Although putting on a pair of IEM may seem troublesome, the benefits of a sealed sound are plentiful. Besides having better sound quality in general, the careful use of IEM can also contribute to the prevention of hearing loss. Here’s why.
The seal of the ear canal from a pair of IEM blocks out external sound, thus reducing the total noise level exposed to the listener. In noisy environment, many with traditional earbuds tend to turn up the volume of their music in order drown out external noises. Under long-term exposure, this creates an extremely hazardous effect on one’s hearing. For example, on the bus, street traffic can reach up to 80 – 90 decibels (American Speech-Language-Hearing Association). In order to sufficiently hear one’s music over this level, one would have to crank their music up to at least 85 – 95 decibels. According to the ASHA, “Sounds louder than 80 decibels are considered potentially hazardous.†Needless to say, this is no way to enjoy music safely.
On the other hand, a pair of IEM when properly sealed can reduce up to 80% - 90% of ambient sound. With traffic noise out of the way, you can easily appreciate your music using only 2/3 – 3/4 of supposed volume. Just make sure to keep your eyes open so you don’t miss your stop!
. I use it for relaxed listening at night usually. Infact the real fun with these babies has just started, thanks to the EF2A DAC and amp
