#512244 - 04/14/04 05:25 PM
Ear damage by MP3, DVD and digital television?
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Thermionic
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Registered: 07/04/03
Posts: 107
Loc: London
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Hi,
I've had my suspicions about data-reduced formats potentially causing ear damage for some time, and was planning on starting a thread, but, my knowledge of digital theory is such that I've been reluctant to start a discussion without some ammunition.
http://users.informatik.haw-hamburg.de/~windle_c/Logologie/MP3-Gefahr/MP3-risk.html
I would've thought (if the information is scientifically sound, I haven't had a chance to fully digest it yet) that the concepts discussed in the above link could constitute dynamite to the "majors" in their war against piracy? Having said that you'd have to credit the "majors" with having some kind of marketing savvy, maybe I'm being generous...
What say you?
Cheers,
Justin
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#512245 - 04/14/04 06:03 PM
Re: Ear damage by MP3, DVD and digital television?
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Thermionic
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Registered: 07/04/03
Posts: 107
Loc: London
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Ok, have given the article a thorough read, and have realised it's a couple of years old. Can only conclude that the "evidence" presented is far from conclusive...
At this point I should relay my own "pet theory" (nomex suit in place).
ALL recorded music contains distortion. One important mechanism by which we judge perceptual loudness is by how much harmonically-related distortion we perceive. Data-compression introduces distortion which has no harmonic relation to the signal whatsoever, therefore, in order to hear low-level detail we are potentially subjecting our ears to all manner of assymetrical, non-harmonically-related distortion when trying to appreciate this detail, FAR more non-harmonically-related distortion than we would be in a non-compressed situation.
Am I barking up the wrong tree here? Obviously there are many ways non-harmonically-related distortion can get introduced other than data-compression (vcas for instance).
Justin
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#512246 - 04/14/04 07:20 PM
Re: Ear damage by MP3, DVD and digital television?
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Tedly Nightshade
MP Hall of Fame Member
Registered: 01/03/02
Posts: 4649
Loc: applegate,OR,UNITED STATES
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It's an interesting article. And yes there are plenty of things people listen to that do not act anything like nature- it's beyond question that this affects the way people listen, but whether or not or to what extent permanent damage results is a real question...
Another issue that certainly has at least the potential to affect hearing is noise pollution- not just the SPL exposure, but the constant work of the hearing system in filtering out the stuff we're trying to ignore, and focus on what we are trying to hear. I have found it to be very fatiguing at the least... and you might suspect there would be possibilities of permanent rearrangement of the faculties in order to adapt to such circumstances.
_________________________
A WOP BOP A LU BOP, A LOP BAM BOOM!
"There is nothing I regret so much as my good behavior. What demon possessed me that I behaved so well?" -Henry David Thoreau
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#512247 - 04/14/04 09:55 PM
Re: Ear damage by MP3, DVD and digital television?
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fischi
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Registered: 03/19/04
Posts: 8
Loc: Germany
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I didnt read the whole article, but i read a bit through the rest of the site which is mainly written in german.
'Logologie' seems to be a kind of religion where you should not have the color 'pink' in your environment, only wear glasses made of plastic, should avoid to suck on your fingers or pencils, turn down your volume to 80(max 95)db, ...
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#512248 - 04/14/04 10:04 PM
Re: Ear damage by MP3, DVD and digital television?
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KSmith
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Registered: 04/07/01
Posts: 395
Loc: Venice, CA
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I'm much more concerned about brain damage cause by MP3, DVD, and digital television content.
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#512249 - 04/14/04 10:41 PM
Re: Ear damage by MP3, DVD and digital television?
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Bill Mueller
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Registered: 06/22/03
Posts: 147
Loc: Maryland
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Wow,
That guy's ears are ringing because of the drugs he's on. His article is a combination of psuedo science, real facts and absolute unfounded unscientific speculation.
The in/out pathways between the brain and the ear are called the afferent/efferant systems and use two completely different nerve pathways.
The return signals (efferant) he speaks of, are called otoacoustic emmissions and are actual tones that are produced by the ear in response to excitation OAE can be measured easily. Look up "otoacoustic emissions analysis" for more info about these facinating signals that your ears are producing.
I have used otoacoustic emissions analysis to measure the neural/aural response of brain injured children who are auditory hypersensitive. The claim that the brain would generate overloaded otoacoustic emissions because it cannot "recalibrate" on unperceptable audio is absurd, but could easily be tested. Just play an MP3 to the test subject and measure the OAE response. Then play an analog version and measure the OAE response. The difference is the difference.
I'm waiting for him to come out with an aural recalibration CD and a matching pair of wooden volume knobs. Hmmm, might be an idea.
Best Regards,
Bill
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#512250 - 04/15/04 01:51 AM
Re: Ear damage by MP3, DVD and digital television?
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Tedly Nightshade
MP Hall of Fame Member
Registered: 01/03/02
Posts: 4649
Loc: applegate,OR,UNITED STATES
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Originally posted by Bill Mueller:
Wow,
That guy's ears are ringing because of the drugs he's on. His article is a combination of psuedo science, real facts and absolute unfounded unscientific speculation.
The in/out pathways between the brain and the ear are called the afferent/efferant systems and use two completely different nerve pathways.
The return signals (efferant) he speaks of, are called otoacoustic emmissions and are actual tones that are produced by the ear in response to excitation OAE can be measured easily. Look up "otoacoustic emissions analysis" for more info about these facinating signals that your ears are producing.
I have used otoacoustic emissions analysis to measure the neural/aural response of brain injured children who are auditory hypersensitive. The claim that the brain would generate overloaded otoacoustic emissions because it cannot "recalibrate" on unperceptable audio is absurd, but could easily be tested. Just play an MP3 to the test subject and measure the OAE response. Then play an analog version and measure the OAE response. The difference is the difference.
I'm waiting for him to come out with an aural recalibration CD and a matching pair of wooden volume knobs. Hmmm, might be an idea.
Best Regards,
Bill
_________________________
A WOP BOP A LU BOP, A LOP BAM BOOM!
"There is nothing I regret so much as my good behavior. What demon possessed me that I behaved so well?" -Henry David Thoreau
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