By Guest Blogger, Med Dyer, co-founder and chief technology officer at dB Logic

According to the American Academy of Audiology, “approximately 12 percent of all children ages 6-19 have noise induced hearing loss”. With the current popularity of MP3 players and other portable audio devices, there is some concern that users may be causing permanent hearing damage from cranking up the volume too loud. The Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) considers 85 decibels (dB) the action point where employers must implement a hearing conservation program. With many MP3 devices capable of blasting volume at up to 120 dB, and with users having no way to gauge listening levels, it’s no surprise that auditory health is becoming more of a concern.

So what does 85 dB sound like? Well, first let’s discuss what’s measured when we talk about sound pressure levels as measured in dB. Sounds are essentially the vibration of a compressible medium (like air). The vibrations, called sound waves, can be analyzed by measuring the pressure they exert. The larger the sound wave, the greater the pressure the wave can exert on your ears. The average person can hear sounds down to about 15 dB, the level of rustling leaves. Some people with very good hearing can hear sounds down to 0 dB. Sounds above 85 dB can cause permanent hearing damage over a period of time. Depending on the listening levels, permanent hearing loss can be caused in a single listening session.

And yes – 85 dB is loud enough to truly enjoy music. To put it in to context, here are examples of the sounds heard at various sound pressure levels:

30 dB Whisper

50 dB Moderate rainfall

70 dB Busy traffic, vacuum cleaner

80 dB Alarm clock
85 dB Music heard through dB Logic products

90 dB Lawn mower, motorcycle

100 dB Chain saw

120 dB Jet plane takeoff

140 dB Firecrackers

In a recent TODAY Show segment, Dr. Nancy Snyderman discussed the alarming trend of hearing loss in teens – it has risen nearly 30 percent in the last decade!

One way to help protect yourself and your children from long-term hearing damage is with headphones and earphones that limit sound pressure. Designed for children, teens and adults, dB Logic headphones and earphones offer superior sound, style and comfort while using proprietary Sound Pressure Level Limiting (SPL2) technology to regulate volume as needed while keeping musical content intact.

SPL2 technology limits volume levels using advanced circuitry and eliminates the need for bulky battery-powered processors required by competitive sound pressure limiting products. By maintaining the integrity of the sound, the limiting is virtually transparent to the listener and the audio content does not sound clipped or distorted, providing the industry’s highest-quality listening experience that can help avoid hearing damage due to long-term exposure to high sound pressure levels.

dB Logic will be exhibiting at the International CES 2011. Also, you can connect with us dB on Facebook and Twitter.

Digital Dialogue Editor’s note:

CEA is a strong supporter of promoting safe listening practices, especially for children and teens. CEA collaborated with ASHA (the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association) to promote safe listening habits. The two organizations partnered to produce a Listening for a Lifetime brochure to promote safe listening, in tandem with ASHA’s Listen To Your Buds campaign, which teaches young children how to protect their hearing.

You can read more blog posts from CEA and ASHA staff on safe listening on Digital Dialogue – just search “Safe Listening” or “Kids and Technology” on this site.