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Like a smoker's dependence on cigarettes, students' addictions to iPods can be seen throughout campus. Whether it's between classes, eating at the Memorial Union or just wandering around, many students are lost without those infamous white earbuds in place.

But instead of emphysema, prolonged iPod or other MP3 player usage may leave listeners unable to hear much of anything, let alone their portable jukebox.

"It's not always an immediate effect, but noise exposure causes permanent damage along the road," Dr. Kay Kochman says.

Kochman is an ASU alumnus and audiologist at Tri-City Audiology in Chandler. She says the louder people listen to their iPods and other digital audio players, the sooner the damage will take effect.

"Even listening at a moderate 40-decibel level will cause damage," Kochman says. iPods have a 100-decibel limit.

"I can be across the room from my brother and I can hear exactly what he is listening to," biology junior Alicia Anders says. "I tell him all the time he's going to ruin his ears."

Limiting damage can be as simple as swapping out the type of headphones listeners use. For instance, the signature Apple earbuds that accompany every iPod rest loosely in the outer part of the ear canal. Kochman says this type forces users to turn up the volume to block out the noises of the outside world.

Instead, she recommends listeners use a more efficient type of headphones, known as an ear mold. An ear mold is custom-made from an impression of someone's inner ear, so it fits securely to an individual's unique shape. Another alternative is canalphones, which squeeze inside the ear canal. Either option cancels out excess sound, allowing music to be played at lower volumes.

Volume aside, Kochman says the length of exposure is another critical factor in hearing loss. As a result, students should be wary of listening for prolonged periods of time. However, this may be a difficult task for iPod addicts like Hannah Leone, a journalism freshman.

"I would estimate I use my iPod about three to four hours a day," Leone says.

In response to complaints over the last couple of years, Apple has been making strides to allow customers to have a safer listening experience. In recent models, users are able to set their own maximum volume level to prevent high-frequency exposure.

And, according to macrumors.com, Apple applied for a patent last month for a product that would monitor the time a listener has been playing his or her iPod and gradually lower the volume in response. This may be the best solution for everyday users like Leone.

"I literally take my iPod everywhere with me," she says. "I have it when I go to the gym, to class and to sleep."

scott.huscher@asu.edu


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