Health Warning: listening to the your MP3 player too loud is bad for you

MP3 players such as iPods or music phones can damage your hearing if you listen for too long at too high a volume. That was the finding of a scientific study for the European Union published today.

I think we have to file this one under "bleeding obvious" but it is worth repeating, simply because so many people seem simply not to believe it.

The report said that those who listened for ONLY five hours a week at high-volume settings exposed themselves to more noise than permitted in the noisiest factory or workplace.

It is said that the maximum volume on some devices can generate as much noise as an airplane taking off nearby. Well, I am not sure I believe that but one of the more interesting conclusions was that the rise of ear buds - ear phones that fit into the ear more snugly and deliver the sound more directly - are a new threat to hearing.

Meglena Kuneva, the EU consumer affairs commissioner, is announcing plans to discuss further regulations or revisions of existing safety standards. In 2004 a study recommended limiting listening time to one hour per day and setting the volume to no more than 60 per cent of maximum sound output when using headphones that are placed over the ears - and even less when using ear buds.

It is difficult to see how the EU could go about enforcing the rules - headphone police? - and I can't see the manufacturers agreeing to reduce the maximum output of MP3 players.

The team of nine experts on the Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks found that young people do not realise the damage until years after it is done. Duh!

But keeping the volume down on your headphones if you are listening to music for hours at a time? That's just common sense.

Comments

[aljuk]

Well, duh!

I seem to remember the exact same "research" when the first Walkman came out...

[Mark]

Sony already limit the sound output of their mp3 players that are sold in Europe.
Obviously there is also a way to switch this limit off as the same machines are sold outside of Europe. Countries where people are free to choose if they want to listen to loud music or not.
Another proof that whatever rule you make, there is always someone that will find a way round it :)

[brewster craven]

Cap the maximum volume on mp3 players? Nice idea if record labels would agree to end the insane decibel war and stop compressing the audio on their releases....

[JaXX]

WHAT? SORRY, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO SPEAK INTO MY GOOD EAR...