How loud do you listen to your ipod/mp3 player?

[Reckoner]

I'm trying to become more conscientious about the effects of listening to music at loud volumes (tinnitus, loss of hearing, etc.). It's just that when you get used to blasting music at a high level, and set it to something "reasonable" it seems too bland. But anyways, what's your usual volume level when listening to music on an ipod/mp3 player?

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

How do you want people to quantify it?

I have never tried to measure headphone output with an SPL meter, would putting the meter at ear position work?

 

[spidey07]

I don't listen with headphones anymore. Already damaged my hearing by listening to loud music on them when I was younger. I'd say most everybody plays it too loud and will have hearing damage. If somebody can hear your earphones/buds then it's too loud.

 

[frostedflakes]

I really like IEMs. They have great isolation, so you don't need to increase the volume a lot to drown out noise, and if you're in a quiet area sound won't leak out and disturb others. I usually only have the volume up a few ticks on my iPod. Great way to increase battery life as well.

I have enough hearing damage as it is from ear infections as a child, I don't need to make it even worse.

 

[Eug]

When I listen to Spinal Tap, I turn it to 11.

 

[sdifox]

I don't have a portable music player.

 

[pennylane]

Originally posted by: spidey07
I don't listen with headphones anymore. Already damaged my hearing by listening to loud music on them when I was younger. I'd say most everybody plays it too loud and will have hearing damage. If somebody can hear your earphones/buds then it's too loud.

Definitely when you're wearing IEM's .

I stopped listening to portable music players on the go/with ear buds because I was afraid I'd listen too loud without realizing it (damn background noise).

When I listen to my ipod, it's at work with IEM's or closed headphones, so background music doesn't tempt me to raise up the volume.

At home I have open headphones but I only use it in a quiet environment.

Additionally, with headphones, I generally try to keep it lower than I think it ought to be, just to be safe.

With speakers I generally try to keep it in the 60-70 dBA range. I tried measuring it out awhile ago but I've fiddled with settings on my receiver since then. I'll have to re-measure it one of these days to make sure it's not too loud.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

I attempted to measure with my radioshack meter and for both headphones and speakers I got around 70 dBA on the slow measurement.

 

[Oyeve]

If I cant feel the bass on my head and ears then its not loud enough.

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: Oyeve
If I cant feel the bass on my head and ears then its not loud enough.

You've already damaged your hearing then. You won't notice it now, the affect is cumulative but it will impact you later on.

 

[Rio Rebel]

90% of the time, I listen through my car. I use an aux cable that goes from the port, not the headphone plug, for the highest quality signal.

 

[Oyeve]

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: Oyeve
If I cant feel the bass on my head and ears then its not loud enough.

You've already damaged your hearing then. You won't notice it now, the affect is cumulative but it will impact you later on.

Nah, I'm over 40, been listening to loud music for over 30 years and can still hear well above 20khz. In fact, my hearing is so good I have to sleep with white noise and silicon ear inserts because the slightest noise wakes me up. I think if you listen to loud music you should be listening through quality speakers or headphones and the music should be set flat. If there is too much treble and you blast your tunes you will damage your hearing. Its not just volume that does damage but frequencies also.

 

[Cheeseplug]

I listen at 14 on my zen vision m. Have been listening strictly off my pc for a while now though, no headphones.

 

[Baked]

1-3-5 on the Zune depends on location. On the train, I have to turn it to 5. 3 on the street. 1 at home.