Half of iPod users risk deafness

by LotusFlower | December 9, 2008 at 01:17 pm

1030 views | 36 Recommendations | 24 comments

The use of personal audio devices since the original walkman has increased to a point that sometimes its difficult to find a young person on the high street not listening to one mp3 player or another. This research shows that over half of those using mp3 players such as the iPod are listening at volumes that are damaging their hearing.

A survey by the Royal National Institute for the Deaf (RNID) found that two thirds of people tested played their MP3 players at levels which can cause hearing loss.

The charity warns that many people could cause themselves permanent damage if they do not turn down the volume.

Of more than 246 shoppers in eight cities who had the volume of their players checked 66 per cent were listening at levels louder then 85 decibels.

The World Health Organisation warns that, over time, this level is enough to cause permanent hearing damage.

The RNID also found that 54 per cent of users were listening to their devices at dangerously high volumes for longer than the four hour recommended daily limit.

Emma Harrison, from RNID, said: "Our research found people around the country are listening to their MP3 players at unbelievably high levels, with more than one in five blasting their ears with sound levels of 100 decibels or more – the equivalent of hearing a pneumatic drill 10 feet away.

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mahalie

at 14:49 on December 9th, 2008

I think I might still use my iPod even if I knew it was affecting my hearing...

mahalie has contributed a photo to this story.

LotusFlower

at 17:05 on December 9th, 2008

hey - those of that have been around since the first walkman cassette players have been listening for over 30 years and we had these same warnings and... well yes i am already suffering some hearing loss... but all that music!

pacpublic

at 15:15 on December 9th, 2008

Would be nice to know which % volume on the iPod corresponds to the mentioned 85 dB.

LotusFlower

at 17:06 on December 9th, 2008

Now that is a good question - and wouldn't it depend on the state of the battery - or maybe not?

Benjamin Bielefeld

at 15:29 on December 9th, 2008

Benjamin Bielefeld has contributed a photo to this story.

Barbara McPherson

at 16:41 on December 9th, 2008

And our socialized medicine will be asked to support and pay for the needed hearing aids in the future.

LotusFlower

at 17:06 on December 9th, 2008

true Barbara true

hyamin

at 17:44 on December 9th, 2008

i use earphone rarely. i will use earphone only if i'm travelling and if it will disturb other people when i use the speaker of the ipod touch..

dancinjul

at 18:32 on December 9th, 2008

Thank you for using my photos!

More photos are available on Flickr with my user name - kuljuls.

I just took these photos on December 5, 2008.

I prefer to use my iPod connect via an auxiliary doc. I do not like using ear buds, if I do, I only use one.

NoWin

at 18:48 on December 9th, 2008

The supplied earbuds are Ok enough in a pinch, but I bought some nice Etymotic buds that allow for quality sound at a slighter lower volume setting, and thus not a need to crank the volume just to override the average mid-range buds....buuuut, to each their own.

NoWin has contributed a photo to this story.

be.something

at 04:13 on December 10th, 2008

im very happy that my photo has been choosen =)

thanks alot sweety ~

be.something has contributed a photo to this story.

jordan

at 05:56 on December 10th, 2008

This story comes back into the news about once a year... it's not the iPod/Zune/Zen/Walkman/whatever, but the headphones themselves. Using crappy headphones and having to crank them to 11 is much worse for your ears than using a pair of noise-reducing headphones at 1/3 volume.

jordan

at 06:16 on December 10th, 2008

For such a relatively expensive device, the iPod can be singled out as shipping with particularly sub-par headphones. Anecdotally, a huge number of users agree, judging by the sheer number of third-party headphones I sold when working at the computer shop. Roughly a thousand, and that was just me.

miniqq

at 06:24 on December 10th, 2008

I love my Ipod, however, the use of any mp3 products should pay attention to the use of the time, especially in headphones.The ipod shuffle has been used for nearly four years ago was sent to her boyfriend's Valentine's Day gifts in good condition.

miniqq has contributed a photo to this story.

amyjudd

at 16:29 on December 10th, 2008

I actually turned down my mp3 player when I read this!

eltuti

at 18:54 on December 10th, 2008

Listen to music is the maximum, however, to high volume is detrimental to the health hearing.
Caution in this regard.

eltuti has contributed a photo to this story.

MM (not verified)

at 02:56 on December 12th, 2008

Let me tell you folks, as a deaf person you will not enjoy not hearing anything ! The other aspect is half of you writing here today will end up asking us to help you cope with deafness, why should we have to ? you have a choice now to not ruin your hearing, a choice we didn't have. If you persist in using these pods to blot out the world, then eventually there will be no audible world to blot out at all, 5 years or less that's it, then you start learning sign language ! Many of us deaf are angry at these ipod users deliberately making themselves deaf, because they sure are not listening to advice on volume at all. The deaf community is going to be flooded by idiots who can't turn the volume down ? why should we sympathize ? ipods broadcast at 105db PLUS that is the same a road drill 10ft away. You hearing me deaf, why not keep it that way ?

Jawa Lunk

at 05:04 on December 12th, 2008

Let us not take consumer responsibility away...

We can't assume that it is a manufacturers fault for our actions.

I have a friend who is hard of hearing, and he needs to turn his all the way up to enjoy it because he can not use his hearing aid with the headphones.

What about home stereo systems and car stereo systems that you can hear miles away...there is some responsibility that comes along with consumerism.

If I buy a pencil and poke my eye out, is it the manufacturers fault for making it too stright and hard?