source: bhNEWS
The Detroit Free Press, Michigan - August 7, 2008
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Hearing loss and iPods
BY MIKE WENDLAND =95 FREE PRESS TECHNOLOGY COLUMNIST
I swear, ever since the iPod came out, my hearing has suffered.
Either that, or I'm getting old. But the fact is, audiologists tell us
that
prolonged exposure to loud noises can indeed cause damage to the ear.
And it's
kids and teens are really at risk..
"We're seeing the kind of hearing loss in younger people typically
found in aging adults," said Dean Garstecki, a Northwestern
University
audiologist, who authored a landmark 2005 study on the issue.
"Unfortunately, the
earbuds preferred by music listeners are even more likely to cause
hearing
loss than the muff-type earphones that were associated with the older
devices."
Garstecki said earbuds can send up to nine more decibels into the ear
drum than a pair of conventional headphones at the same setting.
That's
approximately the difference between a vacuum cleaner and a
motorcycle.
"I have an audiologist friend at Witchita State University who
actually pulls off earphones of students he sees and, in the interest
of
science, asks if he can measure the output of the signal going into
their
heads," said Garstecki. He found that often students were listening at
110 to
120 decibels.
"That's a sound level that's equivalent to the measures that are made
at rock concerts," said Garstecki, chairman of Northwestern's
communication sciences and disorders department. "And it's enough to
cause hearing
loss after only about an hour and 15 minutes." Garstecki advocates
something called the 60 percent/60 minute rule. To avoid hearing
damage, users should listen for no more than about an hour a day and
at levels below 60 percent of maximum volume.
It may be too late for me. But if you're worried about hearing loss
for your always-connected-to-the-iPod kids, now there is a line of
earbuds
that have volume-limiting components built directly into them.
The product is from a company called Ultimate Ears' and called
LoudEnough earbuds. They reduce sound pressure levels (SPLs) by up to
20dB,
which is heard as about one quarter of the volume, relative to other
noise-
isolating earphones. They come with six sets of changeable ear tips
that are
designed to fit the smaller ear canals of children.
Available in three vivid colors, Blueberry, Mint and Plum, they use a
standard 3.5 mm connector that works with most ****table music sources
like the iPod, iPhone, Zune and other MP3 players. In addition,
LoudEnough
works with DVD car entertainment systems, TVs, PCs and gaming devices
(e.g.
Sony PSP, Xbox and Nintendo).
LoudEnough earphones are priced at $39.99 and are available at
www.loudenough.com
The company Ultimate Ears has been around since 1995 and is well
known in the entertainment industry for making in-ear-monitors for
professional
musicians who pay up to $1,250 per pair.
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