Millions of young people are risking hearing damage because they are listening to iPods and other music players too loudly, experts warned today.

 

A survey by the Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID) found that more than half of 16 to 30 year-olds use MP3 players for more than an hour a day.

 

And the devices are capable of playing music more loudly than ever before, increasing the risk of permanent hearing damage from listening to music.

 

Many young people also admitted removing volume limits from their players by using unofficial software which is available on the Internet.

 

Dr John Low, the chief executive of the RNID, said: "If young people don’t heed our warnings about safer listening, they could end up facing premature hearing damage.

 

"Our initial findings show very clearly that young people are frighteningly unaware of the dangers of listening to their MP3 players too loudly.

 

"New technology and ever-increasing storage capacity enables people to listen non-stop for hours – and at louder volumes than ever before."

 

More than 6.3million MP3 players were sold during 2005 in the UK alone and they have become increasingly popular with teenagers and young children.

 

The new research shows that 51 per cent of 16-24 year olds listen to their stereos for an hour or more a day with 20 per cent listening for more than 21 hours every week.

 

Maximum volume

 

Angela King, a senior audiologist at the RNID, added: "Reducing the volume slightly on these devices can go a long way to reducing the damage to your ears.

 

"We’re also aware that some users are downloading unofficial codes to override the volume limiters of leading brands of MP3 players to increase their maximum volume levels.

 

"A three-decibel increase may not seem like a lot, but sound pressure doubles at that level so users are effectively halving the time they can listen at low risk."

 

The RNID has now launched a Don't Lose the Music campaign to warn young people of the risks they are taking by playing songs too loudly.

 

The charity has published a new list of guidelines to safe listening so that young people do not damage their hearing. The advice includes:

 

• Take regular breaks from your headphones to give your ears a rest.

• Turn down the volume a notch - even a small reduction in volume can make a big difference to the risk of damage to your hearing.

• Avoid using the volume to drown out background noise, for example the sound of the train or traffic.

• If your MP3 player has a ‘smart volume’ feature, then use it, once you’ve set the volume of your player for comfortable listening.

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk

*turns down volume*

If you think headphones are bad, my speaker system is currently at 20% of what it can put out, any higher and it's get very loud.

 

Although it's a cambridge soundworks 4.1 so everything is good :D

what did you say? I couldn't hear you... my iPod was cranking Muse...

If you think headphones are bad, my speaker system is currently at 20% of what it can put out, any higher and it's get very loud.

 

Although it's a cambridge soundworks 4.1 so everything is good :D

 

 

A 'richer sounds' shopper huh? :)

 

You know how much money (mark-up) they make on Cambridge stuff?

 

it's alot.....it's priced at just over double what it costs them to make it.

 

Anyway....that was a pointless fact.....

 

Carry on.......

A 'richer sounds' shopper huh? :)

 

You know how much money (mark-up) they make on Cambridge stuff?

 

it's alot.....it's priced at just over double what it costs them to make it.

 

Anyway....that was a pointless fact.....

 

Carry on.......

 

I paid the grand total of ...

 

£2.20 for a pint of beer in exchange for it because he got a newer speaker system, so he gave me it in return for a pint :)

I paid the grand total of ...

 

£2.20 for a pint of beer in exchange for it because he got a newer speaker system, so he gave me it in return for a pint :)

 

Now that's a good trade

cambridge audio we talking? Prefer Marantz and NAD myself :o

Well, I'm not a Cambridge Audio fan really. It's pretty decent for the price though, I guess.