Hey, Euro podders! You've got Brussels in your ears
Did you know that the European Union, in its wisdom (?), forbids portable music players from blasting more than 100 decibels into the ears of their owners? Now, you may say that this is very enlightened legislation, especially if you've ever had to sit beside some MP3 totin' cretin who's wearing those crappy headphones that spray numbing beats over everyone within hearing distance. But you might see things differently, however, if you've shelled out for a shiny new iPod and you want to use it on a plane, or a train or somewhere with lots of background noise.
Anyway, there you are, on the road, and you've got The Kings of Leon lined up and you want to feel the full impact of those magnificent chords that introduce "Slow Night, So Long" from their new album, "Aha Shake Heartbreak". This is bourbon-soaked, smoke-filled music that was made LOUD to be played LOUD. But you're snookered because you bought your iPod in Berlin and the volume has been set in Brussels. Meanwhile, your mate who's listening to the same song is blissfully heading towards tinnitus because she bought her iPod in Singapore. The difference here is appreciable: iPods sold outside Europe play as loud as 104 dB — two and a half times louder than 100 dB European Union limit. What to do?
Well, if you want to melt your Euro ears, click along to Norway. Beyond the ambit of the Brussels bureaucrats, lies the domain of euPOD VolumeBoost ("now over 45 000 downloads!"). This clever little utility alters a setting in the iPod's hidden database and instead of adjusting the volume of the individual songs, it increases the player's volume. And in a matter of seconds, too.
Comments
Hey Eamonn
Do you ever leave the iPod down?
Posted by: Arnie | December 6, 2004 6:59 AM
Eamonn, increasing the iPod's volume could cause hearing damage. I suggest people get earphones that exclude background noise instead. The ones supplied with the iPod cut out hardly any noise, but the "closed" types, such as the Sony MDREX71SLB, are ideal. Better but much more expensive are noise-cancelling earphones like the Sony MDRNC11 and Panasonic RPHC50. These eliminate all background noise. These are very effective for listening on aircraft and trains as well.
All the best
Scott
Posted by: Scott Krins | December 6, 2004 12:17 PM
Eamonn,
I suffered at one point with a lenghty bout with tinitus as a result of playing my earphones too loud. It lasted well over one year and caused a lot of emotional trauma and anxiety.
Tinitus as you may know is uncurable. Now, 10 years later, I am accustomed to the way my hearing is and i am no longer troubled by it. But that is not to say i am cured, but that i am accustomed to the ringing I hear if I pay attention to it.
I can only warn those who think blasting music in your ears is safe, it is not and damage is permanent. Those who watch 'Pimp my Ride' and think it is cool to have woofers that belt out 150 decibles are going to injure themselves and others. The companies producing these destructive speakers sometimes put warnings on their products, but all too often they do not.
I think the European ipod is a rare example of intelligent and morally responsible product legislation aimed at keeping people from harming themselves as they surely will if they follow your advice and hack into the safty feature designed to prevent the years of suffering I went through.
BTW, it is clear ipods 'secret' setting was intended to be discovered just as in the 1960's muscle cars in America were all bogged down with performance reducing emmissions controls. GM designed the controls to comply with California law, but also designed it such that they could be disabled with a sxcrewdriver restoring raw horsepower.
DON"T DO IT!!!
Horror Story Below
http://www.guitarnoise.com/article.php?id=390
Posted by: andrew2 | December 6, 2004 12:48 PM
uncurable=Incurable
Posted by: andrew2 | December 6, 2004 12:50 PM
I think people should be allowed to ruin their ears at their wish.
Posted by: hans ze beeman | December 6, 2004 4:09 PM
I agree with Hans (BTW, last entry at Cum Grano Salis is from March '04--any plans to resume blogging?). I have no doubt that loud noises can injure your hearing (when I go shooting, I wear both foam earplugs and ear-muffs). At the same time, I question the notion that the state should be telling us we may not choose to injure our hearing (injuring the hearing of others, or even annoying them with loud music, is quite another matter).
Posted by: MelchiorSternfels | December 6, 2004 4:25 PM