Warning to headphone users.

[imported_Jazza]

Re: Warning to headphone users.

I got my new headphones about a month ago, a week later on playing and my right ear was blocked up. It would 'pop' and would hurt a fair bit, I thought I had buggered my ears up!

Turns out it was a silly cold :)

[Suntzu69]

Re: Warning to headphone users.

These concerns are real, but should also be taken with some moderation in my opinion. I have Tinnitus to a very slight degree. It doesn't slow me down at all, but I still know it's there when I stop and listen carefully. I was unfortunate enough to have a good paying job when I was in high school and loved to have some amps and performance speakers in my car. I hear a little ringing especially in the evening, and in public places when many people have had some drinks and start talking loudly all around me I have a little trouble focusing on a single conversation (I hear them all, but none at the same time). It doesn't stop me from sleeping, but I notice I can get annoyed when people with high pitch voices (the sister in law for one) talk too loud.

However, the intensity and duration are both important when listening to music. Enjoy a concert now and then, but do think twice about working in a dance club as a bartender 5-6 evenings a week, etc. Enjoy your headphones, but be wise about how you do it. Lets be realistic, nobody in this forum will stop playing BF2 with headphones because of a warning like this. I would just say - be cautious and turn it down a little when you play for extended periods.

[evilzucchini]

Re: Warning to headphone users.

I try to play without my headphones as much as possible. However, sometimes it is just unavoidable. Everything in moderation.

[imported_John-Paul]

Re: Warning to headphone users.

Lets be realistic, nobody in this forum will stop playing BF2 with headphones because of a warning like this.

Actually, I think I'll seriously cut back on my use of headphones based on this sound advice (sorry) from bitvomit.

I've recently taken to using headphones because they contribute to a slightly more immersive experience (and because I can enjoy a decent volume late at night when others in my house are asleep) but I had a two-week introduction to tinnitus the year before last and it was incredibly frustrating. On that occasion, I was very fortunate in that it eventually went away but my Dad has it and I know from everything he has told me that it's no picnic.

You really can't afford to be blasé about protecting the quality of your hearing. Too many people make the mistake of not caring until it's too late.

Very thoughtful of bitvomit to share his thoughts/concerns. I hope it'll increase people's awareness of the issue and get them to be a bit more cautious ...

[darwinsGate]

Re: Warning to headphone users.

How do you use a mic with speakers? It causes echo and extraneous sounds that annoy the others on teamspeak.

[Hack Saw]

Re: Warning to headphone users.

Head phones are fine unless you are a fool and have it on max volume.

[gunitsoldier127]

Re: Warning to headphone users.

i agree,but you cant really stop youth today from putting on blasting headphones, they already listens to rap or rock on full volume. my friend , when he was a raper 2 years ago, had to have a device put into his years because he listened to 2pac a lil to much.

[HABO3]

Re: Warning to headphone users.

yeah I don't use headphones too much, even when using VOIP I just leave the audio going through the speakers and move the headphones off my ears while still keeping the mic close to my mouth. works well enough.

[davelisowski]

Re: Warning to headphone users.

High pitched sounds are really what damages your ears. Obviously, loud volumes do too. Just turn it down if you are using headphones. Check out this page too. Read about the dB and time exposure. Wikipedia is a great resource, but is not always 100% accurate since anyone can edit/add information.

Warning! If you go to see Motorhead, make sure you wear earplugs! I've seen them several times, and their amps go way past 11.

[MoB|GunnerDoop]

Re: Warning to headphone users.

Turn the volume down?

[Hack Saw]

Re: Warning to headphone users.

Turn the volume down?

Yeah...it is actually possible to play a game or listen to music with out the volume maxed out What are you ment to do though If you want to go on voip and you only have speakers?

[Suntzu69]

Re: Warning to headphone users.

Yeah...it is actually possible to play a game or listen to music with out the volume maxed out What are you ment to do though If you want to go on voip and you only have speakers?

The point is that you can do many many times the damage of wearing headphones with moderate volume by going out with your friends, or choosing the wrong summer job and not exercising care. That one evening you were drunk and trying to pickup that girl dancing beside that loud speaker for 4 hours... you might have done more damage than a few years of carefull headphone use. It is very possible to keep your headphones under 60 db, while you could be exposed to 140db+ just by standing in a night club. Even with prolonged exposure to lower DB, it's hard to compare because the scale is not linear (70 db not simply twice as loud as 35 db). It's worth reading up a bit to understand all of it if you game alot.

It's like sex, it has the potential to kill your body. It doesn't mean that you should cut it off and not enjoy any though... Just be carefull and aware about what is occuring.

Edit: Just to clarify, I am in agreement with the OP's suggestion that we should all be carefull to protect our hearing.

[.Churr.]

Re: Warning to headphone users.

Seriously, anything on Wikipedia has no validity. I personally think it IS the worst tool of misinformation ever invented. It is stupid, and the more people trust it, the worse it becomes.

Besides, I don't use earphones, but speakers :P

[Suntzu69]

Re: Warning to headphone users.

Besides, I don't use earphones, but speakers :P

Speakers in your home can make you deaf faster than headphones. It all depends on the DB and the exposure in either case. Residential/car systems can pack enough power to make you deaf in a matter of months if you really abused of it.

If your wife on the couch can't identify the music in your headphones, but your neighbor is complaining about your heavy metal music with your house windows/doors shut do you think that your ears are better off without headphones? Just a point of vue.

In any event, quality of headphones is not a substitute for proper care.

[Eden]

Re: Warning to headphone users.

Game cause hearing loss.. HA! Try working in an engine room of a 22,000 tonne tanker for 8 hours a day for 4 months then you'll realise that game arnt actually that loud.

As long as you don't have your volume up full (which will hurt your hearing) you really don't have to much to worry about.

And if you haven't noticed the world is full of noise there's no such thing as quiet, there's always a clock ticking or a bird chirping or the wind blowing, very few people will get away from the fact that your hearing will degrade as you get older.