iPods And MP3 Players To Be Made Quieter?

The European Commission in Brussels has proposed new rules on volumes for MP3 players in a bid to prevent users suffering from hearing problems.

Under the new proposals, the maximum setting for all MP3 players and mobile phones with music-playing capabilities should be 80db. Currently, the maximum volume setting on iPods can reach 130db.

Speaking about the calls for a ruling to be brought in, Meglena Kuneva, the EU Consumer Affairs Commissioner said that young people are particularly susceptible to hearing damage, reports the Telegraph.

"It's easy to push up the sound levels on your MP3 player to damagingly loud levels, especially on busy streets or public transport," Kuneva explained. "And the evidence is that particularly young people - who are listening to music at high volumes sometimes for hours each week - have no idea they can be putting their hearing at risk."

The Who's Pete Townshend has previously spoken about his fears for young people's hearing due to excessive headphone use, saying: "Hearing loss is a terrible thing because it cannot be repaired."

The European Commission's new proposals are now set to be evaluated by the European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization (Cenelec). The consideration process can take up to two years.

Thanks for the report to Nme.com.

Comments

[Neurie]

Then all you do in I tunes is double the volume level of the file with in its options settings.

Its also the way I made most of the ring tones for the Iphone more audiable

[AnimatedHand]

I dont think they know that you can turn down the sound...

[end_citizen]

I don't think they realize that speaker efficiency will effect the overall volume.

If they use crappy headphones for the test, then the iPod will go louder than intended.

If they use overly-efficient headphones, they will quieter than intended.

[Shabalaba]

The European Commission in Brussels has proposed new rules on volumes for MP3 players in a bid to prevent users suffering from hearing problems.

Nice to see our governments keeping busy with what matters! It's perfectly obvious if you listen to it too loud for too long it will damage your hearing, it's a waste of time & they clearly have too much time on their hands

[AdriAn99]

I can't love without my 120 dB headphones, please dont make them so quiet!

[Jøhnny]

W00t? That just sucks, it's about the loudness people! I always turn the volume up! I mean come on, 80dB? Well, I have to keep my old Mp3 player for the rest of my life, so I can still listen to loud music where ever I want. Don't support the quiet Mp3s and iPods!

[leprecon90]

It's easy to push up the sound levels on your MP3 player to damagingly loud levels, especially on busy streets or public transport

make public transport quieter then =)

[Rockon914]

its my ears ill do what i want. Also if ipods came with stock noise reducing headphones maybe people wouldn't turn it up so loud.

[sandyman323]

80dB's a little low for a MAX volume. 90dB makes much more sense.

[UnsungPlayer42]

Well most of today's modern music is heavily compressed to sound s loud.Maybe they should stop record companies from using the "Hot" mastering process.

[metallica144]

there is one thing that is not mentioned here, because the only thing they do is oblige the manufacturers to set a lower maximum but you CAN change that maximum but when you set the maximum level higher, you should get a warning that too loud music can cause hearing damage

[j_link13]

its probably a legit thing to do...i listen to mine waay to loud, people usually stare

[dp2007]

AdriAn99 wrote:

I can't love without my 120 dB headphones, please dont make them so quiet!

oh really? i can't LIVE without mine

[alexjohnston]

What a nanny state.
Have the nicotene content in cigarettes been lowered? No.
It is the liberty of the consumer to choose how loud they have their music. As long as information is provided with mp3 players people know what they are doing; and if they want to continue to do so that is thier choice. This is one of the evolving problems in many Western societies. People being spood fed. Authorities making decisions for people. Quite soon we probably won't be able to make concious decisions by ourselves. It links into the whole survival of the fittest theory. If people are given the information about a product but decide against it (which should be their right); and subsquently a problem arises (e.g. deafness in this case)- that is thier bad. They chose against advice- let them live with that- no sueing anybody- it was your choice- Don't make the rest of society have to deal with excessive limitations and rules.

Intense ha

[paddypadman]

Gonna be honest.. this is really a good thing for us Europeans.. cause some young peoples hearing are seriously depleting at a very fast rate..

[imsimon]

Fucks Sake :@
What about ones of us who have already ruined our hearing at age 18, and need our music to be loud so we can hear it!

[valnir230]

yeah.... it takes 2 years for consideration? Nothing like the sound of efficient leadership at work.

[vIsIbleNoIsE]

why don't they stop beating around the bush and say that they think young people are dumbasses?

[viento]

dumb euros dont funk that stuff, just turn down the volume (yes you can do it), that's what's for to.....

[riseagainst26]

its my fault if i damage my hearing so lemme decide my own fate
anyway im too awesome to lose hearing

[ptr362]

Lets stop the sale of scissors next so that people don't cut themselves!

[FearOfTheDuck]

Pussio Blud. yea

[Peter Reardon]

leprecon90 wrote:

It's easy to push up the sound levels on your MP3 player to damagingly loud levels, especially on busy streets or public transport

make public transport quieter then =)

Hahaha, this.

[soapalot]

What about people like me who use their iPod exclusively on a stereo? I turn the volume all the way up then adjust the volume on my stereo, which causes no damage to my hearing. If a volume limit is set on them then it's going to make my music sound worse, and no one has the right to do that. No one. It's just another reason not to use these machines and stick with CDs, they sound way better anyway.

[Soundyard]

What 'er you? My mom or something? If people wanna smoke let 'em smoke, if they wanna' listen to loud shit well then so be it. They should just market differant types of ipods or whatever, some labeled as only having an 80 decibel whatchamacallit and others what ever the hell it goes up to, not screwing it up for everyone and what-not. And no I didn't read the entire article, I just feel like writing something! Cheearss!

[Omniphallica]

Our rulers should consider having our hands removed at birth, thus preventing millions of fist fights. After all, we're obviously to stupid to be left with the option. But seriously, don't digital volume limiters already address this? Yet another example of the totalitarian-tip-toe.

[Ponomar]

Sue the bastards!

[dollyDagger]

Its a GOOD THING!!!. i hear peoples ipods from across the street and think, shit, that must be doing alot of damage. why listen loud? why not just at the right volume. when i play along to drums i need to hear it loud in my ear though.

so just make it loud for musicians who buy iPods, and make it quiet for everyone else!!

[ZeGuitarist]

Checked.

[Philip_pepper]

I think it's good that they are doing this. I bet most of you against this will be moaning and bitching in 20-30 years that the government didn't try to stop you from getting hearing damage.

[Deliriumbassist]

Good. It's all well saying people who damage their hearing through listening to their music deserve it or whatever. but what exactly is too loud? The average person on the street probably couldn't tell you.

I've suffered from hearing damage since I was born. It isn't good, especially for a musician. I feel that any help in reducing the amount of damage people are unwittingly doing to their ears is a good thing.

[RyoujokuNoAme]

dancesisidance wrote:

Fucks Sake :@
What about ones of us who have already ruined our hearing at age 18, and need our music to be loud so we can hear it!

This!

[jammy827]

wait a sec... its only in the e.u... so just get them from other countries!!

[tenacioust04]

I think it's a good thing that they are doing this, you're hearing never gets better, it only gets worse as you grow older as the cells die and never come back. protect your hearing.

[ShionusSkyr]

What about speaker systems that need you to turn the volume up cuz they're too damn quiet?

[IROn 5L1nKY]

So... young people don't know how to protect their ears?
Well, correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought that's what education was for? Or is that just how you waste the first 22 years of your life?
Let's TELL people about the problem, not try to control people! Good god...

[DanRocks3000]

i've heard about loud volumes causing hearing damage before on iPods. Thing is i think music, especially metal and rock stuff sounds so much better, heavier and clearer at louder volumes. My iPod is always at about 80/85% volume. I used to have sony mp3 player where you could unlock the sound limit with a code on the internet. I bet all the players would start doing that.

[Corsack]

Should be a recomendation more than a requirement. They just want to save people trouble before it happens, can they control it though? Probably not. They can only advise people on what may happen if they do it. And for those complaining about ambient noise around them, have you tried using noise canceling headphones?(ex. In-Ear headphones) They take a while to get used to but I can't use anything else but in-ear headphones now. The difference is quite surprising.