September 28, 2009 at 15:07MP3 players will be 100 times quieter
The maximum volume of players in Europe is severely limited to protect the ears of Europeans. The Independent Scientific Committee at the European Commission (SCENIHR) proved that irreparable damage to hearing is almost guaranteed if you listen to loud music for five years more than 1 hour per day at a volume of more than 89 dB, as approximately 5-10% of player owners do, i.e. 10 million Europeans.
The committee published ( PDF, 81 pages ) its findings back in October 2008, but now the matter has taken a serious turn. The EU Commission for the Protection of Consumer Rights has acted in favor of reducing the maximum volume, AFP reports . On this occasion, negotiations are underway with manufacturers of gadgets and it is likely that negotiations will be successful in the near future.
The commission requires that the maximum volume of all new players be reduced on a logarithmic scale from 100 to 80 decibels, that is, the sound pressure level should decrease by 100 times.
For reference , the sound pressure of 70 dB corresponds to the noise of a typewriter, 80 dB to the noise of a working truck engine, 100 dB to a loud car signal at a distance of 5-7 m, 110 dB to the noise of a working tractor at a distance of 1 m, 120 dB to the pain threshold sensations, and pressure above 140 dB can cause rupture of the eardrum, barotrauma and death.
The committee published ( PDF, 81 pages ) its findings back in October 2008, but now the matter has taken a serious turn. The EU Commission for the Protection of Consumer Rights has acted in favor of reducing the maximum volume, AFP reports . On this occasion, negotiations are underway with manufacturers of gadgets and it is likely that negotiations will be successful in the near future.
The commission requires that the maximum volume of all new players be reduced on a logarithmic scale from 100 to 80 decibels, that is, the sound pressure level should decrease by 100 times.
For reference , the sound pressure of 70 dB corresponds to the noise of a typewriter, 80 dB to the noise of a working truck engine, 100 dB to a loud car signal at a distance of 5-7 m, 110 dB to the noise of a working tractor at a distance of 1 m, 120 dB to the pain threshold sensations, and pressure above 140 dB can cause rupture of the eardrum, barotrauma and death.