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College Kids' iPod Volume Hurts Hearing

Most subjects in study set volume to damaging level

By Nick McMaster,  Newser Staff

Posted Oct 12, 2009 2:20 PM CDT
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(Newser) – Most young people listen to their iPods at levels that will damage hearing over time, a new study shows. Researchers measured the output of an iPod while college-age students listened to music in a lab setting, and they found 55% of the subjects set the volume higher than 85 decibels—sufficient to cause hearing loss, with prolonged exposure.

"They tend to want to set them at levels that are pretty high," the lead researcher told LiveScience. Listening to music at 85 decibels will damage hearing only with hours of exposure over a period of years—but that’s exactly what many iPod users subject themselves to, a habit that "will gradually cause significant permanent hearing loss," the researcher warns.

An iPod Classic is shown in this undated file photo.
An iPod Classic is shown in this undated file photo.   (Photo: Business Wire)
V-MODA Faze Headset for Apple(R) iPod(R) and iPhone available exclusively at Best Buy.
V-MODA Faze Headset for Apple(R) iPod(R) and iPhone available exclusively at Best Buy.   (PRNewsFoto/V-MODA)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 6 comments
yummines
Oct 13, 2009 5:54 AM CDT
i dont listen to music loud because its not necessary. i dont understand why people crank their music fully on their ipod...
brawne
Oct 13, 2009 2:31 AM CDT
Love that Gonzo. I've been moving the dial to elven for years. I'm not that old, well, yeah to someone less than thirty and I have to get a fricking hearing aid! The audiologist said that I'd lost all my high and low. Bummer. I think it was Aerosmith and Queen. I used to blast Walking the Dog and Liar. But. hearing is like knees--you don't care until you screwed them up. I used to run ten miles in leather ten-pound Adidas before Nike. And get in the car and scream through Liar. Now, I got scoped bad knees and a fricking hearing aid. You get older quicker than you think.
jagerhans
Oct 12, 2009 10:48 AM CDT
better losing hearing with rock that limbs happiness and life with war. if you care for your kids bring'em home

 
music • iPod • mp3 • hearing loss • Hearing loss • headphones • academic research

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