I expected more info about actual headphone hearing loss. Like volume settings and how sometimes even the lowest sound setting is still too loud, or how listening to sound for extended periods of time also could increase hearing loss so how does that impact headphones, should you put your headphones away after using them for a couple hours to listen to silence so the hairs can untangle? Are there regulations regarding headphones, is there advice from companies for sound settings or listening time? So I think there were a lot more questions that could be asked and this could have been longer, the video felt a bit rushed and skipped over a lot of aspects of wearing headphones and hearing loss.
When is the lowest setting too loud? I'm always happy to find headphones where 70-80% is loud enough, but frankly I'm usually at 90% and over unless I'm in a perfectly quiet environment. Not to mention the loss of detail at lower volume, feels like I miss half the song when listening at 50%
I use headphones a lot and so far my hearing is okay-- I try to listen at a volume as if "whispering" -- as quietly as possible. I think you can ramp up the volume from time to time but only for a very short moment. Hearing loss is a function of volume over time.
@@dron6660790I mean, this definitely has to do with the platform you're using-I typically keep my volume between 15-20% on my phone, but that same volume is 45-50% on my computer, for example. But it also might just be an experience you don't have for physiological/neurological reasons. Some people are extremely sensitive to loud noise, myself included, and so other people's "comfortable listening volumes" can be physically painful. (Yes, this means music is less detailed, but I'd rather hear half the song than have splitting ear pain.) This can lead to times where, if the volume setting on a device isn't precise enough and/or a piece of media is particularly loud, the lowest non-mute volume is too high for comfort. This came up with my old phone and headphones a lot, where volume 1 was too much but volume 0 was off.
@@nikpan9744 BetterHelp *sold sensitive user data* to third parties like Facebook and SnapChat, after they had promised it would remain confidential. They were fined for this. Think about all the kinds of things you could talk about with your therapist, that kind of data. They also had *zero* validation of the credentials their "therapists" had early on, and their terms of service said it was the responsibility of the customer to do this if needed. So you could be talking to some random unqualified person about your most personal issues. Don't take my word for it, look up "betterhelp fined" and "betterhelp credentials" online to read about it.
@@nikpan9744they have been here since the old age of youtube they are in a massive scandal from way back, look it up. In summary what these people say is they are making money out of depression and that they are not genuine, atleast that's the narrative before feel free to search on your own.
@@nikpan9744 Dude SO many reasons )Therapy in most situations doesn’t actually help much but is outrageously expensive )BetterHelp is even LESS help because a lot of their therapists are over scheduled and uncertified (though, knowing the training therapists receive, this may actually be a plus) )Despite NUMEROUS insistences to the contrary, they sell your data. And not your location, phone number, email, whatever, like other companies do. No, they sell your mental health status. If I’m depressed and go to them (which is a bad idea to begin with), they’ll tell other advertisers that I’m depressed and those other advertisers will know that I’m not susceptible to buy certain things - usually things that are actively scams and don’t work
@memberwhen22 Betterhelp sold data of a survey to Facebook, Snapchat, and more which had sensitive and personal questions. The survey said that the data wouldn't be shared to any 3rd party. But it did.
@@imakro69 What? It doesn't create pressure. Noise cancellation works by creating destructive interference, it's literally removing the sound waves by creating "opposite" sound waves, leaving no sound waves left to reach your eardrums. The pressure you can feel is probably just from the headphones sealing against your ears.
@@itsJPheremb you're right, I didn't really fact check, just my empiric observations. I thought anc creates waves in opposite phase, and they cancel eachother out but the net pressure is still positive.
Better help is a complete scam, they don’t have therapists actually, just random people, who you have to repeat your stuff all over gain, like people in the street. Waste of time, and it’s actually predatory.
I live near a busy road where the steady noise of traffic averages around 70-75dB, measured near my balcony door; and over 100dB when an ambulance or fire truck drives by. The constant noise isn't only damaging to your hearing, but also your physical & psychological well-being. I do hate living here with all the noise, but due to the housing crisis, there was no alternative.
Sorry youre having to live that way, I was in a similar situation for a decade or so at 70+db, even on a Sunday afternoon still 65+ the constant hum is very oppressive. I managed a few years ago to move somewhere quiet with a background of 45db and it made a difference to my stress and nervous system (it also made my partner realize she had constant tinnitus but she didn't notice much in the loud city environment!). I hope eventually you can move somewhere quieter.
Could double glazed windows help? (For when you’re inside and the windows are closed). If you drive, an electric car may be quieter inside than a petroleum car.
@@JamielDeAbrew Thank you for your comment. I don't drive, never have, never will. It's true that internal combustion engines emit more noise than electric motors, but EVs create as much noise on the roads as do ICE vehicles, simply because a lot of car & truck noise comes from the wheels (rolling resistance) on the pavement. Also, you ever notice when the roads are wet, the noise from car traffic gets even louder (amplified), regardless of the engine that's propelling them.
Why? I use it and it's helped me to be a better person and accomplish a lot of goals I was having trouble reaching before. (I'll keep posting this, not really sure why it is being removed but a dig with no context is allowed by somebody that probably has never even used the service)
Always use concert ear plugs at shows. They not only protect your hearing, they actually make it sound better. Shows can be incredibly harsh sounding, with one sound spilling into another. If you wear concert earplugs, it reduces the noise to a level you can actually enjoy and hear things clearly.
@@thijseggen2880 Depends on the quality of the earplugs. Some are form fitted to your ears, and provide a variety of filtering options. You can experiment and find a filter that works best for the environment you’re in.
@@thijseggen2880 If you look at data for our ability to hear harmonic distortion vs. level, you'll find that there is sort of a trough of best sensitivity vs. level. Essentially, at very low levels it's limited by the absolute hearing threshold, while at high levels our ears effectively start distorting by themselves. (It's probably why PAs do not attract complaints about their distortion levels more often.) I can certainly attest that things are much more comfortable with earplugs, but then I've always been the type to listen 10 dB quieter than the average person and complaining about live sound levels being 20 dB too high. Apparently this can be a sign of a type of hidden hearing loss.
As a 26-year-old adult, since 2022, I developed tinnitus in my left ear due to listening to music at high volumes for approximately 10 years. Unfortunately, this prevents me from listening to music with headphones even at low volume, as it only worsens my tinnitus. As a music lover, this was a hard blow in my life. If you often start to feel ringing in your ears, this is a clear sign that you are about to get tinnitus. If you can still avoid it, do so at once.
@@dylanhavlicek4444 Unfortunately, I didn't know tinnitus existed until I had it. My recommendation is that if you have already started to feel symptoms, rest your ears for approximately 6 months and after that listen to music at a more considerate volume (being able to hear people with headphones)
As far as I’m informed, you should get it checked out asap. Apparently, with hearing loss and tinnitus, time is extremely important for the success of the treatment. Don’t hesitate to get an appointment at a medical specialist immediately!
could have given a few examples of hearing protection! as a musician telling you now one of the best things is these protective ear buds that are small, don't affect the quality of the sound and fit on your keys, that way you always have them with you.
I think he's refering to high fidelity earplugs. They don't reduce as much noise as regular foam ones but usually enough to protect hearing in most live music scenarios and it reduces the volume relatively evenly instead of killing all the high end like foam ones do, hence preserving details in the sound. One example is called Eargasm. I got em and they're well worth it. Check it out.
I use the loop ones that have a little air hole. They don't lower the decibels as much as the ones that make an air tight seal, but I cant stand how the seal feels so at least I'm more likely to use them. They're a sanity saver during the summer when I'm always around fans or AC is cycling on and off and the general sound environment around me is consistently louder than cooler seasons.
@@DannyWakahisa I personally can recommend Alpine MusicSafePro which I use at every concert and nightclub party. I don't really get tired of very loud noise for hours straight.
I have the loop earplugs but i hate how they feel, so i would not enjoy a concert wearing it. The little orange ones don't stay in my ear. Any recommendations please let me know.
How is it a great video? It asks a question and then answers a completely different one. The question was whether headphones destroy our hearing, goes on to talk about how we turn up our volume without even realising it, then it ultimately just answers whether active noise cancelling damages our hearing?
I did my damage in my twenties, loud concerts, blasting music on my Walkman/Discman. I've had tinnitus for over twenty years now and a loss of hearing in certain frequencies. I try to avoid having it get worse, but the damage is done.
This happens because there is no proper acoustic education in many countries. Already in primary school, the problem of noise pollution should be raised among children and their parents, but such cases are rare. On the contrary - nowadays even for preschoolers are organized loud parties with music at full volume, because it is fashionable. In general, loud behavior is fashionable, but the point is not to give up completely to have fun with music, but to ensure that the sound level is such that it does not cause harm for life. This requires some knowledge about the impact of loud sounds on health and this knowledge should be taught from an early age.
@@stopthenoiseglobal The danger of loud sounds is well known and has been taught for the last 50 years at least. Today, unlike when I was a teenager, earplugs suitable for music are available.
The damage is done now without the victim's consent/self infliction. Cars, in a car dependent world, make public spaces unbearable with the constant loud noise they put out. And dogs, where people impulsively buy a dog without consideration for the animal's wellbeing, get aggressive and loud when neglected (treated as yard/living room ornaments) and shown aggressive behavior in humans (owners bicker and yell at each other). As a result they also destroy the hearing of the people unwillingly exposed to them. And that's just two of the worst examples I'm personally affected by.
@@memberwhen22 People's biggest problem with it is - yes it is probably a good product - but the way they push it, at times, can be arguably unethical. The way alot of their marketing is presented is as praying upon young people and blanket stating and fear mongering in a way that EVERYONE needs therapy for everything. Problem isn't the product - but how its pushed. Not saying I fully agree with sentiment above, but there is some truth to it. But I also know people who use it and have gotten help.
@@memberwhen22 if you didn’t know betterhelp steals your data that you collect on the site and sells it to advertisers so they can give you adds for like anti-depressants Simply put it they are taking advantage of their users
I found it varies per venue, but they've gotten stupidly loud in places. - I remember going to them with no issue for most of my life, until like... I don't know 10-15 years ago?... Suddenly it was painfully loud, sometimes even with earplugs in. And whispering characters would even sound stupidly loud. I also turned on a decibel-meter once and it would easily hit around 100dBs. Like, tf is that. - I feel like it shouldn't even be legal and it also can NOT be that standards like Dolby and IMAX think it's set correctly.
Not to mention the multiplicity of things like cars and dogs that give off a constant stream of loud noise, or extreme sharp and sudden overpressure. I'd be listening to something quietly on studio quality open back on-ear headphones, in a private environment with the expectation that my surroundings should stay generally quiet (I only use headphones in such private environments), and then my aunt's dog will burst in screaming with no reservations whatsoever about destroying my hearing. After which, my aunt or my mom will refuse to see the issue with actual loud things, and instead accuse my quiet use of headphones as being dangerous and unhealthy. Then they self righteously drag my headphones off of my head, as if I ever gave them consent to do so.
5:20 When I first bought my noise-cancelling headphone, the simple answer that : "no, it's not adding sounds to your eardrums" was awefully difficult to find. Happy to know it works this way physically.
It begs the question though, why are clubs so freaking loud? If they were quieter they would still be just as enjoyable and also you would be able to hear your friends more easily
@@brianfunt2619 they think their music is so good, thats why. You wouldn't want to listen to stuff you don't like very loudly, so DJ's crank it for the opposite reason.
Are headphones destroying our hearing? 1320pm 25.6.24 yeah. and i bet this was predicted 30 years ago - that you had decided to make a skit proclaiming constant use of headphones bad....
I feel like there could be a lot more information and more emphasis on loud music in clubs and concerts. And that there was needlessly big emphasis on the explanation how Active Noise Cancelling works.
Did this research a couple years ago, glad to hear from an expert that ANC doesn't *add* damaging sound. You can turn the volume down quite a bit when the background noise is cut out
It depends on how good the ANC is. I had the QC30 from Anker and couldn't stand it, but I'm also the only person I know who notices, so depends on how good your hearing is too.
2:30 those sound effects are ingrained into my brain as I own a pair of Sony WH-1000XM4s. The noise cancellation means I usually use it at a lower volume, and the audio quality is excellent for bluetooth headphones.
the video explained it's not damaging as it cancels out noises. So no vibration to the ear. the most important thing is to take breaks and have music at talking volume.
I developed tinnitus around 3 years ago during lockdown. It's hard to say what caused it exactly, but I've always suspected it was because of playing Escape from Tarkov. It's a shooter game that encourages you to turn up the volume to hear people sneaking, but then has bursts of loud gunfights. I've played games with headphones for over a decade before that without issue. Anecdotally, a lot of other people have said EfT has given them tinnitus.
No it’s the insanely loud bars, clubs, concerts, transportation, etc that is much higher decibels than anyone I’m aware of listens to in their headphones.
The airpods pro 2 have actually been really good in blocking out loud noise with adaptive transparency, i use it often for my commute and I find it blocks high pitch noises and roadwork when I wear it.
Noise damage is not invisible. You can easily notice it with just your phone and any app or online service that can produce a sound of certain frequency and loudness. Your phone speaker is most probably able to emit sounds up to 20kHz and beyond, so the only thing that can prevent you from hearing the high pitch sounds is your own hearing loss. btw the C9 note is 8372Hz and C10 is 16744Hz respectively your limit is probably somewhere in between p.s. there are also numerous diseases that may lead to hearing issues, so noise may be not the main problem in your case
A tip: please wear earplugs if you go to concerts or parties!! If the sound is loud enough, exposure to it once can lead to hearing loss. My brother had this happen a year ago and after treatments, he still doesn't have his hearing back. He is not completely deaf but he can hear a lot less then he did before.
I have ADD / am a highly sensitive person (HSP) and I'm very susceptible to sensory stimuli, hearing and sound being one of the biggest. As a kid, the doctor said I have impeccable hearing and I can still hear frequencies like bats chirping at night. I wonder if people even notice how noisy "normal" crowded environments are by themselves - people, talking / screaming, cars, trains, buses, airplanes - it gives me a headache. Sitting in an airplane without covering my ears in some type of way is like sound torture to me. Even sitting in a "quiet" office, there are chairs squeaking, people talking, phones ringing, coffee machines going off, it's very distracting. I only go out in public with noise cancelling headphones now, they make it so much more bearable, even comforting. I also plug my ears and wear a sleeping mask at night. Another giant risk people seem to ignore is club speakers that always play the music way too loud and I even noticed their equalizer settings are horrible often, it feels like I'm being beat up by soundwaves. The times I went to the club without ear plugs I couldn't bear the noise for long, my head starts hurting and when I leave, my ears are ringing, it's horrible. Now I always have ear plugs with me in case I'm in a noisy environment or I end up at a party. Club speakers are not only bad for your hearing, but can also be dangerous physically since too intense bass soundwaves can burst the air bubbles in your lungs. The last time I went out the music not only sounded way more loud than usual, but also like the equalizer was set to max on every frequency. The bass waves felt like a physical attack on my body. I quickly left. I do listen to music constantly, usually with headphones, maybe too loud occassionally (noise cancelling probably helps keeps the noise down, too), but that's nothing compared to the hearing loss I experience from club speakers. I also noticed that using high quality headphones (I only use BOSE equipment, great noise cancelling, too) reduces headache over prolonged sound exposure to an absolute minimum. Music is not only unpleasant when it's too loud (also imagine hearing a song you don't like that's physically damaging you at the same time), but in conclusion - it's absolutely not worth permanently losing your hearing over going out partying (if you enjoy that sort of stuff).
I'm sound engineer, used to tour as a musician: do NOT go to a rock concert without hearing protection! I ruined mine, there is a permanent scream inside my head. Now i don't go to any loud event without at least my trusty, very cheap in-ears. Money is a poor indicator of quality in the consumer audio, specially with headphones whose marketing and the community built around them are the worst in the whole audio/sound business and it is not even close to the second. Do not trust any "audiophile"review that doesn't at least attempt to establish a baseline with measurements.
hey - what ear protection do you use? I'm a DJ who recently got chronic tinnitus and NIHL in my left ear (notch at 4.5 - 6k) from a loud and bad quality monitor, as well as loud bad quality speakers in the room I DJ'd in in April. I'm taking a break from DJing while I get to grips with the scream, but would love to still play / go to gigs. I have a pair of eargasm -15db plus which I liked in June at a festival but I think my T has gotten a little worse since onset in April. Also waitng on ACS customs to arrive but I would like to buy a few pairs of cheaper plugs so I always have them
With all the incredible medical and surgical advancements in the last century its odd that hearing loss and tinnitus are treated like, "well the damage is done and try not to make it worse"...
Its because there are so many different things that can cause it. It could be pressure/inflammation in the ear, could be damage to the auditory nerve (irreversible without surgery) or it could be a brain condition, and i dont think thats it. It could also be affected by stress.
Knowing what damage has been done and having a way to fix it are vastly different things. Do you also find it odd that we can't just grow people new hearts or fingers?
The vestibular system is incredibly delicate and complex, we aren’t currently capable of reversing damage to it but scientists and doctors are always working on these things. It’s a thankless job clearly. Maybe if we funded them and not billionaires and warmongers then we’d already have a solution 🤷♀️.
glad my airpods has a feature to monitor noise decibels and automatically lowers it to a safe level. doesnt always cross my mind that the audio could be too loud
Finally, a video on this. I had these exact same questions time ago and did a deep dive. Definitely could make a part 2 that goes more in depth and has some better reccommendations, this was very high level. Also, the mention of clubs/concerts at the end, another video just on that topic and the importance of getting good earplugs that lower db but not the quality of the music would be cool.
Helpful, but I was hoping to hear (heh) more about how to make sure we listen at a safe volume. I know Apple has some built in protections (since they know the loudness of their devices), but does that help enough? Where are those settings? Etc.
I'm autistic and get sensory overload quite easily in loud spaces, so I usually carry a pair of earplugs to places like that and also have tinnitus, maybe because I used to wear headphones really loud to overtake it, but I got ANC earbuds and headphones, so I hope these habits slow any possible hearing loss or worsening of my condition.
ANC earphones have been a lifesaver not only for commuting on the subway, but also visiting museums! I even used them at a concert recently where I was struggling with the volume. I used the 'passthrough' function of my ANC earphones, letting 15% of the sound come through. It made me feel so much better and prevented sensory overload.
@@plopsan Sorry, but it sounds more like deafness than tinnitus. With tinnitus alone, you shouldn't have to raise the volume to understand anything, I have it and I still hear tiny details. You should get that measured and see what you still hear or perhaps they can even find something blocking your hearing. Could be as simply as excess earwax that's just deep, which isn't uncommon and just natural. But if not, you might need an aid to help instead of blasting volume and risking making things worse.
I'm an HSP and have always been bothered by a lot of noise (not understanding it until, possibly, my twenties), though I also still went to things like Rock/Metal concerts and being in an ocean of people. Still do, but have of course started using earplugs many years ago now. But I went as far as wearing them 90% of the time, other than while sleeping. Even the water clattering in a shower-cabin or bathroom is tiresome to my hearing and I avoid even that, let alone more. Well, I still blast music loudly, but only with good quality (in terms of production, not the bitrate or anything), in that they don't have harmful frequencies or low dynamic range. - But only with listening to music or watching movies or playing games, when I really want to enjoy good sounds, I won't wear earplugs, and outside of that I will have them in by default. - It also seems to become more normal now with brands like Loop even selling them as fashionable to people like us who are bothered by noise easily. And I like that they're normalizing it, cause the human health is suffering with the noisy environments we live in. All that the modern human does isn't natural, as normalized as it all is.
They told us this in school ye Ive got sound hypersensitivity and have my headphone volume limit and the smallest number 75dB which already hurts my ears, the pain makes me think im at risk but its actually protecting me lol. Noise cancelation my beloved, the world is so loud
I am one of the very few people who gets nauseous listening to active noise cancelling. So, I only own headphones with good passive noise cancelling. Now I'm just afraid with the way technology goes everyone will stop making them.
Most of the time, a good ANC is only possible with a good passive NC in the first place. If you pick a ANC headphone and turn it off, it will have the same effect as a headphone with only passive NC.
@@microteam4 I totally agree. What annoys me is that the ANC headphones default to turning on the ANC every time they are powered on and then make you go through hoops to turn off the ANC. My PNC headphones are far less of a hassle.
I tried four pairs of ANC headphones before I found some that I can just about tolerate. I wish this were talked about more, I was completely blindsided when I put on the first pair and instantly felt dizzy and very, very weird.
@@matthew.datcher At least with ANC headphones/earphones that come with an app (Sony, Sennheiser, B&W etc), you can set the default according to your location/activity so I'd recommend looking into this feature for your next purchase! Otherwise, there will always be a market for PNC in-ear devices as long as audiophiles/artists exist, as purists tend to think ANC negatively impacts the audio quality 😆
You ever try the etymotic earbuds? I loved my old er2se's until i lost them, but then I wanted something with LESS cancellation so i had awareness so i bought something else.
Around the 1:35 mark, they say that going from 85 to 88dB (3dB change) of volume "doubles the loudness." That is incorrect. A 3dB change is a common number used to describe "a perceptible change to the human ear." 3dB is a small but perceptible change in loudness. It requires double the amplifier power to raise volume by 3dB, but it's NOT double the loudness. A 10dB change (80dB to 90dB, for example) is double the loudness, and would require a tenfold increase in amplifier power.
Have often wondered if there are negative side effects to active noise cancellation even if it allows me to lower my headphone volume. Great video that helps put my mind at ease.
@@FromDkWithLove they did answer it, the noise cancellation plays a sound that acts in the opposite direction to the noise, cancelling it and resulting in no sound. you can't damage your ears if there is no sound.
@@dogmeat2418 How something works in theory through a brief, generalized summary is nothing conclussive to you and I. As you know, it might as well have nothing at all. But that's beyond the scope of a quick overview video like this. You'd need study data breakdowns on specific models and manufacturers for that.
As a professional musician with tinnitus and hearing loss, I xan tell you: this video is great. I've been using Sony noise cancelling headphones for years, and they do a great job. I also use professional in-ears on stage, and hearing protection earbuds in loud environments. Always protect your ears!
I had a VERY loud American colleague in my office and purchased top-of-the-line Sony noise-cancelling headphones to combat them. While they mostly do the job, I occasionally had to listen to Scandinavian Death Metal at 90 decibels to cancel it out. RIP little ear hairs
I got my right ear blasted by a muzzle blast from an assault rifle when I was in the army. Ever since I've been super sensitive to any kind of audible distortion. Clipping microphones are so bad that I must drop the volume to like 1-3% when listening with headphones. I did have sensitive hearing before but after that incident, I've had recurring physical pain in my right ear. One time I noticed that I probably hear everything with a slight amount of distortion. I've used headphones for more than 10 years now when I browse and having something liker EqualizerAPO and sometimes a few limiter/compressor and or dynamic EQ's is a must to get through some of the badly recorded stuff on UA-cam. I feel like the world gets louder every day and I think I should probably get some noise cancelling earbuds when visiting any place that has more people or (loud) traffic.
2:03 The worst is to live in a building and have neighbours with small children (they moved in recently), and now I'm basically all the time with my headphones but unfortunately, I can still hear them!
Starting during covid, my work switched from in-person interviews to online work that required having to have headphones on - employees were supposed to have the sound on max for the whole working day, using shared headphones in an office full of colleagues speaking at full volume in the background right next to you. I started with an ear infection then prolonged tinnitus which affected my hearing. Sometimes the ringing got so loud I couldn't sleep. After multiple regular visits to various doctors, I quit. It took ages to heal. No amount of money is worth not ever knowing what silence sounds like again.
Most of the time, yes. When I'm stressed, didn't sleep well, or listen to something kind of loud for a long time, the tinnitus does come back but not as bad and goes away after. Right after my ear infection, I was told there wasn't anything I could do apart from using some ointment and taking painkillers so I went elsewhere and got acupuncture once a week for a few months... I'm not sure if that's what helped or simply because I stopped doing the job that required me to wear headphones but anyway I had my hearing tested before and after and it seemed to have bounced back to normal with no noticeable ringing. This happened in 2021 so it was 3 years ago. @@nataliesimpson443
You must the first person who thought noise cancelling wasn’t necessary. For me it was a game changer, immediately increasing my life quality. Subway is loud? Noise cancelling. Neighbor is too loud at night and I can’t sleep? Noise cancelling. Long flight? Noise cancelling. Too many people in the office and I need to focus? Noise cancelling. Absolutely necessary.
So does noise cancelling work on people talking? Because that uncertainty has always put me off getting some noise cancelling headphones and I was told it doesn't work on conversations. Does it work better for crowds then, for example, two to three people talking nearby?
I probably have some hearing loss, but tbh, I'm more inclined to blame it on going to super loud punk, metal, and edm shows for almost 2 decades. (since I was like... 13?) I don't max out my headphone volume though - the most comfortable range for me is around 40% total system volume.
No doubt but unfortunately education around these matters weren't all that up to scratch in certain regions in the past and some already suffered the consequences. But earplugs can absolutely prevent further damage, however some people I've spoken to say their hearing is so compromised that what is loud for normal people is just right for them and if they were to wear earplugs, even the special types, they won't enjoy it at all. Quite sad actually.
@@Tommy5ive Maybe even at the movies. I don't get how people can deal with such loud sounds for hours. Maybe they've damaged their hearing so much and gotten desensitized
So important - the invisible damage we do! Concerts, in particular, can be extremely damaging to our ears, as I find big venues often blast them hella loud (the thinking: loudness = more enjoyment = more value for money), so some ear plugs of between $60 - $100 will do wonders to reduce the damage attending one of these events would do, whilst still letting you enjoy the performance (can actually make the music clearer and less fuzzy, I find).
Ever since I realized that the ringing I hear in my head is not simply the sound of a quiet room I've been hyperaware of protecting my remaining hearing. I've had inexplicable ringing in my ears for as long as I can remember and with no singular loud event to pin it on I've concluded that it's just from having my headphones or earbuds way too loud. Since then I installed a program to put a cap on the volume that can play through my headset. Anything uncomfortably loud now automatically forces my system sounds to a lower volume, this has saved my ears from several dozen instances of loading up a newly installed game and being ear-blasted by max volume main menu music. *PROTECT YOUR EARS, TINNITUS IS PERMANENT, FOREVER, AND YOU WILL ONLY EVER REALIZE YOU'VE MESSED UP UNTIL IT'S TOO LATE.*
One thing I do disagree on is that this should only be our responsibility. Why do we have noisy environments? What can be done to make them less noisy? Why can't hearing loss be a public health concern? Do construction sites need to be as noisy as they are? Can't we develop ambient-wide noise canceling technology? Yes, our health is our responsibility but when it's not in our hands we need to be asking the harder questions
We could definitely add speakers to construction equipment to make them less noisy, but that costs money, and the public getting hearing loss isn't the manufacturer's problem.
@@LutraLovegood unless regulations make it the manufacturers problem... Imagine less noisy power tools... We always develop tech so new regulations would force better tech to be developed
"I always thought noise cancellation was a marketing gimmick" Hey Vox can we have someone who knows what they're talking about make the video then e.g. someone who has used headphones before?
I used to not like the idea of buying ANC earbuds until I lost my regular ones. As soon as I popped them on and the ANC kicked in during a very loud subway ride, I felt amazing. Went from almost maxing out the volume down to 50 or 60%
i have bad tinnitus from shooting guns and im 17, i have to live with it for the rest of my life. please if you read this protect your ears like youre protecting your life, otherwise it will haunt you forever.
Well said. I have been involved in acoustics most of my life, and have fastidiously protected my ears - even wearing ear plugs at AC/DC concerts much to my friends' amusement. I am now 63 and can still hear up to 15kHz.
@@aminaelo actually I was listening music at the bedtime 🌙 . Ididnt off the headphone on that night, When I wakeup in the morning I was not able to listen from one ear.
There is a sweet spot when listening with headphones. It's when the ear drums get tickled just right and with a good mix it's usually where all the instruments sound the best. But it's at a relatively quiet volume and doesn't need much background noise to drown out the music.
45, and noticed non-ignorable tinnitus 2 years ago after listening to Radiohead _with headphones_ and/or biting into very hard food. Unfortunately, you have to trick your mind since the 'hair' is either gone or stuck on the ON position.
Just use cotton plugs, they are comfortable and reduce loud sharp noises quite dramatically without actually blocking your hearing completely, it just muffles it. My great grandfather used to tell me all about how he retained his hearing after the war, cause he wore cotton plugs, a habit from when he was a hunter before the war because hunters need their ears just as much as anyone to listen.
@@anacc3257 It indeed can be as bad as those things, when you factor in the duration of exposure. Please make sure to protect your hearing, so you can continue to listen to that music you love into the future.
remember that the damage is cumulative, so you may not notice today, but in a few years you will. you might get tinnitus, like I did. You don't want that, you'll never hear silence again :(
terrible advice: - The threshold for hearing damage over prolonged exposure is lower than the pain threshold - Your pain levels will adapt overtime, and over couple of years, what used to be painful is no longer painful, you lose a bit of hearing, you turn volume higher, you lose more hearing, etc.
The decibel abuse that I inflicted on my ears from my teens to mid 40s is off the charts. Always max possible distortion-free volume. Based on what was said here, I should be virtually deaf. My hearing is average for a 60something. 🤷
Active Noise cancelling headphones make me extremely anxious, so it's really difficult to deal with needing to reduce my headphones volume when out and about
I expected more info about actual headphone hearing loss.
Like volume settings and how sometimes even the lowest sound setting is still too loud, or how listening to sound for extended periods of time also could increase hearing loss so how does that impact headphones, should you put your headphones away after using them for a couple hours to listen to silence so the hairs can untangle?
Are there regulations regarding headphones, is there advice from companies for sound settings or listening time?
So I think there were a lot more questions that could be asked and this could have been longer, the video felt a bit rushed and skipped over a lot of aspects of wearing headphones and hearing loss.
There are not regulations around this space - amazingly. Headphones can be turned up to unbelievably high levels which makes this topic so important.
When is the lowest setting too loud? I'm always happy to find headphones where 70-80% is loud enough, but frankly I'm usually at 90% and over unless I'm in a perfectly quiet environment. Not to mention the loss of detail at lower volume, feels like I miss half the song when listening at 50%
I use headphones a lot and so far my hearing is okay-- I try to listen at a volume as if "whispering" -- as quietly as possible. I think you can ramp up the volume from time to time but only for a very short moment. Hearing loss is a function of volume over time.
Also they even got the noise cancellation wrong when he said it’s all in the electronics, the sound is in the air and the cancellation is in the air.
@@dron6660790I mean, this definitely has to do with the platform you're using-I typically keep my volume between 15-20% on my phone, but that same volume is 45-50% on my computer, for example. But it also might just be an experience you don't have for physiological/neurological reasons. Some people are extremely sensitive to loud noise, myself included, and so other people's "comfortable listening volumes" can be physically painful. (Yes, this means music is less detailed, but I'd rather hear half the song than have splitting ear pain.) This can lead to times where, if the volume setting on a device isn't precise enough and/or a piece of media is particularly loud, the lowest non-mute volume is too high for comfort. This came up with my old phone and headphones a lot, where volume 1 was too much but volume 0 was off.
Vox shouldn't have fallen for the "BetterScam" therapist sponsor.
I "fell" for the BetterHelp platform and it's helped me improve my life and accomplish things that I was previously stuck on. Your mileage may vary.
I can't believe it's literally back and creators just somehow forgot their scandal. BetterHelp was shunned some time ago, what happened?
Shouldn't have*
* fallen
@@memberwhen22 Did ya generate that with AI?
DON'T USE BETTERHELP
Why so?
@@nikpan9744 BetterHelp *sold sensitive user data* to third parties like Facebook and SnapChat, after they had promised it would remain confidential. They were fined for this. Think about all the kinds of things you could talk about with your therapist, that kind of data. They also had *zero* validation of the credentials their "therapists" had early on, and their terms of service said it was the responsibility of the customer to do this if needed. So you could be talking to some random unqualified person about your most personal issues. Don't take my word for it, look up "betterhelp fined" and "betterhelp credentials" online to read about it.
@@nikpan9744they have been here since the old age of youtube they are in a massive scandal from way back, look it up.
In summary what these people say is they are making money out of depression and that they are not genuine, atleast that's the narrative before feel free to search on your own.
@@nikpan9744 they sold the conversations with there clients.
@@nikpan9744 Dude SO many reasons
)Therapy in most situations doesn’t actually help much but is outrageously expensive
)BetterHelp is even LESS help because a lot of their therapists are over scheduled and uncertified (though, knowing the training therapists receive, this may actually be a plus)
)Despite NUMEROUS insistences to the contrary, they sell your data. And not your location, phone number, email, whatever, like other companies do. No, they sell your mental health status. If I’m depressed and go to them (which is a bad idea to begin with), they’ll tell other advertisers that I’m depressed and those other advertisers will know that I’m not susceptible to buy certain things - usually things that are actively scams and don’t work
didnt better help sell their patience data to advertisers?
And the vast majority of their counsellors are overworked & underpaid, meaning that their customers don't actually get "better help".
Tbey are a demonic company bro
@@Grrranola "better help"? nah, more like "better lies" 💀
bro i cant think of something that rhymes with it 😭
@@d4v3yy "BetterHelp" Yeah sure, BetterStealYourCreditCardInformation.
BetterHep sold an aggregate of responses to a survey.
Don't accept BetterScam sponsors.
Why? I use it and it's helped me to be a better person and accomplish a lot of goals I was having trouble reaching before.
@memberwhen22 Betterhelp sold data of a survey to Facebook, Snapchat, and more which had sensitive and personal questions. The survey said that the data wouldn't be shared to any 3rd party. But it did.
@@memberwhen22are you a bot? Atleast don't write the same comment in the same video
@@memberwhen22 ok bot
@@Merc1mek I do remember that now, not cool
I wonder if Better Help helped more people commit than to stop them from doing it.
???
@@snakedoktor6020it’s a scam
@@snakedoktor6020better help therapists are not necessarily licensed to practice therapy. Sometimes they get straight up random people.
@@snakedoktor6020 commit, as in going to the other side... op is making a sick joke at the expense of those seeking help but being scammed.
@@mixiekins i think he used a euphemism because youtube censoring comments
TL;DR Active Noise Cancellation is both real and good, and doesn't damage your hearing.
It still creates pressure, so you still experience the same fatigue, but you don't hear it as opposed to noise you can point out
The good thing it allows you to listen to your stuff at a lower volume, bringing the overall dB level you experience lower
Felt like and add for noise cancellation
@@imakro69 What? It doesn't create pressure. Noise cancellation works by creating destructive interference, it's literally removing the sound waves by creating "opposite" sound waves, leaving no sound waves left to reach your eardrums. The pressure you can feel is probably just from the headphones sealing against your ears.
@@itsJPheremb you're right, I didn't really fact check, just my empiric observations. I thought anc creates waves in opposite phase, and they cancel eachother out but the net pressure is still positive.
The "power on" sound at the beginning got me checking my headphones, as if I hadn't already listened to a whole intro on them.
yep, the sony gang be confused rn
@@manavhirani I don't even have them on and I checked lol
"I thought I was wearing my WH-1000XM5's, why am I hearing the WH-1000XM4 power on sound?"
@@The_NSeven Same 😂
That happens to me when I see an ad for Slack and they play the notification sound
Better help is a complete scam, they don’t have therapists actually, just random people, who you have to repeat your stuff all over gain, like people in the street. Waste of time, and it’s actually predatory.
I live near a busy road where the steady noise of traffic averages around 70-75dB, measured near my balcony door; and over 100dB when an ambulance or fire truck drives by. The constant noise isn't only damaging to your hearing, but also your physical & psychological well-being.
I do hate living here with all the noise, but due to the housing crisis, there was no alternative.
Sorry youre having to live that way, I was in a similar situation for a decade or so at 70+db, even on a Sunday afternoon still 65+ the constant hum is very oppressive. I managed a few years ago to move somewhere quiet with a background of 45db and it made a difference to my stress and nervous system (it also made my partner realize she had constant tinnitus but she didn't notice much in the loud city environment!). I hope eventually you can move somewhere quieter.
@@tommangan7 🙏
Could double glazed windows help? (For when you’re inside and the windows are closed).
If you drive, an electric car may be quieter inside than a petroleum car.
Purchase some loop earplugs. Worth the investment vs damaging your hearing
@@JamielDeAbrew Thank you for your comment. I don't drive, never have, never will. It's true that internal combustion engines emit more noise than electric motors, but EVs create as much noise on the roads as do ICE vehicles, simply because a lot of car & truck noise comes from the wheels (rolling resistance) on the pavement. Also, you ever notice when the roads are wet, the noise from car traffic gets even louder (amplified), regardless of the engine that's propelling them.
Don't advertise BetterHelp.
why?
Why? I use it and it's helped me to be a better person and accomplish a lot of goals I was having trouble reaching before.
Why? I use it and it's helped me to be a better person and accomplish a lot of goals I was having trouble reaching before.
Why? I use it and it's helped me to be a better person and accomplish a lot of goals I was having trouble reaching before. (I'll keep posting this, not really sure why it is being removed but a dig with no context is allowed by somebody that probably has never even used the service)
@@idekanymore0721 They were sued for selling sensitive client data to advertisers.
Always use concert ear plugs at shows. They not only protect your hearing, they actually make it sound better. Shows can be incredibly harsh sounding, with one sound spilling into another. If you wear concert earplugs, it reduces the noise to a level you can actually enjoy and hear things clearly.
Small venues can be ridiculous with their volumes. Whereas outdoor festivals can be much better. Still, ear plugs help.
"they actually make it sound better"? How? I don't think this is right. But it does protect your hearing, thats for sure.
@@thijseggen2880 Depends on the quality of the earplugs. Some are form fitted to your ears, and provide a variety of filtering options. You can experiment and find a filter that works best for the environment you’re in.
@@thijseggen2880 If you look at data for our ability to hear harmonic distortion vs. level, you'll find that there is sort of a trough of best sensitivity vs. level. Essentially, at very low levels it's limited by the absolute hearing threshold, while at high levels our ears effectively start distorting by themselves. (It's probably why PAs do not attract complaints about their distortion levels more often.)
I can certainly attest that things are much more comfortable with earplugs, but then I've always been the type to listen 10 dB quieter than the average person and complaining about live sound levels being 20 dB too high. Apparently this can be a sign of a type of hidden hearing loss.
@@thijseggen2880 idk if its just me but really loud concerts are too loud to the point u cant make out anything
As a 26-year-old adult, since 2022, I developed tinnitus in my left ear due to listening to music at high volumes for approximately 10 years. Unfortunately, this prevents me from listening to music with headphones even at low volume, as it only worsens my tinnitus. As a music lover, this was a hard blow in my life. If you often start to feel ringing in your ears, this is a clear sign that you are about to get tinnitus. If you can still avoid it, do so at once.
how do you avoid it i think im getting there:(
@@dylanhavlicek4444 Unfortunately, I didn't know tinnitus existed until I had it. My recommendation is that if you have already started to feel symptoms, rest your ears for approximately 6 months and after that listen to music at a more considerate volume (being able to hear people with headphones)
I live in a city; don't really have a choice unfortunately
As far as I’m informed, you should get it checked out asap. Apparently, with hearing loss and tinnitus, time is extremely important for the success of the treatment. Don’t hesitate to get an appointment at a medical specialist immediately!
@@Daffman999 thanks for the advice guys. as soon as i get insurance ill do that
a better sponsor for this video would have been loop earplugs 4:30
Agreed! I own some myself.
A better sponsor would have been *nearly any sponsor.*
I feel like that would compromise the integrity of the video though, just turning it into an ad
@@totokoostudiosI agree, that would make you second guess the video's trustworthiness. Avoid even the appearance of a conflict of interest.
Protect your hearing guys. Tinnitus is no joke
at all
I have tinnitus
Same i just cannot stop that annoying sounds @@Floyd_Abiral
could have given a few examples of hearing protection! as a musician telling you now one of the best things is these protective ear buds that are small, don't affect the quality of the sound and fit on your keys, that way you always have them with you.
do you mean you use earplugs or special earbuds? i’m genuinely curious about this 😁
I think he's refering to high fidelity earplugs. They don't reduce as much noise as regular foam ones but usually enough to protect hearing in most live music scenarios and it reduces the volume relatively evenly instead of killing all the high end like foam ones do, hence preserving details in the sound. One example is called Eargasm. I got em and they're well worth it. Check it out.
I use the loop ones that have a little air hole. They don't lower the decibels as much as the ones that make an air tight seal, but I cant stand how the seal feels so at least I'm more likely to use them. They're a sanity saver during the summer when I'm always around fans or AC is cycling on and off and the general sound environment around me is consistently louder than cooler seasons.
@@DannyWakahisa I personally can recommend Alpine MusicSafePro which I use at every concert and nightclub party. I don't really get tired of very loud noise for hours straight.
I have the loop earplugs but i hate how they feel, so i would not enjoy a concert wearing it. The little orange ones don't stay in my ear. Any recommendations please let me know.
You know times are tough at Vox when they have a better help sponsorship in their 6 min video.
Great video except for the betterhelp sponsor. Vox should be responsible enough to avoid companies like that
How is it a great video? It asks a question and then answers a completely different one. The question was whether headphones destroy our hearing, goes on to talk about how we turn up our volume without even realising it, then it ultimately just answers whether active noise cancelling damages our hearing?
I did my damage in my twenties, loud concerts, blasting music on my Walkman/Discman. I've had tinnitus for over twenty years now and a loss of hearing in certain frequencies. I try to avoid having it get worse, but the damage is done.
This happens because there is no proper acoustic education in many countries. Already in primary school, the problem of noise pollution should be raised among children and their parents, but such cases are rare. On the contrary - nowadays even for preschoolers are organized loud parties with music at full volume, because it is fashionable. In general, loud behavior is fashionable, but the point is not to give up completely to have fun with music, but to ensure that the sound level is such that it does not cause harm for life. This requires some knowledge about the impact of loud sounds on health and this knowledge should be taught from an early age.
I am in my late 20s and have had tinnitus for over 10 years. I do actually enjoy it now..
@@stopthenoiseglobal The danger of loud sounds is well known and has been taught for the last 50 years at least. Today, unlike when I was a teenager, earplugs suitable for music are available.
The damage is done now without the victim's consent/self infliction. Cars, in a car dependent world, make public spaces unbearable with the constant loud noise they put out. And dogs, where people impulsively buy a dog without consideration for the animal's wellbeing, get aggressive and loud when neglected (treated as yard/living room ornaments) and shown aggressive behavior in humans (owners bicker and yell at each other). As a result they also destroy the hearing of the people unwillingly exposed to them. And that's just two of the worst examples I'm personally affected by.
Keep in mind that with BetterHelp, therapists are "serving" ten or more clients AT THE SAME TIME. It's absolute garbage and incredibly deceptive.
Channels must drop Better Help as a sponsor
Why? I use it and it's helped me to be a better person and accomplish a lot of goals I was having trouble reaching before.
@@memberwhen22 People's biggest problem with it is - yes it is probably a good product - but the way they push it, at times, can be arguably unethical. The way alot of their marketing is presented is as praying upon young people and blanket stating and fear mongering in a way that EVERYONE needs therapy for everything.
Problem isn't the product - but how its pushed. Not saying I fully agree with sentiment above, but there is some truth to it. But I also know people who use it and have gotten help.
@@memberwhen22 So who's this person? A bot? This must be sarcasm.
@@memberwhen22yeah right, nice one bot.
@@memberwhen22 if you didn’t know betterhelp steals your data that you collect on the site and sells it to advertisers so they can give you adds for like anti-depressants
Simply put it they are taking advantage of their users
You know what’s worse ‘Movie Theatres’. The volume is unbearable.
I found it varies per venue, but they've gotten stupidly loud in places. - I remember going to them with no issue for most of my life, until like... I don't know 10-15 years ago?... Suddenly it was painfully loud, sometimes even with earplugs in. And whispering characters would even sound stupidly loud. I also turned on a decibel-meter once and it would easily hit around 100dBs. Like, tf is that. - I feel like it shouldn't even be legal and it also can NOT be that standards like Dolby and IMAX think it's set correctly.
I've measured IMAX decibel levels to exceed 110. I bring noise canceling earbuds (Bose ones) to movies and they help a lot.
I disagree, you must not have been to a concert before because it's not even comparable.
Not to mention the multiplicity of things like cars and dogs that give off a constant stream of loud noise, or extreme sharp and sudden overpressure. I'd be listening to something quietly on studio quality open back on-ear headphones, in a private environment with the expectation that my surroundings should stay generally quiet (I only use headphones in such private environments), and then my aunt's dog will burst in screaming with no reservations whatsoever about destroying my hearing. After which, my aunt or my mom will refuse to see the issue with actual loud things, and instead accuse my quiet use of headphones as being dangerous and unhealthy. Then they self righteously drag my headphones off of my head, as if I ever gave them consent to do so.
5:20 When I first bought my noise-cancelling headphone, the simple answer that : "no, it's not adding sounds to your eardrums" was awefully difficult to find. Happy to know it works this way physically.
Also do things like wear earplugs at a club if you go frequently. You can buy specially moulded ear plugs that fit your ear if you go want.😊
Best investment in your own hearing health.
Those are awesome, they don't make the sound muffled like these foam plugs. It's just like turning the volume down.
It begs the question though, why are clubs so freaking loud? If they were quieter they would still be just as enjoyable and also you would be able to hear your friends more easily
There are also musicians earplugs, which don't hurt the sound like normal plugs, and in my experience make live music sound better
@@brianfunt2619 they think their music is so good, thats why. You wouldn't want to listen to stuff you don't like very loudly, so DJ's crank it for the opposite reason.
Meanwhile listening to this on headphones 😂
yeah, and with flaring tinnitus and the damage already being done.😅It just works.👌
Are headphones destroying our hearing? 1320pm 25.6.24 yeah. and i bet this was predicted 30 years ago - that you had decided to make a skit proclaiming constant use of headphones bad....
Same 😅
And turning the volume down twice within the first minute!
@@exexalien really......?
3:28 That's an example of destruction interference, where the intensity(And amplitude) gets cancelled out by the superposition of another wave
WHAT?
Speak up! I can't hear you!
Huh?
WHAT IS BRO SAYING🗣️🗣️😭⁉️⁉️⁉️⁉️
???? Bro pls speak louder I can't understand you
Yeah haha (I didn't hear so I just laughed)
I feel like there could be a lot more information and more emphasis on loud music in clubs and concerts. And that there was needlessly big emphasis on the explanation how Active Noise Cancelling works.
Also the loud noise of cars and dogs barking
Did this research a couple years ago, glad to hear from an expert that ANC doesn't *add* damaging sound.
You can turn the volume down quite a bit when the background noise is cut out
It depends on how good the ANC is. I had the QC30 from Anker and couldn't stand it, but I'm also the only person I know who notices, so depends on how good your hearing is too.
@@LutraLovegood Sony has incredible ANC, I used the same model in the video for years
2:30 those sound effects are ingrained into my brain as I own a pair of Sony WH-1000XM4s. The noise cancellation means I usually use it at a lower volume, and the audio quality is excellent for bluetooth headphones.
Noise Canceling is essential. I bought a headphone and just for that.
Do not use it for too long, it can cause tinnitus if you over do it. You can check on exactly how much is too much.
That's not how that works. The noise cancelling doesn't cause tinnitus.
Did you even watch this video?
That entirely depends on the specific ANC.
the video explained it's not damaging as it cancels out noises. So no vibration to the ear. the most important thing is to take breaks and have music at talking volume.
I developed tinnitus around 3 years ago during lockdown. It's hard to say what caused it exactly, but I've always suspected it was because of playing Escape from Tarkov. It's a shooter game that encourages you to turn up the volume to hear people sneaking, but then has bursts of loud gunfights. I've played games with headphones for over a decade before that without issue. Anecdotally, a lot of other people have said EfT has given them tinnitus.
No it’s the insanely loud bars, clubs, concerts, transportation, etc that is much higher decibels than anyone I’m aware of listens to in their headphones.
No? lol ok. Obviously other things like that would be included.
the intensity of sound in headphones can absolutely be a problem
@@AnymMusic the world becomes louder when I take off my headphones. Not sure how to square that with "your headphones are destroying your hearing."
@@AnymMusic can be sure. But try recording the decibels in a bar/club sometime. It’s much higher than most headphones even reach I believe.
But you can't do nothing about those, with headphones you can
The airpods pro 2 have actually been really good in blocking out loud noise with adaptive transparency, i use it often for my commute and I find it blocks high pitch noises and roadwork when I wear it.
Noise damage is not invisible. You can easily notice it with just your phone and any app or online service that can produce a sound of certain frequency and loudness. Your phone speaker is most probably able to emit sounds up to 20kHz and beyond, so the only thing that can prevent you from hearing the high pitch sounds is your own hearing loss.
btw the C9 note is 8372Hz and C10 is 16744Hz respectively
your limit is probably somewhere in between
p.s. there are also numerous diseases that may lead to hearing issues, so noise may be not the main problem in your case
Loudness is directly related to sound pressure, not sound energy. +3 dB is only twice the sound energy, +6 dB is twice the sound pressure.
I have Sony headphones and that "Power on" in the intro had me confused lol
A tip: please wear earplugs if you go to concerts or parties!! If the sound is loud enough, exposure to it once can lead to hearing loss. My brother had this happen a year ago and after treatments, he still doesn't have his hearing back. He is not completely deaf but he can hear a lot less then he did before.
Hearing damage is mostly irreversible, period. What treatments did he get that would've helped?
Don't use BetterScam please
I have ADD / am a highly sensitive person (HSP) and I'm very susceptible to sensory stimuli, hearing and sound being one of the biggest. As a kid, the doctor said I have impeccable hearing and I can still hear frequencies like bats chirping at night.
I wonder if people even notice how noisy "normal" crowded environments are by themselves - people, talking / screaming, cars, trains, buses, airplanes - it gives me a headache. Sitting in an airplane without covering my ears in some type of way is like sound torture to me.
Even sitting in a "quiet" office, there are chairs squeaking, people talking, phones ringing, coffee machines going off, it's very distracting.
I only go out in public with noise cancelling headphones now, they make it so much more bearable, even comforting.
I also plug my ears and wear a sleeping mask at night.
Another giant risk people seem to ignore is club speakers that always play the music way too loud and I even noticed their equalizer settings are horrible often, it feels like I'm being beat up by soundwaves. The times I went to the club without ear plugs I couldn't bear the noise for long, my head starts hurting and when I leave, my ears are ringing, it's horrible.
Now I always have ear plugs with me in case I'm in a noisy environment or I end up at a party.
Club speakers are not only bad for your hearing, but can also be dangerous physically since too intense bass soundwaves can burst the air bubbles in your lungs.
The last time I went out the music not only sounded way more loud than usual, but also like the equalizer was set to max on every frequency. The bass waves felt like a physical attack on my body.
I quickly left.
I do listen to music constantly, usually with headphones, maybe too loud occassionally (noise cancelling probably helps keeps the noise down, too), but that's nothing compared to the hearing loss I experience from club speakers. I also noticed that using high quality headphones (I only use BOSE equipment, great noise cancelling, too) reduces headache over prolonged sound exposure to an absolute minimum.
Music is not only unpleasant when it's too loud (also imagine hearing a song you don't like that's physically damaging you at the same time), but in conclusion - it's absolutely not worth permanently losing your hearing over going out partying (if you enjoy that sort of stuff).
I'm sound engineer, used to tour as a musician: do NOT go to a rock concert without hearing protection! I ruined mine, there is a permanent scream inside my head. Now i don't go to any loud event without at least my trusty, very cheap in-ears. Money is a poor indicator of quality in the consumer audio, specially with headphones whose marketing and the community built around them are the worst in the whole audio/sound business and it is not even close to the second. Do not trust any "audiophile"review that doesn't at least attempt to establish a baseline with measurements.
hey - what ear protection do you use? I'm a DJ who recently got chronic tinnitus and NIHL in my left ear (notch at 4.5 - 6k) from a loud and bad quality monitor, as well as loud bad quality speakers in the room I DJ'd in in April. I'm taking a break from DJing while I get to grips with the scream, but would love to still play / go to gigs. I have a pair of eargasm -15db plus which I liked in June at a festival but I think my T has gotten a little worse since onset in April. Also waitng on ACS customs to arrive but I would like to buy a few pairs of cheaper plugs so I always have them
With all the incredible medical and surgical advancements in the last century its odd that hearing loss and tinnitus are treated like, "well the damage is done and try not to make it worse"...
I wonder why too. That's weird when you see how so many people have these problems
Its because there are so many different things that can cause it. It could be pressure/inflammation in the ear, could be damage to the auditory nerve (irreversible without surgery) or it could be a brain condition, and i dont think thats it.
It could also be affected by stress.
Knowing what damage has been done and having a way to fix it are vastly different things. Do you also find it odd that we can't just grow people new hearts or fingers?
The vestibular system is incredibly delicate and complex, we aren’t currently capable of reversing damage to it but scientists and doctors are always working on these things. It’s a thankless job clearly. Maybe if we funded them and not billionaires and warmongers then we’d already have a solution 🤷♀️.
glad my airpods has a feature to monitor noise decibels and automatically lowers it to a safe level. doesnt always cross my mind that the audio could be too loud
Finally, a video on this. I had these exact same questions time ago and did a deep dive. Definitely could make a part 2 that goes more in depth and has some better reccommendations, this was very high level. Also, the mention of clubs/concerts at the end, another video just on that topic and the importance of getting good earplugs that lower db but not the quality of the music would be cool.
Helpful, but I was hoping to hear (heh) more about how to make sure we listen at a safe volume. I know Apple has some built in protections (since they know the loudness of their devices), but does that help enough? Where are those settings? Etc.
On the iPhone you can check the decibels in the control center.
Dunno if it’s AirPods only, but you can check before and after.
I'm autistic and get sensory overload quite easily in loud spaces, so I usually carry a pair of earplugs to places like that and also have tinnitus, maybe because I used to wear headphones really loud to overtake it, but I got ANC earbuds and headphones, so I hope these habits slow any possible hearing loss or worsening of my condition.
ANC earphones have been a lifesaver not only for commuting on the subway, but also visiting museums! I even used them at a concert recently where I was struggling with the volume. I used the 'passthrough' function of my ANC earphones, letting 15% of the sound come through. It made me feel so much better and prevented sensory overload.
@@plopsan Sorry, but it sounds more like deafness than tinnitus. With tinnitus alone, you shouldn't have to raise the volume to understand anything, I have it and I still hear tiny details. You should get that measured and see what you still hear or perhaps they can even find something blocking your hearing. Could be as simply as excess earwax that's just deep, which isn't uncommon and just natural. But if not, you might need an aid to help instead of blasting volume and risking making things worse.
I'm an HSP and have always been bothered by a lot of noise (not understanding it until, possibly, my twenties), though I also still went to things like Rock/Metal concerts and being in an ocean of people. Still do, but have of course started using earplugs many years ago now. But I went as far as wearing them 90% of the time, other than while sleeping. Even the water clattering in a shower-cabin or bathroom is tiresome to my hearing and I avoid even that, let alone more. Well, I still blast music loudly, but only with good quality (in terms of production, not the bitrate or anything), in that they don't have harmful frequencies or low dynamic range. - But only with listening to music or watching movies or playing games, when I really want to enjoy good sounds, I won't wear earplugs, and outside of that I will have them in by default. - It also seems to become more normal now with brands like Loop even selling them as fashionable to people like us who are bothered by noise easily. And I like that they're normalizing it, cause the human health is suffering with the noisy environments we live in. All that the modern human does isn't natural, as normalized as it all is.
They told us this in school ye
Ive got sound hypersensitivity and have my headphone volume limit and the smallest number 75dB which already hurts my ears,
the pain makes me think im at risk but its actually protecting me lol. Noise cancelation my beloved, the world is so loud
Meanwhile in India we are exposed to loud traffic and construction 12 hours a day consistently.
"My name is Luke Keller": Vox designs a whole webpage from scratch to introduce him in a 2-second shot. Amazing attention to the detail.
its the faculty page of ithaca college?
I am one of the very few people who gets nauseous listening to active noise cancelling. So, I only own headphones with good passive noise cancelling. Now I'm just afraid with the way technology goes everyone will stop making them.
Most of the time, a good ANC is only possible with a good passive NC in the first place. If you pick a ANC headphone and turn it off, it will have the same effect as a headphone with only passive NC.
@@microteam4 I totally agree. What annoys me is that the ANC headphones default to turning on the ANC every time they are powered on and then make you go through hoops to turn off the ANC. My PNC headphones are far less of a hassle.
I tried four pairs of ANC headphones before I found some that I can just about tolerate. I wish this were talked about more, I was completely blindsided when I put on the first pair and instantly felt dizzy and very, very weird.
@@matthew.datcher At least with ANC headphones/earphones that come with an app (Sony, Sennheiser, B&W etc), you can set the default according to your location/activity so I'd recommend looking into this feature for your next purchase! Otherwise, there will always be a market for PNC in-ear devices as long as audiophiles/artists exist, as purists tend to think ANC negatively impacts the audio quality 😆
You ever try the etymotic earbuds? I loved my old er2se's until i lost them, but then I wanted something with LESS cancellation so i had awareness so i bought something else.
That intro is top tier✨👌🏽
Bruh. How much is Betterhelp paying everyone to just forget everything they did? It can't be worth it.
Around the 1:35 mark, they say that going from 85 to 88dB (3dB change) of volume "doubles the loudness." That is incorrect.
A 3dB change is a common number used to describe "a perceptible change to the human ear." 3dB is a small but perceptible change in loudness. It requires double the amplifier power to raise volume by 3dB, but it's NOT double the loudness.
A 10dB change (80dB to 90dB, for example) is double the loudness, and would require a tenfold increase in amplifier power.
Have often wondered if there are negative side effects to active noise cancellation even if it allows me to lower my headphone volume. Great video that helps put my mind at ease.
The video brought it up, but didn't answer it. it's to be expected from vox though. So we'll keep wondering.
@@FromDkWithLove It did answer it? Tf are you talking about
@@FromDkWithLove they did answer it, the noise cancellation plays a sound that acts in the opposite direction to the noise, cancelling it and resulting in no sound. you can't damage your ears if there is no sound.
@@dogmeat2418 How something works in theory through a brief, generalized summary is nothing conclussive to you and I. As you know, it might as well have nothing at all. But that's beyond the scope of a quick overview video like this. You'd need study data breakdowns on specific models and manufacturers for that.
@@FromDkWithLove it gave an answer not a reason why though
all henrymouland02 wanted was an answer
As a professional musician with tinnitus and hearing loss, I xan tell you: this video is great. I've been using Sony noise cancelling headphones for years, and they do a great job. I also use professional in-ears on stage, and hearing protection earbuds in loud environments. Always protect your ears!
I had a VERY loud American colleague in my office and purchased top-of-the-line Sony noise-cancelling headphones to combat them. While they mostly do the job, I occasionally had to listen to Scandinavian Death Metal at 90 decibels to cancel it out. RIP little ear hairs
I got my right ear blasted by a muzzle blast from an assault rifle when I was in the army. Ever since I've been super sensitive to any kind of audible distortion. Clipping microphones are so bad that I must drop the volume to like 1-3% when listening with headphones. I did have sensitive hearing before but after that incident, I've had recurring physical pain in my right ear. One time I noticed that I probably hear everything with a slight amount of distortion. I've used headphones for more than 10 years now when I browse and having something liker EqualizerAPO and sometimes a few limiter/compressor and or dynamic EQ's is a must to get through some of the badly recorded stuff on UA-cam.
I feel like the world gets louder every day and I think I should probably get some noise cancelling earbuds when visiting any place that has more people or (loud) traffic.
Vox always had that unique quality of editing! Always love your video
2:03 The worst is to live in a building and have neighbours with small children (they moved in recently), and now I'm basically all the time with my headphones but unfortunately, I can still hear them!
practically lost my hearing with this beat at the beginning
Starting during covid, my work switched from in-person interviews to online work that required having to have headphones on - employees were supposed to have the sound on max for the whole working day, using shared headphones in an office full of colleagues speaking at full volume in the background right next to you. I started with an ear infection then prolonged tinnitus which affected my hearing. Sometimes the ringing got so loud I couldn't sleep. After multiple regular visits to various doctors, I quit. It took ages to heal. No amount of money is worth not ever knowing what silence sounds like again.
you got back to silence? how long did that take? do you have any tips?
Most of the time, yes. When I'm stressed, didn't sleep well, or listen to something kind of loud for a long time, the tinnitus does come back but not as bad and goes away after. Right after my ear infection, I was told there wasn't anything I could do apart from using some ointment and taking painkillers so I went elsewhere and got acupuncture once a week for a few months... I'm not sure if that's what helped or simply because I stopped doing the job that required me to wear headphones but anyway I had my hearing tested before and after and it seemed to have bounced back to normal with no noticeable ringing. This happened in 2021 so it was 3 years ago. @@nataliesimpson443
You must the first person who thought noise cancelling wasn’t necessary. For me it was a game changer, immediately increasing my life quality. Subway is loud? Noise cancelling. Neighbor is too loud at night and I can’t sleep? Noise cancelling. Long flight? Noise cancelling. Too many people in the office and I need to focus? Noise cancelling. Absolutely necessary.
So does noise cancelling work on people talking? Because that uncertainty has always put me off getting some noise cancelling headphones and I was told it doesn't work on conversations. Does it work better for crowds then, for example, two to three people talking nearby?
'Are headphones bad for your hearing?' asks video with too-loud sound effects relative to its presenters' voices.
Expected more info out of this video, considering they chose such a sensitive topic.
Nothing I already didn't knew.
bro the sony "power on" noise is so permanently engrained in my consciousness that I fully ignored the video for a good 5 seconds
I probably have some hearing loss, but tbh, I'm more inclined to blame it on going to super loud punk, metal, and edm shows for almost 2 decades. (since I was like... 13?) I don't max out my headphone volume though - the most comfortable range for me is around 40% total system volume.
You should wear earplugs at loud concerts
No doubt but unfortunately education around these matters weren't all that up to scratch in certain regions in the past and some already suffered the consequences. But earplugs can absolutely prevent further damage, however some people I've spoken to say their hearing is so compromised that what is loud for normal people is just right for them and if they were to wear earplugs, even the special types, they won't enjoy it at all. Quite sad actually.
@@Tommy5ive Maybe even at the movies. I don't get how people can deal with such loud sounds for hours. Maybe they've damaged their hearing so much and gotten desensitized
2:37 omg that "Power off" made me wanna grab my charger lol
I have some irreversible nerve damage because I listened to death metal at high volume for like 5 minutes. I forever regret doing this.
Nerve damage? Did you slam your head on something while listening?
@@ross-carlsonyes,,, he said something about hard metal, right… must be solid.
You cant get hearing damage in 5 minutes from headphones. They have a maximum volume which is considered safe to hear for a couple of hours a week
@@geod1mconfidently incorrect
If you put 10,25,50w of power through some cans by accident that diaphragm is going to shake. Not all headphones just run off of internal amplifiers…
So important - the invisible damage we do! Concerts, in particular, can be extremely damaging to our ears, as I find big venues often blast them hella loud (the thinking: loudness = more enjoyment = more value for money), so some ear plugs of between $60 - $100 will do wonders to reduce the damage attending one of these events would do, whilst still letting you enjoy the performance (can actually make the music clearer and less fuzzy, I find).
This! And even just cheap earplugs are better than nothing!
I find it really interesting, but maybe more info and longer vid about this?
Ever since I realized that the ringing I hear in my head is not simply the sound of a quiet room I've been hyperaware of protecting my remaining hearing.
I've had inexplicable ringing in my ears for as long as I can remember and with no singular loud event to pin it on I've concluded that it's just from having my headphones or earbuds way too loud. Since then I installed a program to put a cap on the volume that can play through my headset. Anything uncomfortably loud now automatically forces my system sounds to a lower volume, this has saved my ears from several dozen instances of loading up a newly installed game and being ear-blasted by max volume main menu music.
*PROTECT YOUR EARS, TINNITUS IS PERMANENT, FOREVER, AND YOU WILL ONLY EVER REALIZE YOU'VE MESSED UP UNTIL IT'S TOO LATE.*
One thing I do disagree on is that this should only be our responsibility. Why do we have noisy environments? What can be done to make them less noisy? Why can't hearing loss be a public health concern? Do construction sites need to be as noisy as they are? Can't we develop ambient-wide noise canceling technology? Yes, our health is our responsibility but when it's not in our hands we need to be asking the harder questions
We could definitely add speakers to construction equipment to make them less noisy, but that costs money, and the public getting hearing loss isn't the manufacturer's problem.
@@LutraLovegood unless regulations make it the manufacturers problem... Imagine less noisy power tools... We always develop tech so new regulations would force better tech to be developed
preach!!!
I always hated this "responsibility" thing. I mean, I always saw it as a "don't make ulterior questions" thing.
Almost everyone who suffer from noise induced hearing loss, tinnitus or hyperacusis get it from loud music, concerts, etc.
Loving the irony of an ad for earbuds right before this video
"I always thought noise cancellation was a marketing gimmick" Hey Vox can we have someone who knows what they're talking about make the video then e.g. someone who has used headphones before?
I used to not like the idea of buying ANC earbuds until I lost my regular ones.
As soon as I popped them on and the ANC kicked in during a very loud subway ride, I felt amazing.
Went from almost maxing out the volume down to 50 or 60%
Pardon? I can’t hear you through my headphones
i have bad tinnitus from shooting guns and im 17, i have to live with it for the rest of my life. please if you read this protect your ears like youre protecting your life, otherwise it will haunt you forever.
Well said. I have been involved in acoustics most of my life, and have fastidiously protected my ears - even wearing ear plugs at AC/DC concerts much to my friends' amusement. I am now 63 and can still hear up to 15kHz.
In other news, scientists have discovered that water is wet. More on this at 11.
Reduced the loudness immediately after seeing that logarithmic graph💀
did anyone else turn their volume down while watching this video? 😅
Rip the hair cells of my friends on the school bus when I could hear them blasting their iPod touch music even though they had earphones in
Very disappointed you'd accept a sponsorship from BetterHelp.
0:32 the "Power On" sound is litteraly the same as the Sony headphones that I was using to listen to this video, this freaked me out 😂
I lost almost 80% hearing loss due to head phone.😢
how did that happen?
@@aminaelo actually I was listening music at the bedtime 🌙 . Ididnt off the headphone on that night, When I wakeup in the morning I was not able to listen from one ear.
@@kashinath69 oh i am so sorry to hear that, it sounds so painful :(
There is a sweet spot when listening with headphones. It's when the ear drums get tickled just right and with a good mix it's usually where all the instruments sound the best. But it's at a relatively quiet volume and doesn't need much background noise to drown out the music.
0:33🗿
Thanks! Really helpful info! Preferred more long format with more info about the topic, but overall good video :)
I've ignored the excessive volume warnings when listening on headsets for years. At 32 the tinnitus is becoming harder to ignore
35 and same here. Thought hearing loss could happen down the line, but not eternal tinnitus...
45, and noticed non-ignorable tinnitus 2 years ago after listening to Radiohead _with headphones_ and/or biting into very hard food. Unfortunately, you have to trick your mind since the 'hair' is either gone or stuck on the ON position.
lucky, i got it at ~age 7 🥲
natural selection at its finest
@@unosquash i think i have it at 19. just a constant mid-high frequency noise in my ears
Just use cotton plugs, they are comfortable and reduce loud sharp noises quite dramatically without actually blocking your hearing completely, it just muffles it.
My great grandfather used to tell me all about how he retained his hearing after the war, cause he wore cotton plugs, a habit from when he was a hunter before the war because hunters need their ears just as much as anyone to listen.
Now back to my loud music. :/
Can't be as bad as going to concerts or spending a lot of time next to big crowds
@@anacc3257 It indeed can be as bad as those things, when you factor in the duration of exposure. Please make sure to protect your hearing, so you can continue to listen to that music you love into the future.
remember that the damage is cumulative, so you may not notice today, but in a few years you will. you might get tinnitus, like I did. You don't want that, you'll never hear silence again :(
@@nataliesimpson443 I’m a combat vet that spent my youth at rock concerts. So yeah…Eeeeeeeeeee…
@@georgecook83 oh man, sorry. eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee too
I can excuse better help sponsorships from one man team UA-camrs, but YOU ARE A COMPANY.
I always worry about this, whenever the volume gets loud enough to the point that its painful or uncomfortable I turn down my volume.
terrible advice:
- The threshold for hearing damage over prolonged exposure is lower than the pain threshold
- Your pain levels will adapt overtime, and over couple of years, what used to be painful is no longer painful, you lose a bit of hearing, you turn volume higher, you lose more hearing, etc.
The decibel abuse that I inflicted on my ears from my teens to mid 40s is off the charts. Always max possible distortion-free volume. Based on what was said here, I should be virtually deaf. My hearing is average for a 60something. 🤷
When you have a problematic home then hearing loss is something I'm willing to have.
Hearing loss usually comes with tinnitus, which is a living nightmare.
Active Noise cancelling headphones make me extremely anxious, so it's really difficult to deal with needing to reduce my headphones volume when out and about
How could you think about noise cancelation as a marketing technique? The technology is real and very cool
I'm so glad a video was made on this topic. Very needed 👏🏾
we really need to donate to vox so they’re not forced to get betterhelp sponsorships omg…
6:01 "Any halfway decent pair will work well enough to protect your ears" WHAT!? 😂😂😂 - A bald faced lie said with such confidence. WOW