There is another problem. Some of us just want to turn the volume the lowest possible and it is still too loud! The maximum volume is locked up at the minimum possible with audible sound. Sometimes it’s not easy to calculate the sound that we get with a specific headphone / earphones / IEMs etc. Then, I find that Apple should allow us to set the volume even lower than their defaults on their iPod. An application mainly made for PDFs called GoodReader allows to listen at even lower volume. It’s not even its main function! The test has been done on an iPod Touch 2G. Some people don’t understand the technical stuff about the earphones like impedence, decibels, etc. So, both sides should put clear information about watts, decibels outputs and methods to help us calculate between popular devices such as an iPod and IEMs. Don’t expect everyone of us to be able to do this. So, should they completly drop any such devices because they can’t put it even lower? On another website, a person has talked about an IEM made by Nuforce, the NE-7M. This is why I’ve mentioned the program called GoodReader. I find it’s a shame that a program mainly made to read PDFs can allow us to listen at a lower volume than the application provided by Apple.

Guess what? The person found the volume too loud even if the volume was set to its minimum and the volume was locked to the minimum audible level with this IEM. And that only works with a limited number of applications. The other applications will not be limited like that and you may hear a very loud sound.

Apparently, the person cares about his or her hearing and ended up with some hearing loss and tinnitus. Some people care about their hearing and want to be able to set it at the right volume level. It’s pathetic too that a person may know only iTunes to adjust the gain volume and it still doesn’t work. You may want to use programs such as MP3Gain and in some cases, it might not be appropriate for you. I must note that the person listened to isochronic tones that last about 30 minutes.

So, if you want things that don’t work, even though your volume is at its lowest, find an app to do it right or just throw the damn iPod in the trash and then don’t lose your hearing. I find this funny for the people who have a correct hearing to crank it up with their headphones that give a good sound level with less than the half of the volume control and do it on purpose.

These ones should not even have the right to sue them as it has been abused on purpose. Still, it might be only them who know that they’ve done it on purpose.

So question yourself as much as possible about the implications it might have. Be lucid, alert, careful and write your questions and answers on a notepad near you before you even try once any device you’ve never used before and even if you have the logic or an idea of how it works… What will happen if I do this? What are the consequences of doing that? Do I make the right choice? If you feel just a little doubt, in this case, remove your earphones before adjusting volume. If possible, make fundamental rules before wearing earphones such as keeping the volume at 0, lock it, wear only earphones when there is music, etc. Little things can make a big difference on the outcome. Use common sense if you don’t intend to follow this as a systematic rule. In other words, find a system that will be reliable for you before to minimize accidents and issues. I know it can be hard but that will be more and more needed as the technology evolves, even if the technology might become very intelligent to do such tasks for you… Do that before you use things.

I think these security measures should be taught early at a young age and use processes such as affirmations, hypnosis, subliminals, isochronic tones, repetitions so the people will automatically check everything without forgetting. Pay attention to some of them, especially subliminals. If you have hearing loss at their frequency, it might not work for you and if you don’t set the right volume and use headphones, it might cause hearing loss as well. In doubt if you have to use speakers and not headphones or any other thing, please contact the vendor and / or the experts at these things. Habits made without these techniques can also work, provided that you don’t forget to do them and don’t lose the habit on the go.

Hearing loss and tinnitus is not enjoyable at all if you ask me. There’s no cure yet for noise induced hearing loss in the USA… You have to go in other countries that has such treatments or cure and it’s at your own risk. Otherwise, please be careful. I do that in the name of humanity, please be careful. If it’s too late, please spread the word to others and it will be needed. If you have children, you might want to teach them to check and stay vigilant toward devices, toys as much as it is in the kitchen, for example. Don’t make them afraid of everything neither. They have to stay confident but learn to use common sense and have good intuition and a good check system.

Some might be depressed about their hearing loss… not only because they cannot hear well, because it has been their own fault and they’ve realized what they have done. They know they can’t reverse their hearing loss at all and have to wait for a cure if they can’t find one, especially if their country doesn’t have anything available beside hearing aids or cochlear implants. That’s why I’ve talked about the hypnosis, subliminals, etc. For those who have it, even if it was not caused by their iPods but by noise, I want you to stay strong and just spread the word. Make groups if you want.

It’s not only about responsibility, it’s also by a lack of awareness. I agree that it takes responsibility to find a solution to minimize or kill the lack of awareness. So, try my suggestions above. I put the emphasis especially to the kids who might lose their hearing at a faster rate than it should be. I don’t say that other age groups should not be cautious about this. The reason is because the kids are the ones who will have to take the flag, someday.

Some want to be responsible and can still run into problems like hearing loss. It’s not the end of the world nor your life if you have hearing loss. You can still live even if you are a musician… You can be the one who make great music while being deaf for example and improve your skills at making sound without hearing anything. I know you may be disappointed because I know there are people with awesome skills and stop making music or end up suiciding themselves, unfortunately. For some, the reason might be because it’s their own fault that they’ve inflicted themselves and because it’s usually not reversible without some therapy that might work such as stem cells therapy and they would not accept their mistake. For some of them, it might be their biggest mistake ever in their life. I also know that it may have an impact on the quality of your songs, compositions, or even your creativity.

The fact is, you can still become popular and have an enjoyable life. I want you to use this status to spread the word as well and that way it might prevent life. We have powerful tools today, they can be as good as it can as bad. It depends on how we use it. Then why don’t we tune them boost even more the preventive measures? It’s better than nothing at all.

True, I’ve said above that hearing loss and tinnitus is not enjoyable. That doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy your life. However, it will be different. I respect your opinion if your hearing is invaluable to you. I agree with this, I find my hearing invaluable too.

Hey, if an official cure is accepted a day and people might use it to correct their hearing loss, use the system I’ve used above first and do your research well before making any decisions. It might be expensive, might not work or not work the way as it should. Some of you might be at a later stage of their life and would like to enjoy their hearing before they run into bigger problems or die. If everything is okay, go ahead, it’s your choice at the end. However, you must keep the same habits about anything and in this case, about the volume, the problems, the oddities and of course, your hearing status.

I know that this is a long post and that’s to cover enough points and make a difference in this ever growing kind of problem. It also makes me feel better by doing this. I suggest you do that too even if it’s redundant :). The future generations will probably have to be skilled in these kind of choices and of course, they have to be skilled at making choices, maybe even more than right now. Think about it and you can tell me if that makes sense or not. Thank you for reading.