quote:

Originally posted by RobertStern The sound is anywhere from like 105-120 db at most clubs. I know at times Avalon has been as high as 124db, I can tell you from experience Vanguard is high up there too greater than 110+. There is never gonna a be a day where the sound is set at 100 or below, that kinda defeats the role of a club.

That's really sad news...found this article (written in Canada), but the message is universal...

http://www.digital-recordings.com/publ/pubear.html

General Misconceptions about Sound and Hearing

o Loud sound is not dangerous, as long as you don't feel any pain in your ears.

Not true: Our threshold for pain is at about 120 - 140 dB SPL but sound begins to damage our hearing when it is above 85 dB SPL (for a 8 hour period).

o Hearing loss after sound exposure is temporary.

Not true: Some of the hearing loss will be permanent. Indication of damage is ringing and noise in the ears (called tinnitus) after sound exposure. This is a clear indication that sound exposure took place. Another indication of that is the difficulty to communicate on the phone and in the noisy restaurant or cafeteria.

o If you have a hearing loss already, you don't have to protect your hearing any more.

Not true: Hearing loss accumulates. More exposure to loud sounds leads to more hearing loss.

o Hearing loss is mostly caused by aging.

Not true: Research shows that accumulative exposure to loud sounds, not age, is the major cause of hearing loss.

o Hearing loss can be repaired by medicine, surgery or hearing aids.

Not true: Although certain improvements can be obtained by the use of hearing aids. In the case of hearing losses inflicted due to the noise exposure, the resulting quality of hearing will be far from normal. So far no drugs or therapy can correct noise induced hearing loss. This could affect your professional performance as a musician, sound engineer, medical doctor, air traffic controller, telephone operator, pilot and driver or in any other profession where performance depends on good hearing. Also, your enjoyment of music would suffer.

o Loud sound only damages your hearing.

Not true: Loud sound can change your heart rate, vision and reaction time. It may make you more aggressive and in general, negatively affect you.


Common Misconceptions about "Sound Engineers" and Sound Reinforcement

o They know what they are doing, when adjusting sound.

Not true: Most of so-called "sound engineers" (about 99%) have no formal training in acoustics and sound reinforcement. The operation of sound systems does not require any licence or qualifying exam, yet the operators are in control of a potentially very damaging form of energy.

o They adjust sound to safe levels.

Not true: Most (about 99%) don't use sound level meters to measure intensity. Instead they judge the sound level "by ear",an inexact procedure even if we assumed they had no hearing loss. Research in Halifax night spots showed in 1986 that a risk of hearing loss for patrons was present in 64% of all tested locales during 1 hour of exposure and in 95% during 4 or more hours of exposure (a typical evening at a night club lasts 4 hours).

o Equalization and adjustments of sound parameters are properly done.

Not true: Many of the so-called "sound engineers" have significant hearing losses.Sound adjusted to their liking may be far from well- balanced sound. This could further increase the danger of exposure to harmful sound levels.

o Sound systems have built-in safety features.

Not true: Most sound systems are tremendously powerful and are capable of producing sounds much louder than adjusted levels. However, these systems have no built-in protection against surges in sound due to feedback or accidents.

o There is a law to protect the public against unsafe sound levels.

Not true: In Canada, no law exists to protect patrons who frequent entertainment premises (such as: clubs, concerts, school dances etc.) from harmful sound exposure, which could result in permanent hearing loss. Although there is a law governing the safety of workers, it appears not to be enforced in the entertainment industry.


Common Misconceptions about "What People Like" and People's Rights

o Most people like their music loud.

Not true: Although some people like loud music, especially if they already have a hearing loss, most audiences note little perceptible difference between sound levels of 85 dB SPL and 100 dB SPL. However, 100 dB is much more dangerous than 85 dB sound, having 32 times more destructive power (115 dB sound found in many clubs has 1000 times more destructive power than 85 dB sound).


Facts about Sound and Hearing

o Frequency range: With normal hearing, one can hear frequencies from 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz. ( 20 cycles/sec to 20,000 cycles/sec ).

o Intensity range: With normal hearing, one can hear intensities from 0 dB to 140 dB. This corresponds to power ratio (defined as ratio of the highest audible intensity to the lowest audible intensity) equal to 100,000,000,000,000.

o Recommended maximum allowable exposure times (by Nova Scotia Department of Labour) are:

16 hours for 80 dBA sound
8 hours for 85 dBA sound
4 hours for 90 dBA sound
2 hours for 95 dBA sound
1 hour for 100 dBA sound
30 min for 105 dBA sound
15 min for 110 dBA sound
7.5 min for 115 dBA sound
0 min for above 115 dBA sound (there should
be no exposure at
this level!)

o Illustration of hearing loss (intensity): Let's assume that a single bird sitting far away in the tree produces a sound level 0 dB (barely audible). A person with hearing loss (after going to "bad clubs") requires a minimum sound level of 40 dB in order to hear the sound. How many birds have to sit in the tree in order for this person to hear them ? Answer: 10,000. For the person with 50 dB loss it will take 100,000 birds and with 60 dB loss it will take 1,000,000 birds.

~~~~~~~~~

Clubs really need to lower their volume levels that, without a doubt, are causing hearing damage. I guess the only other option is to try and get public agencies such as OSHA involved to force them to do it? I really don't like that approach, but none of the clubs in LA seem to address the issue at all...seems that most just ignore the facts or don't care.

Hearing loss affects everyone's ability to work, drive, and of course, listen to music among other things...it needs to be taken seriously!

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Last edited by in2muzikk on May-09-2009 at 00:54