May 25, 2004 at 1:53 PM Post #20 of 34
Quote:

Originally Posted by skitlets
the way i figure wen to stop is b4 i go 2 sleep, i listen. usually, the volume stays at 6/25 on my dell. i go up to 10, wich is loud but still safe. outdoors, i dont surpass 10, because its not that my music isnt loud enuf wen im out, but that theres too much background noise. and i think that any hearing damage is permanent. some of it may come back, but i dont think all.


Logic due to prolonged intellectual effort towards figuring how to write in such a stupid way.
 
May 25, 2004 at 3:34 PM Post #21 of 34
I suggest reading the following audiological study:

http://www.mja.com.au/public/issues/...ge/lepage.html

Latent cochlear damage is inner ear damage. It is irrepairable. Once it has happened, it is there and will diminish all auditory functions like auditory scene perception, speech intelligibility and yes, even musical enjoyment.

I don't advocate turning it up. With headphones raised listening levels can cause permanent damage faster than exposure to non-headphone noise. This risk is even higher if one "turns it up" in noisy environments. The acoustical reflexes of the human ear are not enough to protect from damage in these circumstances.

Please also note the line that decline in hearing seems to correlate with the amount of listening.

Also, after some some exposure to high levels "comfort" is not a good indication of safe listening levels anymore. It is even less so after hearing damage has already set in.

Let'em rest for a while. Silence can be bliss too
smily_headphones1.gif


regards,
Halcyon
 
May 25, 2004 at 4:35 PM Post #22 of 34
Quote:

Originally Posted by pbirkett
You will when you get the DT531's... I was listening on mine to certain music up to 3 o clock, but normally 12 o clock or somewhere in between! Those Beyers certainly were not very efficient!! OTOH, with my MDR-CD3000, the volume rarely goes far above 9-10 o clock.


Very interesting... I can't really go past 9 o'clock w/ my Perreaux and CD3000. The 650s -- Maybe 10 o'clock for short periods of time. But 3 o'clock?! Are the 531s that hard to drive?
 
May 25, 2004 at 4:52 PM Post #23 of 34
Quote:

Originally Posted by acs236
Very interesting... I can't really go past 9 o'clock w/ my Perreaux and CD3000. The 650s -- Maybe 10 o'clock for short periods of time. But 3 o'clock?! Are the 531s that hard to drive?


Well, its probably a combination of my soundcard putting out relatively low output (probably about -2 db on some of my other seperate sources), and the combination of the fact some music is recorded a bit quieter (presumably for bigger dynamic peaks), and the fact I like to listen pretty loud. But yes, I would say the DT531's are relatively hard to drive. Then again, I am listening to these AKG K240 Studios (55 ohms, 91 db sensitivity) at 3 o clock right now with Nine Inch Nails!!

BTW, out of interest, slightly OT, but do you prefer the 650 or CD3000 with the Perreaux?
 
May 25, 2004 at 7:00 PM Post #24 of 34
try adjusting the volume 3 minutes after you wake up from a full night's sleep. Your ears will be very relaxed and very sensitive. Put a small mark on the volume control knob pointer. Adjust for best sound.

Repeat just before you are going to bed. Your ears now are very tired and very sensitive. Put a small mark on the volume control knob pointer. Adjust for best sound.

Listen 1 hour after coming home from work. Adjust for best sound.

Now compare all the volume settings. Are they pretty close together? Or do you find that the volume goes up after coming home from work or at work? (If you have a portable).

This experiment needs the exact same music being played. This experiment does not take into account equipment warmup. Obviously if you have tubes or class-A equipment you will most probably need to pre-warm the equipment for one hour before listening, so a timer may be necessary.

Just as I say that a man and woman should not speak to each other, or turn on the TV or radio for one hour after coming home, one of the worse things you can do is listen to your car radio while going home. Chances are you will be turning up the volume to overcome traffic road noise and to divert the mind from road rage. Your ears will get dull in such a case. So listening to music immediately after getting home does not provide them any rest. You will be turning up the volume to overcome their dullness.

The best thing you can probably do for your hearing is a nice hot shower the minute you get home from work. Your body should feel more relaxed, which should help your hearing to get more relaxed. Don't turn on any extraneous noise, like TV, radio, lawn mower, power tools, etc. Just relax and let your ears retune themselves to quiet. Taking a walk near a heavily trafficked road will probably not help. The asphalt grating will probably hurt your ears.
 
May 25, 2004 at 7:12 PM Post #25 of 34
  1. Use earplugs as often as you can - save your ears for the real deal
  2. Use canal phones at work with the volume very low - train your ears to listen to low volumes
  3. try not to listen to anything unnecessary...reduce the noises going into your ear (includes wife/kids
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    )
  4. Have a shower only in warm water (cold water can cause ear problems)
  5. Use earplugs in the swimming pool
  6. physical exercise is a must and can reduce tinnitus
  7. Listen in a quiet environment...turn off laptops/computers etc. unless they are very quiet
  8. Listen to good music and good recordings
  9. rinse your ears (Murine earwax cleaning system + warm water rinses) every evening after your shower...

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May 25, 2004 at 7:33 PM Post #26 of 34
I think ur ears can get used of a certain volume and once in a while its good for you to crank it alittle more. I noticed my listening levels is lower then before i started head-fi membership, i guess i am listening to more quality then quanity.

i usually have the ra-1 at half way up, when i feel risky i go from 12 to 2, it also depends on the cd level. sinatra jumps up to 3-4 highest, while andrea stays at a nice 12.

the worest thing for your ears is distortion, this is what will give you probelms the most and this will give you a nce ringing for about a hour afterwards.
with metal, or heavy rock distortion is always there cause you have so much going at one time.

my rs-1 like to jump alot, as in i can hear some song good, and all of a sudden its loud as hell.
the 325's stood at the same level all the time.
 
May 25, 2004 at 8:51 PM Post #27 of 34
From Etymotic:
safelevels.jpg



From the FDA:
140--firearms, air raid siren
130--jackhammer
120--jet plane takeoff
110--rock music
100--snowmobile, chainsaw
90--lawnmower
80--alarm clock
70--busy traffic, vacuum cleaner
60--conversation, dishwasher
50--moderate rainfall
40--quiet room
30--whisper
 
May 25, 2004 at 9:36 PM Post #29 of 34
I think my listening level is somewhere between busy traffic and a lawnmower and I listen from 1 to 6 hours a day. I guess I'm safe even though I can hear slight ringing when I have my etys in with no music. I guess it was all the punk rock concerts from the 80's.
 
May 25, 2004 at 10:07 PM Post #30 of 34
Quote:

Originally Posted by zachary80
From Etymotic:
safelevels.jpg



From the FDA:
140--firearms, air raid siren
130--jackhammer
120--jet plane takeoff
110--rock music
100--snowmobile, chainsaw
90--lawnmower
80--alarm clock
70--busy traffic, vacuum cleaner
60--conversation, dishwasher
50--moderate rainfall
40--quiet room
30--whisper




Hmm, if a vacuum cleaner is 70, I must listen at about 60db usually. Maybe up to 70db, depending on my mood and the type of music.
 

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