Stormy
100+
Advocates putting smokers in a "Sin Bin"
Needs to learn to keep his big mouth shut.
Posts: 153
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Post by Stormy on Jan 20, 2006 20:55:22 GMT
I'm sorry about the deluge of posts from me - I'm trying to make up for lost time - I've wanted an X-Can for about three years.
What sort of volumes do you lot listen at? I know that general guidance is "if it seems too loud it probably is", but I'm very conscious of the risks and am normally very careful with my ears. I wear plugs to concerts and band practices, I'm that concerned.
I mostly listen to rock/alternative through HD600s, but I know others' mileage will vary by music style and headphone impedance. I tend to sit somewhere between the -46dB and -40dB marks, and don't listen for any more than an hour at that volume.
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Fergus
100+
Done a David Ike and is now known as Godkin
Posts: 197
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Post by Fergus on Jan 20, 2006 22:30:36 GMT
Stormy, I generally listen to my music - mostly comtemporary folk and classical - at around 54dB to 46dB, depending on the quality of the recording. Medical advise seems to say that damage to the ear will only occur if music is played at very high levels and over a prolonged period of time. Your listening levels are neither high, nor are your listening periods particularly long. Enjoy, Fergus
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thegreatroberto
100+
The Great Roberto "himself" The real deal on a stick!
Posts: 157
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Post by thegreatroberto on Jan 21, 2006 8:48:07 GMT
Sorry,could you repeat that please .
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Stormy
100+
Advocates putting smokers in a "Sin Bin"
Needs to learn to keep his big mouth shut.
Posts: 153
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Post by Stormy on Jan 21, 2006 15:40:32 GMT
*Hands thegreatroberto his listening trumpet* I said "How loud do you listen to your music?"... Oh nevermind...
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Post by manic on Jan 22, 2006 21:01:25 GMT
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Stormy
100+
Advocates putting smokers in a "Sin Bin"
Needs to learn to keep his big mouth shut.
Posts: 153
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Post by Stormy on Jan 23, 2006 20:08:39 GMT
Thanks Manic. Good article. Unfortunately I knew most of that, and applying it to this really begs the question "how loud are my headphones".
I found a figure for characteristic SPL for the HD580 drivers (which I've heard are the same as the HD600's) of 97dB at 1mW for a 1kHz test tone. Musical Fidelity claim an average output of 1W for the X-Can V3, which is 1000 times greater [equating to 30dB: 10 x log(1/0.001)], so if the HD600s could actually take 1W (they're rated at 0.2W), they'd theoretically be producing 127dB. So if you're listening to a 1kHz test tone (which is rather boring and very annoying, what with A-weighting and all), the marks on the volume knob should equate to around:
0: 127dB (and blown headphones if used for too long) 2: 125dB 4: 123dB 6: 121dB 8: 119dB (safe headphones) 10: 117dB 14: 113dB (15 mins listening) 18: 109dB (30mins) 22: 105dB (1 hour) 28: 99dB (2 hours) 34: 93dB (5 hours) 40: 87dB (more than 8 hours) 46: 81dB 54: 73dB 62: 65dB 70: 57dB
All this of course depends on the input level of your source, and most music contains frequencies other than 1kHz in great abundance, which will have varying sound pressure thanks to slight irregularities in linearity... Probably absolute tosh, because knowing me I've forgotten to take something into consideration, but it's given me a ballpark figure to work with. I'd be surprised if the system was capable of producing SPLs much higher than 127dB, so it can't be far off a worst-case scenario.
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Post by manic on Jan 23, 2006 21:51:44 GMT
Can't argue with the stats, and there is plenty out there. Its a difficult call to make with ears alone due to improved modern recording and playback technology. Personally, I use 40 as a safe benchmark for extended periods of +4 hours. Exceeding this begins to feel uncomfortable, unless I play acoustic tracks. The danger with the better senns (I use HD 650's) and replacement valves in X-Cans is they take the harsh edge of most types of music and it is tempting to turn the volume up higher than I would with say CD 3000's. Guess all those early years of abuse at disco's (yes I go back that far!!!) and rock concerts is beginning to take its toll.
Manic
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