I use a Sony 1000XM3 at 16% volume for about 2 hours a day with ANC off. Will I go deaf if do that everyday? I have never used headphones before this in my life. I am in my teens. My parents say that I will go deaf.
Here are some plain and simple rules for general ear health.
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If a sound hurts, it’s way too loud.
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If your ears start ringing, It’s way too loud.
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Try to avoid listening continuously for more than an hour or two at a time.
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Let your ears and brain rest. Take regular breaks from loud and intensive sounds. If you’re listening loud for a little while, take longer and more frequent breaks. If you’re listening at lower volumes, you don’t need to take as many, or as long, breaks.
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Your ears need air. Don’t keep them plugged up or covered for like 6 hours without letting in some fresh air, or you risk getting skin irritations.
If your parents are not satisfied with this and might take away your headphones or are just being weird about it, you could show them these articles.
https://osteopathic.org/what-is-osteopathic-medicine/headphones-hearing-loss/
https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/healthy-headphone-use-how-loud-and-how-long-2020072220565
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Am no expert but do watch out for tinnitus. If you get a sign, take a break. I have chronic tinnitus and it’s not fun. I’ve learnt to just ignore it though.
Just to make it clear, I did not get it from headphone. It was so from childhood but I’ve heard of people getting tinnitus from loud volumes from headphones, speakers, concerts, bands, etc.
No, you won’t go deaf, as long as you don’t use audio products with the volume cranked up all the way. I’ve been using headphones, earbuds, and more recently IEMs for most of my life and I still have very good hearing.
Also, 16% volume’s very quiet, you should turn up the volume so that it’s loud enough for you to hear what you’re listening to, but not so loud that you’d “blow your eardrums out.”
16% is loud enough for me. I feel it is too much past that. Also they are very loud headphones and at 100% volume you can very much hear sounds from the headphones without wearing them
I listen to 16% volume for hours. It’s fine. When I measured it, it was about 45-50dB. That’s even quieter than me talking and measuring at arms length.
Ask them if you will go blind from watching TV for 2 hours a day.
yeah I knew that was bullshit when they said it
There is an element of risk with headphones because it is common to turn them up too loud because more loud equals more enjoyment for most people, but you are clearly careful so they should respect that. A flat out “you will go deaf” statement that doesn’t take into account what you are doing, serves no purpose, teaches you nothing, and in fact only makes you question their other rules.
so will it cause hearing damage in the long run?
No. If you turn it up too loud, it could. You are not doing this. Not even close.
If you’re currently content at 16%, then anything loud enough to hurt your hearing might be too loud for your taste anyway.
If you want to try higher volumes, the speed at which you start to experience listening fatigue can also clue you in as to which settings are appropriate. But you’re not going to blow out your ears or something while experimenting; it takes extended, sustained misuse.
No you won’t go def if you use it at reasonable volume. If you’re using it at 16 percent out of 100 percent that is actually quite low.
Your parents lie. 16% is nothing for a wireless device like the XM3s, I recall running mine around 30% when I had those, and that was well within safe volumes for much longer durations.
I do run it wired if that is anything to go by.
Dacs don’t usually have a standard volume mapping, so 16% on yours could be 25% for mine, for example. In any case though you most likely are fine, unless it sounds uncomfortably loud at any point.
I have more exposure to loud noises from living next to a busy road and long haul flights. Oh and the one time I stood too close to a musket, must’ve been over 180db max
As for your health, what you believe matters. I have discovered that those with a strong belief, good or bad, tend to come into their reality. It is really fascinating to me. Look up the placebo effect. We see this everywhere in the world. I wish I would have been more aware of it earlier in life. Live your life with no fear. Seek adventure and enjoy it. The entire world tries to suck us in to fear of this or that and divide us. What you believe to be true matters. Stay true to yourself and those around you. Respect your parents and enjoy your headphones. You will be just fine, I believe that 100%.
It’s too late for you start learning sign language and lip reading now
Turn the volume up to a level at which it’s satisfyingly loud. Note down the volume number.
Turn the volume down from there until it’s just a bit too quiet to be listenable. Note down the volume number.
Now set the volume roughly half way between these two numbers.
That’s a pretty good way of getting a volume that’ll almost certainly be safe to listen to (in fact it’s likely to be a bit lower than you could really safely listen, but it’s great if you’re wanting to be extra cautious)
Then you should have no worries about hearing loss or anything.
Obviously listening too loud for extended periods of time is bad, so avoid that, but listening at moderate volumes is completely fine.
A simple test is ‘If something at 0dBa is too loud for you to comfortably listen to then you might want to reduce the volume until it is’
You may also need different volume settings for different music
I listen usually to 75db with 80 spikes (max, but usally 70 with 75 spikes) for 2/3 hours a day (at least), that’s what I consider the limit, you can wear earbud at 16% for your entire life without going deaf probably, don’t worry
Just a tip from someone who’s been gaslit by my entire family for my entire childhood, parents are rarely right. If you need to ask about something they said, probably bullshit.
Percentages are mostly meaningless. You should get a dB meter if you really want to know for certain that your listening levels are safe. You can buy on eon Amazon for $15-$20.
To measure: either cut a hole in some cardboard and insert the microphone end through the hole into the cup area while music is playing, or use your hand to cup the microphone inside the headphone by the driver.
Your measurements should not exceed 80dB if during loud portions of a track you want to be absolutely certain that cumulative listening will have no negative effects on your hearing. Personally, I listen closer to 65-70dB.
Just use the headphones responsibly. Never increase their volume to drown out a noisy environment. Instead move somewhere quieter, or find ways to isolate outside noise whether by using ANC or having a more closed and isolated headphone.