I don't mind the Apple buds, but the Sony Discman earphones that came with it made my ears physically *ache* after about 10 minutes, and they didn't even have to be on. The shape was just all wrong, and where they put pressure. I've worn full-cover studio headphones that were fabulous, and ones that, again, hurt my ears both physically and audibly.
Saying that Apple is somehow 'in the wrong' for shipping earbuds that don't fit or conform to the hearing and ear needs of *every single person on the planet* is ridiculous. Pretty simple - if you don't like them, go buy different ones, like a *lot* of people do. Heck, there are products that do nothing but reshape the form factor to be more comfortable for some folks, so you can keep the buds, but wear them more easily. If it's the sound that somehow bothers you, try a different manufacturer.
And you need to understand something about that article. The study is being requested by a member of Congress out to create a crusade... ie, get media attention and votes. The NIH is required by law to comply. You'll also note that no one there has said that the earbuds *do* cause damage, only that they're going to look into it. My guess? A stunning waste of money to find out that *shock*... people crank them up too high. Just as they did with the Walkman, just as they did with the Discman, just as... you get the idea. Stating that a study might be needed is not evidence that the study found proof of the original assertion. The USA Today article you're linking to states that the research has been going on since the early '80s... and they still can't conclusively say whether earbuds (which have been around since the original Walkman, in basic in-ear design) cause *more* damage than regular 'foam' earphones. Curious.
I don't mind the Apple buds, but the Sony Discman earphones that came with it made my ears physically *ache* after about 10 minutes, and they didn't even have to be on. The shape was just all wrong, and where they put pressure. I've worn full-cover studio headphones that were fabulous, and ones that, again, hurt my ears both physically and audibly.
Saying that Apple is somehow 'in the wrong' for shipping earbuds that don't fit or conform to the hearing and ear needs of *every single person on the planet* is ridiculous. Pretty simple - if you don't like them, go buy different ones, like a *lot* of people do...
Well thats good advice, but I still disagree. It needs more research. I think i high percentage of people exposed to undiffused-in-the-ear shrill sounds from certain podcasts with in-the-ear "quality" earbuds would get hearing damage.
Sorry, but you base this on... what? Your auditory research credentials? Peer-reviewed journal articles?
Or a single anecdotal data point?
All earphone/bud designs are going to be bad for *some* person's ears. It looks like you're the unlucky person to get mismatched with the iPod's earbuds. That's not what I would call an epidemic, just... bad luck.
I'm not saying we shouldn't waste more money on it *cough*, but it seems fairly common sense to me - loud = damage. Sorry, but I've been told that since I was a kid in the '70s... it's not exactly news.
"...I'm not saying we shouldn't waste more money on it *cough*, but it seems fairly common sense to me - loud = damage. Sorry, but I've been told that since I was a kid in the '70s... it's not exactly news." -EMPHASIS ADDED
I never turned the volume past 65%....please read what i wrote.
Look I apoligize, I guess i just feel really strongly about this one topic. It is true that I rather harshly condemned all earbuds. Perhaps this seems hasty, but I would ask you to ponder some of my unaswered questions concerning Apple earbuds:
1) Why were my ears OK on my 3g iPod when I listened to music for over an hour with the volume at about 65%, but they hurt a lot when the shrill noises of (Jessica's?) laughter were heard, even after i turned down volume to 10% just so i could listen to the rest of the TwiT podcast. (The fan on her powerbook was whirring also. People put microphones next to anything, not realizing the someone is going to stick this directly into thier ear.)
2) Why must I live with ringing in my right ear knowing that this could happen to others?
3) The iPod and podcasts reppresents the first mass introduction of these types of earbuds onto the public. My Sony Discman never hurt my ears. Are they really safe?
4) Why can't podcast decibels be regulated?
5) Why is the National Institutes of Health (NIH) asking for more research specifically on earbuds headphone styles (the ones that come with the iPod -- not just those really-deep-in-the-ear ones)? What happens to the inner ear when the sound is not diffused before it enters the ear from a "high quality" speaker that tries to add more bass (see #6 below)
6)WHY would Apple rush out this update before it is compatible with ALL iPods -- unless they know there is a problem, and it is easier than recalling earbuds.... and they are scared of a backlash.
7) Low volume hurt me the first time and low volume continues to hurt me. Lowering volume will onlly give a false sense of security to affected individuals of which I am one. And I am not the only one, I am sure of it.
6) People complain that they cannot hear bass so they try to get stronger or "deeper" fitting earbuds. Well.. bass was meant to be felt through your whole body. Like a heartbeat. If you try to emulate that with an eardrum you'll wreck that eardrum. It isn't natural... Right? That's why it doesn't work. People like deep bass because it reminds them of thier mother's heartbeat while they were in the womb and comforts them, they just don't know it.
Well... I wasn't listening to bass when i got hurt... but any sound that blows out a little speaker designed to have "better bass" is going to hurt someone's ear. You'll have your scholary articles soon enough but I learned the hard way that following best practices does not save you from getting injured when the product is poorly designed... or in this case, designed "too well."
There is more than a "single piece of anecdotal data" here. Oh but thanks for your reply and for this forum.
Wait, your Sony Discman earphones hurt your ears? Gosh maybe you're right.
Instead of being angry that I dissed Apple, I would ask you to ponder some of my unaswered questions concerning Apple earbuds:
I'm not angry that you dissed Apple, I'm annoyed that you're jumping to conclusions. Well, not even really annoyed, just... I don't mean to minimize your experience, I'm just tired of individual experiences affecting large populations through over-excitable media and lawyers, and would prefer to see allowances for individual variances in physiology.
Quote:
1) Why were my ears OK on my 3g iPod when I listened to music for over an hour with the volume at about 65%, but they hurt a lot when the shrill noises of (Jessica's?) laughter were heard, even after i turned down volume to 10% just so i could listen to the rest of the TwiT podcast. (The fan on her powerbook was whirring also. People put microphones next to anything, not realizing the someone is going to stick this directly into thier ear.)
Shrill noises hurt ears. cf: dog whistles, car alarms, etc, etc. Perhaps an email to the podcaster requesting that they *not* place the mike next to the fan?
Quote:
2) Why must I live with ringing in my right ear knowing that this could happen to others?
You obviously had a freak occurrence, is my opinion, if you truly have damage. Perhaps your ears were simply more susceptible. Like I said, every person's ears are different. I used to be able to hear well above what was supposed to be the highest human perception range - a lot of TVs still give me a splitting headache because of the whine - should I blame the TV manufacturers? Or just realize that my ears are outside the midrange of the bell curve?
Quote:
3) The iPod and podcasts reppresents the first mass introduction of these types of earbuds onto the public. My Sony Discman never hurt my ears.
Funny, mine did. By your reasoning, those Discman earphones should have been banned. Instead, I just went and got a different style pair.
Quote:
Are they really safe?
As safe as any other, apparently.
Quote:
4) Why can't podcast decibels be regulated?
The output of the iPod *is* regulated. As an item sold in the EU, it's capped at... oh crud, what is it... 100dB?
Quote:
5) Why is the National Institutes of Health (NIH) asking for more research
Ah, stop right there. NIH isn't asking for it. The NIH is responding to a request by a non-scientist member of Congress. There is a *HUGE* difference.
Quote:
specifically on earbuds headphone styles (the ones that come with the iPod -- not just those really-deep-in-the-ear ones)? What happens to the inner ear when the sound is not diffused before it enters the ear from a "high quality" speaker that tries to add more bass (see #6 below)
Obviously *any* speaker is going to be problematic if you turn it up past the level that is right *for your ears*. That applies to anyone.
Quote:
6)WHY would Apple rush out this update before it is compatible with ALL iPods -- unless they know there is a problem, and it is easier than recalling earbuds.... and they are scared of a backlash.
Or, they are simply responding to market forces... does anyone else have a lockable volume capping capability for their units, as a useful tool for parents concerned about their children cranking it up too far? I don't recall *ever* seeing this before, on *any* product. Since the iPod doesn't get appreciably louder than most any other item in the market, it would seem that this is actually a genuine case of "well crap, why didn't we think of that before?"
I have to admit, for parents I think it's a spiffy feature. Heck, it'll probably sell more than a few.
Quote:
7) Low volume hurt me the first time and low volume continues to hurt me. Lowering volume will onlly give a false sense of security to affected individuals of which I am one. And I am not the only one, I am sure of it.
Well, that may be, but unless you can find those other people, you're going to continue to be an anomaly.
And I do have to ask - if it was low volume, then how is capping the volume at the high end going to help? It sounds to me like you are very sensitive to particular frequencies. Every speaker has its range of frequencies it does well at, and does poorly at. Perhaps if you found one that was weaker at the high end, you would be better off.
Quote:
6) People complain that they cannot hear bass so they try to get stronger or "deeper" fitting earbuds. Well.. bass was meant to be felt through your whole body. Like a heartbeat. If you try to emulate that with an eardrum you'll wreck that eardrum. It isn't natural... Right? That's why it doesn't work. People like deep bass because it reminds them of thier mother's heartbeat while they were in the womb and comforts them, they just don't know it.
So... your solution is... what again? I'm honestly confused. It wasn't high volume that caused you problems, it was high frequency, but now you're talking about people cranking the volume too high because of bass...
Quote:
Well... I wasn't listening to bass when i got hurt... but any sound that blows out a little speaker designed to have "better bass" is going to hurt someone's ear. You'll have your scholary articles soon enough but I learned the hard way that following best practices does not save you from getting injured when the product is poorly designed... or in this case, designed "too well."
I'm still failing to see how the product was poorly designed.
Quote:
There is more than a "single piece of anecdotal data" here. Oh but thanks for your reply and for this forum. [/B]
Well, you're welcome. \
Quote:
Wait, your Sony Discman earphones hurt your ears? Gosh maybe you're right.
Well it wasn't auditory damage, they simply hurt to have sitting in my ears, even when they were off. Although now that I think about it, they fit *so* poorly that I frequently had to jam the volume up high just to hear much of anything. \
I never turned the volume past 65%....please read what i wrote.
Look I apoligize, I guess i just feel really strongly about this one topic. It is true that I rather harshly condemned all earbuds. Perhaps this seems hasty, but I would ask you to ponder some of my unaswered questions concerning Apple earbuds:
1) Why were my ears OK on my 3g iPod when I listened to music for over an hour with the volume at about 65%, but they hurt a lot when the shrill noises of (Jessica's?) laughter were heard, even after i turned down volume to 10% just so i could listen to the rest of the TwiT podcast. (The fan on her powerbook was whirring also. People put microphones next to anything, not realizing the someone is going to stick this directly into thier ear.)
2) Why must I live with ringing in my right ear knowing that this could happen to others?
3) The iPod and podcasts reppresents the first mass introduction of these types of earbuds onto the public. My Sony Discman never hurt my ears. Are they really safe?
4) Why can't podcast decibels be regulated?
5) Why is the National Institutes of Health (NIH) asking for more research specifically on earbuds headphone styles (the ones that come with the iPod -- not just those really-deep-in-the-ear ones)? What happens to the inner ear when the sound is not diffused before it enters the ear from a "high quality" speaker that tries to add more bass (see #6 below)
6)WHY would Apple rush out this update before it is compatible with ALL iPods -- unless they know there is a problem, and it is easier than recalling earbuds.... and they are scared of a backlash.
7) Low volume hurt me the first time and low volume continues to hurt me. Lowering volume will onlly give a false sense of security to affected individuals of which I am one. And I am not the only one, I am sure of it.
6) People complain that they cannot hear bass so they try to get stronger or "deeper" fitting earbuds. Well.. bass was meant to be felt through your whole body. Like a heartbeat. If you try to emulate that with an eardrum you'll wreck that eardrum. It isn't natural... Right? That's why it doesn't work. People like deep bass because it reminds them of thier mother's heartbeat while they were in the womb and comforts them, they just don't know it.
Well... I wasn't listening to bass when i got hurt... but any sound that blows out a little speaker designed to have "better bass" is going to hurt someone's ear. You'll have your scholary articles soon enough but I learned the hard way that following best practices does not save you from getting injured when the product is poorly designed... or in this case, designed "too well."
There is more than a "single piece of anecdotal data" here. Oh but thanks for your reply and for this forum.
Wait, your Sony Discman earphones hurt your ears? Gosh maybe you're right.
First of all, did you try another Apple earbud, or just the one you had problems with. It could have been defective.
The other thing is that you should have your ears checked. I have mine checked once a year. But, then again, I've been involved in the manufacturing of audio components, and the music industry for decades. I know the problems than can occur.
There is no reason why earbuds should cause any more problems than any other sealed headphone system.
Gawd I hate politicians, and the tools who vote for them!
So setting your child's iPod is easier than smacking him/her upside the head and saying "Turn that down you moron!"
If only somebody made an electronic hovering nanny, or better yet a brain chip which would make kids obay their politicians--I mean parents--by remote control instead of having to think. Gawd forbid parents would have to, you know, parent.
Is this what we have become? Are we due to be guided by corporate governance with political oversight? Soon we will have moving image devices in our living rooms which will tell us how to think and act. Oh wait..
/parents didn't parent
//has yet to sow wild oats
///Free will, responsibility, liberty. Preach it, live it, give politicians a cock-punch.
it is the design of those little speakers that supposedly "sound better."
They are?
I wasn't aware that the iPod-included ear buds were supposed to "sound better". I can't find any claim made in Apple's marketing that says anything about their sound quality. They aren't reliable either, but Apple replaces them for free.
Personally, I thought the path to good iPod sound quality meant chucking the default throw-in earbuds.
Comments
I don't mind the Apple buds, but the Sony Discman earphones that came with it made my ears physically *ache* after about 10 minutes, and they didn't even have to be on. The shape was just all wrong, and where they put pressure. I've worn full-cover studio headphones that were fabulous, and ones that, again, hurt my ears both physically and audibly.
Saying that Apple is somehow 'in the wrong' for shipping earbuds that don't fit or conform to the hearing and ear needs of *every single person on the planet* is ridiculous. Pretty simple - if you don't like them, go buy different ones, like a *lot* of people do. Heck, there are products that do nothing but reshape the form factor to be more comfortable for some folks, so you can keep the buds, but wear them more easily. If it's the sound that somehow bothers you, try a different manufacturer.
And you need to understand something about that article. The study is being requested by a member of Congress out to create a crusade... ie, get media attention and votes. The NIH is required by law to comply. You'll also note that no one there has said that the earbuds *do* cause damage, only that they're going to look into it. My guess? A stunning waste of money to find out that *shock*... people crank them up too high. Just as they did with the Walkman, just as they did with the Discman, just as... you get the idea. Stating that a study might be needed is not evidence that the study found proof of the original assertion. The USA Today article you're linking to states that the research has been going on since the early '80s... and they still can't conclusively say whether earbuds (which have been around since the original Walkman, in basic in-ear design) cause *more* damage than regular 'foam' earphones. Curious.
Originally posted by Kickaha
[B]Dude, everyone's ears are different.
I don't mind the Apple buds, but the Sony Discman earphones that came with it made my ears physically *ache* after about 10 minutes, and they didn't even have to be on. The shape was just all wrong, and where they put pressure. I've worn full-cover studio headphones that were fabulous, and ones that, again, hurt my ears both physically and audibly.
Saying that Apple is somehow 'in the wrong' for shipping earbuds that don't fit or conform to the hearing and ear needs of *every single person on the planet* is ridiculous. Pretty simple - if you don't like them, go buy different ones, like a *lot* of people do...
Well thats good advice, but I still disagree. It needs more research. I think i high percentage of people exposed to undiffused-in-the-ear shrill sounds from certain podcasts with in-the-ear "quality" earbuds would get hearing damage.
Or a single anecdotal data point?
All earphone/bud designs are going to be bad for *some* person's ears. It looks like you're the unlucky person to get mismatched with the iPod's earbuds. That's not what I would call an epidemic, just... bad luck.
I'm not saying we shouldn't waste more money on it *cough*, but it seems fairly common sense to me - loud = damage. Sorry, but I've been told that since I was a kid in the '70s... it's not exactly news.
Originally posted by Kickaha
"...I'm not saying we shouldn't waste more money on it *cough*, but it seems fairly common sense to me - loud = damage. Sorry, but I've been told that since I was a kid in the '70s... it's not exactly news." -EMPHASIS ADDED
I never turned the volume past 65%....please read what i wrote.
Look I apoligize, I guess i just feel really strongly about this one topic. It is true that I rather harshly condemned all earbuds. Perhaps this seems hasty, but I would ask you to ponder some of my unaswered questions concerning Apple earbuds:
1) Why were my ears OK on my 3g iPod when I listened to music for over an hour with the volume at about 65%, but they hurt a lot when the shrill noises of (Jessica's?) laughter were heard, even after i turned down volume to 10% just so i could listen to the rest of the TwiT podcast. (The fan on her powerbook was whirring also. People put microphones next to anything, not realizing the someone is going to stick this directly into thier ear.)
2) Why must I live with ringing in my right ear knowing that this could happen to others?
3) The iPod and podcasts reppresents the first mass introduction of these types of earbuds onto the public. My Sony Discman never hurt my ears. Are they really safe?
4) Why can't podcast decibels be regulated?
5) Why is the National Institutes of Health (NIH) asking for more research specifically on earbuds headphone styles (the ones that come with the iPod -- not just those really-deep-in-the-ear ones)? What happens to the inner ear when the sound is not diffused before it enters the ear from a "high quality" speaker that tries to add more bass (see #6 below)
6)WHY would Apple rush out this update before it is compatible with ALL iPods -- unless they know there is a problem, and it is easier than recalling earbuds.... and they are scared of a backlash.
7) Low volume hurt me the first time and low volume continues to hurt me. Lowering volume will onlly give a false sense of security to affected individuals of which I am one. And I am not the only one, I am sure of it.
6) People complain that they cannot hear bass so they try to get stronger or "deeper" fitting earbuds. Well.. bass was meant to be felt through your whole body. Like a heartbeat. If you try to emulate that with an eardrum you'll wreck that eardrum. It isn't natural... Right? That's why it doesn't work. People like deep bass because it reminds them of thier mother's heartbeat while they were in the womb and comforts them, they just don't know it.
Well... I wasn't listening to bass when i got hurt... but any sound that blows out a little speaker designed to have "better bass" is going to hurt someone's ear. You'll have your scholary articles soon enough but I learned the hard way that following best practices does not save you from getting injured when the product is poorly designed... or in this case, designed "too well."
There is more than a "single piece of anecdotal data" here. Oh but thanks for your reply and for this forum.
Wait, your Sony Discman earphones hurt your ears? Gosh maybe you're right.
Originally posted by rebel_without_a_pc
I never turned the volume past 65%....
Instead of being angry that I dissed Apple, I would ask you to ponder some of my unaswered questions concerning Apple earbuds:
I'm not angry that you dissed Apple, I'm annoyed that you're jumping to conclusions. Well, not even really annoyed, just...
1) Why were my ears OK on my 3g iPod when I listened to music for over an hour with the volume at about 65%, but they hurt a lot when the shrill noises of (Jessica's?) laughter were heard, even after i turned down volume to 10% just so i could listen to the rest of the TwiT podcast. (The fan on her powerbook was whirring also. People put microphones next to anything, not realizing the someone is going to stick this directly into thier ear.)
Shrill noises hurt ears. cf: dog whistles, car alarms, etc, etc. Perhaps an email to the podcaster requesting that they *not* place the mike next to the fan?
2) Why must I live with ringing in my right ear knowing that this could happen to others?
You obviously had a freak occurrence, is my opinion, if you truly have damage. Perhaps your ears were simply more susceptible. Like I said, every person's ears are different. I used to be able to hear well above what was supposed to be the highest human perception range - a lot of TVs still give me a splitting headache because of the whine - should I blame the TV manufacturers? Or just realize that my ears are outside the midrange of the bell curve?
3) The iPod and podcasts reppresents the first mass introduction of these types of earbuds onto the public. My Sony Discman never hurt my ears.
Funny, mine did. By your reasoning, those Discman earphones should have been banned. Instead, I just went and got a different style pair.
Are they really safe?
As safe as any other, apparently.
4) Why can't podcast decibels be regulated?
The output of the iPod *is* regulated. As an item sold in the EU, it's capped at... oh crud, what is it... 100dB?
5) Why is the National Institutes of Health (NIH) asking for more research
Ah, stop right there. NIH isn't asking for it. The NIH is responding to a request by a non-scientist member of Congress. There is a *HUGE* difference.
specifically on earbuds headphone styles (the ones that come with the iPod -- not just those really-deep-in-the-ear ones)? What happens to the inner ear when the sound is not diffused before it enters the ear from a "high quality" speaker that tries to add more bass (see #6 below)
Obviously *any* speaker is going to be problematic if you turn it up past the level that is right *for your ears*. That applies to anyone.
6)WHY would Apple rush out this update before it is compatible with ALL iPods -- unless they know there is a problem, and it is easier than recalling earbuds.... and they are scared of a backlash.
Or, they are simply responding to market forces... does anyone else have a lockable volume capping capability for their units, as a useful tool for parents concerned about their children cranking it up too far? I don't recall *ever* seeing this before, on *any* product. Since the iPod doesn't get appreciably louder than most any other item in the market, it would seem that this is actually a genuine case of "well crap, why didn't we think of that before?"
I have to admit, for parents I think it's a spiffy feature. Heck, it'll probably sell more than a few.
7) Low volume hurt me the first time and low volume continues to hurt me. Lowering volume will onlly give a false sense of security to affected individuals of which I am one. And I am not the only one, I am sure of it.
Well, that may be, but unless you can find those other people, you're going to continue to be an anomaly.
And I do have to ask - if it was low volume, then how is capping the volume at the high end going to help? It sounds to me like you are very sensitive to particular frequencies. Every speaker has its range of frequencies it does well at, and does poorly at. Perhaps if you found one that was weaker at the high end, you would be better off.
6) People complain that they cannot hear bass so they try to get stronger or "deeper" fitting earbuds. Well.. bass was meant to be felt through your whole body. Like a heartbeat. If you try to emulate that with an eardrum you'll wreck that eardrum. It isn't natural... Right? That's why it doesn't work. People like deep bass because it reminds them of thier mother's heartbeat while they were in the womb and comforts them, they just don't know it.
So... your solution is... what again? I'm honestly confused. It wasn't high volume that caused you problems, it was high frequency, but now you're talking about people cranking the volume too high because of bass...
Well... I wasn't listening to bass when i got hurt... but any sound that blows out a little speaker designed to have "better bass" is going to hurt someone's ear. You'll have your scholary articles soon enough but I learned the hard way that following best practices does not save you from getting injured when the product is poorly designed... or in this case, designed "too well."
I'm still failing to see how the product was poorly designed.
There is more than a "single piece of anecdotal data" here. Oh but thanks for your reply and for this forum.
Well, you're welcome.
Wait, your Sony Discman earphones hurt your ears? Gosh maybe you're right.
Well it wasn't auditory damage, they simply hurt to have sitting in my ears, even when they were off. Although now that I think about it, they fit *so* poorly that I frequently had to jam the volume up high just to hear much of anything.
Originally posted by rebel_without_a_pc
I never turned the volume past 65%....please read what i wrote.
Look I apoligize, I guess i just feel really strongly about this one topic. It is true that I rather harshly condemned all earbuds. Perhaps this seems hasty, but I would ask you to ponder some of my unaswered questions concerning Apple earbuds:
1) Why were my ears OK on my 3g iPod when I listened to music for over an hour with the volume at about 65%, but they hurt a lot when the shrill noises of (Jessica's?) laughter were heard, even after i turned down volume to 10% just so i could listen to the rest of the TwiT podcast. (The fan on her powerbook was whirring also. People put microphones next to anything, not realizing the someone is going to stick this directly into thier ear.)
2) Why must I live with ringing in my right ear knowing that this could happen to others?
3) The iPod and podcasts reppresents the first mass introduction of these types of earbuds onto the public. My Sony Discman never hurt my ears. Are they really safe?
4) Why can't podcast decibels be regulated?
5) Why is the National Institutes of Health (NIH) asking for more research specifically on earbuds headphone styles (the ones that come with the iPod -- not just those really-deep-in-the-ear ones)? What happens to the inner ear when the sound is not diffused before it enters the ear from a "high quality" speaker that tries to add more bass (see #6 below)
6)WHY would Apple rush out this update before it is compatible with ALL iPods -- unless they know there is a problem, and it is easier than recalling earbuds.... and they are scared of a backlash.
7) Low volume hurt me the first time and low volume continues to hurt me. Lowering volume will onlly give a false sense of security to affected individuals of which I am one. And I am not the only one, I am sure of it.
6) People complain that they cannot hear bass so they try to get stronger or "deeper" fitting earbuds. Well.. bass was meant to be felt through your whole body. Like a heartbeat. If you try to emulate that with an eardrum you'll wreck that eardrum. It isn't natural... Right? That's why it doesn't work. People like deep bass because it reminds them of thier mother's heartbeat while they were in the womb and comforts them, they just don't know it.
Well... I wasn't listening to bass when i got hurt... but any sound that blows out a little speaker designed to have "better bass" is going to hurt someone's ear. You'll have your scholary articles soon enough but I learned the hard way that following best practices does not save you from getting injured when the product is poorly designed... or in this case, designed "too well."
There is more than a "single piece of anecdotal data" here. Oh but thanks for your reply and for this forum.
Wait, your Sony Discman earphones hurt your ears? Gosh maybe you're right.
First of all, did you try another Apple earbud, or just the one you had problems with. It could have been defective.
The other thing is that you should have your ears checked. I have mine checked once a year. But, then again, I've been involved in the manufacturing of audio components, and the music industry for decades. I know the problems than can occur.
There is no reason why earbuds should cause any more problems than any other sealed headphone system.
So setting your child's iPod is easier than smacking him/her upside the head and saying "Turn that down you moron!"
If only somebody made an electronic hovering nanny, or better yet a brain chip which would make kids obay their politicians--I mean parents--by remote control instead of having to think. Gawd forbid parents would have to, you know, parent.
Is this what we have become? Are we due to be guided by corporate governance with political oversight? Soon we will have moving image devices in our living rooms which will tell us how to think and act. Oh wait..
/parents didn't parent
//has yet to sow wild oats
///Free will, responsibility, liberty. Preach it, live it, give politicians a cock-punch.
Originally posted by rebel_without_a_pc
it is the design of those little speakers that supposedly "sound better."
They are?
I wasn't aware that the iPod-included ear buds were supposed to "sound better". I can't find any claim made in Apple's marketing that says anything about their sound quality. They aren't reliable either, but Apple replaces them for free.
Personally, I thought the path to good iPod sound quality meant chucking the default throw-in earbuds.