Did you know that 37 million Americans are suffering from hearing loss?
Is Bass Bad for Your Ears? Well, the vibrational sensation coursing through your entire body can be quite irresistible. You may already be enjoying a song at an average level, but when you start listening to bass levels, it feels so much better.
However, getting hooked to this lethal sound level might just be the final nail to your coffin. Unlike high pitched sounds, listening to bass levels with these best bass headphones does not irritate you as much. Consequently, you will end up destroying your hearing without even noticing it.
Key takeaway
Bass can be bad for your ears if it is played too loudly. To avoid damage, keep the volume at a reasonable level and turn down the music if you experience pain or ringing in your ears. Additionally, use hearing protection when listening to bass-heavy music as every 3dB correlates to a doubling in power.
By the time you realize, you are far too gone to get help. How would you feel when you look at others laughing and do not understand what they are saying? Imagine having to start learning sign language!
These are issues you shouldn’t experience. Here is a brief explanation of the hearing system and how it gets damaged by bass-heavy sounds. But before you go there, you might also want to check out our guide to figure out how to make my headphones louder!
Is Bass Bad On Your Ears?
Bass and low frequencies aren't always bad for your ears, but they can be if they're played too loudly. What exactly is this? The greater the volume of a sound, the more damage it can cause to your hearing.
Watch this: You’re probably damaging your ears. Stop!
How Loud Is It Safe?
Noise-induced hearing loss is completely avoidable, but you must be cautious about the levels of sound you are exposed to.
The longer you can listen to a loud sound vibrations without damaging your ears, the louder it is. For example, if you're listening to music at 85 decibels (dB), you can listen for up to eight hours without getting tired. However, if the volume is increased to 95 decibels, that time is drastically reduced.
Anything above 100 decibels is dangerous and can cause immediate damage, which is why clubs and concerts are so dangerous! The noises level of a rocket launch is 120 dB, which means your ears are in grave danger if you are exposed to it.
It is important to note that prolonged exposure to any noises above 85 decibels (dB) can result in some form of hearing loss. However, if you are only exposed to 85 dB on a few occasions per week or month, it is unlikely that you will suffer long-term damage.
Instead, you suffer from temporary hearing loss that only affects the sound vibrations and frequencies to which you were exposed. This type of damage does not result in permanent hearing loss, but it can make life difficult if your ears are sensitive and easily irritated by noises.
Have you ever experienced ringing in your ears following a loud concert or party? Tinnitus occurs when the hairs in your ear are exposed to loud sounds. It's irritating but not dangerous, and it usually goes away after a few days or weeks.
How the Hearing System Functions?
Here is how you can detect sound in four simple steps: Before you move forward, you might also want to check out our guide on how to keep earbuds in and prevent them from falling out.
- Sound enters the ear canal, causing your eardrum to move. The vibrations of the eardrum depend on the frequency of sound. The higher the sound frequency, the more the eardrum vibrates.
- These vibrations move through the ear ossicles to the cochlea. Here, they travel through the fluid in waves.
- These vibrations then get picked up by hair cells depending on their magnitude. They then move to the auditory nerve.
- The auditory nerve transmits these signals to your brain that then converts them to the sound you hear.
Notably, hairs that aid hearing are very different from hairs on the rest of your body. Unlike them, once damaged, they will not regrow! So, using a bone conduction headphone won't be a bad idea at all!
How Does One Lose Their Hearing?
Several reasons can lead to loss of hearing. It could be due to head injury, wax buildup, genetics, chemotherapy, among other reasons. However, we will look at how loud sound vibrations can cause hearing impairment.
The loud sound vibrations can result in the complete flattening of your cilia. As you continue to listen to bass-heavy sounds, these hair cells continue to bend from the resultant pressure.
With prolonged listening to loud sounds, the cilia gradually lose the ability to regain their original position. At the point where the cilia cannot rise again, you will have totally lost your hearing. This is because the hairs can no longer pick up the vibrations, therefore cutting the sound relaying process.
What Level of Sound is Okay to Listen to?
We measure sound levels using decibels. The safest sound levels are under 85 decibels. This level of noises is basically what your blender or garbage disposal sounds like.
At the 120 decibel mark is where you are at a critical level and likely to lose hearing. This is the level of noise coming from a chainsaw, a gunshot, or using a metal hammer. Most music concerts will also have music as loud as this. Although you may enjoy the melody, this level is very unsafe for your ears.
Most musical instruments also will have very high noises. Good examples are the drumsets, guitar, and keyboard. Typically, they will range above 110 decibels. In some cases, they can produce a loud sound waves reaching 130 decibels.
What Are The Different Effects of Loud Sound?
You can only stay close to these loud musical instruments for a limited amount of time. When the loud sound waves abruptly stops, you will experience temporary sensitivity hearing loss. Exposure to loud sounds has negative results in the ringing effect in ears.
This condition goes by tinnitus and can reach up to 70 decibels. If you continue listening to loud sound, you are likely to experience this condition more often. Undoubtedly, you do not want to have such ringing in your ears.
The biggest problem comes up when you want to sleep. Loud exposure to noise results in two major kinds of hearing loss. These include the temporary threshold shift and the permanent threshold shift.
1. Temporary Threshold Shift
This is a temporary lowering of your hearing capabilities after exposure to loud sounds. However, your hearing will recover after some time. The rate of recovery depends on two main things.
One of them is the loudness level. The louder it is, the longer you will take to recover. Number two is the length of time you heard the sound. The longer the period, the longer the recovery time.
2. Permanent Threshold Shift
You will first experience a permanent threshold shift after exposure to loud sounds for long. Typically, it takes around 48 hours. Sometimes, it can occur after short periods. Irrespective of the time of exposure, the common thing is that it results from high sounds.
The Magnitude of Hearing Loss
When you start noticing hearing loss even in one ear, immediately seek the doctor’s advice. The doctor will use an audiogram to know the magnitude of hearing loss you have.
The audiogram will identify hearing loss levels by determining the extent of sound you can listen to. Here is how you can gauge your hearing loss, depending on the decibels you can hear.
- 0-20 decibels– Your hearing is normal. This means you can hear a person breathing, which is at 10 decibels.
- 21-40 decibels– You have mild hearing loss.
- 41-55 decibels– You have moderate hearing loss.
- 56-70 decibels– You have moderate-severe hearing loss.
- 71-90 decibels– You have critical hearing loss.
- Over 90 decibels– Your magnitude of hearing loss is profound. People in this state may still hear when a plane is taking off or a truck’s exposure to noise.
Alternative Video: Does Bass Damage Hearing?
Do Bass and Low Frequencies Play A Role? Is Bass Bad For Your Ears?
In a way. Bass and low frequencies can contribute to hearing loss. As previously stated, they are typically the last frequency range to be used if a person has hearing loss. This is due to the fact that lower-pitched sounds are easier to hear than higher-pitched sounds.
People are more likely to turn up the volume and expose themselves to dangerous sound waves levels because bass isn't as annoying as high-frequency sounds.
However, as previously stated, it is not only the bass and low frequencies that can harm your ears; any sound above 80 dB can cause some form of hearing loss over time. The issue isn't one of frequency.
Conclusion – Is Bass Bad On Your Ears?
It is now clear to you that listening to music at loud levels will result in hearing loss. Remember, the process is gradual. Therefore, you may not be aware, but you might have already started experiencing hearing sensitivity impairment.
DJs and musicians who are continually holding shows are at a higher risk of losing their hearing. Don’t forget that, unlike other conditions, hearing loss is irreversible!
When listening to music with bass for long along with ps4 mic monitoring, you continuously put your ability to detect low-frequency vibrations at risk. Music is a luxury; therefore, listen to it at safe levels and enjoy a lifetime of this luxury.
FAQs About Bass Effects On Ears
Is bass harmful to ears?
Bass is a component of loud volume and, at high decibel levels, can cause inner ear damage. Many members of this ear bud sensitivity and ear muffstyle listening device generation will develop hearing loss at a young age. Those who listen at high volumes, in particular.
Is bass or treble worse for your ears?
As you can see, different frequencies can cause varying degrees of hearing loss. Poorer hearing sensitivity in the high frequencies (treble) is more common than in the low frequencies (bass).
Can subwoofers damage your ears?
Using a subwoofer alone to create intense physical involvement may be harmful to the human eardrum. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations require workers exposed to 85 decibels (over an 8-hour period) to wear hearing protection.
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