# You don't \*have\* to play it that loud, but if you do, you \*will\* lose your hearing. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 6, 2004, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-dont-have-to-play-it-that-loud-but-if-you-do-you-will-lose-your-hearing/258650 "2004-08-06T18:14:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![yosemite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3ab097/32.png) [@yosemite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yosemite)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2004, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-dont-have-to-play-it-that-loud-but-if-you-do-you-will-lose-your-hearing/258650/1 "2004-08-06T18:14:10Z")
I’m not all that sure this belongs in the Pit, because I’m not all _that_ mad at anybody. I guess it’s no skin off my nose if people want to blast their ears and ruin their hearing. But it still amazes me that people do this and don’t seem to comprehend how they are screwing themselves up. Oh, okay. I guess I am a little frustrated with people when they play their car radios so loud that the whole neighborhood vibrates. Fine if you want to mess up your own ears, but keep it to yourself—some of the rest of us want to be able to _hear_ when we get old. So I guess this rant is related to that. Anyway, here goes: Look: it’s a [well](http://www.hunter.cuny.edu/health/coeh/publications/Packet_HTML/TEENHRLS01.htm) [documented](http://www.entanand.com/mainframe_c.htm) [fact](http://www.thetimesherald.com/news/stories/20040114/localnews/224333.html) that if you keep on listening to your stereo or walkman too loud, you _will_ lose your hearing, and probably have some serious hearing loss when you get older. This little public service announcement was inspired, I suppose, because I noticed a comment someone made about a certain portable music device. “It doesn’t go up loud enough,” they said. _What?_ Are you _insane?!?!_ All these Walkman-type devices go up _way_ more than loud enough. I can’t imagine a scenario where you would _have_ to have it louder than the maximum on one of these players. I’ve been aware of this problem for a long time. It always amazes me how people will selectively filter out what they don’t want to hear. (Hear, yes—in more ways than one.) Ever since High School I’ve been telling peers, “Don’t play that too loud, you’re lose your hearing.” They would always just blow me off. Now one of my friends (one who always blew me off) has suffered some hearing loss. She claims that she “didn’t know” and “nobody told her.” Yeah. Right. Blow me off if you like, but don’t pretend later that you weren’t _told_, especially to the person who _told_ you. :rolleyes: Other people just roll their eyes when they are told something like this (I guess that is always going to happen—who wants to be preached at?), but down the line I daresay that a lot of them will be bleating about how they “didn’t know.” Well, so sorry, but a lot of you _did_ know, you _were_ told, but you just blew it off. Enjoy your future hearing loss. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Ashtar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@Lord\_Ashtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Ashtar)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2004, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-dont-have-to-play-it-that-loud-but-if-you-do-you-will-lose-your-hearing/258650/2 "2004-08-06T18:18:15Z")
What was that? Speak up! ---
**Author:** ![Fiona\_Orange](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7feea3/32.png) [@Fiona\_Orange](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiona_Orange)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2004, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-dont-have-to-play-it-that-loud-but-if-you-do-you-will-lose-your-hearing/258650/3 "2004-08-06T18:20:24Z")
I’d love for the volume on my iPod to go higher. I use it mainly in my car in conjunction with an FM transmitter, and I have to turn my iPod all the way up and my radio up to as high as I’m willing to send it before I can get any decent volume. For headphones, though, the iPod is plenty loud. ---
**Author:** ![Yeticus\_Rex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a698b9/32.png) [@Yeticus\_Rex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yeticus_Rex)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2004, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-dont-have-to-play-it-that-loud-but-if-you-do-you-will-lose-your-hearing/258650/4 "2004-08-06T18:21:36Z")
Loss of hearing can affect other people besides the one person experiencing it…how many car accidents have occurred because somebody didn’t hear (because the stereo, walkman, or with actual hearing loss) the sirens coming or some other driver honking their horn, or even hear the train coming down the track…wait a minute, I don’t think there was anyone who survived being hit by a train to use that excuse… :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2004, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-dont-have-to-play-it-that-loud-but-if-you-do-you-will-lose-your-hearing/258650/5 "2004-08-06T18:24:45Z")
I know I play my music too loud and am pretty sure I have suffered some hearing loss from it (or just have horrible hearing to begin with… it’s possible) but I cannot help it. Some songs just _ **need** _ to be turned up to eleven. ---
**Author:** ![TonyF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9de053/32.png) [@TonyF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TonyF)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2004, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-dont-have-to-play-it-that-loud-but-if-you-do-you-will-lose-your-hearing/258650/6 "2004-08-06T18:26:32Z")
I’d like to echo this to some musicians out there. I do sound reinforcement for a few bands, and most of these guys have played for so loud for so long that their hearing is quite affected and they can’t help but play at ear-splitting levels. Otherwise they don’t think it’s loud enough. Unfortunately due to my setup, I can’t do anything but make them louder. My only choices are a) turn it up and mess up the audience’s and my ears or b) turn it down and make the band sound unbalanced and crappy. So, musicians, turn it down - or else you’ll always have to be turning it up! ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2004, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-dont-have-to-play-it-that-loud-but-if-you-do-you-will-lose-your-hearing/258650/7 "2004-08-06T18:33:41Z")
Too many years of large, powerful speakers and a true love of Classic Rock n’ Roll has left a serious dent in my hearing ability. It’s a real bitch in a crowded restaurant, dinner party, meeting room, etc to separate the conversation with the person directly in front of you with the background noise produced by everyone else in the room. Really draws on your lip reading skills. Then you turn into a pain in the ass at home because you like the TV louder than anyone else. Also, there’s this little thing called Tinnitus that frequently accompanies the damage producing a permanent, high pitched ringing in your ears. It never gets softer. It never ends. Just a CONSTANT “eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.” ---
**Author:** ![MysteryFellow63427](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e4f/32.png) [@MysteryFellow63427](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MysteryFellow63427)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2004, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-dont-have-to-play-it-that-loud-but-if-you-do-you-will-lose-your-hearing/258650/8 "2004-08-06T18:52:04Z")
> [@TonyF](#): > > I’d like to echo this to some musicians out there. > > I do sound reinforcement for a few bands, and most of these guys have played for so loud for so long that their hearing is quite affected and they can’t help but play at ear-splitting levels. Otherwise they don’t think it’s loud enough. > > Unfortunately due to my setup, I can’t do anything but make them louder. My only choices are a) turn it up and mess up the audience’s and my ears or b) turn it down and make the band sound unbalanced and crappy. > > So, musicians, turn it down - or else you’ll always have to be turning it up! You can’t just turn up the monitors so the band sounds louder to themselves but not the audience? ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2004, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-dont-have-to-play-it-that-loud-but-if-you-do-you-will-lose-your-hearing/258650/9 "2004-08-06T19:04:53Z")
There’s some damn blondie chick on the PATH train every morning, with her headset turned **ALL THE WAY UP** , so everyone on the noisy, rattly car can hear whatever the hell band she’s listening to that morning. No one can read or carry on a conversation or take a nap, because blondie is too busy bustin’ out her eardrums all the way from Hoboken to 33rd Street. ---
**Author:** ![TonyF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9de053/32.png) [@TonyF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TonyF)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2004, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-dont-have-to-play-it-that-loud-but-if-you-do-you-will-lose-your-hearing/258650/10 "2004-08-06T19:17:26Z")
> [@neuroman](#): > > You can’t just turn up the monitors so the band sounds louder to themselves but not the audience? Nope… they request monitor levels so loud that they’re at the threshold of feedback. Even if I could turn them up more, that would just cause them to turn up their amps - which I can’t control - even more. It’s a vicious cycle, and I think a lot of it comes from ego and poor hearing; everyone wants to hear themselves as the loudest, but because their hearing is going down hill, their level of “louder than everyone” is much higher than it should be. Maybe I just need to work with better artists. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2004, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-dont-have-to-play-it-that-loud-but-if-you-do-you-will-lose-your-hearing/258650/11 "2004-08-06T19:27:03Z")
> [@yosemite](#): > > Look: it’s a [well](http://www.hunter.cuny.edu/health/coeh/publications/Packet_HTML/TEENHRLS01.htm) [documented](http://www.entanand.com/mainframe_c.htm) [fact](http://www.thetimesherald.com/news/stories/20040114/localnews/224333.html) that if you keep on listening to your stereo or walkman too loud, you _will_ lose your hearing, and probably have some serious hearing loss when you get older. Damn right! I’m only 36 and have had some hearing loss within the past few years, primarily in my right ear. I had my first portable radio/headphone set when I was 15 and liked to have it at full blast. I tend to avoid confined, noisy spaces these dayse because the din will result in an uncomfortable crackling in my ears. ---
**Author:** ![yosemite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3ab097/32.png) [@yosemite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yosemite)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2004, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-dont-have-to-play-it-that-loud-but-if-you-do-you-will-lose-your-hearing/258650/12 "2004-08-06T20:28:18Z")
> [@Aesiron](#): > > I know I play my music too loud and am pretty sure I have suffered some hearing loss from it (or just have horrible hearing to begin with… it’s possible) but I cannot help it. Some songs just _ **need** _ to be turned up to eleven. That’s fine, as long as you’ll _still_ say that in 10, 20, 30 years. If you still believe that turning it up to eleven was worth it, even when your hearing is shot, you’ve got ringing in the ears, you’re having to try to lip read, having people bitch at you because you have the TV or radio up too loud, and you’ll eventually end up trying to avoid talking on the telephone because you can’t understand people that well (like what my mom is doing), then fine. Oh, and you’ll have to hope that the TV show or movie you watch has closed captioning as well . . . (Another issue for my mom.) Sorry, I know I sound like a humorless wet blanket, but seriously. Read what others have said on this thread, and then if you _still_ believe that you’ll say that it’s all worth it because some music _has_ to be set up at eleven, well, hey, enjoy. 😉 > [@Eve](#): > > No one can read or carry on a conversation or take a nap, because blondie is too busy bustin’ out her eardrums all the way from Hoboken to 33rd Street. Ack. I hate that. And often, these people have no clue. Their hearing is already so shot, so they are truly amazed that yes, the whole damned _street_ can hear them. Or, they don’t care and they want to “share” their sterling musical tastes with everyone around them. Either way, they’re a moron. ---
**Author:** ![yosemite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3ab097/32.png) [@yosemite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yosemite)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2004, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-dont-have-to-play-it-that-loud-but-if-you-do-you-will-lose-your-hearing/258650/13 "2004-08-06T20:35:03Z")
> [@Jeff Olsen](#): > > I tend to avoid confined, noisy spaces these dayse because the din will result in an uncomfortable crackling in my ears. That is so sad. And we all know that you’re not the only one who is experiencing this, and we all know that many have it worse than you, and at a younger age. I know that my hearing isn’t all that it should be, because even though I _tried_ to keep the volume lower, sometimes when I was taking a long bus ride or train ride, I’d turn up the volume so I could hear it over the road sounds. I’m sure that did me no good. And a few other times I know I probably messed my ears up a bit. But still, my hearing isn’t nearly as messed up as it _could_ be, because at least I tried. But I’m sure I’m not 100%. I shudder to think what it’s going to be like for those who blasted their ears daily (like **Eve** ’s fellow commuter) for a long time. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2004, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-dont-have-to-play-it-that-loud-but-if-you-do-you-will-lose-your-hearing/258650/14 "2004-08-06T20:49:38Z")
> [@yosemite](#): > > That is so sad. And we all know that you’re not the only one who is experiencing this, and we all know that many have it worse than you, and at a younger age. I should note that I only get the crackling noise from people talking loud, usually a whole bunch of people like in a party setting. I’m perfectly fine in a movie theater, which is a different sort of noise. ---
**Author:** ![Indygrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@Indygrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indygrrl)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2004, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-dont-have-to-play-it-that-loud-but-if-you-do-you-will-lose-your-hearing/258650/15 "2004-08-06T21:07:47Z")
There is a company in Indy that makes some really intricate ear plugs for people who play music or go to a lot of loud shows. I know some people who have tried them and they really like 'em. Here’s the link to a good article about them: [http://www.indianapolismusic.net/pics4/ear\_everything.php](http://www.indianapolismusic.net/pics4/ear_everything.php) Still, I’m with whoever said that some music is made to be played loud. Not all the time, but when you’re rockin’ it’s hard to worry about your hearing. I’ll be like my dad when I’m older, tv turned up as loud as it will go and shouting to everyone because he can’t hear them. Haha, just kidding, I’m more careful than that. ---
**Author:** ![yosemite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3ab097/32.png) [@yosemite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yosemite)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2004, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-dont-have-to-play-it-that-loud-but-if-you-do-you-will-lose-your-hearing/258650/16 "2004-08-06T21:24:14Z")
> [@Indygrrl](#): > > Haha, just kidding, I’m more careful than that. \ Yeah, yeah, that’s what they _all_ say now. But a few decades from now, it’s “I didn’t know it would mess up my hearing. It wasn’t _that_ loud!” But you know? It adds up. You think it’s no big deal, but sometimes, it is. And you only realize it after it’s too late. \ Sorry, I know that you’re just being light-hearted and all. It’s cool. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Indygrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@Indygrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indygrrl)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2004, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-dont-have-to-play-it-that-loud-but-if-you-do-you-will-lose-your-hearing/258650/17 "2004-08-06T21:31:20Z")
Hey, I’m the one posting about the kickass earplugs!! I’m on your side. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2004, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-dont-have-to-play-it-that-loud-but-if-you-do-you-will-lose-your-hearing/258650/18 "2004-08-06T21:31:20Z")
[How timely.](http://edition.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/europe/08/03/uk.stereo.ban/index.html) ---
**Author:** ![MLS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MLS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MLS)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2004, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-dont-have-to-play-it-that-loud-but-if-you-do-you-will-lose-your-hearing/258650/19 "2004-08-06T21:43:30Z")
Oh, yes. Excess volume will damage not only your hearing, but the rest of you as well. [http://www.noisefree.org/index.html](http://www.noisefree.org/index.html) > [@](#): > > Noise is a serious health hazard. Noise is linked to hearing loss, sleep deprivation, aggressive behavior, chronic fatigue, high blood pressure, and declining school performance. Noise is especially damaging to children and women. Even when you don’t know it’s hurting you, it is. Check out some info on [Vibroacoustic Disease.](http://www.citidep.pt/papers/articles/alvesper.htm) This article is a bit intense, with lots of citations, but is something that anyone who believes he enjoys boom boxes and amps turned all the way up should read. > [@](#): > > VAD is essentially characterized by a proliferation of extra-cellular matrix. This means that blood vessels can become thicker, thus impeding the normal blood flow. Within the cardiac structures, the parietal pericardium and the mitral and aortic valves also become thickened. The most recent VAD studies have been suggesting that infrasound exposure may be crucial to the rate of evolution of VAD. Occupational exposure to infrasound is suspected to cause an increase in the rate of thickening of the pericardium and cardiac valves in commercial airline pilots over that of flight attendants (Alves-Pereira et al, 1999). > > Among the most serious on-the-job consequences of untreated VAD are rage-reactions, epilepsy, and suicide. VAD patients do not have the usual suicidal profile: after the event, if unsuccessful, they remember nothing, and are confused about the entire episode (Castelo Branco et al, 1999). Similarly, patients who suffer rage-reactions also appear confused and seem to remember nothing (Castelo Branco et al, 1999). These events can have dire consequences if they occur on the job. Not only can other individuals be injured, but also costly sophisticated equipment could become irreparably damaged. I just this month quit my “health” club after a long and losing battle to get them to \*turn that cr@p down! \* ---
**Author:** ![zweisamkeit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zweisamkeit/32/4360_2.png) [@zweisamkeit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zweisamkeit)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2004, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-dont-have-to-play-it-that-loud-but-if-you-do-you-will-lose-your-hearing/258650/20 "2004-08-06T22:57:11Z")
I totally agree, but here’s my thing: I have tennitus, rather badly. I have a loud ringing EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE constantly. If I’m lying in bed with it pretty quiet, I can pick up to _six_ different tones going on at the same time. Know what’s not fair, though? I got this when I was 11 (I’m 22 now), before I even started to really listen to music. I didn’t listen to anything loud and I wasn’t exposed to an incredibly loud noise (like a gun shot or jet engine) either, so as far as I know, it just happened. People would always smirk and make comments about it being my own fault for listening to loud music. But I didn’t! In fact, even when I _did_ start listening to music on a walkman, I would keep the volume at 2 or 4. So now I honestly can’t hear as well if I don’t have my glasses on; it shocked me to realise how much I depend on lip reading to make words out. And if there’s a soft talker in the room, I pretty much just call it a day because even after explaining my problem, I still usually can’t hear them at all. So I agree with you, and I try to tell people the same thing, because I sure as hell don’t want others to have to suffer with this crap if it can be avoided. ☹ [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-dont-have-to-play-it-that-loud-but-if-you-do-you-will-lose-your-hearing/258650.md?page=2)