Train and bus passengers keen not to share the beat of fellow travellers' portable music devices might be happier to hear about a new plan from the EU.
A maximum noise default setting will be set on new portable music players, the European Commission has suggested.
But the standard decibel setting could be overridden by music fans still keen to turn up the volume.
The proposal came after research claimed that one in 10 users could suffer permanent hearing loss.
Scientists said those who listened at high volume for more than one hour per day over five years risked permanent harm. Between 50 million and 100 million people may be listening to portable music players on a daily basis, they found.
Levels
Existing EU standards currently prescribe no maximum sound limit nor require any specific volume labelling on devices.
The new proposals suggest that a default volume is set on all personal music players and mobile phones with a music playing function manufactured in the future. The proposals could take some months before becoming standard practice and would be voluntary among manufacturers.
The Commission said that at 80 decibels, exposure should be limited to 40 hours a week. At 89 decibels, exposure should not exceed five hours a week.
"It is easy to push up the sound levels on your mp3 player to damagingly loud levels, especially on busy streets or public transport," said EU Consumer Affairs Commissioner Meglena Kuneva.
"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. It can take years for the hearing damage to show, and then it is simply too late.
"These standards make small technical changes to players so that by default, normal use is safe. If consumers chose to override the default settings they can, but there will be clear warnings so they know the risks they are taking."
BBC News. Sep 28, 2009.
Posts
8 comments:
Hey folks & Mr.Fu=]
After read this article,I feel very afraid becoz I listen pop music everyday when I taking minibus..!
"It is easy to push up the sound levels on your mp3 player"I totally agree this pt of view.When we feel the sound is too low or hving some noise coming into our ears..we'll turn the volume easily.Our audition will get permanent hurt during do this process again & again..
Hope u all can protect yr audition carefully.For health of yr ears,turn lower the volume when u listening music..:)
Actually I am one of the people who
listen to loud music everyday. When I go to school by bus, I usually listen to music. Because I feel very annoyance on the bus, I hate people talking with a very loud volume, I hate the busy streets like Mong Kok. There is many visitors, I can't walk through the streets.And so I keen to turn up the volume of music.
But after I read this news, I think I would not listen to the loud music anymore cause I don't want to take the risk of being deaf.
6AB1 Fung Mei Yee
This is bulls@#t!
We put our earphones on is to avoid disturbing others. Now they try to control the volume, or maybe they will try to regulate our underpants colour in the future.
So such stupid plan should never be working.....
If this plan works, our life will be like drinking Coke Zero..............TASTELESS!
I think this is a really think to have this noise limit planned. Sometimes when I was on the bus, I can even hear the loud music from the passenger sitting besides me. I really think the loud would hurt their ears.
Some of my friends love to turn up the voloume too and I always ask them not to turn it up. They actually didn't realize how much damage will be caused by the load volume.
Hope this plan really can help those who love loud music
6ab1 Fong Ting
Since portable music players were popularized by Sony's Walkman, people have been warning users not to crank up the volume. The damage to the hearing is irreversible. Nevertheless, it is not uncommon for you to listen to music from other passengers' earphones on public transports. It is always a bad idea to go to the extreme.
Andrea, I think your Coke Zero example gives you away. You've become quite famous in my two F.6 classes now.
Hi Mr.Fu ,
when I saw this photo,I was thinking about new ipod nano's camera function.But after I saw this news,I was also worrying my ears as I always listen to my ipod when I take minibus or MTR.I think I am the one who is easy to push up the sound level,and now I will be careful to listen music in my ipod after I know the consequences of listening at a high sonud level.
By the way,I come from 6ab1 (9).
I can't agree with it more. With the rapid development of the mp3, nowadays, most of the teenagers may at least have one (including me). Everytime when they feel bored, they may listen to it. Which means, they may listen to it on busy streets, public transport, or everywhere they like. In order to listen clearly to the songs, the volume must be louder than the surroundings which it may easily damage to our ears.
'It can take years for the hearing damage to show, and then it is simply too late.'
Just like what it said, if we still ignore the warnings by others, we will harm ourselves at last.
However, it is not all the fault for people carelessly higher the volume of the mp3 to a dangerous level. The companies who produce them did not set a warning when the customers everytime turn the volume to a dangerous level. Thus, besides the work of ourselves, it is necessary for the companies to cooperate in order to protect our ears.
I can’t agree with this more. Firstly, I am one of the people who cannot live without music. Neither going to school nor leaving school, whenever I am being alone, must I listen to the music. Sometimes, I push up the sound levels carelessly (especially for the iPod users, it is too easy to turn into high volume); I think I am putting my hearing at risk. Secondly, I would like to share my favorite music to my friends and relatives. Sometimes I notice that they listen to the maximum volume by comparing with the normal level. I think they are used to listen to such a loud volume, and which harms their hearing. That’s why I agree that the maximum noise default setting is a good way to protect our hearing.
Post a Comment