<p><a href=“http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060104/ap_en_ot/pete_townshend[/url]”>http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060104/ap_en_ot/pete_townshend</a></p>
<p>I’m showing this to my 14yo son ASAP- a classic rock, and especially WHO, fan. Thanks for posting- he would listen to Pete Townsend over me any day.</p>
<p>:( Scary. I LOVE rock and heavy metal. Fortunately, I also listen to my music with low volume, and when i say low, i mean 30% of max on ipod :).</p>
<p>Last night, my dad showed this newspaper clipping about ipod earphones. Here it is: <a href=“http://www.startribune.com/789/story/150546.html[/url]”>http://www.startribune.com/789/story/150546.html</a></p>
<p>Yes. Don Imus and Rush Limbaugh (no flames please, this is <em>not</em> a political statement) both suffered hearing loss ascribable, I believe, to their years of radio broadcast work with headphones. And they’re not even listening to heavy metal.</p>
<p>DS wears protective ear thingies when practicing his drums, but I don’t know that he’s taking any precautions in the iPod listening department.</p>
<p>There are some in ear headphones that conform to the ear and block out external noise fairly well. These allow for better musical clarity at lower volumes. </p>
<p>I use these: <a href=“http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2102547&cp[/url]”>www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2102547&cp</a></p>
<p>A couple of comments:</p>
<p>I think the in ear headphones are the primary culprit. If you require in ear, best ones are made by Etymotic <a href=“http://www.etymotic.com/[/url]”>About - Etymotic. Unless you’re on a plane, I think it’s better to have an open air design to be able to hear your surroundings. This is particularly critical when biking & jogging.</p>
<p>Though I rarely use them, I generally bring ear plugs to rock conceerts, just in case. I remember those days where you’d go to a concert and your ears would ring for three days. I have a high end stereo system (hence my user name), but also have a radio shack decibel meter (about $10). I do like to listen loud, but periodically check to make sure it’s not too loud.</p>
<p>I don’t know about Imus, but Rush Limbaugh’s hearing loss was most likely caused by Oxycontin abuse. That is definitely a side effect and he was doctor shopping and taking massive quantities. Imus also has a history of drug abuse, but supposedly has been clean for a while. Townshend’s was definitely caused by loud music ;)</p>
<p>The Apple earbuds are uncomfortable and the sound quality is not so good. Just upgraded to Koss that clip over the ears. Much more comfort, deeper base and overall sound quality.</p>
<p>Apple and others must be making a fortune on Ipod accessories. The charger used to come bundled with the Ipod and now are $30 per…</p>
<p>Earbuds have definitely been implicated in hearing loss. I just read an article on this recently. Apparently because they don’t block outside noises people feel the need to turn the volume up louder.</p>
<p>I know I have hearing loss from too much loud demon rock ‘n’ roll</p>
<p>I always bring earplugs to concerts now
I already have quite a bit of mid range hearing loss however- I don’t know if it was from the two times my eardrum burst with infections when I was a child or all those teeth rattling concerts I attended as a teen but I still like music loud- I just don’t listen to it with earphones</p>
<p>( I plug my ipod in to my car and roll down the windows so everyone can enjoy it!)</p>
<p>My wife and kids are always complaining about my music being too loud well about my music in general. They don’t have the same appreciation I do for The Grateful Dead.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>August,
I can relate. My parents used to yell at me “Turn it down”, then it became the wife & kids. I now have a dedicated loft in my home soundproofed for listening.</p>
<p>Wife tells me to turn it down, kids tell me to turn it up!</p>
<p>Aaaahhhh, another Deadhead. Glad to find another one of us around here!
Audiophile,are you a trader?</p>
<p>Guess I’ll be investing in some of those noise-canceling earbuds.</p>
<p>Nice to only blame rick and roll, what about country music? Hmmmm, only rock and roll, seems a bit old fashioned to say, its all that devil rock and roll music</p>
<p>My Ds listen to jazz, the blues, pop, the oldies, </p>
<p>So, I will not have my rock and roll being the only culprit</p>
<p>It’s not only rock (and maybe, roll) . It’s any form of music (and noise, of course). Even Mozart at high volumes would probably damage the ear.</p>
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<p>Definitely. I also use ear plugs for lawn mowing, snow blowing, or anything else that involves sustained exposure to loud sound pressure levels.</p>
<p>I question Pete Townshend’s conclusion that his hearing loss was due entirely to headphone usage. I seem to recall that he regularly played standing in front of stacks and stacks of Marshalls. Current rock n’ roll sound system technology is far kinder to the musicians than in the early developmental stages of large sound reinforcement in the 1960s.</p>
<p>ID,</p>
<p>If your ears are being blown out in the bleachers listening to Won’t Get Fooled Again, what could it do to those onstage?</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>In the old days, sure.</p>
<p>These days, stage setups tend to use smaller guitar amp setups at much lower volumes. The really good sounding bands even use isolation baffles around the drums on stage. They close-mic everything and use the PA system (usually suspended from the ceiling well above the band) for volume. The musicians almost all use custom molded in-ear stage monitors which signficantly attenuate the ambient amplitude.</p>
<p>Wouldn’t surprise me at all if the SPL on stage is much lower than it is in the audience with current sound reinforcement practice.</p>
<p>And don’t forget to stick your fingers in your ears when the fire engine passes!</p>