ipods -hearing protection?

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Howard Burger

Howard Burger

Senior Member
Location
N of Anchrage, AK
My hearing's half shot, due to prior occupation and just age, so to keep what I have left, I try to remember to use hearing protection on the job; I'm noticing many of the guys using ipods. They say it is just like hearing protection. How can something you stick in your ears, that makes noise, be protecting your hearing? And is using an ipod more or less safe than using sound deadening foam plugs? Thanks for your input on this.
 
celtic

celtic

Senior Member
Location
NJ
Using headphones is probably WORSE [for one's hearing] than just using some PPE.

If the background noise is too loud - one just increases the volume of the iPod.....what does that do?
 
PetrosA

PetrosA

Senior Member
Location
Lancaster, Pennsylvania
There are ear canal type headphones that basically block out any external sound, so even without the music on, they're probably getting pretty complete protection, but no one knows for sure how good the protection is since they haven't been tested for that. An analysis needs to be done for workplace hearing protection that takes into consideration the frequency and decibel level of the sound to be protected against. You'd need something different for running a concrete cutter than you would for a pressure washer or jet engine.
 
cadpoint

cadpoint

Senior Member
Location
Durham, NC
What foam ear protection does is bring down the available sound level to 60 dB's.

If your questioning your level of hearing things, do go get your hearing tested and then again in a year,
this will be your true measure of lose.
Having selective listening or training yourself to this one practice is another thread!

There have been other statements in the media of what the exact problems are with inserted ear pieces,
I believe it'll lead to a generation of hearing-aid sales.
I truly don't think that insert ear pieces with or without sound qualify as any form of ear protection!

I missed the craze of this one device, but there's a few around... :rolleyes:
 
J

jeremysterling

Senior Member
Location
Austin, TX
Howard Burger said:
My hearing's half shot, due to prior occupation and just age, so to keep what I have left, I try to remember to use hearing protection on the job; I'm noticing many of the guys using ipods. They say it is just like hearing protection. How can something you stick in your ears, that makes noise, be protecting your hearing?
Click to expand...

What? Speak up, please!:grin:
 
Dennis Alwon

Dennis Alwon

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Chapel Hill, NC
Occupation
Retired Electrical Contractor
We are developing into a society that will undoubtedly be deaf earlier than ever before.

Here is some info taken from this site--- Ipod Safety

Portnuff has documented that listening to earbuds, or in-ear headphones, for 90 minutes a day at 80% volume is probably safe for long-term hearing ? a useful cutoff point to keep in mind. (But softer is better: you can safely tune in at 70% volume for about 4? hours a day.) The risk of permanent hearing loss, Portnuff says, can increase with just five minutes of exposure a day to music at full volume. Over time, the noise can damage the delicate hair cells in the inner ear that transform sound waves to the electrical signals that the brain understands as sound.
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480sparky

480sparky

Senior Member
Location
Iowegia
Howard Burger said:
...... How can something you stick in your ears, that makes noise, be protecting your hearing? ........
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This is the same logic that says to rub ice on your skin where frostbite has set in.

While there are electronic hearing protection sets available, they're mostly for those who use firearms on a regular basis. Hunters will typically wear a pair of high-end amplified earphones, which, under normal circumstances will amplify weak sounds (<25dB), they will quickly respond to very loud sounds (gun shots, or 'reports') and reduce the level to 70-80 dB.

Law enforcement officers, especially those in tactical situations, will use something similar.

I doubt anything designed to create sound (in this case, music) is intended to reduce any noise level before entering your ear. I think someone has convinced themself that cranking up the volume on an ipod and 'drowning out' the loud noises is somehow considered 'hearing protection'. After all, music is safe, and a jackhammer banging away isn't, so if I just crank my ipod up so I can't hear the jackhammer..........
 
Smart $

Smart $

Esteemed Member
Location
Ohio
480sparky said:
I doubt anything designed to create sound (in this case, music) is intended to reduce any noise level before entering your ear. I think someone has convinced themself that cranking up the volume on an ipod and 'drowning out' the loud noises is somehow considered 'hearing protection'. After all, music is safe, and a jackhammer banging away isn't, so if I just crank my ipod up so I can't hear the jackhammer..........
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Actually there is... just look for devices that use noise-cancelling technology. Basically, it has a microphone which picks up external sounds, inverts the waveform and sends it through the contained amplifier and subsequently the audio drivers, thereby cancelling out ambient noise.
 
480sparky

480sparky

Senior Member
Location
Iowegia
Smart $ said:
Actually there is... just look for devices that use noise-cancelling technology. Basically, it has a microphone which picks up external sounds, inverts the waveform and sends it through the contained amplifier and subsequently the audio drivers, thereby cancelling out ambient noise.
Click to expand...

I knew those existed, but I doubt they'll work with an ipod.
 
iwire

iwire

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Massachusetts
zbang said:
Sure, but the ones that come with an ipod t'aint them.
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Never said they were, clearly they are not. But they can be purchased.

That aside, I really don't like people using double ear buds to listen to anything, since that sound masks other useful sounds, like the forklift...
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I can't disagree, time and place for everything.
 
Smart $

Smart $

Esteemed Member
Location
Ohio
480sparky said:
I knew those existed, but I doubt they'll work with an ipod.
Click to expand...
Why is that?

I don't have an iPod, but I am of the impression they have a standard 1/8" stereo jack. The power for the noise-cancelling comes from batteries in the product.
 
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