I’ve heard people say that ear buds are responsible for hearing damage. Are earbuds more damaging than other types of headphones, like circumaural headphones? Do all headphones tend to cause more hearing damage than other sources of sound? Or are users of headphones more likely to turn up the volume to overcome surrounding sound, essentially turning the volume up too loud?
I’m curious where the exact problem with earbuds is, and whether it’s just earbuds or headphones generally.
The problem is the speaker is about a quarter inch from your eardrum and people to tend to turn up the volume too loud. My employer has banned the use of them on company property as a safety measure.
It’s all about the noise cancellation, which earbuds seem to have zero of.
So, you are trying to listen to your This American Life podcast while waiting for the bus on a typical arterial. To actually hear Ira Glass’ voice over the traffic, your volume needs to be in the > 80% range. The same volume setting in a quiet room is ear shattering.
Plus there is the lack of social restriction on volume: for most people the opportunities to turn the volume up too loud are constricted by the potential complaints of others, at work, at home, on public transport etc.