Even if you turn down the volume on your ipod, is the noise still harmful to eardrums?

Question

I heard that because the earphones are so close to the eardrums that it can damage the ears overtime. Would it do less damage if I just turned the volume lower, or would it make no difference?

Answer 1

The earbud-style headphones packaged with iPod and MP3 players can cause serious hearing loss, a Northwestern University professor and audiologist said last week.

"Insert earphones can boost the signal by as much as six to nine decibels. That's about the difference between the sound of a vacuum cleaner and a motorcycle," said Dean Garstecki, a professor at Northwestern in a statement. "It's a significant difference."

Earbud headphones, the type that rest inside the ear, can lead to permanent damage after just an hour of high-volume music in the 110-120 decibel range, equivalent to the noise level of a concert, Garstecki said.

The large amount of storage space on iPods also contributes to problems, said Garstecki. "Not only do you have a signal that is likely to be more intense, you're likely to be using this device longer than people have been using CD players and Walkmans in the past. This increases the likelihood of hearing loss down the road."

Not surprisingly, rock and rap are the most dangerous, since they're typically played at a higher volume than, say, classical or jazz.

To minimize hearing loss, Garstecki recommended listening no more than an hour a day, switching to over-the-ear headphones, and dialing down the volume on iPods to "6" or lower........

Answer 2

Obviously having the volume turned down lower is better than the music blaring at the top into your ears, but I don't know if the chances of more or less damage are the same, worse, or better. I would think that turning the volume down would at least lower your risk.

Answer 3

Less volume will definetely make a difference. the db (decibel) level is lower when you turn the volume down This is less harmfull to your eardrums. You can google a db level chart that describes what db levels are harmful and even gives you examples of what noises typically fall under what db levels. You can keep perfect hearing with earbuds by maintaning decent volume levels.

Answer 4

yeah if you have it at high volumes it can damage your eardrums so keep it at a comfortable level,and take a break after an hour ,excessive hours of having ear buds in your ear can still damage ear drums so take a break every once and a while