hearing damage from MP3 (?!)

mirlo · 21st December 2002, 01:27 AM

This article describes possible hearing damage due to the way MP3 works, etc.

http://www.informatik.fh-hamburg.de/.../MP3-risk.html

Brian Brown · 21st December 2002, 03:44 AM

Personally I'm no big fan of MP3, but come on...

This guy's done a wonderful job of imbedding conjecture within detailed medical documentation of how hearing works. But not a single reference or study cited.

Here's a couple of my favorite parts:

"The danger of this exploitation of human perception flaws is that especially by lossy audio data compression sound portions get destroyed those, although the brain would not pass them to the conscious awareness, are likely necessary for the human hearing's own perpetual calibration. "

"a continuous consumption of data reduced audio could possibly lead to fatal consequences"

He makes an analogy that after listening to MP3, real sounds won't be perceived accurately. Similar to "like seeing the world in green/ red discoloured after taking off red/ green 3D glasses".

OK. I'll agree that listening to reproduced sounds of any type, even with the very finest recordings on the best audio equipment, will give the listener a false reference of reality, especially if that's all the person ever hears. However, I can't buy that it would cause any permanent damage that wouldn't eventually be reversed by enough exposure to 'natural' sound.

Why pick on MP3 because it removes certain harmonics and tones that most people don't pay attention to? Any speaker system is going to add harmonics and other sounds that aren't 'natural'. Shouldn't we worry about that?

Tinitus is caused by exposure to loud sound, not unnatural sound.

After reading this, I think the next time I hear a live performance of the 1812 Overture, I'll see if they'll let me stick my head in a canon.

Thanks for one of the more amusing things I've read recently!

Brian.

geoffwa · 21st December 2002, 06:16 AM

What exactly is <b>natural</b> sound anyway?

The guy is a real hoot though - try reading the <a href="http://www.informatik.fh-hamburg.de/~windle_c/e_index.html">rest</a> of his page. Why does the best web content come from Germany?

R. McAnally · 21st December 2002, 07:25 PM

don't forget DVD's or a digital cable / broadcast service will also utilize very similar MPEG compression on the audio and video portion. so does this also mean that your eyes are damaged looking at JPEG's and other forms of lossy video compression (DVD?).

dhaen · 21st December 2002, 07:55 PM

Quote:

after listening to MP3, real sounds won't be perceived accurately

Heh he

That might also apply to other systems that exploit physiological shortcomings - like film and TV.....
So, people who watch a lot of TV, can't see reality...
Mmm maybe I'm beginning to believe...

seangoesbonk · 21st December 2002, 08:06 PM

Brain damage from stupid articles?

chris ma · 21st December 2002, 09:38 PM

Imagine I lay on my back and ask my wife after we made love and ask her " Honey, how come you moan so unnatural tonight?" caused I get used to MP3!

Circlotron · 22nd December 2002, 09:56 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Brian Brown
After reading this, I think the next time I hear a live performance of the 1812 Overture, I'll see if they'll let me stick my head in a canon.

I always wondered what they did for subwoofers in the days before electricity.

djss · 26th December 2002, 03:45 PM

Oh please

MP3 --alt-preset extreme in LAME. I cannot tell the difference on my home stereo, or on my headphones, between it and the original. It doesn't compress it 12:1 like most MP3's on the internet, but it IS 6:1 allowing much more reasonable storage.

Regarding that article however: MP3's might make you see the world in a different way. OMG, noooooooo. Does that mean if you see 20/40 you shouldn't wear glasses because it distorts your vision? Stay away from that treadmill :nono: it's sure to distort your natural weight tendencies. And by all means, stay away from the opposite sex, for I have NEVER seen someone so affected in their sense of the world as when they meet that special someone.

Oh, and btw, loneliness can kill you too. IE, there is absolutely no point to his article that can't be refuted by obvious requirements to live a healthy life. This makes it completely useless as an article, becoming only something to laugh at.

Har har har.

haha.

setmenu · 29th December 2002, 11:31 AM

djss
Love the sound clip

Setmenu

21st December 2002, 01:27 AM	#1
mirlo diyAudio Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: San Diego	hearing damage from MP3 (?!) This article describes possible hearing damage due to the way MP3 works, etc. http://www.informatik.fh-hamburg.de/.../MP3-risk.html

21st December 2002, 03:44 AM	#2
Brian Brown diyAudio Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Wisconsin	Can this be taken seriously? Personally I'm no big fan of MP3, but come on... This guy's done a wonderful job of imbedding conjecture within detailed medical documentation of how hearing works. But not a single reference or study cited. Here's a couple of my favorite parts: "The danger of this exploitation of human perception flaws is that especially by lossy audio data compression sound portions get destroyed those, although the brain would not pass them to the conscious awareness, are likely necessary for the human hearing's own perpetual calibration. " "a continuous consumption of data reduced audio could possibly lead to fatal consequences" He makes an analogy that after listening to MP3, real sounds won't be perceived accurately. Similar to "like seeing the world in green/ red discoloured after taking off red/ green 3D glasses". OK. I'll agree that listening to reproduced sounds of any type, even with the very finest recordings on the best audio equipment, will give the listener a false reference of reality, especially if that's all the person ever hears. However, I can't buy that it would cause any permanent damage that wouldn't eventually be reversed by enough exposure to 'natural' sound. Why pick on MP3 because it removes certain harmonics and tones that most people don't pay attention to? Any speaker system is going to add harmonics and other sounds that aren't 'natural'. Shouldn't we worry about that? Tinitus is caused by exposure to loud sound, not unnatural sound. After reading this, I think the next time I hear a live performance of the 1812 Overture, I'll see if they'll let me stick my head in a canon. Thanks for one of the more amusing things I've read recently! Brian.

21st December 2002, 08:06 PM	#6
seangoesbonk diyAudio Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada	Hearing damage from MP3? Brain damage from stupid articles? __________________ My girlfriend's sub is bigger than mine...

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21st December 2002, 06:16 AM	#3
geoffwa diyAudio Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: AU, Melbourne	What exactly is <b>natural</b> sound anyway? The guy is a real hoot though - try reading the <a href="http://www.informatik.fh-hamburg.de/~windle_c/e_index.html">rest</a> of his page. Why does the best web content come from Germany?

21st December 2002, 07:25 PM	#4
R. McAnally diyAudio Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: California	don't forget DVD's or a digital cable / broadcast service will also utilize very similar MPEG compression on the audio and video portion. so does this also mean that your eyes are damaged looking at JPEG's and other forms of lossy video compression (DVD?).

21st December 2002, 09:38 PM	#7
chris ma diyAudio Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Pickering, Canada	Imagine I lay on my back and ask my wife after we made love and ask her " Honey, how come you moan so unnatural tonight?" caused I get used to MP3!

26th December 2002, 03:45 PM	#9
djss diyAudio Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Helotes, TX	Oh please MP3 --alt-preset extreme in LAME. I cannot tell the difference on my home stereo, or on my headphones, between it and the original. It doesn't compress it 12:1 like most MP3's on the internet, but it IS 6:1 allowing much more reasonable storage. Regarding that article however: MP3's might make you see the world in a different way. OMG, noooooooo. Does that mean if you see 20/40 you shouldn't wear glasses because it distorts your vision? Stay away from that treadmill :nono: it's sure to distort your natural weight tendencies. And by all means, stay away from the opposite sex, for I have NEVER seen someone so affected in their sense of the world as when they meet that special someone. Oh, and btw, loneliness can kill you too. IE, there is absolutely no point to his article that can't be refuted by obvious requirements to live a healthy life. This makes it completely useless as an article, becoming only something to laugh at. Har har har. haha.

29th December 2002, 11:31 AM	#10
setmenu diyAudio Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: UK	djss Love the sound clip Setmenu

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