Hearing levels
To help you understand what may be considered a safe hearing level, the following examples are included for your reference.
Examples of Typical Approximate Sound Level:
| Sound Level (dB) |
|
|
Refrigerator humming | 40 |
|
|
Normal conversation | 60 |
|
|
City traffic | 80 |
|
|
Motorcycles and lawnmowers | 90 # |
|
|
Rock concerts | |
|
|
*A decibel (dB) is a unit of relative measurement of the strength of sound wave. In decibels (dB), a measured signal level doubles with every additional 3 dB.
# These sound decibel levels are considered harmful with extended exposure.
Information courtesy of the National Institute of Deafness & Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/hearing/noise.asp.
For your safety!
Your hearing may adapt to higher volumes of sound. In order to prevent any harmful impact to your hearing, you must control the sound emanating from your headphones and set the MP3 player volume to a low setting where you can hear it clearly and comfortably.
Studies, including one from NIDCD indicate that sounds of less than 80 decibels, even after long exposure, are unlikely to cause a hearing loss. Listen to your MP3 player at such a level that you can still hear conversation and other people in your environment without shouting when you attempt to converse.
It can also be dangerous to play your music with headphones/earphones at high volume while walking or engaged in other activities. You should exercise extreme caution and discontinue use in potentially hazardous situations.
Do not use headphones/earphones while driving, cycling, or operating any motorized vehicle. This may create a traffic hazard and may be illegal in some areas.
7