Don't blare that MP3 player, researchers warn

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Drive a Ferrari and crash it into a wall going MUCH faster than your Yugo will ever go, is it Ferrari's fault? NO!!!! The Ferrari has a pedal that YOU have to push to go TOO fast, and the iPod has a control that is in your hands as well.

Again, your analogy is way off base. A licensed driver knows better than to drive into a wall. An unlicensed (they're all unlicensed) iPod owner may or may not know more harm can be done using headphones versus regular speakers. Since I know the problem I solved it by not using the iPod earbuds, but others may not know the problem, and the damage could occur before they find out.

My 1000 watt per channel sound sytem at home will go MUCH louder than your boom box, is it the Amp makers fault if I damage my hearing? The speaker makers fault? Maybe it's those darn Monster cables that allow so much more sound through? NO!!!

If you play your music so loud so as to do damage to your hearing using a regular speaker in your own home, then you're already in violalation of noise pollution laws. Your local authorities will correct the matter before too much hearing damage happens. Anyway, it IS reasonable for a speaker maker to expect you to follow your local laws. Knowing the law is always your responsibility.

The speakers at the U2 Concert last summer were so loud some people DID complain about hearing problems after the show. Is it U2's fault? Did anyone get sued? NO!!!!

Fortunately I got the ringing out of my ears about 5 days after the concert, so I didn't see a need to sue. No loss, no lawsuit. But if I suffered permanent damage you bet I would have sued U2. (And no, I'm not making that up. I was one of the lucky winners who got into the oval, perhaps if I wasn't so lucky I wouldn't have had so much ringing in my ears.)

And if you don't know how much damage you can do to your hearing with loud music, then you weren't paying attention to the TONS of news stories, movies, anecdotes and public service announcements about noise and hearing loss due to loud environments, loud music, etc. Everyone knows that loud music is bad for your ears, and if you are so ignorant of the world around you that you don't, then we are better off as a society without you.

News stories? Only since Pete Townshend recently started talking about it has it really been a hot button issue. Plenty of hearing damage could have occured before then. Movies? Name two movies which has hearing loss due to headphones as a part of the plotline. Anecdotes? All anecdotes depend on the circles you travel in. Public service announcements? I haven't heard any. Loud music is bad? Well duh! But does loud music from a speaker do anywhere near the damage loud music from a headphone does? Absolutely not. Pete even testified to that in his opinion piece. So more care is needed from headphone distributors when warning their buyers about the dangers involved. Especially those who do not limit the decibel level of the headphones.

You notice I said to try the iPod's headphones then try an ordinary pair and to notice the difference. The difference is, of course, that normal headphones limit the decibel level because they know hearing damage can occur if they do not. They accept that there is a potential harm that can be done to their customers, and in turn a potential liability to themselves, and they did something to address it. Is it too much to ask Apple to do the same?

Posted by: Michael Kelly   Posted on: 03/15/06 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use

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