How much time in headphones is too much time in headphones?

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Well, the title of the thread says it. I've got quite a lot of time to myself these days, and I'll normally spend any amount of time from two-to-five hours a day in headphones. And, it's been like this for about a year, now. I stop listening for the day once I feel like my ears have become 'exhausted'. I probably am doing damage to my ears, aren't I? I really don't know if I am. It seems like my hearing's become slightly more sensitive in the last month or so, maybe. I think I've noticed that I don't have the volume turned as loudly as I used to. How can I really know if I'm doing damage to my ears? Would anyone recommend an amount of time I should limit myself to?

― andy dale (andy dale), Friday, 21 April 2006 03:53 (twenty years ago)

My understanding is that the keys to doing the least damdge to your hearing are to keep the volume somewhat low and to take a break of at least ten minutes after you've listened for around an hour. Aslo - if your ears start to hurt - stop.

― Jeff LeVine (Jeff LeVine), Friday, 21 April 2006 04:14 (twenty years ago)

Oh, yeah, it's not just all of those hours completely non-stop. I've realised now. that I totally need to start keeping it at lower volumes, too. Still though, five hours a day in headphones does seem like a lot to me, but I can always take it, it seems. I just hope I don't end up losing my hearing only by the time I'm forty or so... Anyway, I remember once thinking that if Morrissey ruins my hearing, it's okay, because he's Morrissey.

― andy dale (andy dale), Friday, 21 April 2006 04:27 (twenty years ago)

What is it you do with yourself in this alone time? Can you not listen to music on regular speakers for at least some of it - that might help.

― Markelby (Mark C), Friday, 21 April 2006 08:51 (twenty years ago)

I listen to music on headphones for about 5 hours a day at least, and I can't listen on regular speakers for any of that. 1-2 hours on public transport plus 3 or more hours at work.

I try not to have it too loud but I expect I've done a little damage over the years.

― Colonel Poo (Colonel Poo), Friday, 21 April 2006 09:00 (twenty years ago)

does anyone own those bose triport headphones? i tried them in target and they seemed to sound incredible

― sunny successor (katharine), Friday, 21 April 2006 12:29 (twenty years ago)

Surely you can't have it on too loud at work without royally pissing off your workmates?

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Friday, 21 April 2006 12:49 (twenty years ago)

PJ Miller to thread (because my job doesn't involve having headphones on for 6-7 hours a day like his probably still does).

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Friday, 21 April 2006 12:51 (twenty years ago)

My earphones are actually quite good at not being too loud outside my ears. I don't know how people manage to listen to music on headphones that's so loud you can hear it all around the train carriage, for example. I can't even turn these up past half-way on my iPod before it gets painful!

― Colonel Poo (Colonel Poo), Friday, 21 April 2006 14:34 (twenty years ago)

I'm currently listening to Slayer, and if I take my earphones out and hold them 2ft away, I can't hear anything but a very faint cymbal noise.

― Colonel Poo (Colonel Poo), Friday, 21 April 2006 14:35 (twenty years ago)

I'm more concerned that I'm becoming out of touch with city life in some subtle but important way by wearing them.

― Bnad, Friday, 21 April 2006 14:51 (twenty years ago)

Ha ha, that'a prolly the best way to appreciate Slayer!

― Thermo Thinwall (Thermo Thinwall), Friday, 21 April 2006 15:22 (twenty years ago)

I don't really have to listen in headphones all of the time, like I do. It's just that in a lot of songs, I consider panning to be a part of it. Most of the time it hardly is, but sometimes it can really mean something in a song. Really though, when I listen to music in headphones I just like to escape and travel to other worlds inside of Cocteau Twins songs or whatever. Thanks for the responses so far.

― andy dale (andy dale), Friday, 21 April 2006 15:32 (twenty years ago)

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