Using headphones might cause hearing loss...

moomies · January 4th, 2006, 06:53 PM

Quote:

Pete Townshend Warns iPod Users
Jan 4, 12:42 PM EST

The Associated Press
LONDON -- Pete Townshend has warned iPod users they may face hearing problems if they don't turn down the volume.
Townshend, guitarist in '60s rock band The Who, said his hearing has been irreversibly damaged by years of using studio headphones and he must now take 36-hour breaks between recording sessions.
"Hearing loss is a terrible thing because it cannot be repaired," he said on his Web site. "If you use an iPod or anything like it, or your child uses one, you MAY be OK. ... But my intuition tells me there is terrible trouble ahead."
The Who were famous for their earsplitting live performances, but Townshend, 60, said his problem was caused by using earphones in the recording studio.
"I have unwittingly helped to invent and refine a type of music that makes its principal components deaf," he said.
Referring to the increasingly popular practice of downloading music from the Internet, Townshend said: "The downside may be that on our computers — for privacy, for respect to family and co-workers, and for convenience — we use earphones at almost every stage of interaction with sound."

Copyright 2006 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

http://music.msn.com/music/article.a...11176&GT1=7538

I don't think it's just specifically iPods that might be harmful, it could be any number of things nowadays e.g. loud movie theatre audio, concerts, cell phone with high volume etc. But it's true that you can't get back your hearing once you lose it for whatever reason so be careful everybody!

miss_perfect · January 4th, 2006, 08:42 PM

I'm totally paranoid about losing my hearing. Ever since I saw It's All Gone Pete Tong especially. A few years back I started wearing ear plugs to clubs (I always have to concerts). I have long hair, otherwise I'd probably look pretty goofy. Hope it helps!

NawdleZouss · January 4th, 2006, 08:54 PM

What was that?

Lil · January 5th, 2006, 07:38 AM

I have a little damage to one ear from a concert when I was sixteen. It is OK normally, but if there is a lot of background noise, it isn't so good.

I have the volume quite low if I am using headphones as I like to be able to hear what's going on around me, otherwise it frightens the bejaysus out of me if someone comes in the room.

A*O · January 5th, 2006, 07:46 AM

Gee thanks Pete - any advice on downloading kiddie porn onto your puter for 'book research' purposes??

haggard · January 6th, 2006, 04:34 AM

Yeah...it couldnt possibly be all the rock concerts he played...its DEFINITELY the headphones.

I have no doubt that I have hearing damage (I actually have tinnitus, which for those who dont know is a constant ringing in the ears...it only really bothers me when things are silent) but I dont believe its from headphones...if anything, its from the concerts I've gone to, the movies I've seen, and the heart thumping sound coming out of my car stereo.

They should be warning us about car audio before warning us about the use of headphones, because I think that most of the time thats a million times worse...