Volumes on personal stereos are likely to be restricted by regulators because of fears that MP3 players and “in-ear” phones are damaging hearing.Up to a tenth of users are listening to music at levels that could cause permanent hearing loss after five years, an influential scientific commission has found.Personal music players are allowed to reach 100 decibels. But with “in-ear” headphones the actual sound at the eardrum can reach 120dB.
http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/personal_tech/article4958503.eceEU warns of permanent hearing damage from iPods
“Listening to personal music players at a high volume over a sustained period can lead to permanent hearing damage,” according to an opinion delivered by the EU Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks (SCENIHR).
http://euractiv.com/en/infosociety/eu-warns-permanent-hearing-damage-ipods/article-176379
EU may cut maximum volume on MP3 players
Volumes on personal stereos are likely to be restricted by regulators because of fears that MP3 players and “in-ear” phones are damaging hearing.