Listening to the Sounds of Silence

Nov. 30, 2007 — -- It's rare these days to find a young person who isn't sporting a pair of those digital music-player earbuds. But medical experts say that as a result, hearing loss is likely to be a fact of life for many in this generation of music lovers.

People who listen to their iPods at 80 percent of volume regularly for more than 90 minutes a day are most at risk for hearing loss, according to several recent studies. Some people have especially tender ears and music at even lower levels for shorter periods can also damage hearing, audiologists say.

Researchers at the University of Florida who did audio testing on middle and high-school students found that about 17 percent had some degree of hearing loss. Most of the loss was in higher pitches, which are usually the first ranges of sound to go from loud music-player settings.

With these facts in mind, a company Mad Cat Interactive recently began selling AirDrives earphones, which are designed to protect against hearing loss with a unique design that exceeds the federal OSHA standards for all-day listening.

The earphones rest on the outside of the ears, letting other sounds in and protecting the eardrum against high-pressure, high-decibel sound produced by typical earbuds that sit in the ear canal. AirDrives ($99.99) and AirDrives for Kids ($69.99) keep the sound to 80 decibels, even with an iPod or other music player volume set at 100 percent, the maker says.

Most earbuds on the market today produce sounds at as much as 88 to 108 decibels, capable of causing hearing loss over the extended periods that most people listen to their players.

The two AirDrives we tried out produced excellent mid- and high-range sound, although the design of the earphones takes a bit of getting used to. The earphones allowed outside sounds to come through, unlike the cocoon-like wall that earbuds and over-the-ear sets produce.

One downside of the AirDrives is less bass, but after a short while listening with the earphones the superior mids and highs seemed to overcome this. Two teenagers who tried out both the adult and kids versions reported that they did have to turn up their music devices higher than normal to achieve the sound to which they were accustomed.