THINKING ABOUT HEARING HEALTH
LOVE MUSIC, FOR A LIFETIME
Since day one, Yamaha has enriched hearts and lives through music and sound. This quest continues through our approach to hearing health, sharing the risks associated with hearing loss and how to enjoy music responsibly.
THE RISK OF HEARING LOSS IS GROWING
The World Heath Organization (WHO) reports that roughly half of people ages 12-35 are at risk of hearing loss. There's a direct correlation to extended listening sessions and high volume exposure through headphones and earbuds.
ABOUT MUSIC LISTENING LEVELS
Continually listening to music at high levels will, of course, damage your hearing. Taking this into account, there are trends that seek to reduce sound output levels at the source—from headphones, earbuds, music players, and the like. Particularly in Europe, there are emerging international standards for limiting maximum sound pressure level to 100 dB or less. In addition, sound level restrictions may be imposed at live performances, concert venues, and events, with various efforts being conducted worldwide to protect people’s ears from excessive volume.
UNDERSTANDING EVERYDAY SOUND LEVELS
Understanding everyday sound levels is key to understanding how you perceive sound in headphones and earbuds. Once sounds exceed 100 dB, it puts strain on your ears. At 130 dB, it's loud enough to damage hearing.
OPTIMAL LEVELS AND LISTENING TIME
When thinking about hearing health, consider both the volume level and total listening time. The more you listen, the lower the volume should be. The chart below can serve as a guide but is not considered medical advice.
Reference
ITU-T H.870 “Guidelines for safe listening devices/systems”- ITU (International Telecommunication Union)
LOOKING OUT FOR YOUR EARS
TAKE TIME TO REST YOUR EARS
Your ears get fatigued from everyday sounds. Not just music listening. Quiet time is important, especially if your ears are subjected to noisy environments. Consider earplugs for these situations. Earplugs are available to block more damaging frequency ranges while letting more atmospheric sounds in.
BE CAREFUL WITH THE LEVELS
When the surrounding noise is loud, it’s tempting to turn up the volume to unsafe levels without realizing it. Make sure to check the music listening level from time to time.
CHOOSE EARBUDS AND HEADPHONES THAT DO NOT STRAIN YOUR EARS
The unique Listening Care feature in Yamaha earbuds and headphones allows you to fully enjoy music at low levels. Listening Care monitors the listening level and optimally corrects the high and low frequencies that are difficult to hear while maintaining the original balance of the music. This results not only in less strain on your ears due to excessive levels, but also naturally reproduces an easy-to-listen sound.
ADVICE FROM A HEARING EXPERT
Keita SUYAMA
FitEar/Safe Listening
ENJOYING MUSIC WITH GOOD SOUND FOREVER
Our enjoyment of and involvement with music has many different facets, including listening to music with earbuds and headphones, going to live concerts, and playing musical instruments. Yet, we often pay little attention to our ears, which receive that music, and the important role they play. If you are absorbed in your music, you may end up listening to it for a long time at loud levels. And particularly now with smart phones and wireless earbuds that let you easily enjoy music, you can be in a dangerous listening environment without being aware of it. You may wonder how to get full satisfaction from your music and enjoy it with high-quality sound forever—without stopping listening at all or completely giving up loud sound.
Yamaha is deeply involved in sound and music, and I’m looking forward to the comprehensive proposals it offers users for balancing the music experience and hearing protection, as well as providing helpful hints on using listening devices in a safe environment.
