Kim Jinsook
Division of Speech Pathology and Audiology, College of Natural Sciences, Hallym University, Chuncheon, Korea.
Korean J Audiol. 2013 Sep;17(2):59-64. doi: 10.7874/kja.2013.17.2.59. Epub 2013 Sep 24.
Exposure to high levels of music that could lead to music induced hearing loss (MIHL) has been of recent interest especially for young adults, considering their excessive use of personal listening devices such as MP3 player. More attention should be drawn to MIHL for noting that early noise exposure leads to earlier onset of presbycusis. In search of appropriate and safe listening habits for young adults, this investigation was aimed to evaluate output levels and frequencies generated by the Samsung galaxy note MP3 player depending on two earphone types; ear-bud and over-the-ear earphones and three music genres; rock, hip-hop, ballade. A sound level meter was used to measure output level and frequency spectrum between 12.5 and 16000 Hz at all 1/3-octave bands. The following results can be summarized. 1) The earphone styles did not produce significant difference in output levels, but the music genres did. However, the results of music genres varied. 2) Neither earphone styles nor music genres produced significant difference in frequency response spectrum, except music genres at the volume settings we usually listen to. Additionally, volume levels should be lower than 50% for usual listening situation. Through this investigation, it was noted that the frequency range was substantial between 50 and 1000 Hz regardless of the styles of earphones and music genres, implying that we should be cautious of this frequency range when we listen to music. Researchers should give more attention to the effects of the mixture of output level and frequency spectrum, considering that the auditory system has frequency specificity from the periphery to the central to provide refined methods for protecting our ears from MIHL.
考虑到年轻人过度使用MP3播放器等个人收听设备，接触可能导致音乐性听力损失（MIHL）的高强度音乐近来备受关注。鉴于早期噪声暴露会导致老年性耳聋更早发病，应更加关注音乐性听力损失。为了探寻适合年轻人的安全收听习惯，本研究旨在根据两种耳机类型（耳塞式耳机和头戴式耳机）以及三种音乐类型（摇滚、嘻哈、民谣），评估三星Galaxy Note MP3播放器产生的输出水平和频率。使用声级计在所有1/3倍频程频段测量12.5至16000Hz之间的输出水平和频谱。结果总结如下：1）耳机类型在输出水平上未产生显著差异，但音乐类型有差异。然而，音乐类型的结果各不相同。2）耳机类型和音乐类型在频率响应频谱上均未产生显著差异，但在我们通常收听的音量设置下，音乐类型有差异。此外，在通常的收听情况下，音量水平应低于50%。通过这项研究发现，无论耳机类型和音乐类型如何，50至1000Hz之间的频率范围都相当大，这意味着我们在听音乐时应谨慎对待这个频率范围。研究人员应更加关注输出水平和频谱混合的影响，因为听觉系统从外周到中枢具有频率特异性，以便提供保护我们耳朵免受音乐性听力损失的精细方法。
